The tensions between Iran and the United States reached a tipping point on January 3 when the US missile strike killed the second-most powerful man in Iran - Gen Qassem Soleimani. In retaliation, Iran launched ballistic missiles at Iraqi bases housing US troops. In an address to the nation from the White House, President Trump said no Americans were killed or wounded when Iranian forces launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against two military bases in Iraq marking the most significant Iranian attack in a growing conflict with the United States. Trump further added that Iran will never be allowed to have nuclear weapons, promising harsher sanctions against Iran "unless it changes its behaviour". #QassemSoleimani #DonaldTrump #US #Iran #SoleimaniKilling

Donald Trump: Iranian strike caused no American deaths

The unilateral decision of Trump to order the killing of Soleimani has led to a trust deficit among allies of the US How far will Trump go? Is he willing to wage a war on Iran to improve his electoral changes? What's the impact on allies of America? #Gravitas #WIONEdit #WION

WION Edit: Conflict with Iran, Is America hurting its allies?

Thousands have gathered to get the final glimpse of slain general Qassim Suleimaniwho was killed in the US airstrike. People were seen weeping and flying Iranian flags as the three day mourning period come to an end. As Iran mourns general Qassim's death, the US is fire fighting a blunder of monumental proportions. This has a connection with a leaked letter from the Pentagon. The letter informs the Iraqi government of America's decision to withdraw troops from the country. Watch report: #SuleimaniKilling #QassimSuleimani #SuleimaniBurial

Tears and fury on the streets Of Kerman on burial of Qassim Suleimani

The US&nbsp;Senate remained at a stalemate on Friday over how to proceed with the impeachment trial of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-trump-ordered-action-against-irans-quds-force-commander-soleimani-us-department-of-defence-271773">President Donald Trump</a>, as the chamber's leaders wrangled over whether White House aides will be called as witnesses and the top Democrat appealed to a handful of Republicans who could help break the impasse.

After a two-week holiday recess, there was still no clarity about when Trump's impeachment trial might begin.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said that in any case the trial could not start without the articles of impeachment, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not yet sent to the Senate.

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted in December to impeach Trump for pressuring Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a potential rival in the 2020 presidential election.

A trial would be held in the Senate, and Trump is expected to be acquitted by the Republican-controlled chamber. But McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer have been at loggerheads since late last year over how it should be conducted.

McConnell said on Friday that once the Senate receives the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-senator-schumer-outlines-documents-he-wants-for-impeachment-trial-269912">articles of impeachment</a> from the House, it could start the trial and resolve the dispute over witnesses "mid-trial." He said this would follow the precedent set in former President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial two decades ago. Clinton, a Democrat, was acquitted by the Senate.

"Just like 20 years ago," McConnell said, "we should address mid-trial questions such as witnesses after briefs, opening arguments, senator questions and other relevant motions."

Watch:&nbsp;Pelosi calls Trump threat to US&nbsp;in House debate before impeachment vote

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Setting 'a trap'

Schumer, speaking after McConnell, said the majority leader was trying to set a trap by waiting to consider witnesses until after opening presentations.

By that time, Schumer said, McConnell would want to wrap things up and would accuse Democrats of wanting to "drag the whole affair out" by calling witnesses. The witnesses Democrats want to call have not previously testified - unlike in the Clinton trial, Schumer said.

He has asked for testimony from Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, along with former national security adviser John Bolton and two other <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-announces-partial-ban-on-flavored-e-cigarettes-271789">White House aides</a>.

"So if we don't get a commitment up front that the House managers will be able to call witnesses as part of their case, the Senate will act as little more than a nationally televised meeting of the 'Mock Trial Club,'" Schumer declared.

In an appeal to Republicans who may have concerns about McConnell's stance, Schumer also noted that a decision on the parameters of the trial "ultimately rests with a majority of the senators in this chamber."

Republicans have a 53-seat majority in the Senate, where 51 votes are needed to pass a set of rules for the Trump trial.

At least two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, expressed concerns over the holiday break about McConnell's approach to the trial after he said he was acting in "total coordination" with the White House and would not be an impartial juror.

The actual impeachment trial in the Senate would need a two-thirds majority vote for a conviction, requiring more than 20 Republicans to break with their party to remove the president.

Schumer said Trump administration correspondence released this week bolstered Democrats' case that Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine in an effort to pressure Kiev to investigate the Bidens.

The two Senate leaders spoke after a US&nbsp;air strike in Baghdad killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force and architect of its growing military influence in the Middle East. The attack was authorized by Trump, and Iran has promised harsh revenge.

Clinton ordered four days of bombing on Iraq in 1998 as he was facing an impeachment vote in the House. Those airstrikes delayed the vote, but did not prevent it.

The US Senate remained at a stalemate on Friday over how to proceed with the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, as the chamber's leaders wrangled over whether White House aides will be called as witnesses and the top Democrat appealed to a handful of Republicans who could help break the impasse.

The US Senate remained at a stalemate on Friday over how to proceed with the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, as the chamber's leaders wrangled over whether White House aides will be called as witnesses and the top Democrat appealed to a handful of Republicans who could help break the impasse. After a two-week holiday recess, there was still no clarity about when Trump's impeachment trial might begin. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said that in any case the trial could not start without the articles of impeachment, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not yet sent to the Senate. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted in December to impeach Trump for pressuring Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a potential rival in the 2020 presidential election. A trial would be held in the Senate, and Trump is expected to be acquitted by the Republican-controlled chamber. But McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer have been at loggerheads since late last year over how it should be conducted. McConnell said on Friday that once the Senate receives the articles of impeachment from the House, it could start the trial and resolve the dispute over witnesses "mid-trial." He said this would follow the precedent set in former President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial two decades ago. Clinton, a Democrat, was acquitted by the Senate. "Just like 20 years ago," McConnell said, "we should address mid-trial questions such as witnesses after briefs, opening arguments, senator questions and other relevant motions." Watch: Pelosi calls Trump threat to US in House debate before impeachment vote Setting 'a trap' Schumer, speaking after McConnell, said the majority leader was trying to set a trap by waiting to consider witnesses until after opening presentations. By that time, Schumer said, McConnell would want to wrap things up and would accuse Democrats of wanting to "drag the whole affair out" by calling witnesses. The witnesses Democrats want to call have not previously testified - unlike in the Clinton trial, Schumer said. He has asked for testimony from Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, along with former national security adviser John Bolton and two other White House aides. "So if we don't get a commitment up front that the House managers will be able to call witnesses as part of their case, the Senate will act as little more than a nationally televised meeting of the 'Mock Trial Club,'" Schumer declared. In an appeal to Republicans who may have concerns about McConnell's stance, Schumer also noted that a decision on the parameters of the trial "ultimately rests with a majority of the senators in this chamber." Republicans have a 53-seat majority in the Senate, where 51 votes are needed to pass a set of rules for the Trump trial. At least two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, expressed concerns over the holiday break about McConnell's approach to the trial after he said he was acting in "total coordination" with the White House and would not be an impartial juror. The actual impeachment trial in the Senate would need a two-thirds majority vote for a conviction, requiring more than 20 Republicans to break with their party to remove the president. Schumer said Trump administration correspondence released this week bolstered Democrats' case that Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine in an effort to pressure Kiev to investigate the Bidens. The two Senate leaders spoke after a US air strike in Baghdad killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force and architect of its growing military influence in the Middle East. The attack was authorized by Trump, and Iran has promised harsh revenge. Clinton ordered four days of bombing on Iraq in 1998 as he was facing an impeachment vote in the House. Those airstrikes delayed the vote, but did not prevent it.

