Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded to Trump's warnings on Sunday in a tweet, saying that targetting country's cultural sites would be a "war crime".&nbsp;

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-Having committed grave breaches of int'l law in Friday's cowardly assassinations, <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realdonaldtrump</a> threatens to commit again new breaches of JUS COGENS; 
 
-Targeting cultural sites is a WAR CRIME; 
 
-Whether kicking or screaming, end of US malign presence in West Asia has begun.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) <a href="https://twitter.com/JZarif/status/1213742809095770113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The comments came after Trump tweeted early on Sunday where he warned Iran that US would target Iran's 52 sites if they killed any American.&nbsp;

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....hundreds of Iranian protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years. Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213593974679769093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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....targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level &amp; important to Iran &amp; the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213593975732527112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Iran "will be hit very fast and very hard," Trump said in a tweet.&nbsp;

The tensions between Iran and the US rose after the killing of Soleimani, former chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force. Concerns of war were also raised after the US drone strike that killed Soleimani and Iraq's paramilitary chief.&nbsp;

Iran's army chief General Abdolrahim Mousavi also said on Sunday that US lacked the "courage" to initiate a conflict.&nbsp;

"I doubt they have the courage to initiate," Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said, reported by state news agency IRNA.&nbsp;

Earlier today, thousands of mourners cried, beat their chests as they paid respect to&nbsp;Soleimani after his last remains reached Iran.

In the southwestern city of Ahvaz, men and women shouted "Death to America" and carried portraits of the commander.

It is expected that the last remains of Soleimani, who was much-revered in the region&nbsp;will reach Iraqi capital Tehran in the evening. The funeral fo former commander will be done in his hometown Kerman on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Earlier, Iran's supreme commander Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed of "severe revenge" after the killing of former commander.&nbsp; 
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Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded to Trump's warnings on Sunday in a tweet, saying that targetting country's cultural sites would be a "war crime".

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded to Trump's warnings on Sunday in a tweet, saying that targetting country's cultural sites would be a "war crime". -Having committed grave breaches of int'l law in Friday's cowardly assassinations, @realdonaldtrump threatens to commit again new breaches of JUS COGENS; -Targeting cultural sites is a WAR CRIME; -Whether kicking or screaming, end of US malign presence in West Asia has begun. — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 5, 2020 × The comments came after Trump tweeted early on Sunday where he warned Iran that US would target Iran's 52 sites if they killed any American. ....hundreds of Iranian protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years. Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020 × ....targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020 × Iran "will be hit very fast and very hard," Trump said in a tweet. The tensions between Iran and the US rose after the killing of Soleimani, former chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force. Concerns of war were also raised after the US drone strike that killed Soleimani and Iraq's paramilitary chief. Iran's army chief General Abdolrahim Mousavi also said on Sunday that US lacked the "courage" to initiate a conflict. "I doubt they have the courage to initiate," Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said, reported by state news agency IRNA. Earlier today, thousands of mourners cried, beat their chests as they paid respect to Soleimani after his last remains reached Iran. In the southwestern city of Ahvaz, men and women shouted "Death to America" and carried portraits of the commander. It is expected that the last remains of Soleimani, who was much-revered in the region will reach Iraqi capital Tehran in the evening. The funeral fo former commander will be done in his hometown Kerman on Tuesday. Earlier, Iran's supreme commander Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed of "severe revenge" after the killing of former commander.

It will be a 'war crime' if US attacks Iran's cultural sites: Foreign minister Zarif

US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Sunday&nbsp;that the United States is targetting 52&nbsp;sites in Iran and asserted of hitting them "very fast and very hard" if threats to the US are not stopped.&nbsp;

Taking to Twitter, Trump said Iran is talking very boldly about targetting "US assets" after the killing of top commander Qasem Soleimani.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chants-of-death-to-america-as-iraqis-mourn-death-of-iranian-commander-272136">Chants of 'Death to America' as Iraqis mourn death of Iranian commander Soleimani</a> 
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Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, &amp; badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213593965838163968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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....hundreds of Iranian protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years. Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213593974679769093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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....targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level &amp; important to Iran &amp; the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213593975732527112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, &amp; badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of Iranian 
protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years."

He added that 52 represents the number of US hostages taken by Iran many years ago.&nbsp;

"Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targetted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level &amp; important to Iran &amp; &nbsp;the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran 
itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!," Trump tweeted.

