The deputy chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards has warned Europe against forcing the Islamic Republic into boosting the range of its missiles by trying to halt their development.

"If the Europeans, or anyone else, want to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-unveils-long-range-cruise-missile-on-revolution-anniversary-194571">conspire to disarm Iran of missiles</a>, we will be forced to make a strategic leap," the guards' deputy commander Brigadier-General Hossein Salami said on state TV on Saturday.

"All that hear me today, come to terms with the new reality of Iran's missile might: there are no obstacles or technical limitations to us increasing (their) range," he added.

The Islamic Republic develops its missile technology according to a "defensive strategy" which changes according to need, he said.

Earlier Saturday, Iran announced the "successful test" of a new cruise missile with a range of over 1,350 kilometres (840 miles), coinciding with the anniversary of the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Defence Minister Amir Hatami said the Hoveizeh cruise missile had successfully hit its targets, calling it the "long arm of the Islamic Republic of Iran".

Iran reined in most of its nuclear programme under a landmark 2015 deal with major powers but has kept up development of its ballistic missile technology.

Washington withdrew from the accord in May and reimposed sanctions against Iran, citing the missile programme among its reasons.

European governments have stuck by the agreement, although some have demanded a new section to address Iran's ballistic missile programme and its intervention in regional conflicts including Yemen.

Iran has voluntarily limited the range of its missiles to 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles), but that is still enough to hit its arch-enemy Israel and US bases in the Middle East.

Washington and its allies have accused Tehran of pursuing enhanced missile capabilities that also threaten Europe.

Tehran denies this, insisting its missile programme is "purely defensive."

The weapon tested Saturday takes its name from a city in the southwestern province of Khuzestan that was devastated in the 1980-1988 war against Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

Salami on Saturday warned world powers "not to seek (new) negotiations or make recommendations or requests on Iran's missile power".

"Our enemies only understand the language of force," he said.&nbsp;

"If you cannot talk to them in that language, they will use it to talk to you."

The deputy chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards has warned Europe against forcing the Islamic Republic into boosting the range of its missiles by trying to halt their development.

The deputy chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards has warned Europe against forcing the Islamic Republic into boosting the range of its missiles by trying to halt their development. "If the Europeans, or anyone else, want to conspire to disarm Iran of missiles, we will be forced to make a strategic leap," the guards' deputy commander Brigadier-General Hossein Salami said on state TV on Saturday. "All that hear me today, come to terms with the new reality of Iran's missile might: there are no obstacles or technical limitations to us increasing (their) range," he added. The Islamic Republic develops its missile technology according to a "defensive strategy" which changes according to need, he said. Earlier Saturday, Iran announced the "successful test" of a new cruise missile with a range of over 1,350 kilometres (840 miles), coinciding with the anniversary of the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Defence Minister Amir Hatami said the Hoveizeh cruise missile had successfully hit its targets, calling it the "long arm of the Islamic Republic of Iran". Iran reined in most of its nuclear programme under a landmark 2015 deal with major powers but has kept up development of its ballistic missile technology. Washington withdrew from the accord in May and reimposed sanctions against Iran, citing the missile programme among its reasons. European governments have stuck by the agreement, although some have demanded a new section to address Iran's ballistic missile programme and its intervention in regional conflicts including Yemen. Iran has voluntarily limited the range of its missiles to 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles), but that is still enough to hit its arch-enemy Israel and US bases in the Middle East. Washington and its allies have accused Tehran of pursuing enhanced missile capabilities that also threaten Europe. Tehran denies this, insisting its missile programme is "purely defensive." The weapon tested Saturday takes its name from a city in the southwestern province of Khuzestan that was devastated in the 1980-1988 war against Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Salami on Saturday warned world powers "not to seek (new) negotiations or make recommendations or requests on Iran's missile power". "Our enemies only understand the language of force," he said. "If you cannot talk to them in that language, they will use it to talk to you."

Do not thwart our missile development or we 'will be forced to make strategic leap': Iran

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-us-hit-by-hysteria-since-dropping-nuclear-deal-189680">Iran's President Hassan Rouhan</a>i slammed his critics on Wednesday, defending the political achievements of a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/anti-nuclear-deal-momentum-is-growing-in-iran-190888"> landmark 2015 nuclear dea</a>l and calling the US an "oath-breaker".

"One should not condemn the government or the great Islamic system instead of America — this is the greatest damage that can be done," he said on state TV.

Hardliners have repeatedly hammered the 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers since the early stages of negotiations, calling it a fool's errand and a deception.

They contend that Iran has gained nothing from the agreement despite complying with its restrictions on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme, intensifying their criticism after Washington withdrew from the treaty last year.

Speaking during an annual ceremony of allegiance to the late founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Rouhani said: "America has not been an oath-breaker only to us, but also to Europe, China, NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)."

President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the deal — technically called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — last May, reimposing punishing sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Washington also withdrew from the TPP trade agreement in 2016, the Paris Agreement on climate change control the next year and forced Canada and Mexico to renegotiate and sign a new deal in 2018 replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The other parties to the Iran nuclear deal — Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia along with the European Union — have insisted it remains in force and is working.

Rouhani took another jab at opponents who have criticised Iranian diplomats' lack of foresight over not predicting the US withdrawal.

"No agreement is based on whether the other party remains, but the main basis is the country's interests," he said.

He ended his speech by calling for "unity", saying Khomeini's main concern was not foreign forces but domestic "discord". 
&nbsp;

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani slammed his critics on Wednesday, defending the political achievements of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and calling the US an "oath-breaker".

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani slammed his critics on Wednesday, defending the political achievements of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and calling the US an "oath-breaker". "One should not condemn the government or the great Islamic system instead of America — this is the greatest damage that can be done," he said on state TV. Hardliners have repeatedly hammered the 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers since the early stages of negotiations, calling it a fool's errand and a deception. They contend that Iran has gained nothing from the agreement despite complying with its restrictions on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme, intensifying their criticism after Washington withdrew from the treaty last year. Speaking during an annual ceremony of allegiance to the late founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Rouhani said: "America has not been an oath-breaker only to us, but also to Europe, China, NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)." President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the deal — technically called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — last May, reimposing punishing sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Washington also withdrew from the TPP trade agreement in 2016, the Paris Agreement on climate change control the next year and forced Canada and Mexico to renegotiate and sign a new deal in 2018 replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement. The other parties to the Iran nuclear deal — Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia along with the European Union — have insisted it remains in force and is working. Rouhani took another jab at opponents who have criticised Iranian diplomats' lack of foresight over not predicting the US withdrawal. "No agreement is based on whether the other party remains, but the main basis is the country's interests," he said. He ended his speech by calling for "unity", saying Khomeini's main concern was not foreign forces but domestic "discord".

