Iran said on Tuesday that <a href="wionews.com/world/iranian-state-tv-shows-smuggled-fuel-aboard-a-seized-foreign-oil-tanker-240680">Britain might free its oil tanker</a> Grace 1 soon in a maritime saga that has exacerbated frictions between Tehran and the West.

But a source for the government of British Mediterranean territory Gibraltar, where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/captain-of-iranian-tanker-seized-in-gibraltar-accuse-royal-marines-of-brute-force-239560">marines seized the tanker on July 4</a> on suspicion of violating European sanctions by taking oil to Syria, denied an Iranian report that could happen on Tuesday.

Tehran has denied its vessel was doing anything improper and in retaliation, it's Revolutionary Guards seized the British-flagged Stena Impero tanker in the Strait of Hormuz waterway on July 19 for alleged marine violations.

The deputy head of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation, Jalil Eslami, said in remarks reported by state news agency IRNA that Britain was thinking of freeing the Grace 1 following an exchange of documents.

"The vessel was seized based on false allegations ... it has not been freed yet," Eslami said.

"We hope the release will take place soon."

Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, quoting unidentified Gibraltar authorities, said the tanker would be freed by Tuesday evening. A senior Gibraltarian government source said that was not correct, though earlier the territory had said it was seeking the de-escalate the situation.

The tankers' affair has added to worsening hostilities since Washington pulled out of an international agreement curbing Iran's nuclear programme and reimposed economic sanctions

Iran said on Tuesday that Britain might free its oil tanker Grace 1 soon in a maritime saga that has exacerbated frictions between Tehran and the West. But a source for the government of British Mediterranean territory Gibraltar, where marines seized the tanker on July 4 on suspicion of violating European sanctions by taking oil to Syria, denied an Iranian report that could happen on Tuesday.

Iran said on Tuesday that Britain might free its oil tanker Grace 1 soon in a maritime saga that has exacerbated frictions between Tehran and the West. But a source for the government of British Mediterranean territory Gibraltar, where marines seized the tanker on July 4 on suspicion of violating European sanctions by taking oil to Syria, denied an Iranian report that could happen on Tuesday. Tehran has denied its vessel was doing anything improper and in retaliation, it's Revolutionary Guards seized the British-flagged Stena Impero tanker in the Strait of Hormuz waterway on July 19 for alleged marine violations. The deputy head of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation, Jalil Eslami, said in remarks reported by state news agency IRNA that Britain was thinking of freeing the Grace 1 following an exchange of documents. "The vessel was seized based on false allegations ... it has not been freed yet," Eslami said. "We hope the release will take place soon." Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, quoting unidentified Gibraltar authorities, said the tanker would be freed by Tuesday evening. A senior Gibraltarian government source said that was not correct, though earlier the territory had said it was seeking the de-escalate the situation. The tankers' affair has added to worsening hostilities since Washington pulled out of an international agreement curbing Iran's nuclear programme and reimposed economic sanctions

Iran says Britain might free oil tanker soon; Gibraltar government source denies claim

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/comedian-volodymyr-zelensky-takes-office-as-ukraines-president-220079">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky</a> signed a decree on Tuesday offering citizenship to Russians suffering political persecution, and also to foreigners who fought on Kiev's side in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Zelensky had announced such a move last month in response to a Russian decree expanding the number of Ukrainians who can apply for fast-track Russian passports.

Separately Ukraine's state security service declared a Russian consular officer in the western city of Lviv as persona non grata, accusing him of spying.

The officer had already left the country, a statement said.

Relations between Kiev and Moscow plunged after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its support for fighters in the eastern Donbass region in a conflict that has killed 13,000 people despite a notional ceasefire.

Zelenskiy has<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraines-new-president-zelensky-says-ceasefire-first-priority-220138"> prioritised achieving peace in the Donbass region,</a> but days after his election victory in April Russian President Vladimir Putin eased rules for residents of rebel-controlled parts of Donbass to receive passports.

