The US special envoy for Iran on Sunday urged "all nations to use their diplomatic effort to urge <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-warns-war-would-spread-across-gulf-threaten-us-troops-229757">Iran</a> to de-escalate and meet diplomacy with diplomacy" amid soaring tensions in the Gulf.

"We are not interested in... military conflict against Iran, we have enhanced our forces' postures in the region for purely defensive purposes," Brian Hook told journalists in Kuwait City.

In mid-June, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-army-is-ready-to-go-dont-mistake-our-discretion-for-weakness-us-national-security-advisor-john-bolton-tells-iran-229716">United States</a> said it would deploy 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East, after a series of tanker attacks in the Gulf it has blamed on Iran despite Tehran's denials of involvement.

The US moves came as Iran set a 10-day countdown for world powers to fulfil their commitments under a nuclear deal abandoned by Washington, saying it would otherwise surpass the uranium stockpile limit mandated by the accord.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-lawmakers-chant-death-to-america-as-us-called-terrorist-229678">Iran lawmakers chant 'Death to America' as US called 'terrorist'</a>

Hook said his talks in Kuwait focused "how to de-escalate tensions that in the region have been driven by Iran and we discussed how we can deepen our cooperation especially around the area of maritime security".

Watch: Trump announces 'major' sanctions amid tensions on Iran

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-announces-major-sanctions-amid-tensions-on-iran-229662/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The Iranian regime is a threat to freedom of navigation and all nations of the world share an interest in the free flow of commerce and there is much work to be done together," he said.

"We need Iran to behave more like a normal nation and less like a revolutionary cause. And if we can imagine a peaceful Iran, then we can imagine the peaceful Middle East," he added.

On Friday in Saudi Arabia, the US envoy said Iran has no right to respond to diplomacy "with military force", a day after Tehran shot down a US reconnaissance drone over the Strait of Hormuz — a strategic waterway for the world's oil transits.

The US special envoy for Iran on Sunday urged "all nations to use their diplomatic effort to urge Iran to de-escalate and meet diplomacy with diplomacy" amid soaring tensions in the Gulf.

The US special envoy for Iran on Sunday urged "all nations to use their diplomatic effort to urge Iran to de-escalate and meet diplomacy with diplomacy" amid soaring tensions in the Gulf. "We are not interested in... military conflict against Iran, we have enhanced our forces' postures in the region for purely defensive purposes," Brian Hook told journalists in Kuwait City. In mid-June, the United States said it would deploy 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East, after a series of tanker attacks in the Gulf it has blamed on Iran despite Tehran's denials of involvement. The US moves came as Iran set a 10-day countdown for world powers to fulfil their commitments under a nuclear deal abandoned by Washington, saying it would otherwise surpass the uranium stockpile limit mandated by the accord. Also read: Iran lawmakers chant 'Death to America' as US called 'terrorist' Hook said his talks in Kuwait focused "how to de-escalate tensions that in the region have been driven by Iran and we discussed how we can deepen our cooperation especially around the area of maritime security". Watch: Trump announces 'major' sanctions amid tensions on Iran "The Iranian regime is a threat to freedom of navigation and all nations of the world share an interest in the free flow of commerce and there is much work to be done together," he said. "We need Iran to behave more like a normal nation and less like a revolutionary cause. And if we can imagine a peaceful Iran, then we can imagine the peaceful Middle East," he added. On Friday in Saudi Arabia, the US envoy said Iran has no right to respond to diplomacy "with military force", a day after Tehran shot down a US reconnaissance drone over the Strait of Hormuz — a strategic waterway for the world's oil transits.

US envoy calls on international community to ‘urge Iran to de-escalate’

Diplomacy was the top focus of the first day of Modi government's second term with the prime minister holding bilateral meetings with five foreign leaders who had arrived in Delhi for his oath-taking ceremony. &nbsp;

PM Modi's first bilateral was with Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid. During the meet, PM "noted that the bilateral relationship, forged in Bangladesh’s War of Liberation, remained of the highest priority to India", a &nbsp; read out by the Ministry of External Affairs stated.&nbsp;

Both sides plan to commemorate the centenary of the birth of founding father of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020 and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s Liberation, in 2021.

In the first tenure of Modi government, the two countries were able to resolve a number of issues including demarcation of the land boundary.&nbsp;

During the bilateral with PM of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, both leaders agreed to work together to achieve the "shared vision of security and growth of the two countries and the Indian Ocean region", MEA readout said.

In his first term, PM Modi had visited Mauritius in 2015 and was the chief guest at the Mauritian National Day celebrations. The country's location in the Indian ocean is key, as it saddles between crucial trade lanes connecting Asia with Africa.

Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli, gifted PM Modi, "Rudraksha mala" during his bilateral.&nbsp;

In the meet with Bhutan PM Dr. Lotay Tshering, co-operation in the hydro-power sector was discussed. &nbsp;India has constructed three Hydroelectric Projects (HEP) in Bhutan totalling 1416 MW (336 MW Chukha HEP, 60 MW Kurichhu HEP and 1020 MW Tala HEP).&nbsp;

PM Modi is expected to visit both Nepal and Bhutan this year.&nbsp;

During his bilateral with Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena, both sides focused in "peace and security in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region" and "noted that terrorism and extremism continue to pose threat to humanity". Remember on April 21, more than 250 people died in terror attacks in the Indian Ocean island country, whose responsibility was taken by Islamic extremist groups.

Friday also saw, the new External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs V. Muraleedharan taking charge.&nbsp;

S. Jaishankar, who was the former foreign secretary, had played a crucial role in India US Nuclear deal of 2006 and served as envoy to several countries including the US and China.

Diplomacy was the top focus of the first day of Modi government's second term with the prime minister holding bilateral meetings with five foreign leaders who had arrived in Delhi for his oath-taking ceremony.

Diplomacy was the top focus of the first day of Modi government's second term with the prime minister holding bilateral meetings with five foreign leaders who had arrived in Delhi for his oath-taking ceremony. PM Modi's first bilateral was with Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid. During the meet, PM "noted that the bilateral relationship, forged in Bangladesh’s War of Liberation, remained of the highest priority to India", a read out by the Ministry of External Affairs stated. Both sides plan to commemorate the centenary of the birth of founding father of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020 and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s Liberation, in 2021. In the first tenure of Modi government, the two countries were able to resolve a number of issues including demarcation of the land boundary. During the bilateral with PM of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, both leaders agreed to work together to achieve the "shared vision of security and growth of the two countries and the Indian Ocean region", MEA readout said. In his first term, PM Modi had visited Mauritius in 2015 and was the chief guest at the Mauritian National Day celebrations. The country's location in the Indian ocean is key, as it saddles between crucial trade lanes connecting Asia with Africa. Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli, gifted PM Modi, "Rudraksha mala" during his bilateral. In the meet with Bhutan PM Dr. Lotay Tshering, co-operation in the hydro-power sector was discussed. India has constructed three Hydroelectric Projects (HEP) in Bhutan totalling 1416 MW (336 MW Chukha HEP, 60 MW Kurichhu HEP and 1020 MW Tala HEP). PM Modi is expected to visit both Nepal and Bhutan this year. During his bilateral with Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena, both sides focused in "peace and security in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region" and "noted that terrorism and extremism continue to pose threat to humanity". Remember on April 21, more than 250 people died in terror attacks in the Indian Ocean island country, whose responsibility was taken by Islamic extremist groups. Friday also saw, the new External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs V. Muraleedharan taking charge. S. Jaishankar, who was the former foreign secretary, had played a crucial role in India US Nuclear deal of 2006 and served as envoy to several countries including the US and China.

Diplomacy remains the top focus of Modi 2.0's first day

Hours, after India confirmed that it's air force, struck the biggest camp of United Nations listed terror group Jaish e Mohammed in Pakistan's Balakot, New Delhi was quick to inform world capitals of the developments.&nbsp;

The Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj spoke to five of her counterparts. The EAM spoke to United States secretary of state Mike Pompeo, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, Singaporean foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan and in the neighbourhood, Afghan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani and Bangladesh's foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.

In her calls, she briefed how about the Indian strikes were non-military preemptive action against the terror group that has been responsible for many attacks in India.

Jaish e Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility of the Pulwama terror attack on 14th February killing 40 of India's security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir. The worst attack in over 2 decades on Indian forces. JeM was also responsible for the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament and 2016 attack on the Pathankot airbase. According to Indian intelligence reports, Jaish was also planning more suicide terror attacks in the country in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack.

India briefs foreign envoys

Earlier in the day, India briefed foreign envoys in the countries regarding its action. The foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale briefed envoys of the P5 or the permanent five countries of the United Nations security council which include--China, Russia, US, France and UK, ASEAN bloc, Brazil, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Kuwait and neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka.

A source told WION that during the briefing, Foreign secretary asked "international community to impress upon Pakistan the need for it to take action to seriously fight terrorism" and the aim of India preemptive action.

Later Dean of Diplomatic Corps Hans Dannenberg Castellanos speaking to reporters outside the MEA said,"The message was exactly the one conveyed to media, the operation was a very directed one and did not impact any civilians in Pakistan and did not impact any military installations in Pakistan.. and it was a pre-emptive strike to avoid any terrorist attacks in India, they had credible intelligence that the people who were planning it was in that camp. It was a responsible action We have to inform our capital"

Global reaction: Pressure on Pakistan

Meanwhile, reactions have started to come. Australia was the first country to react. While expressing concern, Australian foreign minister in a release said, "Pakistan must take urgent and meaningful action against terrorist groups in its territory, including Jaish-e-Mohammed"

Australia urged that Islamabad "must do everything possible to implement its own prescription of Jaish-e-Mohammed" and can "no longer allow extremist groups the legal and physical space to operate from its territory."

