General Motors is expected to lay off about 4,000 salaried workers under a reorganization announced late last year, a person familiar with the matter said Friday.

The layoffs are part of a cost-cutting plan GM announced in November, which will slash 15 per cent of its salaried and contract staff and shutter seven plants, including five in North America.

Media reports estimated the total job cuts of salaried staff and union workers at about 14,000, including about &nbsp;6,000 union workers. GM said the actions -- which were roundly criticized by US and Canadian politicians -- would save $6 billion in costs.

GM has not estimated how many workers would be involuntarily terminated as a result of the cuts.

A GM spokesman declined to comment on the timing of the layoffs after CNBC and the Detroit News reported they would begin Monday to get ahead of the company's earnings report.&nbsp;

The spokesman said, "we'll communicate with our employees first."

About 2,300 salaried workers opted for voluntary buyouts, while another 1,500 contract staff were let go, said the source, who described the estimate of 4,000 laid off salaried staff as reasonable.

GM officials have said they expect to add 2,700 jobs at various US factories across and that US union staff would be offered transfers.

The automaker also is working with Canadian universities and government officials to assist some 3,000 workers affected by the closure of an Ontario plant, a GM spokesman said.

Brian Rothenberg, a spokesman for the United Auto Workers, said not all workers eligible for transfers will be able to relocate for family reasons.

"All of them are impacted," Rothenberg said. "We don't know how many will be laid off vs relocated."

GM has defended the cuts as essential to position the company for the long-term, and savings from the reorganization boosted its 2019 profit outlook.&nbsp;

But the moves were roundly condemned by politicians, including US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

General Motors is expected to lay off about 4,000 salaried workers under a reorganization announced late last year, a person familiar with the matter said Friday.

General Motors is expected to lay off about 4,000 salaried workers under a reorganization announced late last year, a person familiar with the matter said Friday. The layoffs are part of a cost-cutting plan GM announced in November, which will slash 15 per cent of its salaried and contract staff and shutter seven plants, including five in North America. Media reports estimated the total job cuts of salaried staff and union workers at about 14,000, including about 6,000 union workers. GM said the actions -- which were roundly criticized by US and Canadian politicians -- would save $6 billion in costs. GM has not estimated how many workers would be involuntarily terminated as a result of the cuts. A GM spokesman declined to comment on the timing of the layoffs after CNBC and the Detroit News reported they would begin Monday to get ahead of the company's earnings report. The spokesman said, "we'll communicate with our employees first." About 2,300 salaried workers opted for voluntary buyouts, while another 1,500 contract staff were let go, said the source, who described the estimate of 4,000 laid off salaried staff as reasonable. GM officials have said they expect to add 2,700 jobs at various US factories across and that US union staff would be offered transfers. The automaker also is working with Canadian universities and government officials to assist some 3,000 workers affected by the closure of an Ontario plant, a GM spokesman said. Brian Rothenberg, a spokesman for the United Auto Workers, said not all workers eligible for transfers will be able to relocate for family reasons. "All of them are impacted," Rothenberg said. "We don't know how many will be laid off vs relocated." GM has defended the cuts as essential to position the company for the long-term, and savings from the reorganization boosted its 2019 profit outlook. But the moves were roundly condemned by politicians, including US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

General Motors to lay off about 4,000 salaried workers: Report

President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday, saying "she's very bad for our country" and "doesn't mind human trafficking" because she opposes his long-promised wall along the US-Mexico border.

The Republican president also said there is a "good chance" he will follow through on his previous threats to bypass Congress and declare a national emergency to obtain funding for a wall.

Trump, known for personal attacks on critics and political adversaries, made his comments a week after agreeing to end a 35-day partial government shutdown without getting the $5.7 billion he had demanded from Congress to help build the wall. His retreat was seen as a political victory for Pelosi, who became speaker last month when Democrats took over control of the House from the Republicans.

Trump, in an interview with CBS News, called Pelosi "very rigid" and said she was trying to "win a political point" by opposing his demands to fund the wall. Trump has said the wall is needed to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Pelosi has called the wall expensive, ineffective and immoral.

Democratic control of the House, even as Republicans maintain a majority in the Senate, endangers Trump's legislative goals including wall funding. Democrats have proposed billions of dollars for border security, but no money for a wall.

"I think she's very bad for our country," Trump said when asked what he learned in his negotiations with Pelosi.

"Basically she wants open borders. She doesn't mind human trafficking or she wouldn't do this," Trump added.

Pelosi has previously backed legislation to fight human trafficking and called it "an abhorrent crime."

A bipartisan House-Senate committee is considering proposals for funding border security measures for the current fiscal year ahead of a deadline in two weeks when stopgap funding ends and a new partial federal shutdown could begin. Pelosi said on Thursday, "There's not going to be any wall money in the legislation" to fund border security for the rest of this year.

'Wild and predictable'

Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, in a statement, condemned Trump's "wild and predictable misrepresentations about Democrats' commitment to border security."

"Democrats have put forward strong, smart and effective border security solutions in the bipartisan conference committee, while the president still refuses to take a second shutdown off the table," Hammill said.

Under the US&nbsp;Constitution, Congress holds the national purse strings and approves major expenditures of taxpayer funds.

Trump said at a White House event he might declare an emergency because it did not appear Democrats in Congress were moving toward a deal to provide wall money. Such a step likely would prompt a court challenge from Democrats.

"I think there's a good chance that we'll have to do that," Trump added, referring to the possibility of an emergency declaration.

Pelosi has said she was open to negotiating to fund for more ports of entry or additional border security technology. She said the 17 House and Senate negotiators working on legislation to fund homeland security for the fiscal year should decide components of border security.

Democratic negotiators unveiled a detailed opening position containing no money for additional physical barriers on the border to control the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs. Previously they had supported $1.3 billion for new fencing and improvements to existing barriers.

Construction of a border wall was one of Trump's signature 2016 campaign promises, and he previously said Mexico would pay for it.

President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday, saying "she's very bad for our country" and "doesn't mind human trafficking" because she opposes his long-promised wall along the US-Mexico border.

President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday, saying "she's very bad for our country" and "doesn't mind human trafficking" because she opposes his long-promised wall along the US-Mexico border. The Republican president also said there is a "good chance" he will follow through on his previous threats to bypass Congress and declare a national emergency to obtain funding for a wall. Trump, known for personal attacks on critics and political adversaries, made his comments a week after agreeing to end a 35-day partial government shutdown without getting the $5.7 billion he had demanded from Congress to help build the wall. His retreat was seen as a political victory for Pelosi, who became speaker last month when Democrats took over control of the House from the Republicans. Trump, in an interview with CBS News, called Pelosi "very rigid" and said she was trying to "win a political point" by opposing his demands to fund the wall. Trump has said the wall is needed to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Pelosi has called the wall expensive, ineffective and immoral. Democratic control of the House, even as Republicans maintain a majority in the Senate, endangers Trump's legislative goals including wall funding. Democrats have proposed billions of dollars for border security, but no money for a wall. "I think she's very bad for our country," Trump said when asked what he learned in his negotiations with Pelosi. "Basically she wants open borders. She doesn't mind human trafficking or she wouldn't do this," Trump added. Pelosi has previously backed legislation to fight human trafficking and called it "an abhorrent crime." A bipartisan House-Senate committee is considering proposals for funding border security measures for the current fiscal year ahead of a deadline in two weeks when stopgap funding ends and a new partial federal shutdown could begin. Pelosi said on Thursday, "There's not going to be any wall money in the legislation" to fund border security for the rest of this year. 'Wild and predictable' Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, in a statement, condemned Trump's "wild and predictable misrepresentations about Democrats' commitment to border security." "Democrats have put forward strong, smart and effective border security solutions in the bipartisan conference committee, while the president still refuses to take a second shutdown off the table," Hammill said. Under the US Constitution, Congress holds the national purse strings and approves major expenditures of taxpayer funds. Trump said at a White House event he might declare an emergency because it did not appear Democrats in Congress were moving toward a deal to provide wall money. Such a step likely would prompt a court challenge from Democrats. "I think there's a good chance that we'll have to do that," Trump added, referring to the possibility of an emergency declaration. Pelosi has said she was open to negotiating to fund for more ports of entry or additional border security technology. She said the 17 House and Senate negotiators working on legislation to fund homeland security for the fiscal year should decide components of border security. Democratic negotiators unveiled a detailed opening position containing no money for additional physical barriers on the border to control the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs. Previously they had supported $1.3 billion for new fencing and improvements to existing barriers. Construction of a border wall was one of Trump's signature 2016 campaign promises, and he previously said Mexico would pay for it.

There is good chance we will have to declare emergency, says Trump on wall funding row

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-democratic-representative-tulsi-gabbard-says-she-will-run-for-president-in-2020-189711">US&nbsp;Representative Tulsi&nbsp;Gabbard</a>, an Iraq War veteran who at times has had a spiky relationship with the Democratic Party, on Saturday will add another liberal voice to a burgeoning field of candidates seeking the party's&nbsp;2020&nbsp;presidential nomination.

Gabbard, 37, will&nbsp;officially&nbsp;launch her&nbsp;candidacy&nbsp;in Hawaii, where she has served as a&nbsp;congresswoman&nbsp;since 2013. A Samoan-American, she was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/proud-to-be-first-hindu-american-to-run-for-president-tulsi-gabbard-193304">the first Hindu elected to Congress.</a>

She made headlines in 2016 by quitting a leadership post at the Democratic National Committee over the party’s decision to limit the number of debates between presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, a move analysts said helped Clinton.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/tulsi-gabbard-may-run-for-us-presidency-in-2020-sources-176797">Gabbard&nbsp;</a>then endorsed Sanders for president, becoming one of the few members of Congress to do so. She remains popular with some progressives but will have serious competition on that front with candidates such as Senators Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren in the presidential field.

Gabbard&nbsp;has not been a factor in early&nbsp;2020&nbsp;opinion polls, and her nascent campaign already has shown signs of trouble.

Politico reported this week that her campaign manager was set to depart in the coming days after weeks of disarray.

Gabbard’s campaign on Friday confirmed the departure but said Rania Batrice would remain an adviser to&nbsp;Gabbard.&nbsp;

Gabbard&nbsp;also was forced to apologize for her past opposition to same-sex marriage, which she now supports, and has been engaged in a public feud with Hawaii's popular Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono over a federal judicial nominee.

Democratic nominating contests begin in February&nbsp;2020. The candidate who amasses the majority of delegates will be nominated at the party’s convention in the summer and will likely face Republican President Donald Trump in November's general election.

Gabbard&nbsp;served in Iraq and Kuwait in a Hawaii National Guard field medical unit, experiences she said helped inform her noninterventionist foreign policy views. She has made veterans issues&nbsp;a priority while in Congress.

Gabbard&nbsp;has consistently opposed&nbsp;US&nbsp;intervention in Syria, going as far as to secretly meet with Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, in January 2017, sparking fierce criticism from some in her own party. She opposes removing Assad from power.

Later that year, she expressed scepticism over the Trump administration's conclusion that Assad's regime was behind a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens in Syria. Former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean called&nbsp;Gabbard's views "a disgrace" and said she was unfit to be in Congress.

Last November, she blasted Trump for not taking a harder stance toward Saudi Arabia following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

She also slammed the administration for supporting Saudi Arabia in its conflict with Yemen.

In 2015, she parted with many Democrats by criticizing then-President Barack Obama for refusing to use the term "Islamic extremism" to describe members of Islamic State and other militant groups.

The US Representative Tulsi Gabbard, an Iraq War veteran who at times has had a spiky relationship with the Democratic Party, on Saturday will add another liberal voice to a burgeoning field of candidates seeking the party's 2020 presidential nomination.

The US Representative Tulsi Gabbard, an Iraq War veteran who at times has had a spiky relationship with the Democratic Party, on Saturday will add another liberal voice to a burgeoning field of candidates seeking the party's 2020 presidential nomination. Gabbard, 37, will officially launch her candidacy in Hawaii, where she has served as a congresswoman since 2013. A Samoan-American, she was the first Hindu elected to Congress. She made headlines in 2016 by quitting a leadership post at the Democratic National Committee over the party’s decision to limit the number of debates between presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, a move analysts said helped Clinton. Gabbard then endorsed Sanders for president, becoming one of the few members of Congress to do so. She remains popular with some progressives but will have serious competition on that front with candidates such as Senators Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren in the presidential field. Gabbard has not been a factor in early 2020 opinion polls, and her nascent campaign already has shown signs of trouble. Politico reported this week that her campaign manager was set to depart in the coming days after weeks of disarray. Gabbard’s campaign on Friday confirmed the departure but said Rania Batrice would remain an adviser to Gabbard. Gabbard also was forced to apologize for her past opposition to same-sex marriage, which she now supports, and has been engaged in a public feud with Hawaii's popular Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono over a federal judicial nominee. Democratic nominating contests begin in February 2020. The candidate who amasses the majority of delegates will be nominated at the party’s convention in the summer and will likely face Republican President Donald Trump in November's general election. Gabbard served in Iraq and Kuwait in a Hawaii National Guard field medical unit, experiences she said helped inform her noninterventionist foreign policy views. She has made veterans issues a priority while in Congress. Gabbard has consistently opposed US intervention in Syria, going as far as to secretly meet with Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, in January 2017, sparking fierce criticism from some in her own party. She opposes removing Assad from power. Later that year, she expressed scepticism over the Trump administration's conclusion that Assad's regime was behind a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens in Syria. Former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean called Gabbard's views "a disgrace" and said she was unfit to be in Congress. Last November, she blasted Trump for not taking a harder stance toward Saudi Arabia following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. She also slammed the administration for supporting Saudi Arabia in its conflict with Yemen. In 2015, she parted with many Democrats by criticizing then-President Barack Obama for refusing to use the term "Islamic extremism" to describe members of Islamic State and other militant groups.

US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to officially declare 2020 presidential nomination

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon to try to seal a comprehensive trade deal as Trump and his top trade negotiator both cited substantial progress in two days of high-level talks.

Trump, speaking at the White House during a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, said he was optimistic that the world's two largest economies could reach "the biggest deal ever made."

No specific plans for a meeting with Xi were announced, but Trump said there could be more than one meeting. The US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were invited to bring the US negotiating team to Beijing around mid-February, with dates still pending.

At the end of two days of high-level talks next door to the White House, Liu told Trump that China would make a new, immediate commitment to increase soybean purchases. An administration official later clarified the amount as a total of 5 million tonnes, effectively doubling the amount bought by China since resuming limited purchases in December.

The US soybean sales to China, which totalled 31.7 million tonnes in 2017, were largely cut off in the second half of last year by China's retaliatory tariffs and the announcement drew a positive reaction from Trump, who said it would "make our farmers very happy."

While China has offered increased purchases of US farm, energy and other goods to try to resolve the trade disputes, negotiators dug into thornier issues, including the US demands that China take steps to protect American intellectual property and end policies that Washington says force US companies to turn over technology to Chinese firms.

The US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said there was "substantial progress" on these issues, including verification mechanisms to "enforce" China's follow-through on any reform commitments it makes.

"At this point, it's impossible for me to predict success. But we're in a place that if things work out, it could happen," Lighthizer said at the Oval Office meeting.

Later, he told reporters that the US objective was to make China's commitments "more specific, all-encompassing and enforceable" with a mechanism for taking action if China fails to follow through, but declined to provide specific issues.

Reuters previously reported that such an enforcement mechanism would involve a snap-back of US tariffs.

Asked whether the two sides discussed lifting US tariffs on Chinese goods, Lighthizer said tariffs were not part of the talks.

A person familiar with the discussions said a broad range of concerns about access to Chinese agricultural markets were raised in the talks but little progress was made.

The White House said in a statement that a scheduled March 2 tariff increase on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 per cent from 10 per cent was a "hard deadline" if no deal was reached by March 1.

Trump said he did not think he would need to extend the deadline. "I think when President Xi and I meet, every point will be agreed to," Trump added.