In July he extended the offer to government-held areas.

Zelensky's decree would apply to citizens of the Russian Federation who had been persecuted for political reasons, a statement on the presidential website said.

They would need to provide a certificate from Ukraine's foreign ministry or a diplomatic mission or a consular post confirming they were being persecuted in their native country for their political beliefs.

It is now up to the government and parliament to legislate for the proposal to take effect.

The president's Servant of the People party will be the largest in the new parliament following its landslide victory in a snap election in July.

Zelensky last week pressed Putin for a resumption of peace talks after four Ukrainian soldiers were killed by shelling in the Donbass region.

Putin, in turn, said Ukrainian forces must stop the shelling of settlements in the Donbass that led to civilian casualties.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on Tuesday offering citizenship to Russians suffering political persecution, and also to foreigners who fought on Kiev's side in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on Tuesday offering citizenship to Russians suffering political persecution, and also to foreigners who fought on Kiev's side in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Zelensky had announced such a move last month in response to a Russian decree expanding the number of Ukrainians who can apply for fast-track Russian passports. Separately Ukraine's state security service declared a Russian consular officer in the western city of Lviv as persona non grata, accusing him of spying. The officer had already left the country, a statement said. Relations between Kiev and Moscow plunged after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its support for fighters in the eastern Donbass region in a conflict that has killed 13,000 people despite a notional ceasefire. Zelenskiy has prioritised achieving peace in the Donbass region, but days after his election victory in April Russian President Vladimir Putin eased rules for residents of rebel-controlled parts of Donbass to receive passports. In July he extended the offer to government-held areas. Zelensky's decree would apply to citizens of the Russian Federation who had been persecuted for political reasons, a statement on the presidential website said. They would need to provide a certificate from Ukraine's foreign ministry or a diplomatic mission or a consular post confirming they were being persecuted in their native country for their political beliefs. It is now up to the government and parliament to legislate for the proposal to take effect. The president's Servant of the People party will be the largest in the new parliament following its landslide victory in a snap election in July. Zelensky last week pressed Putin for a resumption of peace talks after four Ukrainian soldiers were killed by shelling in the Donbass region. Putin, in turn, said Ukrainian forces must stop the shelling of settlements in the Donbass that led to civilian casualties.

Ukraine President Zelensky offers citizenship to Russian political refugees

British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../who-is-boris-johnson-brexit-warrior-trumps- friend-chinas-frenemy-237975">Boris&nbsp;Johnson</a>&nbsp;has&nbsp;no&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;scheduled&nbsp;with his Irish counterpart Leo&nbsp;Varadkar&nbsp;to discuss Brexit,&nbsp;Johnson's&nbsp;spokesman&nbsp;said on Monday.

A report in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper said an offer to meet the Irish leader to talk about the so-called <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/brexit-why-is-there-an-irish-backstop-188953">Irish backstop</a> had been accepted and dates were being discussed.

British&nbsp;Prime Minister Boris&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;has accepted an offer to&nbsp;meet&nbsp;Irish leader Leo&nbsp;Varadkar&nbsp;to discuss&nbsp;Brexit&nbsp;and the Northern Irish backstop, the Sunday Telegraph said citing UK government sources.

"The UK has accepted&nbsp;Varadkar's offer to&nbsp;meet&nbsp;and dates are being discussed," a UK source told the newspaper.

Johnson&nbsp;has told the European Union there is no point in new talks on a withdrawal agreement unless negotiators are willing to drop the Northern Irish backstop agreed by his predecessor Theresa May.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-plays-brexit-hardball-with-stubborn-european-union-pound-falls-to-a-two-year-low-239235">The EU has said it is not prepared to reopen the divorce deal</a>&nbsp;it agreed with May, which includes the backstop, an insurance policy to prevent the return to a hard border between the British&nbsp;province of Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland.

May's agreement, rejected three times by the&nbsp;British&nbsp;parliament, says the United Kingdom will remain in a customs union 'unless and until' alternative arrangements are found to avoid a hard border.