The United Kingdom also said its "concerned by rising tensions". While asking both India and Pakistan to avoid taking action that poses risk to regional stability, London said its working closely with international partners, including in the "United Nations Security Council (UNSC), to ensure that those responsible for the Pulwama attack are held to account.”

Wion has learnt that UK is working on the listing of Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 and has had discussions with members of UNSC on this issue.

France last week said it will propose listing of JEM chief Azhar for his listing as an international terrorist, something that has been scuttled by China many times in the past citing lack of consensus at the 1267 committee of UNSC.

Pakistan all weather ally China has taken a cautious stance. Asked about the Indian strikes, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang called both India and Pakistan to "exercise restraint" and do more to "improve their bilateral relations"

Indian external affairs minister will be in China on Wednesday for the RIC or Russia, India, China foreign ministers meet in which she will be strongly raising with Bejing listing of Masood Azhar as an international terrorist under UN list.&nbsp;

Pakistan dials us

Meanwhile, in a copy move, Pakistani foreign minister SM Qureshi has been briefing diplomatic corp in Islamabad post-Indian strikes in Pakistan. He spoke to US secretary of state Mike Pompeo.

In the aftermath of Pulwama, he has been calling his global counterparts saying Islamabad is willing to act if given actionable evidence of its involvement in Pulwama terror attack, only to be told Pakistan must act on terror groups on its soil.

Monday releases from European Union (EU) and Germany foreign offices both have called on Pakistan not to allow its territory as a safe haven for terror groups with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini saying Islamabad needs to act on terrorism in a &nbsp;clear and sustained actions manner.

Pakistan also summoned Indian Acting High Commissioner to lodge a protest on Indians strikes and accepted that Indian aircraft were present in its air space in wee hours of Tuesday morning.

Hours, after India confirmed that it's air force, struck the biggest camp of United Nations listed terror group Jaish e Mohammed in Pakistan's Balakot, New Delhi was quick to inform world capitals of the developments.

Hours, after India confirmed that it's air force, struck the biggest camp of United Nations listed terror group Jaish e Mohammed in Pakistan's Balakot, New Delhi was quick to inform world capitals of the developments. The Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj spoke to five of her counterparts. The EAM spoke to United States secretary of state Mike Pompeo, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, Singaporean foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan and in the neighbourhood, Afghan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani and Bangladesh's foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen. In her calls, she briefed how about the Indian strikes were non-military preemptive action against the terror group that has been responsible for many attacks in India. Jaish e Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility of the Pulwama terror attack on 14th February killing 40 of India's security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir. The worst attack in over 2 decades on Indian forces. JeM was also responsible for the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament and 2016 attack on the Pathankot airbase. According to Indian intelligence reports, Jaish was also planning more suicide terror attacks in the country in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. India briefs foreign envoys Earlier in the day, India briefed foreign envoys in the countries regarding its action. The foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale briefed envoys of the P5 or the permanent five countries of the United Nations security council which include--China, Russia, US, France and UK, ASEAN bloc, Brazil, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Kuwait and neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka. A source told WION that during the briefing, Foreign secretary asked "international community to impress upon Pakistan the need for it to take action to seriously fight terrorism" and the aim of India preemptive action. Later Dean of Diplomatic Corps Hans Dannenberg Castellanos speaking to reporters outside the MEA said,"The message was exactly the one conveyed to media, the operation was a very directed one and did not impact any civilians in Pakistan and did not impact any military installations in Pakistan.. and it was a pre-emptive strike to avoid any terrorist attacks in India, they had credible intelligence that the people who were planning it was in that camp. It was a responsible action We have to inform our capital" Global reaction: Pressure on Pakistan Meanwhile, reactions have started to come. Australia was the first country to react. While expressing concern, Australian foreign minister in a release said, "Pakistan must take urgent and meaningful action against terrorist groups in its territory, including Jaish-e-Mohammed" Australia urged that Islamabad "must do everything possible to implement its own prescription of Jaish-e-Mohammed" and can "no longer allow extremist groups the legal and physical space to operate from its territory." The United Kingdom also said its "concerned by rising tensions". While asking both India and Pakistan to avoid taking action that poses risk to regional stability, London said its working closely with international partners, including in the "United Nations Security Council (UNSC), to ensure that those responsible for the Pulwama attack are held to account.” Wion has learnt that UK is working on the listing of Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 and has had discussions with members of UNSC on this issue. France last week said it will propose listing of JEM chief Azhar for his listing as an international terrorist, something that has been scuttled by China many times in the past citing lack of consensus at the 1267 committee of UNSC. Pakistan all weather ally China has taken a cautious stance. Asked about the Indian strikes, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang called both India and Pakistan to "exercise restraint" and do more to "improve their bilateral relations" Indian external affairs minister will be in China on Wednesday for the RIC or Russia, India, China foreign ministers meet in which she will be strongly raising with Bejing listing of Masood Azhar as an international terrorist under UN list. Pakistan dials us Meanwhile, in a copy move, Pakistani foreign minister SM Qureshi has been briefing diplomatic corp in Islamabad post-Indian strikes in Pakistan. He spoke to US secretary of state Mike Pompeo. In the aftermath of Pulwama, he has been calling his global counterparts saying Islamabad is willing to act if given actionable evidence of its involvement in Pulwama terror attack, only to be told Pakistan must act on terror groups on its soil. Monday releases from European Union (EU) and Germany foreign offices both have called on Pakistan not to allow its territory as a safe haven for terror groups with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini saying Islamabad needs to act on terrorism in a clear and sustained actions manner. Pakistan also summoned Indian Acting High Commissioner to lodge a protest on Indians strikes and accepted that Indian aircraft were present in its air space in wee hours of Tuesday morning.

Diplomacy takes over after India strikes; EAM calls 5 foreign ministers; UK, Australia says Pakistan must act on terror

In a positive development, India and Pakistan both cleared each other's pending diplomatic and official visas on Thursday. Both the countries also agreed on visas of air advisors which had become a thorny issue. The issue of visas for air advisors was agreed after intervention at the High Commissioner level.&nbsp;

Senior officials while confirming the development to WION said, "Fruit of intense diplomacy through High Commission. Diplomats should continue labouring to promote understanding, even when relations are strained"

Visa exchange is a routine issue but given the nature of India, Pakistan ties and current developments such as Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi calling separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq which led to the summoning of Pakistan High Commissioner by India, the development shows a working relationship, at least, at a diplomatic level between the two countries.

This is also significant given the fact that tension between the two countries was high after Pakistani Foreign Minster participated in a number of anti-India events including "Kashmir solidarity day" in London.&nbsp;

The month of January saw Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria meeting Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and Pakistani High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood called on Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.

Both countries are now working on India Pakistan officials meet to decide on the modalities for the Kartarpur corridor. The first of such meet will take place on March 13 in India.

The functioning of diplomatic missions between India and Pakistan is governed by the bilateral Code of Conduct signed by the two countries in 1992 among other protocols.&nbsp;

The code of conduct calls for "smooth and unhindered" functioning of diplomatic and consular officials in conformity with "recognised norms of international law and practice."

In a positive development, India and Pakistan both cleared each other's pending diplomatic and official visas on Thursday. Both the countries also agreed on visas of air advisors which had become a thorny issue.

In a positive development, India and Pakistan both cleared each other's pending diplomatic and official visas on Thursday. Both the countries also agreed on visas of air advisors which had become a thorny issue. The issue of visas for air advisors was agreed after intervention at the High Commissioner level. Senior officials while confirming the development to WION said, "Fruit of intense diplomacy through High Commission. Diplomats should continue labouring to promote understanding, even when relations are strained" Visa exchange is a routine issue but given the nature of India, Pakistan ties and current developments such as Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi calling separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq which led to the summoning of Pakistan High Commissioner by India, the development shows a working relationship, at least, at a diplomatic level between the two countries. This is also significant given the fact that tension between the two countries was high after Pakistani Foreign Minster participated in a number of anti-India events including "Kashmir solidarity day" in London. The month of January saw Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria meeting Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and Pakistani High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood called on Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale. Both countries are now working on India Pakistan officials meet to decide on the modalities for the Kartarpur corridor. The first of such meet will take place on March 13 in India. The functioning of diplomatic missions between India and Pakistan is governed by the bilateral Code of Conduct signed by the two countries in 1992 among other protocols. The code of conduct calls for "smooth and unhindered" functioning of diplomatic and consular officials in conformity with "recognised norms of international law and practice."

India, Pakistan approve long pending diplomatic visas

Vietnam's premier has said his country is willing to host a much-anticipated second summit between <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/if-trump-and-kim-can-meet-why-not-other-countries-nepal-on-stalled-saarc-summit-189572&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiO7uCmmPffAhXLK48KHa7fAwYQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1b50NO0aT8xriJ5tGTMLsX">US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.</a>

One of North Korea's top generals Kim Yong Chol is expected to meet with Trump at the White House on Friday to hash out details of a second meeting with Kim, including a potential venue.

The second round of talks follow a historic summit in Singapore last year and are aimed at denuclearisation and ending decades of enmity between the two nations.

Vietnam has cropped up in the swirl of rumours and conjecture over a possible site for the meeting, with the capital Hanoi or the coastal city of Danang seemingly the most likely bases for the summit.

On Thursday Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said he would be open to hosting it.

"We don't know the final decision. However, if it happens here we will do our best to facilitate the meeting," he said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.&nbsp;

"Vietnam has cooperated well with the US in developing economic and trade relations, as well as in other areas."

A Vietnamese government source who wished to remain anonymous told AFP "logistical preparations" were underway for a Trump-Kim summit although "no official decision" had been made.

"There is lots of work to be done, not only for Danang but some other locations for the event. The Vietnamese side is ready to host... but it is not up to us to decide."

Like several other Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam maintains diplomatic ties with both communist-run Pyongyang and Washington and is keen to host major global events as it tries to project a more confident global profile.