But Trump has vetoed multiple proposed trade deals with China, choosing to push ahead with tariffs on Chinese goods to gain leverage. Earlier, Trump said on Twitter he was looking for China to open its markets "not only to Financial Services, which they are now doing but also to our Manufacturing, Farmers and other US businesses and industries. Without this, a deal would be unacceptable!"

The US complaints on technology transfers, and intellectual property protections, along with accusations of Chinese cyber theft of American trade secrets and a systematic campaign to acquire US technology firms, were used by Trump's administration to justify punitive tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports.

China has retaliated with tariffs of its own, but has suspended some and is allowing some purchases of US soybeans during the talks.

Chinese officials have said their policies do not coerce technology transfers.

The US tariffs on Chinese goods are just one front in Trump's efforts to upend the global trading order with his "America First" strategy. He has also imposed global tariffs on imported steel and aluminium, washing machines and solar panels and has threatened to raise tariffs on imported cars unless Japan and the European Union offer trade concessions.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon to try to seal a comprehensive trade deal as Trump and his top trade negotiator both cited substantial progress in two days of high-level talks.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon to try to seal a comprehensive trade deal as Trump and his top trade negotiator both cited substantial progress in two days of high-level talks. Trump, speaking at the White House during a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, said he was optimistic that the world's two largest economies could reach "the biggest deal ever made." No specific plans for a meeting with Xi were announced, but Trump said there could be more than one meeting. The US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were invited to bring the US negotiating team to Beijing around mid-February, with dates still pending. At the end of two days of high-level talks next door to the White House, Liu told Trump that China would make a new, immediate commitment to increase soybean purchases. An administration official later clarified the amount as a total of 5 million tonnes, effectively doubling the amount bought by China since resuming limited purchases in December. The US soybean sales to China, which totalled 31.7 million tonnes in 2017, were largely cut off in the second half of last year by China's retaliatory tariffs and the announcement drew a positive reaction from Trump, who said it would "make our farmers very happy." While China has offered increased purchases of US farm, energy and other goods to try to resolve the trade disputes, negotiators dug into thornier issues, including the US demands that China take steps to protect American intellectual property and end policies that Washington says force US companies to turn over technology to Chinese firms. The US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said there was "substantial progress" on these issues, including verification mechanisms to "enforce" China's follow-through on any reform commitments it makes. "At this point, it's impossible for me to predict success. But we're in a place that if things work out, it could happen," Lighthizer said at the Oval Office meeting. Later, he told reporters that the US objective was to make China's commitments "more specific, all-encompassing and enforceable" with a mechanism for taking action if China fails to follow through, but declined to provide specific issues. Reuters previously reported that such an enforcement mechanism would involve a snap-back of US tariffs. Asked whether the two sides discussed lifting US tariffs on Chinese goods, Lighthizer said tariffs were not part of the talks. A person familiar with the discussions said a broad range of concerns about access to Chinese agricultural markets were raised in the talks but little progress was made. The White House said in a statement that a scheduled March 2 tariff increase on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 per cent from 10 per cent was a "hard deadline" if no deal was reached by March 1. Trump said he did not think he would need to extend the deadline. "I think when President Xi and I meet, every point will be agreed to," Trump added. But Trump has vetoed multiple proposed trade deals with China, choosing to push ahead with tariffs on Chinese goods to gain leverage. Earlier, Trump said on Twitter he was looking for China to open its markets "not only to Financial Services, which they are now doing but also to our Manufacturing, Farmers and other US businesses and industries. Without this, a deal would be unacceptable!" The US complaints on technology transfers, and intellectual property protections, along with accusations of Chinese cyber theft of American trade secrets and a systematic campaign to acquire US technology firms, were used by Trump's administration to justify punitive tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports. China has retaliated with tariffs of its own, but has suspended some and is allowing some purchases of US soybeans during the talks. Chinese officials have said their policies do not coerce technology transfers. The US tariffs on Chinese goods are just one front in Trump's efforts to upend the global trading order with his "America First" strategy. He has also imposed global tariffs on imported steel and aluminium, washing machines and solar panels and has threatened to raise tariffs on imported cars unless Japan and the European Union offer trade concessions.

Trump to meet with China's Xi soon; says 'optimistic to reach biggest trade deal ever'

A US negotiator called Thursday on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-not-looking-to-build-bomb-north-korea-will-not-give-up-nukes-us-intelligence-chiefs-193794">North Korea</a> to provide a detailed account of its weapons to seal a peace deal, saying President Donald Trump was ready to offer a future that includes diplomatic relations and economic aid.

Trump is set to hold a second summit with <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-unlikely-to-give-up-all-nuclear-weapons-us-intel-chief-dan-coats-193760">North Korean leader Kim Jong Un</a> in around a month and said Thursday that he would announce the exact date and venue early next week.

"I think most of you know where the location is. I don't think it's a great secret," he told reporters at the White House.

Vietnam has offered to host the talks.

"We've made tremendous progress with North Korea," said Trump, whose June summit with Kim in Singapore was the first ever between leaders of the two countries that never formally ended the Korean War.

The meeting produced a document in which Kim pledged to work toward the "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula."&nbsp;

As skeptics voice worry that Trump is overly eager to make a legacy-building deal and enjoy the spotlight of meeting the reclusive leader again, the US special representative on North Korea, Stephen Biegun, said the administration is "clear-eyed" and prepared for contingencies if talks fail.

On Tuesday Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told the Senate Intelligence Committee that "North Korea is unlikely to give up all of its nuclear weapons and production capabilities," an analysis counter to Trump's position that there is "a decent chance" of the North giving up its nuclear weapons.

Biegun painted an upbeat picture at ending decades of hostility despite repeated failures in the past, saying that Trump "is unconstrained by the assumptions of his predecessors."

"I have this perfect outcome moment where the last nuclear weapon leaves North Korea, the sanctions are lifted, the flag goes up in the embassy and the treaty is signed in the same hour," Biegun said at Stanford University.

"Now that's an ideal, I know, and these things are going to move haltingly along different courses. But they can also be mutually reinforcing," he said.

Preparing the summit, the State Department said Biegun would head Sunday to South Korea and also meet his North Korean counterpart.

Promises on all nuclear sites

Biegun said the United States would ask North Korea for negotiations on verifying that the totalitarian state is giving up its nuclear weapons.

"Before the process of denuclearisation can be final, we must have a complete understanding of the full extent of the North Korean WMD and missile programs through a comprehensive declaration," Biegun said.

"We must reach agreement on expert access and monitoring mechanisms of key sites to international standards, and ultimately ensure the removal or destruction of stockpiles of fissile material, weapons, missiles, launchers and other weapons of mass destruction," he said.

Rejecting criticism that the Singapore declaration was vague, Biegun said that Kim has committed -- both at the summit and in follow-up talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- to "the dismantlement and destruction" of all plutonium and uranium sites, not only its signature Yongbyon facility.

North Korea watchers believe the regime is foremost interested in easing international sanctions, which were tightened in 2017 after the regime's missile and nuclear tests raised fears of a new war.

Biegun said Trump was prepared to assist Kim in building "a brighter economic future" and gave nuance to the repeated US insistence that it will not ease sanctions until denuclearisation.

"We say we will not lift sanctions until denuclearisation is complete. That is correct. We didn't say we won't do anything until you do everything," he said.

US troops to stay in South Korea

Biegun assured North Korea that Trump -- who in 2017 threatened in front of the United Nations to "totally destroy" the country -- wanted to end the state of war.

"We are not going to invade North Korea. We are not seeking to topple the regime," he said.

He also said that the United States had no intention to pull its 28,500 troops out of South Korea.

"We are not involved in any diplomatic discussion -- full stop -- that would suggest this tradeoff. It has never been discussed," Biegun said.

With Trump known both for his impulsiveness and his criticism of US defense alliances, observers have wondered whether the nearly seven-decade US troop presence could up for debate.

The United States and South Korea remain at loggerheads on a new agreement on how much Seoul contributes to maintain the troops.

A US negotiator called Thursday on North Korea to provide a detailed account of its weapons to seal a peace deal, saying President Donald Trump was ready to offer a future that includes diplomatic relations and economic aid.

A US negotiator called Thursday on North Korea to provide a detailed account of its weapons to seal a peace deal, saying President Donald Trump was ready to offer a future that includes diplomatic relations and economic aid. Trump is set to hold a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in around a month and said Thursday that he would announce the exact date and venue early next week. "I think most of you know where the location is. I don't think it's a great secret," he told reporters at the White House. Vietnam has offered to host the talks. "We've made tremendous progress with North Korea," said Trump, whose June summit with Kim in Singapore was the first ever between leaders of the two countries that never formally ended the Korean War. The meeting produced a document in which Kim pledged to work toward the "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula." As skeptics voice worry that Trump is overly eager to make a legacy-building deal and enjoy the spotlight of meeting the reclusive leader again, the US special representative on North Korea, Stephen Biegun, said the administration is "clear-eyed" and prepared for contingencies if talks fail. On Tuesday Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told the Senate Intelligence Committee that "North Korea is unlikely to give up all of its nuclear weapons and production capabilities," an analysis counter to Trump's position that there is "a decent chance" of the North giving up its nuclear weapons. Biegun painted an upbeat picture at ending decades of hostility despite repeated failures in the past, saying that Trump "is unconstrained by the assumptions of his predecessors." "I have this perfect outcome moment where the last nuclear weapon leaves North Korea, the sanctions are lifted, the flag goes up in the embassy and the treaty is signed in the same hour," Biegun said at Stanford University. "Now that's an ideal, I know, and these things are going to move haltingly along different courses. But they can also be mutually reinforcing," he said. Preparing the summit, the State Department said Biegun would head Sunday to South Korea and also meet his North Korean counterpart. Promises on all nuclear sites Biegun said the United States would ask North Korea for negotiations on verifying that the totalitarian state is giving up its nuclear weapons. "Before the process of denuclearisation can be final, we must have a complete understanding of the full extent of the North Korean WMD and missile programs through a comprehensive declaration," Biegun said. "We must reach agreement on expert access and monitoring mechanisms of key sites to international standards, and ultimately ensure the removal or destruction of stockpiles of fissile material, weapons, missiles, launchers and other weapons of mass destruction," he said. Rejecting criticism that the Singapore declaration was vague, Biegun said that Kim has committed -- both at the summit and in follow-up talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- to "the dismantlement and destruction" of all plutonium and uranium sites, not only its signature Yongbyon facility. North Korea watchers believe the regime is foremost interested in easing international sanctions, which were tightened in 2017 after the regime's missile and nuclear tests raised fears of a new war. Biegun said Trump was prepared to assist Kim in building "a brighter economic future" and gave nuance to the repeated US insistence that it will not ease sanctions until denuclearisation. "We say we will not lift sanctions until denuclearisation is complete. That is correct. We didn't say we won't do anything until you do everything," he said. US troops to stay in South Korea Biegun assured North Korea that Trump -- who in 2017 threatened in front of the United Nations to "totally destroy" the country -- wanted to end the state of war. "We are not going to invade North Korea. We are not seeking to topple the regime," he said. He also said that the United States had no intention to pull its 28,500 troops out of South Korea. "We are not involved in any diplomatic discussion -- full stop -- that would suggest this tradeoff. It has never been discussed," Biegun said. With Trump known both for his impulsiveness and his criticism of US defense alliances, observers have wondered whether the nearly seven-decade US troop presence could up for debate. The United States and South Korea remain at loggerheads on a new agreement on how much Seoul contributes to maintain the troops.

US calls on North Korea to provide full list of weapons programs to seal peace deal

By Eleanor Paynter

President Trump has long called migration a security crisis, but in recent weeks he has also referred to the situation along the southern border as a humanitarian crisis.

As he ended the government shutdown in a televised speech on January 25, Trump reiterated his claim that a border wall between the United States and Mexico would save the lives of Central American migrants, many of whom are women and children.

“Walls work,” he said. “They save good people from attempting a very dangerous journey from other countries.”

As my doctoral research into Europe’s 2015-2016 refugee crisis shows, however, stricter border control doesn’t stop migration. Often, it makes it more dangerous.

Open arms or closed borders?

An estimated, 1.3 million migrants entered the European Union in 2015 — more than double the year before. They were seeking asylum protection from war, conflict and extreme poverty.

To put that figure in context, just half-a-million migrants — including asylum-seekers, who typically give themselves up to border agents — were apprehended at the US-Mexico border in 2018.

Most of Europe’s migrants came from Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq. Generally, these asylum-seekers entered the European Union via Turkey, crossing Macedonia, Serbia and other Balkan countries by foot.

Well over 100,000 migrants from sub-Saharan African countries reached southern Europe by the sea in 2015, crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa.

Overwhelmed with these increased arrivals, national governments in Europe took dramatically different approaches to manage their borders.

Germany threw its doors open. Almost 900,000 migrants arrived there in 2015 after the country suspended an EU rule requiring that migrants apply for asylum in the first EU country they set foot in.

Migrants arriving at southern nations like Greece and Italy generally hoped to continue north to Germany.

Greece, however, was unable to process the more than 850,000 migrants who arrived to its shores in 2015. It built holding camps on its Aegean islands, where people stayed in overcrowded, often inhospitable conditions for up to two years as their asylum claims were processed.

Other EU governments were openly hostile to refugees. Across Eastern Europe, countries along the Balkan route began to build and extend border barriers.

Europe had five border walls in 2014, built following the 1985 Schengen agreement amid concerns about immigration at the bloc’s external borders. By 2017, it had 15 barriers, according to the not-for-profit Transnational Institute, and a heavily patrolled maritime border.

Hungary, perhaps the EU’s least immigrant-friendly country, built a high-tech fence that uses thermal detection and cameras to monitor movement, with speakers that blare warnings in five languages.

Walls make migration more dangerous

Border walls have not stopped migration into Europe.

Tens of thousands of migrants still cross the Balkans to reach the EU each year – they just do so in more dangerous conditions.

Before the walls, migrants travelled in groups, with or without the help of smugglers.

Now, paying a smuggler is the only way for migrants to avoid border guards and pass barriers. For several thousand dollars, smugglers bribe EU border agents, hide migrants in trucks or walk them across EU borders under cover of darkness.

Europe’s refugee crisis has now become a housing crisis.

At least 10,000 migrants now live in homeless encampments or squats across Italy. And after the French refugee camp known as “The Calais Jungle” was demolished in 2016, nearly as many people scattered to makeshift camps or the streets of French cities.

Stopping migrants before they arrive

Italy, where most refugees arrive by boat from North Africa, has tried to keep migrants out in a different way: It outsources its border security.

In 2017, Italy struck a deal to supply the Libyan coast guard with vessels and anti-smuggling training. The agreement promised $325 million if Libyan agents would intercept migrants crossing the Mediterranean and return them to Libyan detention centres.

Human rights organisations have questioned the deal, citing Libya’s political unrest and documented history of migrant enslavement and torture. Returning migrants to detention centres in Libya may also violate international law since refugees cannot be kept safe there.

In my own interviews with African migrants in Italy who’d crossed the Sahara to Libya, many told me that they eventually boarded a boat there not as a final step toward Europe, but to escape imprisonment or torture in Libya.

Libyan coast guard boats have left many migrants stranded at sea. In September 2018, when a boat carrying 100 migrants capsized, Italy and Libya blamed one other for the failed rescue.

Libya’s deterrence mission conflicts with the rescue operations of aid boats that bring migrants to Europe. Italy says rescues invite more migration, despite research disproving this claim.

Last June, 629 migrants, including 123 unaccompanied minors and seven pregnant women, were held at sea for over a week, unable to seek asylum or aid.

Malta, Spain and France have since repeatedly closed their ports to rescue vessels, refusing to bear responsibility for the migrants on board.

Lessons for the US

Irregular migration to Europe did decrease last year, primarily because fewer Syrians are fleeing their war-torn country. More migrants – nearly 700,000 people – are also being detained in Libya.