The Telegraph said it was hoped a meeting&nbsp;between Johnson and Varadkar could take place before the G7 summit in France later in August.

The&nbsp;spokesman&nbsp;also said&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;had been clear he still wanted to get a Brexit deal but hoped the European Union understood the British government's determination to leave the bloc on October&nbsp;31, "no ifs or buts".

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has no meeting scheduled with his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar to discuss Brexit, Johnson's spokesman said on Monday. A report in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper said an offer to meet the Irish leader to talk about the so-called Irish backstop had been accepted and dates were being discussed.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has no meeting scheduled with his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar to discuss Brexit, Johnson's spokesman said on Monday. A report in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper said an offer to meet the Irish leader to talk about the so-called Irish backstop had been accepted and dates were being discussed. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accepted an offer to meet Irish leader Leo Varadkar to discuss Brexit and the Northern Irish backstop, the Sunday Telegraph said citing UK government sources. "The UK has accepted Varadkar's offer to meet and dates are being discussed," a UK source told the newspaper. Johnson has told the European Union there is no point in new talks on a withdrawal agreement unless negotiators are willing to drop the Northern Irish backstop agreed by his predecessor Theresa May. The EU has said it is not prepared to reopen the divorce deal it agreed with May, which includes the backstop, an insurance policy to prevent the return to a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland. May's agreement, rejected three times by the British parliament, says the United Kingdom will remain in a customs union 'unless and until' alternative arrangements are found to avoid a hard border. The Telegraph said it was hoped a meeting between Johnson and Varadkar could take place before the G7 summit in France later in August. The spokesman also said Johnson had been clear he still wanted to get a Brexit deal but hoped the European Union understood the British government's determination to leave the bloc on October 31, "no ifs or buts".

Irish backstop: No meeting scheduled between Johnson, Varadkar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met China's Vice President Wang Qishan here on Monday and discussed strengthening of relations with the Chinese leader.

Jaishankar, who is currently on a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indias-eam-s-jaishankar-on-3-day-china-visit-242321"> three-day visit to China</a> to co-chair the second meeting of the India-China High-Level Mechanism (HLM) on cultural and people-to-people exchanges, said India's relationship with China should be a factor of stability in the region.

This is Jaishankar's first visit to China after assuming office in May this year.

Wang welcomed the Minister to the country, while Jaishankar, on his part, said he was glad to be in the communist nation.

"I am really glad that early in my period I had an opportunity to visit China," he said.

Jaishankar's visit comes amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, whereby Islamabad, last week, had initiated a series of decisions, including downgrading bilateral relations with India and suspending bilateral trade, following the Indian government's decision to repeal Article 370 that conferred special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate it into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Ahead of Jaishankar's visit, his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi had visited Beijing to raise the Kashmir issue with the Chinese leadership and seek its support to take the matter to the United Nations.

Speaking in light of Qureshi's demand, Jaishankar, in his meeting with Wang said, "At a time the world is more uncertain, we believe our relationship should be a factor of stability in the region."

China had recently objected to the Indian government`s decision to abrogate Article 370, in response to which New Delhi had issued a statement saying that the move was an internal matter concerning the territory of India.

