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This is the world in brief from The Economist.

Our top stories, America launched a trade probe into China's alleged failure to abide by a trade deal signed during Donald Trump's first term.

The investigation announced days before Mr. Trump meets Xi Jinping in Asia

could allow the administration to impose more tariffs on China.

Meanwhile, Mark Carney, Canada's prime minister, said he was prepared to restart talks with

Mr. Trump after the American president ended trade

negotiations on Thursday.

The Trump administration said it would deploy the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft

carrier to Latin America to, quote, counter-narco-terrorism, escalating the United States military presence

in the region. Earlier, the Pentagon confirmed it had bombed another alleged drug-carrying boat

in the Caribbean Sea, killing six people. The country has hit 10 boats and killed at least 40 people since September.

Meanwhile, America's Treasury imposed sanctions on Gustavo Petro, Colombia's president, and his

wife and son. Scott Besant, the Treasury Secretary, accused Mr. Petro of letting drug cartels,

quote, flourish. On Sunday, Mr. Trump called him,

quote, an illegal drug leader. In recent days, America has widened its boat striking campaign

to include vessels it claims are moving drugs out of Colombia, in addition to Venezuela.

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