Migrant routes into the EU also continue to shift in response to closing borders. Spain, for example, has seen sea arrivals increase tenfold since 2015.

In my assessment, Trump’s crackdown along the US-Mexico border will have similar results. There are signs of this already.

A decades-old US policy of paying Mexico to secure its southern border with Guatemala to keep Central American migrants out has merely made the journey riskier, according to a 2018 United Nations report.

To avoid apprehension by Mexican border patrol, some migrants get from Guatemala to Mexico by water, on boats that are often operated by traffickers.

As in Europe, migrants now increasingly rely on smugglers to get across the US-Mexico border, who may charge more than $10,000 per family.

That does not guarantee safe passage. Between August and October last year, smugglers abandoned more than 1,400 migrants, including children, in the sweltering Arizona desert. Hoping to find safety in large groups, more migrants are now travelling in caravans.

As the US and the EU struggle to resolve their border crises, migrants will continue to flee their home countries seeking protection. Heightened border control certainly won’t make them safer.

(Eleanor Paynter is PhD Candidate, Comparative Studies, The Ohio State University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/europes-refugee-crisis-explains-why-border-walls-dont-stop-migration-110414">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Eleanor Paynter President Trump has long called migration a security crisis, but in recent weeks he has also referred to the situation along the southern border as a humanitarian crisis.

By Eleanor Paynter President Trump has long called migration a security crisis, but in recent weeks he has also referred to the situation along the southern border as a humanitarian crisis. As he ended the government shutdown in a televised speech on January 25, Trump reiterated his claim that a border wall between the United States and Mexico would save the lives of Central American migrants, many of whom are women and children. “Walls work,” he said. “They save good people from attempting a very dangerous journey from other countries.” As my doctoral research into Europe’s 2015-2016 refugee crisis shows, however, stricter border control doesn’t stop migration. Often, it makes it more dangerous. Open arms or closed borders? An estimated, 1.3 million migrants entered the European Union in 2015 — more than double the year before. They were seeking asylum protection from war, conflict and extreme poverty. To put that figure in context, just half-a-million migrants — including asylum-seekers, who typically give themselves up to border agents — were apprehended at the US-Mexico border in 2018. Most of Europe’s migrants came from Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq. Generally, these asylum-seekers entered the European Union via Turkey, crossing Macedonia, Serbia and other Balkan countries by foot. Well over 100,000 migrants from sub-Saharan African countries reached southern Europe by the sea in 2015, crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa. Overwhelmed with these increased arrivals, national governments in Europe took dramatically different approaches to manage their borders. Germany threw its doors open. Almost 900,000 migrants arrived there in 2015 after the country suspended an EU rule requiring that migrants apply for asylum in the first EU country they set foot in. Migrants arriving at southern nations like Greece and Italy generally hoped to continue north to Germany. Greece, however, was unable to process the more than 850,000 migrants who arrived to its shores in 2015. It built holding camps on its Aegean islands, where people stayed in overcrowded, often inhospitable conditions for up to two years as their asylum claims were processed. Other EU governments were openly hostile to refugees. Across Eastern Europe, countries along the Balkan route began to build and extend border barriers. Europe had five border walls in 2014, built following the 1985 Schengen agreement amid concerns about immigration at the bloc’s external borders. By 2017, it had 15 barriers, according to the not-for-profit Transnational Institute, and a heavily patrolled maritime border. Hungary, perhaps the EU’s least immigrant-friendly country, built a high-tech fence that uses thermal detection and cameras to monitor movement, with speakers that blare warnings in five languages. Walls make migration more dangerous Border walls have not stopped migration into Europe. Tens of thousands of migrants still cross the Balkans to reach the EU each year – they just do so in more dangerous conditions. Before the walls, migrants travelled in groups, with or without the help of smugglers. Now, paying a smuggler is the only way for migrants to avoid border guards and pass barriers. For several thousand dollars, smugglers bribe EU border agents, hide migrants in trucks or walk them across EU borders under cover of darkness. Europe’s refugee crisis has now become a housing crisis. At least 10,000 migrants now live in homeless encampments or squats across Italy. And after the French refugee camp known as “The Calais Jungle” was demolished in 2016, nearly as many people scattered to makeshift camps or the streets of French cities. Stopping migrants before they arrive Italy, where most refugees arrive by boat from North Africa, has tried to keep migrants out in a different way: It outsources its border security. In 2017, Italy struck a deal to supply the Libyan coast guard with vessels and anti-smuggling training. The agreement promised $325 million if Libyan agents would intercept migrants crossing the Mediterranean and return them to Libyan detention centres. Human rights organisations have questioned the deal, citing Libya’s political unrest and documented history of migrant enslavement and torture. Returning migrants to detention centres in Libya may also violate international law since refugees cannot be kept safe there. In my own interviews with African migrants in Italy who’d crossed the Sahara to Libya, many told me that they eventually boarded a boat there not as a final step toward Europe, but to escape imprisonment or torture in Libya. Libyan coast guard boats have left many migrants stranded at sea. In September 2018, when a boat carrying 100 migrants capsized, Italy and Libya blamed one other for the failed rescue. Libya’s deterrence mission conflicts with the rescue operations of aid boats that bring migrants to Europe. Italy says rescues invite more migration, despite research disproving this claim. Last June, 629 migrants, including 123 unaccompanied minors and seven pregnant women, were held at sea for over a week, unable to seek asylum or aid. Malta, Spain and France have since repeatedly closed their ports to rescue vessels, refusing to bear responsibility for the migrants on board. Lessons for the US Irregular migration to Europe did decrease last year, primarily because fewer Syrians are fleeing their war-torn country. More migrants – nearly 700,000 people – are also being detained in Libya. Migrant routes into the EU also continue to shift in response to closing borders. Spain, for example, has seen sea arrivals increase tenfold since 2015. In my assessment, Trump’s crackdown along the US-Mexico border will have similar results. There are signs of this already. A decades-old US policy of paying Mexico to secure its southern border with Guatemala to keep Central American migrants out has merely made the journey riskier, according to a 2018 United Nations report. To avoid apprehension by Mexican border patrol, some migrants get from Guatemala to Mexico by water, on boats that are often operated by traffickers. As in Europe, migrants now increasingly rely on smugglers to get across the US-Mexico border, who may charge more than $10,000 per family. That does not guarantee safe passage. Between August and October last year, smugglers abandoned more than 1,400 migrants, including children, in the sweltering Arizona desert. Hoping to find safety in large groups, more migrants are now travelling in caravans. As the US and the EU struggle to resolve their border crises, migrants will continue to flee their home countries seeking protection. Heightened border control certainly won’t make them safer. (Eleanor Paynter is PhD Candidate, Comparative Studies, The Ohio State University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Europe’s refugee crisis explains why border walls don’t stop migration

President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated strong US support for Venezuela's opposition and said protesters demanding the ouster of President <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-says-government-ready-for-potential-armed-conflict-192957">Nicolas Maduro</a> were fighting for freedom.

"Large protests all across Venezuela today against Maduro. The fight for freedom has begun!" Trump tweeted.

Trump said that earlier he had spoken by phone with self-declared acting president Juan Guaido, who has been recognized by Washington, to reinforce "strong United States support for Venezuela's fight to regain its democracy."

Washington has thrown its full backing behind Guaido's claim to lead Venezuela, but hard-left leader Maduro, who still controls the military and police, says Guaido is part of a US-led coup plot.

The country's pro-government top court has barred Guaido, who is calling for large anti-Maduro street protests this week, from leaving the country.

On Wednesday, people took to the streets in the capital Caracas and various other cities, banging pots, blowing whistles and horns, and carrying banners that read: "Armed forces, regain your dignity," "Maduro usurper," "Guaido, president" and "No to the dictatorship."

"Don't shoot people who are making demands also for your family," Guaido said in a message to the military delivered from the central university in Caracas.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated strong US support for Venezuela's opposition and said protesters demanding the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro were fighting for freedom.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated strong US support for Venezuela's opposition and said protesters demanding the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro were fighting for freedom. "Large protests all across Venezuela today against Maduro. The fight for freedom has begun!" Trump tweeted. Trump said that earlier he had spoken by phone with self-declared acting president Juan Guaido, who has been recognized by Washington, to reinforce "strong United States support for Venezuela's fight to regain its democracy." Washington has thrown its full backing behind Guaido's claim to lead Venezuela, but hard-left leader Maduro, who still controls the military and police, says Guaido is part of a US-led coup plot. The country's pro-government top court has barred Guaido, who is calling for large anti-Maduro street protests this week, from leaving the country. On Wednesday, people took to the streets in the capital Caracas and various other cities, banging pots, blowing whistles and horns, and carrying banners that read: "Armed forces, regain your dignity," "Maduro usurper," "Guaido, president" and "No to the dictatorship." "Don't shoot people who are making demands also for your family," Guaido said in a message to the military delivered from the central university in Caracas.

Venezuela protests a 'fight for freedom': Donald Trump

US intelligence chiefs contradicted some of President Donald Trump's most fundamental foreign policy claims Tuesday, underscoring a persistent division in his view of the world and theirs.

In a hearing on global threats at the Senate Intelligence Committee, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-supported-terror-groups-will-continue-attacks-in-india-us-193778">the country's top spies</a> took issue with Trump's assertion that the Islamic State group has been defeated, and that North Korea can be convinced to forego its nuclear weapons.

They also challenged Trump's claim that Tehran is actively seeking nuclear weapons, the justification Trump gave for withdrawing last year from a multilateral treaty on Iran.

And they underscored again that Russia meddled deeply on Trump's behalf in the 2016 presidential election -- which he has repeatedly denied -- and can be expected to do the same in 2020.

The hearing took place weeks after Trump cited a victory over Islamic State to justify his sudden announcement of an immediate pullout from Syria -- a move that alarmed the US defense establishment and allies in the Middle East.

And it came just weeks before Trump plans a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to negotiate a hoped-for denuclearization of the hermit state.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told the committee that the US intelligence community believes it is unlikely that Pyongyang will agree to completely denuclearize.&nbsp;

"We continue to assess that North Korea is unlikely to give up all of its nuclear weapons and production capabilities, even as it seeks to negotiate partial denuclearization steps to obtain key US and international concessions," Coats said in the annual "Worldwide Threat Assessment" report.

"North Korea's leaders see having a nuclear weapons capability as "critical to regime survival."

IS eyeing comeback 
The report also warned that Islamic State is hardly vanquished and could easily rise again in a vacuum left by departing US forces, resuming global attacks and restarting its propaganda machine.

"ISIS still commands thousands of fighters in Iraq and Syria, and it maintains eight branches, more than a dozen networks, and thousands of dispersed supporters around the world, despite significant leadership and territorial losses," Coats said.

Iran complying with deal 
The Coats report highlighted the broad and increasing threat to the United States from China, a point of agreement across the board in the Trump administration.

It characterized the US-China struggle as an ideological battle between the Western model of a democratically-based economy and China's authoritarian capitalism.&nbsp;

"Chinese leaders will increasingly seek to assert China's model of authoritarian capitalism as an alternative -- and implicitly superior -- development path abroad, exacerbating great-power competition that could threaten international support for democracy, human rights and the rule of law," the report said.

It also warned of a growing alignment between China and Russia, saying their relationship "is likely to strengthen in the coming year as some of their interests and threat perceptions converge, particularly regarding perceived US unilateralism and interventionism and Western promotion of democratic values and human rights."

FBI Director Christopher Wray told the panel that the FBI is investigating Chinese economic espionage in nearly all of its 56 field offices around the country.

"China writ large is the most significant counterintelligence threat we face," Wray said.

Iran adhering to nuclear deal 
But the intelligence community showed a distinct divergence on other thrusts of Trump policy.

On Iran, Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel told the hearing that the country is still abiding by the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, despite Trump's decision to withdraw last year, claiming Tehran had broken it.

"At the moment technically they are in compliance" with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Haspel told lawmakers.

"I think the most recent information is the Iranians are considering taking steps that would lessen their adherence to JCPOA as they seek to pressure the European to come through with the investment and trade benefits that Iran hoped to gain from the deal."

There was no comment from the White House on the Coats report. But analysts said it showed a glaring divide that has existed since the beginning of Trump's term in 2017.

"A normal human being listening to the intel chiefs today on Iran and North Korea would conclude that Trump was dead wrong to withdraw from the JCPOA and dead right to negotiate with KJU even though zero nukes was magical thinking," said Aaron David Miller, director of the Middle East program at the Woodrow Wilson Center think tank in Washington.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

US intelligence chiefs contradicted some of President Donald Trump's most fundamental foreign policy claims Tuesday, underscoring a persistent division in his view of the world and theirs.

US intelligence chiefs contradicted some of President Donald Trump's most fundamental foreign policy claims Tuesday, underscoring a persistent division in his view of the world and theirs. In a hearing on global threats at the Senate Intelligence Committee, the country's top spies took issue with Trump's assertion that the Islamic State group has been defeated, and that North Korea can be convinced to forego its nuclear weapons. They also challenged Trump's claim that Tehran is actively seeking nuclear weapons, the justification Trump gave for withdrawing last year from a multilateral treaty on Iran. And they underscored again that Russia meddled deeply on Trump's behalf in the 2016 presidential election -- which he has repeatedly denied -- and can be expected to do the same in 2020. The hearing took place weeks after Trump cited a victory over Islamic State to justify his sudden announcement of an immediate pullout from Syria -- a move that alarmed the US defense establishment and allies in the Middle East. And it came just weeks before Trump plans a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to negotiate a hoped-for denuclearization of the hermit state. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told the committee that the US intelligence community believes it is unlikely that Pyongyang will agree to completely denuclearize. "We continue to assess that North Korea is unlikely to give up all of its nuclear weapons and production capabilities, even as it seeks to negotiate partial denuclearization steps to obtain key US and international concessions," Coats said in the annual "Worldwide Threat Assessment" report. "North Korea's leaders see having a nuclear weapons capability as "critical to regime survival." IS eyeing comeback The report also warned that Islamic State is hardly vanquished and could easily rise again in a vacuum left by departing US forces, resuming global attacks and restarting its propaganda machine. "ISIS still commands thousands of fighters in Iraq and Syria, and it maintains eight branches, more than a dozen networks, and thousands of dispersed supporters around the world, despite significant leadership and territorial losses," Coats said. Iran complying with deal The Coats report highlighted the broad and increasing threat to the United States from China, a point of agreement across the board in the Trump administration. It characterized the US-China struggle as an ideological battle between the Western model of a democratically-based economy and China's authoritarian capitalism. "Chinese leaders will increasingly seek to assert China's model of authoritarian capitalism as an alternative -- and implicitly superior -- development path abroad, exacerbating great-power competition that could threaten international support for democracy, human rights and the rule of law," the report said. It also warned of a growing alignment between China and Russia, saying their relationship "is likely to strengthen in the coming year as some of their interests and threat perceptions converge, particularly regarding perceived US unilateralism and interventionism and Western promotion of democratic values and human rights." FBI Director Christopher Wray told the panel that the FBI is investigating Chinese economic espionage in nearly all of its 56 field offices around the country. "China writ large is the most significant counterintelligence threat we face," Wray said. Iran adhering to nuclear deal But the intelligence community showed a distinct divergence on other thrusts of Trump policy. On Iran, Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel told the hearing that the country is still abiding by the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, despite Trump's decision to withdraw last year, claiming Tehran had broken it. "At the moment technically they are in compliance" with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Haspel told lawmakers. "I think the most recent information is the Iranians are considering taking steps that would lessen their adherence to JCPOA as they seek to pressure the European to come through with the investment and trade benefits that Iran hoped to gain from the deal." There was no comment from the White House on the Coats report. But analysts said it showed a glaring divide that has existed since the beginning of Trump's term in 2017. "A normal human being listening to the intel chiefs today on Iran and North Korea would conclude that Trump was dead wrong to withdraw from the JCPOA and dead right to negotiate with KJU even though zero nukes was magical thinking," said Aaron David Miller, director of the Middle East program at the Woodrow Wilson Center think tank in Washington.