Trump impeachment row: US Senate in stalemate over how to proceed

Fatal Shooting In Texas Church Kills Two People, One Injured. #Gravitas

Gravitas: America's Gun Problem: 2 Killed In Shooting At Texas Church

Rescue kittens got dressed up in festive holiday sweaters on Christmas Eve (December 24) as adoring fans took turns playing and cuddling with them at a Washington cat cafe.

Kittens in festive sweaters bring holiday cheer to Washington cat cafe

Christianity Today, the magazine founded by the late Reverend Billy Graham, renewed its criticism of President Donald Trump in a new editorial that cited his "misuses of power" and asked fellow Christians to examine their loyalty to him, days after a controversial editorial that called for his impeachment.

The 130,000-circulation magazine, which has 4.3 million monthly website viewers, in its editorial last week cited Trump's "profoundly immoral" conduct in office, drawing immediate criticism from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-democrats-seek-high-profile-trial-for-trump-in-senate-269263">Trump</a> and dozens of evangelical leaders.

Evangelicals have been a bedrock of support for the Republican president, and the magazine noted in its new editorial, published Sunday, that Trump "has done a lot of good for causes we all care about."

But the magazine's president, Timothy Dalrymple, wrote in the editorial, headlined "The Flag in the Whirlwind," that evangelicals' embrace of Trump means being tied to his "rampant immorality, greed, and corruption; his divisiveness and race-baiting; his cruelty and hostility to immigrants and refugees."

"With profound love and respect," Dalrymple said, "we ask our brothers and sisters in Christ to consider whether they have given to Caesar what belongs only to God: their unconditional loyalty."

The editorial praised the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-unveils-development-at-arak-reactor-amid-us-sanctions-pressure-269852">Trump administration</a>'s judicial appointment, "advocacy of life, family, and religious liberty." But it said, "It is one thing to praise his accomplishments; it is another to excuse and deny his obvious misuses of power.

Dalrymple pledged to open up a "serious discussion about how our activity as Christians shapes our activity as citizens" in 2020. He declined to be interviewed until after the Christmas holiday.

Evangelical Christians make up about 25 pet cent&nbsp;of the US&nbsp;population. According to a Pew Research poll from last January, 69 per cent&nbsp;of white evangelicals approved of the job Trump is doing, compared with 48 pet cent&nbsp;of white mainline Protestants and 12 per cent&nbsp;of black Protestants.

On January&nbsp;3, Trump will hold an "Evangelicals for Trump coalition launch" in Miami.

Graham's son Franklin had slammed the original Christianity Today editorial and said his father knew, believed in and voted for Trump, an endorsement that other family members dispute. Dozens of evangelical leaders signed a letter criticizing the magazine's impeachment call, and Trump said on Twitter he would stop reading the publication.

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....have a Radical Left nonbeliever, who wants to take your religion &amp; your guns, than Donald Trump as your President. No President has done more for the Evangelical community, and it’s not even close. You’ll not get anything from those Dems on stage. I won’t be reading ET again!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1207997319821615105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Christianity Today was founded in 1956, and its current impact in the evangelical community is limited, said Greg Carey, a New Testament professor at Lancaster Seminary in Pennsylvania. “Like other traditional media, their platform has fragmented, so I’m skeptical that they have the real punch to change a movement.”

Still, the way <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-tells-jewish-americans-he-is-israels-best-friend-266897">Trump</a> and others have pushed back showed the outlet is being heard. “There are those who feel that a crack in that foundation (of evangelical support of Trump) is a threat” that needs to be patched, Carey said.

For evangelicals who have doubts about Trump's conduct in office and the church's embrace of the president, "having an institutional voice that has some respect gives them cover to voice their opinion," Carey said.

Christianity Today, the magazine founded by the late Reverend Billy Graham, renewed its criticism of President Donald Trump in a new editorial that cited his "misuses of power" and asked fellow Christians to examine their loyalty to him, days after a controversial editorial that called for his impeachment.

Christianity Today, the magazine founded by the late Reverend Billy Graham, renewed its criticism of President Donald Trump in a new editorial that cited his "misuses of power" and asked fellow Christians to examine their loyalty to him, days after a controversial editorial that called for his impeachment. The 130,000-circulation magazine, which has 4.3 million monthly website viewers, in its editorial last week cited Trump's "profoundly immoral" conduct in office, drawing immediate criticism from Trump and dozens of evangelical leaders. Evangelicals have been a bedrock of support for the Republican president, and the magazine noted in its new editorial, published Sunday, that Trump "has done a lot of good for causes we all care about." But the magazine's president, Timothy Dalrymple, wrote in the editorial, headlined "The Flag in the Whirlwind," that evangelicals' embrace of Trump means being tied to his "rampant immorality, greed, and corruption; his divisiveness and race-baiting; his cruelty and hostility to immigrants and refugees." "With profound love and respect," Dalrymple said, "we ask our brothers and sisters in Christ to consider whether they have given to Caesar what belongs only to God: their unconditional loyalty." The editorial praised the Trump administration's judicial appointment, "advocacy of life, family, and religious liberty." But it said, "It is one thing to praise his accomplishments; it is another to excuse and deny his obvious misuses of power. Dalrymple pledged to open up a "serious discussion about how our activity as Christians shapes our activity as citizens" in 2020. He declined to be interviewed until after the Christmas holiday. Evangelical Christians make up about 25 pet cent of the US population. According to a Pew Research poll from last January, 69 per cent of white evangelicals approved of the job Trump is doing, compared with 48 pet cent of white mainline Protestants and 12 per cent of black Protestants. On January 3, Trump will hold an "Evangelicals for Trump coalition launch" in Miami. Graham's son Franklin had slammed the original Christianity Today editorial and said his father knew, believed in and voted for Trump, an endorsement that other family members dispute. Dozens of evangelical leaders signed a letter criticizing the magazine's impeachment call, and Trump said on Twitter he would stop reading the publication. ....have a Radical Left nonbeliever, who wants to take your religion & your guns, than Donald Trump as your President. No President has done more for the Evangelical community, and it’s not even close. You’ll not get anything from those Dems on stage. I won’t be reading ET again! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2019 × Christianity Today was founded in 1956, and its current impact in the evangelical community is limited, said Greg Carey, a New Testament professor at Lancaster Seminary in Pennsylvania. “Like other traditional media, their platform has fragmented, so I’m skeptical that they have the real punch to change a movement.” Still, the way Trump and others have pushed back showed the outlet is being heard. “There are those who feel that a crack in that foundation (of evangelical support of Trump) is a threat” that needs to be patched, Carey said. For evangelicals who have doubts about Trump's conduct in office and the church's embrace of the president, "having an institutional voice that has some respect gives them cover to voice their opinion," Carey said.

Christianity Today again slams Trump, raises issue of 'unconditional loyalty'

Putin speaks about Donald Trump's impeachment, Ukraine, presidential term limits & arms race with the U.S.

