The G7 summit kicks off in Germany this weekend and major focus will be on the Russia-Ukraine war. The Summit comes days after EU leaders' Ukraine visit. For more on this, we are joined by WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Siddhant Sibbal.

G7 summit: Energy security, climate change & pandemic on cards

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be travelling to Germany for the second time in two months to take part in the G7 summit. For more on this, we are joined by WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Siddhant Sibbal.

48th G7 meeting: Indian PM Modi to be in Germany for the summit

G7 was established back in 1975 to discuss global economy. Over the next four decades, it has steadily expanded its scope. The leaders of wealthiest nations put more issues on the table including peace, security and climate change. Take a look at this report

G7: Its purpose & history of influence | An informal club of wealthy democracies

Sitting outside their homes in&nbsp;Mali's capital Bamako, Amboungo Guindo and Bilal Ba go back and forth about the merits of Russian involvement in their conflict-torn nation.&nbsp;

"Your stories about the Russians are nonsense,"&nbsp;Guindo tells his friend. "How can they solve the problem with 1,000"&nbsp;paramilitaries?

Ba replies: "They will come and they will do better than France".

The conversation touches on simmering popular frustrations with France's military involvement in its former colony's fight against a grinding Islamist insurgency.&nbsp;

Tensions were already raised over French plans to scale back its military presence across the jihadist-ridden Sahel -- and over two coups in&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;in little over a year.

Then a diplomatic spat erupted last month after it emerged that&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;is reportedly considering hiring 1,000 paramilitaries from the Russian private-security firm Wagner.

The move is anathema for Paris, which first deployed an anti-jihadist force to the semi-arid region in 2013 and has lost 52 soldiers since. France has warned that any deal with Wagner would put its deployment in doubt.

But in some quarters in&nbsp;Mali, criticism of the West African country's security arrangements have been viewed as a high-handed attack on national sovereignty.

Tensions spilled over at the UN general assembly last month when Malian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga accused France of a "sort of abandonment in full flight" over its military scaledown.

France vehemently rejected the accusations, and an incensed President Emmanuel Macron later called&nbsp;Mali's army-dominated government "democratically null".&nbsp;

However Maiga's comments appear to have struck a chord in&nbsp;Mali. Malian news website&nbsp;Benbere hailed the prime minister as a "hero," while other local outlets described France as condescending.&nbsp;

"Frankly, to go and say that at the UN is no mean feat," said Guindo, smiling.&nbsp;

'Populist strategy'

Absent credible polling in a vast nation where jihadists control swathes of territory, it is difficult to assess how most Malians view the diplomatic dust-up.&nbsp;

Anti-French sentiment has long been rife on social media. There are also periodic protests against France's military, where demonstrators fly Russian flags.

France deployed troops in&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;after jihadists seized control of the north in 2012.

But their presence failed to stop the conflict spiralling, and it has since spread to central&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;as well as neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

In openly criticising French policy,&nbsp;Mali's rulers have been pursuing a "populist strategy," Bamako-based research Boubacar Haidara said.&nbsp;

He charts the change in tone to May, when strongman Colonel Assimi Goita strained already tense relations with France by orchestrating his second coup in a year.

Goita overthrew elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020, but later installed a civilian-led interim government under international pressure.

However he overthrew the leaders of that government in May -- in a second putsch -- and was later himself declared interim president.

Macron then announced French troop reductions in July.

On Friday, Macron told an Africa-France summit in Montpellier that he was closing bases because it was not France's "job to stay in&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;over time".

"France is only there to fight terrorism, not to support this or that regime," he added.

Haidara said that pitting France against Russia "works very well" at home, especially since "the French intervention has not really improved the security situation".&nbsp;

&nbsp;'Domestic scenes'

Mali's combative stance appears to be less popular in conflict-ridden parts of the country.

"These colonels have promised to get to work, we just want them to do it," said an activist in the northern city of Gao, who requested anonymity.&nbsp;

He added that&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;has no choice but to work with international partners, whether Russian or French.&nbsp;"Alone, it will be impossible," he said.&nbsp;

Former prime minister Moussa Mara is similarly sceptical.