Iran not looking to build bomb, North Korea will not give up nukes: US intelligence chiefs

*By Richard Shaw

The nation whose anthem lauds “the land of the free and the home of the brave” and whose constitution was drafted “in order to form a more perfect union … and secure the blessings of liberty” continues to flirt with the prospect of authoritarian rule.&nbsp;

In the aftermath of his decision to temporarily reopen the federal government, President Trump is once again threatening to declare a state of emergency to allow him to spend public money on the construction of a wall on the United States-Mexico border without congressional approval.&nbsp;

The weakened position Trump finds himself in now makes such drastic action unlikely. But one of the lessons to be taken from Trump’s presidency is to expect the unexpected.&nbsp;

Should he do so, it would not, of course, be the first time an American president has asserted this prerogative.&nbsp;

Current crisis not about policy

Generally, there can be compelling reasons for declaring a state of emergency, but Trump would have been perhaps the first to invoke this prerogative in order to fulfil a (subtly altered) campaign promise.

While there is a legitimate debate about whether or not there actually is an emergency at the border, the crisis that would be created should Trump declare an emergency in order to secure public funding for his “big, beautiful wall” would not primarily be about policy. It would concern more fundamental matters, such as the efficacy of America’s much-vaunted constitutional system of checks and balances.

The US constitution established three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. It apportions power to each branch so none can dominate the others. But the American constitution pays relatively little attention to the presidency. There are only four short sections concerning the office, only one of which contains much detail about presidential powers.

This means the powers of the president remain under-articulated. The constitution is also silent on how states of emergency should be managed. Taken together, this means it’s not entirely clear that legislative and judicial institutions can rein in a president who declares a state of emergency on spurious grounds.

In effect, by declaring a state of emergency a president assumes additional powers by essentially creating exceptions to rules and laws that normally constrain them. The courts can and likely would review the legality of any such action. But rulings against presidents are the exception.

Battle for the GOP&nbsp;

More prosaically, if the “Trump shutdown” strained relations within the Republican Party imagine what a “Trump state of national emergency” might do. The party’s establishment has proved willing to accept various affronts to presidential conventions of conduct.

This includes Trump’s propensity to play fast and loose with the truth, his lack of appetite for work and limited grasp of policy detail as well as his inability to serve as a president for all Americans.

But it is clear the partial shutdown has significantly ratcheted up tensions within the party and added to speculation Trump will face a primary challenge sometime before the 2020 presidential election.

In that context, it is conceivable that a presidential declaration of a state of emergency for wall funding might at last be the moment when Republicans – or at least enough of them to give Trump pause for thought – act in the long-term interests of the country.

More likely, there will be a point at which political self-interest trumps Trump. Republicans seeking to hold onto seats in 2020 in districts won by Hilary Clinton in 2016, or in which the Democratic Party was resurgent in last year’s midterms, may well peel away from Trump if his already soft approval rating continues to slide. There are already signs that some establishment figures are putting daylight between themselves and the president, and as the Republican convention and the 2020 presidential election move into view, more may choose to follow suit.&nbsp;

Road to tyranny 

Under these scenarios, Republicans may take a closer interest in restraining Trump than they have done so far. Seriously spooked Republicans may prove more amenable to the notion of impeaching the president. And because a president cannot dissolve Congress, Trump would be unable to get in a preemptive strike should the House move to impeach him.

None of this may come to pass. Trump may well be on the defensive right now but his chances of being re-elected in 2020 will be seriously (and perhaps fatally) compromised if he backs down on the wall issue again when congressional negotiations on immigration and border security wrap up on February 15. During the two years of his administration, he has proved perfectly happy to plough on regardless of public or political sentiment for far less significant issues. It is conceivable that he will do so again.

He has also demonstrated that he chafes against constraints on presidential agency, wishes to expand the reach of the executive branch and responds badly to criticism. In short, he is a poor fit for a liberal democracy but potentially a rather good one for an autocracy.

*(Richard Shaw is Professor of Politics at Massey University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-trumps-wall-rhetoric-is-about-power-rather-than-policy-110499">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

*By Richard Shaw The nation whose anthem lauds “the land of the free and the home of the brave” and whose constitution was drafted “in order to form a more perfect union … and secure the blessings of liberty” continues to flirt with the prospect of authoritarian rule.

*By Richard Shaw The nation whose anthem lauds “the land of the free and the home of the brave” and whose constitution was drafted “in order to form a more perfect union … and secure the blessings of liberty” continues to flirt with the prospect of authoritarian rule. In the aftermath of his decision to temporarily reopen the federal government, President Trump is once again threatening to declare a state of emergency to allow him to spend public money on the construction of a wall on the United States-Mexico border without congressional approval. The weakened position Trump finds himself in now makes such drastic action unlikely. But one of the lessons to be taken from Trump’s presidency is to expect the unexpected. Should he do so, it would not, of course, be the first time an American president has asserted this prerogative. Current crisis not about policy Generally, there can be compelling reasons for declaring a state of emergency, but Trump would have been perhaps the first to invoke this prerogative in order to fulfil a (subtly altered) campaign promise. While there is a legitimate debate about whether or not there actually is an emergency at the border, the crisis that would be created should Trump declare an emergency in order to secure public funding for his “big, beautiful wall” would not primarily be about policy. It would concern more fundamental matters, such as the efficacy of America’s much-vaunted constitutional system of checks and balances. The US constitution established three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. It apportions power to each branch so none can dominate the others. But the American constitution pays relatively little attention to the presidency. There are only four short sections concerning the office, only one of which contains much detail about presidential powers. This means the powers of the president remain under-articulated. The constitution is also silent on how states of emergency should be managed. Taken together, this means it’s not entirely clear that legislative and judicial institutions can rein in a president who declares a state of emergency on spurious grounds. In effect, by declaring a state of emergency a president assumes additional powers by essentially creating exceptions to rules and laws that normally constrain them. The courts can and likely would review the legality of any such action. But rulings against presidents are the exception. Battle for the GOP More prosaically, if the “Trump shutdown” strained relations within the Republican Party imagine what a “Trump state of national emergency” might do. The party’s establishment has proved willing to accept various affronts to presidential conventions of conduct. This includes Trump’s propensity to play fast and loose with the truth, his lack of appetite for work and limited grasp of policy detail as well as his inability to serve as a president for all Americans. But it is clear the partial shutdown has significantly ratcheted up tensions within the party and added to speculation Trump will face a primary challenge sometime before the 2020 presidential election. In that context, it is conceivable that a presidential declaration of a state of emergency for wall funding might at last be the moment when Republicans – or at least enough of them to give Trump pause for thought – act in the long-term interests of the country. More likely, there will be a point at which political self-interest trumps Trump. Republicans seeking to hold onto seats in 2020 in districts won by Hilary Clinton in 2016, or in which the Democratic Party was resurgent in last year’s midterms, may well peel away from Trump if his already soft approval rating continues to slide. There are already signs that some establishment figures are putting daylight between themselves and the president, and as the Republican convention and the 2020 presidential election move into view, more may choose to follow suit. Road to tyranny Under these scenarios, Republicans may take a closer interest in restraining Trump than they have done so far. Seriously spooked Republicans may prove more amenable to the notion of impeaching the president. And because a president cannot dissolve Congress, Trump would be unable to get in a preemptive strike should the House move to impeach him. None of this may come to pass. Trump may well be on the defensive right now but his chances of being re-elected in 2020 will be seriously (and perhaps fatally) compromised if he backs down on the wall issue again when congressional negotiations on immigration and border security wrap up on February 15. During the two years of his administration, he has proved perfectly happy to plough on regardless of public or political sentiment for far less significant issues. It is conceivable that he will do so again. He has also demonstrated that he chafes against constraints on presidential agency, wishes to expand the reach of the executive branch and responds badly to criticism. In short, he is a poor fit for a liberal democracy but potentially a rather good one for an autocracy. *(Richard Shaw is Professor of Politics at Massey University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Why Trump's wall rhetoric is about power rather than policy

North Korea is not likely to give up all of its nuclear weapons even if <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/if-us-responds-to-denuclearisation-with-trustworthy-measures-relations-will-develop-fast-north-korea-193678">President Donald Trump'</a>s efforts to negotiate a deal with Pyongyang bear fruit, US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said Tuesday.

"We continue to assess that North Korea is unlikely to give up all of its nuclear weapons and production capabilities, even as it seeks to negotiate partial denuclearization steps to obtain key US and international concessions," Coats said in a report to Congress on threats to the United States.

"North Korea will continue its efforts to mitigate the effects of the US-led pressure campaign, most notably through diplomatic engagement, counterpressure against the sanctions regime, and direct sanctions evasion," Coats said in the report.

The report, an annual assessment of threats against the United States from the entire US intelligence community, said North Korea's leaders see having a nuclear weapons capability as "critical to regime survival."

It said Kim Jong Un, who is planning a second summit with Trump possibly in late February, is wooing China and South Korea to support its push for Washington to loosen sanctions pressure without making significant nuclear concessions.

"Kim has also sought to align the region against the US-led pressure campaign in order to gain incremental sanctions relief, and North Korean statements have repeatedly indicated that some sanctions relief is necessary for additional diplomacy to occur," the report said.

North Korea is not likely to give up all of its nuclear weapons even if President Donald Trump's efforts to negotiate a deal with Pyongyang bear fruit, US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said Tuesday.

North Korea is not likely to give up all of its nuclear weapons even if President Donald Trump's efforts to negotiate a deal with Pyongyang bear fruit, US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said Tuesday. "We continue to assess that North Korea is unlikely to give up all of its nuclear weapons and production capabilities, even as it seeks to negotiate partial denuclearization steps to obtain key US and international concessions," Coats said in a report to Congress on threats to the United States. "North Korea will continue its efforts to mitigate the effects of the US-led pressure campaign, most notably through diplomatic engagement, counterpressure against the sanctions regime, and direct sanctions evasion," Coats said in the report. The report, an annual assessment of threats against the United States from the entire US intelligence community, said North Korea's leaders see having a nuclear weapons capability as "critical to regime survival." It said Kim Jong Un, who is planning a second summit with Trump possibly in late February, is wooing China and South Korea to support its push for Washington to loosen sanctions pressure without making significant nuclear concessions. "Kim has also sought to align the region against the US-led pressure campaign in order to gain incremental sanctions relief, and North Korean statements have repeatedly indicated that some sanctions relief is necessary for additional diplomacy to occur," the report said.

North Korea 'unlikely' to give up all nuclear weapons: US intel chief Dan Coats

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/americas/united-states-formally-charges-chinas-huawei-with-bank-fraud-stealing-trade-secrets-193545">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/americas/united-states-formally-charges-chinas-huawei-with-bank-fraud-stealing-trade-secrets-193545"> charges China's Huawei with stealing trade secrets, violating Iran sanctions</a>

The United States on Monday charged China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, its chief financial officer and two affiliates with bank and wire fraud to violate sanctions against Iran in a case that has escalated tensions with Beijing.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/americas/us-president-donald-trump-to-give-2019-state-of-the-union-address-on-february-5-193548">Pelosi says Trump can give State of Union speech on February 5</a>

US President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have agreed Trump will give the annual State of the Union address on February 5, following her postponement of the event from Jan. 29 because of the partial government shutdown, a spokesman for Pelosi said on Monday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-goes-after-venezuelas-oil-to-hit-maduro-193555">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-goes-after-venezuelas-oil-to-hit-maduro-193555"> goes after Venezuela's oil to hit Maduro</a>

The United States announced sanctions against Venezuela's state oil company Monday in a coordinated effort with the main opposition leader to cripple embattled President Nicolas Maduro's power base.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/americas/us-five-police-officers-shot-in-houston-two-in-critical-condition-193547">US: Five police officers shot in Houston</a>

Their conditions were not immediately disclosed. The site of the shooting was still an active crime scene, Houston police said in a message on Twitter, warning people to avoid the area.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-sankhnaad-martial-tune-from-indian-classical-music-at-rajpath-more-indian-tunes-in-this-years-beating-the-retreat-193554">At Beating the Retreat ceremony today, Indian compositions set to </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-sankhnaad-martial-tune-from-indian-classical-music-at-rajpath-more-indian-tunes-in-this-years-beating-the-retreat-193554">enthrall</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-sankhnaad-martial-tune-from-indian-classical-music-at-rajpath-more-indian-tunes-in-this-years-beating-the-retreat-193554"> spectators</a>

Indian tunes will be the focus of today's "Beating the Retreat" ceremony that will take place at the Vijay Chowk at 5 pm. The ceremony that takes place on January 29 every year marks the culmination of 4 days long Republic day parade.

US charges China's Huawei with stealing trade secrets, violating Iran sanctions The United States on Monday charged China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, its chief financial officer and two affiliates with bank and wire fraud to violate sanctions against Iran in a case that has escalated tensions with Beijing.

US charges China's Huawei with stealing trade secrets, violating Iran sanctions The United States on Monday charged China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, its chief financial officer and two affiliates with bank and wire fraud to violate sanctions against Iran in a case that has escalated tensions with Beijing. Pelosi says Trump can give State of Union speech on February 5 US President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have agreed Trump will give the annual State of the Union address on February 5, following her postponement of the event from Jan. 29 because of the partial government shutdown, a spokesman for Pelosi said on Monday. US goes after Venezuela's oil to hit Maduro The United States announced sanctions against Venezuela's state oil company Monday in a coordinated effort with the main opposition leader to cripple embattled President Nicolas Maduro's power base. US: Five police officers shot in Houston Their conditions were not immediately disclosed. The site of the shooting was still an active crime scene, Houston police said in a message on Twitter, warning people to avoid the area. At Beating the Retreat ceremony today, Indian compositions set to enthrall spectators Indian tunes will be the focus of today's "Beating the Retreat" ceremony that will take place at the Vijay Chowk at 5 pm. The ceremony that takes place on January 29 every year marks the culmination of 4 days long Republic day parade.

News brief: Big stories of the day

US President Donald Trump will meet with China's trade envoy this week during talks aimed at resolving the trade dispute with Beijing, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is leading a delegation of 30 officials to Washington for talks Wednesday and Thursday as the pressure mounts on both sides to reach a deal.

Beijing and Washington have a month remaining in a truce declared in December before US tariffs on hundreds of billions in Chinese exports are due to increase sharply -- a prospect economists say could help knock the wind out of an already-faltering global economy.

Mnuchin told reporters he expected "significant progress at these meetings." He will participate in the talks along with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, among others.

While Trump has made the soaring $336 billion US trade deficit with China a particular focus of his ire, American officials also are demanding far-reaching reforms to Chinese industrial policy to curb the alleged theft of American technological know-how and massive state intervention in commodities markets.

The world's two largest economies last year exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade. US duty rates on $200 billion in Chinese goods are scheduled to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent on March 2 unless Trump decides otherwise.

Slowing economy 
The tariffs have weighed on China's slowing economy, which last year posted its weakest performance in 30 years.

Apparently seeking to manage expectations in the trade talks, US officials have alternated between saying the two sides are "miles and miles" from reaching an agreement and projecting optimism that common ground can be reached.

Mnuchin said Monday that enforcement of any agreement, protection of American intellectual property and an end to the forced joint venture policies as a condition of access to the Chinese market were "three of the most important issues on the agenda."

The need to make any agreement enforceable was "obvious," he said.

"We want to make sure that when we get a deal that that deal will be enforced," Mnuchin said, adding that "there's been an acknowledgement with China that they understand that."

Observers say China is likely to resist making any changes to its "Made in China 2025" industrial strategy and that resolving such complex disagreements is a tall order within the three-month window of the current trade truce.

Released in 2015, the Chinese strategy sets the goal of industrial dominance in sectors such as robotics, artificial intelligence, electric autos and other areas deemed crucial to the future economic success of developed economies.

Trump's aggressive trade strategy sees Beijing's goals as a direct threat to American dominance.