Communist Vietnam hosted a major Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in the central city of Danang in 2017 attended by global leaders, including Trump.

Hanoi also welcomed North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho in November for a visit reportedly aimed at sharing lessons from its economic success story.

Hosting a meeting of this calibre that will draw attention — and scrutiny — from around the world will be "very significant", said Nguyen Vinh Quang, an analyst at Vietnam's Center for Strategic Studies and International Development.

"It will show Vietnam's contribution to global peace. Secondly, Vietnam can affirm its role as a reliable partner for countries around the world," he told AFP.

Trump has said he is eager to meet with Kim again after their historic summit in June, the first-ever meeting between two sitting leaders from two countries that never formally ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

The leaders agreed on a vaguely-worded statement in which Kim pledged to work toward "the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula".

But progress has since stalled with the two sides sparring over what that means.&nbsp;

Kim is hoping for an easing of international sanctions but the United States insists on maintaining maximum pressure until Pyongyang moves forward on giving up its nuclear weapons.

Vietnam's premier has said his country is willing to host a much-anticipated second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Vietnam's premier has said his country is willing to host a much-anticipated second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. One of North Korea's top generals Kim Yong Chol is expected to meet with Trump at the White House on Friday to hash out details of a second meeting with Kim, including a potential venue. The second round of talks follow a historic summit in Singapore last year and are aimed at denuclearisation and ending decades of enmity between the two nations. Vietnam has cropped up in the swirl of rumours and conjecture over a possible site for the meeting, with the capital Hanoi or the coastal city of Danang seemingly the most likely bases for the summit. On Thursday Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said he would be open to hosting it. "We don't know the final decision. However, if it happens here we will do our best to facilitate the meeting," he said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. "Vietnam has cooperated well with the US in developing economic and trade relations, as well as in other areas." A Vietnamese government source who wished to remain anonymous told AFP "logistical preparations" were underway for a Trump-Kim summit although "no official decision" had been made. "There is lots of work to be done, not only for Danang but some other locations for the event. The Vietnamese side is ready to host... but it is not up to us to decide." Like several other Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam maintains diplomatic ties with both communist-run Pyongyang and Washington and is keen to host major global events as it tries to project a more confident global profile. Communist Vietnam hosted a major Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in the central city of Danang in 2017 attended by global leaders, including Trump. Hanoi also welcomed North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho in November for a visit reportedly aimed at sharing lessons from its economic success story. Hosting a meeting of this calibre that will draw attention — and scrutiny — from around the world will be "very significant", said Nguyen Vinh Quang, an analyst at Vietnam's Center for Strategic Studies and International Development. "It will show Vietnam's contribution to global peace. Secondly, Vietnam can affirm its role as a reliable partner for countries around the world," he told AFP. Trump has said he is eager to meet with Kim again after their historic summit in June, the first-ever meeting between two sitting leaders from two countries that never formally ended the 1950-53 Korean War. The leaders agreed on a vaguely-worded statement in which Kim pledged to work toward "the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". But progress has since stalled with the two sides sparring over what that means. Kim is hoping for an easing of international sanctions but the United States insists on maintaining maximum pressure until Pyongyang moves forward on giving up its nuclear weapons.

Vietnam 'willing' to host Trump-Kim summit: Report

The Diplomacy Show: Arun K Singh speaks to Alexandre Ziegler, France Ambassador

The South Korean Presidential Office on Tuesday released video and photographs of President Moon Jae-in showing off the newly born puppies of a pair of white North Korean Pungsan dogs that were received as a gift.

The puppies were first unveiled by the Blue House on November 25 in photographs showing Moon and First Lady Kim Jung-sook playing with the puppies.

The puppies were mothered by Gomi, part of a pair of white North Korean Pungsan dogs given by the North's leader Kim Jong Un to Moon in September -- the latest sign of a dramatic thaw in relations between the Korean rivals.

Moon and Kim held their third meeting this year in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang in mid-September, when Kim proposed the idea of the canine presents, the South Korean presidential Blue House said in a statement on Sunday.

The Pungsan breed, named after a North Korean county, is known for its loyalty and skills for hunting. It is designated as a North Korean "natural monument" animal.

The South Korean Presidential Office on Tuesday released video and photographs of President Moon Jae-in showing off the newly born puppies of a pair of white North Korean Pungsan dogs that were received as a gift.

The South Korean Presidential Office on Tuesday released video and photographs of President Moon Jae-in showing off the newly born puppies of a pair of white North Korean Pungsan dogs that were received as a gift. The puppies were first unveiled by the Blue House on November 25 in photographs showing Moon and First Lady Kim Jung-sook playing with the puppies. The puppies were mothered by Gomi, part of a pair of white North Korean Pungsan dogs given by the North's leader Kim Jong Un to Moon in September -- the latest sign of a dramatic thaw in relations between the Korean rivals. Moon and Kim held their third meeting this year in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang in mid-September, when Kim proposed the idea of the canine presents, the South Korean presidential Blue House said in a statement on Sunday. The Pungsan breed, named after a North Korean county, is known for its loyalty and skills for hunting. It is designated as a North Korean "natural monument" animal.

Puppy diplomacy: Dogs gifted by North Korea gives birth in the South

A political crisis in Sri Lanka, where two prime ministers are fighting for power, is scaring away tourists and raising questions over foreign aid, ringing alarm bells for the economy as the currency slumps to record lows.

The turmoil in the Indian Ocean nation that has seen one premier refuse to be sacked, and another battle to prove a majority in a parliament that is banned from meeting, has caused major upheaval that Sri Lanka cannot afford.

Amidst warnings from politicians of a "bloodbath" if the dispute escalates, tourists are cancelling hotel bookings just as Sri Lankan beaches and major sites like the Temple of the Tooth prepare for peak season.

While no official figures have been given, deluxe hotels have reported cancellations and a critical decline in new bookings in the past 10 days.

"This comes at the worst possible time when people in Europe are making their holiday plans abroad," a Colombo city hotel executive told AFP. "We have had a lot of cancellations from the United States."

"With the political crisis our winter season is gone," the director of a luxury beach resort in&nbsp;the south of the island said.

Tourist dollars needed&nbsp;

Western nations have warned their citizens to be on their guard in Sri Lanka.

"You should exercise vigilance and avoid all demonstrations or large political gatherings," a British government advisory said.&nbsp;

Tourism is a cornerstone of the economy. More than 2.4 million foreign holidaymakers visited last year, spending $3.2 billion. Authorities had been counting on a rise of more than 10 per cent this year.

And whether Ranil Wickremesinghe stays in office or former president Mahinda Rajapakse takes his place, foreign earnings will be badly needed.&nbsp;

The Asian Development Bank had predicted the economy would grow by 3.8 per cent this year and 4.5 per cent in 2019, but all bets are now off.

The power vacuum has raised doubts over a US $1.5 billion Japanese-funded light rail project and another US $480 million of US finance for transport and health, a Wickremesinghe minister, Patali Ranawaka, said last week.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was about to announce an agreement on releasing a new tranche of a US $1.5 billion loan when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe on October 26.

"We are monitoring the situation closely and we remain in contact with our counterparts at the technical level," an IMF spokesman said of the deepening power struggle.

Populist cuts&nbsp;

Wickremesinghe, a market liberal, has insisted he is still in charge while strongman former leader Rajapakse -- already blamed for piling up the island's debt when he was president from 2005 to 2015 -- launched his rival administration last week with measures that caused new jitters.

Rajapakse, finance minister as well as head of government, reduced the price of fuel and other essential goods and cut taxes in a move to win over the public.

Treasury officials, who asked not to be named, said the revenue loss from the cuts could blow&nbsp;a new hole in the country's balance sheet.

Official figures show that Sri Lanka will have to start repaying a record US $4.2 billion of debt in 2019, up from US $2.8 billion this year.

The crisis broke just days after Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera called for a "coalition of the willing" to stabilise the free-falling Sri Lankan rupee along with other emerging market currencies.

The rupee hit a record-low 177.32 to the dollar last week, despite official measures to arrest its decline.

The currency has shed more than 14 per cent this year and Sri Lanka fears it could slide further as US sanctions squeeze Iran, the island's chief source of oil.

Samaraweera, whose position is now disputed by Rajapakse, said the flight of foreign capital accelerated in the first four days after the political crisis.

He cited Colombo stock exchange figures showing foreign investors took out nearly US $23 million from the market, compared to $35 million over the first nine months of this year.

Rajapakse has said he will cut down on non-essential imports and reduce personal and corporate taxes to encourage local industrialists and companies.

Fitch said however that a protracted political crisis could undermine foreign investor confidence and "make it more challenging" for Colombo to pay its debts.

A political crisis in Sri Lanka, where two prime ministers are fighting for power, is scaring away tourists and raising questions over foreign aid, ringing alarm bells for the economy as the currency slumps to record lows.

