US President Donald Trump said Friday he had saved <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-university-seige-8-students-arrested-as-protests-fizzle-out-263764">Hong Kong </a>from being destroyed by persuading Chinese President Xi Jinping to hold off on sending in troops to crush its pro-democracy movement.

"If it weren't for me, Hong Kong would have been obliterated in 14 minutes," Trump said in a scattershot early morning interview with Fox News.

Trump's comments come as he mulls signing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-house-passes-hong-kong-rights-bill-president-trump-expected-to-sign-263483">congressionally-approved legislation </a>in support of the pro-democracy activists -- or bow to Beijing's threats of retaliation if the law is enacted.

Asked whether he would veto the legislation, green-lit by an overwhelming margin in Congress on Wednesday, Trump equivocated.

"I'll tell you we have to stand with Hong Kong but I'm also standing with President Xi. He is a friend of mine he is an incredible guy," Trump said. "I would like to see them work it out. We have to see them work it out," he added.

Trump cast his relationship with Xi as the bulwark keeping China from moving against the pro-democracy movement that has rocked Hong Kong during almost six months of increasingly violent protests.

He added that a "million soldiers standing outside of Hong Kong are not going only because I asked him: 'Please don't do that. You will be making a big mistake. It will have a tremendous negative impact on the trade deal.'"

Trump acknowledged that the tension over the former British colony -- handed back to China in 1997 -- has complicated efforts to strike a trade deal with Beijing, a top Trump priority and source of economic uncertainty as Washington heads into an election year.

US and Chinese trade negotiators are "potentially very close" to a deal, he said.

'Fightback'&nbsp;

Earlier in Beijing, Xi met a group of former US officials and other foreign dignitaries, including Richard Nixon's Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, ex-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Trump's erstwhile economic advisor Gary Cohn.

"As we always said we don't want to start the trade war but we are not afraid," Xi said. "When necessary we will fightback but we have been working actively to try not to have a trade war."

The Hong Kong bill awaiting Trump's signature supports human rights and democracy in the city while threatening to revoke its special economic status.

A separate measure bans the sale of tear gas, rubber bullets and other equipment used by the security forces to suppress pro-democracy protests.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi denounced the bill as "naked interference" in China's internal affairs and vowed retaliatory measures.

The law's overwhelming passage, first by a unanimous vote in the Senate followed by a 417-1 vote in House of Representatives on Wednesday, underscored the rare bipartisan support for the measure in the US Congress. 
&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump said Friday he had saved Hong Kong from being destroyed by persuading Chinese President Xi Jinping to hold off on sending in troops to crush its pro-democracy movement.

US President Donald Trump said Friday he had saved Hong Kong from being destroyed by persuading Chinese President Xi Jinping to hold off on sending in troops to crush its pro-democracy movement. "If it weren't for me, Hong Kong would have been obliterated in 14 minutes," Trump said in a scattershot early morning interview with Fox News. Trump's comments come as he mulls signing congressionally-approved legislation in support of the pro-democracy activists -- or bow to Beijing's threats of retaliation if the law is enacted. Asked whether he would veto the legislation, green-lit by an overwhelming margin in Congress on Wednesday, Trump equivocated. "I'll tell you we have to stand with Hong Kong but I'm also standing with President Xi. He is a friend of mine he is an incredible guy," Trump said. "I would like to see them work it out. We have to see them work it out," he added. Trump cast his relationship with Xi as the bulwark keeping China from moving against the pro-democracy movement that has rocked Hong Kong during almost six months of increasingly violent protests. He added that a "million soldiers standing outside of Hong Kong are not going only because I asked him: 'Please don't do that. You will be making a big mistake. It will have a tremendous negative impact on the trade deal.'" Trump acknowledged that the tension over the former British colony -- handed back to China in 1997 -- has complicated efforts to strike a trade deal with Beijing, a top Trump priority and source of economic uncertainty as Washington heads into an election year. US and Chinese trade negotiators are "potentially very close" to a deal, he said. 'Fightback' Earlier in Beijing, Xi met a group of former US officials and other foreign dignitaries, including Richard Nixon's Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, ex-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Trump's erstwhile economic advisor Gary Cohn. "As we always said we don't want to start the trade war but we are not afraid," Xi said. "When necessary we will fightback but we have been working actively to try not to have a trade war." The Hong Kong bill awaiting Trump's signature supports human rights and democracy in the city while threatening to revoke its special economic status. A separate measure bans the sale of tear gas, rubber bullets and other equipment used by the security forces to suppress pro-democracy protests. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi denounced the bill as "naked interference" in China's internal affairs and vowed retaliatory measures. The law's overwhelming passage, first by a unanimous vote in the Senate followed by a 417-1 vote in House of Representatives on Wednesday, underscored the rare bipartisan support for the measure in the US Congress.

Hong Kong would be 'obliterated in 14 minutes' if not for me: Donald Trump

South Korea decided Friday against scrapping a critical military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, in a dramatic <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-to-terminate-intelligence-pact-with-japan-in-defiance-of-united-states-263779">11th-hour U-turn </a>that will come as a relief to the United States.

The pact was due to expire at midnight amid a sharp deterioration in ties between the two democracies and market economies that has alarmed Washington as it seeks to curb the threat from nuclear-armed North Korea.

But after a flurry of last-ditch diplomacy, Seoul announced it would "conditionally" suspend the expiry of the agreement with just six hours left on the clock.

Kim You-geun, a national security official at Seoul's presidential Blue House, confirmed the accord, known as GSOMIA, would not be allowed to lapse at midnight.

"The Japanese government has expressed their understanding," he said.

However, he warned that the pact could still "be terminated at any time."

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said three-way co-ordination between Tokyo, Seoul and Washington was "extremely important," adding that he believed South Korea had taken their decision from a "strategic point of view."

But Defence Minister Taro Kono stressed that it was a temporary measure and urged Seoul to extend the pact "in a firm manner."

Officials are now scrambling to arrange bilateral talks between Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha on the sidelines of a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Nagoya.

Seoul had announced the scrapping of the pact in August, as a trade row sparked by historical disputes between the pair spiralled into one of their worst diplomatic spats in years.

Seoul and Tokyo are both major US allies seen as an anchor of stability in a tinderbox region with overbearing China and wayward, nuclear-armed North Korea.

But their relationship is heavily coloured by territorial and historical disputes stemming from Japan's bitterly-resented 35-year colonial rule over the peninsula, including the use of wartime sex slaves and forced labour.

The GSOMIA pact, signed in 2016, enabled the two US allies to share military secrets, particularly over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile capacity.

'Huge setback'&nbsp;

The United States had frequently urged its two main allies in the region to bury the hatchet, with officials admitting privately that the poor relations are complicating diplomacy in the region.

Ditching the pact would have been "a huge setback for one of the pillars of East Asia's security that Japan, South Korea and the United States have established", said Kenichiro Sasae, a former top Japanese foreign minister official and ambassador to the US.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on a recent trip to Asia that the only beneficiaries from the pact being scrapped would be North Korea and China, and urged the two allies to "sit down and work through their differences".

South Korea had promised to continue sharing secrets via the United States as a third party, but this had raised concerns about efficiency in an emergency situation.

Seoul had renewed the pact every year and its sudden decision to scrap it had come as a surprise as most thought the country would maintain security cooperation with Japan despite the ongoing row.

However, ties between the pair remain in the deep freeze after a string of South Korean court rulings ordering Japanese firms to compensate wartime forced labour victims infuriated Japan.

Relations were further hit in July after Tokyo said Seoul was not properly handling sensitive imports and took the country off a list of nations that enjoyed streamlined export control procedures.

This enraged South Korea, which hit back with similar moves, culminating in the decision to end the military pact.

Japan says a 1965 treaty that normalised relations with a significant financial contribution effectively settled all reparation claims from its wartime atrocities.

"The biggest issue and the root problem is the issue related to former labourers from the Korean peninsula," Motegi told reporters.

"We continue to strongly demand South Korea to remedy as soon as possible the current situation that violates the international law."

On the trade issue, Japanese trade ministry official Yoichi Iida said the two countries would hold talks "as soon as possible" to resolve their row but insisted this had "nothing to do" with the military pact.

South Korea decided Friday against scrapping a critical military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, in a dramatic 11th-hour U-turn that will come as a relief to the United States.

South Korea decided Friday against scrapping a critical military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, in a dramatic 11th-hour U-turn that will come as a relief to the United States. The pact was due to expire at midnight amid a sharp deterioration in ties between the two democracies and market economies that has alarmed Washington as it seeks to curb the threat from nuclear-armed North Korea. But after a flurry of last-ditch diplomacy, Seoul announced it would "conditionally" suspend the expiry of the agreement with just six hours left on the clock. Kim You-geun, a national security official at Seoul's presidential Blue House, confirmed the accord, known as GSOMIA, would not be allowed to lapse at midnight. "The Japanese government has expressed their understanding," he said. However, he warned that the pact could still "be terminated at any time." Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said three-way co-ordination between Tokyo, Seoul and Washington was "extremely important," adding that he believed South Korea had taken their decision from a "strategic point of view." But Defence Minister Taro Kono stressed that it was a temporary measure and urged Seoul to extend the pact "in a firm manner." Officials are now scrambling to arrange bilateral talks between Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha on the sidelines of a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Nagoya. Seoul had announced the scrapping of the pact in August, as a trade row sparked by historical disputes between the pair spiralled into one of their worst diplomatic spats in years. Seoul and Tokyo are both major US allies seen as an anchor of stability in a tinderbox region with overbearing China and wayward, nuclear-armed North Korea. But their relationship is heavily coloured by territorial and historical disputes stemming from Japan's bitterly-resented 35-year colonial rule over the peninsula, including the use of wartime sex slaves and forced labour. The GSOMIA pact, signed in 2016, enabled the two US allies to share military secrets, particularly over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile capacity. 'Huge setback' The United States had frequently urged its two main allies in the region to bury the hatchet, with officials admitting privately that the poor relations are complicating diplomacy in the region. Ditching the pact would have been "a huge setback for one of the pillars of East Asia's security that Japan, South Korea and the United States have established", said Kenichiro Sasae, a former top Japanese foreign minister official and ambassador to the US. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on a recent trip to Asia that the only beneficiaries from the pact being scrapped would be North Korea and China, and urged the two allies to "sit down and work through their differences". South Korea had promised to continue sharing secrets via the United States as a third party, but this had raised concerns about efficiency in an emergency situation. Seoul had renewed the pact every year and its sudden decision to scrap it had come as a surprise as most thought the country would maintain security cooperation with Japan despite the ongoing row. However, ties between the pair remain in the deep freeze after a string of South Korean court rulings ordering Japanese firms to compensate wartime forced labour victims infuriated Japan. Relations were further hit in July after Tokyo said Seoul was not properly handling sensitive imports and took the country off a list of nations that enjoyed streamlined export control procedures. This enraged South Korea, which hit back with similar moves, culminating in the decision to end the military pact. Japan says a 1965 treaty that normalised relations with a significant financial contribution effectively settled all reparation claims from its wartime atrocities. "The biggest issue and the root problem is the issue related to former labourers from the Korean peninsula," Motegi told reporters. "We continue to strongly demand South Korea to remedy as soon as possible the current situation that violates the international law." On the trade issue, Japanese trade ministry official Yoichi Iida said the two countries would hold talks "as soon as possible" to resolve their row but insisted this had "nothing to do" with the military pact.

South Korea salvages military pact with Japan at 11th hour

Nearly 75 per cent of children and teens killed in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blames-mass-shootings-on-mentally-ill-calls-for-more-mental-institutions-243232">mass shootings </a>in the United States over the last decade were victims of domestic violence and generally died in their homes, as per a study conducted by a gun-control group.&nbsp;

The Everytown report that is based on police, court and media reports found that in 54% of mass shootings, the shooter targeted a family member or an intimate partner.&nbsp;

As per the report, 1,121 people lost their lives in 194 mass shootings in the decade examined, one-third of total victims were children or teens. Nearly two-thirds of the killings took place inside the homes.&nbsp;

"These are not random acts of violence, yet people have the perception that the killings come out of nowhere," said Sarah Burd-Sharps, Everytown's research director. "That is simply not the truth."

Burd-Sharp said that the report intends that people understand the statistical reality of mass shootings, which the report defines an act where at least 4 people are killed excluding the shooter. However, the federal government considers an incident mass shooting with a much lower number than the definition of the Everytown report, which means that the number can be much higher.&nbsp;

In the US, only 1% of nearly 35,000 deaths by a gun attack in the past decade came under the definition of mass shooting but Burd-Sharp believes that public interest regarding this will help in propelling gun-safety legislation that will cut down gun deaths across the board.&nbsp;

Everytown suggests a list of actions and on top of that list is a "red flag" law that would allow family members or law enforcement authorities to petition to judge to seize weapons from the person they think is a threat to them or others.&nbsp; The report also recommends a comprehensive federal law requiring background checks of all gun sales.&nbsp;

The connection between mass shooting and domestic violence was recently seen in San Diego, when a man, who had a restraining order against him, killed his wife and four young sons before committing suicide.&nbsp;

"When you look at all these cases of kids who lost their lives, if some family member had been able to heed the warning signs and temporarily had guns removed from the home, many of those children would still be alive," Burd-Sharps said.

(with inputs from Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

Nearly 75 per cent of children and teens killed in the mass shootings in the United States over the last decade were victims of domestic violence and generally died in their homes, as per a study conducted by a gun-control group.

Nearly 75 per cent of children and teens killed in the mass shootings in the United States over the last decade were victims of domestic violence and generally died in their homes, as per a study conducted by a gun-control group. The Everytown report that is based on police, court and media reports found that in 54% of mass shootings, the shooter targeted a family member or an intimate partner. As per the report, 1,121 people lost their lives in 194 mass shootings in the decade examined, one-third of total victims were children or teens. Nearly two-thirds of the killings took place inside the homes. "These are not random acts of violence, yet people have the perception that the killings come out of nowhere," said Sarah Burd-Sharps, Everytown's research director. "That is simply not the truth." Burd-Sharp said that the report intends that people understand the statistical reality of mass shootings, which the report defines an act where at least 4 people are killed excluding the shooter. However, the federal government considers an incident mass shooting with a much lower number than the definition of the Everytown report, which means that the number can be much higher. In the US, only 1% of nearly 35,000 deaths by a gun attack in the past decade came under the definition of mass shooting but Burd-Sharp believes that public interest regarding this will help in propelling gun-safety legislation that will cut down gun deaths across the board. Everytown suggests a list of actions and on top of that list is a "red flag" law that would allow family members or law enforcement authorities to petition to judge to seize weapons from the person they think is a threat to them or others. The report also recommends a comprehensive federal law requiring background checks of all gun sales. The connection between mass shooting and domestic violence was recently seen in San Diego, when a man, who had a restraining order against him, killed his wife and four young sons before committing suicide. "When you look at all these cases of kids who lost their lives, if some family member had been able to heed the warning signs and temporarily had guns removed from the home, many of those children would still be alive," Burd-Sharps said. (with inputs from Reuters)

75% of children died in mass shootings in US were victims of domestic violence: Report

A lawyer for some of the alleged victims of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-epstein-accuser-calls-on-prince-andrew-to-talk-to-us-authorities-263156">Jeffrey Epstein </a>on Thursday said they wanted to speak to Prince Andrew about his links to the late convicted sex offender.

Queen Elizabeth II's second son, 59, has faced outrage for days after he gave a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britains-prince-andrew-sparks-backlash-after-disastrous-tv-interview-262746">television interview </a>in which he defended his friendship with the disgraced financier.

The prince is accused of having had sex with a 17-year-old girl procured by Epstein, who was found dead in a New York prison in August.&nbsp;

Andrew denies the allegations.

But on Wednesday he said he was stepping down from public duties because the outcry was causing "major disruption" to the royal family and the charities and organisations associated with it.

He said he was "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations if required".

US lawyer Lisa Bloom, who represents five women allegedly assaulted by Epstein, told BBC radio that Andrew should speak to everyone probing the allegations, including her.