"There is a fever, it will subside. It will have created damage and mistrust," he told AFP.&nbsp;

In an interview with AFP on Thursday, Prime Minister Maiga sought to play down the tensions.&nbsp;

"Mali&nbsp;and France are an old couple, there are sometimes domestic scenes," he said, adding that he didn't think there would be a divorce.

"There is no anti-French sentiment. I say it loud and clear: too many things link&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;to France."

Jihadists have continued to stage attacks as leaders in Bamako and Paris have traded barbs.

On September 28, an attack on a mining convoy killed five gendarmes in western&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;-- an area usually spared the turmoil of the north and centre.&nbsp;

The danger is not lost on most locals.&nbsp;

"While we're talking, the jihadists are acting," said Bilal Ba, sitting outside his house.&nbsp;

Sitting outside their homes in Mali's capital Bamako, Amboungo Guindo and Bilal Ba go back and forth about the merits of Russian involvement in their conflict-torn nation.

Sitting outside their homes in Mali's capital Bamako, Amboungo Guindo and Bilal Ba go back and forth about the merits of Russian involvement in their conflict-torn nation. "Your stories about the Russians are nonsense," Guindo tells his friend. "How can they solve the problem with 1,000" paramilitaries? Ba replies: "They will come and they will do better than France". The conversation touches on simmering popular frustrations with France's military involvement in its former colony's fight against a grinding Islamist insurgency. Tensions were already raised over French plans to scale back its military presence across the jihadist-ridden Sahel -- and over two coups in Mali in little over a year. Then a diplomatic spat erupted last month after it emerged that Mali is reportedly considering hiring 1,000 paramilitaries from the Russian private-security firm Wagner. The move is anathema for Paris, which first deployed an anti-jihadist force to the semi-arid region in 2013 and has lost 52 soldiers since. France has warned that any deal with Wagner would put its deployment in doubt. But in some quarters in Mali, criticism of the West African country's security arrangements have been viewed as a high-handed attack on national sovereignty. Tensions spilled over at the UN general assembly last month when Malian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga accused France of a "sort of abandonment in full flight" over its military scaledown. France vehemently rejected the accusations, and an incensed President Emmanuel Macron later called Mali's army-dominated government "democratically null". However Maiga's comments appear to have struck a chord in Mali. Malian news website Benbere hailed the prime minister as a "hero," while other local outlets described France as condescending. "Frankly, to go and say that at the UN is no mean feat," said Guindo, smiling. 'Populist strategy' Absent credible polling in a vast nation where jihadists control swathes of territory, it is difficult to assess how most Malians view the diplomatic dust-up. Anti-French sentiment has long been rife on social media. There are also periodic protests against France's military, where demonstrators fly Russian flags. France deployed troops in Mali after jihadists seized control of the north in 2012. But their presence failed to stop the conflict spiralling, and it has since spread to central Mali as well as neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. In openly criticising French policy, Mali's rulers have been pursuing a "populist strategy," Bamako-based research Boubacar Haidara said. He charts the change in tone to May, when strongman Colonel Assimi Goita strained already tense relations with France by orchestrating his second coup in a year. Goita overthrew elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020, but later installed a civilian-led interim government under international pressure. However he overthrew the leaders of that government in May -- in a second putsch -- and was later himself declared interim president. Macron then announced French troop reductions in July. On Friday, Macron told an Africa-France summit in Montpellier that he was closing bases because it was not France's "job to stay in Mali over time". "France is only there to fight terrorism, not to support this or that regime," he added. Haidara said that pitting France against Russia "works very well" at home, especially since "the French intervention has not really improved the security situation". 'Domestic scenes' Mali's combative stance appears to be less popular in conflict-ridden parts of the country. "These colonels have promised to get to work, we just want them to do it," said an activist in the northern city of Gao, who requested anonymity. He added that Mali has no choice but to work with international partners, whether Russian or French. "Alone, it will be impossible," he said. Former prime minister Moussa Mara is similarly sceptical. "There is a fever, it will subside. It will have created damage and mistrust," he told AFP. In an interview with AFP on Thursday, Prime Minister Maiga sought to play down the tensions. "Mali and France are an old couple, there are sometimes domestic scenes," he said, adding that he didn't think there would be a divorce. "There is no anti-French sentiment. I say it loud and clear: too many things link Mali to France." Jihadists have continued to stage attacks as leaders in Bamako and Paris have traded barbs. On September 28, an attack on a mining convoy killed five gendarmes in western Mali -- an area usually spared the turmoil of the north and centre. The danger is not lost on most locals. "While we're talking, the jihadists are acting," said Bilal Ba, sitting outside his house.