Jaishankar's visit to China from August 11-13 will prepare the ground for the second informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met China's Vice President Wang Qishan here on Monday and discussed strengthening of relations with the Chinese leader. Jaishankar, who is currently on a three-day visit to China to co-chair the second meeting of the India-China High-Level Mechanism (HLM) on cultural and people-to-people exchanges, said India's relationship with China should be a factor of stability in the region.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met China's Vice President Wang Qishan here on Monday and discussed strengthening of relations with the Chinese leader. Jaishankar, who is currently on a three-day visit to China to co-chair the second meeting of the India-China High-Level Mechanism (HLM) on cultural and people-to-people exchanges, said India's relationship with China should be a factor of stability in the region. This is Jaishankar's first visit to China after assuming office in May this year. Wang welcomed the Minister to the country, while Jaishankar, on his part, said he was glad to be in the communist nation. "I am really glad that early in my period I had an opportunity to visit China," he said. Jaishankar's visit comes amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, whereby Islamabad, last week, had initiated a series of decisions, including downgrading bilateral relations with India and suspending bilateral trade, following the Indian government's decision to repeal Article 370 that conferred special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate it into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Ahead of Jaishankar's visit, his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi had visited Beijing to raise the Kashmir issue with the Chinese leadership and seek its support to take the matter to the United Nations. Speaking in light of Qureshi's demand, Jaishankar, in his meeting with Wang said, "At a time the world is more uncertain, we believe our relationship should be a factor of stability in the region." China had recently objected to the Indian government`s decision to abrogate Article 370, in response to which New Delhi had issued a statement saying that the move was an internal matter concerning the territory of India. Jaishankar's visit to China from August 11-13 will prepare the ground for the second informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

India's foreign minister Jaishankar meets Chinese Vice President, discusses strengthening of ties

Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria returned here earlier today, days after Islamabad asked New Delhi to call him back following the scrapping of Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The decision to downgrade diplomatic ties with India was taken during a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) of Pakistan last week, a statement by Pakistan`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said.

Following the meeting, New Delhi was also informed that Pakistan would not be sending its High Commissioner-designate to India Moin-ul-Haq.

He was expected to officially take charge on August 16.

Calling its steps in Jammu and Kashmir as an "entirely internal affair", India had on August 8 rejected Pakistan's unilateral move to downgrade diplomatic ties and asked Islamabad to review the decision so that normal channels for diplomatic communications were preserved.&nbsp;

Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria returned here earlier today, days after Islamabad asked New Delhi to call him back following the scrapping of Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria returned here earlier today, days after Islamabad asked New Delhi to call him back following the scrapping of Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The decision to downgrade diplomatic ties with India was taken during a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) of Pakistan last week, a statement by Pakistan`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said. Following the meeting, New Delhi was also informed that Pakistan would not be sending its High Commissioner-designate to India Moin-ul-Haq. He was expected to officially take charge on August 16. Calling its steps in Jammu and Kashmir as an "entirely internal affair", India had on August 8 rejected Pakistan's unilateral move to downgrade diplomatic ties and asked Islamabad to review the decision so that normal channels for diplomatic communications were preserved.

Indian envoy to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria returns to Delhi

Several diplomats and leaders across the political spectrum are expected to attend a condolence meet organised for former External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj here on Tuesday.

The meet will be organised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party she served throughout her life.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also be present at the condolence meeting which is scheduled to be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here at 4 pm.

Swaraj <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bjp-veteran-sushma-swaraj-passes-away-at-age-of-67-241277">passed away</a>&nbsp;on the night of August 6 following a cardiac arrest.

Watch:&nbsp;The remarkable political journey of Sushma Swaraj

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-remarkable-political-journey-of-sushma-swaraj-241414/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Thousands bid adieu to their beloved leader as she was<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/former-external-affairs-minister-and-senior-bjp-leader-sushma-swaraj-cremated-with-full-state-honours-241354"> cremated with full state honours.</a>

Modi and other senior leaders, besides family, friends and admirers bid a tearful adieu to the 67-year-old political stalwart. Politicians and people from different walks of life paid tributes to the senior BJP leader.

Several diplomats and leaders across the political spectrum are expected to attend a condolence meet organised for former External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj here on Tuesday.

Several diplomats and leaders across the political spectrum are expected to attend a condolence meet organised for former External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj here on Tuesday. The meet will be organised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party she served throughout her life. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also be present at the condolence meeting which is scheduled to be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here at 4 pm. Swaraj passed away on the night of August 6 following a cardiac arrest. Watch: The remarkable political journey of Sushma Swaraj Thousands bid adieu to their beloved leader as she was cremated with full state honours. Modi and other senior leaders, besides family, friends and admirers bid a tearful adieu to the 67-year-old political stalwart. Politicians and people from different walks of life paid tributes to the senior BJP leader.