"All of the staff who work for Prince Andrew should come and give information and evidence and the documents should be turned over -- emails, texts, calendars, phone logs, travel logs -- so we can get to the bottom of this," she said.

Bloom did not rule out approaching the prince directly to secure a sworn statement.

"We believe that nobody is above the law and that everybody should have to answer questions if they have relevant information -- and he clearly does have relevant information."

Since the interview, Andrew has been accused of failing to show sympathy for Epstein's victims, prompting companies and organisations to reassess their ties with the royal.

Some institutions supporting business initiatives championed by the prince have either failed to renew their support or said it was under review.

Others have faced calls for Andrew to be dropped as patron.

A lawyer for some of the alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday said they wanted to speak to Prince Andrew about his links to the late convicted sex offender.

A lawyer for some of the alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday said they wanted to speak to Prince Andrew about his links to the late convicted sex offender. Queen Elizabeth II's second son, 59, has faced outrage for days after he gave a television interview in which he defended his friendship with the disgraced financier. The prince is accused of having had sex with a 17-year-old girl procured by Epstein, who was found dead in a New York prison in August. Andrew denies the allegations. But on Wednesday he said he was stepping down from public duties because the outcry was causing "major disruption" to the royal family and the charities and organisations associated with it. He said he was "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations if required". US lawyer Lisa Bloom, who represents five women allegedly assaulted by Epstein, told BBC radio that Andrew should speak to everyone probing the allegations, including her. "All of the staff who work for Prince Andrew should come and give information and evidence and the documents should be turned over -- emails, texts, calendars, phone logs, travel logs -- so we can get to the bottom of this," she said. Bloom did not rule out approaching the prince directly to secure a sworn statement. "We believe that nobody is above the law and that everybody should have to answer questions if they have relevant information -- and he clearly does have relevant information." Since the interview, Andrew has been accused of failing to show sympathy for Epstein's victims, prompting companies and organisations to reassess their ties with the royal. Some institutions supporting business initiatives championed by the prince have either failed to renew their support or said it was under review. Others have faced calls for Andrew to be dropped as patron.

Prince Andrew urged to cooperate with US over Jeffrey Epstein

China will strive to reach an initial <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-china-trade-deal-may-not-be-signed-this-year-263497">trade agreement </a>with the United States as both sides keep communication channels open, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, in an attempt to allay fears talks might be unraveling.

China is willing to work with the United States to resolve each other's core concerns on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and will try hard to reach a "phase one" deal, Gao Feng, spokesman at the ministry, told reporters.

"This is in line with the interests of both China and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/donald-trump-says-us-is-still-talking-to-china-on-trade-263477">United States</a>, and of the world," Gao said.

Economists warn that the prolonged trade dispute between China and the United States is escalating risks to the global economy by disrupting supply chains, discouraging investment and dampening business confidence.

Completion of a phase one deal could slide into next year, trade experts and people close to the White House told Reuters previously, as Beijing presses for more extensive tariff rollbacks and the US&nbsp;administration counters with heightened demands of its own.

Officials from Beijing had suggested that Chinese President Xi Jinping and US&nbsp;counterpart Donald Trump might sign a deal in early December.

Some experts said the next date to watch was Dec&nbsp;15, when US&nbsp;tariffs on about $156 billion in Chinese goods are set to take effect, including holiday gift items such as electronics and Christmas decorations.

In a dinner speech in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said he was "cautiously optimistic" on a phase one deal, Bloomberg News said, citing people who attended the event ahead of a forum organised by Bloomberg LP.

Liu, China's chief negotiator at the trade talks, separately told one of the attendees that he was "confused" about the US&nbsp;demands, but was confident the first phase of a deal could be completed nevertheless, Bloomberg added.

Gao, when asked about sticking points and whether they were related to Washington's demand for China to buy more US&nbsp;farm goods and the tariff rollbacks, said he did not have more information to disclose beyond the fact that both parties would continue to communicate, and "outside rumours are not accurate."

A former Chinese commerce minister told Reuters that both sides should return to the time when the trade war first started.

"We should return to the point of origin and cancel all tariffs," Wei Jianguo said on the sidelines of the Bloomberg forum.

Wei said he was hopeful for a phase one pact, in light of the pressure on both the US&nbsp;and Chinese economies as the trade war dragged on.

"Now, Trump himself is cognizant about the needs of the (upcoming US) elections, and the US&nbsp;economy has also suffered great losses," he said.

"Under such circumstances, it is entirely possible to reach a phased agreement."

Hong Kong issue

A fresh row between Washington and Beijing over US&nbsp;legislation on Hong Kong has also threatened to undermine their trade talks and delay a phase one deal that investors had initially hoped to be signed by now.

The US&nbsp;House of Representatives on Wednesday passed two bills to back protesters in Hong Kong and send a warning to China about human rights, with Trump expected to sign them into law.

The measure, which has angered Beijing, would require the State Department to certify at least once a year that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy to qualify for the special US&nbsp;trading consideration that helped it become a world financial centre.

It also would provide for sanctions against officials responsible for human rights violations in the Chinese-ruled city.

"We urge the US&nbsp;side to cease this activity, stop before it's too late and take measures to prevent these measures from becoming law, stop meddling in Hong Kong's affairs and China's affairs," said Geng Shuang, spokesman at the Chinese foreign ministry.

"If they must insist on going down this wrong path China will take strong counter-measures," Geng told reporters at a regular briefing on Thursday.

Demonstrators have protested for months in the streets of Hong Kong, amid increasing violence and fears that Beijing will ramp up its response to stop the civil disobedience.

Trump has 10 days, excluding Sundays, to sign a bill passed by Congress, unless he opts to use his veto.

On Thursday, the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s main newspaper, the People's Daily, urged the United States to "rein in the horse at the edge of the precipice" and stop interfering in Hong Kong matters and China’s internal affairs.

"If the US&nbsp;side obstinately clings to its course, the Chinese side will inevitably adopt forceful measures to take resolute revenge, and all consequences will be borne by the United States," it said in a front-page editorial.

China will strive to reach an initial trade agreement with the United States as both sides keep communication channels open, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, in an attempt to allay fears talks might be unraveling.

China will strive to reach an initial trade agreement with the United States as both sides keep communication channels open, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, in an attempt to allay fears talks might be unraveling. China is willing to work with the United States to resolve each other's core concerns on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and will try hard to reach a "phase one" deal, Gao Feng, spokesman at the ministry, told reporters. "This is in line with the interests of both China and the United States, and of the world," Gao said. Economists warn that the prolonged trade dispute between China and the United States is escalating risks to the global economy by disrupting supply chains, discouraging investment and dampening business confidence. Completion of a phase one deal could slide into next year, trade experts and people close to the White House told Reuters previously, as Beijing presses for more extensive tariff rollbacks and the US administration counters with heightened demands of its own. Officials from Beijing had suggested that Chinese President Xi Jinping and US counterpart Donald Trump might sign a deal in early December. Some experts said the next date to watch was Dec 15, when US tariffs on about $156 billion in Chinese goods are set to take effect, including holiday gift items such as electronics and Christmas decorations. In a dinner speech in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said he was "cautiously optimistic" on a phase one deal, Bloomberg News said, citing people who attended the event ahead of a forum organised by Bloomberg LP. Liu, China's chief negotiator at the trade talks, separately told one of the attendees that he was "confused" about the US demands, but was confident the first phase of a deal could be completed nevertheless, Bloomberg added. Gao, when asked about sticking points and whether they were related to Washington's demand for China to buy more US farm goods and the tariff rollbacks, said he did not have more information to disclose beyond the fact that both parties would continue to communicate, and "outside rumours are not accurate." A former Chinese commerce minister told Reuters that both sides should return to the time when the trade war first started. "We should return to the point of origin and cancel all tariffs," Wei Jianguo said on the sidelines of the Bloomberg forum. Wei said he was hopeful for a phase one pact, in light of the pressure on both the US and Chinese economies as the trade war dragged on. "Now, Trump himself is cognizant about the needs of the (upcoming US) elections, and the US economy has also suffered great losses," he said. "Under such circumstances, it is entirely possible to reach a phased agreement." Hong Kong issue A fresh row between Washington and Beijing over US legislation on Hong Kong has also threatened to undermine their trade talks and delay a phase one deal that investors had initially hoped to be signed by now. The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed two bills to back protesters in Hong Kong and send a warning to China about human rights, with Trump expected to sign them into law. The measure, which has angered Beijing, would require the State Department to certify at least once a year that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy to qualify for the special US trading consideration that helped it become a world financial centre. It also would provide for sanctions against officials responsible for human rights violations in the Chinese-ruled city. "We urge the US side to cease this activity, stop before it's too late and take measures to prevent these measures from becoming law, stop meddling in Hong Kong's affairs and China's affairs," said Geng Shuang, spokesman at the Chinese foreign ministry. "If they must insist on going down this wrong path China will take strong counter-measures," Geng told reporters at a regular briefing on Thursday. Demonstrators have protested for months in the streets of Hong Kong, amid increasing violence and fears that Beijing will ramp up its response to stop the civil disobedience. Trump has 10 days, excluding Sundays, to sign a bill passed by Congress, unless he opts to use his veto. On Thursday, the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s main newspaper, the People's Daily, urged the United States to "rein in the horse at the edge of the precipice" and stop interfering in Hong Kong matters and China’s internal affairs. "If the US side obstinately clings to its course, the Chinese side will inevitably adopt forceful measures to take resolute revenge, and all consequences will be borne by the United States," it said in a front-page editorial.

Will strive to reach 'phase one' trade deal with US: China

The launch of PSLV-C47 carrying Cartosat-3 which was scheduled for November 25 at 0928 hours, has been rescheduled for November 27 at 0928 hours from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-space-research-organisation-to-launch-cartosat-3-13-nano-satellites-on-november-25-263253">Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</a> will launch the Cartosat-3 and 13 Nanosatellites of the US on the rescheduled date from the second launch pad of the space centre.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/isro-fixed-a-date-time-for-launch-of-cartosat-3-and-13-commercial-nanosatellites-263250/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C47 will launch Cartosat-3 and 13 commercial nanosatellites into the Sun-synchronous orbit. Cartosat-3 satellite is a third-generation agile advanced satellite having high-resolution imaging capability.&nbsp;

The satellite will be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degrees. PSLV-C47 will also carry 13 commercial nanosatellites from the United States of America as part of a commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Department of Space.

The launch of PSLV-C47 carrying Cartosat-3 which was scheduled for November 25 at 0928 hours, has been rescheduled for November 27 at 0928 hours from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

The launch of PSLV-C47 carrying Cartosat-3 which was scheduled for November 25 at 0928 hours, has been rescheduled for November 27 at 0928 hours from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch the Cartosat-3 and 13 Nanosatellites of the US on the rescheduled date from the second launch pad of the space centre. India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C47 will launch Cartosat-3 and 13 commercial nanosatellites into the Sun-synchronous orbit. Cartosat-3 satellite is a third-generation agile advanced satellite having high-resolution imaging capability. The satellite will be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degrees. PSLV-C47 will also carry 13 commercial nanosatellites from the United States of America as part of a commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Department of Space.

Cartosat-3 launch date rescheduled to November 27 by ISRO

US&nbsp;President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-china-tariffs-will-go-even-higher-without-deal-263234">Donald Trump </a>said on Wednesday the United States is continuing to talk to China but gave no other details, as both sides tried to hammer out a phase one trade deal ahead of looming US tariffs due next month.

"We continue to talk to China. China wants to make a deal. The question is: Do I want to make a deal? Because I like what's happening now," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Trump last month announced an agreement for an initial trade deal with Beijing but no formal agreement has been released. The pact had initially been expected to be signed by mid-November, but experts now say it could be pushed into next year.

Two people briefed on the talks have said Trump wants deeper concessions from China in order to roll back existing tariffs and cancel additional tariffs on some $156 billion in Chinese consumer goods scheduled to take effect Dec&nbsp;15.

On Tuesday, Trump also threatened to raise tariffs if no deal is reached with Beijing.

The ongoing trade dispute between the world's two largest economies have roiled financial markets and threatened global economic growth.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States is continuing to talk to China but gave no other details, as both sides tried to hammer out a phase one trade deal ahead of looming US tariffs due next month.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States is continuing to talk to China but gave no other details, as both sides tried to hammer out a phase one trade deal ahead of looming US tariffs due next month. "We continue to talk to China. China wants to make a deal. The question is: Do I want to make a deal? Because I like what's happening now," Trump told reporters at the White House. Trump last month announced an agreement for an initial trade deal with Beijing but no formal agreement has been released. The pact had initially been expected to be signed by mid-November, but experts now say it could be pushed into next year. Two people briefed on the talks have said Trump wants deeper concessions from China in order to roll back existing tariffs and cancel additional tariffs on some $156 billion in Chinese consumer goods scheduled to take effect Dec 15. On Tuesday, Trump also threatened to raise tariffs if no deal is reached with Beijing. The ongoing trade dispute between the world's two largest economies have roiled financial markets and threatened global economic growth.

Donald Trump says US is still talking to China on trade

A senior North Korean official said on Wednesday that the United States must drop its "hostile policy" towards Pyongyang in order to restart stalled denuclearisation talks, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui told reporters after meeting Russian officials in Moscow it would be "impossible" to hold another summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US&nbsp;President Donald Trump if he maintains his current stance towards the North.

"To negotiate with the United States going forward, we would be able to discuss nuclear issues again when it withdraws all of its hostile policy against us," Choe said, according to Yonhap.

"In that sense, I think a summit should not really be an issue of our interest."

She did not specify what constituted such a policy, but North Korea's foreign ministry said on Sunday that a recent United Nations resolution on its human rights was a US-led "political provocation".

North Korea has also called for an end to joint military drills with South Korea, as well as sanctions that crippled its economy.

When asked what US&nbsp;action was needed to restart the talks, Choe said the Americans "know very well".

"The US side will have to lift all measures with which they treat us as an enemy and then inform us of such a strategic decision," she said.

Kim and Trump held a first, landmark summit in Singapore in June last year and agreed to improve relations and negotiate an end to North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

The efforts have made no substantial progress and their second summit collapsed in Vietnam in February.

The two leaders agreed in June, at a third meeting at the inter-Korean border, to re-open negotiations. But working-level talks in October between officials in Sweden ended with the North Korean envoy accusing the Americans of coming to the table empty-handed.

Choe, one of North Korea's key nuclear negotiators, met Russian officials including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday, Yonhap said.

Her remarks were the latest in a series of statements in recent weeks by senior Pyongyang officials calling for US&nbsp;action, as a year-end deadline set by Kim for Washington to show more flexibility draws near.

A senior North Korean official said on Wednesday that the United States must drop its "hostile policy" towards Pyongyang in order to restart stalled denuclearisation talks, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

A senior North Korean official said on Wednesday that the United States must drop its "hostile policy" towards Pyongyang in order to restart stalled denuclearisation talks, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui told reporters after meeting Russian officials in Moscow it would be "impossible" to hold another summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump if he maintains his current stance towards the North. "To negotiate with the United States going forward, we would be able to discuss nuclear issues again when it withdraws all of its hostile policy against us," Choe said, according to Yonhap. "In that sense, I think a summit should not really be an issue of our interest." She did not specify what constituted such a policy, but North Korea's foreign ministry said on Sunday that a recent United Nations resolution on its human rights was a US-led "political provocation". North Korea has also called for an end to joint military drills with South Korea, as well as sanctions that crippled its economy. When asked what US action was needed to restart the talks, Choe said the Americans "know very well". "The US side will have to lift all measures with which they treat us as an enemy and then inform us of such a strategic decision," she said. Kim and Trump held a first, landmark summit in Singapore in June last year and agreed to improve relations and negotiate an end to North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. The efforts have made no substantial progress and their second summit collapsed in Vietnam in February. The two leaders agreed in June, at a third meeting at the inter-Korean border, to re-open negotiations. But working-level talks in October between officials in Sweden ended with the North Korean envoy accusing the Americans of coming to the table empty-handed. Choe, one of North Korea's key nuclear negotiators, met Russian officials including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday, Yonhap said. Her remarks were the latest in a series of statements in recent weeks by senior Pyongyang officials calling for US action, as a year-end deadline set by Kim for Washington to show more flexibility draws near.