A political crisis in Sri Lanka, where two prime ministers are fighting for power, is scaring away tourists and raising questions over foreign aid, ringing alarm bells for the economy as the currency slumps to record lows. The turmoil in the Indian Ocean nation that has seen one premier refuse to be sacked, and another battle to prove a majority in a parliament that is banned from meeting, has caused major upheaval that Sri Lanka cannot afford. Amidst warnings from politicians of a "bloodbath" if the dispute escalates, tourists are cancelling hotel bookings just as Sri Lankan beaches and major sites like the Temple of the Tooth prepare for peak season. While no official figures have been given, deluxe hotels have reported cancellations and a critical decline in new bookings in the past 10 days. "This comes at the worst possible time when people in Europe are making their holiday plans abroad," a Colombo city hotel executive told AFP. "We have had a lot of cancellations from the United States." "With the political crisis our winter season is gone," the director of a luxury beach resort in the south of the island said. Tourist dollars needed Western nations have warned their citizens to be on their guard in Sri Lanka. "You should exercise vigilance and avoid all demonstrations or large political gatherings," a British government advisory said. Tourism is a cornerstone of the economy. More than 2.4 million foreign holidaymakers visited last year, spending $3.2 billion. Authorities had been counting on a rise of more than 10 per cent this year. And whether Ranil Wickremesinghe stays in office or former president Mahinda Rajapakse takes his place, foreign earnings will be badly needed. The Asian Development Bank had predicted the economy would grow by 3.8 per cent this year and 4.5 per cent in 2019, but all bets are now off. The power vacuum has raised doubts over a US $1.5 billion Japanese-funded light rail project and another US $480 million of US finance for transport and health, a Wickremesinghe minister, Patali Ranawaka, said last week. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was about to announce an agreement on releasing a new tranche of a US $1.5 billion loan when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe on October 26. "We are monitoring the situation closely and we remain in contact with our counterparts at the technical level," an IMF spokesman said of the deepening power struggle. Populist cuts Wickremesinghe, a market liberal, has insisted he is still in charge while strongman former leader Rajapakse -- already blamed for piling up the island's debt when he was president from 2005 to 2015 -- launched his rival administration last week with measures that caused new jitters. Rajapakse, finance minister as well as head of government, reduced the price of fuel and other essential goods and cut taxes in a move to win over the public. Treasury officials, who asked not to be named, said the revenue loss from the cuts could blow a new hole in the country's balance sheet. Official figures show that Sri Lanka will have to start repaying a record US $4.2 billion of debt in 2019, up from US $2.8 billion this year. The crisis broke just days after Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera called for a "coalition of the willing" to stabilise the free-falling Sri Lankan rupee along with other emerging market currencies. The rupee hit a record-low 177.32 to the dollar last week, despite official measures to arrest its decline. The currency has shed more than 14 per cent this year and Sri Lanka fears it could slide further as US sanctions squeeze Iran, the island's chief source of oil. Samaraweera, whose position is now disputed by Rajapakse, said the flight of foreign capital accelerated in the first four days after the political crisis. He cited Colombo stock exchange figures showing foreign investors took out nearly US $23 million from the market, compared to $35 million over the first nine months of this year. Rajapakse has said he will cut down on non-essential imports and reduce personal and corporate taxes to encourage local industrialists and companies. Fitch said however that a protracted political crisis could undermine foreign investor confidence and "make it more challenging" for Colombo to pay its debts.

Sri Lanka crisis scares tourists in fresh hit to economy

The message of the 2018 Pyeongchang &ldquo;Peace Olympics&rdquo; is clear.

Athletes using performance-enhancing drugs will be exiled, stripped of national colours and shunned. &ldquo;Olympic Athletes from Russia&rdquo; participating in the Winter Games are feeling such scorn.

Meanwhile, North Korea&rsquo;s 500-person Olympic delegation &mdash; attending the Olympics under duress, constant surveillance and potential abuse &mdash;are venerated. The 22 athletes and some 200 cheerleaders &mdash; an Olympic first &mdash; bear as much resemblance to the Olympic values of &ldquo;friendship, respect and excellence&rdquo; as do the Harlem Globetrotters to the NBA championships.

This sets an alarming precedent. Banning Russia while embracing North Korea reveals the deeper moral value of the Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee opposes performance-enhancing drugs that can carry an athlete to the podium. However, it remains eerily silent on how North Korea pushes their athletes towards that same podium.

&lsquo;Peaceful resolve&rsquo;

&ldquo;Olympic Truce&rdquo; dates back to ancient Greece. It allows athletes to travel safely to participate in Olympic events during times of conflict. North Korean athletes are in Pyeongchang under this edict. It is meant to build peaceful resolve to the Korean conflict.

But is diplomacy possible with North Korea? Kim Jong-un&rsquo;s state of iron-fisted control breaks international agreements with impunity.

North Koreans are not seeing live footage of the 2018 Winter Games. At most, only small snippets through state-controlled media will enter the country. As of today, North Korea has yet to broadcast any footage of the Olympics.

North Korean athletes will not interact with other delegations. They are under 24-hour surveillance by their North Korean minders. Even washroom breaks are closely scrutinized. While worried about potential defections, the North Korean regime is mostly concerned about defamation against it. South Korea even advised anti-North Korean activists to &ldquo;be quiet&rdquo; during the Games.

The process of becoming an elite athlete in North Korea is best described as &ldquo;brutal.&rdquo; Choi Hyun Mi, a North Korean boxer who defected in 2004, has described how North Korea creates Olympians. The government selected her at the age of 11 to box. Food was used for both control and incentive. Fight harder, and you will eat more. Falter, and you will starve.

Abused and condemned

Demoralizing tasks are doled out to those who perform poorly. Choi recalls how athletes were forced to stand in front of crowds to be publicly abused and condemned if they fail to win.

&ldquo;Shaming was particularly bad to competitors who lost to rivals from South Korea, Japan or the United States,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;

There will be consequences if any of the North Korean delegates err from the script. The regime monitors the families of its athletes, and occasionally holds them as collateral. Speaking off script, or causing shame to the leader or the regime in any way, can result in detention and political re-education.

Three generations can be punished in North Korea if a family member is suspected of defamation of the leader, espionage or contact with foreigners.

To such accounts of human rights abuses, the International Olympic Committee turns a blind eye. But to weed out performance-enhancing dopers, it will scour every last drop of urine.

Sports diplomacy can be an effective means of engagement. The Olympics has in the past shown the communality of sport between Soviet and Western nations. &nbsp;The 1972 Canada/Soviet Union Summit Series was a moment of nationalist fervour and served as a diplomatic gateway to view the other side as human beings passionate about a sport both countries adore.

Great political moment

In 1991, pending the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba hosted the Pan-American games to open up to its neighbours. The 1995 Rugby World Cup is credited as an important diplomatic moment for post-Apartheid South Africa.

But in what sense can there be sports diplomacy with a regime willing to punish family members of athletes, and one that systematically abuses its athletes as part of their Olympic training?

The theme &ldquo;Peace Olympics&rdquo; and the Olympic Truce imply that politics are put on hold, but for North Korea, Pyeongchang is a great political moment. It is a chance to capitalize on the world&rsquo;s fascination about the Hermit Kingdom, while turning a blind eye to the gruesome human rights abuses within the regime.

Make no mistake, sending some 200 female cheerleaders to the Olympics makes for a fantastic diversion from the fact that most North Korean refugees are women, and many are &nbsp;trafficked into the sex trade in China.&nbsp;

The Olympics are also an opportunity to have direct talks free of Donald Trump&rsquo;s dim-witted Tweets about North Korea. But seeking sport diplomacy with North Korea sets a precedent that overlooks human rights abuses, and even validates them as a means to engagement.

So let it be declared that doping and sport diplomacy do not mix. But as North Korea shows, hunger, abuse and propaganda represent a path to the medal podium.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

It is strange that International Olympic Committee is okay with states violating human rights, such as North Korea but banning Russia on charges of doping.

The message of the 2018 Pyeongchang “Peace Olympics” is clear. Athletes using performance-enhancing drugs will be exiled, stripped of national colours and shunned. “Olympic Athletes from Russia” participating in the Winter Games are feeling such scorn. Meanwhile, North Korea’s 500-person Olympic delegation — attending the Olympics under duress, constant surveillance and potential abuse —are venerated. The 22 athletes and some 200 cheerleaders — an Olympic first — bear as much resemblance to the Olympic values of “friendship, respect and excellence” as do the Harlem Globetrotters to the NBA championships. This sets an alarming precedent. Banning Russia while embracing North Korea reveals the deeper moral value of the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee opposes performance-enhancing drugs that can carry an athlete to the podium. However, it remains eerily silent on how North Korea pushes their athletes towards that same podium. ‘Peaceful resolve’ “Olympic Truce” dates back to ancient Greece. It allows athletes to travel safely to participate in Olympic events during times of conflict. North Korean athletes are in Pyeongchang under this edict. It is meant to build peaceful resolve to the Korean conflict. But is diplomacy possible with North Korea? Kim Jong-un’s state of iron-fisted control breaks international agreements with impunity. North Koreans are not seeing live footage of the 2018 Winter Games. At most, only small snippets through state-controlled media will enter the country. As of today, North Korea has yet to broadcast any footage of the Olympics. North Korean athletes will not interact with other delegations. They are under 24-hour surveillance by their North Korean minders. Even washroom breaks are closely scrutinized. While worried about potential defections, the North Korean regime is mostly concerned about defamation against it. South Korea even advised anti-North Korean activists to “be quiet” during the Games. The process of becoming an elite athlete in North Korea is best described as “brutal.” Choi Hyun Mi, a North Korean boxer who defected in 2004, has described how North Korea creates Olympians. The government selected her at the age of 11 to box. Food was used for both control and incentive. Fight harder, and you will eat more. Falter, and you will starve. Abused and condemned Demoralizing tasks are doled out to those who perform poorly. Choi recalls how athletes were forced to stand in front of crowds to be publicly abused and condemned if they fail to win. “Shaming was particularly bad to competitors who lost to rivals from South Korea, Japan or the United States,” she said. There will be consequences if any of the North Korean delegates err from the script. The regime monitors the families of its athletes, and occasionally holds them as collateral. Speaking off script, or causing shame to the leader or the regime in any way, can result in detention and political re-education. Three generations can be punished in North Korea if a family member is suspected of defamation of the leader, espionage or contact with foreigners. To such accounts of human rights abuses, the International Olympic Committee turns a blind eye. But to weed out performance-enhancing dopers, it will scour every last drop of urine. Sports diplomacy can be an effective means of engagement. The Olympics has in the past shown the communality of sport between Soviet and Western nations. The 1972 Canada/Soviet Union Summit Series was a moment of nationalist fervour and served as a diplomatic gateway to view the other side as human beings passionate about a sport both countries adore. Great political moment In 1991, pending the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba hosted the Pan-American games to open up to its neighbours. The 1995 Rugby World Cup is credited as an important diplomatic moment for post-Apartheid South Africa. But in what sense can there be sports diplomacy with a regime willing to punish family members of athletes, and one that systematically abuses its athletes as part of their Olympic training? The theme “Peace Olympics” and the Olympic Truce imply that politics are put on hold, but for North Korea, Pyeongchang is a great political moment. It is a chance to capitalize on the world’s fascination about the Hermit Kingdom, while turning a blind eye to the gruesome human rights abuses within the regime. Make no mistake, sending some 200 female cheerleaders to the Olympics makes for a fantastic diversion from the fact that most North Korean refugees are women, and many are trafficked into the sex trade in China. The Olympics are also an opportunity to have direct talks free of Donald Trump’s dim-witted Tweets about North Korea. But seeking sport diplomacy with North Korea sets a precedent that overlooks human rights abuses, and even validates them as a means to engagement. So let it be declared that doping and sport diplomacy do not mix. But as North Korea shows, hunger, abuse and propaganda represent a path to the medal podium. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: North Korea trains Olympic athletes through hunger, abuse and propaganda