US oath-breaker not only to us, but also to Europe, China, NAFTA and TPP: Rouhani

Blistering heat triggered power outages on <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/sports/rafael-nadal-races-to-australian-open-final-beats-stefanos-tsitsipas-192506&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi91I35qYjgAhXZfysKHbEoAhIQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2ci5cEsWT5Ds4ge60PwLfr">Australia</a>'s strained grid on Friday as demand for air-conditioning soared and coal-fired generators struggled to meet the surge in consumption.

To shore up the grid, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) cut power to Alcoa Corp's Portland aluminium smelter, the biggest consumer in the state of Victoria, for nearly two hours on Thursday evening and on Friday.

The record-breaking heatwave over the past week sent power prices soaring across southeastern Australia.

Wholesale power prices in Victoria hit the market cap of A$14,500 ($10,298) per megawatt hour (MWh) before midday on Friday, earlier than expected, then dropped to A$300, National Electricity Market data showed.

Supply was tight, with a total of 1,800 megawatts (MW) of generation offline in the country's east, AEMO Chief Executive Audrey Zibelman said on Australian Broadcasting Corp TV. AGL Energy's Loy Yang power plant and EnergyAustralia's Yallourn, both in Victoria, were among those with units down.

Transmission links from the states of Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia were transferring power to Victoria at full capacity, Zibelman said.

"With all of that, however, we found ourselves short...for up to the next two hours," she said. "We may have to do more over the course of the afternoon, as the demand continues to increase."

The AEMO has ordered cuts of 200 MW, which would affect about 60,000 Victorian customers.

Temperatures in the South Australian capital of Adelaide rose to just shy of 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday, a record high. Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, was set to hit 44C on Friday before a drop of about 15 degrees expected mid-afternoon.

Victoria Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said it was clear Australia's summers were getting longer, hotter and more extreme because of climate change.

"We can see that the problem we've got now is that we've got a 20th-century system for a 21st-century climate," she told reporters at a televised briefing.

Australia is a signatory to the Paris climate accord reached in 2015, under which it has committed to cutting carbon emissions by between 26 per cent to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.

As insurance ahead of this summer, the AEMO lined up 930 MW of reserve power, including an agreement to pay Alcoa's Portland smelter to curb power when supplies are tight. Last summer, the reserve program cost the market operator A$52 million.

However, the power cut to Alcoa on Thursday came without notice because of unexpectedly high temperatures, causing demand to spike, the AEMO said.

"Alcoa will not be compensated for the curtailment," Alcoa spokeswoman Jodie Read said.

But Friday's cut to Alcoa will be under the reserve agreement.

In South Australia, where power capacity has been beefed up with diesel generators and gas-fired plants over the past two years following a state-wide blackout, 30,000 homes lost power on Thursday after transformers on local power lines overheated and switched off.

"After days of heat, we were in some uncharted territory yesterday with record heat and record load sustained well into the night," said Paul Roberts, a spokesman for SA Power Networks, the South Australian local distribution network operator.

Blistering heat triggered power outages on Australia's strained grid on Friday as demand for air-conditioning soared and coal-fired generators struggled to meet the surge in consumption.

Blistering heat triggered power outages on Australia's strained grid on Friday as demand for air-conditioning soared and coal-fired generators struggled to meet the surge in consumption. To shore up the grid, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) cut power to Alcoa Corp's Portland aluminium smelter, the biggest consumer in the state of Victoria, for nearly two hours on Thursday evening and on Friday. The record-breaking heatwave over the past week sent power prices soaring across southeastern Australia. Wholesale power prices in Victoria hit the market cap of A$14,500 ($10,298) per megawatt hour (MWh) before midday on Friday, earlier than expected, then dropped to A$300, National Electricity Market data showed. Supply was tight, with a total of 1,800 megawatts (MW) of generation offline in the country's east, AEMO Chief Executive Audrey Zibelman said on Australian Broadcasting Corp TV. AGL Energy's Loy Yang power plant and EnergyAustralia's Yallourn, both in Victoria, were among those with units down. Transmission links from the states of Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia were transferring power to Victoria at full capacity, Zibelman said. "With all of that, however, we found ourselves short...for up to the next two hours," she said. "We may have to do more over the course of the afternoon, as the demand continues to increase." The AEMO has ordered cuts of 200 MW, which would affect about 60,000 Victorian customers. Temperatures in the South Australian capital of Adelaide rose to just shy of 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday, a record high. Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, was set to hit 44C on Friday before a drop of about 15 degrees expected mid-afternoon. Victoria Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said it was clear Australia's summers were getting longer, hotter and more extreme because of climate change. "We can see that the problem we've got now is that we've got a 20th-century system for a 21st-century climate," she told reporters at a televised briefing. Australia is a signatory to the Paris climate accord reached in 2015, under which it has committed to cutting carbon emissions by between 26 per cent to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. As insurance ahead of this summer, the AEMO lined up 930 MW of reserve power, including an agreement to pay Alcoa's Portland smelter to curb power when supplies are tight. Last summer, the reserve program cost the market operator A$52 million. However, the power cut to Alcoa on Thursday came without notice because of unexpectedly high temperatures, causing demand to spike, the AEMO said. "Alcoa will not be compensated for the curtailment," Alcoa spokeswoman Jodie Read said. But Friday's cut to Alcoa will be under the reserve agreement. In South Australia, where power capacity has been beefed up with diesel generators and gas-fired plants over the past two years following a state-wide blackout, 30,000 homes lost power on Thursday after transformers on local power lines overheated and switched off. "After days of heat, we were in some uncharted territory yesterday with record heat and record load sustained well into the night," said Paul Roberts, a spokesman for SA Power Networks, the South Australian local distribution network operator.

Record-breaking heatwave triggers power cuts on Australia's stressed grid

India, UAE sign currency swap agreement to boost trade

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today he was cancelling an agreement with the UN refugee agency on resettling thousands of African migrants after facing mounting pressure from his right-wing base.

Netanyahu had himself announced the agreement in a televised address yesterday afternoon, drawing immediate anger from right-wing politicians, including allies, and many of his traditional supporters.

He said in a late-night Facebook post yesterday he was suspending the agreement that would have allowed thousands of the migrants to remain in Israel at least temporarily.

Today, he said the deal was being cancelled after having held discussions on it.

He said in a late-night Facebook post yesterday he was suspending the agreement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today he was cancelling an agreement with the UN refugee agency on resettling thousands of African migrants after facing mounting pressure from his right-wing base. Netanyahu had himself announced the agreement in a televised address yesterday afternoon, drawing immediate anger from right-wing politicians, including allies, and many of his traditional supporters. He said in a late-night Facebook post yesterday he was suspending the agreement that would have allowed thousands of the migrants to remain in Israel at least temporarily. Today, he said the deal was being cancelled after having held discussions on it.

Israel cancelling deal with UN on African migrants: Netanyahu

Israel announced&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;it had reached a deal with the UN refugee agency to cancel a controversial plan to deport African migrants and replace it with a new one that will see thousands sent to Western countries.