Mali-France tensions spurs debate over foreign influence

The United States topped a list of the countries most frequently targeted by deceptive foreign influence operations using Facebook between 2017 and 2020, the social media company said in a new report released on Wednesday. 
 
It also came second on a list of countries targeted by domestic influence operations in that same time period. Facebook Inc said one of the top sources of coordinated inauthentic behaviour networks targeting the United States in the year leading up to the 2020 presidential election was domestic campaigns originating in the United States itself, as well as foreign operations from Russia and Iran. 
 
The tallies were based on the number of "coordinated inauthentic behavior" networks removed by Facebook, a term it uses for a type of influence operations that relies on fake accounts to mislead users and manipulate the public debate for strategic ends. 
 
Facebook began cracking down on these influence operations after 2016, when US&nbsp;intelligence concluded that Russia used the platform as part of a cyber-influence campaign that aimed to help former President Donald Trump win the White House, a claim Moscow has denied. 
 
The company said Russia, followed by Iran, topped the list for sources of coordinated inauthentic behaviour and that this was mostly rooted in foreign interference. Top targets of foreign operations included Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Libya and Sudan. 
 
But the company also said that about half of the influence operations it has removed since 2017 around the world were conducted by domestic, not foreign, networks. 
 
"IO [influence operations] really started out as an elite sport. We had a small group of nation states in particular that were using these techniques. But more and more we`re seeing more people getting into the game," Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook`s head of security policy, told reporters on a conference call. 
 
Facebook said the domestic influence operations that targeted the United States were operated by conspiratorial or fringe political actors, PR or consulting firms and media websites. 
 
Myanmar was the country targeted by the most domestic inauthentic networks, according to Facebook`s count, though these networks were relatively small in size. 
 
Gleicher said threat actors had pivoted from large, high-volume campaigns to smaller and more targeted ones, and that the platform was also seeing a rise in commercial influence operations. 
 
"I actually think the majority of what we`re seeing here, these aren`t actors that are motivated by politics. In terms of volume, a lot of this is actors that are motivated by money," he said. "They`re scammers, they`re fraudsters, they`re PR or marketing firms that are looking to make a business around deception." 
 
Facebook investigators also said they expected it would get harder to discern what was part of a deceptive influence campaign as threat actors increasingly use "witting and unwitting people to blur the lines between authentic domestic discourse and manipulation." 
 
The report included more than 150 coordinated inauthentic networks identified and removed by Facebook since 2017.

The United States topped a list of the countries most frequently targeted by deceptive foreign influence operations using Facebook between 2017 and 2020, the social media company said in a new report released on Wednesday.