North Korea says no interest in Trump summit until 'hostile policy' removed

The Vatican spoke out on Wednesday against the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-policy-shift-united-states-backs-israeli-settlements-on-west-bank-263029">United States' decision </a>to no longer consider Israeli settlements illegal, joining stiff international criticism of the policy reversal.

Without naming the US, the Holy See said in a statement that "recent decisions ... risk undermining further the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the already fragile regional stability."

"The Holy See reiterates its position of a two-state solution for two peoples, as the only way to reach a complete solution to this age-old conflict," the Vatican said.&nbsp;

On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the Israeli settlements were "not, per se, inconsistent with international law," breaking with UN Security Council resolutions declaring the settlements to be illegal as they are built on occupied Palestinian land.&nbsp;

The policy shift puts the US at odds with virtually the whole of the rest of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-faces-palestinian-international-criticism-of-israel-settlement-move-263219">international community</a>, and criticism came on Tuesday from the European Union, the United Nations and the Arab League. &nbsp;

Courts in Israel have declared most major settlements legal.&nbsp;

More than 600,000 Israelis live in settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, alongside more than three million Palestinians. The settlements remain one of the thorniest issues in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.&nbsp;

The Holy See said it supported Israel's right to live in peace and security within the borders that are recognised by the international community and supported "the same right that belongs to the Palestinian people, which must be recognised, respected and implemented."

Israel has welcomed the US decision, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he was "very moved" by Pompeo's announcement.

US President Donald Trump's administration had "corrected a historic injustice and lined up with truth and justice," Netanyahu said.

Pope Francis, who arrived on Wednesday in Thailand ahead of a visit to Japan, has not himself directly addressed the issue.

The Vatican spoke out on Wednesday against the United States' decision to no longer consider Israeli settlements illegal, joining stiff international criticism of the policy reversal.

The Vatican spoke out on Wednesday against the United States' decision to no longer consider Israeli settlements illegal, joining stiff international criticism of the policy reversal. Without naming the US, the Holy See said in a statement that "recent decisions ... risk undermining further the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the already fragile regional stability." "The Holy See reiterates its position of a two-state solution for two peoples, as the only way to reach a complete solution to this age-old conflict," the Vatican said. On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the Israeli settlements were "not, per se, inconsistent with international law," breaking with UN Security Council resolutions declaring the settlements to be illegal as they are built on occupied Palestinian land. The policy shift puts the US at odds with virtually the whole of the rest of the international community, and criticism came on Tuesday from the European Union, the United Nations and the Arab League. Courts in Israel have declared most major settlements legal. More than 600,000 Israelis live in settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, alongside more than three million Palestinians. The settlements remain one of the thorniest issues in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Holy See said it supported Israel's right to live in peace and security within the borders that are recognised by the international community and supported "the same right that belongs to the Palestinian people, which must be recognised, respected and implemented." Israel has welcomed the US decision, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he was "very moved" by Pompeo's announcement. US President Donald Trump's administration had "corrected a historic injustice and lined up with truth and justice," Netanyahu said. Pope Francis, who arrived on Wednesday in Thailand ahead of a visit to Japan, has not himself directly addressed the issue.

Vatican criticises US policy shift on Israeli settlements

Some vying for the Democratic presidential nomination are loud and proud about their friendship with him. Others claim ideological kinship. And still others are taking distance from his record to stand out.

But one thing is for sure: Barack Obama is not saying anything -- well, much of anything.

The 58-year-old former president, who left power nearly three years ago with his popularity soaring, is quietly watching to see who in his party will duke it out with Donald Trump on November 3, 2020.

Beyond his positions on health care or immigration or education, numerous White House hopefuls have made reference to Obama's style -- a certain class in the way he exercised his power that is in stark contrast to the attitude of the billionaire Republican who succeeded him.

With less than three months to go before the first Democrats make their choice in the Iowa caucuses, the race is still entirely up in the air.

The next Democratic primary debate is set for Wednesday in Atlanta with 10 candidates on the stage and eager to score points -- <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-to-kick-off-us-presidential-bid-with-speech-to-union-workers-214499">Joe Biden</a>, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, Tulsi Gabbard, Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer.

At this point, it's impossible to predict who will ultimately claim the party's nomination.

And the list of those who dream of wresting the Oval Office from Trump just keeps getting longer.

Billionaire former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is once again flirting with a run, and former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick threw his hat in the ring this week.

The late entrance by Patrick, one of the first black governors in US history who is close to Obama, fueled speculation about the doubts that the ex-president may have about the ability of the candidates already in the race, including his vice president Biden, to take out Trump.

'My friend Barack'

Many of the questions indeed focus on Biden, who has been saddled with the moniker "Sleepy Joe" by Trump. While he remains one of the favourites, observers fear the 76-year-old from Delaware cannot go the distance.

On the campaign trail, Biden never misses a chance to highlight his close relationship with his "friend Barack," and their eight years in power.

Biden is no stranger to campaign politics, and when he launched his latest White House bid, he underscored the fact that he had specifically asked Obama not to back him from the outset... even though the former president had never indicated he would do so.

"President Obama has no plans to weigh in on the primary at this point -- preferring instead to let the candidates make their cases directly to voters," a source close to the former president told AFP.

But the 44th president of the United States has, unsurprisingly, ideas about how his party should approach the election to ensure that Trump is limited to just one term in office.

Little by little, he is positioning himself. In remarks Friday night to donors at the Democracy Alliance in Washington, he offered a few hints about how he sees the upcoming battle for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

'Tested' candidate&nbsp;

While he insisted on the need for new ideas from the party about reducing income inequality and other key issues, he issued a very clear warning about the temptation to take a sharp turn to the political left.

"Even as we push the envelope and we are bold in our vision, we also have to be rooted in reality," he said.

"The average American doesn't think we have to completely tear down the system and remake it," he added, noting that the United States was "a country that is less revolutionary than it is interested in improvement."

He called on the party faithful -- and by extension, its presidential candidates -- to be mindful that Democrats, independents and even moderate Republicans "are not driven by the same views that are reflected on certain, you know, left-leaning Twitter feeds, or the activist wing of our party."

He did not name names, but Warren and Sanders -- who have called for nothing short of a "political revolution -- certainly come to mind.

Obama appeared to want to reassure the many Democrats who fear that the crowded primary will end up being counterproductive, given that the incumbent Trump is all ready to run with a massive campaign war chest.

"For those who get stressed about robust primaries, I just have to remind you that I had a very robust primary," he said, recalling his at times acrimonious 2008 battle with Hillary Clinton.

"I'm confident that at the end of the process, we will have a candidate that has been tested."&nbsp;

Some vying for the Democratic presidential nomination are loud and proud about their friendship with him. Others claim ideological kinship. And still others are taking distance from his record to stand out.

Some vying for the Democratic presidential nomination are loud and proud about their friendship with him. Others claim ideological kinship. And still others are taking distance from his record to stand out. But one thing is for sure: Barack Obama is not saying anything -- well, much of anything. The 58-year-old former president, who left power nearly three years ago with his popularity soaring, is quietly watching to see who in his party will duke it out with Donald Trump on November 3, 2020. Beyond his positions on health care or immigration or education, numerous White House hopefuls have made reference to Obama's style -- a certain class in the way he exercised his power that is in stark contrast to the attitude of the billionaire Republican who succeeded him. With less than three months to go before the first Democrats make their choice in the Iowa caucuses, the race is still entirely up in the air. The next Democratic primary debate is set for Wednesday in Atlanta with 10 candidates on the stage and eager to score points -- Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, Tulsi Gabbard, Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer. At this point, it's impossible to predict who will ultimately claim the party's nomination. And the list of those who dream of wresting the Oval Office from Trump just keeps getting longer. Billionaire former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is once again flirting with a run, and former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick threw his hat in the ring this week. The late entrance by Patrick, one of the first black governors in US history who is close to Obama, fueled speculation about the doubts that the ex-president may have about the ability of the candidates already in the race, including his vice president Biden, to take out Trump. 'My friend Barack' Many of the questions indeed focus on Biden, who has been saddled with the moniker "Sleepy Joe" by Trump. While he remains one of the favourites, observers fear the 76-year-old from Delaware cannot go the distance. On the campaign trail, Biden never misses a chance to highlight his close relationship with his "friend Barack," and their eight years in power. Biden is no stranger to campaign politics, and when he launched his latest White House bid, he underscored the fact that he had specifically asked Obama not to back him from the outset... even though the former president had never indicated he would do so. "President Obama has no plans to weigh in on the primary at this point -- preferring instead to let the candidates make their cases directly to voters," a source close to the former president told AFP. But the 44th president of the United States has, unsurprisingly, ideas about how his party should approach the election to ensure that Trump is limited to just one term in office. Little by little, he is positioning himself. In remarks Friday night to donors at the Democracy Alliance in Washington, he offered a few hints about how he sees the upcoming battle for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 'Tested' candidate While he insisted on the need for new ideas from the party about reducing income inequality and other key issues, he issued a very clear warning about the temptation to take a sharp turn to the political left. "Even as we push the envelope and we are bold in our vision, we also have to be rooted in reality," he said. "The average American doesn't think we have to completely tear down the system and remake it," he added, noting that the United States was "a country that is less revolutionary than it is interested in improvement." He called on the party faithful -- and by extension, its presidential candidates -- to be mindful that Democrats, independents and even moderate Republicans "are not driven by the same views that are reflected on certain, you know, left-leaning Twitter feeds, or the activist wing of our party." He did not name names, but Warren and Sanders -- who have called for nothing short of a "political revolution -- certainly come to mind. Obama appeared to want to reassure the many Democrats who fear that the crowded primary will end up being counterproductive, given that the incumbent Trump is all ready to run with a massive campaign war chest. "For those who get stressed about robust primaries, I just have to remind you that I had a very robust primary," he said, recalling his at times acrimonious 2008 battle with Hillary Clinton. "I'm confident that at the end of the process, we will have a candidate that has been tested."

In White House race, who is Obama's political heir?

Turkey purchased S-400 missile defence systems to use them, not put them aside, chief of the Turkish Defence Industry Directorate said on Saturday.

Ismail Demir in an interview with CNN Turk that it was illogical for any country to purchase such systems only to put them aside. He added that the US and Turkey will hold talks to resolve the issue.

"We have allied relations with Russia and the United States. We have to go on and respect the agreements we signed," he said.

The United States has already suspended Turkey from the F-35 programme over the purchase of s-400s and warned that it will impose sanctions if the deal is not scrapped. Turkey began receiving the s-400 systems from July. Washington said that it will not impose sanctions if Turkey doesn't operate the system.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/despite-wonderful-meeting-trump-and-erdogan-fail-to-resolve-conflicts-262004">Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump </a>met in Washington to settle differences which include Syria policy and s-400 purchase. Trump asked Erdogan to drop the deal with Russia but Erdogan later said that the country will purchase <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/its-out-of-question-to-leave-s-400s-but-would-buy-patriots-too-says-turkish-president-erdogan-262147">US patriot defences </a>in addition to Russia's defence systems.&nbsp;

Erdogan's spokesperson Ibrahim Kalim said on Friday that both countries are working on a "joint mechanism" to ease off tensions over the F-35 programme and S-400 systems.

US has already removed Turkey from the F-35 jet programme under CAATSA that mandates sanctions for any "significant" purchase of weapons from Russia.&nbsp;

"We still believe we can find a middle ground on the S-400 issue, so long as both sides are open," Demir said.&nbsp;

Demir also said that the Turkish personnel will continue to receive training from Russia for s-400s but officials from Russia will not visit Turkey anymore to operate the missile systems.&nbsp;

Russia and Turkey have settled their differences in Syria and working&nbsp;closely to find a solution. Erdogan's spokesperson also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin planned to visit Turkey in the first week of January next year.&nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies)

Turkey purchased S-400 missile defence systems to use them, not put them aside, chief of the Turkish Defence Industry Directorate said on Saturday. Ismail Demir in an interview with CNN Turk that it was illogical for any country to purchase such systems only to put them aside.

Turkey purchased S-400 missile defence systems to use them, not put them aside, chief of the Turkish Defence Industry Directorate said on Saturday. Ismail Demir in an interview with CNN Turk that it was illogical for any country to purchase such systems only to put them aside. He added that the US and Turkey will hold talks to resolve the issue. "We have allied relations with Russia and the United States. We have to go on and respect the agreements we signed," he said. The United States has already suspended Turkey from the F-35 programme over the purchase of s-400s and warned that it will impose sanctions if the deal is not scrapped. Turkey began receiving the s-400 systems from July. Washington said that it will not impose sanctions if Turkey doesn't operate the system. On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump met in Washington to settle differences which include Syria policy and s-400 purchase. Trump asked Erdogan to drop the deal with Russia but Erdogan later said that the country will purchase US patriot defences in addition to Russia's defence systems. Erdogan's spokesperson Ibrahim Kalim said on Friday that both countries are working on a "joint mechanism" to ease off tensions over the F-35 programme and S-400 systems. US has already removed Turkey from the F-35 jet programme under CAATSA that mandates sanctions for any "significant" purchase of weapons from Russia. "We still believe we can find a middle ground on the S-400 issue, so long as both sides are open," Demir said. Demir also said that the Turkish personnel will continue to receive training from Russia for s-400s but officials from Russia will not visit Turkey anymore to operate the missile systems. Russia and Turkey have settled their differences in Syria and working closely to find a solution. Erdogan's spokesperson also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin planned to visit Turkey in the first week of January next year. (with inputs from agencies)

Turkey bought s-400s from Russia to use them, not to put them aside

A delegation of officials from the United States will travel to India next week to give final touches to the India-US trade deal.

Sources told ANI that the trade talks have been very constructive and covered a wide range of issues that were pending on the table. The list of important items that have been on the table have been resolved and a package is being worked upon, ANI has learnt.

Commerce and Industry Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/differences-resolved-with-us-over-trade-deal-piyush-goyal-257300">Piyush Goel </a>visited Washington on a three-day trip from November 12 to hold talks with his American counterpart Robert Lighthizer the next day, on November 13, to seek a breakthrough on some key knotty trade issues.

On November 14, Goyal will also hold a high-level industry interaction with business and industry representatives in New York. From DC, the minister further headed to New York.

The minister and his US counterpart Ambassador Robert Lighthizer also had a telephonic conversation as a follow up of the meeting.

Good discussions have been made in this visit and the rapport between the minister and his counterpart have resulted in a mutual understanding on equitable access for both sides, sources added.

Tensions on the trade front between the two countries had emerged in June after US President Donald Trump revoked preferential trade privileges, in response to which India imposed tariffs on 28 US products, including almonds and apples.

India was the biggest beneficiary of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), a programme designed to help developing countries sell to US consumers. On its part, India had also imposed retaliatory tariffs on 25 American goods, after the Donald Trump administration announced an end to the preferential trade treatment for India over the trade barriers.&nbsp;

A delegation of officials from the United States will travel to India next week to give final touches to the India-US trade deal. Sources told ANI that the trade talks have been very constructive and covered a wide range of issues that were pending on the table.