A minimum of 16,250 migrants will be resettled in unspecified Western nations under the agreement announced in a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.&nbsp;

Netanyahu in January announced the implementation of a programme to remove migrants who entered illegally, giving them a choice between leaving voluntarily or facing indefinite imprisonment with eventual&nbsp;forced expulsion.

According to interior ministry figures, there are currently some 42,000 African migrants in Israel, half of them children, women or men with families, who are not facing immediate deportation.

They are mainly Sudanese and Eritrean.

As the migrants could face danger or imprisonment if returned to their homelands, Israel offered to relocate them to an unnamed African country, which deportees and aid workers said was Rwanda or Uganda.

The statement&nbsp;on Monday&nbsp;said the new plan meant there was no longer a need to send migrants to unnamed third countries.

The plans had drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations refugee agency as well as from some Israelis and rights activists.

The migrants' presence in Israel has become a political issue, with Netanyahu referring to them as "not refugees but illegal infiltrators".

Some 16,250 migrants will be resettled in unspecified Western nations

Israel announced Monday it had reached a deal with the UN refugee agency to cancel a controversial plan to deport African migrants and replace it with a new one that will see thousands sent to Western countries. A minimum of 16,250 migrants will be resettled in unspecified Western nations under the agreement announced in a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. Netanyahu in January announced the implementation of a programme to remove migrants who entered illegally, giving them a choice between leaving voluntarily or facing indefinite imprisonment with eventual forced expulsion. According to interior ministry figures, there are currently some 42,000 African migrants in Israel, half of them children, women or men with families, who are not facing immediate deportation. They are mainly Sudanese and Eritrean. As the migrants could face danger or imprisonment if returned to their homelands, Israel offered to relocate them to an unnamed African country, which deportees and aid workers said was Rwanda or Uganda. The statement on Monday said the new plan meant there was no longer a need to send migrants to unnamed third countries. The plans had drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations refugee agency as well as from some Israelis and rights activists. The migrants' presence in Israel has become a political issue, with Netanyahu referring to them as "not refugees but illegal infiltrators".

Israel cancels controversial plan to deport African migrants

Porn star Stormy Daniels will go to court on July 12 in a bid to dissolve an agreement stopping her discussing an affair she says she had with President Donald Trump, according to court papers published Wednesday.

Lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels last week seeking to toss out the confidential settlement she signed just days before the November 2016 election.

The lawsuit alleges that Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, began an &quot;intimate relationship&quot; with Trump in the summer of 2006 that continued well into 2007.

She has offered to return the $130,000 she received so that she can be free to &quot;speak openly and freely about her prior relationship with the president and the attempts to silence her.&quot;

Daniels is also asking to be allowed to publish text messages, photos and videos relating to the president, Avenatti said in a letter to Trump&#39;s lawyer Michael Cohen.

&quot;I think it&#39;s time for her to tell her story and for the public to decide who&#39;s telling the truth,&quot; Avenatti said last week.

A copy of the settlement filed in court shows that Daniels received the $130,000 from a company known as Essential Consultants LLC in return for her silence.

Using the pseudonyms Peggy Peterson and David Dennison, Daniels and Trump were to sign the agreement, along with Essential Consultants.

But Trump never signed, providing the basis for Avenatti&#39;s attempt to have it thrown out and release Daniels from her obligations.

Daniels is asking for presiding judge Elizabeth Feffer to be replaced, arguing that she has a conflict of interest because she is seeking an appointment to a seat in federal court.

The White House has denied any sexual encounter between Trump and Daniels.

Porn star Stormy Daniels will go to court on July 12 in a bid to dissolve an agreement stopping her discussing an affair she says she had with President Donald Trump

Porn star Stormy Daniels will go to court on July 12 in a bid to dissolve an agreement stopping her discussing an affair she says she had with President Donald Trump, according to court papers published Wednesday. Lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels last week seeking to toss out the confidential settlement she signed just days before the November 2016 election. The lawsuit alleges that Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, began an "intimate relationship" with Trump in the summer of 2006 that continued well into 2007. She has offered to return the $130,000 she received so that she can be free to "speak openly and freely about her prior relationship with the president and the attempts to silence her." Daniels is also asking to be allowed to publish text messages, photos and videos relating to the president, Avenatti said in a letter to Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen. "I think it's time for her to tell her story and for the public to decide who's telling the truth," Avenatti said last week. A copy of the settlement filed in court shows that Daniels received the $130,000 from a company known as Essential Consultants LLC in return for her silence. Using the pseudonyms Peggy Peterson and David Dennison, Daniels and Trump were to sign the agreement, along with Essential Consultants. But Trump never signed, providing the basis for Avenatti's attempt to have it thrown out and release Daniels from her obligations. Daniels is asking for presiding judge Elizabeth Feffer to be replaced, arguing that she has a conflict of interest because she is seeking an appointment to a seat in federal court. The White House has denied any sexual encounter between Trump and Daniels.

Hearing date set for Trump showdown with porn star

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is currently on a three-day visit to India, expressed his opinion on the Trump administration noting that the Iranians had long had their destiny in the hands of the US.&nbsp;

&quot;They would decide for our economy, our culture. Even we didn&#39;t have an educational channel on TV. All military centres were in total control of the US,&quot; Rouhani said.&nbsp;

He also noted that the Iranian government will adhere to any agreement that is signed with the United States.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Our destiny was in the hands of US for a long period of time. They would decide for our economy, our culture. Even we didn&#39;t have an educational channel on TV. All military centers were in total control of the US: Iran President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HassanRouhani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HassanRouhani</a> in Delhi <a href="https://t.co/FgcljnlYgS">pic.twitter.com/FgcljnlYgS</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/964839211928096768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;If the US violates this agreement, you will see that America will regret its decision. Not only US administration, but also US people would voice their opposition immediately and will object to the violators,&quot; he further added.&nbsp;

President Rouhani recently condemned Donald Trump&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&rsquo;s capital. He also urged the Muslim community to support the Palestinian cause. He criticised the White House for imposing a ban on travellers from six Muslim countries.&nbsp;

Rouhani addressed a congregation of Muslim community in Hyderabad on Friday.