The threat by the US President comes after two mortar rounds hit an area near the US embassy in Baghdad on Saturday, in apparent retaliation after the killing of Soleimani.&nbsp;

After the mortar attack, almost simultaneously, two rockets also were fired aiming the Al-Balad airbase where American troops are deployed. However, the US and Iraqi military confirmed that there were no casualties.&nbsp;

Soleimani, a much-revered figure in Iran and nearby region, was the leader of Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' and was killed in a drone strike by the US near the Baghdad international airport. The strike killed 10 people including Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.&nbsp;

Yesterday, thousands of people in Iran chanted "Death to America" and called for "revenge" in the funeral procession in honour of late commander.&nbsp;

Pro-Iranian groups in Iran are threatening of targetting US installations across Iraq with missiles and warnings to Iraqi troops, part of great anger against the killing of Soleimani.&nbsp;

Earlier Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also called for "severe revenge" and vowed that "God willing, his work and his path will not be stopped".&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Sunday that the United States is targetting 52 sites in Iran and asserted of hitting them "very fast and very hard" if threats to the US are not stopped.

US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Sunday that the United States is targetting 52 sites in Iran and asserted of hitting them "very fast and very hard" if threats to the US are not stopped. Taking to Twitter, Trump said Iran is talking very boldly about targetting "US assets" after the killing of top commander Qasem Soleimani. Also read: Chants of 'Death to America' as Iraqis mourn death of Iranian commander Soleimani Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020 × ....hundreds of Iranian protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years. Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020 × ....targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020 × "Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of Iranian protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years." He added that 52 represents the number of US hostages taken by Iran many years ago. "Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targetted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!," Trump tweeted. The threat by the US President comes after two mortar rounds hit an area near the US embassy in Baghdad on Saturday, in apparent retaliation after the killing of Soleimani. After the mortar attack, almost simultaneously, two rockets also were fired aiming the Al-Balad airbase where American troops are deployed. However, the US and Iraqi military confirmed that there were no casualties. Soleimani, a much-revered figure in Iran and nearby region, was the leader of Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' and was killed in a drone strike by the US near the Baghdad international airport. The strike killed 10 people including Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Yesterday, thousands of people in Iran chanted "Death to America" and called for "revenge" in the funeral procession in honour of late commander. Pro-Iranian groups in Iran are threatening of targetting US installations across Iraq with missiles and warnings to Iraqi troops, part of great anger against the killing of Soleimani. Earlier Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also called for "severe revenge" and vowed that "God willing, his work and his path will not be stopped".

US to target 52 Iranian sites if Americans are attacked: Donald Trump

Thousands of mourners dressed in black paid respect to former general Qasem Soleimani after his body reached the Iranian city of Ahvaz on Sunday.&nbsp;

Like yesterday, mourners once again chanted "Death to America" at a mass gathering in the country's southwestern city. The last remains reached Iran after thousands bid adieu to the much-revered commander in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Najaf.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-target-52-iranian-sites-if-americans-are-attacked-donald-trump-272166">US to target 52 Iranian sites if Americans are attacked: Donald Trump&nbsp;</a>

A video clip by official IRIB agency showed that the coffin was wrapped in an Iranian flag and a military band started playing as soon as the coffin unloaded from the plane.&nbsp;
<img alt="Qasem Soleimani last remains" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c6d78a13-5e5f-4e80-9c85-bdb869de53ec" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1NG3AV.jpg" />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;(Mourners holding the coffin: Photo Credit: AFP)

The mourners were seen crying, beating their chests and carried portraits of the commander who was the chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force.
<img alt="Qasem Soleimani last remains" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7de93e24-6a0f-4da4-a10e-b827ac124261" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pYcLf0yl.jpg" />
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;(Mourners holding the coffin in Iran: Photo Credit: AFP)

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chants-of-death-to-america-as-iraqis-mourn-death-of-iranian-commander-272136">Chants of 'Death to America' as Iraqis mourn death of Iranian commander Soleimani</a>

Men and women gathered in Mollavi Square with flags in green, white and red, which depicted the blood of "martyrs".
<img alt="Qasem Soleimani last remains" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6dc87dfa-93d9-4448-9f28-6d301385eaf5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/wYBcMV3Q.jpg" />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (An Iranian carrying Soleimani's photograph: Photo Credit: Reuters)

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-punish-americans-wherever-they-are-within-its-reach-guards-commander-272154">Iran will punish Americans wherever they are within its reach: Guards commander</a>

The 62-year old general was killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad international airport on Friday. Iraq's paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in the strike.&nbsp;

After Soleimani's killing, ties between Washington and Tehran got even more strained and raised concerns of a new war in the Middle East.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed "severe revenge" and declared three days of mourning in the Islamic Republic.