The United States topped a list of the countries most frequently targeted by deceptive foreign influence operations using Facebook between 2017 and 2020, the social media company said in a new report released on Wednesday. It also came second on a list of countries targeted by domestic influence operations in that same time period. Facebook Inc said one of the top sources of coordinated inauthentic behaviour networks targeting the United States in the year leading up to the 2020 presidential election was domestic campaigns originating in the United States itself, as well as foreign operations from Russia and Iran. The tallies were based on the number of "coordinated inauthentic behavior" networks removed by Facebook, a term it uses for a type of influence operations that relies on fake accounts to mislead users and manipulate the public debate for strategic ends. Facebook began cracking down on these influence operations after 2016, when US intelligence concluded that Russia used the platform as part of a cyber-influence campaign that aimed to help former President Donald Trump win the White House, a claim Moscow has denied. The company said Russia, followed by Iran, topped the list for sources of coordinated inauthentic behaviour and that this was mostly rooted in foreign interference. Top targets of foreign operations included Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Libya and Sudan. But the company also said that about half of the influence operations it has removed since 2017 around the world were conducted by domestic, not foreign, networks. "IO [influence operations] really started out as an elite sport. We had a small group of nation states in particular that were using these techniques. But more and more we`re seeing more people getting into the game," Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook`s head of security policy, told reporters on a conference call. Facebook said the domestic influence operations that targeted the United States were operated by conspiratorial or fringe political actors, PR or consulting firms and media websites. Myanmar was the country targeted by the most domestic inauthentic networks, according to Facebook`s count, though these networks were relatively small in size. Gleicher said threat actors had pivoted from large, high-volume campaigns to smaller and more targeted ones, and that the platform was also seeing a rise in commercial influence operations. "I actually think the majority of what we`re seeing here, these aren`t actors that are motivated by politics. In terms of volume, a lot of this is actors that are motivated by money," he said. "They`re scammers, they`re fraudsters, they`re PR or marketing firms that are looking to make a business around deception." Facebook investigators also said they expected it would get harder to discern what was part of a deceptive influence campaign as threat actors increasingly use "witting and unwitting people to blur the lines between authentic domestic discourse and manipulation." The report included more than 150 coordinated inauthentic networks identified and removed by Facebook since 2017.

US a top target for foreign and domestic influence operations, says new Facebook report

More than two months after Tik Tok was banned, the story of short video apps in India is moving on two tracks influencers are struggling to rebuild their fan base and compensate for the dip in their incomes while similar homegrown apps are enjoying the spike in the number of users.

So, 24-year-old beatboxer Jesus Mehta is trying to find a new home for his talents but Indian short video companies look at the absence of Tiktok as an opportunity to grow.

On June 29, the government banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, leaving over 200 million users of the short video app feeling a little bereft and those like Mehta with significantly reduced earnings.

A month before joining a job that would have paid him a little under Rs 10,000, Mehta last January decided to make TikTok videos showcasing his beatboxing talent instead.

A year later, he had a following of over two million.

And what had so far been a hobby paid him at least Rs 60,000 a month.

Those glory days are over, at least for the moment, the Surat-based beatboxer said.

The last two months haven't been smooth. TikTok was one of my sources of income. I also take online classes. TikTok alone earned me over Rs 60,000 monthly, and now it barely reaches Rs 20,000, Mehta told PTI over the phone.

He would do brand collaborations and live performances on TikTok, where the audience could send gift points redeemable in cash rewards.

He is now trying to rebuild his fanbase on Instagram and has so far got a little over 17,000 followers.

While there is no dearth of options, including Chingari, Roposo, Rizzle and Instagram Reels, many TikTok creators are still looking for the right platform.

But they will have to start from scratch and wait for a long time before money starts coming in.

Yamuna Nagar-based TikTok creator Abheshek Garg said there are plenty of options available to create content but nothing comes close to TikTok in terms of audience reach and monetary benefits.

"A lot of people were actually relying on TikTok for their bread and butter. So it has been a huge setback. The reach that platform had was immense. No application comes close to that,Garg, a fashion and travel blogger who had over a million followers on TikTok, said.

"If you join any new platform, we won't get any monetary benefits because no brand associates with such new accounts or new applications. TikTok was well established, and it was growing massively in monetary terms, he added.

Though several similar apps existed in India along with TikTok, it was only after the ban that they registered a sudden spike in new users.

Roposo, a leading short-video platform in India, was launched in 2014.

While it already had over 50 million downloads on Google Play Store, another 40 million users downloaded the app in the next two months after the TikTok ban.

However, the Bangalore-based social video platform doesn't think the entire credit goes to the ban.

According to Bikash Chowdhury, chief marketing officer of Glance, the parent company of Roposo, the application was already at the number one spot on the Google Play Store in the social app category in mid-June.