Iran and India have signed as many as 9 MoUs. President Rouhani and PM Modi issued <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-to-develop-railway-relations-between-india-and-iran-president-rouhani-33173">a joint statement</a> earlier today.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Rouhani addressed a congregation of Muslim community in Hyderabad on Friday

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is currently on a three-day visit to India, expressed his opinion on the Trump administration noting that the Iranians had long had their destiny in the hands of the US. "They would decide for our economy, our culture. Even we didn't have an educational channel on TV. All military centres were in total control of the US," Rouhani said. He also noted that the Iranian government will adhere to any agreement that is signed with the United States. Our destiny was in the hands of US for a long period of time. They would decide for our economy, our culture. Even we didn't have an educational channel on TV. All military centers were in total control of the US: Iran President #HassanRouhani in Delhi pic.twitter.com/FgcljnlYgS — ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2018 × "If the US violates this agreement, you will see that America will regret its decision. Not only US administration, but also US people would voice their opposition immediately and will object to the violators," he further added. President Rouhani recently condemned Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. He also urged the Muslim community to support the Palestinian cause. He criticised the White House for imposing a ban on travellers from six Muslim countries. Rouhani addressed a congregation of Muslim community in Hyderabad on Friday. Iran and India have signed as many as 9 MoUs. President Rouhani and PM Modi issued a joint statement earlier today.

America will regret if it violates 'nuclear' agreement: President Rouhani

Rohingya refugees who return to Myanmar from Bangladesh following a repatriation agreement will initially live in temporary shelters or camps, Dhaka said Saturday, a day after the UN raised concern for their safety when they go back.

The United Nations says more than 620,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since August and now live in squalor in the world`s largest refugee camp after a military crackdown in Myanmar that the UN and Washington have said clearly constitutes &quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-condemns-ethnic-cleansing-of-myanmars-rohingya-24870">ethnic cleansing</a>&quot;.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation agreement on Thursday which would pave the way for the return of the refugees at the &quot;earliest&quot; opportunity, according to the deal, which Dhaka released on Saturday.

&quot;Primarily they will be kept at temporary shelters or arrangements for a limited time,&quot; Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali told reporters in the capital.

The comments come after the UN refugee agency UNHCR on Friday raised concerns over the agreement, saying conditions to enable refugees to safely return to Rakhine State were not in place.

Under the deal, Yangon will &quot;encourage those who had left Myanmar to return voluntarily and safely to their own households&quot; in Rakhine State or &quot;to a safe and secure place nearest to it&quot;.&nbsp;

However most of the Rohingya villages were burnt during the violence, Ali said, and refugees would have no choice but to live in temporary shelters there.

&quot;There are no houses. Where will they live? It is not possible to physically (return to their own homes),&quot; he said.

Under the terms of the agreement, Myanmar will ensure temporary shelters are only a short-term option and that refugees` &quot;freedom of movement in the Rakhine State will be allowed in conformity with the existing laws and regulations&quot;.

More than 100,000 Rohingya have been living in grim camps for internally displaced persons since violence erupted in Rakhine in 2012.

Rohingya activist Mohammad Zubair told AFP that &quot;Rohingya people will never agree to voluntary repatriation if they are not taken back to their villages and their land returned to them&quot;.&nbsp;

He said Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a similar repatriation agreement in 1992, which led to the return of some 200,000 Rohingya to Rakhine, but unresolved problems, including the issue of citizenship, continue to fester.

The stateless Rohingya have been systematically oppressed by Myanmar, which has stripped the minority of citizenship and severely restricts their movement, as well as their access to basic services.

Myanmar`s government says Rohingya are interlopers from Muslim-majority Bangladesh, even though many can trace their roots in Myanmar back generations.

&quot;Unless we get citizenship in Myanmar, no way the Rohingya will this time return to Rakhine,&quot; Zubair said.

UNHCR has echoed the concerns of the Rohingya, saying all returns must include &quot;the informed consent of refugees&quot;.

According to the agreement, some 700,000 Rohingyas who have fled to Bangladesh since October 2016 will be considered for repatriation.

But that still leaves hundreds of thousands of Rohingya -&nbsp;some of whom fled Myanmar years or decades ago - in Bangladesh.

&quot;The repatriation of residents who crossed over to Bangladesh earlier will be considered separately on the conclusion of the present arrangement,&quot; the newly-signed deal said.&nbsp;

Impoverished and overcrowded Bangladesh has won international praise for allowing the refugees into the country, but has imposed restrictions on their movement and said it does not want them to stay.

The new agreement has already drawn criticism at home, with the main opposition party saying &quot;taking steps to repatriate Rohingyas without stopping repression and genocide in their homeland will be tantamount to pushing them to the hell&quot;.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation agreement on Thursday which would pave the way for the return of the refugees at the "earliest" opportunity, according to the deal, which Dhaka released on Saturday

Rohingya refugees who return to Myanmar from Bangladesh following a repatriation agreement will initially live in temporary shelters or camps, Dhaka said Saturday, a day after the UN raised concern for their safety when they go back. The United Nations says more than 620,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since August and now live in squalor in the world`s largest refugee camp after a military crackdown in Myanmar that the UN and Washington have said clearly constitutes "ethnic cleansing". Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation agreement on Thursday which would pave the way for the return of the refugees at the "earliest" opportunity, according to the deal, which Dhaka released on Saturday. "Primarily they will be kept at temporary shelters or arrangements for a limited time," Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali told reporters in the capital. The comments come after the UN refugee agency UNHCR on Friday raised concerns over the agreement, saying conditions to enable refugees to safely return to Rakhine State were not in place. Under the deal, Yangon will "encourage those who had left Myanmar to return voluntarily and safely to their own households" in Rakhine State or "to a safe and secure place nearest to it". However most of the Rohingya villages were burnt during the violence, Ali said, and refugees would have no choice but to live in temporary shelters there. "There are no houses. Where will they live? It is not possible to physically (return to their own homes)," he said. Under the terms of the agreement, Myanmar will ensure temporary shelters are only a short-term option and that refugees` "freedom of movement in the Rakhine State will be allowed in conformity with the existing laws and regulations". More than 100,000 Rohingya have been living in grim camps for internally displaced persons since violence erupted in Rakhine in 2012. Rohingya activist Mohammad Zubair told AFP that "Rohingya people will never agree to voluntary repatriation if they are not taken back to their villages and their land returned to them". He said Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a similar repatriation agreement in 1992, which led to the return of some 200,000 Rohingya to Rakhine, but unresolved problems, including the issue of citizenship, continue to fester. The stateless Rohingya have been systematically oppressed by Myanmar, which has stripped the minority of citizenship and severely restricts their movement, as well as their access to basic services. Myanmar`s government says Rohingya are interlopers from Muslim-majority Bangladesh, even though many can trace their roots in Myanmar back generations. "Unless we get citizenship in Myanmar, no way the Rohingya will this time return to Rakhine," Zubair said. UNHCR has echoed the concerns of the Rohingya, saying all returns must include "the informed consent of refugees". According to the agreement, some 700,000 Rohingyas who have fled to Bangladesh since October 2016 will be considered for repatriation. But that still leaves hundreds of thousands of Rohingya - some of whom fled Myanmar years or decades ago - in Bangladesh. "The repatriation of residents who crossed over to Bangladesh earlier will be considered separately on the conclusion of the present arrangement," the newly-signed deal said. Impoverished and overcrowded Bangladesh has won international praise for allowing the refugees into the country, but has imposed restrictions on their movement and said it does not want them to stay. The new agreement has already drawn criticism at home, with the main opposition party saying "taking steps to repatriate Rohingyas without stopping repression and genocide in their homeland will be tantamount to pushing them to the hell".