The White House on Saturday denied and corrected a quote attributed to President Donald Trump that suggested he had a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

&quot;I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong-Un,&quot; Trump was quoted as telling The Wall Street Journal in an interview on Thursday.&nbsp;

But Press Secretary Sarah Sanders insisted that Trump said &quot;I&#39;d,&quot; not &quot;I&quot; as the newspaper reported.

Both The Wall Street Journal and the White House posted audio recordings of Trump&#39;s remarks on Twitter. These, while not completely clear, appeared to support Sanders&#39; account.

Sanders had earlier tweeted a written message disputing the newspaper&#39;s article.

&quot;President Trump said, I&#39;D probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea. I&#39;D -- I&#39;D -- I&#39;D. NOT I!&quot; the message read, with &quot;I&#39;D&quot; in red ink, under a red banner reading &quot;FAKE NEWS.&quot;

Mockingly mimicking the newspaper&#39;s front page, it then reads &quot;THE WALL STREET JOURNAL -- FAKE NEWS IS AT IT AGAIN! -- FALSELY QUOTING PRESIDENT TRUMP.&quot;

Washington and Pyongyang are in a standoff over North Korea&#39;s missile and nuclear programs, which could be used to target the United States and its allies.

Trump has repeatedly insulted the North Korean leader, describing him as mad and a &quot;rocket man.&quot;

Asked if by The Wall Street Journal if he had spoken to Kim, Trump said: &quot;I don&#39;t want to comment on it. I&#39;m not saying I have or haven&#39;t. I just don&#39;t want to comment.&quot;

Trump suggested his variable position on individuals was part of a broader strategy.

But it was not clear how his remarks fitted with his self-described policy of &quot;maximum pressure&quot; on Pyongyang.

In the coming week the United States and Canada are to host a meeting in Vancouver on the nuclear standoff with North Korea, bringing together friendly powers from around the world.

Washington and Pyongyang are in a standoff over North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, which could be used to target the United States and its allies.

The White House on Saturday denied and corrected a quote attributed to President Donald Trump that suggested he had a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. "I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong-Un," Trump was quoted as telling The Wall Street Journal in an interview on Thursday. But Press Secretary Sarah Sanders insisted that Trump said "I'd," not "I" as the newspaper reported. Both The Wall Street Journal and the White House posted audio recordings of Trump's remarks on Twitter. These, while not completely clear, appeared to support Sanders' account. Sanders had earlier tweeted a written message disputing the newspaper's article. "President Trump said, I'D probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea. I'D -- I'D -- I'D. NOT I!" the message read, with "I'D" in red ink, under a red banner reading "FAKE NEWS." Mockingly mimicking the newspaper's front page, it then reads "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL -- FAKE NEWS IS AT IT AGAIN! -- FALSELY QUOTING PRESIDENT TRUMP." Washington and Pyongyang are in a standoff over North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, which could be used to target the United States and its allies. Trump has repeatedly insulted the North Korean leader, describing him as mad and a "rocket man." Asked if by The Wall Street Journal if he had spoken to Kim, Trump said: "I don't want to comment on it. I'm not saying I have or haven't. I just don't want to comment." Trump suggested his variable position on individuals was part of a broader strategy. But it was not clear how his remarks fitted with his self-described policy of "maximum pressure" on Pyongyang. In the coming week the United States and Canada are to host a meeting in Vancouver on the nuclear standoff with North Korea, bringing together friendly powers from around the world.

White House pushes back over Trump North Korea quote

Pope Francis, in his annual &quot;state of the world&quot; address called on Monday for all nations to support dialogue to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and to work for a legally binding ban on nuclear weapons.&nbsp;

In the speech, Francis also repeated his call for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians and respect for the &quot;status quo&quot; of Jerusalem following US.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump`s decision to recognize the city as Israel`s capital.&nbsp;

&quot;It is of paramount importance to support every effort at the dialogue on the Korean peninsula, in order to find new ways of overcoming the current disputes, increasing mutual trust and ensuring a peaceful future for the Korean people and the entire world,&quot; Francis said.&nbsp;

The pope addressed envoys from more than 180 countries a day before North Korea and South Korea are due to hold talks expected to address North Korea&#39;s participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, which some diplomats see as a possible opening for discussions on other topics such as humanitarian issues and divided families.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, asserted that he had a nuclear button at the ready, Trump tweeted that the US button was bigger and more powerful.&nbsp;

&quot;Nuclear weapons must be banned,&quot; Francis said, quoting a document issued by Pope John XXIII at the height of the Cold War and adding that there is &quot;no denying that the conflagration could be started by some chance and unforeseen circumstance&quot;.&nbsp;

Noting that the Holy See was among 122 states that last year agreed a United Nations treaty to ban nuclear weapons, he called for a &quot;serene and wide-ranging debate&quot; on disarmament.&nbsp;

The United States, Britain, France and others boycotted the talks that led to the treaty, instead pledging commitment to a decades-old Non-Proliferation Treaty.&nbsp;

At the individual greetings after the speech, Francis spent more time chatting with South Korea`s envoy, Jonghyun Jeong, than with most other diplomats.&nbsp;

Washington&#39;s new ambassador to the Vatican, Callista Gingrich, attended along with her husband, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich.&nbsp;

Addressing climate change, Francis called for a &quot;united effort&quot; to remain committed to the 2015 Paris accord on reducing carbon emissions. French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to breathe new life into the agreement after Trump announced that the United States would withdraw.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Francis, who has made the defence of migrants and refugees a major plank of his pontificate, warned against &quot;stirring up primal fears&quot; of newcomers.&nbsp;

&quot;There is a need, then, to abandon the familiar rhetoric and start from the essential consideration that we are dealing, above all, with persons,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Migration has become a top political issue in countries including the United States, Italy and Germany.

At the individual greetings after the speech, Francis spent more time chatting with South Korea`s envoy, Jonghyun Jeong, than with most other diplomats.

Pope Francis, in his annual "state of the world" address called on Monday for all nations to support dialogue to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and to work for a legally binding ban on nuclear weapons. In the speech, Francis also repeated his call for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians and respect for the "status quo" of Jerusalem following US. President Donald Trump`s decision to recognize the city as Israel`s capital. "It is of paramount importance to support every effort at the dialogue on the Korean peninsula, in order to find new ways of overcoming the current disputes, increasing mutual trust and ensuring a peaceful future for the Korean people and the entire world," Francis said. The pope addressed envoys from more than 180 countries a day before North Korea and South Korea are due to hold talks expected to address North Korea's participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, which some diplomats see as a possible opening for discussions on other topics such as humanitarian issues and divided families. Earlier this month, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, asserted that he had a nuclear button at the ready, Trump tweeted that the US button was bigger and more powerful. "Nuclear weapons must be banned," Francis said, quoting a document issued by Pope John XXIII at the height of the Cold War and adding that there is "no denying that the conflagration could be started by some chance and unforeseen circumstance". Noting that the Holy See was among 122 states that last year agreed a United Nations treaty to ban nuclear weapons, he called for a "serene and wide-ranging debate" on disarmament. The United States, Britain, France and others boycotted the talks that led to the treaty, instead pledging commitment to a decades-old Non-Proliferation Treaty. At the individual greetings after the speech, Francis spent more time chatting with South Korea`s envoy, Jonghyun Jeong, than with most other diplomats. Washington's new ambassador to the Vatican, Callista Gingrich, attended along with her husband, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich. Addressing climate change, Francis called for a "united effort" to remain committed to the 2015 Paris accord on reducing carbon emissions. French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to breathe new life into the agreement after Trump announced that the United States would withdraw. Francis, who has made the defence of migrants and refugees a major plank of his pontificate, warned against "stirring up primal fears" of newcomers. "There is a need, then, to abandon the familiar rhetoric and start from the essential consideration that we are dealing, above all, with persons," he said. Migration has become a top political issue in countries including the United States, Italy and Germany.

In 'State of World' speech, Pope urges dialogue in Korea, nuclear ban

India&rsquo;s developmental goals and the trajectory of expanding economy largely depend on our ability to source energy. Shifting the focus of our economy towards manufacturing sector with &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; campaign, coupled with the developmental goal of &lsquo;Power for All&rsquo; will be the key drivers of energy demand.