Earlier today, US President Donald Trump, in a tweet, said that the US would target Iran's 52 sites if they killed any American.&nbsp;

Iran "will be hit very fast and very hard," Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

On Sunday evening, it is expected that the last remains will be flown to the Iranian capital Tehran before the funeral in Soleimani's hometown Kerman on Tuesday.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Thousands of mourners dressed in black paid respect to former general Qasem Soleimani after his body reached the Iranian city of Ahvaz on Sunday. Like yesterday, mourners once again chanted "Death to America" at a mass gathering in the country's southwestern city.

Thousands of mourners dressed in black paid respect to former general Qasem Soleimani after his body reached the Iranian city of Ahvaz on Sunday. Like yesterday, mourners once again chanted "Death to America" at a mass gathering in the country's southwestern city. The last remains reached Iran after thousands bid adieu to the much-revered commander in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Najaf. Also read: US to target 52 Iranian sites if Americans are attacked: Donald Trump A video clip by official IRIB agency showed that the coffin was wrapped in an Iranian flag and a military band started playing as soon as the coffin unloaded from the plane. (Mourners holding the coffin: Photo Credit: AFP) The mourners were seen crying, beating their chests and carried portraits of the commander who was the chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force. (Mourners holding the coffin in Iran: Photo Credit: AFP) Also read: Chants of 'Death to America' as Iraqis mourn death of Iranian commander Soleimani Men and women gathered in Mollavi Square with flags in green, white and red, which depicted the blood of "martyrs". (An Iranian carrying Soleimani's photograph: Photo Credit: Reuters) Also read: Iran will punish Americans wherever they are within its reach: Guards commander The 62-year old general was killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad international airport on Friday. Iraq's paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in the strike. After Soleimani's killing, ties between Washington and Tehran got even more strained and raised concerns of a new war in the Middle East. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed "severe revenge" and declared three days of mourning in the Islamic Republic. Earlier today, US President Donald Trump, in a tweet, said that the US would target Iran's 52 sites if they killed any American. Iran "will be hit very fast and very hard," Trump tweeted. On Sunday evening, it is expected that the last remains will be flown to the Iranian capital Tehran before the funeral in Soleimani's hometown Kerman on Tuesday. (with inputs from agencies)

Thousands of mourners pay respect as Qasem Soleimani's last remains reach Iran

Fresh airstrikes on Iran-backed fighters near camp Taji north of Baghdad have killed six people and critically wounded three, an Iraqi Army source said.&nbsp;

Two vehicles of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces convoy were found dead in the strikes that took place at 1:12 am local time, the source said.&nbsp;

The new strike comes ahead of a mourning march planned for Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary heavyweight Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in a drone strike by the US in Baghdad on Friday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-trump-ordered-action-against-irans-quds-force-commander-soleimani-us-department-of-defence-271773">Trump ordered killing of top Iranian general Soleimani in Iraq: US department of defence</a>

Soleimani's killing has once again escalated tensions between Iran and the US.&nbsp;

"This is just the beginning", said senior journalist Ray Locker, while talking to WION on the heightened tension in the Middle East after the airstrikes. He also said that US action would have serious repercussions.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/the-killing-of-iranians-general-qasem-soleimani-and-its-consequences-271884">The killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and its consequences</a>

On the possibility of a war, Locker said that many countries don't want a war but are seeking a regime change in Iran.&nbsp;

No official confirmation was so far made on the new airtrikes, but Iraqi television state television claimed that it was from the US.&nbsp;

(with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

Fresh airstrikes on Iran-backed fighters near camp Taji north of Baghdad have killed six people and critically wounded three, an Iraqi Army source said. Two vehicles of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces convoy were found dead in the strikes that took place at 1:12 am local time, the source said.

Fresh airstrikes on Iran-backed fighters near camp Taji north of Baghdad have killed six people and critically wounded three, an Iraqi Army source said. Two vehicles of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces convoy were found dead in the strikes that took place at 1:12 am local time, the source said. The new strike comes ahead of a mourning march planned for Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary heavyweight Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in a drone strike by the US in Baghdad on Friday. Also read: Trump ordered killing of top Iranian general Soleimani in Iraq: US department of defence Soleimani's killing has once again escalated tensions between Iran and the US. "This is just the beginning", said senior journalist Ray Locker, while talking to WION on the heightened tension in the Middle East after the airstrikes. He also said that US action would have serious repercussions. Also read: The killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and its consequences On the possibility of a war, Locker said that many countries don't want a war but are seeking a regime change in Iran. No official confirmation was so far made on the new airtrikes, but Iraqi television state television claimed that it was from the US. (with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

Iraq: New strikes on Iran-backed group kill six, three wounded

Iran will respond to the United States killing of Iranian Quds force chief Qassem Soleimani "any time and in any manner", Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday (January 3).