Rohingya to stay in temporary shelters after return from Myanmar

&ldquo;We can&rsquo;t say whether it has happened or not. As a responsibility of the government, we have to make sure that it won&rsquo;t happen,&rdquo; Suu Kyi told reporters in response to a question about human rights violations at the end of a meeting of senior officials at an Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM, in Myanmar&rsquo;s capital Naypyitaw.

Her less than two-year old civilian government has faced heavy international criticism for its response to the crisis, though it has no control over the generals it has to share power with under Myanmar&rsquo;s transition to power after decades of military rule.

Turning to the question of repatriation of Rohingya, Suu Kyi said discussions would be held with the Bangladesh foreign minister on Wednesday and Thursday. Officials from both countries began discussions last month on how to process applications by Rohingya wanting to return to Myanmar.

&ldquo;We hope that this would result in an MOU signed quickly, which would enable us to start the safe and voluntarily return of all of those who have gone across the border,&rdquo; Suu Kyi said.

The Nobel laureate did not use the term &ldquo;Rohingya&rdquo;. Myanmar rejects the use of the term for the Muslim minority, which is not on an official list of the country&rsquo;s ethnic groups.

The Rohingya are largely stateless and many people in Myanmar view them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Suu Kyi said Myanmar would follow the framework of an agreement reached in the 1990s to cover the earlier repatriation of Rohingya, who had fled to Bangladesh to escape previous bouts of ethnic violence.

That agreement did not address the citizenship status of Rohingya, and Bangladesh has been pressing for a repatriation process that provided Rohingya with more safeguards this time.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s on the basis of residency...this was agreed by the two governments a long time ago with success, so this will be the formula we will continue to follow,&rdquo; she said.

Earlier talks between the two countries reached a broad agreement to work out a repatriation deal, but a senior Myanmar official later accused Bangladesh of dragging its feet in order to secure funding from aid agencies for hosting the refugees.

It was hard to tell exactly how close Myanmar and Bangladesh were to an agreement, Suu Kyi said.

Suu Kyi, Myanmar&rsquo;s state counsellor and foreign affairs minister, said the country was doing everything it could to &ldquo;make sure security is maintained&rdquo; in Rakhine, but warned that &ldquo;it takes time&rdquo; to resolve the issues there.

It was unclear, however, whether a safe return was possible, or advisable, for the thousands of Rohingya women and children still stranded on the beaches trying to flee hunger and instability in Rakhine.

Myanmar intends to resettle most refugees who return in new &ldquo;model villages&rdquo;, rather than on the land they previously occupied, an approach the United Nations has criticized in the past as effectively creating permanent camps.

Suu Kyi said discussions would be held with the Bangladesh foreign minister on Wednesday and Thursday. Officials from both countries began discussions last month on how to process applications by Rohingya wanting to return to Myanmar

“We can’t say whether it has happened or not. As a responsibility of the government, we have to make sure that it won’t happen,” Suu Kyi told reporters in response to a question about human rights violations at the end of a meeting of senior officials at an Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM, in Myanmar’s capital Naypyitaw. Her less than two-year old civilian government has faced heavy international criticism for its response to the crisis, though it has no control over the generals it has to share power with under Myanmar’s transition to power after decades of military rule. Turning to the question of repatriation of Rohingya, Suu Kyi said discussions would be held with the Bangladesh foreign minister on Wednesday and Thursday. Officials from both countries began discussions last month on how to process applications by Rohingya wanting to return to Myanmar. “We hope that this would result in an MOU signed quickly, which would enable us to start the safe and voluntarily return of all of those who have gone across the border,” Suu Kyi said. The Nobel laureate did not use the term “Rohingya”. Myanmar rejects the use of the term for the Muslim minority, which is not on an official list of the country’s ethnic groups. The Rohingya are largely stateless and many people in Myanmar view them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Suu Kyi said Myanmar would follow the framework of an agreement reached in the 1990s to cover the earlier repatriation of Rohingya, who had fled to Bangladesh to escape previous bouts of ethnic violence. That agreement did not address the citizenship status of Rohingya, and Bangladesh has been pressing for a repatriation process that provided Rohingya with more safeguards this time. “It’s on the basis of residency...this was agreed by the two governments a long time ago with success, so this will be the formula we will continue to follow,” she said. Earlier talks between the two countries reached a broad agreement to work out a repatriation deal, but a senior Myanmar official later accused Bangladesh of dragging its feet in order to secure funding from aid agencies for hosting the refugees. It was hard to tell exactly how close Myanmar and Bangladesh were to an agreement, Suu Kyi said. Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s state counsellor and foreign affairs minister, said the country was doing everything it could to “make sure security is maintained” in Rakhine, but warned that “it takes time” to resolve the issues there. It was unclear, however, whether a safe return was possible, or advisable, for the thousands of Rohingya women and children still stranded on the beaches trying to flee hunger and instability in Rakhine. Myanmar intends to resettle most refugees who return in new “model villages”, rather than on the land they previously occupied, an approach the United Nations has criticized in the past as effectively creating permanent camps.

Myanmar hopes for talks with Bangladesh this week: Suu Kyi

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-bahrain-egypt-uae-cut-diplomatic-ties-with-qatar-16432">Bahrain</a>&rsquo;s oil minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Khalifa, said on Tuesday he sees no reason why the supply cut agreement between oil producing countries should not be extended on Nov. 30.

He was speaking to reporters in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-macron-guest-of-honour-at-louvre-abu-dhabi-opening-23831">Abu Dhabi</a> on the sidelines of an energy conference.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/opec-countries-agree-to-first-production-cut-in-8-years-9567">OPEC</a> and other <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/non-opec-oil-states-agree-to-cuts-in-historic-deal-9993">non-OPEC producers</a> will meet on Nov. 30 in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/in-vienna-its-the-homeless-whore-city-guides-11304">Vienna</a> to decide on oil output policy.

OPEC and other non-OPEC producers will meet on Nov. 30 in Vienna to decide on oil output policy

Bahrain’s oil minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Khalifa, said on Tuesday he sees no reason why the supply cut agreement between oil producing countries should not be extended on Nov. 30. He was speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi on the sidelines of an energy conference. OPEC and other non-OPEC producers will meet on Nov. 30 in Vienna to decide on oil output policy.

No reason not to extend oil cuts agreement: Bahrain oil minister

UN&nbsp;Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Argentina and other large&nbsp;nations&nbsp;to&nbsp;ratify&nbsp;the&nbsp;Paris&nbsp;climate&nbsp;accord&nbsp;at a Buenos Aires conference on Monday, and Argentina&#39;s foreign minister said she hoped the country would do so by the end of the year. 
 