Additionally, a few weeks back we introduced the Pride of India programme, a collaboration with Indian achievers like Babita Phogat, Chandro Tomar, Neel Ghose and Sangram Singh. The multifaceted programme provides these remarkable Indians a platform to mentor and inspire fellow Indians. This programme has seen a lot of engagement, he said.

Vidya Narayanan, CEO and co-founder of Rizzle which was launched in June 2019, also believes it wasn't the TikTok ban that made the app popular but the content by its creators who continue to set new records and inspire new creators to join the tribe.

Finding hundreds and even thousands of videos per creator profile on the feed is not uncommon on Rizzle. Our users surprised us with tweet storms for Rizzle and now it's a regular regime for them. They even started fan pages on Instagram and Facebook. This is a community that is going to town for this app. It is their initiative, Narayanan said.

Since the ban on the popular app, some leading TikTokers', including Khushi Punjaban, who had over 18 million followers for her comedy and dance videos on the banned app, model Neetu Bisht with nearly seven million followers, and chef Rashika Punjabi with 2.8 lakh followers, joined Roposo.

Masterchef India finalist Geetha Sridhar, who had over a million followers, and This is Sumesh' (short comic videos) with one million followers on TikTok, joined the Rizzle app.

Sumit Ghosh, founder of Chingari, sees the scattered migration of top TikTok creators as an opportunity for short-video companies to coexist and even grow together.

TikTok ban has created a kind of a gold rush, hundreds of tech startups are rushing to this space...In this space, we believe there can be multiple players, and they can coexist. Our plan anyway was to coexist with TikTok and grow so I think the differentiating factor will be the content genre, Ghosh said.

Launched in November 2018, the Chingari app currently registers two-three million daily active users.

Ghosh added that Chingari's focus is to build micro creators instead of going after influencers or TikTok stars.

The very multiplicity of options can also be a problem.

Without disclosing details, mental health speaker Gaurav Jain said his earnings had reduced "significantly" after the TikTok ban.

He sees the availability of multiple platforms as a reason behind the division of his follower base on TikTok, which may further cause a delay in getting back the same popularity.

"I think that followers have got distributed on so many different platforms since the TikTok ban. If I had a million followers on TikTok, two lakh might be using Roposo, another lakh might be using Takatak.

"The creator will have to kind of recreate their audience. Some might recognise you from your face maybe, but I don't think the exact one million followers come back to me on another platform. I totally have to rebuild my audience," the Delhi-based influencer, with over a million TikTok followers, said.

More than two months after Tik Tok was banned, the story of short video apps in India is moving on two tracks influencers are struggling to rebuild their fan base and compensate for the dip in their incomes while similar homegrown apps are enjoying the spike in the number of users.

