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<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">US President Donald Trump will host Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Thursday to reaffirm ties after a rocky start earlier this year.</span><br></p><p>Mr Trump had reportedly labelled a February call between the two about a refugee deal as his "worst" that day.</p><p>The leaders' first meeting in person is expected to cover topics including security, trade and North Korea.</p><p>It is also to mark 75 years since the Battle of the Coral Sea in World War Two, key to ties between the nations.</p><p>"My meeting with President Trump will provide an opportunity to reaffirm our alliance and the United States' engagement with the Asia Pacific," Mr Turnbull said in a statement. </p><p>Putin</p><p>Russia, the US, Turkey, Iran and Syria are close to agreeing the establishment of "safe zones" in Syria aimed at ensuring the viability of a ceasefire, Vladimir Putin says.</p><p>The Russian president said they would amount to no-fly zones.</p><p>Mr Putin said his US counterpart Donald Trump had told him in a phone call on Tuesday that he supported the idea.</p><p>A final decision must be made at Syria talks currently taking place in the Kazakh capital Astana, Mr Putin said.</p><p>However, Syrian rebels say they have suspended participation in the Astana talks because of continuing air strikes.</p><div><br></div>