In December 2015, some 195 countries reached an agreement in&nbsp;Paris&nbsp;that obligates states to take concrete measures to curb emissions that contribute to&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change. But the pact will not go into force&nbsp;until it is ratified by 55 countries representing 55 per cent of global greenhouse emissions. 
 
As of now, only 22 countries have done so, many of them small, vulnerable island&nbsp;nations&nbsp;that account for a negligible percentage of emissions. 
 
Ban urged China and the&nbsp;United States, the world&#39;s top two greenhouse gas emitters, to&nbsp;ratify the deal, and also pushed Argentina, Latin America&#39;s third&nbsp;largest economy, to do the same. 
 
&quot;When we add up the two countries&nbsp;greenhouse gas emissions, it comes to almost 40 per cent&quot; of global emissions, Ban said of the&nbsp;United States and China. 
 
&quot;So 55 per cent may not be difficult to achieve, and I urge Argentina to&nbsp;ratify&nbsp;as soon as possible.&quot; 
 
In response, Argentina&#39;s foreign minister, Susana Malcorra, who is running to replace Ban as UN&nbsp;secretary-general, said the&nbsp;accord&nbsp;has already been approved by one chamber of Congress and she hopes Argentina will have it ratified by the next major UN&nbsp;climate&nbsp;summit in December. 
 
At the event in Buenos Aires, Ban also thanked Argentina for a recent commitment to take in 3,000 refugees from various war-torn locations. 
 
&quot;This kind of solidarity, sign of humanity, should be emulated by many people around the world,&quot; Ban said. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Paris accord that obligates states to take concrete measures to curb emissions will not go in force unless ratified by 55 nations

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Argentina and other large nations to ratify the Paris climate accord at a Buenos Aires conference on Monday, and Argentina's foreign minister said she hoped the country would do so by the end of the year. In December 2015, some 195 countries reached an agreement in Paris that obligates states to take concrete measures to curb emissions that contribute to climate change. But the pact will not go into force until it is ratified by 55 countries representing 55 per cent of global greenhouse emissions. As of now, only 22 countries have done so, many of them small, vulnerable island nations that account for a negligible percentage of emissions. Ban urged China and the United States, the world's top two greenhouse gas emitters, to ratify the deal, and also pushed Argentina, Latin America's third largest economy, to do the same. "When we add up the two countries greenhouse gas emissions, it comes to almost 40 per cent" of global emissions, Ban said of the United States and China. "So 55 per cent may not be difficult to achieve, and I urge Argentina to ratify as soon as possible." In response, Argentina's foreign minister, Susana Malcorra, who is running to replace Ban as UN secretary-general, said the accord has already been approved by one chamber of Congress and she hopes Argentina will have it ratified by the next major UN climate summit in December. At the event in Buenos Aires, Ban also thanked Argentina for a recent commitment to take in 3,000 refugees from various war-torn locations. "This kind of solidarity, sign of humanity, should be emulated by many people around the world," Ban said. (Reuters)

UN chief presses large nations to ratify Paris climate accord at earliest

Inter Milan said on Monday its coach Roberto Mancini is leaving, citing a &quot;mutual agreement&quot; amid media reports the Serie A club&#39;s new Chinese owners decided fresh blood is needed to rejuvenate the team. 
 
&quot;FC Internazionale Milano confirms that it has parted company with head coach Roberto Mancini by mutual agreement,&quot; the club said in a statement 
 
Mancini is tipped in the media to be replaced by Dutch coach Frank de Boer. 
 
Corriere dello Sport and Gazzetta dello Sport reported there was a contract dispute with Mancini and that the Chinese owners, the Suning group, were furious after Inter lost 6-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in a friendly in Oslo on Thursday. 
 
Mancini had been a&nbsp;coach for two years and was under contract until 2017. He was given severance pay of 2.5 million Euros ($2.8 million) net, and will take his entire staff with him, Corriere dello Sport said. De Boer left Ajax Amsterdam at the end of last season. 
 
&quot;Inter would like to place on record its thanks to Roberto for the work carried out with the team since joining in November 2014,&quot; the club said. 
 
(AFP)

Media reports however said the Serie A club's new Chinese owners decided fresh blood was needed to rejuvenate the team

Inter Milan said on Monday its coach Roberto Mancini is leaving, citing a "mutual agreement" amid media reports the Serie A club's new Chinese owners decided fresh blood is needed to rejuvenate the team. "FC Internazionale Milano confirms that it has parted company with head coach Roberto Mancini by mutual agreement," the club said in a statement Mancini is tipped in the media to be replaced by Dutch coach Frank de Boer. Corriere dello Sport and Gazzetta dello Sport reported there was a contract dispute with Mancini and that the Chinese owners, the Suning group, were furious after Inter lost 6-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in a friendly in Oslo on Thursday. Mancini had been a coach for two years and was under contract until 2017. He was given severance pay of 2.5 million Euros ($2.8 million) net, and will take his entire staff with him, Corriere dello Sport said. De Boer left Ajax Amsterdam at the end of last season. "Inter would like to place on record its thanks to Roberto for the work carried out with the team since joining in November 2014," the club said. (AFP)

Inter Milan says coach Roberto Mancini is leaving by 'mutual agreement'

Sri Lanka said on Tuesday it was withdrawing permission for a Chinese company to buy the freehold to 20 hectares of land being reclaimed under a $1.4 billion port project after India objected. 
 
Instead, it will grant the state-owned construction company a 99-year lease on the land next to the port in Colombo, under a new agreement. 
 
&quot;India had a big concern about giving freehold land to China near the Colombo harbour,&quot; government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told reporters. &quot;We have amended the agreement. There will be no freehold land but it will be on a 99-year lease.&quot; 
 
The government had put the project on hold pending a review of all the big-ticket agreements signed under the previous administration of Mahinda Rajapakse. The former president relied heavily on Chinese investment to rebuild the country&#39;s infrastructure after the end of the island&#39;s decades-long ethnic war in May 2009, a move which some say alienated India. 
 
The Chinese-funded port was also controversial among environmentalists. Senaratne said the developers had agreed to drop a proposed Formula One track and increase public park space, and environmental safeguards would be put in place. 
 
The project is being funded by China Communications Construction Company and was launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2014 during a visit to Colombo. 
 
Beijing has been accused of seeking to develop facilities around the Indian Ocean in a &quot;string of pearls&quot; strategy to counter the rise of rival India and secure its own economic interests. 
 
But Senaratne said the government had decided to go ahead with the project under new terms. Colombo would set up an offshore banking centre to compete with Dubai and Singapore, he said. 
 
The reclamation represents the biggest-ever single foreign investment in Sri Lanka. It will add 269 hectares (672 acres) of real estate in the congested capital, which has a population of over 650,000. Once completed, the Chinese will have 108 hectares (266 acres) on a 99-year lease for commercial development. 
 