Gravitas: Putin's annual press conference: Key takeaways

U.S. President Donald Trump impeached in the House of Representatives. #Trump #USPresident #DonaldTrump

Gravitas: President Trump impeached in the house

The American public is about evenly split over whether President Donald Trump should be impeached and removed from office. House of Representatives poised to vote on articles of impeachment this week. The impeachment vote in the House of Representatives will take place on December 18. #DonaldTrumpImpeachment #DonaldTrump #America

Americans remain divided on Donald Trump Impeachment

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump has accused South Korea of being a rich nation that is profiting off the&nbsp;US&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-south-korea-postpone-joint-drills-in-act-of-goodwill-262741">military</a> forces, which are stationed in the country as a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-koreans-fearful-of-nightmare-us-troop-withdrawal-199239">legacy</a> of the 1950-1953 Korean War and continued threats from North Korea.

South Korean lawmakers have said&nbsp;Washington&nbsp;is seeking up to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-south-korea-resume-defence-cost-sharing-talks-after-trumps-5-bn-demand-gets-dubbed-as-robbery-262883">$5&nbsp;billion</a>&nbsp;a year to support the&nbsp;troops&nbsp;- more than five times the amount&nbsp;Seoul&nbsp;agreed to pay this year.

But the&nbsp;US's chief negotiator James DeHart told reporters after Wednesday's meeting that "($5&nbsp;billion) is not the number we are currently focusing on in the negotiation," according to Yonhap News Agency.

"We have been coordinating and compromising. But the figure we&nbsp;agree&nbsp;on will be very different from our initial proposal and will also be different from what we are currently hearing from the Korean side," he added.

As part of his 'America First" policy, Trump has&nbsp;demanded that many&nbsp;US&nbsp;allies, including NATO members and Japan, pay more towards defence.

The lack of a deal in the talks led on South Korea's side by chief negotiator Jeong Eun-bo, could result in a repeat of last year when the two countries missed a year-end deadline but reached a retroactive&nbsp;agreement in the new year.

Some experts, both&nbsp;US&nbsp;and Korean, have warned that if no&nbsp;agreement is reached, it could throw the future of the&nbsp;US&nbsp;presence in South Korea into doubt.

The next set of talks will be in the United States in January, with the exact timing still to be determined.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry said their negotiators emphasized the need for "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable&nbsp;agreements," that will strengthen the alliance.

"The two sides have expanded their understanding of each other through many discussions despite differences in their positions on various issues, and decided to continue close consultations," it said in a statement.

The dispute has been a rare public sign of discord in the alliance that has for 70 years formed a buffer against North Korean aggression. The two Koreas remain technically at war after the Korean War ended in a truce but not a peace treaty.

There have been several public protests in South Korea against the&nbsp;US&nbsp;calls for more money, and a survey by the Chicago Council of Global Affairs found that only 4&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of South Korean respondents said&nbsp;Seoul&nbsp;should meet <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-warns-united-states-not-to-exploit-close-trump-kim-ties-258322">Trump</a>'s&nbsp;demands.

On the other hand, 74 per cent&nbsp;of those questioned said they supported the long-term stationing of American&nbsp;troops&nbsp;in South Korea.

If no deal is reached, the most immediate effect may be on thousands of South Korean civilians who work for the&nbsp;US&nbsp;military and who could be placed on unpaid leave.

US President Donald Trump has accused South Korea of being a rich nation that is profiting off the US military forces, which are stationed in the country as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War and continued threats from North Korea.

US President Donald Trump has accused South Korea of being a rich nation that is profiting off the US military forces, which are stationed in the country as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War and continued threats from North Korea. South Korean lawmakers have said Washington is seeking up to $5 billion a year to support the troops - more than five times the amount Seoul agreed to pay this year. But the US's chief negotiator James DeHart told reporters after Wednesday's meeting that "($5 billion) is not the number we are currently focusing on in the negotiation," according to Yonhap News Agency. "We have been coordinating and compromising. But the figure we agree on will be very different from our initial proposal and will also be different from what we are currently hearing from the Korean side," he added. As part of his 'America First" policy, Trump has demanded that many US allies, including NATO members and Japan, pay more towards defence. The lack of a deal in the talks led on South Korea's side by chief negotiator Jeong Eun-bo, could result in a repeat of last year when the two countries missed a year-end deadline but reached a retroactive agreement in the new year. Some experts, both US and Korean, have warned that if no agreement is reached, it could throw the future of the US presence in South Korea into doubt. The next set of talks will be in the United States in January, with the exact timing still to be determined. South Korea's Foreign Ministry said their negotiators emphasized the need for "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable agreements," that will strengthen the alliance. "The two sides have expanded their understanding of each other through many discussions despite differences in their positions on various issues, and decided to continue close consultations," it said in a statement. The dispute has been a rare public sign of discord in the alliance that has for 70 years formed a buffer against North Korean aggression. The two Koreas remain technically at war after the Korean War ended in a truce but not a peace treaty. There have been several public protests in South Korea against the US calls for more money, and a survey by the Chicago Council of Global Affairs found that only 4 per cent of South Korean respondents said Seoul should meet Trump's demands. On the other hand, 74 per cent of those questioned said they supported the long-term stationing of American troops in South Korea. If no deal is reached, the most immediate effect may be on thousands of South Korean civilians who work for the US military and who could be placed on unpaid leave.

Seoul, Washington fail to agree on cost of US troops; US denies $5 billion demand

The US Federal Reserve on December 11 held interest rates steady and signaled borrowing costs will not change anytime soon, with moderate economic growth and historically low unemployment expected to persist through the 2020 presidential election.

US fed keeps rates on hold, points to 'favorable' economic outlook next year

Donald Trump's Impeachment Saga continues and the Democratic-controlled US House Judiciary Committee has unveiled charges against President Donald Trump, a key move in impeaching him. Watch video to know more:

Trump's Impeachment Saga: Democrats unveil formal charges

The former British spy who authored several reports alleging links between Russia and President Trump’s 2016 campaign had been a personal friend of Trump’s daughter Ivanka, a relationship that he said made him “favorably disposed” to the Trump family.

Ivanka Trump was friends with President's foe Christopher Steele

A plane skids in America, passengers and pilots escape serious injury.

American tourist survive after plane skids

Hassan Rouhani calls it the budget of resistance, he defiant in the face of U.S Sanctions.

IRAN: Iran President Hassan Unveils a 'RESISTANCE' budget

New Zeland north island volcano erupted at least 13 people killed and 30 injured.

Wion Speed News: New Zeland Volcano erupted

Venezuela will become the first self American Nation to loose all its Glaciers

Scientists: 'We can't save the last Glacier in Venezuala'

The US&nbsp;military formally notified a court-martialed Navy SEAL commando on Wednesday that he faces proceedings to expel him from the ranks of elite special forces after his demotion was reversed by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-ordered-ukraine-deal-to-probe-biden-us-diplomat-sondland-263493">President Donald Trump</a>, his lawyer and a Navy spokeswoman said.

A trident review board hearing is set for December&nbsp;2 to weigh whether Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, who was charged with committing war crimes during a 2017 deployment to Iraq, is fit to remain in the SEALs, Navy Captain Tamara Lawrence said.

She told Reuters that three of Gallagher's commanding officers face separate hearings to review whether they, too, should be removed from the SEALs.

Gallagher's civilian lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, confirmed his client was served with papers in San Diego, where he is based, informing him of the upcoming review, convened by Naval Special Warfare commander Rear Admiral Collin Green.

Parlatore said Green's move to strip Gallagher of his SEAL status marked a direct challenge to Trump's authority as commander-in-chief and an act of insubordination for which Parlatore said the admiral himself could be court-martialed.