Meanwhile, Washington also unveiled sweeping criminal charges against the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei -- an uncomfortable bone of contention between the two partners that has so far involved the arrest of a top company executive in Canada on a US warrant.

As the charges were announced at a separate event from Mnuchin's briefing, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told reporters the two matters were not at all related.

"These indictments are law enforcement actions and are wholly separate from our trade negotiations with China," Ross said.

"Commerce will continue to work with our interagency partners to protect US national security interests."

US President Donald Trump will meet with China's trade envoy this week during talks aimed at resolving the trade dispute with Beijing, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday.

US President Donald Trump will meet with China's trade envoy this week during talks aimed at resolving the trade dispute with Beijing, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is leading a delegation of 30 officials to Washington for talks Wednesday and Thursday as the pressure mounts on both sides to reach a deal. Beijing and Washington have a month remaining in a truce declared in December before US tariffs on hundreds of billions in Chinese exports are due to increase sharply -- a prospect economists say could help knock the wind out of an already-faltering global economy. Mnuchin told reporters he expected "significant progress at these meetings." He will participate in the talks along with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, among others. While Trump has made the soaring $336 billion US trade deficit with China a particular focus of his ire, American officials also are demanding far-reaching reforms to Chinese industrial policy to curb the alleged theft of American technological know-how and massive state intervention in commodities markets. The world's two largest economies last year exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade. US duty rates on $200 billion in Chinese goods are scheduled to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent on March 2 unless Trump decides otherwise. Slowing economy The tariffs have weighed on China's slowing economy, which last year posted its weakest performance in 30 years. Apparently seeking to manage expectations in the trade talks, US officials have alternated between saying the two sides are "miles and miles" from reaching an agreement and projecting optimism that common ground can be reached. Mnuchin said Monday that enforcement of any agreement, protection of American intellectual property and an end to the forced joint venture policies as a condition of access to the Chinese market were "three of the most important issues on the agenda." The need to make any agreement enforceable was "obvious," he said. "We want to make sure that when we get a deal that that deal will be enforced," Mnuchin said, adding that "there's been an acknowledgement with China that they understand that." Observers say China is likely to resist making any changes to its "Made in China 2025" industrial strategy and that resolving such complex disagreements is a tall order within the three-month window of the current trade truce. Released in 2015, the Chinese strategy sets the goal of industrial dominance in sectors such as robotics, artificial intelligence, electric autos and other areas deemed crucial to the future economic success of developed economies. Trump's aggressive trade strategy sees Beijing's goals as a direct threat to American dominance. Meanwhile, Washington also unveiled sweeping criminal charges against the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei -- an uncomfortable bone of contention between the two partners that has so far involved the arrest of a top company executive in Canada on a US warrant. As the charges were announced at a separate event from Mnuchin's briefing, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told reporters the two matters were not at all related. "These indictments are law enforcement actions and are wholly separate from our trade negotiations with China," Ross said. "Commerce will continue to work with our interagency partners to protect US national security interests."

US-China trade talks: Trump to meet Chinese vice premier this week

US President Donald Trump and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blocks-pelosi-trip-as-tensions-mount-over-government-shutdown-191083">House Speaker Nancy Pelosi</a> have agreed Trump will give the annual State of the Union address on February 5, following her postponement of the event from Jan. 29 because of the partial government shutdown, a spokesman for Pelosi said on Monday.

In a letter to Trump posted by spokesman Drew Hammill on Twitter, Pelosi invited Trump to give the speech in the US House of Representatives. Democrat Pelosi had spoken with the Republican president and they had agreed on the date for the nationally televised address, the spokesman said.

The annual speech is given by the president to outline the administration's priorities for the coming year. The partial government shutdown ended on Friday after 35 days, paving the way for the speech to go ahead.

The White House had considered alternative venues than the House. It blocked a congressional delegation's trip to Afghanistan led by Pelosi. The Democrat held firm to her postponement and Trump said he would wait until the government had reopened.

US President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have agreed Trump will give the annual State of the Union address on February 5, following her postponement of the event from Jan.

US President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have agreed Trump will give the annual State of the Union address on February 5, following her postponement of the event from Jan. 29 because of the partial government shutdown, a spokesman for Pelosi said on Monday. In a letter to Trump posted by spokesman Drew Hammill on Twitter, Pelosi invited Trump to give the speech in the US House of Representatives. Democrat Pelosi had spoken with the Republican president and they had agreed on the date for the nationally televised address, the spokesman said. The annual speech is given by the president to outline the administration's priorities for the coming year. The partial government shutdown ended on Friday after 35 days, paving the way for the speech to go ahead. The White House had considered alternative venues than the House. It blocked a congressional delegation's trip to Afghanistan led by Pelosi. The Democrat held firm to her postponement and Trump said he would wait until the government had reopened.

Pelosi says Trump can give State of Union speech on February 5

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/sanctions-peace-deal-on-cards-for-new-us-north-korea-summit-193058">North Korea said on Tuesday</a> that relations with the United States will develop "wonderfully at a fast pace" if Washington responds to its efforts on denuclearisation with trustworthy measures and practical actions.

North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Han Tae Song, also told the UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament that Pyongyang would continue working to establish a "permanent and durable peace mechanism on the Korean peninsula".

The summit last June between North Korean leader <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kim-expresses-great-satisfaction-over-trump-letter-state-media-192335">Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump</a> had brought about a dramatic turn in relations that had been "the most hostile on earth" and contributed to ensuring peace and security on the divided peninsula, Han said.

He referred to the two leaders' joint statement issued after their meeting in Singapore and Kim's New Year's Address, adding:

"Accordingly we declared that we would neither make and test nuclear weapons any longer nor use and proliferate them and we have taken various practical measures.

"If the US responds to our efforts with trustworthy measures and corresponding practical actions, bilateral relations will develop wonderfully at a fast pace through the process of taking more definite and epoch-making steps," he said.

Han told Reuters that he had no information on a possible upcoming second summit between Kim and Trump.

South Korea's foreign minister told Reuters at Davos last week that North Korea must make concrete pledges toward curbing its nuclear weapons programme, such as dismantling its main nuclear complex and allowing international inspections to confirm the process, when leader Kim meets Trump as soon as next month.

North Korea said on Tuesday that relations with the United States will develop "wonderfully at a fast pace" if Washington responds to its efforts on denuclearisation with trustworthy measures and practical actions.

North Korea said on Tuesday that relations with the United States will develop "wonderfully at a fast pace" if Washington responds to its efforts on denuclearisation with trustworthy measures and practical actions. North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Han Tae Song, also told the UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament that Pyongyang would continue working to establish a "permanent and durable peace mechanism on the Korean peninsula". The summit last June between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump had brought about a dramatic turn in relations that had been "the most hostile on earth" and contributed to ensuring peace and security on the divided peninsula, Han said. He referred to the two leaders' joint statement issued after their meeting in Singapore and Kim's New Year's Address, adding: "Accordingly we declared that we would neither make and test nuclear weapons any longer nor use and proliferate them and we have taken various practical measures. "If the US responds to our efforts with trustworthy measures and corresponding practical actions, bilateral relations will develop wonderfully at a fast pace through the process of taking more definite and epoch-making steps," he said. Han told Reuters that he had no information on a possible upcoming second summit between Kim and Trump. South Korea's foreign minister told Reuters at Davos last week that North Korea must make concrete pledges toward curbing its nuclear weapons programme, such as dismantling its main nuclear complex and allowing international inspections to confirm the process, when leader Kim meets Trump as soon as next month.

If US responds to denuclearisation with trustworthy measures, relations will develop fast: North Korea

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/peace-process-should-be-afghan-led-says-president-ghani-after-talks-with-taliban-in-qatar-193488">Peace process should be Afghan-led, says President Ghani after talks with Taliban in Qatar</a>

After Afghan president Ashraf Ghani appealed to the Taliban to "enter into serious talks" with the government during talks in Qatar with sources informing WION that a package deal is expected.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-be-creating-independent-european-financial-institution-to-trade-with-iran-france-193461">Will be creating independent European financial institution to trade with Iran: France</a>

France's finance minister said that a European-backed system to facilitate non-dollar trade with Iran and circumvent US sanctions should be established in the coming days.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ex-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz-aims-to-oust-trump-in-2020-193437">Ex-Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz may fight Trump in 2020 elections: Report</a>

Billionaire former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a TV interview that he is looking into running against Donald Trump in 2020 as an independent presidential candidate.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/controversy-can-help-hardik-pandya-scale-new-heights-in-career-virat-kohli-193476">Controversy can help Hardik Pandya scale new heights in career: Virat Kohli</a>

India captain Virat Kohli on Monday hoped all-rounder Hardik Pandya will come out a "better cricketer" and scale new heights after making a promising return from the suspension that followed his sexist remarks on a TV show.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-man-picks-painting-from-museum-in-daylight-robbery-in-russia-193473">Watch: Man picks painting from museum in daylight robbery in Russia</a>

Russian police said they had detained a suspect after a painting was stolen from a Moscow gallery on Sunday, when the thief strolled unchallenged past visitors who mistook him for an employee.

Peace process should be Afghan-led, says President Ghani after talks with Taliban in Qatar After Afghan president Ashraf Ghani appealed to the Taliban to "enter into serious talks" with the government during talks in Qatar with sources informing WION that a package deal is expected.

Peace process should be Afghan-led, says President Ghani after talks with Taliban in Qatar After Afghan president Ashraf Ghani appealed to the Taliban to "enter into serious talks" with the government during talks in Qatar with sources informing WION that a package deal is expected. Will be creating independent European financial institution to trade with Iran: France France's finance minister said that a European-backed system to facilitate non-dollar trade with Iran and circumvent US sanctions should be established in the coming days. Ex-Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz may fight Trump in 2020 elections: Report Billionaire former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a TV interview that he is looking into running against Donald Trump in 2020 as an independent presidential candidate. Controversy can help Hardik Pandya scale new heights in career: Virat Kohli India captain Virat Kohli on Monday hoped all-rounder Hardik Pandya will come out a "better cricketer" and scale new heights after making a promising return from the suspension that followed his sexist remarks on a TV show. Watch: Man picks painting from museum in daylight robbery in Russia Russian police said they had detained a suspect after a painting was stolen from a Moscow gallery on Sunday, when the thief strolled unchallenged past visitors who mistook him for an employee.

Billionaire former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a TV interview that he is looking into running against <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-cribs-about-defence-spending-by-allies-nato-chief-says-its-having-a-positive-impact-193262">Donald Trump</a> in 2020 as an independent presidential candidate.

"I am seriously thinking of running for president," Schultz told the CBS news show "60 Minutes" late Sunday.

The self-described "lifelong Democrat" said he "will run as a centrist independent outside of the two-party system."

According to Schultz, 65, "We're living at a most fragile time."

Not only is Trump "not qualified to be the president," but Republicans and Democrats "are consistently not doing what's necessary on behalf of the American people and are engaged, every single day, in revenge politics."

Schultz grew up in a working-class neighbourhood in New York City but made his fortune when he moved to the northwestern state of Washington in the 1980s and built Starbucks into a global coffee shop behemoth.

Schultz blamed both parties for the country's $21.5 trillion debt, which he portrayed as "a reckless example" of the "failure of their constitutional responsibility."

Schultz dismissed fears that his bid could split the opposition vote and result in a second term for Trump.

"I want to see the American people win. I want to see America win," Schultz told CBS.

At least one Democratic presidential hopeful, Texan Julian Castro, told CNN that if Schultz runs "it would provide Donald Trump with his best hope of getting reelected."

According to Castro, "I don't think that would be in the best interest of our country."

While third-party candidates in US politics often face insurmountable odds, they have played the role of spoilers.

In 1992 conservative billionaire Ross Perot syphoned enough votes away from George HW Bush to hand the presidency to Democrat Bill Clinton.

And Democrats blame consumer advocate Ralph Nader for taking votes away from Democrat Al Gore in the 2000 election, allowing Republican George W. Bush to become president. Nader rejects the accusation.

Billionaire former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a TV interview that he is looking into running against Donald Trump in 2020 as an independent presidential candidate.

Billionaire former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a TV interview that he is looking into running against Donald Trump in 2020 as an independent presidential candidate. "I am seriously thinking of running for president," Schultz told the CBS news show "60 Minutes" late Sunday. The self-described "lifelong Democrat" said he "will run as a centrist independent outside of the two-party system." According to Schultz, 65, "We're living at a most fragile time." Not only is Trump "not qualified to be the president," but Republicans and Democrats "are consistently not doing what's necessary on behalf of the American people and are engaged, every single day, in revenge politics." Schultz grew up in a working-class neighbourhood in New York City but made his fortune when he moved to the northwestern state of Washington in the 1980s and built Starbucks into a global coffee shop behemoth. Schultz blamed both parties for the country's $21.5 trillion debt, which he portrayed as "a reckless example" of the "failure of their constitutional responsibility." Schultz dismissed fears that his bid could split the opposition vote and result in a second term for Trump. "I want to see the American people win. I want to see America win," Schultz told CBS. At least one Democratic presidential hopeful, Texan Julian Castro, told CNN that if Schultz runs "it would provide Donald Trump with his best hope of getting reelected." According to Castro, "I don't think that would be in the best interest of our country." While third-party candidates in US politics often face insurmountable odds, they have played the role of spoilers. In 1992 conservative billionaire Ross Perot syphoned enough votes away from George HW Bush to hand the presidency to Democrat Bill Clinton. And Democrats blame consumer advocate Ralph Nader for taking votes away from Democrat Al Gore in the 2000 election, allowing Republican George W. Bush to become president. Nader rejects the accusation.

Ex-Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz may fight Trump in 2020 elections: Report

Venezuela's embattled President Nicolas Maduro rejected an international ultimatum to call elections within eight days and said opposition leader Juan Guaido had violated the country's constitution by declaring himself leader.

Maduro, in an interview with CNN Turk aired on Sunday, also said he was open to dialogue and that meeting US President Donald Trump was improbable but not impossible. The broadcaster dubbed the interview from Spanish into Turkish.

Washington, which has recognised Guaido as leader, had on Saturday urged the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-calls-on-world-to-pick-a-side-on-venezuela-europeans-set-to-recognize-guaido-193131">world to "pick a side" on Venezuela</a> and financially disconnect from Maduro's government.

Venezuela has sunk into turmoil under Maduro with food shortages and protests amid an economic and political crisis that has sparked mass emigration and inflation that is seen rising to 10 million per cent this year.

Britain, Germany, France and Spain all said they would recognize Guaido if Maduro failed to call fresh elections within eight days, an ultimatum Russia said was "absurd" and the Venezuelan foreign minister called "childlike."

Washington, Canada most Latin American nations and many European states have labelled Maduro's second-term election win last May fraudulent.

Maduro retains the loyalty of the armed forces, though Venezuela's top military envoy to the United States on Saturday defected to Guaido.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had voiced his support for Maduro in a phone call on Thursday.

Venezuela's embattled President Nicolas Maduro rejected an international ultimatum to call elections within eight days and said opposition leader Juan Guaido had violated the country's constitution by declaring himself leader.

Venezuela's embattled President Nicolas Maduro rejected an international ultimatum to call elections within eight days and said opposition leader Juan Guaido had violated the country's constitution by declaring himself leader. Maduro, in an interview with CNN Turk aired on Sunday, also said he was open to dialogue and that meeting US President Donald Trump was improbable but not impossible. The broadcaster dubbed the interview from Spanish into Turkish. Washington, which has recognised Guaido as leader, had on Saturday urged the world to "pick a side" on Venezuela and financially disconnect from Maduro's government. Venezuela has sunk into turmoil under Maduro with food shortages and protests amid an economic and political crisis that has sparked mass emigration and inflation that is seen rising to 10 million per cent this year. Britain, Germany, France and Spain all said they would recognize Guaido if Maduro failed to call fresh elections within eight days, an ultimatum Russia said was "absurd" and the Venezuelan foreign minister called "childlike." Washington, Canada most Latin American nations and many European states have labelled Maduro's second-term election win last May fraudulent. Maduro retains the loyalty of the armed forces, though Venezuela's top military envoy to the United States on Saturday defected to Guaido. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had voiced his support for Maduro in a phone call on Thursday.