Earlier, 20 hectares of that was to be on a freehold basis. Under the agreement, the Sri Lankan government will get 62 hectares (153 acres) and the rest will be public parks and access roads. 
 
China, the largest single lender to Sri Lanka, secured contracts to build roads, railways, and ports under Rajapakse, who is under investigation over allegations of corruption during his decade in power. 
 
The administration of President Maithripala Sirisena says the terms negotiated by the previous government were unfavourable. But it has still decided to go ahead with many of the Chinese-funded projects. 
 
(AFP)

Government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said Sri Lanka has amended the agreement, it will grant the Chinese company a 99-year lease instead

Sri Lanka said on Tuesday it was withdrawing permission for a Chinese company to buy the freehold to 20 hectares of land being reclaimed under a $1.4 billion port project after India objected. Instead, it will grant the state-owned construction company a 99-year lease on the land next to the port in Colombo, under a new agreement. "India had a big concern about giving freehold land to China near the Colombo harbour," government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told reporters. "We have amended the agreement. There will be no freehold land but it will be on a 99-year lease." The government had put the project on hold pending a review of all the big-ticket agreements signed under the previous administration of Mahinda Rajapakse. The former president relied heavily on Chinese investment to rebuild the country's infrastructure after the end of the island's decades-long ethnic war in May 2009, a move which some say alienated India. The Chinese-funded port was also controversial among environmentalists. Senaratne said the developers had agreed to drop a proposed Formula One track and increase public park space, and environmental safeguards would be put in place. The project is being funded by China Communications Construction Company and was launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2014 during a visit to Colombo. Beijing has been accused of seeking to develop facilities around the Indian Ocean in a "string of pearls" strategy to counter the rise of rival India and secure its own economic interests. But Senaratne said the government had decided to go ahead with the project under new terms. Colombo would set up an offshore banking centre to compete with Dubai and Singapore, he said. The reclamation represents the biggest-ever single foreign investment in Sri Lanka. It will add 269 hectares (672 acres) of real estate in the congested capital, which has a population of over 650,000. Once completed, the Chinese will have 108 hectares (266 acres) on a 99-year lease for commercial development. Earlier, 20 hectares of that was to be on a freehold basis. Under the agreement, the Sri Lankan government will get 62 hectares (153 acres) and the rest will be public parks and access roads. China, the largest single lender to Sri Lanka, secured contracts to build roads, railways, and ports under Rajapakse, who is under investigation over allegations of corruption during his decade in power. The administration of President Maithripala Sirisena says the terms negotiated by the previous government were unfavourable. But it has still decided to go ahead with many of the Chinese-funded projects. (AFP)

Sri Lanka withdraws freehold land offer to China after India's objection

Visa waiver for diplomatic or official passport holders was among the five agreements signed between India and Tanzania today to accelerate ties between both nations to the next level. 
 
The other agreements include LOC of US $92 million for rehabilitation and improvement of Zanzibar&#39;s water supply system, Water Resource Management and Development, Establishment of vocational training centre at Zanzibar, Agreement between National Small Industries Corporation of India and Small Industries of Development Organization Tanzania. 
 
Asserting that India and Tanzania have agreed to work closely to combat the twin threats of terrorism and climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said both nations will deepen overall defence and security partnership.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Being neighbours across Indian Ocean, President and I agreed to deepen our overall defence and security partnership, especially in the maritime domain. Our in-depth discussions on regional and global issues reflected our considerable convergence on issues of common interest and concern,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;On climate change, India had led the efforts to form an International Solar Alliance at COP 21 in Paris. In this Alliance, which has the support of over 120 countries, we welcome Tanzania as a crucial partner,&quot; he said. 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tanzanian President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli witnessed the signing of agreements at the State House in Dar-es-Salaam. 
 
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted, &quot;A close and friendly partner. PM and President witness the exchange of 5 agreements across various sectors.&quot;Prime Minister Modi and President Magufuli prior to the exchange of agreements held delegation-level talks during which both sides reviewed full spectrum of relations between the two nations. 
 
&quot;Reviewing the full spectrum of #IndiaTanzania relations. President @Magufuli and PM lead delegation level talks,&quot; Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. 
 
The Prime Minister&#39;s Office tweeted, &quot;Discussing India-Tanzania relations with President @MagufuliJP during the bilateral meeting and delegation talks. 
 
Prime Minister Modi was earlier today accorded a ceremonial welcome at the State House kicking-off his first engagement in Tanzania.&nbsp;He landed at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar-es-Salaam earlier in the day as part of his four-nation Africa tour aimed at enhancing ties with the continent, particularly in the economic sphere. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

This was among the five agreements signed today. The two countries also decided to deepen their defence and security partnership

Visa waiver for diplomatic or official passport holders was among the five agreements signed between India and Tanzania today to accelerate ties between both nations to the next level. The other agreements include LOC of US $92 million for rehabilitation and improvement of Zanzibar's water supply system, Water Resource Management and Development, Establishment of vocational training centre at Zanzibar, Agreement between National Small Industries Corporation of India and Small Industries of Development Organization Tanzania. Asserting that India and Tanzania have agreed to work closely to combat the twin threats of terrorism and climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said both nations will deepen overall defence and security partnership. "Being neighbours across Indian Ocean, President and I agreed to deepen our overall defence and security partnership, especially in the maritime domain. Our in-depth discussions on regional and global issues reflected our considerable convergence on issues of common interest and concern," he said. "On climate change, India had led the efforts to form an International Solar Alliance at COP 21 in Paris. In this Alliance, which has the support of over 120 countries, we welcome Tanzania as a crucial partner," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tanzanian President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli witnessed the signing of agreements at the State House in Dar-es-Salaam. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted, "A close and friendly partner. PM and President witness the exchange of 5 agreements across various sectors."Prime Minister Modi and President Magufuli prior to the exchange of agreements held delegation-level talks during which both sides reviewed full spectrum of relations between the two nations. "Reviewing the full spectrum of #IndiaTanzania relations. President @Magufuli and PM lead delegation level talks," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. The Prime Minister's Office tweeted, "Discussing India-Tanzania relations with President @MagufuliJP during the bilateral meeting and delegation talks. Prime Minister Modi was earlier today accorded a ceremonial welcome at the State House kicking-off his first engagement in Tanzania. He landed at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar-es-Salaam earlier in the day as part of his four-nation Africa tour aimed at enhancing ties with the continent, particularly in the economic sphere. (ANI)

India, Tanzania to extend visa waivers to each other's diplomatic or official passport holders

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Havana late Wednesday night ahead of the signing of an agreement between Colombia&#39;s government and leftist FARC rebels. 
 
The two sides are slated to sign an agreement to end hostilities with a definitive ceasefire today. 
 
After more than three years of fraught talks in the Cuban capital, the agreement brings into sight an end to a conflict that began as a 1960s peasant revolt before exploding into a cocaine-fuelled war that has killed at least 220,000 people and displaced millions. 
 