Parlatore contested the move in a complaint filed on Tuesday with the US&nbsp;Defense Department inspector general's office.

Gallagher's notice of a trident review board hearing cited the verdict rendered in his court-martial trial in July as evidence calling into question his suitability to continue serving in naval special warfare, the Navy said.

A military jury acquitted him of charges he fired at unarmed civilians and murdered a captured Islamic State fighter by stabbing the wounded prisoner in the neck. But he was found guilty of illegally posing with the detainee's corpse.

Although spared prison time, he was sentenced to a demotion in rank and pay, from chief petty officer to petty officer first-class, along with a two-month forfeiture of his salary.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/donald-trump-says-us-is-still-talking-to-china-on-trade-263477">Trump last Friday intervened in the case</a> to restore his rank and pay, allowing Gallagher to retire later this year on a full pension. The president also granted pardons to two Army officers separately accused of war crimes in Afghanistan.

Critics said Trump's moves undermined military justice and sent a message that US&nbsp;battlefield atrocities would be tolerated.

The US military formally notified a court-martialed Navy SEAL commando on Wednesday that he faces proceedings to expel him from the ranks of elite special forces after his demotion was reversed by President Donald Trump, his lawyer and a Navy spokeswoman said.

The US military formally notified a court-martialed Navy SEAL commando on Wednesday that he faces proceedings to expel him from the ranks of elite special forces after his demotion was reversed by President Donald Trump, his lawyer and a Navy spokeswoman said. A trident review board hearing is set for December 2 to weigh whether Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, who was charged with committing war crimes during a 2017 deployment to Iraq, is fit to remain in the SEALs, Navy Captain Tamara Lawrence said. She told Reuters that three of Gallagher's commanding officers face separate hearings to review whether they, too, should be removed from the SEALs. Gallagher's civilian lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, confirmed his client was served with papers in San Diego, where he is based, informing him of the upcoming review, convened by Naval Special Warfare commander Rear Admiral Collin Green. Parlatore said Green's move to strip Gallagher of his SEAL status marked a direct challenge to Trump's authority as commander-in-chief and an act of insubordination for which Parlatore said the admiral himself could be court-martialed. Parlatore contested the move in a complaint filed on Tuesday with the US Defense Department inspector general's office. Gallagher's notice of a trident review board hearing cited the verdict rendered in his court-martial trial in July as evidence calling into question his suitability to continue serving in naval special warfare, the Navy said. A military jury acquitted him of charges he fired at unarmed civilians and murdered a captured Islamic State fighter by stabbing the wounded prisoner in the neck. But he was found guilty of illegally posing with the detainee's corpse. Although spared prison time, he was sentenced to a demotion in rank and pay, from chief petty officer to petty officer first-class, along with a two-month forfeiture of his salary. Trump last Friday intervened in the case to restore his rank and pay, allowing Gallagher to retire later this year on a full pension. The president also granted pardons to two Army officers separately accused of war crimes in Afghanistan. Critics said Trump's moves undermined military justice and sent a message that US battlefield atrocities would be tolerated.

US Navy moves to expel court-martialed SEAL commando after Trump restored his rank

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-senate-passes-bill-supporting-human-rights-in-hong-kong-263243">US lawmakers</a> moved to prevent a crippling government shutdown Tuesday as the House of Representatives passed a short-term spending bill that funds federal operations until December 20.

The Senate is expected to clear the measure later this week and send it to the White House before agencies run out of funding at midnight on Thursday.

The administration has signalled that President Donald Trump will sign the so-called continuing resolution.

Congress has been unable to secure a long-term deal. Democrats and Republicans have negotiated for months, but they remain at odds over the funding of Trump's long-sought wall on the US border with Mexico, among other issues.

With Washington consumed by the Trump impeachment inquiry, lawmakers have expressed concern about the ability to finalize a deal in the run-up to the Christmas break.

The measure gives the US military a 3.1 per cent pay raise, funds the 2020 census, and keeps critical public health programs going for another month.

"While short term measures are never ideal, this extension of funding is necessary to ensure that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-policy-shift-united-states-backs-israeli-settlements-on-west-bank-263029">House and Senate</a> can continue to negotiate and reach agreement on full-year appropriations for the fiscal year 2020," House Republican Tom Cole told colleagues.

The bill passed 231 to 192, with 12 Republicans supporting it in the Democratic-controlled House.

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell said he expected a vote in coming days, saying that "failing to secure funding for the federal government before the end of the year is not an option."

Two government shutdowns have occurred during Trump's administration, including a 35-day shutdown from late 2018 to early 2019,&nbsp;the longest in US history,&nbsp;over disagreements on border security.

US lawmakers moved to prevent a crippling government shutdown Tuesday as the House of Representatives passed a short-term spending bill that funds federal operations until December 20.

US lawmakers moved to prevent a crippling government shutdown Tuesday as the House of Representatives passed a short-term spending bill that funds federal operations until December 20. The Senate is expected to clear the measure later this week and send it to the White House before agencies run out of funding at midnight on Thursday. The administration has signalled that President Donald Trump will sign the so-called continuing resolution. Congress has been unable to secure a long-term deal. Democrats and Republicans have negotiated for months, but they remain at odds over the funding of Trump's long-sought wall on the US border with Mexico, among other issues. With Washington consumed by the Trump impeachment inquiry, lawmakers have expressed concern about the ability to finalize a deal in the run-up to the Christmas break. The measure gives the US military a 3.1 per cent pay raise, funds the 2020 census, and keeps critical public health programs going for another month. "While short term measures are never ideal, this extension of funding is necessary to ensure that the House and Senate can continue to negotiate and reach agreement on full-year appropriations for the fiscal year 2020," House Republican Tom Cole told colleagues. The bill passed 231 to 192, with 12 Republicans supporting it in the Democratic-controlled House. Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell said he expected a vote in coming days, saying that "failing to secure funding for the federal government before the end of the year is not an option." Two government shutdowns have occurred during Trump's administration, including a 35-day shutdown from late 2018 to early 2019, the longest in US history, over disagreements on border security.

United States House passed a short-term spending bill to avert government shutdown as deadline looms

The United States must end its joint exercises with Seoul "once and for all" to facilitate dialogue with Pyongyang, North Korea said Tuesday, just days after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-interested-in-meaningless-talks-just-so-trump-can-boast-north-korea-262928">allies postponed planned drills</a>.

The US and South Korea said Sunday they would delay annual joint aerial exercises slated for this month in an act of "goodwill" after months of deadlocked nuclear talks.

Pyongyang has long protested the joint drills, which it condemns as preparations for invasion, and Seoul and Washington last year cancelled several training sessions in the wake of the Singapore summit between President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un.

But Kim Yong Chol, a senior North Korean official who formerly led talks with the US, said the weekend postponement was irrelevant.

"We demand that the US quit the drill or stop it once and for all," Kim said in a statement carried by the KCNA news agency.

Watch: US-South Korea drills postponed to bolster N Korea peace effort

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-south-korea-military-drills-postponed-in-bid-to-bolster-north-korea-peace-effort-262787/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The suspension of the drill does not mean ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and is not helpful to the diplomatic efforts," he added.

The North had "no intention" to sit down with the "tricky US" and would not return to talks "before the complete and irrevocable withdrawal of its hostile policy".