Venezuela's Maduro rejects European demands for new election but says 'open to dialogue'

The US Federal Reserve will hold its fire this week, leaving interest rates untouched and letting markets calm down after a tumultuous end to 2018.

Coming off Wall Street's worst December since the Great Depression and amid mounting fears about the global economy, Fed policymakers are now unanimously hammering a single message: they will be "patient" before pulling the trigger again.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is likely to stick to that script when he announces the Federal Open Market Committee's latest monetary policy decision on Wednesday.

Futures markets are wagering the central bank will actually stand pat for all of 2019, with a growing share betting the Fed could even begin cutting interest rates as soon as next December.

Maybe they should think again.

While a cold wind blew at the end of last year, gathering conditions suggest the Fed could feel compelled to raise the key lending rate as soon as the spring, economists say.

"I think the danger here now is that markets are now expecting nothing," Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics said in a presentation on monetary policy.

"The Fed could swing around on a dime once it becomes clear that the things that have scared them are no longer very scary."

The month-long partial shutdown of the federal government -- the longest in history -- has been resolved with a provision agreement announced Friday between the White House and Congress but was already gnawing away at GDP.&nbsp;

Had the closure, which idled 800,000 federal workers, continued through March, it could have choked first quarter growth to "zero," chief White House economist Kevin Hassett said last week.

The Fed also is flying blind to some extent because the shutdown halted the flow of economic data from the Commerce Department, including crucial figures on housing, trade, consumption, wages and inflation. It could get some key reports next week as the government reopens.

While December saw blockbuster job creation and tame inflation, it had a batch of very gloomy numbers too.

Amid President Donald Trump's trade war with China, the US manufacturing sector could be starting to crumble, with the sector seeing its biggest one month drop in December since the global financial crisis.

The economy also saw weak orders for durable goods and disappointing income growth. And a downward revision to third-quarter growth included the biggest drop in exports in almost a decade.

Meanwhile, consumer sentiment -- which can help predict spending by ordinary Americans -- hit a two-year low.

Add to this the contraction of the German and Japanese economies, and the slowest Chinese growth in almost three decades, not to mention Wall Street's nightmarish ride last month, and investor dyspepsia becomes easy to understand.

Pricing in zero hikes?

Predicting recessions is very tricky and while a contraction seems unlikely, economists say downside risks are mounting.

Last month, a recession probability indicator from the New York Federal Reserve Bank put the odds of a downturn within a year at 11.5 per cent -- the highest since the depths of the Great Recession in 2009.

But fears of a US recession in 2019 may be "overdone," said Kathy Bostjancic, chief US financial market economist at Oxford Economics.

The recent dip in consumer sentiment was to be expected given that the measures had been so high, she noted.

Oxford expects the Fed raise rates twice this year, with the first in May at the bank's third policy meeting of 2019.

"We don't think they're done tightening this cycle," she said. "The Fed needs to take some time to assess the landscape."

Shepherdson agreed, warning against counting on no Fed moves this year.

"Pricing in zero is very dangerous."

He said the business investment is likely to be sluggish this year but the labour market should tighten as unemployment continues to fall, driving up wages.

That likely would pressure inflation while a host of other potential dangers to the economy either will be resolved or prove less threatening than they seemed.&nbsp;

The potential risks include the trade war with China and its slowing economy, Brexit, the US housing market slump, rising interest rates, high corporate debt, and a possible recession in manufacturing.

"It's something of a mess in the first few months of the year. But lift up your eyes and look to the horizon and not to the ground," Shepherdson said.

&nbsp;

The US Federal Reserve will hold its fire this week, leaving interest rates untouched and letting markets calm down after a tumultuous end to 2018. Coming off Wall Street's worst December since the Great Depression and amid mounting fears about the global economy, Fed policymakers are now unanimously hammering a single message: they will be "patient" before pulling the trigger again.

The US Federal Reserve will hold its fire this week, leaving interest rates untouched and letting markets calm down after a tumultuous end to 2018. Coming off Wall Street's worst December since the Great Depression and amid mounting fears about the global economy, Fed policymakers are now unanimously hammering a single message: they will be "patient" before pulling the trigger again. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is likely to stick to that script when he announces the Federal Open Market Committee's latest monetary policy decision on Wednesday. Futures markets are wagering the central bank will actually stand pat for all of 2019, with a growing share betting the Fed could even begin cutting interest rates as soon as next December. Maybe they should think again. While a cold wind blew at the end of last year, gathering conditions suggest the Fed could feel compelled to raise the key lending rate as soon as the spring, economists say. "I think the danger here now is that markets are now expecting nothing," Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics said in a presentation on monetary policy. "The Fed could swing around on a dime once it becomes clear that the things that have scared them are no longer very scary." The month-long partial shutdown of the federal government -- the longest in history -- has been resolved with a provision agreement announced Friday between the White House and Congress but was already gnawing away at GDP. Had the closure, which idled 800,000 federal workers, continued through March, it could have choked first quarter growth to "zero," chief White House economist Kevin Hassett said last week. The Fed also is flying blind to some extent because the shutdown halted the flow of economic data from the Commerce Department, including crucial figures on housing, trade, consumption, wages and inflation. It could get some key reports next week as the government reopens. While December saw blockbuster job creation and tame inflation, it had a batch of very gloomy numbers too. Amid President Donald Trump's trade war with China, the US manufacturing sector could be starting to crumble, with the sector seeing its biggest one month drop in December since the global financial crisis. The economy also saw weak orders for durable goods and disappointing income growth. And a downward revision to third-quarter growth included the biggest drop in exports in almost a decade. Meanwhile, consumer sentiment -- which can help predict spending by ordinary Americans -- hit a two-year low. Add to this the contraction of the German and Japanese economies, and the slowest Chinese growth in almost three decades, not to mention Wall Street's nightmarish ride last month, and investor dyspepsia becomes easy to understand. Pricing in zero hikes? Predicting recessions is very tricky and while a contraction seems unlikely, economists say downside risks are mounting. Last month, a recession probability indicator from the New York Federal Reserve Bank put the odds of a downturn within a year at 11.5 per cent -- the highest since the depths of the Great Recession in 2009. But fears of a US recession in 2019 may be "overdone," said Kathy Bostjancic, chief US financial market economist at Oxford Economics. The recent dip in consumer sentiment was to be expected given that the measures had been so high, she noted. Oxford expects the Fed raise rates twice this year, with the first in May at the bank's third policy meeting of 2019. "We don't think they're done tightening this cycle," she said. "The Fed needs to take some time to assess the landscape." Shepherdson agreed, warning against counting on no Fed moves this year. "Pricing in zero is very dangerous." He said the business investment is likely to be sluggish this year but the labour market should tighten as unemployment continues to fall, driving up wages. That likely would pressure inflation while a host of other potential dangers to the economy either will be resolved or prove less threatening than they seemed. The potential risks include the trade war with China and its slowing economy, Brexit, the US housing market slump, rising interest rates, high corporate debt, and a possible recession in manufacturing. "It's something of a mess in the first few months of the year. But lift up your eyes and look to the horizon and not to the ground," Shepherdson said.

No Fed hike this week but don't rule out more in 2019: Economists

President Donald Trump said on Friday (January 25) he would declare a national emergency if he doesn't eventually reach a deal with Democrats on border security.

Trump, who made the comments to reporters during an immigration event at the White House, said earlier on Friday he had reached a deal with lawmakers to reopen the government until February 15 while they work on Trump's demand for funding for a wall on the US&nbsp;border with Mexico.

"I think we have a good chance" of reaching an agreement, Trump said.

"We'll work with the Democrats and negotiate and if we can't do that, then we'll do a - obviously we'll do the emergency because that's what it is. It's a national emergency," he said.

Declaring an emergency could allow Trump to circumvent Congress and repurpose funds Congress has appropriated for other purposes in order to build a wall.

His statements came just after Trump announced on Friday that he had agreed to end the 35-day-old partial government shutdown without getting $5.7 billion (4.32 billion pounds) he demanded from Congress for a border wall. Congress and Trump agreed to a three-week spending plan that sets up tough talks with lawmakers about how to address security along the US-Mexican border.

After the president announced the agreement, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said he hoped the experience would be a "lesson learned" for Trump and his party that it is self-defeating to shut down the government over policy disputes.

Poll show most Americans blamed Trump for the painful shutdown - the longest of its kind in U.S. history.

President Donald Trump said on Friday (January 25) he would declare a national emergency if he doesn't eventually reach a deal with Democrats on border security.

President Donald Trump said on Friday (January 25) he would declare a national emergency if he doesn't eventually reach a deal with Democrats on border security. Trump, who made the comments to reporters during an immigration event at the White House, said earlier on Friday he had reached a deal with lawmakers to reopen the government until February 15 while they work on Trump's demand for funding for a wall on the US border with Mexico. "I think we have a good chance" of reaching an agreement, Trump said. "We'll work with the Democrats and negotiate and if we can't do that, then we'll do a - obviously we'll do the emergency because that's what it is. It's a national emergency," he said. Declaring an emergency could allow Trump to circumvent Congress and repurpose funds Congress has appropriated for other purposes in order to build a wall. His statements came just after Trump announced on Friday that he had agreed to end the 35-day-old partial government shutdown without getting $5.7 billion (4.32 billion pounds) he demanded from Congress for a border wall. Congress and Trump agreed to a three-week spending plan that sets up tough talks with lawmakers about how to address security along the US-Mexican border. After the president announced the agreement, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said he hoped the experience would be a "lesson learned" for Trump and his party that it is self-defeating to shut down the government over policy disputes. Poll show most Americans blamed Trump for the painful shutdown - the longest of its kind in U.S. history.

Trump says he will declare an emergency if he doesn't reach a border deal

US government agencies that had largely shuttered operations for five weeks during a budget standoff said on Saturday they were moving swiftly to resume operations and compensate employees for missed paychecks.

The White House held a conference call with Cabinet department financial officers late Friday to discuss the resumption of government operations, while agencies began to grapple with a backlog of management and policy issues.

The partial government shutdown - at 35 days the longest in US&nbsp;history - led to some 800,000 federal workers going unpaid, including 380,000 furloughed workers.

President Donald Trump on Friday signed a measure to fund the government for three weeks as congressional negotiators try to hammer out a bill to fund the federal government through Sept. 30. Trump had demanded $5.7 billion in funding for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, but Democratic legislators refused to include the money.

The White House Office of Management and Budget's acting chief, Russell Vought, told agencies in a memo to reopen "in a prompt and orderly manner."

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb wrote Saturday on Twitter that the agency would send back pay to staffers no later than Thursday.

Gottlieb told employees the FDA would hold an all-hands meeting on Tuesday. "There will be impacts from this prolonged lapse in funding," he wrote. "But this agency has always faced challenge."

The Coast Guard told personnel it was "working through the weekend to process your pay as quickly as possible" and said back pay should be received by Thursday.

Federal workers are owed about $6 billion in back pay, according to a study released last week.

It will take agencies days to dig out from weeks of unread emails and deal with other logistical issues like expired email passwords or ID badges, agency officials said. Furloughed workers were told not to read emails or answer phone calls while off duty.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) asked employees for "patience and attention, especially during the first 48 hours," noting that the vast majority of employees' laptops and smartphones have been inactive for more than a month and have not had "critical, regularly scheduled maintenance."

During the shutdown, some government agencies did not complete contracts for grants, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stopped reviewing and making public new auto safety recalls, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stopped certifying some new aircraft and routes.

The Smithsonian Institution said museums in Washington and the National Zoo will reopen on Tuesday. In Philadelphia, Independence National Historical Park - which includes a center that houses the Liberty Bell, a symbol of American independence - reopened on Saturday. Other sites are reopening on Sunday, including Ford's Theatre in Washington.

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton said on Saturday in a statement that the agency is "continuing to assess how to most effectively transition to normal operations."

He said some SEC units, including those devoted to corporate finance, trading and markets, and investment management and the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, "will be publishing statements in the coming days regarding their transition plans."

The SEC has been unable to approve initial public offerings during the shutdown, and some analysts had suggested the issue could delay IPOs in 2019.

It will take the Federal Register, which publishes government regulatory actions, weeks to catch up with the backlog of documents, which will delay the start of public comments on some proposals.

The shutdown is also likely to delay the rollout of Trump's 2020 budget proposal and congressional hearings on the budget. It is not clear when Trump will deliver his State of the Union Address, but one administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Saturday it is not likely to be until February.

US government agencies that had largely shuttered operations for five weeks during a budget standoff said on Saturday they were moving swiftly to resume operations and compensate employees for missed paychecks.

US government agencies that had largely shuttered operations for five weeks during a budget standoff said on Saturday they were moving swiftly to resume operations and compensate employees for missed paychecks. The White House held a conference call with Cabinet department financial officers late Friday to discuss the resumption of government operations, while agencies began to grapple with a backlog of management and policy issues. The partial government shutdown - at 35 days the longest in US history - led to some 800,000 federal workers going unpaid, including 380,000 furloughed workers. President Donald Trump on Friday signed a measure to fund the government for three weeks as congressional negotiators try to hammer out a bill to fund the federal government through Sept. 30. Trump had demanded $5.7 billion in funding for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, but Democratic legislators refused to include the money. The White House Office of Management and Budget's acting chief, Russell Vought, told agencies in a memo to reopen "in a prompt and orderly manner." Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb wrote Saturday on Twitter that the agency would send back pay to staffers no later than Thursday. Gottlieb told employees the FDA would hold an all-hands meeting on Tuesday. "There will be impacts from this prolonged lapse in funding," he wrote. "But this agency has always faced challenge." The Coast Guard told personnel it was "working through the weekend to process your pay as quickly as possible" and said back pay should be received by Thursday. Federal workers are owed about $6 billion in back pay, according to a study released last week. It will take agencies days to dig out from weeks of unread emails and deal with other logistical issues like expired email passwords or ID badges, agency officials said. Furloughed workers were told not to read emails or answer phone calls while off duty. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) asked employees for "patience and attention, especially during the first 48 hours," noting that the vast majority of employees' laptops and smartphones have been inactive for more than a month and have not had "critical, regularly scheduled maintenance." During the shutdown, some government agencies did not complete contracts for grants, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stopped reviewing and making public new auto safety recalls, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stopped certifying some new aircraft and routes. The Smithsonian Institution said museums in Washington and the National Zoo will reopen on Tuesday. In Philadelphia, Independence National Historical Park - which includes a center that houses the Liberty Bell, a symbol of American independence - reopened on Saturday. Other sites are reopening on Sunday, including Ford's Theatre in Washington. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton said on Saturday in a statement that the agency is "continuing to assess how to most effectively transition to normal operations." He said some SEC units, including those devoted to corporate finance, trading and markets, and investment management and the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, "will be publishing statements in the coming days regarding their transition plans." The SEC has been unable to approve initial public offerings during the shutdown, and some analysts had suggested the issue could delay IPOs in 2019. It will take the Federal Register, which publishes government regulatory actions, weeks to catch up with the backlog of documents, which will delay the start of public comments on some proposals. The shutdown is also likely to delay the rollout of Trump's 2020 budget proposal and congressional hearings on the budget. It is not clear when Trump will deliver his State of the Union Address, but one administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Saturday it is not likely to be until February.

Government agencies gear up to restart operations on Monday after longest shutdown in US history

The US&nbsp;economy lost at least $6 billion during the partial shutdown of the federal government due to lost productivity from furloughed workers and economic activity lost to outside business, S&amp;P Global Ratings said on Friday.

President Donald Trump agreed on Friday to end the 35-day partial shutdown, the longest in history, without getting the $5.7 billion he had demanded from Congress for a border wall.