More than two months after Tik Tok was banned, the story of short video apps in India is moving on two tracks influencers are struggling to rebuild their fan base and compensate for the dip in their incomes while similar homegrown apps are enjoying the spike in the number of users. So, 24-year-old beatboxer Jesus Mehta is trying to find a new home for his talents but Indian short video companies look at the absence of Tiktok as an opportunity to grow. On June 29, the government banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, leaving over 200 million users of the short video app feeling a little bereft and those like Mehta with significantly reduced earnings. A month before joining a job that would have paid him a little under Rs 10,000, Mehta last January decided to make TikTok videos showcasing his beatboxing talent instead. A year later, he had a following of over two million. And what had so far been a hobby paid him at least Rs 60,000 a month. Those glory days are over, at least for the moment, the Surat-based beatboxer said. The last two months haven't been smooth. TikTok was one of my sources of income. I also take online classes. TikTok alone earned me over Rs 60,000 monthly, and now it barely reaches Rs 20,000, Mehta told PTI over the phone. He would do brand collaborations and live performances on TikTok, where the audience could send gift points redeemable in cash rewards. He is now trying to rebuild his fanbase on Instagram and has so far got a little over 17,000 followers. While there is no dearth of options, including Chingari, Roposo, Rizzle and Instagram Reels, many TikTok creators are still looking for the right platform. But they will have to start from scratch and wait for a long time before money starts coming in. Yamuna Nagar-based TikTok creator Abheshek Garg said there are plenty of options available to create content but nothing comes close to TikTok in terms of audience reach and monetary benefits. "A lot of people were actually relying on TikTok for their bread and butter. So it has been a huge setback. The reach that platform had was immense. No application comes close to that,Garg, a fashion and travel blogger who had over a million followers on TikTok, said. "If you join any new platform, we won't get any monetary benefits because no brand associates with such new accounts or new applications. TikTok was well established, and it was growing massively in monetary terms, he added. Though several similar apps existed in India along with TikTok, it was only after the ban that they registered a sudden spike in new users. Roposo, a leading short-video platform in India, was launched in 2014. While it already had over 50 million downloads on Google Play Store, another 40 million users downloaded the app in the next two months after the TikTok ban. However, the Bangalore-based social video platform doesn't think the entire credit goes to the ban. According to Bikash Chowdhury, chief marketing officer of Glance, the parent company of Roposo, the application was already at the number one spot on the Google Play Store in the social app category in mid-June. Additionally, a few weeks back we introduced the Pride of India programme, a collaboration with Indian achievers like Babita Phogat, Chandro Tomar, Neel Ghose and Sangram Singh. The multifaceted programme provides these remarkable Indians a platform to mentor and inspire fellow Indians. This programme has seen a lot of engagement, he said. Vidya Narayanan, CEO and co-founder of Rizzle which was launched in June 2019, also believes it wasn't the TikTok ban that made the app popular but the content by its creators who continue to set new records and inspire new creators to join the tribe. Finding hundreds and even thousands of videos per creator profile on the feed is not uncommon on Rizzle. Our users surprised us with tweet storms for Rizzle and now it's a regular regime for them. They even started fan pages on Instagram and Facebook. This is a community that is going to town for this app. It is their initiative, Narayanan said. Since the ban on the popular app, some leading TikTokers', including Khushi Punjaban, who had over 18 million followers for her comedy and dance videos on the banned app, model Neetu Bisht with nearly seven million followers, and chef Rashika Punjabi with 2.8 lakh followers, joined Roposo. Masterchef India finalist Geetha Sridhar, who had over a million followers, and This is Sumesh' (short comic videos) with one million followers on TikTok, joined the Rizzle app. Sumit Ghosh, founder of Chingari, sees the scattered migration of top TikTok creators as an opportunity for short-video companies to coexist and even grow together. TikTok ban has created a kind of a gold rush, hundreds of tech startups are rushing to this space...In this space, we believe there can be multiple players, and they can coexist. Our plan anyway was to coexist with TikTok and grow so I think the differentiating factor will be the content genre, Ghosh said. Launched in November 2018, the Chingari app currently registers two-three million daily active users. Ghosh added that Chingari's focus is to build micro creators instead of going after influencers or TikTok stars. The very multiplicity of options can also be a problem. Without disclosing details, mental health speaker Gaurav Jain said his earnings had reduced "significantly" after the TikTok ban. He sees the availability of multiple platforms as a reason behind the division of his follower base on TikTok, which may further cause a delay in getting back the same popularity. "I think that followers have got distributed on so many different platforms since the TikTok ban. If I had a million followers on TikTok, two lakh might be using Roposo, another lakh might be using Takatak. "The creator will have to kind of recreate their audience. Some might recognise you from your face maybe, but I don't think the exact one million followers come back to me on another platform. I totally have to rebuild my audience," the Delhi-based influencer, with over a million TikTok followers, said.

Two months after TikTok: Influencers busy rebuilding fan base as homegrown apps enjoy 'gold rush'

Star power: How celebrities earn a bomb through advertisements and endorsements

China is using the strategy of giving credit and loans to countries across the world to become a global power with great influence, a top US intelligence official has said.

Daniel R Coats, Director of National Intelligence, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing said China was using a number of techniques that are far more than just the typical military land grab to increase its influence.

&quot;While China is modernising its military, is increasing its spending, most of it appears to be done for a deterrence purpose, rather than an aggressive purpose. They clearly have a strategy of using credit and loans to countries around the world, particularly in geo-strategic places, then combining it with some military capacity &mdash; South China Seas &mdash; their new base in Djibouti,&quot; Coats said.