"From now on, the DPRK will get due compensation for every administrative achievement the US president has talked too much about for over a year," Kim added, referring to the North by its official name.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/get-the-deal-done-trump-tweets-at-north-koreas-kim-tells-him-to-act-quickly-262780">Trump has repeatedly pointed to North Korea's moratorium</a> on nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches as foreign policy successes for him.

But negotiations have been gridlocked since the Hanoi summit in February broke up in disagreement over sanctions relief, while October's working-level talks rapidly broke down in Sweden.

Tuesday's statement was the latest in a series of increasingly assertive comments from the North as its end-of-year deadline for the US to come up with a fresh offer approaches, and it has also carried out multiple weapons tests in recent weeks.

Trump hinted at the prospect of a fourth meeting with Kim in a tweet at the weekend, only to be <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-north-korea-went-too-far-in-calling-biden-rabid-dog-262772">dismissed by the North</a>, which said it had no interest in summits "that bring nothing to us".

The United States must end its joint exercises with Seoul "once and for all" to facilitate dialogue with Pyongyang, North Korea said Tuesday, just days after the allies postponed planned drills.

The United States must end its joint exercises with Seoul "once and for all" to facilitate dialogue with Pyongyang, North Korea said Tuesday, just days after the allies postponed planned drills. The US and South Korea said Sunday they would delay annual joint aerial exercises slated for this month in an act of "goodwill" after months of deadlocked nuclear talks. Pyongyang has long protested the joint drills, which it condemns as preparations for invasion, and Seoul and Washington last year cancelled several training sessions in the wake of the Singapore summit between President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un. But Kim Yong Chol, a senior North Korean official who formerly led talks with the US, said the weekend postponement was irrelevant. "We demand that the US quit the drill or stop it once and for all," Kim said in a statement carried by the KCNA news agency. Watch: US-South Korea drills postponed to bolster N Korea peace effort "The suspension of the drill does not mean ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and is not helpful to the diplomatic efforts," he added. The North had "no intention" to sit down with the "tricky US" and would not return to talks "before the complete and irrevocable withdrawal of its hostile policy". "From now on, the DPRK will get due compensation for every administrative achievement the US president has talked too much about for over a year," Kim added, referring to the North by its official name. Trump has repeatedly pointed to North Korea's moratorium on nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches as foreign policy successes for him. But negotiations have been gridlocked since the Hanoi summit in February broke up in disagreement over sanctions relief, while October's working-level talks rapidly broke down in Sweden. Tuesday's statement was the latest in a series of increasingly assertive comments from the North as its end-of-year deadline for the US to come up with a fresh offer approaches, and it has also carried out multiple weapons tests in recent weeks. Trump hinted at the prospect of a fourth meeting with Kim in a tweet at the weekend, only to be dismissed by the North, which said it had no interest in summits "that bring nothing to us".

Quit drill with South Korea, stop it once and for all: North Korean media to US

Is Trump making America a 'bitter' country?

Gravitas: Hate crimes in the US - Is Donald Trump responsible?

All you need to know about Trump public impeachment hearings that began on November 13.

Gravitas: Trump public impeachment hearings begin

Exposing the dodgy track record of the U.S. on human rights, climate changes & other issues.

WION Edit: Hate crimes: U.S. Must clean up its act before blaming others

Hate crimes in the U.S. at record high levels.

Gravitas: In Trump's America: Hate crimes spike

The rise of the civilisational state and of civilisational rather than national leaders is calling into question the concept of sovereign nation-states.

That is evident in the consequences of the civilizational assault on minorities ranging from the Kurds in Syria and Turkey to Muslims in China, India and Myanmar to Islamophobia and mounting anti-Semitism in the United States, France and Hungary as well as sectarianism in the Middle East.

Democracies legally enshrined yardsticks of non-discrimination and equality irrespective of creed, ethnicity, colour, gender and religion but never succeeded in truly enforcing those principles.

As a result, civilisationalism’s assault spotlights the long-standing failure of the nation-state, evident from the moment it was conceptualised by the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia, to give true meaning to guarantee the security, safety and rights of all its inhabitants irrespective of creed, colour, race, ethnicity, faith or gender.

The rise of a critical mass of civilizational leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping, Myanmar’s Win Myint, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Hungary’s Victor Orban and US President Donald J Trump makes a rethink inevitable not only of the functioning of democracy but also of the concepts of the nation state and sovereignty that have structured world orders for close to 500 years.

Many of these leaders conceive of their societies and/or states as defined by civilization and its reach into akin Diaspora communities rather than by legally recognized borders, population within those borders, and language.

Civilisationalism has allowed China to extend its reach in the South China Sea beyond internationally recognised borders at the expense of other littoral states as well as to Diaspora communities across the globe.

It also provided the basis on which China has so far successfully imposed its views on others whether its acceptance of its one-China policy or silence, if not acquiescence, in repression in Xinjiang.

Civilisationalism has further enabled Russia to recognise breakaway states in Georgia, annexe Crimea, and spark violent conflict in eastern Ukraine.

In some ways, the nation state, designed to put an end to religious wars in Europe, paved the way for a revival of civilisationalism by godfathering exclusionary politics that were based on a determination of who belonged and who did not belong to a nation, a question which civilisationalism answers by legitimizing supremacism, racism and prejudice.

From the outset, newly conceived European nation-states sought to build nations by not fully embracing those it believed were not truly part of their nation.

The nation state’s exclusivity, rather than as a result of the Westphalia treaty pulling the curtain on an era of European wars, sparked another round of armed conflict intended to fortify newly found national identities.

Today, the reconceptualisation of nation-state and the notion of sovereignty has become an imperative with civilisationalism adopting exclusivity as its battle cry and the nation state’s centuries-long inability and unwillingness to negotiate mutually workable arrangements that take account of aspirations and identities of societal groups that feel excluded.

Reconceptualisation would need to be geared towards guaranteeing individual and minority rights based on an international legal framework that is enforceable.&nbsp;

Failure to do so would likely usher in an era of disruptive societal tension, marginalisation and disenfranchisement of minorities, flows of mass migration, radicalisation and increased political violence.

A recent International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) report concluded that China was advising countries confronting political and economic instability, sometimes sparked in part by Chinese project-related corruption, to adopt its model of brutally cracking down on any expression of dissent like in Xinjiang.

China, according to the report, is also advocating implementation of its system of social control, involving the use of invasive Chinese artificial intelligence-based surveillance technology, reducing media to parrots of government policy, and firewalling the Internet. China is further training governments in ways of disrupting opposition activity.

China’s view of economic development as a way of countering what it sees as cultural drivers of extremism underlies its effort to Sinicize Turkic Muslim Islam in Xinjiang and is implicit in Chinese aid to countries in the Middle East.

Xi announced in July of last year $20billion in loans to Middle Eastern nations as well as $106 million in financial aid for Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen on the back of Chinese assertions that finance would help resolve the region’s political, religious and cultural tensions.

“China is increasingly proactive in its response to instability in developing countries. It is now more forthright in its advice to partner countries and is proactive in promoting Chinese solutions to other countries’ problems,” said Nicholas Crawford, the IISS report’s author.

China’s policy prescriptions, elements of which are being adopted across the globe, is likely to perpetuate problems inherent to exclusivism propagated by both civilisationalists and nation-states that are more concerned about perceived threats to their territorial integrity or constructed collective identities than aspirations of groups that are part of their societal fabric.