A delegation of officials from the United States will travel to India next week to give final touches to the India-US trade deal. Sources told ANI that the trade talks have been very constructive and covered a wide range of issues that were pending on the table. The list of important items that have been on the table have been resolved and a package is being worked upon, ANI has learnt. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goel visited Washington on a three-day trip from November 12 to hold talks with his American counterpart Robert Lighthizer the next day, on November 13, to seek a breakthrough on some key knotty trade issues. On November 14, Goyal will also hold a high-level industry interaction with business and industry representatives in New York. From DC, the minister further headed to New York. The minister and his US counterpart Ambassador Robert Lighthizer also had a telephonic conversation as a follow up of the meeting. Good discussions have been made in this visit and the rapport between the minister and his counterpart have resulted in a mutual understanding on equitable access for both sides, sources added. Tensions on the trade front between the two countries had emerged in June after US President Donald Trump revoked preferential trade privileges, in response to which India imposed tariffs on 28 US products, including almonds and apples. India was the biggest beneficiary of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), a programme designed to help developing countries sell to US consumers. On its part, India had also imposed retaliatory tariffs on 25 American goods, after the Donald Trump administration announced an end to the preferential trade treatment for India over the trade barriers.

US officials to travel to India next week to further US-India trade talks

In what can be described as the biggest challenge Donald Trump's presidency, public hearings of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-faces-perilous-test-as-impeachment-hearings-open-261230">impeachment</a> probe against him will be telecast from the US House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The Democrats intent&nbsp;to prove that the US president abused his office by seeking the help of his Ukrainian counterpart for finding dirt on his Democratic rival Joe Biden. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and described the inquiry as "corrupt" and "illegal".

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....This is a phony showtrial. There is zero due process, none. It is yet another fraudulent hoax conspiracy theory. It is another Witch Hunt. This is what the Socialist Doemocrat Party has become. There’s not one thing the Democrats have done in the past 3 years except try...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1194458299720175616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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In the US history, only two presidents have so far been impeached: Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. However, neither of the two presidents was convicted and removed. But, in 1974, Richard Nixon resigned as the US president after the demand of impeachment rose because of the Watergate scandal.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, who will lead the hearings, told NPR radio on Tuesday that as per witnesses statements, Trump can be impeached in a number of 'impeachable' offences such as bribery, high crimes and misdemeanours, reports AFP.&nbsp;

The impeachment hearings are expected to be fiery as many government officials decided to testify on Trump's Ukraine machinations during the middle of 2019. There will be no holds barred from both Republicans and Democrats also because the US is nearly a year away from presidential elections and any setback by either of the parties may impact the outcome of the elections.&nbsp;

Latest polls show that Americans who are favouring impeachment of the president are holding a slim majority. However, the polls also reflect that a big chunk of voters that made Trump victorious in 2016 are still backing the president and are against the impeachment.&nbsp;

The witnesses to testify to Wednesday are William Taylor, the acting ambassador in Kyiv and George Kent, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. The former Ukraine envoy Marie Yovanovitch will testify on Friday.&nbsp;

After the impeachment inquiry is completed, the House which has a majority of Democrats, will vote. A simple majority is required in order to impeach Trump. If the US president gets impeached, the proceedings will move to the Senate and two-third of all majority will be required for removing Trump from the office.&nbsp;

The Democrats accuse Trump of pressurising Ukrainian&nbsp;President Volodymyr Zelensky to find dirt on Biden and investigate 2016 election tampering. The main evidence is the official White House transcript of phone call on July 25 showing Trump asking the Ukrainian president to open a probe into Biden and the 2016 conspiracy theory.

On Tuesday, the Democrats announced the schedule for public testimony next week by eight more witnesses, all of whom previously testified behind closed doors.

The Republicans accuse Democrats of including witnesses that are biased against Trump. The Republicans also tried to shift focus on Biden's link to Ukraine&nbsp;and that Ukraine helped Democrats in the last presidential elections in the US.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In what can be described as the biggest challenge Donald Trump's presidency, public hearings of the impeachment probe against him will be telecast from the US House of Representatives on Wednesday.

In what can be described as the biggest challenge Donald Trump's presidency, public hearings of the impeachment probe against him will be telecast from the US House of Representatives on Wednesday. The Democrats intent to prove that the US president abused his office by seeking the help of his Ukrainian counterpart for finding dirt on his Democratic rival Joe Biden. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and described the inquiry as "corrupt" and "illegal". ....This is a phony showtrial. There is zero due process, none. It is yet another fraudulent hoax conspiracy theory. It is another Witch Hunt. This is what the Socialist Doemocrat Party has become. There’s not one thing the Democrats have done in the past 3 years except try... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2019 × In the US history, only two presidents have so far been impeached: Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. However, neither of the two presidents was convicted and removed. But, in 1974, Richard Nixon resigned as the US president after the demand of impeachment rose because of the Watergate scandal. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, who will lead the hearings, told NPR radio on Tuesday that as per witnesses statements, Trump can be impeached in a number of 'impeachable' offences such as bribery, high crimes and misdemeanours, reports AFP. The impeachment hearings are expected to be fiery as many government officials decided to testify on Trump's Ukraine machinations during the middle of 2019. There will be no holds barred from both Republicans and Democrats also because the US is nearly a year away from presidential elections and any setback by either of the parties may impact the outcome of the elections. Latest polls show that Americans who are favouring impeachment of the president are holding a slim majority. However, the polls also reflect that a big chunk of voters that made Trump victorious in 2016 are still backing the president and are against the impeachment. The witnesses to testify to Wednesday are William Taylor, the acting ambassador in Kyiv and George Kent, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. The former Ukraine envoy Marie Yovanovitch will testify on Friday. After the impeachment inquiry is completed, the House which has a majority of Democrats, will vote. A simple majority is required in order to impeach Trump. If the US president gets impeached, the proceedings will move to the Senate and two-third of all majority will be required for removing Trump from the office. The Democrats accuse Trump of pressurising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to find dirt on Biden and investigate 2016 election tampering. The main evidence is the official White House transcript of phone call on July 25 showing Trump asking the Ukrainian president to open a probe into Biden and the 2016 conspiracy theory. On Tuesday, the Democrats announced the schedule for public testimony next week by eight more witnesses, all of whom previously testified behind closed doors. The Republicans accuse Democrats of including witnesses that are biased against Trump. The Republicans also tried to shift focus on Biden's link to Ukraine and that Ukraine helped Democrats in the last presidential elections in the US.

Fierce proceedings expected as impeachment testimony against Donald Trump set to telecast today

Who is Michael Bloomberg? A profile of expected Democratic contender for US presidential race

US&nbsp;government funding in artificial intelligence has fallen short and the country needs to invest in research, train an AI-ready workforce and apply the technology to national security missions, a government-commissioned panel led by Google's former CEO said in an interim report on Monday.

The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI), created by Congress last year, raised concerns about the progress China has made in this area. It also said the US&nbsp;government still faces enormous work before it can transition AI from "a promising technological novelty into a mature technology integrated into core national security missions."

The commission thinks an allied effort on AI in the realm of national security is important, Robert Work, vice chairman of the NSCAI and a former deputy secretary of defense, told reporters. The NSCAI has spoken with Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the European Union, Work said.

China is investing more than the United States in AI, said the report, which referred to the Asian nation more than 50 times.

"China takes advantage of the openness of US&nbsp;society in numerous ways - some legal, some not - to transfer AI know-how," the report said, at a time of heightened tensions between the countries.

A spokeswoman for China's embassy in Washington did not immediately return a request for comment.

"China is ahead in two areas. One is in the face recognition surveillance area. And another one is in financial technology. This does not mean that they’re ahead (in) AI overall," Eric Schmidt, the panel's chairman and one of several US&nbsp;tech industry executives on the commission, told reporters.

A poll the commission conducted of researchers found that China is a "fast follower" but that "the best and the most original papers are still occurring in the West," Schmidt said. There is still a way forward for the United States to win the high-stakes technological race, he said.

Schmidt is a technical advisor to Google's parent Alphabet Inc. He was previously the company's executive chairman and before that was Google's chief executive officer. Others on the commission include Andrew Jassy, CEO of Amazon Web Services, and Safra Catz, CEO of Oracle Corp.

China's research ties

Part of the commission's report addressed whether the United States should restrict American cooperation with Chinese AI researchers, including through visa and export controls. The challenge US&nbsp;officials face is that American industry and academic leaders have said that any such restrictions would harm the US&nbsp;economy, the report said.

The commissioners did not specify solutions, saying instead that "the choice need not be a binary one between cooperating and disentangling."

It said, however, the United States should be open to cooperating with China on promoting the responsible use of AI, including for example jointly banning use of AI to authorize the launch of nuclear weapons.

The commission also expressed concern that China, by allegedly using AI to violate human rights, will set a bad example for authoritarian regimes. It noted that beside China, "at least 74 other countries are also engaging in AI-powered surveillance," including half of "advanced liberal democracies."

Calling attention to activism by tech workers who have protested industry partnerships with the US&nbsp;military, the report said, "ethics and strategic necessity are compatible with one another." There is widespread support for making the technology unbiased and safe, the report said, but "the Commission is concerned that debate will paralyze AI development."

Last month, the Pentagon awarded a controversial contract to Microsoft Corp, protested by some of the company's workers, that will help the military better access data and cloud computing services from battlefields and other remote locations.

The final report from the commission will be ready in about a year, the commission said. 
&nbsp;

US government funding in artificial intelligence has fallen short and the country needs to invest in research, train an AI-ready workforce and apply the technology to national security missions, a government-commissioned panel led by Google's former CEO said in an interim report on Monday.

US government funding in artificial intelligence has fallen short and the country needs to invest in research, train an AI-ready workforce and apply the technology to national security missions, a government-commissioned panel led by Google's former CEO said in an interim report on Monday. The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI), created by Congress last year, raised concerns about the progress China has made in this area. It also said the US government still faces enormous work before it can transition AI from "a promising technological novelty into a mature technology integrated into core national security missions." The commission thinks an allied effort on AI in the realm of national security is important, Robert Work, vice chairman of the NSCAI and a former deputy secretary of defense, told reporters. The NSCAI has spoken with Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the European Union, Work said. China is investing more than the United States in AI, said the report, which referred to the Asian nation more than 50 times. "China takes advantage of the openness of US society in numerous ways - some legal, some not - to transfer AI know-how," the report said, at a time of heightened tensions between the countries. A spokeswoman for China's embassy in Washington did not immediately return a request for comment. "China is ahead in two areas. One is in the face recognition surveillance area. And another one is in financial technology. This does not mean that they’re ahead (in) AI overall," Eric Schmidt, the panel's chairman and one of several US tech industry executives on the commission, told reporters. A poll the commission conducted of researchers found that China is a "fast follower" but that "the best and the most original papers are still occurring in the West," Schmidt said. There is still a way forward for the United States to win the high-stakes technological race, he said. Schmidt is a technical advisor to Google's parent Alphabet Inc. He was previously the company's executive chairman and before that was Google's chief executive officer. Others on the commission include Andrew Jassy, CEO of Amazon Web Services, and Safra Catz, CEO of Oracle Corp. China's research ties Part of the commission's report addressed whether the United States should restrict American cooperation with Chinese AI researchers, including through visa and export controls. The challenge US officials face is that American industry and academic leaders have said that any such restrictions would harm the US economy, the report said. The commissioners did not specify solutions, saying instead that "the choice need not be a binary one between cooperating and disentangling." It said, however, the United States should be open to cooperating with China on promoting the responsible use of AI, including for example jointly banning use of AI to authorize the launch of nuclear weapons. The commission also expressed concern that China, by allegedly using AI to violate human rights, will set a bad example for authoritarian regimes. It noted that beside China, "at least 74 other countries are also engaging in AI-powered surveillance," including half of "advanced liberal democracies." Calling attention to activism by tech workers who have protested industry partnerships with the US military, the report said, "ethics and strategic necessity are compatible with one another." There is widespread support for making the technology unbiased and safe, the report said, but "the Commission is concerned that debate will paralyze AI development." Last month, the Pentagon awarded a controversial contract to Microsoft Corp, protested by some of the company's workers, that will help the military better access data and cloud computing services from battlefields and other remote locations. The final report from the commission will be ready in about a year, the commission said.

US urged to invest more in Artificial Intelligence; ex-Google CEO warns of China's progress

Asian shares surged on Monday, with a broad regional gauge hitting more than 14-week highs, as growing optimism over US-China trade talks and upbeat US&nbsp;job data boosted global investors' appetite for riskier assets.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan jumped 1.08%, touching its highest level since July 24, and on track for its biggest one-day gain since Oct. 11.

Equity markets in Europe were set to follow Asia higher, with pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.53%, German DAX futures 0.49% higher and FTSE futures&nbsp;rising 0.41% in early trading.

In Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.36%, and Seoul's Kospi added 1.43%. In mainland China, blue chips were up 0.72%, and Australian shares were 0.27% higher.

Markets in Japan were closed for a holiday.

The United States and China both said on Friday that they had made progress in talks aimed at defusing their protracted trade war, and US officials said a deal could be signed this month.

But in a note to clients, analysts at National Australia Bank sounded a note of caution.

"As much as the US-China trade updates continue to point to a Phase 1 deal looking like a certainty, the contentious issues on whether the US&nbsp;will cancel the planned December tariffs and remove some of the current tariffs in line with China's demands remains an unknown and if the issue is not resolved then a deal could easily collapse," they said.

In comments on Friday, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said tariffs set to kick in on Dec. 15, which would cover Chinese imports such as laptops, toys and electronics, would remain on the table, and the decision whether to cancel them would be made by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

Any lingering uncertainty over the outlook for trade talks was not enough to keep the S&amp;P 500 from gaining 0.97% and the Nasdaq rising 1.13% to fresh record closing highs on Friday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;rose 1.11%.

On Monday, U.S. S&amp;P 500 e-mini stock futures were up 0.2% at 3,067.8.

US job growth slowed less than expected in October and hiring in the prior two months was stronger than previously estimated, data from the Labor Department showed on Friday.

Those numbers followed a private survey of manufacturers in China that showed better-than-expected factory activity in October.

Rob Carnell, Asia-Pacific chief economist at ING in Singapore, said some market optimism was "probably justified" in the wake of the positive data.

"Everybody had been looking for a much worse number and it didn't materialise, so some bounce from that was entirely plausible and reasonable."

But he added that continued uncertainty over trade talks and less room for monetary easing by global central banks made for a murky outlook.

"It's difficult to see why you wouldn't be at least thinking, there is a 'good profit-taking opportunity right now' and positioning for a slightly worse outcome," he said.

While cash treasuries were not trading due to the Japanese market holiday, US&nbsp;10-year Treasury futures&nbsp;were down 0.11% amid the broadly bullish market mood.

The implied yield on the 10-year Treasury futures contract expiring in December&nbsp;was 1.65%.

Oil prices, which had surged on hopes for a US-China trade deal, pulled back on Monday. Global benchmark Brent crude was off 0.57% at $61.34 per barrel and US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate crude was 0.55% lower at $55.89.

In the currency market, the dollar was up 0.06% against the yen at 108.23, and the euro was up 0.02% to buy $1.1167.

The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major rivals, was down 0.02% at 97.222.

Those small moves contrasted with a 1.42% jump in the South African rand against the dollar. The currency rallied on relief that Moody's maintained South Africa's investment-grade rating on Friday, though the agency cut its outlook on the rating to "negative".

China's yuan also strengthened, with the positive market tone around trade talks helping it to rise to a 2-1/2 month high against the dollar. It was last up 0.15% at 7.0267 per dollar.

Gold was slightly lower as investors moved into riskier assets. Spot gold was trading at $1,511.52 per ounce, down 0.13%.

Asian shares surged on Monday, with a broad regional gauge hitting more than 14-week highs, as growing optimism over US-China trade talks and upbeat US job data boosted global investors' appetite for riskier assets.