"Although this shutdown has ended, little agreement on Capitol Hill will likely weigh on business confidence and financial market sentiments," S&amp;P said in a news release.

The US economy lost at least $6 billion during the partial shutdown of the federal government due to lost productivity from furloughed workers and economic activity lost to outside business, S&P Global Ratings said on Friday.

The US economy lost at least $6 billion during the partial shutdown of the federal government due to lost productivity from furloughed workers and economic activity lost to outside business, S&P Global Ratings said on Friday. President Donald Trump agreed on Friday to end the 35-day partial shutdown, the longest in history, without getting the $5.7 billion he had demanded from Congress for a border wall. "Although this shutdown has ended, little agreement on Capitol Hill will likely weigh on business confidence and financial market sentiments," S&P said in a news release.

US economy lost at least $6 billion to government shutdown: Report

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-signs-deal-ending-longest-government-shutdown-in-us-history-192857">Donald Trump signs deal ending </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-signs-deal-ending-longest-government-shutdown-in-us-history-192857">longest</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-signs-deal-ending-longest-government-shutdown-in-us-history-192857"> government shutdown in US history</a>

United States President Donald Trump has signed the deal bringing the government shutdown to an end, news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump said Friday he will temporarily end the government shutdown, while dropping his previous insistence on immediate funding for wall construction along the Mexican border.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-7-dead-150-missing-in-brazil-dam-collapse-disaster-192826">At least 7 dead, 150 missing in Brazil dam collapse disaster</a>

A collapse of a disused dam at an iron-ore mine complex in southeast Brazil killed at least seven people and left 150 missing, officials said, as they sought to evaluate the full scope of the disaster.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mark-zuckerberg-to-integrate-whatsapp-instagram-and-facebook-messenger-report-192830">Mark Zuckerberg to integrate WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger: Report</a>

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg is planning to unify the underlying messaging infrastructure of the WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger services and incorporate end-to-end encryption into these apps, the New York Times reported on Friday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mnf-will-withdraw-support-to-nda-over-citizenship-bill-if-situation-arises-chief-minister-zoramthanga-192842">Will withdraw support from NDA over Citizenship Bill if </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mnf-will-withdraw-support-to-nda-over-citizenship-bill-if-situation-arises-chief-minister-zoramthanga-192842">situation</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mnf-will-withdraw-support-to-nda-over-citizenship-bill-if-situation-arises-chief-minister-zoramthanga-192842"> arises: Mizoram Chief Minister</a>

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said on Thursday that the ruling Mizo National Front would not hesitate to snap ties with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) if the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is not revoked.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-india-vs-new-zealand-2nd-odi-at-bay-oval-192844">Live updates | INDvsNZ, 2nd ODI: India </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-india-vs-new-zealand-2nd-odi-at-bay-oval-192844">are</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-india-vs-new-zealand-2nd-odi-at-bay-oval-192844"> at 56-0 after 10 overs</a>

After 10 overs, India are at a score of 56 at without losing any wicket.

The openers started off the innings well as India managed to give a dominating start.

Rohit (30) and Shikhar (24) strike several beautiful shots to cheer up Indian fans present at Bat Oval stadium.&nbsp;

Donald Trump signs deal ending longest government shutdown in US history United States President Donald Trump has signed the deal bringing the government shutdown to an end, news agency AFP reported.

Donald Trump signs deal ending longest government shutdown in US history United States President Donald Trump has signed the deal bringing the government shutdown to an end, news agency AFP reported. President Donald Trump said Friday he will temporarily end the government shutdown, while dropping his previous insistence on immediate funding for wall construction along the Mexican border. At least 7 dead, 150 missing in Brazil dam collapse disaster A collapse of a disused dam at an iron-ore mine complex in southeast Brazil killed at least seven people and left 150 missing, officials said, as they sought to evaluate the full scope of the disaster. Mark Zuckerberg to integrate WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger: Report Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg is planning to unify the underlying messaging infrastructure of the WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger services and incorporate end-to-end encryption into these apps, the New York Times reported on Friday. Will withdraw support from NDA over Citizenship Bill if situation arises: Mizoram Chief Minister Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said on Thursday that the ruling Mizo National Front would not hesitate to snap ties with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) if the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is not revoked. Live updates | INDvsNZ, 2nd ODI: India are at 56-0 after 10 overs After 10 overs, India are at a score of 56 at without losing any wicket. The openers started off the innings well as India managed to give a dominating start. Rohit (30) and Shikhar (24) strike several beautiful shots to cheer up Indian fans present at Bat Oval stadium.

United States President Donald Trump has signed the deal bringing the government shutdown to an end, news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump said <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-climbs-down-in-wall-row-congress-passes-bill-ending-shutdown-192824">Friday he will temporarily end the government shutdown</a>, while dropping his previous insistence on immediate funding for wall construction along the Mexican border.

The announcement in the White House Rose Garden on the bipartisan deal marked a retreat by Trump, suspending a political row that has paralyzed Washington, disrupted air travel and left more than 800,000 federal employees without pay for five weeks, AFP reported.&nbsp;

The top Democratic senator, Chuck Schumer, said he hoped Trump had "learned his lesson."

The Senate and House of Representatives both passed the deal by unanimous consent Friday, sending it to the president for his signature.

Trump's reversal came as the full weight of the shutdown, including the financial cost on struggling employees and the national economy, became ever more apparent to the administration and power brokers in Washington, and as the president appeared outfoxed by his political nemesis Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House.

However, just a few hours before signing the deal, Trump took to Twitter suggesting that the move "in no way" is a "concession". "It was taking care of millions of people who were badly hurt by the shutdown," the tweet read.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1088958154791100417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The US President also tweeted out a possibility of renewing the shutdown within 21 days "if no deal is done".&nbsp;

"I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!" he tweeted.&nbsp;

Trump triggered the shutdown in December as a way of putting pressure on congressional Democrats after they refused his wall funding demand.

(With inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

United States President Donald Trump has signed the deal bringing the government shutdown to an end, news agency AFP reported. President Donald Trump said Friday he will temporarily end the government shutdown, while dropping his previous insistence on immediate funding for wall construction along the Mexican border.

United States President Donald Trump has signed the deal bringing the government shutdown to an end, news agency AFP reported. President Donald Trump said Friday he will temporarily end the government shutdown, while dropping his previous insistence on immediate funding for wall construction along the Mexican border. The announcement in the White House Rose Garden on the bipartisan deal marked a retreat by Trump, suspending a political row that has paralyzed Washington, disrupted air travel and left more than 800,000 federal employees without pay for five weeks, AFP reported. The top Democratic senator, Chuck Schumer, said he hoped Trump had "learned his lesson." The Senate and House of Representatives both passed the deal by unanimous consent Friday, sending it to the president for his signature. Trump's reversal came as the full weight of the shutdown, including the financial cost on struggling employees and the national economy, became ever more apparent to the administration and power brokers in Washington, and as the president appeared outfoxed by his political nemesis Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House. However, just a few hours before signing the deal, Trump took to Twitter suggesting that the move "in no way" is a "concession". "It was taking care of millions of people who were badly hurt by the shutdown," the tweet read. I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2019 × The US President also tweeted out a possibility of renewing the shutdown within 21 days "if no deal is done". "I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!" he tweeted. Trump triggered the shutdown in December as a way of putting pressure on congressional Democrats after they refused his wall funding demand. (With inputs from AFP)

Donald Trump signs deal ending longest government shutdown in US history

Nancy Pelosi signs bill to reopen US government

President Donald Trump said Friday he will temporarily end the longest <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-do-the-address-when-shutdown-is-over-trump-192426">government shutdown in US</a> history, while dropping his previous insistence on immediate funding for wall construction along the Mexican border.

The announcement in the White House Rose Garden on the bipartisan deal marked a retreat by Trump, suspending a political row that has paralyzed Washington, disrupted air travel and left more than 800,000 federal employees without pay for five weeks.

The top Democratic senator, Chuck Schumer, said he hoped Trump had "learned his lesson."

The Senate and House of Representatives both passed the deal by unanimous consent Friday, sending it to the president for his signature.

Trump's reversal came as the full weight of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/how-us-shutdown-over-border-wall-fight-might-play-out-192604">shutdown</a>, including the financial cost on struggling employees and the national economy, became ever more apparent to the administration and power brokers in Washington, and as the president appeared outfoxed by his political nemesis Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House.

But while the president climbed down in agreeing to reopen government without first getting $5.7 billion in border wall funds, he still threatened to renew hostilities with a new shutdown, or a state of emergency, if there is no breakthrough on his pet project in the next three weeks.

"In a short while, I will sign a bill to open our government," he said. "Over the next 21 days, I expect that both Democrats and Republicans will operate in good faith."

"If we don't get a fair deal from Congress, the government either shuts down on February 15th again, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and Constitution of the United States to address this emergency," he warned.

"We really have no choice but to build a powerful wall or steel barrier."

Shutdown pain&nbsp;

Trump triggered the shutdown in December as a way of putting pressure on congressional Democrats after they refused his wall funding demand.

But Democrats, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, didn't blink, calculating that Trump would be blamed by voters for the ensuing chaos -- and polls showed that they were correct.

Federal workers as varied as museum attendants and US Coast Guard sailors were left without salaries. Even Secret Service agents guarding the White House have been working without pay.

By Friday the impact of the shutdown was focused on airports, where enough federally employed security staff have called in sick to slow down overall operations.

Air traffic controllers were working without pay and in New Jersey's busy Newark Liberty International Airport staffing issues led to delays, raising the specter of a wider degradation of US air travel.

This raised pressure on Trump and his congressional opponents to reach a deal. However, in the end Trump appears to have made the only compromise, even at the risk of angering his right-wing voter base.

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter wasted no time in lashing out at Trump's retreat.

"Good news for George Herbert Walker Bush: As of today, he is no longer the biggest wimp ever to serve as President of the United States," she tweeted, referring to the late president, a Republican moderate.

No way out

Trump says more border walls are needed to stop what he says are crisis levels of criminals and illegal immigration. Democrats say his focus on the wall distracts from more complex immigration problems and is used to whip up his base for political gain.

On Thursday, two competing bills to end the partial shutdown failed in the Senate, underscoring the inability of Democrats and Trump's Republicans to agree on a compromise that would reopen government while committing to wall construction.

Trump has spoken for weeks about using his presidential authority to declare a border emergency and bypass Congress, allowing himself to take funds from other sources for the wall.

However, this would almost certainly be blocked in court challenges.

So while Trump had previously stated he would not "cave" in the standoff, he was left with little alternative.

At his White House announcement, Trump sought to thank the many federal workers who suffered as collateral damage in the political battle, saying they showed "extraordinary devotion in the face of this recent hardship."

But Tiffany Cruz, who works at LaGuardia Airport in New York, which was also badly hit by delays, said she had little faith in Trump.

"He's just reopening (government) at his convenience," she said. "I don't believe he cares about anything but himself."

With the shutdown ending, the question arises whether Trump will be re-invited to deliver his State of the Union address in Congress next Tuesday.

Pelosi, who outfoxed him in the five-week showdown, had insisted he not deliver his speech until government reopened. On Friday she said the schedule remained undecided.

President Donald Trump said Friday he will temporarily end the longest government shutdown in US history, while dropping his previous insistence on immediate funding for wall construction along the Mexican border.

President Donald Trump said Friday he will temporarily end the longest government shutdown in US history, while dropping his previous insistence on immediate funding for wall construction along the Mexican border. The announcement in the White House Rose Garden on the bipartisan deal marked a retreat by Trump, suspending a political row that has paralyzed Washington, disrupted air travel and left more than 800,000 federal employees without pay for five weeks. The top Democratic senator, Chuck Schumer, said he hoped Trump had "learned his lesson." The Senate and House of Representatives both passed the deal by unanimous consent Friday, sending it to the president for his signature. Trump's reversal came as the full weight of the shutdown, including the financial cost on struggling employees and the national economy, became ever more apparent to the administration and power brokers in Washington, and as the president appeared outfoxed by his political nemesis Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House. But while the president climbed down in agreeing to reopen government without first getting $5.7 billion in border wall funds, he still threatened to renew hostilities with a new shutdown, or a state of emergency, if there is no breakthrough on his pet project in the next three weeks. "In a short while, I will sign a bill to open our government," he said. "Over the next 21 days, I expect that both Democrats and Republicans will operate in good faith." "If we don't get a fair deal from Congress, the government either shuts down on February 15th again, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and Constitution of the United States to address this emergency," he warned. "We really have no choice but to build a powerful wall or steel barrier." Shutdown pain Trump triggered the shutdown in December as a way of putting pressure on congressional Democrats after they refused his wall funding demand. But Democrats, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, didn't blink, calculating that Trump would be blamed by voters for the ensuing chaos -- and polls showed that they were correct. Federal workers as varied as museum attendants and US Coast Guard sailors were left without salaries. Even Secret Service agents guarding the White House have been working without pay. By Friday the impact of the shutdown was focused on airports, where enough federally employed security staff have called in sick to slow down overall operations. Air traffic controllers were working without pay and in New Jersey's busy Newark Liberty International Airport staffing issues led to delays, raising the specter of a wider degradation of US air travel. This raised pressure on Trump and his congressional opponents to reach a deal. However, in the end Trump appears to have made the only compromise, even at the risk of angering his right-wing voter base. Conservative commentator Ann Coulter wasted no time in lashing out at Trump's retreat. "Good news for George Herbert Walker Bush: As of today, he is no longer the biggest wimp ever to serve as President of the United States," she tweeted, referring to the late president, a Republican moderate. No way out Trump says more border walls are needed to stop what he says are crisis levels of criminals and illegal immigration. Democrats say his focus on the wall distracts from more complex immigration problems and is used to whip up his base for political gain. On Thursday, two competing bills to end the partial shutdown failed in the Senate, underscoring the inability of Democrats and Trump's Republicans to agree on a compromise that would reopen government while committing to wall construction. Trump has spoken for weeks about using his presidential authority to declare a border emergency and bypass Congress, allowing himself to take funds from other sources for the wall. However, this would almost certainly be blocked in court challenges. So while Trump had previously stated he would not "cave" in the standoff, he was left with little alternative. At his White House announcement, Trump sought to thank the many federal workers who suffered as collateral damage in the political battle, saying they showed "extraordinary devotion in the face of this recent hardship." But Tiffany Cruz, who works at LaGuardia Airport in New York, which was also badly hit by delays, said she had little faith in Trump. "He's just reopening (government) at his convenience," she said. "I don't believe he cares about anything but himself." With the shutdown ending, the question arises whether Trump will be re-invited to deliver his State of the Union address in Congress next Tuesday. Pelosi, who outfoxed him in the five-week showdown, had insisted he not deliver his speech until government reopened. On Friday she said the schedule remained undecided.

Trump climbs down in wall row, Congress passes bill ending shutdown

US President Donald Trump has said the decision by India last year to cut the tariffs on motorcycles by half was a fair deal, but rued the high duties on American whisky.

At a White House event on the Reciprocal Trade Act on Thursday, Trump flashed out a green colour board that had examples of non-reciprocal tariffs from various countries.

"Look at motorcycles as an example. (In) India, it was 100 per cent. I got them down to 50 per cent, just by talking for about two minutes. It's still 50 per cent vs 2.4 per cent (on imported motorcycles to the US). Again, other than that, it's a very fair deal," the president said.

Trump pointed out to the high tariff by India on import of wines. "India has a very high tariff. They charge a lot of tariffs. You look at whisky... India gets 150 per cent, we get nothing."

India had last February slashed the customs duty on imported motorcycles like Harley-Davidson to 50 per cent after Trump called it "unfair" and threatened to increase the tariff on import of Indian bikes to the US.

In his interaction with lawmakers at the White House, Trump said the Reciprocal Trade Act would give the US workers a fair and level-playing field against other countries.

The US, he alleged, had been taken advantage of by many countries all over the world. "They charge us tariffs and taxes, the likes of which nobody has any understanding. They're so high and so unfair! They also have barriers where we can't go in. They have trade barriers that make it impossible for us to sell our farm products and our other products.