The rise of civilisationalists, autocrats, authoritarians and illiberals, including Xi, does not bode well for Eurasia, a region pockmarked by groups whose rights have been repeatedly violated by various civilizationalist leaders as well as exclusionary nation-states concerned about challenges to their territorial integrity or constructed collective identities.

“Geopolitics is no longer simply about the economy or security… The non-Western world, led by Beijing and Moscow, is pushing back against the Western claim to embody universal values… The rejection of Western universalism by the elites in Russia and China challenges the idea of the nation state as the international norm for political organisation… The new pivot of geopolitics is civilisation,” said political scientist Adrian Pabst.

A tour of the world’s flashpoints proves the point.

The flashpoints include predominantly Kurdish south-eastern Turkey, what is left of the Kurdish enclave in northern Syria, Rohingya rotting away in Bangladeshi refugee camps after fleeing ethnic cleansing in Myanmar; the plight of Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang and Catalan efforts to democratically decide whether they want to remain part of Spain.

They illustrate the fact that the failure of the nation-state to build truly inclusive and cohesive societies coupled with the rise of the civilizational state and civilizationalist leaders portends a new world order that is likely to be characterized by individual and collective rights abuse that heightens societal tensions and aggravates disputes and conflicts.

“The global order provides more mechanisms for states to deal diplomatically with each other than with the people inside them,” noted scholar and author Malka Older.

The civilizationalist threat to individual and minority rights is enhanced by its insistence on collective adherence to an overriding ideology whether that is the Chinese communist party’s concept of absolute control of anything and everything cloaked in ultra-nationalism and concepts of unique Chinese characteristics; Russian Orthodoxy cemented in the alliance between church and state; or Victor Orban’s conceptualization of a Hungarian nation that is homogenously white and Christian.

In a recent study of religion and tolerance in the Middle East, widely viewed as perhaps the religiously most intolerant part of the world, political scientist Michael Hoffman concluded that it is not religion that in and of itself breeds intolerance and prejudice.

Instead, Hoffman suggested that Muslim attitudes towards the other differ sharply between believers who pray collectively in a mosque and those who worship in private.

Private prayer “does not contain the same sectarian content as communal prayer,” Hoffman noted, implicitly pointing a finger at autocratic authorities who in the Middle East often exercise tight control of what is said in the mosque.

“The group identification mechanism is not present for private prayer; since private prayer is fundamentally a personal phenomenon, it does not cause believers to distinguish more sharply between their own sect and others and therefore does not produce the intolerant outcomes associated with communal worship,” Hoffman went on to say.

Hoffman’s research, despite its focus on the Middle East, spotlighted in an era of rising civilisationalism the risks to universal basic human dignity as well as individual and minorities rights in directly or indirectly imposing collectivist beliefs that drown out the political, ethnic or religious other.

The silver lining in what are bleak prospects may be Pabst’s conclusion that “neither the Western cult of private freedom without social solidarity nor the totalitarian tendencies among China’s and Russia’s elites can nurture resilient societies against the disruptive forces of technology and implacable economic globalisation… (Yet) across different civilisations there is an inchoate sense that the purpose of politics is the free association of people around common interests and shared social virtues of generosity, loyalty, courage, sacrifice and gratitude. The practice of such virtues can bind us together as citizens, nations and cultures beyond colour, class or creed.” 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The rise of the civilisational state and of civilisational rather than national leaders is calling into question the concept of sovereign nation-states. That is evident in the consequences of the civilizational assault on minorities ranging from the Kurds in Syria and Turkey to Muslims in China, India and Myanmar to Islamophobia and mounting anti-Semitism in the United States, France and Hungary as well as sectarianism in the Middle East.

The rise of the civilisational state and of civilisational rather than national leaders is calling into question the concept of sovereign nation-states. That is evident in the consequences of the civilizational assault on minorities ranging from the Kurds in Syria and Turkey to Muslims in China, India and Myanmar to Islamophobia and mounting anti-Semitism in the United States, France and Hungary as well as sectarianism in the Middle East. Democracies legally enshrined yardsticks of non-discrimination and equality irrespective of creed, ethnicity, colour, gender and religion but never succeeded in truly enforcing those principles. As a result, civilisationalism’s assault spotlights the long-standing failure of the nation-state, evident from the moment it was conceptualised by the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia, to give true meaning to guarantee the security, safety and rights of all its inhabitants irrespective of creed, colour, race, ethnicity, faith or gender. The rise of a critical mass of civilizational leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping, Myanmar’s Win Myint, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Hungary’s Victor Orban and US President Donald J Trump makes a rethink inevitable not only of the functioning of democracy but also of the concepts of the nation state and sovereignty that have structured world orders for close to 500 years. Many of these leaders conceive of their societies and/or states as defined by civilization and its reach into akin Diaspora communities rather than by legally recognized borders, population within those borders, and language. Civilisationalism has allowed China to extend its reach in the South China Sea beyond internationally recognised borders at the expense of other littoral states as well as to Diaspora communities across the globe. It also provided the basis on which China has so far successfully imposed its views on others whether its acceptance of its one-China policy or silence, if not acquiescence, in repression in Xinjiang. Civilisationalism has further enabled Russia to recognise breakaway states in Georgia, annexe Crimea, and spark violent conflict in eastern Ukraine. In some ways, the nation state, designed to put an end to religious wars in Europe, paved the way for a revival of civilisationalism by godfathering exclusionary politics that were based on a determination of who belonged and who did not belong to a nation, a question which civilisationalism answers by legitimizing supremacism, racism and prejudice. From the outset, newly conceived European nation-states sought to build nations by not fully embracing those it believed were not truly part of their nation. The nation state’s exclusivity, rather than as a result of the Westphalia treaty pulling the curtain on an era of European wars, sparked another round of armed conflict intended to fortify newly found national identities. Today, the reconceptualisation of nation-state and the notion of sovereignty has become an imperative with civilisationalism adopting exclusivity as its battle cry and the nation state’s centuries-long inability and unwillingness to negotiate mutually workable arrangements that take account of aspirations and identities of societal groups that feel excluded. Reconceptualisation would need to be geared towards guaranteeing individual and minority rights based on an international legal framework that is enforceable. Failure to do so would likely usher in an era of disruptive societal tension, marginalisation and disenfranchisement of minorities, flows of mass migration, radicalisation and increased political violence. A recent International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) report concluded that China was advising countries confronting political and economic instability, sometimes sparked in part by Chinese project-related corruption, to adopt its model of brutally cracking down on any expression of dissent like in Xinjiang. China, according to the report, is also advocating implementation of its system of social control, involving the use of invasive Chinese artificial intelligence-based surveillance technology, reducing media to parrots of government policy, and firewalling the Internet. China is further training governments in ways of disrupting opposition activity. China’s view of economic development as a way of countering what it sees as cultural drivers of extremism underlies its effort to Sinicize Turkic Muslim Islam in Xinjiang and is implicit in Chinese aid to countries in the Middle East. Xi announced in July of last year $20billion in loans to Middle Eastern nations as well as $106 million in financial aid for Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen on the back of Chinese assertions that finance would help resolve the region’s political, religious and cultural tensions. “China is increasingly proactive in its response to instability in developing countries. It is now more forthright in its advice to partner countries and is proactive in promoting Chinese solutions to other countries’ problems,” said Nicholas Crawford, the IISS report’s author. China’s policy prescriptions, elements of which are being adopted across the globe, is likely to perpetuate problems inherent to exclusivism propagated by both civilisationalists and nation-states that are more concerned about perceived threats to their territorial integrity or constructed collective identities than aspirations of groups that are part of their societal fabric. The rise of civilisationalists, autocrats, authoritarians and illiberals, including Xi, does not bode well for Eurasia, a region pockmarked by groups whose rights have been repeatedly violated by various civilizationalist leaders as well as exclusionary nation-states concerned about challenges to their territorial integrity or constructed collective identities. “Geopolitics is no longer simply about the economy or security… The non-Western world, led by Beijing and Moscow, is pushing back against the Western claim to embody universal values… The rejection of Western universalism by the elites in Russia and China challenges the idea of the nation state as the international norm for political organisation… The new pivot of geopolitics is civilisation,” said political scientist Adrian Pabst. A tour of the world’s flashpoints proves the point. The flashpoints include predominantly Kurdish south-eastern Turkey, what is left of the Kurdish enclave in northern Syria, Rohingya rotting away in Bangladeshi refugee camps after fleeing ethnic cleansing in Myanmar; the plight of Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang and Catalan efforts to democratically decide whether they want to remain part of Spain. They illustrate the fact that the failure of the nation-state to build truly inclusive and cohesive societies coupled with the rise of the civilizational state and civilizationalist leaders portends a new world order that is likely to be characterized by individual and collective rights abuse that heightens societal tensions and aggravates disputes and conflicts. “The global order provides more mechanisms for states to deal diplomatically with each other than with the people inside them,” noted scholar and author Malka Older. The civilizationalist threat to individual and minority rights is enhanced by its insistence on collective adherence to an overriding ideology whether that is the Chinese communist party’s concept of absolute control of anything and everything cloaked in ultra-nationalism and concepts of unique Chinese characteristics; Russian Orthodoxy cemented in the alliance between church and state; or Victor Orban’s conceptualization of a Hungarian nation that is homogenously white and Christian. In a recent study of religion and tolerance in the Middle East, widely viewed as perhaps the religiously most intolerant part of the world, political scientist Michael Hoffman concluded that it is not religion that in and of itself breeds intolerance and prejudice. Instead, Hoffman suggested that Muslim attitudes towards the other differ sharply between believers who pray collectively in a mosque and those who worship in private. Private prayer “does not contain the same sectarian content as communal prayer,” Hoffman noted, implicitly pointing a finger at autocratic authorities who in the Middle East often exercise tight control of what is said in the mosque. “The group identification mechanism is not present for private prayer; since private prayer is fundamentally a personal phenomenon, it does not cause believers to distinguish more sharply between their own sect and others and therefore does not produce the intolerant outcomes associated with communal worship,” Hoffman went on to say. Hoffman’s research, despite its focus on the Middle East, spotlighted in an era of rising civilisationalism the risks to universal basic human dignity as well as individual and minorities rights in directly or indirectly imposing collectivist beliefs that drown out the political, ethnic or religious other. The silver lining in what are bleak prospects may be Pabst’s conclusion that “neither the Western cult of private freedom without social solidarity nor the totalitarian tendencies among China’s and Russia’s elites can nurture resilient societies against the disruptive forces of technology and implacable economic globalisation… (Yet) across different civilisations there is an inchoate sense that the purpose of politics is the free association of people around common interests and shared social virtues of generosity, loyalty, courage, sacrifice and gratitude. The practice of such virtues can bind us together as citizens, nations and cultures beyond colour, class or creed.” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Adjusting to the new world order

