Iran has again ruled out any negotiation with the US, accusing it of pursuing "erratic policies" in dealing with the Islamic republic.

"The Americans have never acted with sincerity, and President Donald Trump's move and remarks to invite Iran for talks were merely a propaganda stunt," the state TV quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying on Wednesday after the cabinet meeting, Xinhua reported.

London's population has been rising steadily since the mid-1980s but evidence has emerged that Brexit and the high cost of buying and renting homes is deterring new people from coming to live in the city.

The London Intelligence Report published on Wednesday by the think-tank the Centre for London showed that in the year to mid-2017 London's population experienced the slowest rate of growth in over a decade, Xinhua news agency reported.

Israel has carried out large-scale airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, targeting "12 terror sites", a military spokesperson said.

Israel struck Hamas sites in Gaza, bombing a concrete factory and a maritime assault tunnel shaft, after at least 36 Gaza rockets hit Israel, the army said on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

China on Wednesday announced that it will slap additional 25 per cent tariff on $16 billion worth of US products in retaliation to Washington's latest round of duties, escalating the trade battle between the two countries.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday told North Korea's Foreign Minister not to trust the US, following the US decision to impose economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to kill around 100 police officers accused of corruption and abuse of power, the media reported on Wednesday.

The footage of Duterte's speech, which was delivered at the Malacanang palace on Tuesday night, was aired repeatedly on Philippines television channels on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia has stopped all medical treatment programmes in Canada and is coordinating for the transfer of Saudi patients to medical facilities outside the country, Saudi press agency reported on Wednesday.

The agency cited Dr Fahd bin Ibrahim Al Tamimi, Saudi Health Attache in the US and Canada, as saying that "the mission seeks to ensure the safety of Saudi patients who receive treatment in Canada with their companions, and to complete their treatment elsewhere".

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was on Wednesday charged in a Kuala Lumpur court on three new counts related to a corruption scandal linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad state fund.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him, Efe news reported.