For the nation, which imports around 70 per cent of its primary energy demand, ensuring the security of supply always takes the precedence for policymakers; and the reason why energy policy discourse in India often revolves around &lsquo;Energy Security&rsquo;. In November 2015 Prime Minister Modi announced an idea establishing the &lsquo;International Solar Alliance&rsquo; (ISA), during his speech at 21st Conference of Parties in Paris, a part of the larger narrative, convincing the world of India&rsquo;s commitment towards combating climate change.

The idea was floated earlier during Third India Africa Forum Summit in October to &ldquo;provide a dedicated platform for cooperation among solar rich countries...&rdquo;; and has received encouraging response from across the world &ndash; from tiny African developing nations to developed economies including France and Australia. New Delhi&rsquo;s initiative proved successful in bringing international community closer, but the challenge remains in meeting the stated objective of harnessing solar energy for sustainable development &ndash; and not becoming just another multilateral forum that is high on rhetoric and low on action.

Amidst the price and supply uncertainties for conventional forms of energy coupled with associated geopolitical risks, renewable energy remains the key hope for our future supply of energy. India pledged 175 GW of power from renewable sources by 2022 including 100 GW of solar power, achieving this target largely depends on the availability of funding and ease of technology transfer; with ISA, India has launched a platform where &lsquo;solar rich&rsquo; countries can share their experiences, learn from global best practices, secure funding and access technology.

ISA is an impressive concept theoretically but its success depends on global cooperation and thus diplomacy is essential for development. As of December 2017, ISA framework has 45 signatories, and 15 nations ratifying the framework; a recent public announcement from Beijing, describing its plan to join the solar alliance is a positive development&nbsp;since China is one of the largest manufacturers of renewable energy devices and equipment including photo-voltaic cells.

While ISA aims to achieve 1000 GW power from solar by 2030, the key challenge is about securing finance. ISA is primarily an organisation with the majority of members from developing world, and thus its ability to deal with global north will determine the success of the alliance. It is worth noting that while the US has pulled out of Paris Climate accord, President Trump accused India and China of getting &lsquo;undue advantage&rsquo;; the narrative of this &lsquo;undue advantage&rsquo; could prove to be a challenge for ISA in securing &lsquo;clean energy finance&rsquo; from advanced economies; we know that the US is currently the first and alone in building up such a narrative, it is difficult to predict that nobody else would join this bandwagon in future.

India has its fair share of achievements in harnessing solar energy &ndash; be it one of the largest single location solar power plants (648 MW) in Tamilnadu&rsquo;s Kamuthi or the first airport to run completely on solar power in Kerala&rsquo;s Cochin; these achievements have boosted the credibility of New Delhi&rsquo;s leadership for the alliance. However, the primary challenge for the newly formed alliance will be to prioritise small-scale but inclusive and accessible renewable projects over large-scale &lsquo;demonstrative&rsquo; and &lsquo;headline-making&rsquo; projects, given the global obsession with adjectives such as &lsquo;first&rsquo;, &lsquo;biggest&rsquo; or &lsquo;largest&rsquo;.

New Delhi has been a voice of the global south for long &ndash; from its prominent role in Non-Aligned Movement to representing and empowering voices of developing nations in international organisations and multilateral forums; and thus stakes are high, as India begins to lead the global discourse on renewables through ISA. The success of alliance in promoting and enhancing &lsquo;clean energy&rsquo; supply will also drive India&rsquo;s ambitions to be recognised as an &lsquo;exemplary&rsquo; power.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Shifting the focus of our economy towards manufacturing sector with ?Make in India? campaign, coupled with the developmental goal of ?Power for All? will be the key drivers of energy demand.

India’s developmental goals and the trajectory of expanding economy largely depend on our ability to source energy. Shifting the focus of our economy towards manufacturing sector with ‘Make in India’ campaign, coupled with the developmental goal of ‘Power for All’ will be the key drivers of energy demand. For the nation, which imports around 70 per cent of its primary energy demand, ensuring the security of supply always takes the precedence for policymakers; and the reason why energy policy discourse in India often revolves around ‘Energy Security’. In November 2015 Prime Minister Modi announced an idea establishing the ‘International Solar Alliance’ (ISA), during his speech at 21st Conference of Parties in Paris, a part of the larger narrative, convincing the world of India’s commitment towards combating climate change. The idea was floated earlier during Third India Africa Forum Summit in October to “provide a dedicated platform for cooperation among solar rich countries...”; and has received encouraging response from across the world – from tiny African developing nations to developed economies including France and Australia. New Delhi’s initiative proved successful in bringing international community closer, but the challenge remains in meeting the stated objective of harnessing solar energy for sustainable development – and not becoming just another multilateral forum that is high on rhetoric and low on action. Amidst the price and supply uncertainties for conventional forms of energy coupled with associated geopolitical risks, renewable energy remains the key hope for our future supply of energy. India pledged 175 GW of power from renewable sources by 2022 including 100 GW of solar power, achieving this target largely depends on the availability of funding and ease of technology transfer; with ISA, India has launched a platform where ‘solar rich’ countries can share their experiences, learn from global best practices, secure funding and access technology. ISA is an impressive concept theoretically but its success depends on global cooperation and thus diplomacy is essential for development. As of December 2017, ISA framework has 45 signatories, and 15 nations ratifying the framework; a recent public announcement from Beijing, describing its plan to join the solar alliance is a positive development since China is one of the largest manufacturers of renewable energy devices and equipment including photo-voltaic cells. While ISA aims to achieve 1000 GW power from solar by 2030, the key challenge is about securing finance. ISA is primarily an organisation with the majority of members from developing world, and thus its ability to deal with global north will determine the success of the alliance. It is worth noting that while the US has pulled out of Paris Climate accord, President Trump accused India and China of getting ‘undue advantage’; the narrative of this ‘undue advantage’ could prove to be a challenge for ISA in securing ‘clean energy finance’ from advanced economies; we know that the US is currently the first and alone in building up such a narrative, it is difficult to predict that nobody else would join this bandwagon in future. India has its fair share of achievements in harnessing solar energy – be it one of the largest single location solar power plants (648 MW) in Tamilnadu’s Kamuthi or the first airport to run completely on solar power in Kerala’s Cochin; these achievements have boosted the credibility of New Delhi’s leadership for the alliance. However, the primary challenge for the newly formed alliance will be to prioritise small-scale but inclusive and accessible renewable projects over large-scale ‘demonstrative’ and ‘headline-making’ projects, given the global obsession with adjectives such as ‘first’, ‘biggest’ or ‘largest’. New Delhi has been a voice of the global south for long – from its prominent role in Non-Aligned Movement to representing and empowering voices of developing nations in international organisations and multilateral forums; and thus stakes are high, as India begins to lead the global discourse on renewables through ISA. The success of alliance in promoting and enhancing ‘clean energy’ supply will also drive India’s ambitions to be recognised as an ‘exemplary’ power. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: 'Development' and 'diplomacy' are driving India's energy discourse

China&nbsp;will send a special envoy to North Korea, state media said Wednesday, after US President Donald Trump concluded an Asian tour to rally support against Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear threats.

President Xi Jinping&#39;s special envoy, Song Tao, is going to North Korea on Friday to discuss the Chinese Communist Party&#39;s congress, which took place last month, Xinhua news agency said, without providing more details.

The announcement came a day after the end of Trump&#39;s five-nation tour of Asia, including meetings with Xi during which the US leader urged his Chinese counterpart to act fast to rein in North Korea, warning that &quot;time is quickly running out&quot;.

The US administration thinks&nbsp;China&#39;s economic leverage over North Korea is the key to strong-arming Pyongyang into halting its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.

On Sunday, Trump said Xi stated that &quot;he is upping the sanctions against&quot; North Korea, though&nbsp;China&nbsp;has not announced any new punitive measures

The US administration thinks?China's economic leverage over North Korea is the key to strong-arming Pyongyang into halting its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.

China will send a special envoy to North Korea, state media said Wednesday, after US President Donald Trump concluded an Asian tour to rally support against Pyongyang's nuclear threats. President Xi Jinping's special envoy, Song Tao, is going to North Korea on Friday to discuss the Chinese Communist Party's congress, which took place last month, Xinhua news agency said, without providing more details. The announcement came a day after the end of Trump's five-nation tour of Asia, including meetings with Xi during which the US leader urged his Chinese counterpart to act fast to rein in North Korea, warning that "time is quickly running out". The US administration thinks China's economic leverage over North Korea is the key to strong-arming Pyongyang into halting its nuclear weapons and missile programmes. On Sunday, Trump said Xi stated that "he is upping the sanctions against" North Korea, though China has not announced any new punitive measures

China to send envoy to North Korea

President Donald J. Trump is wrapping up a whirlwind tour of Asia, visiting five countries in 12 days. The trip revealed much about Trump&rsquo;s style of diplomacy &ndash; one that focuses more on his personal relationships with world leaders than diplomatic relations between countries.

Both democratic and authoritarian leaders have been wooed by Trump&rsquo;s charm offensive. He has highlighted his warm feelings toward China&rsquo;s President Xi Jinping and tweeted that he tries &ldquo;so hard to be [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un&rsquo;s] friend.&rdquo;

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Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me &quot;old,&quot; when I would NEVER call him &quot;short and fat?&quot; Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/929511061954297857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Trump&rsquo;s relationship with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, one of the first leaders welcomed to Trump Tower after the election, is &ldquo;extraordinary,&rdquo; according to the president.

This style of diplomacy certainly has its limitations, but could it actually improve the United States&rsquo; relationship with the Philippines &ndash; a key Southeast Asian ally?

Why we need our allies in Asia

On the campaign trail and in office, Trump has often criticised many of America&rsquo;s allies for taking advantage of Washington&rsquo;s generosity and not contributing more to their own national security. However, my research with Queen&rsquo;s University political scientist Stefanie von Hlatky demonstrates that even when allies fail to share as much of the military burden as the United States would hope, they still make meaningful contributions to our military efforts overseas.