Why Are America's Nuclear Weapons In Turkey? Can the U.S. protect its nuclear weapons in Turkey? Why are they there in the first place?

Gravitas: Can The U.S. Protect Its Nukes In Turkey?

Pakistan PM Imran Khan's Latest Assignment In West Asia: Play the Role Of Messenger For The U.S. To Iran

Gravitas: Imran Khan: Mediator or Messenger of America?

Rihanna is all pepped up for her upcoming 'visual autobiography'&nbsp;to hit markets soon, but before that happens, the singer got candid about her views on the US President Donald Trump calling him an "ill human". 
 
Criticizing Trump's responses to the El Paso and Dayton mass shootings earlier this year, the singer said, "It is devastating". 
 
"People are being murdered by war weapons that they legally purchase. This is just not normal. That should never, ever be normal. And the fact that it's classified as something different because of the color of their skin? It's a slap in the face," Variety quoted the singer as opening up on the cover story of Vogue magazine. 
 
Terming this as 'racist', and saying that "the most ill human being in America right now seems to be the president," Rihanna added, "Put an Arab man with that same weapon in that same Walmart and there is no way that Trump would sit there and address it publicly as a mental health problem". 
 
The pop icon even went on to explain why she would never headline the Super Bowl show despite the fact that her mentor Jay-Z has made a pact with NFL to produce the show, the 'Diamonds'&nbsp;singer added, "I couldn't dare do that. For what? Who gains from that? Not my people. 
 
"Admitting that there are certain things "within that organisation" which she doesn't agree with, the singer added, "I just couldn't be a sellout. I couldn't be an enabler." 
 
On the work front, the pop star is looking forward to her 504-page picture autobiography which is set to hit bookstands on October 24. 
 
Exuding her joy and excitement over releasing a book on her, Rihanna in a statement said, "I am so excited to share this collection of incredible images. I'm very grateful to the talented photographers and artists who contributed."&nbsp;

Rihanna is all pepped up for her upcoming 'visual autobiography' to hit markets soon, but before that happens, the singer got candid about her views on the US President Donald Trump calling him an "ill human".

Rihanna is all pepped up for her upcoming 'visual autobiography' to hit markets soon, but before that happens, the singer got candid about her views on the US President Donald Trump calling him an "ill human". Criticizing Trump's responses to the El Paso and Dayton mass shootings earlier this year, the singer said, "It is devastating". "People are being murdered by war weapons that they legally purchase. This is just not normal. That should never, ever be normal. And the fact that it's classified as something different because of the color of their skin? It's a slap in the face," Variety quoted the singer as opening up on the cover story of Vogue magazine. Terming this as 'racist', and saying that "the most ill human being in America right now seems to be the president," Rihanna added, "Put an Arab man with that same weapon in that same Walmart and there is no way that Trump would sit there and address it publicly as a mental health problem". The pop icon even went on to explain why she would never headline the Super Bowl show despite the fact that her mentor Jay-Z has made a pact with NFL to produce the show, the 'Diamonds' singer added, "I couldn't dare do that. For what? Who gains from that? Not my people. "Admitting that there are certain things "within that organisation" which she doesn't agree with, the singer added, "I just couldn't be a sellout. I couldn't be an enabler." On the work front, the pop star is looking forward to her 504-page picture autobiography which is set to hit bookstands on October 24. Exuding her joy and excitement over releasing a book on her, Rihanna in a statement said, "I am so excited to share this collection of incredible images. I'm very grateful to the talented photographers and artists who contributed."

Donald Trump is the most mentally-ill human being in America: Rihanna

It's not the first time and it's certainly not going to the last time. The US is going to preach human rights to every country in the world.

They have been at this game for decades, but this hypocrisy has been a historical constant.

Since the US is extremely interested in calling out other countries over human rights violations, we intend to compile America's very own dodgy track-record as far as rights are concerned.

On WION edit, we will have a brief look at this crucial issue.

Let's go back to the US and its infamous rhetoric - the so-called war on terror.

Public memory is short, and hence, it's important to narrate some dark tales over and over again.