Asian shares surged on Monday, with a broad regional gauge hitting more than 14-week highs, as growing optimism over US-China trade talks and upbeat US job data boosted global investors' appetite for riskier assets. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan jumped 1.08%, touching its highest level since July 24, and on track for its biggest one-day gain since Oct. 11. Equity markets in Europe were set to follow Asia higher, with pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.53%, German DAX futures 0.49% higher and FTSE futures rising 0.41% in early trading. In Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.36%, and Seoul's Kospi added 1.43%. In mainland China, blue chips were up 0.72%, and Australian shares were 0.27% higher. Markets in Japan were closed for a holiday. The United States and China both said on Friday that they had made progress in talks aimed at defusing their protracted trade war, and US officials said a deal could be signed this month. But in a note to clients, analysts at National Australia Bank sounded a note of caution. "As much as the US-China trade updates continue to point to a Phase 1 deal looking like a certainty, the contentious issues on whether the US will cancel the planned December tariffs and remove some of the current tariffs in line with China's demands remains an unknown and if the issue is not resolved then a deal could easily collapse," they said. In comments on Friday, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said tariffs set to kick in on Dec. 15, which would cover Chinese imports such as laptops, toys and electronics, would remain on the table, and the decision whether to cancel them would be made by US President Donald Trump. Any lingering uncertainty over the outlook for trade talks was not enough to keep the S&P 500 from gaining 0.97% and the Nasdaq rising 1.13% to fresh record closing highs on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.11%. On Monday, U.S. S&P 500 e-mini stock futures were up 0.2% at 3,067.8. US job growth slowed less than expected in October and hiring in the prior two months was stronger than previously estimated, data from the Labor Department showed on Friday. Those numbers followed a private survey of manufacturers in China that showed better-than-expected factory activity in October. Rob Carnell, Asia-Pacific chief economist at ING in Singapore, said some market optimism was "probably justified" in the wake of the positive data. "Everybody had been looking for a much worse number and it didn't materialise, so some bounce from that was entirely plausible and reasonable." But he added that continued uncertainty over trade talks and less room for monetary easing by global central banks made for a murky outlook. "It's difficult to see why you wouldn't be at least thinking, there is a 'good profit-taking opportunity right now' and positioning for a slightly worse outcome," he said. While cash treasuries were not trading due to the Japanese market holiday, US 10-year Treasury futures were down 0.11% amid the broadly bullish market mood. The implied yield on the 10-year Treasury futures contract expiring in December was 1.65%. Oil prices, which had surged on hopes for a US-China trade deal, pulled back on Monday. Global benchmark Brent crude was off 0.57% at $61.34 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude was 0.55% lower at $55.89. In the currency market, the dollar was up 0.06% against the yen at 108.23, and the euro was up 0.02% to buy $1.1167. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major rivals, was down 0.02% at 97.222. Those small moves contrasted with a 1.42% jump in the South African rand against the dollar. The currency rallied on relief that Moody's maintained South Africa's investment-grade rating on Friday, though the agency cut its outlook on the rating to "negative". China's yuan also strengthened, with the positive market tone around trade talks helping it to rise to a 2-1/2 month high against the dollar. It was last up 0.15% at 7.0267 per dollar. Gold was slightly lower as investors moved into riskier assets. Spot gold was trading at $1,511.52 per ounce, down 0.13%.

Asian shares climb to 14-week highs on hopes US, China getting close to trade deal

The row of trendy restaurants surrounding an office of the Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington reflects the refined tastes of a gentrifying capital.

But down an alley, a mural depicts a very different drama playing out almost daily elsewhere in the same city.

There on the wall are the faces of five African-American teens shot dead, including Lauryn Renford's boyfriend, 16-year-old Zaire Kelly.

Renford, 17, was the driving force behind the mural, a recently inaugurated memorial to the slain youths.

"I think there's something very special about these five on the wall," says Renford, who sees their stories as representing other victims too.

In a country where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-killed-seven-wounded-in-two-washington-dc-shootings-police-seek-suspects-reports-250882">mass shootings</a> dominate the headlines, the mural is a reminder of more common, everyday gun crime, the victims often African-Americans, their deaths too frequently overlooked except by grieving friends and family.

Kelly was attacked in an apparent robbery attempt on his way home from studies. Jamahri Sydnor, 17, was shot while driving, the victim of an "unintended killing" according to DC Witness, a website that tracks Washington homicide cases.

Steve Slaughter, 14, and Taiyania Thompson, 16, are also pictured along with Paris Brown, 19. All were killed in 2017 and 2018.

Brown and Kelly, as well as Renford, were students at Thurgood Marshall Academy in Ward 8, one of two districts east of the Anacostia River where poverty is disproportionately clustered.

"I realized that families and even just general residents of DC should have a place to grieve the people that we've lost and always honour their legacies, and work to preserve those that are left," Renford says.

Dozens of evenly-spaced red roses symbolize others lost to gun violence but whose youthful faces aren't pictured on the wall.

That could include Maurice Scott, 15, shot dead in May, or Steffen Brathwaite, 16, gunned down the day before AFP interviewed Renford.

They are among at least 131 homicide victims this year in the city of about 700,000 residents, up from 118 at the same time last year.

Nearby <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/outrage-as-trump-brands-mostly-black-baltimore-infested-mess-238944">Baltimore</a>, with a slightly smaller population, has recorded around 255 homicides in 2019.

In contrast, 64 people have been gunned down nationwide since January in mass shootings where four or more people were killed, according to a Washington Post database.

Most of Washington's gun crime occurs in Ward 8 and adjacent Ward 7, police data show, but the mural is in a more peaceful neighbourhood.

There, it helps broaden awareness among better-off residents who "don't necessarily know much about the violence" elsewhere in the city, says Renford, a first-year undergraduate hoping to study public health.

Karen Lee, a Thurgood Marshall teacher who guided Renford in creating the mural, says she is "really proud" of her.

"People are having to deal every day with violence, with shootings," says Lee, who is white and lives in the academy's neighbourhood.

"I hear gunshots and I wonder if I'm going to wake up in the morning and find out that I've lost another student".

In a Washington with more and more condominiums and sleek restaurants, but a declining African-American population, Renford says making the city safer should be a task for everyone and not just a "black and brown conversation."

She joined two other Thurgood Marshall students to found an activist group, Pathways 2 Power because they want "a seat at the decision-making table" on issues surrounding <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democrats-step-up-calls-for-gun-legislation-as-us-congress-returns-248538">gun violence</a>.

The group helped her raise the roughly $12,000 needed for the mural painted by local artist Martin Swift on donated wall space.

Renford sees many roots for the violence, including poverty, gentrification, localized "beef," and "not valuing the lives of people around you... not even your own life."

Lee highlights the need to address the inequities between Washington's wealthier neighbourhoods and those where people struggle.

Armed police officers wait at the front steps of Thurgood Marshall while students in tan pants and burgundy shirts file into Martin Luther King Junior Avenue Southeast, where cars pass playing rap music.

Across the street is Bethlehem Baptist Church, the "Black Workers and Wellness Center," and a parking lot advertising the "Stop the Violence Jam" and other music shows.

Back in the alley, two elderly white women accompany a white man walking unsteadily with a cane. In front of the mural, one of the women stops and seems to call to the others. All of them look.

Paris, Jamahri, Steve, Taiyania and Zaire are looking back.

The row of trendy restaurants surrounding an office of the Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington reflects the refined tastes of a gentrifying capital. But down an alley, a mural depicts a very different drama playing out almost daily elsewhere in the same city.

The row of trendy restaurants surrounding an office of the Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington reflects the refined tastes of a gentrifying capital. But down an alley, a mural depicts a very different drama playing out almost daily elsewhere in the same city. There on the wall are the faces of five African-American teens shot dead, including Lauryn Renford's boyfriend, 16-year-old Zaire Kelly. Renford, 17, was the driving force behind the mural, a recently inaugurated memorial to the slain youths. "I think there's something very special about these five on the wall," says Renford, who sees their stories as representing other victims too. In a country where mass shootings dominate the headlines, the mural is a reminder of more common, everyday gun crime, the victims often African-Americans, their deaths too frequently overlooked except by grieving friends and family. Kelly was attacked in an apparent robbery attempt on his way home from studies. Jamahri Sydnor, 17, was shot while driving, the victim of an "unintended killing" according to DC Witness, a website that tracks Washington homicide cases. Steve Slaughter, 14, and Taiyania Thompson, 16, are also pictured along with Paris Brown, 19. All were killed in 2017 and 2018. Brown and Kelly, as well as Renford, were students at Thurgood Marshall Academy in Ward 8, one of two districts east of the Anacostia River where poverty is disproportionately clustered. "I realized that families and even just general residents of DC should have a place to grieve the people that we've lost and always honour their legacies, and work to preserve those that are left," Renford says. Dozens of evenly-spaced red roses symbolize others lost to gun violence but whose youthful faces aren't pictured on the wall. That could include Maurice Scott, 15, shot dead in May, or Steffen Brathwaite, 16, gunned down the day before AFP interviewed Renford. They are among at least 131 homicide victims this year in the city of about 700,000 residents, up from 118 at the same time last year. Nearby Baltimore, with a slightly smaller population, has recorded around 255 homicides in 2019. In contrast, 64 people have been gunned down nationwide since January in mass shootings where four or more people were killed, according to a Washington Post database. Most of Washington's gun crime occurs in Ward 8 and adjacent Ward 7, police data show, but the mural is in a more peaceful neighbourhood. There, it helps broaden awareness among better-off residents who "don't necessarily know much about the violence" elsewhere in the city, says Renford, a first-year undergraduate hoping to study public health. Karen Lee, a Thurgood Marshall teacher who guided Renford in creating the mural, says she is "really proud" of her. "People are having to deal every day with violence, with shootings," says Lee, who is white and lives in the academy's neighbourhood. "I hear gunshots and I wonder if I'm going to wake up in the morning and find out that I've lost another student". In a Washington with more and more condominiums and sleek restaurants, but a declining African-American population, Renford says making the city safer should be a task for everyone and not just a "black and brown conversation." She joined two other Thurgood Marshall students to found an activist group, Pathways 2 Power because they want "a seat at the decision-making table" on issues surrounding gun violence. The group helped her raise the roughly $12,000 needed for the mural painted by local artist Martin Swift on donated wall space. Renford sees many roots for the violence, including poverty, gentrification, localized "beef," and "not valuing the lives of people around you... not even your own life." Lee highlights the need to address the inequities between Washington's wealthier neighbourhoods and those where people struggle. Armed police officers wait at the front steps of Thurgood Marshall while students in tan pants and burgundy shirts file into Martin Luther King Junior Avenue Southeast, where cars pass playing rap music. Across the street is Bethlehem Baptist Church, the "Black Workers and Wellness Center," and a parking lot advertising the "Stop the Violence Jam" and other music shows. Back in the alley, two elderly white women accompany a white man walking unsteadily with a cane. In front of the mural, one of the women stops and seems to call to the others. All of them look. Paris, Jamahri, Steve, Taiyania and Zaire are looking back.

In US capital, teen honours victims of everyday gun violence

Marilyne Tatang, 23, crossed nine borders in two months to reach Mexico from the West African nation of Cameroon, fleeing political violence after police torched her house, she said.

She plans to soon take a bus north for four days and then cross the tenth border, into the United States. She is not alone - a record number of fellow Africans are flying to South America and then traversing thousands of miles of highway and a treacherous tropical rainforest to reach the United States.

Tatang, who is eight months pregnant, took a raft across a river into Mexico on June 8, a day after Mexico struck a deal with US&nbsp;President Donald Trump to do more to control the biggest flows of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-hopes-to-reach-migration-deal-with-the-united-states-as-tariffs-loom-223935&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiyl_CF9J3jAhXP6nMBHWXtDy0QFjAAegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw30iaaMv3DCfndD5ZNPpJlq">migrants </a>heading north to the US&nbsp;border in more than a decade.

The migrants vying for entry at the US&nbsp;southern border are mainly Central Americans. But growing numbers from a handful of African countries are joining them, prompting calls from Trump and Mexico for other countries in Latin America to do their part to slow the overall flood of migrants.

As more Africans learn from relatives and friends who have made the trip that crossing Latin America to the United States is tough but not impossible, more are making the journey, and in turn are helping others follow in their footsteps, migration experts say.

Trump's threats to clamp down on migrants have ricocheted around the globe, paradoxically spurring some to exploit what they see as a narrowing window of opportunity, said Michelle Mittelstadt, communications director for the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington-based think tank.

"This message is being heard not just in Central America, but in other parts of the world," she said.

Data from Mexico's interior ministry suggests that migration from Africa this year will break records.

The number of Africans registered by Mexican authorities tripled in the first four months of 2019 compared with the same period a year ago, reaching about 1,900 people, mostly from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which remains deeply unstable years after the end of a bloody regional conflict with its neighbors that led to the deaths of millions of people.

'THEY WOULD HAVE KILLED ME'

Tatang, a grade school teacher, said she left northwest Cameroon due to worsening violence in the English-speaking region, where separatists are battling the mostly French-speaking government for autonomy.

"It was so bad that they burned the house where I was living ... they would have killed me," she said, referring to government forces who tried to capture her,'' she said.

At first, Tatang planned only to cross the border into Nigeria. Then she heard that some people had made it to the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-promises-unprecedented-steps-to-curb-migration-in-us-deal-joint-statement-225371&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiyl_CF9J3jAhXP6nMBHWXtDy0QFjACegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2rj-pLbF7Zb5fWQVfzXm4t">United States</a>.

"Someone would say, 'You can do this,'" she said. 'So I asked if it was possible for someone like me too because I'm pregnant. They said, 'Do this, do that.'"

Tatang begged her family for money for the journey, which she said so far has cost $5,000.

She said her route began with a flight to Ecuador, where Cameroonians don't need visas. Tatang went by bus and on foot through Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala until reaching Mexico.

She was still deciding what to do once she got to Mexico's northern border city of Tijuana, she said, cradling her belly while seated on a concrete bench outside migration offices in the southern Mexican city of Tapachula.

"I will just ask," she said. "I can't say, 'When I get there, I will do this.' I don't know. I've never been there."

Reuters spoke recently with five migrants in Tapachula who were from Cameroon, DRC and Angola. Several said they travelled to Brazil as a jumping-off point.

They were a small sampling of the hundreds of people - including Haitians, Cubans, Indians and Bangladeshis - clustered outside migration offices.

Political volatility in Cameroon and the DRC in recent years has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

People from the DRC made up the third-largest group of new refugees globally last year with about 123,000 people, according to the UN&nbsp;Refugee Agency, while Cameroon's internally displaced population grew by 447,000 people.

The number of undocumented African migrants found by authorities in Mexico quadrupled compared to five years ago, reaching nearly 3,000 people in 2018.

Most obtain a visa that allows them free passage through Mexico for 20 days, after which they cross into the United States and ask for asylum.

Few choose to seek asylum in Mexico, in part because they don't speak Spanish.

Tatang said the language barrier was especially frustrating because she speaks only English, making communication difficult both with Mexican migration officials and even other Africans, such as migrants from DRC who speak primarily French.

Those who reach the United States often send advice back home, helping make the journey easier for others, said Florence Kim, spokeswoman for the International Organisation for Migration in West and Central Africa.

Like their Central American migrant counterparts, some Africans are also showing up with families hoping for easier entries than as individuals, said Mittelstadt of the Migration Policy Institute.

US&nbsp;data shows a huge spike in the number of families from countries other than Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras at the US&nbsp;southern border.

Between last October and May 16,000 members of families were registered, up from 1,000 for the whole of 2018, according to an analysis by the MPI.

REGIONAL APPROACH

The gruelling Latin America trek forces migrants to spend at least a week trudging across swampland and hiking through mountainous rainforests in the lawless Darien Gap that is the only link between Panama and Colombia.

Still, the route has a key advantage&nbsp;Countries in the region typically do not deport migrants from other continents due in part to the steep costs and lack of repatriation agreements with their home countries.

That relaxed attitude could change, however.

Under a deal struck with the United States last month, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-to-discuss-safe-third-country-deal-with-us-if-migration-does-not-slow-226078&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiyl_CF9J3jAhXP6nMBHWXtDy0QFjAFegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw01vi3wq9-mXmxVRp7ZIEBf">Mexico </a>may start a process later this month to become a safe third country, making asylum seekers apply for refuge in Mexico and not the United States.

To lessen the load on Mexico, Mexico and the United States plan to put pressure on Central American nations to do more to prevent asylum seekers, including African migrants, from moving north.

For the moment, however, more Africans can be expected to attempt the journey, said IOM's Kim.