Our alliance relationships in Asia are based on a series of mutual defense treaties negotiated in the aftermath of World War II. The U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense treaty signed in 1951 focuses on the countries&rsquo; shared history of resistance against Japan&rsquo;s &ldquo;imperialist aggression&rdquo; in the Pacific. It commits the two nations to mutual aid in defending against an external armed attack as part of a comprehensive system of regional security. Given the possibility of a future confrontation with China over the South China Sea, alliances with countries like the Philippines matter. After all, the Philippines provides access to regional bases and other logistical support.

New leaders, unexpected directions

Since the election of the populist Duterte in May 2016, the U.S.- Philippines alliance has been on rocky ground.

The Obama-Duterte relationship was full of tension stemming from the Obama administration&rsquo;s criticism of Duterte&rsquo;s violent war on drugs, which some claim has now led to approximately 13,000 deaths. Duterte showed no hesitation in calling out the United States for treating the Philippines like a colony, insulting Obama and musing that he might shift his foreign policy toward China and Russia and &ldquo;break up with America.&rdquo;

Trump&rsquo;s election and his overtures to Duterte have helped get the strained relationship back on the right track. The two men bonded over their countries&rsquo; mutual struggle with drugs. They claimed a shared understanding of the importance of protecting one&rsquo;s country. In fact, the administration signaled that Trump&rsquo;s heavily criticised invitation to Duterte to visit the White House was a sign of the &ldquo;very positive direction&rdquo; of the U.S.-Philippines relationship under his leadership.

It is, therefore, no surprise that the two leaders met privately during Trump&rsquo;s Asia visit. Topics on the table included terrorism &ndash; especially the Philippine military&rsquo;s recent success against militants linked to Islamic State in the southern region of Mindanao &ndash; trade and their respective anti-drug campaigns.

Can Trump revive the relationship?

The extent to which the topic of human rights came up in their conversation is unclear. Trump has already been criticised for failing to press harder on this issue. However, it is possible that Trump rightly understands that pushing Duterte on human rights would continue to move Duterte away from the West and toward China.

Trump&rsquo;s comments in China mingled criticism of China&rsquo;s trade practices with praise of President Xi. However, in the Philippines, Trump chose to forgo this more nuanced approach, leaving diplomatic opportunities on the table. In praising Duterte&rsquo;s handling of an Islamist insurgency, Trump could have pushed for an end to martial law in Mindanao. In highlighting how the United States helped in the battle against Islamist militants, Trump could have laid out how much more we can do to improve security and help to rebuild the city of Marawi, which was devastated by the Philippines&rsquo; bombing campaign.

Trump&rsquo;s style of diplomacy and his foreign policy agenda are a radical departure from his predecessor&rsquo;s. In the Philippines, this shift is largely welcome. Sixty-nine percent of Filipinos surveyed by Pew Research Center in late September of this year had confidence that Trump would do the right thing in world affairs.

On his first official visit to the country, Trump praised his treatment in the Philippines as &ldquo;red carpet like nobody, I think, has probably ever received.&rdquo; In turn, he was officially declared &ldquo;a friend of the Duterte administration.&rdquo;

Ultimately, a positive change in the direction of U.S.- Philippines relations may come down to whether Trump and Duterte&rsquo;s mutual admiration is enough to shift the Philippines&rsquo; foreign policy back toward the United States. Doing so will likely require avoiding discussion of human rights, leaving Filipinos to bear the costs.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/did-trumps-charm-offensive-work-in-the-philippines-87235" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

The Obama-Duterte relationship was full of tension but Trump?s election and his overtures to Duterte have helped to get the strained relationship back on the right track

President Donald J. Trump is wrapping up a whirlwind tour of Asia, visiting five countries in 12 days. The trip revealed much about Trump’s style of diplomacy – one that focuses more on his personal relationships with world leaders than diplomatic relations between countries. Both democratic and authoritarian leaders have been wooed by Trump’s charm offensive. He has highlighted his warm feelings toward China’s President Xi Jinping and tweeted that he tries “so hard to be [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s] friend.” Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me "old," when I would NEVER call him "short and fat?" Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 12, 2017 × Trump’s relationship with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, one of the first leaders welcomed to Trump Tower after the election, is “extraordinary,” according to the president. This style of diplomacy certainly has its limitations, but could it actually improve the United States’ relationship with the Philippines – a key Southeast Asian ally? Why we need our allies in Asia On the campaign trail and in office, Trump has often criticised many of America’s allies for taking advantage of Washington’s generosity and not contributing more to their own national security. However, my research with Queen’s University political scientist Stefanie von Hlatky demonstrates that even when allies fail to share as much of the military burden as the United States would hope, they still make meaningful contributions to our military efforts overseas. Our alliance relationships in Asia are based on a series of mutual defense treaties negotiated in the aftermath of World War II. The U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense treaty signed in 1951 focuses on the countries’ shared history of resistance against Japan’s “imperialist aggression” in the Pacific. It commits the two nations to mutual aid in defending against an external armed attack as part of a comprehensive system of regional security. Given the possibility of a future confrontation with China over the South China Sea, alliances with countries like the Philippines matter. After all, the Philippines provides access to regional bases and other logistical support. New leaders, unexpected directions Since the election of the populist Duterte in May 2016, the U.S.- Philippines alliance has been on rocky ground. The Obama-Duterte relationship was full of tension stemming from the Obama administration’s criticism of Duterte’s violent war on drugs, which some claim has now led to approximately 13,000 deaths. Duterte showed no hesitation in calling out the United States for treating the Philippines like a colony, insulting Obama and musing that he might shift his foreign policy toward China and Russia and “break up with America.” Trump’s election and his overtures to Duterte have helped get the strained relationship back on the right track. The two men bonded over their countries’ mutual struggle with drugs. They claimed a shared understanding of the importance of protecting one’s country. In fact, the administration signaled that Trump’s heavily criticised invitation to Duterte to visit the White House was a sign of the “very positive direction” of the U.S.-Philippines relationship under his leadership. It is, therefore, no surprise that the two leaders met privately during Trump’s Asia visit. Topics on the table included terrorism – especially the Philippine military’s recent success against militants linked to Islamic State in the southern region of Mindanao – trade and their respective anti-drug campaigns. Can Trump revive the relationship? The extent to which the topic of human rights came up in their conversation is unclear. Trump has already been criticised for failing to press harder on this issue. However, it is possible that Trump rightly understands that pushing Duterte on human rights would continue to move Duterte away from the West and toward China. Trump’s comments in China mingled criticism of China’s trade practices with praise of President Xi. However, in the Philippines, Trump chose to forgo this more nuanced approach, leaving diplomatic opportunities on the table. In praising Duterte’s handling of an Islamist insurgency, Trump could have pushed for an end to martial law in Mindanao. In highlighting how the United States helped in the battle against Islamist militants, Trump could have laid out how much more we can do to improve security and help to rebuild the city of Marawi, which was devastated by the Philippines’ bombing campaign. Trump’s style of diplomacy and his foreign policy agenda are a radical departure from his predecessor’s. In the Philippines, this shift is largely welcome. Sixty-nine percent of Filipinos surveyed by Pew Research Center in late September of this year had confidence that Trump would do the right thing in world affairs. On his first official visit to the country, Trump praised his treatment in the Philippines as “red carpet like nobody, I think, has probably ever received.” In turn, he was officially declared “a friend of the Duterte administration.” Ultimately, a positive change in the direction of U.S.- Philippines relations may come down to whether Trump and Duterte’s mutual admiration is enough to shift the Philippines’ foreign policy back toward the United States. Doing so will likely require avoiding discussion of human rights, leaving Filipinos to bear the costs. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Did Trump's charm work in Duterte's Philippines?

Former National Basketball Association star Dennis Rodman is expected to arrive in North Korea on Tuesday for a trip the State Department said was not an official US&nbsp;visit, CNN reported on Monday.

Rodman, who met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on previous trips to Pyongyang and has called him &quot;an awesome kid,&quot; declined to answer questions when he was seen by CNN reporters at Beijing International Airport, the network said.

Tensions have heightened on the Korean peninsula over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear and missile tests and its vow to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US&nbsp;mainland.

Four Americans are also being held in North Korea, including 22-year-old student Otto Warmbier, who was detained in January 2016 and sentenced to 15 years&#39; hard labour for attempting to steal a propaganda banner.

Representatives for Rodman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Rodman has defended his travels, saying in an interview with CNN in 2014 they would help &quot;open the door&quot; to the reclusive state.

CNN, citing two unnamed North Korean officials, said Rodman was expected to arrive in Pyongyang on Tuesday, but gave no additional details on the purpose of the trip.

Fox News, citing a senior Trump administration official, reported that Rodman was travelling to North Korea as a &quot;private citizen&quot;.

The White House and State Department did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Here is video footage from North Korean&nbsp;TV of Rodman during his last trip in the totalitarian communist country. In it, he meets Kim Jung Un, and sings a strange rendition of Happy Birthday.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ViRdxGjEu2Y" width="560"></iframe>

The basketball Hall of Famer has faced ridicule and criticism for his trips to North Korea, which some US&nbsp;politicians and activists view as serving only as fodder for North Korean propaganda.

Rodman, 56, nicknamed &quot;The Worm&quot; during his playing career and known for his tattoos, body piercings and multi-coloured hair, is considered one of the best defensive players and rebounders in NBA history.

