The U.S. military can not confirm reports that the Islamic State group leader may have been struck in an airstrike, but a Pentagon official suggested Monday that lower-level figures may have been hit.

Speculation has swirled over the fate of jihadist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi after local claims that he was killed or wounded in a strike by the U.S.-led air armada targeting his group.

U.S. President Barack Obama voiced support Monday for "free and open Internet" rules to protect against putting online services that don't pay extra fees into a "slow lane."

Obama endorsed an effort to reclassify the Internet as a public utility to give regulators more authority to enforce "net neutrality," the principle barring Internet service firms from playing favorites or opening up "fast lanes" for services that pay fees for better access.

President Barack Obama announced a deal Monday to extend visas for Chinese visitors to the United States for up to a decade, insisting he wants China "to do well" despite simmering tensions between the world's two largest economies.

"The United States welcomes the rise of a prosperous, peaceful and stable China," Obama said in a speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing.

Iraq said Saturday that foreign military trainers heading to the country are welcome but "a little late," after U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled plans to send 1,500 additional troops.

"This step is a little late, but we welcome it," a statement from Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's office said.

Two Americans serving lengthy prison sentences in North Korea were released on Saturday by the reclusive state following a secret mission to Pyongyang by U.S. intelligence chief James Clapper, the State Department announced.

Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller were the last two American nationals held by North Korea following the sudden release last month of 56-year-old Jeffrey Fowle.

A failure by Iran and world powers to reach a comprehensive agreement over Tehran's nuclear program would be dangerous "for the entire world," a senior Iranian negotiator said on Saturday.

Iran and six world powers are seeking a landmark deal by November 24 that would see Iran scale back its nuclear activities in order to ease long-held fears it might develop atomic weapons, in return for a lifting of international sanctions.

Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov said Saturday that U.S. involvement in resolving the conflict in Ukraine would be a "step in the right direction", after meeting with his U.S. counterpart John Kerry in Beijing.

Lavrov's remarks appeared to soften Russia's line on the crisis ahead of high-level meetings between President Vladimir Putin and world leaders at an APEC summit in China and a Group of 20 summit in Australia next week.

President Barack Obama plans to nominate veteran New York federal prosecutor Loretta Lynch to succeed Eric Holder as U.S. attorney general, the White House said Friday.

If confirmed by the Senate, Lynch would be the first African-American woman to serve as the nation's top law enforcement officer.

The White House on Friday welcomed the formation of Yemen's new government, and encouraged the impoverished Arab nation to overcome partisan politics following weeks of turmoil. 

Yemen announced a new 36-member government aimed at ending the political crisis, in line with a peace deal agreed on September 21, the day Shiite Huthi rebels seized the capital. 

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Saturday he would have a "robust" conversation about downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 with Russian President Vladimir Putin when they meet in Beijing. 

The Kremlin confirmed on Friday that Putin will meet Abbott, who last month promised to confront the Russian president over the downing of the plane, at a summit in the Chinese capital.