BJP to hold condolence meet for former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj

Highlighting the role of Tibet in Indo-China friendship, Sun Xiaobo, Deputy Director-General of Foreign Affairs Office in Tibet Autonomous Region, has said that the 'roof of the world' can play an important role in boosting bilateral relations.

"China's relationship with India is on the priority of Chinese diplomacy and Tibet has a very long history of exchanges with India in terms of culture and religion. Tibet can play an important role in promoting relations between China and India," Xiaobo told ANI on Friday.

Highlighting the significance of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra for Tibet, the Deputy Director-General said that pilgrimage is a very important component of exchange between the two countries.

"We all understand the significance of providing better service for Indians, who undertake the pilgrimage in Tibet. We will maintain this policy and do what we can to make Indians visiting Tibet feel at home," Xiaobo said.

Focusing on the future of India-China relations, Xiaobo said that the governments and foreign ministries of both countries have a lot of scope to improve bilateral ties by undertaking exchanges.

"Our two leaders -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping -- also pay great attention in this respect. There are lots of measures ready to be implemented. We are confident that efforts by two governments will create a better future," he stressed.

Thousands of devotees participate in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through a treacherous route that crosses territorial boundaries of India, Nepal, and China.

According to the schedule for this year, 18 batches will trek across the Lipulekh pass in Uttarakhand while 10 other batches will go via the Nathula route to Sikkim. Each batch will comprise of not more than 50 people.

The Ministry of External Affairs organises the annual Yatra via two different routes - Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, and Nathula Pass in Sikkim.

While the Liplekh route passes through a very mountainous area, the fully motorable Nathula route that opened a few years ago requires minimum walking and will, therefore, help senior citizens participating in the pilgrimage.

Highlighting the role of Tibet in Indo-China friendship, Sun Xiaobo, Deputy Director-General of Foreign Affairs Office in Tibet Autonomous Region, has said that the 'roof of the world' can play an important role in boosting bilateral relations.

Highlighting the role of Tibet in Indo-China friendship, Sun Xiaobo, Deputy Director-General of Foreign Affairs Office in Tibet Autonomous Region, has said that the 'roof of the world' can play an important role in boosting bilateral relations. "China's relationship with India is on the priority of Chinese diplomacy and Tibet has a very long history of exchanges with India in terms of culture and religion. Tibet can play an important role in promoting relations between China and India," Xiaobo told ANI on Friday. Highlighting the significance of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra for Tibet, the Deputy Director-General said that pilgrimage is a very important component of exchange between the two countries. "We all understand the significance of providing better service for Indians, who undertake the pilgrimage in Tibet. We will maintain this policy and do what we can to make Indians visiting Tibet feel at home," Xiaobo said. Focusing on the future of India-China relations, Xiaobo said that the governments and foreign ministries of both countries have a lot of scope to improve bilateral ties by undertaking exchanges. "Our two leaders -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping -- also pay great attention in this respect. There are lots of measures ready to be implemented. We are confident that efforts by two governments will create a better future," he stressed. Thousands of devotees participate in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through a treacherous route that crosses territorial boundaries of India, Nepal, and China. According to the schedule for this year, 18 batches will trek across the Lipulekh pass in Uttarakhand while 10 other batches will go via the Nathula route to Sikkim. Each batch will comprise of not more than 50 people. The Ministry of External Affairs organises the annual Yatra via two different routes - Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, and Nathula Pass in Sikkim. While the Liplekh route passes through a very mountainous area, the fully motorable Nathula route that opened a few years ago requires minimum walking and will, therefore, help senior citizens participating in the pilgrimage.

'Tibet can play an important role in promoting India-China ties'

A Ukrainian court has ordered the seizure of a Russian tanker stopped last week over its alleged involvement in a Ukrainian-Russian naval clash last year, the country's chief military prosecutor said Tuesday.