&quot;We see that China is seeking, I think, to become a world power with great influence on a global basis. And they&#39;re using a number of techniques that are far more than just the typical military land grab that we see more likely with Russia, rather than China,&quot; Coats said.

He was responding to a question from Senator Angus King on the intelligence community&#39;s assessment of what China wants.

&quot;Are they moving toward military aggression and enlargement of their territory? Or are they looking more toward political and economic influence in the region?&quot; he asked.

&quot;It appears to be the latter,&quot; Coats said.&nbsp;

US official was responding to a question from Senator Angus King on the intelligence community's assessment of what China wants.

China is using the strategy of giving credit and loans to countries across the world to become a global power with great influence, a top US intelligence official has said. Daniel R Coats, Director of National Intelligence, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing said China was using a number of techniques that are far more than just the typical military land grab to increase its influence. "While China is modernising its military, is increasing its spending, most of it appears to be done for a deterrence purpose, rather than an aggressive purpose. They clearly have a strategy of using credit and loans to countries around the world, particularly in geo-strategic places, then combining it with some military capacity — South China Seas — their new base in Djibouti," Coats said. "We see that China is seeking, I think, to become a world power with great influence on a global basis. And they're using a number of techniques that are far more than just the typical military land grab that we see more likely with Russia, rather than China," Coats said. He was responding to a question from Senator Angus King on the intelligence community's assessment of what China wants. "Are they moving toward military aggression and enlargement of their territory? Or are they looking more toward political and economic influence in the region?" he asked. "It appears to be the latter," Coats said.

China giving loans to countries across world to increase its influence: US official

A recent report taken out by a Washington D.C.-based think tank has predicted that Communist China is seeking to expand its military and political influence across Latin America.

The report prepared by the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS) think-tank appears in the breitbart.com web site.

Titled, &quot;The Dragon and the Condor: Beyond China&#39;s Economic Influence in the Americas,&quot; the report has warned that Beijing is likely to increase its power through military and political means.

&quot;It is also clear that China&#39;s strategic objectives and interests are well beyond the economic realm, and that they raise considerable national security concerns for the U.S. as well as for other nations in the hemisphere,&quot; the SFS report claims.

The assessment of the SFS is that there has been a &quot;steady increase in Chinese intelligence activities in Latin America,&quot; noting that the countries in the region cannot combat Beijing&#39;s capabilities.

SFS notes that Beijing&#39;s intelligence activities in the Americas likely seek to &quot;collect information on U.S. military technology and doctrine; conduct cyber warfare; and carryout corporate espionage.&quot;

&quot;China&#39;s presence in Latin America will continue to grow not only in the economic sphere, but also in political, security, and cultural aspects. China&#39;s intelligence operations in Latin America will be carried out gradually and in stages, especially until Beijing can develop trusted human intelligence networks to support its activity,&quot; the report suggests.

In its most recent assessment of its operations, focused on Latin American countries below Mexico and most of the Caribbean, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) concedes that China&#39;s activities in the Americas pose a threat to the United States.

SOUTHCOM specifically noted Beijing&#39;s decision to expand its ambitious multi-trillion-dollar &quot;One Belt, One Road&quot; (OBOR) initiative to Latin America as a menace to U.S. interests.

The U.S. military has cautioned that the strategic challenge posed by China in this region requires a new approach to get effective results.

The national security think-tank analysis also highlights China&#39;s OBOR or the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as a threat to the United States.

The BRI raises serious inquiries about China&#39;s long-term interests and objectives abroad.