"They want to do something with their life. They feel they lack a future in their country," she said.

Marilyne Tatang, 23, crossed nine borders in two months to reach Mexico from the West African nation of Cameroon, fleeing political violence after police torched her house, she said.

Marilyne Tatang, 23, crossed nine borders in two months to reach Mexico from the West African nation of Cameroon, fleeing political violence after police torched her house, she said. She plans to soon take a bus north for four days and then cross the tenth border, into the United States. She is not alone - a record number of fellow Africans are flying to South America and then traversing thousands of miles of highway and a treacherous tropical rainforest to reach the United States. Tatang, who is eight months pregnant, took a raft across a river into Mexico on June 8, a day after Mexico struck a deal with US President Donald Trump to do more to control the biggest flows of migrants heading north to the US border in more than a decade. The migrants vying for entry at the US southern border are mainly Central Americans. But growing numbers from a handful of African countries are joining them, prompting calls from Trump and Mexico for other countries in Latin America to do their part to slow the overall flood of migrants. As more Africans learn from relatives and friends who have made the trip that crossing Latin America to the United States is tough but not impossible, more are making the journey, and in turn are helping others follow in their footsteps, migration experts say. Trump's threats to clamp down on migrants have ricocheted around the globe, paradoxically spurring some to exploit what they see as a narrowing window of opportunity, said Michelle Mittelstadt, communications director for the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington-based think tank. "This message is being heard not just in Central America, but in other parts of the world," she said. Data from Mexico's interior ministry suggests that migration from Africa this year will break records. The number of Africans registered by Mexican authorities tripled in the first four months of 2019 compared with the same period a year ago, reaching about 1,900 people, mostly from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which remains deeply unstable years after the end of a bloody regional conflict with its neighbors that led to the deaths of millions of people. 'THEY WOULD HAVE KILLED ME' Tatang, a grade school teacher, said she left northwest Cameroon due to worsening violence in the English-speaking region, where separatists are battling the mostly French-speaking government for autonomy. "It was so bad that they burned the house where I was living ... they would have killed me," she said, referring to government forces who tried to capture her,'' she said. At first, Tatang planned only to cross the border into Nigeria. Then she heard that some people had made it to the United States. "Someone would say, 'You can do this,'" she said. 'So I asked if it was possible for someone like me too because I'm pregnant. They said, 'Do this, do that.'" Tatang begged her family for money for the journey, which she said so far has cost $5,000. She said her route began with a flight to Ecuador, where Cameroonians don't need visas. Tatang went by bus and on foot through Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala until reaching Mexico. She was still deciding what to do once she got to Mexico's northern border city of Tijuana, she said, cradling her belly while seated on a concrete bench outside migration offices in the southern Mexican city of Tapachula. "I will just ask," she said. "I can't say, 'When I get there, I will do this.' I don't know. I've never been there." Reuters spoke recently with five migrants in Tapachula who were from Cameroon, DRC and Angola. Several said they travelled to Brazil as a jumping-off point. They were a small sampling of the hundreds of people - including Haitians, Cubans, Indians and Bangladeshis - clustered outside migration offices. Political volatility in Cameroon and the DRC in recent years has displaced hundreds of thousands of people. People from the DRC made up the third-largest group of new refugees globally last year with about 123,000 people, according to the UN Refugee Agency, while Cameroon's internally displaced population grew by 447,000 people. The number of undocumented African migrants found by authorities in Mexico quadrupled compared to five years ago, reaching nearly 3,000 people in 2018. Most obtain a visa that allows them free passage through Mexico for 20 days, after which they cross into the United States and ask for asylum. Few choose to seek asylum in Mexico, in part because they don't speak Spanish. Tatang said the language barrier was especially frustrating because she speaks only English, making communication difficult both with Mexican migration officials and even other Africans, such as migrants from DRC who speak primarily French. Those who reach the United States often send advice back home, helping make the journey easier for others, said Florence Kim, spokeswoman for the International Organisation for Migration in West and Central Africa. Like their Central American migrant counterparts, some Africans are also showing up with families hoping for easier entries than as individuals, said Mittelstadt of the Migration Policy Institute. US data shows a huge spike in the number of families from countries other than Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras at the US southern border. Between last October and May 16,000 members of families were registered, up from 1,000 for the whole of 2018, according to an analysis by the MPI. REGIONAL APPROACH The gruelling Latin America trek forces migrants to spend at least a week trudging across swampland and hiking through mountainous rainforests in the lawless Darien Gap that is the only link between Panama and Colombia. Still, the route has a key advantage Countries in the region typically do not deport migrants from other continents due in part to the steep costs and lack of repatriation agreements with their home countries. That relaxed attitude could change, however. Under a deal struck with the United States last month, Mexico may start a process later this month to become a safe third country, making asylum seekers apply for refuge in Mexico and not the United States. To lessen the load on Mexico, Mexico and the United States plan to put pressure on Central American nations to do more to prevent asylum seekers, including African migrants, from moving north. For the moment, however, more Africans can be expected to attempt the journey, said IOM's Kim. "They want to do something with their life. They feel they lack a future in their country," she said.

US dream pulls African migrants in record numbers across Latin America

US&nbsp;job growth rebounded strongly in June, but moderate wage gains and mounting evidence that the economy was slowing sharply could still encourage the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates this month.

The Labor Department's closely watched employment report on Friday suggested May's sharp slowdown in hiring was probably a fluke.

Lack of concrete progress in resolving an acrimonious trade war between the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/opinions/us-china-trade-war-points-to-the-real-crisis-that-global-leaders-must-confront-at-g20-summit-231112&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi9h4rn8J3jAhXv7nMBHfecB_8QFjADegQIBhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Ps1zFjFe0J1G_pX_vjxRi">United States and China</a>, however, means the bar could be very high for the Federal Reserve not to lower borrowing costs at its July 30-31 policy meeting.

The US&nbsp;central bank last month signalled it could ease monetary policy as early as this month citing low inflation as well as growing risks to the economy from an escalation in trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.

President <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-vietnam-worse-than-china-on-trade-230655&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj5ser78J3jAhVE6nMBHVjaAwMQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2AfaDn0r0GV60JWaMowRbY">Donald Trump</a> and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week agreed to a trade truce and a return to talks. Trump has said he is in "no hurry" to make a deal and on Wednesday accused China and Europe of "playing big currency manipulation game and pumping money into their system in order to compete with the USA."

The trade fight has undercut business confidence, leading to a downturn in equipment spending and manufacturing.

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 224,000 jobs last month, the most in five months, the government said. The economy created 11,000 fewer jobs in April and May than previously reported. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast payrolls rising 160,000 jobs in June.

Job growth averaged 172,000 per month in the first half. Hiring has cooled from an average of 223,000 jobs per month in 2018. The pace, however, remains well above the roughly 100,000 needed to keep up with growth in the working-age population.

The economy, which has expanded a record 10 years, has shifted into a lower gear as the stimulus from last year's massive tax cuts and more government spending fizzles. The Atlanta Fed is forecasting gross domestic product rising at a 1.3% annualized rate in the April-June quarter.

The economy grew at a 3.1 per cent pace in the first quarter.

The trend in wage growth has slowed from late last year when wages were rising at their fastest rate in a decade, pointing to moderate inflation.

Average hourly earnings rose six cents or 0.2% after gaining 0.3% in May. That kept the annual increase in wages at 3.1% for a second straight month.

The unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.7% as people entered the labour market.

Some of the recent drops in the jobless rate has been because of people leaving the labour market.

A broader measure of unemployment, which includes people who want to work but have given up searching and those working part-time because they cannot find full-time employment, rose to 7.2% in June from 7.1% in May.

Job growth has slowed in part as employers struggle to find qualified workers. There are about 7.4 million job openings.

Hiring picked up nearly across all sectors in June, though retail payrolls contracted for a fifth straight month.

Manufacturing payrolls increased by 17,000 jobs after rising by 3,000 in May. The surge in hiring is despite the sector struggling with an inventory bulge, concentrated in the automotive industry, trade tensions, design troubles at planemaker <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-says-confident-us-china-trade-talks-will-succeed-218453&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi5sIiP8Z3jAhWv7nMBHQC3DP4QFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw01GsstpQ3B_lUm2_nvnomH">Boeing&nbsp;</a>and slowing global growth.

Construction employment rose by 21,000 jobs last month after gaining 5,000 in May.

Government payrolls rebounded by 33,000 after shedding 11,000 jobs in May. The average workweek was unchanged at 34.4 hours in June for a third straight month.

US job growth rebounded strongly in June, but moderate wage gains and mounting evidence that the economy was slowing sharply could still encourage the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates this month.

US job growth rebounded strongly in June, but moderate wage gains and mounting evidence that the economy was slowing sharply could still encourage the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates this month. The Labor Department's closely watched employment report on Friday suggested May's sharp slowdown in hiring was probably a fluke. Lack of concrete progress in resolving an acrimonious trade war between the United States and China, however, means the bar could be very high for the Federal Reserve not to lower borrowing costs at its July 30-31 policy meeting. The US central bank last month signalled it could ease monetary policy as early as this month citing low inflation as well as growing risks to the economy from an escalation in trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week agreed to a trade truce and a return to talks. Trump has said he is in "no hurry" to make a deal and on Wednesday accused China and Europe of "playing big currency manipulation game and pumping money into their system in order to compete with the USA." The trade fight has undercut business confidence, leading to a downturn in equipment spending and manufacturing. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 224,000 jobs last month, the most in five months, the government said. The economy created 11,000 fewer jobs in April and May than previously reported. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast payrolls rising 160,000 jobs in June. Job growth averaged 172,000 per month in the first half. Hiring has cooled from an average of 223,000 jobs per month in 2018. The pace, however, remains well above the roughly 100,000 needed to keep up with growth in the working-age population. The economy, which has expanded a record 10 years, has shifted into a lower gear as the stimulus from last year's massive tax cuts and more government spending fizzles. The Atlanta Fed is forecasting gross domestic product rising at a 1.3% annualized rate in the April-June quarter. The economy grew at a 3.1 per cent pace in the first quarter. The trend in wage growth has slowed from late last year when wages were rising at their fastest rate in a decade, pointing to moderate inflation. Average hourly earnings rose six cents or 0.2% after gaining 0.3% in May. That kept the annual increase in wages at 3.1% for a second straight month. The unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.7% as people entered the labour market. Some of the recent drops in the jobless rate has been because of people leaving the labour market. A broader measure of unemployment, which includes people who want to work but have given up searching and those working part-time because they cannot find full-time employment, rose to 7.2% in June from 7.1% in May. Job growth has slowed in part as employers struggle to find qualified workers. There are about 7.4 million job openings. Hiring picked up nearly across all sectors in June, though retail payrolls contracted for a fifth straight month. Manufacturing payrolls increased by 17,000 jobs after rising by 3,000 in May. The surge in hiring is despite the sector struggling with an inventory bulge, concentrated in the automotive industry, trade tensions, design troubles at planemaker Boeing and slowing global growth. Construction employment rose by 21,000 jobs last month after gaining 5,000 in May. Government payrolls rebounded by 33,000 after shedding 11,000 jobs in May. The average workweek was unchanged at 34.4 hours in June for a third straight month.

US job growth surges, but wage growth remains tepid

NATO and Russia did not make significant progress on saving the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in talks at the alliance headquarters on Friday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

Barring a last-minute decision by Russia to destroy a new medium-range missile that <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/two-us-soldiers-killed-in-afghanistan-nato-230514&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwipxeKE553jAhVUg-YKHRw9A_cQFjAAegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw32BVzsLyKd1nw__K9YRz9E">NATO</a> says violates the INF, the United States is set to pull out of the accord on Aug. 2, arguing that it needs to develop its own warheads to deter Moscow.

Moscow says it is fully compliant with the INF treaty negotiated by <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-treated-us-unfairly-says-trump-during-state-of-the-union-address-195468&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwipxeKE553jAhVUg-YKHRw9A_cQFjACegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3IZsdXI7UaWUwfigXpnSKi">US&nbsp;President</a> Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, which eliminated the medium-range missile arsenals of the world's two biggest nuclear powers.

"We have not seen any signs of a breakthrough," Stoltenberg told reporters after a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, a closed-door forum that allows for dialogue between the two sides' diplomats and officials.

Stoltenberg said the chances of a resolution were "going down, day by day" but that <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/opinions/russias-resurgence-and-chinas-rise-will-test-nato-219295&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwipxeKE553jAhVUg-YKHRw9A_cQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw15HleKAxQr69Ybh6oAlcW4">NATO</a> had not given up on trying to convince Moscow to destroy the SSC-8 ground-launched cruise missile, which it says the treaty ban on land-based missiles with a range of 500 km to 5,500 km (300-3,400 miles).

The breakdown of the treaty, the latest in a growing list of East-West tensions, is of grave concern because medium-range rockets would allow Russia to launch a nuclear attack on Europe at very short notice, Western experts and officials say.

NATO and Russia did not make significant progress on saving the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in talks at the alliance headquarters on Friday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

NATO and Russia did not make significant progress on saving the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in talks at the alliance headquarters on Friday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said. Barring a last-minute decision by Russia to destroy a new medium-range missile that NATO says violates the INF, the United States is set to pull out of the accord on Aug. 2, arguing that it needs to develop its own warheads to deter Moscow. Moscow says it is fully compliant with the INF treaty negotiated by US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, which eliminated the medium-range missile arsenals of the world's two biggest nuclear powers. "We have not seen any signs of a breakthrough," Stoltenberg told reporters after a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, a closed-door forum that allows for dialogue between the two sides' diplomats and officials. Stoltenberg said the chances of a resolution were "going down, day by day" but that NATO had not given up on trying to convince Moscow to destroy the SSC-8 ground-launched cruise missile, which it says the treaty ban on land-based missiles with a range of 500 km to 5,500 km (300-3,400 miles). The breakdown of the treaty, the latest in a growing list of East-West tensions, is of grave concern because medium-range rockets would allow Russia to launch a nuclear attack on Europe at very short notice, Western experts and officials say.

No breakthrough with Russia on INF treaty dispute: NATO's Stoltenberg

Trump's son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner opens two-day Israel-Palestine Peace conference in Bahrain. Watch full video to know more.

Jared Kushner flags off the Israel-Palestine Peace conference in Bahrain

RQ-4 Global Hawk: How Iran's Revolutionary Guard shot down America's most 'sophisticated unmanned' drone

The United States on Wednesday sealed one-day international status for the first time with a third straight victory at the World Cricket League Division Two event in Namibia.

The Americans, whose only previous experience of ODI cricket was at the 2004 Champions Trophy, thrashed Hong Kong by 84 runs to wrap up a top-four place in the six-team competition.

There will be 20 ODI nations after the end of the tournament, with the top four sides to join Scotland, the United Arab Emirates, Nepal and the Netherlands in having temporary status.

After an opening loss to Oman, the US beat Namibia and Papua New Guinea to leave themselves one win away from their target.

Former West Indies batsman Xavier Marshall hit 100 as the Americans made 280-8 batting first on Wednesday, with Hong Kong managing just 196-7 in their run chase.

Oman have also secured their ODI status, leaving Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Canada and Hong Kong to fight it out for the remaining two places.

The United States on Wednesday sealed one-day international status for the first time with a third straight victory at the World Cricket League Division Two event in Namibia.

The United States on Wednesday sealed one-day international status for the first time with a third straight victory at the World Cricket League Division Two event in Namibia. The Americans, whose only previous experience of ODI cricket was at the 2004 Champions Trophy, thrashed Hong Kong by 84 runs to wrap up a top-four place in the six-team competition. There will be 20 ODI nations after the end of the tournament, with the top four sides to join Scotland, the United Arab Emirates, Nepal and the Netherlands in having temporary status. After an opening loss to Oman, the US beat Namibia and Papua New Guinea to leave themselves one win away from their target. Former West Indies batsman Xavier Marshall hit 100 as the Americans made 280-8 batting first on Wednesday, with Hong Kong managing just 196-7 in their run chase. Oman have also secured their ODI status, leaving Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Canada and Hong Kong to fight it out for the remaining two places.