A court, in the southern city of Odessa, ordered the seizure of the tanker Nika Spirit on Monday, according to documents posted by Anatoliy Matios on social media.

"The court seized the said vessel," Matios said. "We did it legally."

The Russian owner of the arrested tanker, the Altomar Shipping company, told Russian news agency Interfax that its management was "in contact with Ukrainian authorities" to solve a "range of issues related to the vessel".

Ukraine's SBU security service said last week it had stopped the Russian tanker, previously known as the Neyma when it entered the port of Izmail in the southern Odessa region.

Investigators seized documents on board and questioned its 10 crew members.

Moscow responded by threatening Kiev with unspecified "consequences", although it later confirmed the 10 crew members had been released and allowed to return to Russia.

However, Kiev kept the tanker.

In November, Russia opened fire on three Ukrainian navy vessels as they tried to pass through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov.&nbsp;

Ukraine says the Russian tanker was used in that confrontation, the most dangerous open clash between the two countries in recent years.&nbsp;

According to the SBU, the Neyma had changed its name painted on the hull to "conceal its involvement in the act of aggression".

Moscow also captured 24 Ukrainian sailors manning the vessels and plans to put them on trial, accusing them of violating its maritime borders.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, a UN-established organisation overseeing maritime disputes based in Hamburg, has urged Russia to release the sailors and return them to Ukraine.&nbsp;

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's new leader Volodymyr Zelensky discussed a possible prisoner swap during their first phone call this month.

The two former-Soviet neighbours have been caught up in hostilities since 2014 when Moscow annexed Crimea and supported a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

A Ukrainian court has ordered the seizure of a Russian tanker stopped last week over its alleged involvement in a Ukrainian-Russian naval clash last year, the country's chief military prosecutor said Tuesday.

A Ukrainian court has ordered the seizure of a Russian tanker stopped last week over its alleged involvement in a Ukrainian-Russian naval clash last year, the country's chief military prosecutor said Tuesday. A court, in the southern city of Odessa, ordered the seizure of the tanker Nika Spirit on Monday, according to documents posted by Anatoliy Matios on social media. "The court seized the said vessel," Matios said. "We did it legally." The Russian owner of the arrested tanker, the Altomar Shipping company, told Russian news agency Interfax that its management was "in contact with Ukrainian authorities" to solve a "range of issues related to the vessel". Ukraine's SBU security service said last week it had stopped the Russian tanker, previously known as the Neyma when it entered the port of Izmail in the southern Odessa region. Investigators seized documents on board and questioned its 10 crew members. Moscow responded by threatening Kiev with unspecified "consequences", although it later confirmed the 10 crew members had been released and allowed to return to Russia. However, Kiev kept the tanker. In November, Russia opened fire on three Ukrainian navy vessels as they tried to pass through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov. Ukraine says the Russian tanker was used in that confrontation, the most dangerous open clash between the two countries in recent years. According to the SBU, the Neyma had changed its name painted on the hull to "conceal its involvement in the act of aggression". Moscow also captured 24 Ukrainian sailors manning the vessels and plans to put them on trial, accusing them of violating its maritime borders. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, a UN-established organisation overseeing maritime disputes based in Hamburg, has urged Russia to release the sailors and return them to Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's new leader Volodymyr Zelensky discussed a possible prisoner swap during their first phone call this month. The two former-Soviet neighbours have been caught up in hostilities since 2014 when Moscow annexed Crimea and supported a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine seizes Russian tanker over naval clash: Prosecutor

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amnesty-urges-united-nation-probe-of-systematic-philippine-drug-war-killings-234069">Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte</a> is "seriously considering" cutting his nation's diplomatic ties with Iceland after it spearheaded a UN resolution to probe his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-top-senator-chides-iceland-for-abortion-united-nation-drugs-war-probe-236074">deadly drug war</a>, the leader's spokesman said.

Duterte bristles at any Western condemnation of his signature campaign, which has killed thousands and critics say could amount to crimes against humanity.