The accord will be signed in Havana by President Juan Manuel Santos and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko. 
 
The agreement would leave the two sides just a step away from resolving the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. 
 
&quot;I congratulate (Colombian) President (Juan Manuel) Santos and the Colombian government. I congratulate the Revolutionary Armed Forces (of Colombia), the FARC and their commander, Timoleon for this historic advancement, this gigantic step. Peace in Colombia is our peace,&quot; Maduro said, referring to Londono by another of his aliases. 
 
Ban and Maduro were expected to attend the signing ceremony along with Cuban President Raul Castro and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. 
 
The ceremony is expected to be held at 12:00 EDT (1600 GMT) 
 
(Reuters)

The agreement ends what started as a 1960s peasant revolt but ended up killing 220,000 and displacing millions

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Havana late Wednesday night ahead of the signing of an agreement between Colombia's government and leftist FARC rebels. The two sides are slated to sign an agreement to end hostilities with a definitive ceasefire today. After more than three years of fraught talks in the Cuban capital, the agreement brings into sight an end to a conflict that began as a 1960s peasant revolt before exploding into a cocaine-fuelled war that has killed at least 220,000 people and displaced millions. The accord will be signed in Havana by President Juan Manuel Santos and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko. The agreement would leave the two sides just a step away from resolving the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. "I congratulate (Colombian) President (Juan Manuel) Santos and the Colombian government. I congratulate the Revolutionary Armed Forces (of Colombia), the FARC and their commander, Timoleon for this historic advancement, this gigantic step. Peace in Colombia is our peace," Maduro said, referring to Londono by another of his aliases. Ban and Maduro were expected to attend the signing ceremony along with Cuban President Raul Castro and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. The ceremony is expected to be held at 12:00 EDT (1600 GMT) (Reuters)

Ban Ki-moon and Venezuela's Maduro arrive for Colombia-FARC agreement

India has agreed to work towards joining the Paris Agreement on climate change this year, India and the United States said on Tuesday, pushing the international fight to curb global warming ahead.

President Barack Obama welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;to the White House for their seventh meeting since&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;took office in 2014, underscoring the warm relationship between the leaders and the world&#39;s two largest democracies.&nbsp;

&quot;We discussed how we can, as quickly as possible, bring the Paris Agreement into force,&quot; Obama said. Climate change is a legacy issue for the US president who leaves office in January.India&#39;s potential entrance into the agreement this year would help accelerate its enactment, perhaps years ahead of schedule. India is the world&rsquo;s third-largest greenhouse gas emitter after China and the United States.

Obama and&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;agreed to work together on an &quot;ambitious&quot; amendment to an international pact known as the Montreal Protocol to reduce hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),&nbsp;a&nbsp;potent greenhouse gas.

The two countries said India would take steps to join the Paris agreement this year.

&quot;India and the United States recognise the urgency of climate change and share the goal of enabling entry into force of the Paris Agreement as early as possible,&quot; the joint statement said.

&quot;The United States reaffirms its commitment to join the agreement as soon as possible this year. India similarly has begun its processes to work toward this shared objective.&quot;

The agreement, forged in 2015, will take effect when at least 55 countries representing 55 per cent of global emissions ratify it. By late last month 17 small countries had ratified it, according to the United Nations, and many others including the United States and China have pledged to do so in 2016.

Environmental groups had hoped&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;would say that India was ready to ratify the agreement during his Washington trip.

&ldquo;With India now on board, a growing chorus&nbsp;of countries are seeking to bring the Paris Agreement into full effect as soon as possible,&quot;&nbsp;said Andrew Steer, president of the World Resources Institute.&nbsp;

Environmental groups had hoped?Modi?would say that India was ready to ratify the agreement during his Washington trip

India has agreed to work towards joining the Paris Agreement on climate change this year, India and the United States said on Tuesday, pushing the international fight to curb global warming ahead. President Barack Obama welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House for their seventh meeting since Modi took office in 2014, underscoring the warm relationship between the leaders and the world's two largest democracies. "We discussed how we can, as quickly as possible, bring the Paris Agreement into force," Obama said. Climate change is a legacy issue for the US president who leaves office in January.India's potential entrance into the agreement this year would help accelerate its enactment, perhaps years ahead of schedule. India is the world’s third-largest greenhouse gas emitter after China and the United States. Obama and Modi agreed to work together on an "ambitious" amendment to an international pact known as the Montreal Protocol to reduce hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a potent greenhouse gas. The two countries said India would take steps to join the Paris agreement this year. "India and the United States recognise the urgency of climate change and share the goal of enabling entry into force of the Paris Agreement as early as possible," the joint statement said. "The United States reaffirms its commitment to join the agreement as soon as possible this year. India similarly has begun its processes to work toward this shared objective." The agreement, forged in 2015, will take effect when at least 55 countries representing 55 per cent of global emissions ratify it. By late last month 17 small countries had ratified it, according to the United Nations, and many others including the United States and China have pledged to do so in 2016. Environmental groups had hoped Modi would say that India was ready to ratify the agreement during his Washington trip. “With India now on board, a growing chorus of countries are seeking to bring the Paris Agreement into full effect as soon as possible," said Andrew Steer, president of the World Resources Institute.

In boost to Paris climate pact, India says it aims to join this year

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Microsoft have unveiled a code of conduct with the European Commission that pledges to combat online hate speech.

In a press release, the EU Commissioners for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality pointed out the need for increased monitoring following the spate of terror attacks that have rocked Europe. 
 
&quot;The recent terror attacks have reminded us of the urgent need to address illegal online hate speech,&quot; said Vera Jourova in a statement.

&quot;Social media is unfortunately one of the tools that terrorist groups use to radicalize young people, and racists use to spread violence and hatred. This agreement is an important step forward to ensure that the internet remains a place of free and democratic expression, where European values and laws are respected.&quot;

The code of conduct outlines a raft of measures the IT companies have agreed to respect, including the commitment to remove illegal hate speech in less than 24 hours after being notified.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & Microsoft have signed an agreement to battle hate speech online.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Microsoft have unveiled a code of conduct with the European Commission that pledges to combat online hate speech. In a press release, the EU Commissioners for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality pointed out the need for increased monitoring following the spate of terror attacks that have rocked Europe. "The recent terror attacks have reminded us of the urgent need to address illegal online hate speech," said Vera Jourova in a statement. "Social media is unfortunately one of the tools that terrorist groups use to radicalize young people, and racists use to spread violence and hatred. This agreement is an important step forward to ensure that the internet remains a place of free and democratic expression, where European values and laws are respected." The code of conduct outlines a raft of measures the IT companies have agreed to respect, including the commitment to remove illegal hate speech in less than 24 hours after being notified.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & Microsoft join hands to fight hate speech

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