USA secure ODI status for first time

China poses a long-term challenge to the United States across every front, including trade and intellectual property rights, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said.

The US will demand a fair and reciprocal trade from China and President Donald Trump is determined to achieve it, he said.

"China is a long-term challenge. This challenge is across every front," Pompeo told American radio host Tony Katz on Thursday.

Stating that the US President has begun taking on the challenge of unfair trade, Pompeo said that America had very unfair trade with China and have had many administrations.

He said that the US has other sets of challenges, including China's continued efforts in the South China Sea.

Pompeo also informed of the Chinese being indicted for stealing intellectual property.

"Just this week, ten Chinese were indicted for stealing intellectual property, aviation-related intellectual property," he said.

"These are not the types of actions that countries that truly want to be part of the global community engage in, and we're pushing back against China across every one of those fronts to try and achieve that on behalf of the American people," Pompeo said.

Pompeo said that Russia also poses a challenge due to its large nuclear arsenal that threatens the entire world.

"Russia is a much smaller economy, but still maintains an enormously large nuclear arsenal, which threatens not only the United States but the world. President Trump has been really tough. We have done things to put pressure on Vladimir Putin and Russia in a way that no previous administration has," he said.

China poses a long-term challenge to the United States across every front, including trade and intellectual property rights, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said.

China poses a long-term challenge to the United States across every front, including trade and intellectual property rights, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said. The US will demand a fair and reciprocal trade from China and President Donald Trump is determined to achieve it, he said. "China is a long-term challenge. This challenge is across every front," Pompeo told American radio host Tony Katz on Thursday. Stating that the US President has begun taking on the challenge of unfair trade, Pompeo said that America had very unfair trade with China and have had many administrations. He said that the US has other sets of challenges, including China's continued efforts in the South China Sea. Pompeo also informed of the Chinese being indicted for stealing intellectual property. "Just this week, ten Chinese were indicted for stealing intellectual property, aviation-related intellectual property," he said. "These are not the types of actions that countries that truly want to be part of the global community engage in, and we're pushing back against China across every one of those fronts to try and achieve that on behalf of the American people," Pompeo said. Pompeo said that Russia also poses a challenge due to its large nuclear arsenal that threatens the entire world. "Russia is a much smaller economy, but still maintains an enormously large nuclear arsenal, which threatens not only the United States but the world. President Trump has been really tough. We have done things to put pressure on Vladimir Putin and Russia in a way that no previous administration has," he said.

China a long-term challenge across every front: Pompeo

&nbsp;Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership has distanced itself from the recently launched Free Karachi campaign in the United States.

&quot;The meeting also unanimously informed hereby that the Movement and its founder and leader Hussain has nothing to do with the recently surfaced &quot;#FreeKarachi&quot; campaign&quot;, the MQM said in a statement.

The decision was taken in a meeting of its senior leaders held at the MQM International Secretariat here.

The meeting was attended by seniors from Pakistan, United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Belgium, South Africa and other countries.

It deliberated on issues relating to Pakistan, international and MQM organisational matters.

The statement comes after taxis lined up with #FreeKarachi banners to participate in the Dr Martin Luther King Day parade earlier this week in Washington and similar demonstrations were held in New York.&nbsp;​​​​​​​

The meeting was attended by seniors from Pakistan, United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Belgium, South Africa and other countries. It deliberated on issues relating to Pakistan, international and MQM organisational matters

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership has distanced itself from the recently launched Free Karachi campaign in the United States. "The meeting also unanimously informed hereby that the Movement and its founder and leader Hussain has nothing to do with the recently surfaced "#FreeKarachi" campaign", the MQM said in a statement. The decision was taken in a meeting of its senior leaders held at the MQM International Secretariat here. The meeting was attended by seniors from Pakistan, United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Belgium, South Africa and other countries. It deliberated on issues relating to Pakistan, international and MQM organisational matters. The statement comes after taxis lined up with #FreeKarachi banners to participate in the Dr Martin Luther King Day parade earlier this week in Washington and similar demonstrations were held in New York.

MQM distances itself from #FreeKrachi campaign

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today alleged that US President Donald Trump&#39;s recent remarks against his country showed that he was &quot;talking in the language of India&quot;.

Briefing the Parliamentary Committee on National Security about the tension between Pakistan and the US following Trump&#39;s remarks, Asif said the US is making Islamabad a scapegoat for its failure in Afghanistan.

Trump had accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but &quot;lies and deceit&quot; in return for USD 33 billion aid.

Sources privy to the discussion in the meeting said Asif told lawmakers, &quot;Trump was speaking in the language of India.&quot;

&quot;The statements from the US leaders are contrary to the facts,&quot; Asif said.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who heads the body, told the media after the meeting that there should be &quot;balanced response&quot; to the statements from the US.

&quot;The country&#39;s dignity should be maintained while engaging with the US,&quot; he said.

He said the committee has decided to reconvene next week for a briefing by security agencies.

The closed-door meeting came on the heels of a high-level National Security Committee meet and the cabinet meeting earlier this week.

Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir was also present in the meeting.

Dastagir said when US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defence Secretary James Mattis visited Pakistan, they presented their stance in accordance with diplomatic norms and the talks were not threatening and insulting, Geo TV reported.

&quot;(But) this was present in Trump&#39;s tweet and before that when US Vice President Mike Pence made the &#39;put Pakistan on notice&#39; statement from Afghanistan,&quot; the defence minister said, referring to the threatening tone of the US leaders.

&quot;We need to have a holistic review of the entire situation. We are conducting a complete analysis and coolly formulating our response,&quot; he said, adding that there should not be any doubts when it comes to the defence of Pakistan.

&quot;The question is will America create a situation which will harm Pakistan...We are ready for this but still want to engage the US,&quot; he shared.

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and NSA Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Janjua also briefed the participants.

Briefing the Parliamentary Committee on National Security about the tension between Pakistan and the US following Trump's remarks, Pakistan Foreign minister Asif said the US is making Islamabad a scapegoat for its failure in Afghanistan

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today alleged that US President Donald Trump's recent remarks against his country showed that he was "talking in the language of India". Briefing the Parliamentary Committee on National Security about the tension between Pakistan and the US following Trump's remarks, Asif said the US is making Islamabad a scapegoat for its failure in Afghanistan. Trump had accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid. Sources privy to the discussion in the meeting said Asif told lawmakers, "Trump was speaking in the language of India." "The statements from the US leaders are contrary to the facts," Asif said. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who heads the body, told the media after the meeting that there should be "balanced response" to the statements from the US. "The country's dignity should be maintained while engaging with the US," he said. He said the committee has decided to reconvene next week for a briefing by security agencies. The closed-door meeting came on the heels of a high-level National Security Committee meet and the cabinet meeting earlier this week. Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir was also present in the meeting. Dastagir said when US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defence Secretary James Mattis visited Pakistan, they presented their stance in accordance with diplomatic norms and the talks were not threatening and insulting, Geo TV reported. "(But) this was present in Trump's tweet and before that when US Vice President Mike Pence made the 'put Pakistan on notice' statement from Afghanistan," the defence minister said, referring to the threatening tone of the US leaders. "We need to have a holistic review of the entire situation. We are conducting a complete analysis and coolly formulating our response," he said, adding that there should not be any doubts when it comes to the defence of Pakistan. "The question is will America create a situation which will harm Pakistan...We are ready for this but still want to engage the US," he shared. Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and NSA Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Janjua also briefed the participants.

Trump 'talking in the language of India', Pakistan Foreign Minister

US President Donald Trump has said he believes the probe into Russian meddling in the US election &quot;makes the country look very bad,&quot; according to The New York Times.

Speaking to the newspaper yesterday, Trump said he believes special counsel Robert Mueller will treat him fairly -- a view in contrast with recent attacks on Mueller&#39;s credibility from Republicans, who have pressed for a new independent prosecutor to investigate anti-Trump bias.

&quot;It makes the country look very bad, and it puts the country in a very bad position,&quot; Trump told the Times. &quot;So the sooner it&#39;s worked out, the better it is for the country.&quot;

The president added that he was not concerned about the ongoing investigation -- which his lawyers insisted would be finished by Thanksgiving -- as &quot;everybody knows&quot; there was no Russian collusion.

&quot;There&#39;s been no collusion. But I think he&#39;s going to be fair,&quot; Trump said of Mueller.

He repeated the allegations were invented by Democrats &quot;as a hoax, as a ruse, as an excuse for losing an election,&quot; the Times reported.

Trump also distanced himself from ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was indicted in October in the first legal action stemming from the investigation.

&quot;He worked for me for -- what was it, three and a half months&quot; he told the Times, mentioning Manafort&#39;s connections to other Republicans including John McCain and Ronald Reagan.

According to the newspaper, Trump added it was &quot;too bad&quot; that Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from overseeing the probe -- pointing out that although he did not want to &quot;get into loyalty,&quot; Barack Obama&#39;s first attorney general, Eric Holder Jr, &quot;totally protected him.&quot;

Meanwhile, questioned on the re-opening of the investigation into Hillary Clinton&#39;s emails, Trump maintained focus on the collusion probe.

He told the Times that &quot;for purposes of hopefully thinking I&#39;m going to be treated fairly, I&#39;ve stayed uninvolved with this particular matter.&quot;&nbsp;

'It makes the country look very bad, and it puts the country in a very bad position,' Trump said

US President Donald Trump has said he believes the probe into Russian meddling in the US election "makes the country look very bad," according to The New York Times. Speaking to the newspaper yesterday, Trump said he believes special counsel Robert Mueller will treat him fairly -- a view in contrast with recent attacks on Mueller's credibility from Republicans, who have pressed for a new independent prosecutor to investigate anti-Trump bias. "It makes the country look very bad, and it puts the country in a very bad position," Trump told the Times. "So the sooner it's worked out, the better it is for the country." The president added that he was not concerned about the ongoing investigation -- which his lawyers insisted would be finished by Thanksgiving -- as "everybody knows" there was no Russian collusion. "There's been no collusion. But I think he's going to be fair," Trump said of Mueller. He repeated the allegations were invented by Democrats "as a hoax, as a ruse, as an excuse for losing an election," the Times reported. Trump also distanced himself from ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was indicted in October in the first legal action stemming from the investigation. "He worked for me for -- what was it, three and a half months" he told the Times, mentioning Manafort's connections to other Republicans including John McCain and Ronald Reagan. According to the newspaper, Trump added it was "too bad" that Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from overseeing the probe -- pointing out that although he did not want to "get into loyalty," Barack Obama's first attorney general, Eric Holder Jr, "totally protected him." Meanwhile, questioned on the re-opening of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails, Trump maintained focus on the collusion probe. He told the Times that "for purposes of hopefully thinking I'm going to be treated fairly, I've stayed uninvolved with this particular matter."

Russia probe makes US 'look very bad': Trump

US President Donald Trump has sent a list of hard-line immigration principles to the Congress, proposing a point-based system for awarding green cards, preventing immigrants from sponsoring their extended families and speeding up deportations.

Besides overhauling the country&#39;s green-card system,&nbsp;Trump administration&#39;s wish list also includes the funding of a controversial border wall along the US-Mexico border and a crackdown on unaccompanied minors entering the country.

The move to establish a merit-based immigration system could benefit high-skilled Indian immigrants especially those from the IT sector. However, the new policies would badly impact those thousands of Indian Americans who want to bring in their family members to the US particularly their aged parents.

The demands were denounced by Democratic leaders in Congress who had hoped to forge a deal with Trump to protect younger immigrants, known as &quot;dreamers&quot;, who were brought to the US illegally as children.

Trump last month announced plans to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, an Obama-era programme that had provided two-year work permits to the dreamers that Trump called &quot;unconstitutional&quot;. 
 
In his letter to the Congress last night, Trump demanded that these principles must be included as part of any legislation addressing the status of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.&quot;Without these reforms, illegal immigration and chain migration, which severely and unfairly burden American workers and taxpayers, will continue without end,&quot; he asserted.

Arguing for a merit-based immigration system, Trump told the Congress that the current immigration system does not serve the national interest as it prioritises extended family-based chain migration over skills-based immigration.&quot;Decades of low-skilled immigration has suppressed wages, fueled unemployment and strained federal resources,&quot; he rued.

The administration proposes establishing a merit-based immigration system that protects US workers and taxpayers, and ending chain migration, to promote financial success and assimilation for newcomers, he said.

Trump proposed?

Ending extended-family chain migration by limiting family-based green cards to spouses and minor children and replace it with a merit-based system that prioritises skills and economic contributions over family connections.

He called for establishing a new point-based system for awarding the green cards (lawful permanent residents) based on factors that allow individuals to successfully assimilate and support themselves financially; eliminate the diversity visa lottery and limit the number of refugees to prevent abuse of the US Refugee Admissions Programme.

Trump also proposed to increase the number of officials involved in enforcement, hiring an additional 10,000 Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers and 1,000 attorneys, 370 immigration judges and 300 federal prosecutors.

Trump&#39;s list was criticised by Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi.

&quot;The administration can&#39;t be serious about compromise or helping the Dreamers if they begin with a list that is anathema to the Dreamers, to the immigrant community and to the vast majority of Americans,? Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement?&nbsp; &quot;We told the president at our meeting that we were open to reasonable border security measures alongside the DREAM Act, but this list goes so far beyond what is reasonable. This proposal fails to represent any attempt at compromise,&quot; they said.

&quot;The list includes the wall, which was explicitly ruled out of the negotiations. If the president was serious about protecting the Dreamers, his staff has not made a good faith effort to do so,? the statement said. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, however, said that Trump has put forth a series of proposals that will restore the rule of law to the immigration system, prioritise America&#39;s safety and security, and end the lawlessness.

&quot;These are reasonable proposals that will build on the early success of President Trump&#39;s leadership. This plan will work. If followed it will produce an immigration system with integrity and one in which we can take pride. Perhaps the best result will be that unlawful attempts to enter will continue their dramatic decline,? he said.

Leading civil rights group American Civil Liberties Union opposed the proposals.

&quot;Members of Congress of both parties who want to resolve the status of undocumented immigrant youth should recognise that these policies are a non-starter and get back to work on behalf of the vast majority of Americans who want to get something constructive done instead,? said Lorella Praeli, director of immigration policy and campaigns at the American Civil Liberties Union.

Beth Werlin, executive director of American Immigration Council said the White House Immigration Principles and Policies are no more than the immigration restrictionists&#39; wish list.

&quot;They are a nonstarter. There is broad bipartisan support for a permanent solution for Dreamers without poison pills attached to it. We must not squander the potential of this generation of young people who will help write the next great chapter of American history,&quot; Werlin said.