The comments late Monday from presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo came in response to the UN Human Rights Council last week backing the Iceland-proposed resolution to review the killings.&nbsp;

"(Duterte) is seriously considering cutting diplomatic relations with Iceland," Panelo said in a statement.

"The adopted Iceland resolution is grotesquely one-sided, outrageously narrow, and maliciously partisan," he added.

Duterte launched the anti-drug crackdown in 2016, and since then police say they have killed over 5,300 drug suspects.&nbsp;

However, human rights groups say the true toll is four times that number.

The UN review comes in addition to a preliminary examination already launched by war crimes prosecutors from the International Criminal Court, which the Philippines left earlier this year.

Panelo attacked the UN resolution saying it "likewise demonstrates how the Western powers are scornful of our sovereign exercise of protecting our people".&nbsp;

Duterte's government frequently paints international criticism as a violation of sovereignty, but watchdogs counter by saying an impartial local review is nearly impossible while Duterte is in power.

Last week Amnesty International released a report alleging the killing is "systematic" and police face very little, if any, scrutiny over the nightly slayings.

Duterte has already publicly mocked Iceland over the UN vote.

"Iceland, what is Iceland's problem? Just ice. That's your problem. You have too much ice," Duterte said Friday.&nbsp;

"These idiots, they don't understand the social, economic, political problems of the Philippines."

While the Philippines and Iceland have diplomatic ties, they do not have embassies in each other's country, said the Filipino foreign minister.

Economic ties include Icelandic investment in geothermal energy in the Philippines and Filipinos working as office and factory workers and nurses in Iceland.

Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin had said his nation could withdraw from the UN rights council over the vote but later said it would not do so.&nbsp;

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is "seriously considering" cutting his nation's diplomatic ties with Iceland after it spearheaded a UN resolution to probe his deadly drug war, the leader's spokesman said.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is "seriously considering" cutting his nation's diplomatic ties with Iceland after it spearheaded a UN resolution to probe his deadly drug war, the leader's spokesman said. Duterte bristles at any Western condemnation of his signature campaign, which has killed thousands and critics say could amount to crimes against humanity. The comments late Monday from presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo came in response to the UN Human Rights Council last week backing the Iceland-proposed resolution to review the killings. "(Duterte) is seriously considering cutting diplomatic relations with Iceland," Panelo said in a statement. "The adopted Iceland resolution is grotesquely one-sided, outrageously narrow, and maliciously partisan," he added. Duterte launched the anti-drug crackdown in 2016, and since then police say they have killed over 5,300 drug suspects. However, human rights groups say the true toll is four times that number. The UN review comes in addition to a preliminary examination already launched by war crimes prosecutors from the International Criminal Court, which the Philippines left earlier this year. Panelo attacked the UN resolution saying it "likewise demonstrates how the Western powers are scornful of our sovereign exercise of protecting our people". Duterte's government frequently paints international criticism as a violation of sovereignty, but watchdogs counter by saying an impartial local review is nearly impossible while Duterte is in power. Last week Amnesty International released a report alleging the killing is "systematic" and police face very little, if any, scrutiny over the nightly slayings. Duterte has already publicly mocked Iceland over the UN vote. "Iceland, what is Iceland's problem? Just ice. That's your problem. You have too much ice," Duterte said Friday. "These idiots, they don't understand the social, economic, political problems of the Philippines." While the Philippines and Iceland have diplomatic ties, they do not have embassies in each other's country, said the Filipino foreign minister. Economic ties include Icelandic investment in geothermal energy in the Philippines and Filipinos working as office and factory workers and nurses in Iceland. Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin had said his nation could withdraw from the UN rights council over the vote but later said it would not do so.

Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte mulls cutting Iceland ties over United Nations probe

The Aggressive Diplomacy From The U.S. Against Iran Has Kicked Off A Major Crisis In West Asia

Gravitas: Iran Breaches Uranium Enrichment Limit

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

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"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?

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