And there isn't a darker tale than Abu Ghraib. The US army and central intelligence agency committed some of the most brutal crimes against humanity at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

The photographs that emerged out of Abu Ghraib shook the conscience of the world.

And orders to commit such crimes came from the US Department of Justice itself -- these documents that authorise brutal interrogation techniques were called 'torture memos'.

This is the same US that's preaching human rights to other countries.&nbsp;

Initially, the US denied the reports. Then the bush administration made 17 soldiers as scapegoats, of which only 2 US soldiers spent a reasonable prison time.

This is America's dark face - one that the US doesn't want anyone to see. When Abu Ghraib torture came to light, the US called it an isolated incident. But, isolated incident - it surely was not and that got proved in the Guantanamo bay episode.

Soon after the September 11 attacks, the US established Guantanamo Bay as the place to hold people perceived to be 'enemy combatants'.

Guantanamo did not come under any law - neither the laws of the United States nor international laws.

What followed was another chilling set of crimes against humanity. The US placed nearly 800 people in the Guantanamo Bay detention centre.

No charges, no trials. People held for indefinite periods of time, with no charges. And at the heart of this violation was a lie - the Bush administration said that a bulk of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay were captured from Afghanistan.

Facts prove otherwise, this is mass torture without legal recourse.

And Barack Obama - the Nobel Peace laureate did not close down Guantanamo Bay. The detention centre functions as we speak.

This is par for the course for the US. The brutal treatment and scant respect for human rights is not just for external captives.

At home, the US police shoot down nearly a thousand people every year and racism, white supremacy and xenophobia are the guiding principles.

Given this context, it's important to understand why the US is raking up china's abuse of human rights in Xinjiang.

First, it's a bargaining chip in the trade talks. Second, it's a distraction from the impeachment proceedings that could derail Trump's presidency.

With such a brutal track-record, the US would do well to address racism and police brutality at home before preaching others. 
 
(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

It's not the first time and it's certainly not going to the last time. The US is going to preach human rights to every country in the world. They have been at this game for decades, but this hypocrisy has been a historical constant.

It's not the first time and it's certainly not going to the last time. The US is going to preach human rights to every country in the world. They have been at this game for decades, but this hypocrisy has been a historical constant. Since the US is extremely interested in calling out other countries over human rights violations, we intend to compile America's very own dodgy track-record as far as rights are concerned. On WION edit, we will have a brief look at this crucial issue. Let's go back to the US and its infamous rhetoric - the so-called war on terror. Public memory is short, and hence, it's important to narrate some dark tales over and over again. And there isn't a darker tale than Abu Ghraib. The US army and central intelligence agency committed some of the most brutal crimes against humanity at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The photographs that emerged out of Abu Ghraib shook the conscience of the world. And orders to commit such crimes came from the US Department of Justice itself -- these documents that authorise brutal interrogation techniques were called 'torture memos'. This is the same US that's preaching human rights to other countries. Initially, the US denied the reports. Then the bush administration made 17 soldiers as scapegoats, of which only 2 US soldiers spent a reasonable prison time. This is America's dark face - one that the US doesn't want anyone to see. When Abu Ghraib torture came to light, the US called it an isolated incident. But, isolated incident - it surely was not and that got proved in the Guantanamo bay episode. Soon after the September 11 attacks, the US established Guantanamo Bay as the place to hold people perceived to be 'enemy combatants'. Guantanamo did not come under any law - neither the laws of the United States nor international laws. What followed was another chilling set of crimes against humanity. The US placed nearly 800 people in the Guantanamo Bay detention centre. No charges, no trials. People held for indefinite periods of time, with no charges. And at the heart of this violation was a lie - the Bush administration said that a bulk of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay were captured from Afghanistan. Facts prove otherwise, this is mass torture without legal recourse. And Barack Obama - the Nobel Peace laureate did not close down Guantanamo Bay. The detention centre functions as we speak. This is par for the course for the US. The brutal treatment and scant respect for human rights is not just for external captives. At home, the US police shoot down nearly a thousand people every year and racism, white supremacy and xenophobia are the guiding principles. Given this context, it's important to understand why the US is raking up china's abuse of human rights in Xinjiang. First, it's a bargaining chip in the trade talks. Second, it's a distraction from the impeachment proceedings that could derail Trump's presidency. With such a brutal track-record, the US would do well to address racism and police brutality at home before preaching others. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: America's dark face

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Tuesday he would send a letter to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking for her support to ratify the new US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA).

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-supreme-court-justice-resigns-over-suspicious-bank-deposits-253619">Mexico, which sends 80 per cent of its exports to the United States</a>, has watched nervously as the process of ratifying the deal has slowed to a seeming near-halt in the US amid election-year politics and President Donald Trump's impeachment battle.

Pelosi, the Democratic opposition leader who holds the keys to the deal's future in the House, has voiced reservations about certain aspects of the trade deal, which Trump is pushing hard to ratify.

She and other Democrats have notably voiced scepticism about measures to protect American workers by requiring better labour conditions in Mexico, a low-cost competitor.

"I'm going to send her (Pelosi) a letter today explaining our position, asking for her support to ratify the agreement in the US House of Representatives," Lopez Obrador told a news conference.

The leaders of the three countries signed the USMCA in November to replace the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which Trump regularly trashed as the worst trade deal his country ever signed.

The new deal must now be ratified in all three countries' legislatures. Mexico, whose economy has suffered from the uncertainty surrounding relations with its key trading partner, is the only one to do that so far.

Pelosi said last week the House is "on a path to yes" regarding the deal.

"We're trying to find common ground with the president. He always wanted this.&nbsp;We do too," she said.

Lopez Obrador was due to meet Tuesday with a delegation of US House Democrats visiting Mexico City.

He said he would urge Pelosi to seek a "speedy ratification" so that "this important issue, which will benefit all three countries' economies, does not get mixed up with and contaminated by the campaign" for the November 2020 elections in the United States.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Tuesday he would send a letter to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking for her support to ratify the new US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA).

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Tuesday he would send a letter to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking for her support to ratify the new US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA). Mexico, which sends 80 per cent of its exports to the United States, has watched nervously as the process of ratifying the deal has slowed to a seeming near-halt in the US amid election-year politics and President Donald Trump's impeachment battle. Pelosi, the Democratic opposition leader who holds the keys to the deal's future in the House, has voiced reservations about certain aspects of the trade deal, which Trump is pushing hard to ratify. She and other Democrats have notably voiced scepticism about measures to protect American workers by requiring better labour conditions in Mexico, a low-cost competitor. "I'm going to send her (Pelosi) a letter today explaining our position, asking for her support to ratify the agreement in the US House of Representatives," Lopez Obrador told a news conference. The leaders of the three countries signed the USMCA in November to replace the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which Trump regularly trashed as the worst trade deal his country ever signed. The new deal must now be ratified in all three countries' legislatures. Mexico, whose economy has suffered from the uncertainty surrounding relations with its key trading partner, is the only one to do that so far. Pelosi said last week the House is "on a path to yes" regarding the deal. "We're trying to find common ground with the president. He always wanted this. We do too," she said. Lopez Obrador was due to meet Tuesday with a delegation of US House Democrats visiting Mexico City. He said he would urge Pelosi to seek a "speedy ratification" so that "this important issue, which will benefit all three countries' economies, does not get mixed up with and contaminated by the campaign" for the November 2020 elections in the United States.

Mexico president writes to Pelosi to lobby for trade deal

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