Xinhua world news summary at 0900 GMT, March 24

WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Friday that bans most transgender troops from military service, gives discretion to the armed forces in implementing the policies.

The accession or retention of individuals "with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria" -- those who may require substantial medical treatment-- "presents considerable risk to military effectiveness and lethality," said a statement released by the White House late Friday. (US-Military-Transgender Ban)

- - - -

PARIS -- The French gendarme who swapped himself for a female hostage during an attack on a supermarket in Trebes, southern France, on Friday, has died of his injuries, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb tweeted Saturday.

The gendarme, Arnaud Beltrame, offered himself up unarmed to the attacker in exchange for the woman who was taken as a human shield, and managed to leave his phone on a table with an open line so that police could hear what was going on inside the supermarket. (France-Terror Attack)

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- The United States has requested consultations with China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over alleged "unfair" technology practices, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said on Friday.

The USTR "filed a request for consultations with China at the WTO to address China's discriminatory technology licensing requirements," it said in a statement. (US-China-WTO)

- - - -

MAIMANA, Afghanistan -- Ten Taliban militants were killed and four others wounded in an accidental blast in Afghanistan's northern province of Faryab, an army source said Saturday.

The explosion took place roughly at 10:30 p.m. local time Friday, in Sar Hawz village, Pashton Kot district, south of provincial capital Maimana city, Hanif Rezai, a press officer of army Corps 209 Shaheen based in the region, told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Blast-Militants) Enditem