Besides overhauling the country's green-card system,?Trump administration's wish list also includes the funding of a controversial border wall along the US-Mexico border and a crackdown on unaccompanied minors entering the country

US President Donald Trump has sent a list of hard-line immigration principles to the Congress, proposing a point-based system for awarding green cards, preventing immigrants from sponsoring their extended families and speeding up deportations. Besides overhauling the country's green-card system, Trump administration's wish list also includes the funding of a controversial border wall along the US-Mexico border and a crackdown on unaccompanied minors entering the country. The move to establish a merit-based immigration system could benefit high-skilled Indian immigrants especially those from the IT sector. However, the new policies would badly impact those thousands of Indian Americans who want to bring in their family members to the US particularly their aged parents. The demands were denounced by Democratic leaders in Congress who had hoped to forge a deal with Trump to protect younger immigrants, known as "dreamers", who were brought to the US illegally as children. Trump last month announced plans to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, an Obama-era programme that had provided two-year work permits to the dreamers that Trump called "unconstitutional". In his letter to the Congress last night, Trump demanded that these principles must be included as part of any legislation addressing the status of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients."Without these reforms, illegal immigration and chain migration, which severely and unfairly burden American workers and taxpayers, will continue without end," he asserted. Arguing for a merit-based immigration system, Trump told the Congress that the current immigration system does not serve the national interest as it prioritises extended family-based chain migration over skills-based immigration."Decades of low-skilled immigration has suppressed wages, fueled unemployment and strained federal resources," he rued. The administration proposes establishing a merit-based immigration system that protects US workers and taxpayers, and ending chain migration, to promote financial success and assimilation for newcomers, he said. Trump proposed? Ending extended-family chain migration by limiting family-based green cards to spouses and minor children and replace it with a merit-based system that prioritises skills and economic contributions over family connections. He called for establishing a new point-based system for awarding the green cards (lawful permanent residents) based on factors that allow individuals to successfully assimilate and support themselves financially; eliminate the diversity visa lottery and limit the number of refugees to prevent abuse of the US Refugee Admissions Programme. Trump also proposed to increase the number of officials involved in enforcement, hiring an additional 10,000 Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers and 1,000 attorneys, 370 immigration judges and 300 federal prosecutors. Trump's list was criticised by Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. "The administration can't be serious about compromise or helping the Dreamers if they begin with a list that is anathema to the Dreamers, to the immigrant community and to the vast majority of Americans,? Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement? "We told the president at our meeting that we were open to reasonable border security measures alongside the DREAM Act, but this list goes so far beyond what is reasonable. This proposal fails to represent any attempt at compromise," they said. "The list includes the wall, which was explicitly ruled out of the negotiations. If the president was serious about protecting the Dreamers, his staff has not made a good faith effort to do so,? the statement said. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, however, said that Trump has put forth a series of proposals that will restore the rule of law to the immigration system, prioritise America's safety and security, and end the lawlessness. "These are reasonable proposals that will build on the early success of President Trump's leadership. This plan will work. If followed it will produce an immigration system with integrity and one in which we can take pride. Perhaps the best result will be that unlawful attempts to enter will continue their dramatic decline,? he said. Leading civil rights group American Civil Liberties Union opposed the proposals. "Members of Congress of both parties who want to resolve the status of undocumented immigrant youth should recognise that these policies are a non-starter and get back to work on behalf of the vast majority of Americans who want to get something constructive done instead,? said Lorella Praeli, director of immigration policy and campaigns at the American Civil Liberties Union. Beth Werlin, executive director of American Immigration Council said the White House Immigration Principles and Policies are no more than the immigration restrictionists' wish list. "They are a nonstarter. There is broad bipartisan support for a permanent solution for Dreamers without poison pills attached to it. We must not squander the potential of this generation of young people who will help write the next great chapter of American history," Werlin said.

Trump sends hard-line immigration plan to Congress

The White House has launched an internal probe of the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kushner-used-personal-email-for-wh-business-20613"> use of private email for official business</a> by senior aides to President Donald Trump, news outlet Politico reported Thursday.

The administration is scouring the White House server for emails to and from private email accounts of these aides, Politico said, quoting four people familiar with the probe.

Politico said at least five current and former White House officials used private email to conduct government business: Trump&#39;s son in law and adviser Jared&nbsp;Kushner, daughter Ivanka, economic adviser Gary Cohn, former strategic adviser Steve Bannon and former chief of staff Reince Priebus.

Politico said the probe began this week after it reported private email use by&nbsp;Kushner.

The internal probe could take weeks or even months, it said.

Trump&#39;s White House legal staff is reviewing the accounts to see if any of the messages sent relate to the Russia probes being carried out by two congressional panels and special counsel Robert Mueller, Politico quoted one of its sources as saying.

As a candidate, Trump routinely attacked his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, telling supporters &quot;she has to go to jail&quot; over the affair.

Politico reported Monday that&nbsp;Kushner&nbsp;used a personal account to send messages to senior White House officials and outside advisers about media coverage, planning events, and other issues.

There is no suggestion the emails contained highly sensitive information or were classified, it added, but they could fall foul of the Presidential Records Act, which requires all documents related to the president&#39;s personal and political activities to be archived.

Kushner&#39;s numerous responsibilities within the Trump administration include trying to broker peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In addition to the email controversy,&nbsp;Kushner&nbsp;is facing scrutiny over the Trump campaign&#39;s alleged collusion with Russia to interfere in the 2016 US election, which is the subject of the probes in Congress and by Mueller.

The administration is scouring the White House server for emails to and from private email accounts of these aides, Politico said, quoting four people familiar with the probe

The White House has launched an internal probe of the use of private email for official business by senior aides to President Donald Trump, news outlet Politico reported Thursday. The administration is scouring the White House server for emails to and from private email accounts of these aides, Politico said, quoting four people familiar with the probe. Politico said at least five current and former White House officials used private email to conduct government business: Trump's son in law and adviser Jared Kushner, daughter Ivanka, economic adviser Gary Cohn, former strategic adviser Steve Bannon and former chief of staff Reince Priebus. Politico said the probe began this week after it reported private email use by Kushner. The internal probe could take weeks or even months, it said. Trump's White House legal staff is reviewing the accounts to see if any of the messages sent relate to the Russia probes being carried out by two congressional panels and special counsel Robert Mueller, Politico quoted one of its sources as saying. As a candidate, Trump routinely attacked his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, telling supporters "she has to go to jail" over the affair. Politico reported Monday that Kushner used a personal account to send messages to senior White House officials and outside advisers about media coverage, planning events, and other issues. There is no suggestion the emails contained highly sensitive information or were classified, it added, but they could fall foul of the Presidential Records Act, which requires all documents related to the president's personal and political activities to be archived. Kushner's numerous responsibilities within the Trump administration include trying to broker peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In addition to the email controversy, Kushner is facing scrutiny over the Trump campaign's alleged collusion with Russia to interfere in the 2016 US election, which is the subject of the probes in Congress and by Mueller.

White House probing use of private email

New York Fashion Week came to a glamorous end this year on 13th September with some of the hottest trends for&nbsp;spring/summer 2018.&nbsp;

From plus size models walking the ramp to various designers bringing in diversity in their shows, New York had a culturally rich fashion week&nbsp;of all times.

Some of the ramp styles that you would want to steal from this year&#39;s mega gala are the colour lilac in various hues and shades, the hands-free fanny pack that you can tie around the waist, comfortable yet stylish luxe garments that can be pulled off on the street and parties, sheer clothes, and glittery and dramatic shoes&nbsp;among some other hits.&nbsp;

While the fashion week ramp sizzled with glamour and style, the New York fashion circuit also saw an upgrade on the streets.&nbsp;

These are some of the most noteworthy street styles carried out by Instagram and YouTube celebrities during the event:

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BYyV5ZmlrZY/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Day 1 #nyfw2017 | All White everything ???? cape/vest is from @elliatt thank you @riviereagency for my day 1 outfit ????</a>

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY8cb4-gd0N/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">L O V E ?? S O C I E T Y @liketoknow.it http://liketk.it/2sGU5 #liketkit #ltkxnyfw #nyfw #nom #nomdotcom</a>

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY3q4gKA4r4/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Saw the @DanLiuDesign 2018 Spring Collection, it was beautiful ?? I&#39;m Wearing one of @danliudesign, Thanks To @RiviereAgency</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Shalom Blac ???? (@shalom_blac) on <time datetime="2017-09-10T18:02:39+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 10, 2017 at 11:02am PDT</time>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY3oZSPFiR1/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Day 2 - #NYFW ?? @federomerofoto Bag @henribendel | Shoes @flystoreoficial . . #ny #nyfwss18 #streetstyle #fashionweek #joiceoliveira #joistyle #oitd #ootn #outfit #ny #city #latepost #bendelgirl #bendelgirls #henribendel</a>

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY39pwfHXL5/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Saw the amazing @danliudesign today for #NYFW, had the honor of getting dressed for his show and sat front row, and then finally got to meet him at the end. ?? Onto @leannemarshallofficial and @jarelzhang_official ??: @robbiebulilan Follow along my stories to see my night from @philippplein78 and @21savage and @future performing! Saw @nickiminaj too ?? ??????????????????????If you haven&#39;t already, vote for me today for #MaximsFinest! Link is in bio or you can click here to vote: www.maximsfinest.com/2017/kasey-ma ??</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Kasey Ma || theStyleWright (@thestylewright) on <time datetime="2017-09-10T20:46:40+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 10, 2017 at 1:46pm PDT</time>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY_I0NOH99f/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Back to school moment before the @coach fashion show ?? #nyfw</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Mary Leest (@maryleest) on <time datetime="2017-09-13T15:38:53+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 13, 2017 at 8:38am PDT</time>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY8lD__BiuN/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Last time I checked, I wasn&#39;t born to please anyone ??. Anyone else wish me? PC: @thestreetsensei // NYFW PHOTO DIARY (1 of 2) just hit the homepage. #nyfw</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Lynn Kim Do (@lynnkimdo) on <time datetime="2017-09-12T15:48:00+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 12, 2017 at 8:48am PDT</time>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY3YrM7BaKs/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">totally into this bag of skittles moment. candy anyone? ?? #womanist #nyfw @lisa.aiken @tamumcpherson</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Jan-Michael Quammie (@jan.quammie) on <time datetime="2017-09-10T15:23:33+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 10, 2017 at 8:23am PDT</time>
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The ministry said the companies, including joint ventures with Chinese firms, have 120 days to close from the date the United Nations resolution was adopted

New York Fashion Week came to a glamorous end this year on 13th September with some of the hottest trends for spring/summer 2018. From plus size models walking the ramp to various designers bringing in diversity in their shows, New York had a culturally rich fashion week of all times. Some of the ramp styles that you would want to steal from this year's mega gala are the colour lilac in various hues and shades, the hands-free fanny pack that you can tie around the waist, comfortable yet stylish luxe garments that can be pulled off on the street and parties, sheer clothes, and glittery and dramatic shoes among some other hits. While the fashion week ramp sizzled with glamour and style, the New York fashion circuit also saw an upgrade on the streets. These are some of the most noteworthy street styles carried out by Instagram and YouTube celebrities during the event: Day 1 #nyfw2017 | All White everything ???? cape/vest is from @elliatt thank you @riviereagency for my day 1 outfit ???? A post shared by heba jay ?? (@heba_jay) on Sep 8, 2017 at 9:23am PDT × L O V E ?? S O C I E T Y @liketoknow.it http://liketk.it/2sGU5 #liketkit #ltkxnyfw #nyfw #nom #nomdotcom A post shared by Lauren Recchia (@northofmanhattan) on Sep 12, 2017 at 7:32am PDT × Saw the @DanLiuDesign 2018 Spring Collection, it was beautiful ?? I'm Wearing one of @danliudesign, Thanks To @RiviereAgency A post shared by Shalom Blac ???? (@shalom_blac) on Sep 10, 2017 at 11:02am PDT × Day 2 - #NYFW ?? @federomerofoto Bag @henribendel | Shoes @flystoreoficial . . #ny #nyfwss18 #streetstyle #fashionweek #joiceoliveira #joistyle #oitd #ootn #outfit #ny #city #latepost #bendelgirl #bendelgirls #henribendel A post shared by JOICE OLIVEIRA (@joiceoliveira) on Sep 10, 2017 at 10:40am PDT × Saw the amazing @danliudesign today for #NYFW, had the honor of getting dressed for his show and sat front row, and then finally got to meet him at the end. ?? Onto @leannemarshallofficial and @jarelzhang_official ??: @robbiebulilan Follow along my stories to see my night from @philippplein78 and @21savage and @future performing! Saw @nickiminaj too ?? ??????????????????????If you haven't already, vote for me today for #MaximsFinest! Link is in bio or you can click here to vote: www.maximsfinest.com/2017/kasey-ma ?? A post shared by Kasey Ma || theStyleWright (@thestylewright) on Sep 10, 2017 at 1:46pm PDT × Back to school moment before the @coach fashion show ?? #nyfw A post shared by Mary Leest (@maryleest) on Sep 13, 2017 at 8:38am PDT × Last time I checked, I wasn't born to please anyone ??. Anyone else wish me? PC: @thestreetsensei // NYFW PHOTO DIARY (1 of 2) just hit the homepage. #nyfw A post shared by Lynn Kim Do (@lynnkimdo) on Sep 12, 2017 at 8:48am PDT × totally into this bag of skittles moment. candy anyone? ?? #womanist #nyfw @lisa.aiken @tamumcpherson A post shared by Jan-Michael Quammie (@jan.quammie) on Sep 10, 2017 at 8:23am PDT ×

N. Korean firms in China ordered to close by January

Donald&nbsp;Trump&#39;s son-in-law and top&nbsp;aide, Jared&nbsp;Kushner, has been&nbsp;registered&nbsp;to&nbsp;vote&nbsp;as a&nbsp;woman&nbsp;for eight years, US media reported.

Voter information records held by New York show the presidential adviser&nbsp;whose portfolio includes everything from seeking peace in the Middle East to reining in the opioid crisis in the United States was&nbsp;registered&nbsp;as &quot;female.&quot;

The screenshot, published by Wired, is not the first time the young statesman has fallen foul of bureaucracy.&nbsp;(Also Read: <a href="http://http://www.wionews.com/world/jared-kushner-sought-secret-communications-line-with-russia-report-16095">Jared Kushner sought secret communications line with Russia: Report</a>)

Kushner, who is married to&nbsp;Trump&#39;s daughter Ivanka, also filled out paperwork for his White House security clearance wrongly and had to refile it repeatedly, CBS reported.

Prior to 2009,&nbsp;Kushner&#39;s New Jersey voter registration noted his gender as &quot;unknown,&quot; according to The Hill&nbsp;news site.

Kushner, the scion of a wealthy property-owning family, is one of a number of&nbsp;Trump&#39;s inner circle previously found to have been&nbsp;registered&nbsp;to&nbsp;vote&nbsp;in more than one state during last year&#39;s&nbsp;election, the Washington Post has reported.

Others include ex-White House press secretary Sean Spicer and ex-lead strategist Stephen Bannon.

Multiple registrations were pointed to by the president as a sign of purported widespread voter fraud in the 2016&nbsp;election.&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said millions of people illegally cast votes for Hillary Clinton but has never substantiated his claim.

Kushner&nbsp;-- a person of interest in the ongoing probe into Russian interference in the US&nbsp;election&nbsp;-- has also recently been accused of using private email accounts to conduct government business.

Trump&#39;s insurgent presidential campaign was galvanized by supporters&#39; demands that Clinton be jailed for her use of private email servers while Secretary of State.

Voter information records held by New York show the presidential adviser whose portfolio includes everything from seeking peace in the Middle East to reining in the opioid crisis in the United States was?registered?as "female."

Donald Trump's son-in-law and top aide, Jared Kushner, has been registered to vote as a woman for eight years, US media reported. Voter information records held by New York show the presidential adviser whose portfolio includes everything from seeking peace in the Middle East to reining in the opioid crisis in the United States was registered as "female." The screenshot, published by Wired, is not the first time the young statesman has fallen foul of bureaucracy. (Also Read: Jared Kushner sought secret communications line with Russia: Report) Kushner, who is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka, also filled out paperwork for his White House security clearance wrongly and had to refile it repeatedly, CBS reported. Prior to 2009, Kushner's New Jersey voter registration noted his gender as "unknown," according to The Hill news site. Kushner, the scion of a wealthy property-owning family, is one of a number of Trump's inner circle previously found to have been registered to vote in more than one state during last year's election, the Washington Post has reported. Others include ex-White House press secretary Sean Spicer and ex-lead strategist Stephen Bannon. Multiple registrations were pointed to by the president as a sign of purported widespread voter fraud in the 2016 election. Trump said millions of people illegally cast votes for Hillary Clinton but has never substantiated his claim. Kushner -- a person of interest in the ongoing probe into Russian interference in the US election -- has also recently been accused of using private email accounts to conduct government business. Trump's insurgent presidential campaign was galvanized by supporters' demands that Clinton be jailed for her use of private email servers while Secretary of State.

Trump aide and son-in-law Kushner registered to vote as a woman: Reports