"Whether they think we're very nice or not so smart, they've been doing it for many, many years and we want to end it. Many of these are friends, many of these are allies... But, sometimes, allies take advantage of us even more so than our non-allies," he said.

Trump said the Reciprocal Trade Act would help to solve the problem once and for all. "Whatever the tariff for a foreign country is, we place the same tariff on us."

"What's going to happen, I think, from a practical standpoint, is they won't be charging us tariffs anymore. We'll see. Or we'll charge them a lot.

Tremendous amount of money," he said.

The Reciprocal Trade Act will be an incredible tool to bring foreign countries to the negotiating table and to get them to lower tariffs on US products and also to get rid of their trade barriers, the president asserted.

America cannot lose almost US $800 billion on trade like has been done for many years, he said.

Congressman Sean Duffy, who introduced the Reciprocal Trade Act, has granite from India among his global list of non-reciprocal tariffs.

US President Donald Trump has said the decision by India last year to cut the tariffs on motorcycles by half was a fair deal, but rued the high duties on American whisky.

US President Donald Trump has said the decision by India last year to cut the tariffs on motorcycles by half was a fair deal, but rued the high duties on American whisky. At a White House event on the Reciprocal Trade Act on Thursday, Trump flashed out a green colour board that had examples of non-reciprocal tariffs from various countries. "Look at motorcycles as an example. (In) India, it was 100 per cent. I got them down to 50 per cent, just by talking for about two minutes. It's still 50 per cent vs 2.4 per cent (on imported motorcycles to the US). Again, other than that, it's a very fair deal," the president said. Trump pointed out to the high tariff by India on import of wines. "India has a very high tariff. They charge a lot of tariffs. You look at whisky... India gets 150 per cent, we get nothing." India had last February slashed the customs duty on imported motorcycles like Harley-Davidson to 50 per cent after Trump called it "unfair" and threatened to increase the tariff on import of Indian bikes to the US. In his interaction with lawmakers at the White House, Trump said the Reciprocal Trade Act would give the US workers a fair and level-playing field against other countries. The US, he alleged, had been taken advantage of by many countries all over the world. "They charge us tariffs and taxes, the likes of which nobody has any understanding. They're so high and so unfair! They also have barriers where we can't go in. They have trade barriers that make it impossible for us to sell our farm products and our other products. "Whether they think we're very nice or not so smart, they've been doing it for many, many years and we want to end it. Many of these are friends, many of these are allies... But, sometimes, allies take advantage of us even more so than our non-allies," he said. Trump said the Reciprocal Trade Act would help to solve the problem once and for all. "Whatever the tariff for a foreign country is, we place the same tariff on us." "What's going to happen, I think, from a practical standpoint, is they won't be charging us tariffs anymore. We'll see. Or we'll charge them a lot. Tremendous amount of money," he said. The Reciprocal Trade Act will be an incredible tool to bring foreign countries to the negotiating table and to get them to lower tariffs on US products and also to get rid of their trade barriers, the president asserted. America cannot lose almost US $800 billion on trade like has been done for many years, he said. Congressman Sean Duffy, who introduced the Reciprocal Trade Act, has granite from India among his global list of non-reciprocal tariffs.

In just 2 minutes, I got motorcycle tariffs in India down to 50%: Trump

Pope Francis attack Trump's border wall idea

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/dueling-plans-to-end-us-shutdown-fail-in-senate-talks-resume-192581">Dueling</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/dueling-plans-to-end-us-shutdown-fail-in-senate-talks-resume-192581"> plans to end US shutdown fail in Senate, talks resume</a>

The US Senate on Thursday blocked dueling plans to reopen shuttered federal agencies, a fresh setback in efforts to end a month-long government shutdown, but President Donald Trump signalled he could back a new proposal if it includes border security.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-to-close-us-embassy-consulates-maduro-192578">Venezuela to close US embassy, consulates: Nicolas Maduro</a>

Venezuela will close its embassy and all consulates in the United States, President Nicolas Maduro said on Thursday, one day after he broke off diplomatic relations in response to US recognition of an opposition leader as interim president.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-appoints-new-political-leader-to-join-us-taliban-peace-talks-192600">Taliban appoints </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-appoints-new-political-leader-to-join-us-taliban-peace-talks-192600">new</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-appoints-new-political-leader-to-join-us-taliban-peace-talks-192600"> political leader to join peace talks with </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-appoints-new-political-leader-to-join-us-taliban-peace-talks-192600">US</a>

A co-founder of the Taliban was appointed as the leader of its political office in Qatar on Thursday to strengthen its hand in peace talks with the United States as they try to establish a mechanism to end the 17-year Afghan war.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-miles-and-miles-from-resolving-trade-conflict-official-192584">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-miles-and-miles-from-resolving-trade-conflict-official-192584">, China 'miles and miles' from resolving trade conflict: Official</a>

Washington and Beijing are "miles and miles" from resolving their trade war, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Thursday.

A high-level Chinese delegation is due in Washington next week for talks to resolve the dispute by March 1, when US duty rates on Chinese imports are due to rise sharply, but Ross tried to tamp down expectations to those meetings.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pak-envoy-says-dialogue-is-indispensable-to-resolve-tensions-between-india-pakistan-192594">Pak envoy says 'dialogue is indispensable' to resolving tensions between India, Pakistan</a>

Pakistan High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood on Thursday advocated talks and sustained engagement between the two countries to find common ground for improvement of bilateral relations.

Dueling plans to end US shutdown fail in Senate, talks resume The US Senate on Thursday blocked dueling plans to reopen shuttered federal agencies, a fresh setback in efforts to end a month-long government shutdown, but President Donald Trump signalled he could back a new proposal if it includes border security.

Dueling plans to end US shutdown fail in Senate, talks resume The US Senate on Thursday blocked dueling plans to reopen shuttered federal agencies, a fresh setback in efforts to end a month-long government shutdown, but President Donald Trump signalled he could back a new proposal if it includes border security. Venezuela to close US embassy, consulates: Nicolas Maduro Venezuela will close its embassy and all consulates in the United States, President Nicolas Maduro said on Thursday, one day after he broke off diplomatic relations in response to US recognition of an opposition leader as interim president. Taliban appoints new political leader to join peace talks with US A co-founder of the Taliban was appointed as the leader of its political office in Qatar on Thursday to strengthen its hand in peace talks with the United States as they try to establish a mechanism to end the 17-year Afghan war. US, China 'miles and miles' from resolving trade conflict: Official Washington and Beijing are "miles and miles" from resolving their trade war, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Thursday. A high-level Chinese delegation is due in Washington next week for talks to resolve the dispute by March 1, when US duty rates on Chinese imports are due to rise sharply, but Ross tried to tamp down expectations to those meetings. Pak envoy says 'dialogue is indispensable' to resolving tensions between India, Pakistan Pakistan High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood on Thursday advocated talks and sustained engagement between the two countries to find common ground for improvement of bilateral relations.

On the 34th day of a partial US government shutdown, President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats remained at odds over his demand for funding for a wall on the border with Mexico.&nbsp;

Trump has refused to sign any legislation to fund an array of government agencies, including the departments of agriculture, commerce, justice, interior and homeland security, unless it includes $5.7 billion for his long-promised wall.

The Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, have rejected the wall as ineffective and immoral, and want the government to be reopened before any further talks about border security.

As long as the stalemate continues, 800,000 federal employees are on furlough or working without pay.

The following are some possible ways the standoff might end:&nbsp;

GLIMMERS OF PROGRESS

With the Senate on Thursday blocking competing measures by Republicans and Democrats to break the impasse, there were new signs of negotiations on a bipartisan deal, even if only as a temporary fix.

Many senators were talking about the possibility of a bipartisan bill to fund the various federal agencies, which comprise about one-quarter of the U.S. government, for three weeks.

During that time, Congress and the White House would work on a border security compromise. The White House was insisting, however, that Trump would support such a move only if it includes a downpayment on the wall,&nbsp; 
which Democrats have opposed.

OTHER POSSIBLE WAYS TO BREAK THE IMPASSE

*Democrats agree to more than the $1.3 billion in border security funding they have been backing, but less than the $5.7 billion Trump wants. If Trump faces a public opinion backlash or there are signs Republican lawmakers may be abandoning him, he might have to settle for less.

*Democrats and Republicans agree on $5.7 billion in border security funding this year, but the language allows both sides to claim victory by including different ways of securing the border. Democrats insist the money will not be used to build a wall; Trump and his fellow Republicans tout the money that will include funding for various types of barriers and other tools to discourage illegal immigration and drugs.

*A "grand bargain" emerges that reopens the government, bolsters border security and also provides protections from deportation for "Dreamers," who were brought to the United States illegally as children by their parents.&nbsp;

Other changes to immigration law also could be included. Such a deal would fund federal programs through the fiscal year that ends on September 30, and add funds for an array of border security tools without imposing new curbs on immigration that Trump has previously attempted.

This scenario, however, is fraught with difficulties.

Democrats are likely to insist that Dreamers be granted a pathway to citizenship, an idea many conservatives oppose and some do not want any special protections for Dreamers enacted into law.

Trump would probably insist on some new controls on immigration, such as additional restrictions on asylum claims.

TRUMP DECLARES `NATIONAL EMERGENCY` 
While the possibility that this might happen has faded recently, Trump could revive his threat to declare a national emergency at any time. His rationale would be that illegal immigration jeopardizes US security, which gives him the authority to redirect existing federal funds to build the wall, possibly targeting Defense Department accounts.

Under the Constitution, it is up to Congress to decide how taxpayers` money is spent and using presidential powers to move funding around is almost certain to face legal challenges.

Still, such a step would probably lead to prompt enactment of legislation reopening the government under the belief that Trump would sign it into law, without the $5.7 billion.

On the 34th day of a partial US government shutdown, President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats remained at odds over his demand for funding for a wall on the border with Mexico.

On the 34th day of a partial US government shutdown, President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats remained at odds over his demand for funding for a wall on the border with Mexico. Trump has refused to sign any legislation to fund an array of government agencies, including the departments of agriculture, commerce, justice, interior and homeland security, unless it includes $5.7 billion for his long-promised wall. The Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, have rejected the wall as ineffective and immoral, and want the government to be reopened before any further talks about border security. As long as the stalemate continues, 800,000 federal employees are on furlough or working without pay. The following are some possible ways the standoff might end: GLIMMERS OF PROGRESS With the Senate on Thursday blocking competing measures by Republicans and Democrats to break the impasse, there were new signs of negotiations on a bipartisan deal, even if only as a temporary fix. Many senators were talking about the possibility of a bipartisan bill to fund the various federal agencies, which comprise about one-quarter of the U.S. government, for three weeks. During that time, Congress and the White House would work on a border security compromise. The White House was insisting, however, that Trump would support such a move only if it includes a downpayment on the wall, which Democrats have opposed. OTHER POSSIBLE WAYS TO BREAK THE IMPASSE *Democrats agree to more than the $1.3 billion in border security funding they have been backing, but less than the $5.7 billion Trump wants. If Trump faces a public opinion backlash or there are signs Republican lawmakers may be abandoning him, he might have to settle for less. *Democrats and Republicans agree on $5.7 billion in border security funding this year, but the language allows both sides to claim victory by including different ways of securing the border. Democrats insist the money will not be used to build a wall; Trump and his fellow Republicans tout the money that will include funding for various types of barriers and other tools to discourage illegal immigration and drugs. *A "grand bargain" emerges that reopens the government, bolsters border security and also provides protections from deportation for "Dreamers," who were brought to the United States illegally as children by their parents. Other changes to immigration law also could be included. Such a deal would fund federal programs through the fiscal year that ends on September 30, and add funds for an array of border security tools without imposing new curbs on immigration that Trump has previously attempted. This scenario, however, is fraught with difficulties. Democrats are likely to insist that Dreamers be granted a pathway to citizenship, an idea many conservatives oppose and some do not want any special protections for Dreamers enacted into law. Trump would probably insist on some new controls on immigration, such as additional restrictions on asylum claims. TRUMP DECLARES `NATIONAL EMERGENCY` While the possibility that this might happen has faded recently, Trump could revive his threat to declare a national emergency at any time. His rationale would be that illegal immigration jeopardizes US security, which gives him the authority to redirect existing federal funds to build the wall, possibly targeting Defense Department accounts. Under the Constitution, it is up to Congress to decide how taxpayers` money is spent and using presidential powers to move funding around is almost certain to face legal challenges. Still, such a step would probably lead to prompt enactment of legislation reopening the government under the belief that Trump would sign it into law, without the $5.7 billion.

How US shutdown over border wall fight might play out

US senate rejects bill to end government shutdown

The federal special counsel's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/former-trump-adviser-roger-stone-arrested-on-indictment-by-robert-mueller-report-192764">indictment of Roger Stone</a>, a longtime associate of US President Donald Trump, in the Russia probe is unrelated to the president or the&nbsp;White&nbsp;House, Trump's press secretary said on Friday.

"The charges brought against Mr Stone have nothing to do with the president, has nothing to do with the&nbsp;White&nbsp;House," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told CNN. "The president did nothing wrong."

Stone, who served as a campaign adviser for Trump's 2016&nbsp;White&nbsp;House&nbsp;run, was arrested earlier on Friday, charged with seven criminal counts of obstruction, witness tampering and making false statements.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-thanks-special-counsel-robert-mueller-for-statement-about-buzzfeed-article-191502">Trump thanks special counsel Robert Mueller for&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-thanks-special-counsel-robert-mueller-for-statement-about-buzzfeed-article-191502">statement</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-thanks-special-counsel-robert-mueller-for-statement-about-buzzfeed-article-191502">&nbsp;about BuzzFeed article</a>

He has faced scrutiny for his support for Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, when he implied he had access to information obtained by hackers that could embarrass Democrats, including Trump's rival for the&nbsp;White&nbsp;House, Hillary Clinton.

According to a grand jury indictment released by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/muellers-office-disputes-report-that-trump-told-cohen-to-lie-to-congress-191342">US&nbsp;Special Counsel Robert Mueller</a>'s office, a senior Trump campaign official had spoken with Stone about the damaging information.

Asked repeatedly if Trump had directed a senior campaign official to contact Stone about the stolen emails, Sanders did not directly answer, saying she had not read the indictment and referring specific questions to Trump's outside counsel.

Trump's outside lawyers Jay Sekulow and Rudy Giuliani did not respond to a request for comment on the indictment earlier on Friday.

The federal special counsel's indictment of Roger Stone, a longtime associate of US President Donald Trump, in the Russia probe is unrelated to the president or the White House, Trump's press secretary said on Friday.

The federal special counsel's indictment of Roger Stone, a longtime associate of US President Donald Trump, in the Russia probe is unrelated to the president or the White House, Trump's press secretary said on Friday. "The charges brought against Mr Stone have nothing to do with the president, has nothing to do with the White House," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told CNN. "The president did nothing wrong." Stone, who served as a campaign adviser for Trump's 2016 White House run, was arrested earlier on Friday, charged with seven criminal counts of obstruction, witness tampering and making false statements. Also read: Trump thanks special counsel Robert Mueller for statement about BuzzFeed article He has faced scrutiny for his support for Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, when he implied he had access to information obtained by hackers that could embarrass Democrats, including Trump's rival for the White House, Hillary Clinton. According to a grand jury indictment released by US Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office, a senior Trump campaign official had spoken with Stone about the damaging information. Asked repeatedly if Trump had directed a senior campaign official to contact Stone about the stolen emails, Sanders did not directly answer, saying she had not read the indictment and referring specific questions to Trump's outside counsel. Trump's outside lawyers Jay Sekulow and Rudy Giuliani did not respond to a request for comment on the indictment earlier on Friday.

Roger Stone indictment has nothing to do with Trump: White House

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In just 2 minutes, I got motorcycle tariffs in India down to 50%: Trump