He won five league championships with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The Hall of Famer has faced ridicule and criticism for his trips to North Korea, which some feel serves only as fodder for North Korean propaganda

Former National Basketball Association star Dennis Rodman is expected to arrive in North Korea on Tuesday for a trip the State Department said was not an official US visit, CNN reported on Monday. Rodman, who met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on previous trips to Pyongyang and has called him "an awesome kid," declined to answer questions when he was seen by CNN reporters at Beijing International Airport, the network said. Tensions have heightened on the Korean peninsula over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests and its vow to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US mainland. Four Americans are also being held in North Korea, including 22-year-old student Otto Warmbier, who was detained in January 2016 and sentenced to 15 years' hard labour for attempting to steal a propaganda banner. Representatives for Rodman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Rodman has defended his travels, saying in an interview with CNN in 2014 they would help "open the door" to the reclusive state. CNN, citing two unnamed North Korean officials, said Rodman was expected to arrive in Pyongyang on Tuesday, but gave no additional details on the purpose of the trip. Fox News, citing a senior Trump administration official, reported that Rodman was travelling to North Korea as a "private citizen". The White House and State Department did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Here is video footage from North Korean TV of Rodman during his last trip in the totalitarian communist country. In it, he meets Kim Jung Un, and sings a strange rendition of Happy Birthday. The basketball Hall of Famer has faced ridicule and criticism for his trips to North Korea, which some US politicians and activists view as serving only as fodder for North Korean propaganda. Rodman, 56, nicknamed "The Worm" during his playing career and known for his tattoos, body piercings and multi-coloured hair, is considered one of the best defensive players and rebounders in NBA history. He won five league championships with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls. (With inputs from Reuters)

Dennis Rodman, Ex-NBA star, expected to arrive in North Korea Tuesday: CNN

The man expected to be voted in as the next UN secretary-general tomorrow says 'migration is necessary, better to organise it'

“I’ve never seen a Portuguese taking care of my mother,” Antonio Guterres says, with a tinge of exasperation at the ongoing debate in Europe and North America about migration. His 93-year-old mother needed a caregiver, so he contracted one from a private agency. “They are all migrants,” he says. And then he drives home his point. “There is no way Europe, an ageing continent, can deal with the problems of the elderly people without migration.” Guterres would know. The 67-year-old is a former prime minister of Portugal and former United Nations high commissioner for refugees. In an exclusive interview in New Delhi on July 22, the day after he emerged as the front runner to become the next United Nations secretary-general -- he is expected to be formally voted in as the next UN chief on Friday -- Guterres insisted that migration is part of the solution to global problems. And he has a compelling argument against the insular, myopic and at times hypocritical debates, bordering, some would say, on xenophobia and racism, which have engrossed and agitated Britain, Hungary and France in Europe and across the Atlantic in the United States. The fertility rate in most European countries is below 1.5. In my country Portugal it is between 1.2 and 1.3. There is no way these countries can survive without immigration × Fertility rate is the ratio of births to the population, expressed per 1,000 population per year. “So if migration is necessary, (it is) better to organise it,” Guterres wonders aloud. He concedes that there may be some truth to the claims that smugglers and people traffickers are manipulating the migration of millions into Europe and that, in turn, is causing social tensions in local communities and aiding some terrorist organisations. But he is categorical that the alternative is not to say no to refugees. “Several leaders in Europe and North America say we don’t need Muslim refugees. This is the worst thing you can say in a country that has millions of Muslims. This is the best propaganda for Daesh,” Guterres says, taking the Arabic name for the so-called Islamic State. “Those that are saying these things are helping terrorists recruit people. They are telling Muslims that you don’t belong and this is absolutely crazy. Xenophobic populist leaders are the best allies of terrorist organisations,” he adds. Guterres has in the past said that the migration debate in Europe is irrational and schizophrenic. He wants migration to be made legal and structured. He is equally critical of some leaders in Europe and North America for failing to, what he calls, create "the conditions for Muslim communities to feel that they belong". He says the fight against the so-called Islamic State is a battle for values which needs to be waged on two fronts – by the Muslim and the non-Muslim worlds alike. On the one hand, the Islamic religious scholars and civil society should fight radicalism and the rise of extremist tendencies with as much intensity and effective propaganda as the terrorist organisations. On the other hand, governments must realise that if they “start discriminating against Muslims you are only helping these terrorist organisations". He cautions that the use of force against the so-called Islamic State “is legitimate (and) is necessary but it will not alone solve the problem". Guterres feels the need for a surge in diplomacy to make the UN a more effective organisation. “The Oslo accord and the Iran (nuclear) agreement are good examples of discreet diplomacy,” he says. “I see the need in today’s world for an honest broker; someone that is independent; someone that wants to cooperate with States and is at the disposal of the States, to create the bridges that are necessary. Today’s wars are wars that nobody wins.” He speaks about the centrality of prevention of conflicts as opposed to the policy of pre-emption, which some countries such as the United States have espoused and practised before. “The problem with prevention,” he says, “is that TV cameras are not there when prevention takes place. TV cameras are there when a crisis erupts. So prevention is normally not a political priority for parliaments, for governments and for international organisations.” “We also need to have a comprehensive approach to prevention. To invest in adaptation for climate change is a way to prevent conflicts. To make sure that human rights are respected is a way to prevent conflicts. Then there are inequalities of development. “We need to bring all of this together and then use the classical instruments of diplomacy and political dialogue to avoid conflicts and to make sure that parties are able to resolve their contradictions peacefully.” In sharp contrast, pre-emption is rooted in suspicion and miscalculation. “We need dialogue to prevent misunderstandings. Some countries believe that what some other countries are doing can be a threat to them but it can be completely false, it can be their imagination so they strike first. We need to avoid misunderstandings and misperceptions that have contributed to so many conflicts in the world.” So are Syria and Iraq among some of the UN’s failures? The diplomat ventures only so far as to say that they represent “a failure of the international community” and “to that extent they are also a failure of the UN. But the UN would never be able to solve the problem if those key stakeholders that have an influence on the parties to the conflict would not be able to come together and solve the problem.” In the straw poll conducted by the United Nations security council in New York on July 21, Guterres got 12 out of 15 votes. The Council is composed of five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the UK and the US - and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General assembly currently consist of Angola, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Senegal, Spain, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela. There are 12 candidates in the fray, half of them women. In the UN’s 70-year history there have been eight secretary-generals, all male and none from eastern Europe. Eight of the 12 candidates this year hail from eastern Europe, including three women. So should the next secretary-general be a woman and/or from eastern Europe? Guterres has this to say: “I understand the symbolic value of having a woman secretary-general and if I have to be a victim of my own convictions in relation to gender equality I am ready to accept it. I believe that if elected I will be totally committed to gender parity in the organisation and to effective protection and empower of women in everything the UN does.” (WION)

Migration is a solution to global problems: Antonio Guterres

Bangladesh has kicked out a North Korean diplomat after he was caught smuggling more than one million cigarettes as well as electronics into the country in a shipping container, Dhaka officials said Monday. 
 
Han Son Ik, the first secretary of the North Korean embassy in Dhaka, has been ordered to leave the country after failing to declare the goods worth nearly half a million dollars to customs. 
 
Bangladesh foreign secretary Shahidul Haque confirmed the order had been made to the North Koreans, but declined to give a timetable for his departure. Local media said he had been ordered by leave by Monday. 
 
&quot;We have asked North Korea to take him back for violating diplomatic norms,&quot; Haque, Bangladesh&#39;s top foreign bureaucrat, told AFP, declining to give details. A senior customs official told AFP the North Korean used his diplomatic immunity earlier this month to import the goods which were suspected destined for the blackmarket. 
 
&quot;The diplomat declared that his cargo contained food and soft drinks. But when we opened the cargo, we found 1.6 million stalks of expensive cigarettes and electronics,&quot; Moinul Khan, head of intelligence at Bangladesh customs, told AFP. &quot;At market prices these products are valued at 35 million Taka ($430,000). We suspect that he brought the products to sell to local smuggling gangs,&quot; he said. 
 
AFP was unable to immediately contact the North Korean embassy for comment. In March last year, another North Korean diplomat was forced to apologise after he was caught at Dhaka airport trying to smuggle nearly 27 kilograms (60 pounds) of gold, worth $1.7 million, into the country. In 2012, customs authorities issued a 2.5-million taka fine after seizing illegal wines from another North Korean envoy. 
 
Last year, a North Korean restaurant in Dhaka was shut down after officials found it was selling wine and drugs such as Viagra without permission. 
 
(AFP)

Han Son Ik has been ordered to leave the country after failing to declare the goods worth nearly half a million dollars to customs

Bangladesh has kicked out a North Korean diplomat after he was caught smuggling more than one million cigarettes as well as electronics into the country in a shipping container, Dhaka officials said Monday. Han Son Ik, the first secretary of the North Korean embassy in Dhaka, has been ordered to leave the country after failing to declare the goods worth nearly half a million dollars to customs. Bangladesh foreign secretary Shahidul Haque confirmed the order had been made to the North Koreans, but declined to give a timetable for his departure. Local media said he had been ordered by leave by Monday. "We have asked North Korea to take him back for violating diplomatic norms," Haque, Bangladesh's top foreign bureaucrat, told AFP, declining to give details. A senior customs official told AFP the North Korean used his diplomatic immunity earlier this month to import the goods which were suspected destined for the blackmarket. "The diplomat declared that his cargo contained food and soft drinks. But when we opened the cargo, we found 1.6 million stalks of expensive cigarettes and electronics," Moinul Khan, head of intelligence at Bangladesh customs, told AFP. "At market prices these products are valued at 35 million Taka ($430,000). We suspect that he brought the products to sell to local smuggling gangs," he said. AFP was unable to immediately contact the North Korean embassy for comment. In March last year, another North Korean diplomat was forced to apologise after he was caught at Dhaka airport trying to smuggle nearly 27 kilograms (60 pounds) of gold, worth $1.7 million, into the country. In 2012, customs authorities issued a 2.5-million taka fine after seizing illegal wines from another North Korean envoy. Last year, a North Korean restaurant in Dhaka was shut down after officials found it was selling wine and drugs such as Viagra without permission. (AFP)

Bangladesh kicks out North Korea diplomat over smuggling

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