The U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), which covers American military activity in China, New Zealand, and all the countries in between, recently cautioned lawmakers the Chinese armed forces might soon challenge the United States&#39; military dominance in the Indo-Pacific region &quot;across almost all domains.&quot; (ANI)

'It is also clear that China's strategic objectives and interests are well beyond the economic realm, and that they raise considerable national security concerns for the U.S. as well as for other nations in the hemisphere,' say a recent report

A recent report taken out by a Washington D.C.-based think tank has predicted that Communist China is seeking to expand its military and political influence across Latin America. The report prepared by the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS) think-tank appears in the breitbart.com web site. Titled, "The Dragon and the Condor: Beyond China's Economic Influence in the Americas," the report has warned that Beijing is likely to increase its power through military and political means. "It is also clear that China's strategic objectives and interests are well beyond the economic realm, and that they raise considerable national security concerns for the U.S. as well as for other nations in the hemisphere," the SFS report claims. The assessment of the SFS is that there has been a "steady increase in Chinese intelligence activities in Latin America," noting that the countries in the region cannot combat Beijing's capabilities. SFS notes that Beijing's intelligence activities in the Americas likely seek to "collect information on U.S. military technology and doctrine; conduct cyber warfare; and carryout corporate espionage." "China's presence in Latin America will continue to grow not only in the economic sphere, but also in political, security, and cultural aspects. China's intelligence operations in Latin America will be carried out gradually and in stages, especially until Beijing can develop trusted human intelligence networks to support its activity," the report suggests. In its most recent assessment of its operations, focused on Latin American countries below Mexico and most of the Caribbean, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) concedes that China's activities in the Americas pose a threat to the United States. SOUTHCOM specifically noted Beijing's decision to expand its ambitious multi-trillion-dollar "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR) initiative to Latin America as a menace to U.S. interests. The U.S. military has cautioned that the strategic challenge posed by China in this region requires a new approach to get effective results. The national security think-tank analysis also highlights China's OBOR or the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as a threat to the United States. The BRI raises serious inquiries about China's long-term interests and objectives abroad. The U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), which covers American military activity in China, New Zealand, and all the countries in between, recently cautioned lawmakers the Chinese armed forces might soon challenge the United States' military dominance in the Indo-Pacific region "across almost all domains." (ANI)

China expanding military, political influence in Latin America

The United States pressed Russia on Monday to use its &quot;influence&quot; to secure an &quot;immediate&quot; full-fledged halt to a bloody offensive in Syria&#39;s rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta.

&quot;The Syrian regime, and its Russian and Iranian backers, continue to attack East Ghouta, a densely populated suburb of Damascus, despite the ceasefire called for by the United Nations Security Council,&quot; State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted.

&quot;The regime claims it is fighting terrorists, but is instead terrorizing hundreds of thousands of civilians with airstrikes, artillery, rockets, and a looming ground attack. The regime&rsquo;s use of chlorine gas as a weapon only intensifies the misery of the civilian population.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syrias-ghouta-russia-orders-daily-5-hour-truce-34166" target="_blank">Russia orders daily 5-hour truce</a>

&quot;#Russia has the influence to stop these operations if it chooses to live up to its obligations under the #UNSC ceasefire,&quot; she added, referring to a Security Council resolution for a 30-day truce that has been a dead letter since it was passed on Saturday.

&quot;The United States calls for an immediate end to offensive operations and urgent access for humanitarian workers to treat the wounded and deliver badly needed humanitarian aid.&quot;

'#Russia has the influence to stop these operations (in Ghouta) if it chooses to live up to its obligations under the #UNSC ceasefire,' State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted

The United States pressed Russia on Monday to use its "influence" to secure an "immediate" full-fledged halt to a bloody offensive in Syria's rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta. "The Syrian regime, and its Russian and Iranian backers, continue to attack East Ghouta, a densely populated suburb of Damascus, despite the ceasefire called for by the United Nations Security Council," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted. "The regime claims it is fighting terrorists, but is instead terrorizing hundreds of thousands of civilians with airstrikes, artillery, rockets, and a looming ground attack. The regime’s use of chlorine gas as a weapon only intensifies the misery of the civilian population. Also read: Russia orders daily 5-hour truce "#Russia has the influence to stop these operations if it chooses to live up to its obligations under the #UNSC ceasefire," she added, referring to a Security Council resolution for a 30-day truce that has been a dead letter since it was passed on Saturday. "The United States calls for an immediate end to offensive operations and urgent access for humanitarian workers to treat the wounded and deliver badly needed humanitarian aid."

US urges Russia to use 'influence' to stop Syria offensive

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