Soleimani, a 62-year-old general who headed the overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, was regarded as the second most powerful figure in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-qasem-soleimani-271974">Who is Qasem Soleimani?</a>

The commander was killed in an overnight air strike on a car convoy near Baghdad International Airport.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the strike aimed to disrupt an "imminent attack" that would have endangered Americans in the Middle East. Democratic critics called the Republican president reckless and said he had raised the risk of more violence in a dangerous region.

Speaking on State TV, Zarif said "we will not be involved in the US' smear campaigns and their blackmailing. We will give a proper response in any manner and time, we will, as stated by the Supreme Leader."

Khamenei earlier said harsh revenge awaited the "criminals" who killed Soleimani and his death would redouble resistance against the United States and Israel. He called for three days of national mourning. 
&nbsp;

Iran will respond to the United States killing of Iranian Quds force chief Qassem Soleimani "any time and in any manner", Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday (January 3).

Iran will respond to the United States killing of Iranian Quds force chief Qassem Soleimani "any time and in any manner", Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday (January 3). Soleimani, a 62-year-old general who headed the overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, was regarded as the second most powerful figure in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Also read: Who is Qasem Soleimani? The commander was killed in an overnight air strike on a car convoy near Baghdad International Airport. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the strike aimed to disrupt an "imminent attack" that would have endangered Americans in the Middle East. Democratic critics called the Republican president reckless and said he had raised the risk of more violence in a dangerous region. Speaking on State TV, Zarif said "we will not be involved in the US' smear campaigns and their blackmailing. We will give a proper response in any manner and time, we will, as stated by the Supreme Leader." Khamenei earlier said harsh revenge awaited the "criminals" who killed Soleimani and his death would redouble resistance against the United States and Israel. He called for three days of national mourning.

Iran will respond to Soleimani killing 'any time, in any manner': Foreign Minister Zarif

Sentiments of sadness, revenge were seen on the streets of the Iraqi capital Baghdad as they bid adieu to Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed on Friday in US drone attack.&nbsp;

Soleimani, the leader of Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards', was a much-revered figure in the region. He was killed yesterday along with nine others in a pre-dawn attack on Baghdad international airport, including Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/qasem-soleimanis-killing-what-options-does-iran-have-to-avenge-top-commanders-assassination-272107">Qasem Soleimani's killing: What options does Iran have to avenge top commander's assassination</a>
<img alt="Qasem Soleimani funeral" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21cd5f50-8ac9-4892-afe6-9caa447658dd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WZ4sW59C.jpg" />
Iraqi political leaders, including caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and clerics, attended the mass procession to honour the slain commander. &nbsp;

The coffins were first brought to Shiite shrine in northern Baghdad. The mourners chanted "Death to America!" and called for "revenge".

The mourners were dressed in black clothes and carried portraits of Iranian and Iraqi leaders.&nbsp;
<img alt="Qasem Soleimani funeral" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dcc57dc0-1275-477e-ac36-9d8717fe393a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/VIw22Cbm.jpg" />
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mike-pompeo-accuses-europeans-of-not-being-helpful-after-us-strikes-272098">Soleimani killing: US reaches out to allies, Pompeo says Europeans aren't being 'helpful'</a>

The crowd went near the Green Zone, the high-security district which includes government offices and foreign embassies, including America's.&nbsp;

The remains will be taken to Shiite holy city of Najaf before reaching Iran, which has declared three days of mourning.&nbsp;

Earlier most of the countries asked all parties to act with restraint even though, the drone strike was praised by US-ally Israel.&nbsp;

"This is a moment in which leaders must exercise maximum restraint. The world cannot afford another war in the Gulf," UN chief said.&nbsp;

The Iraqi prime minister also said that US action would "spark a devastating war".

However, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened "severe revenge" for the US-action, and vowed that "God willing, his work and his path will not be stopped".&nbsp;

The US, on the other hand, is approaching allies of Middle East and elsewhere to gather support. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said that he Europeans were not as "helpful" as they could be after the drone strike.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Sentiments of sadness, revenge were seen on the streets of the Iraqi capital Baghdad as they bid adieu to Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed on Friday in US drone attack.

Sentiments of sadness, revenge were seen on the streets of the Iraqi capital Baghdad as they bid adieu to Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed on Friday in US drone attack. Soleimani, the leader of Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards', was a much-revered figure in the region. He was killed yesterday along with nine others in a pre-dawn attack on Baghdad international airport, including Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Also read: Qasem Soleimani's killing: What options does Iran have to avenge top commander's assassination Iraqi political leaders, including caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and clerics, attended the mass procession to honour the slain commander. The coffins were first brought to Shiite shrine in northern Baghdad. The mourners chanted "Death to America!" and called for "revenge". The mourners were dressed in black clothes and carried portraits of Iranian and Iraqi leaders. Also read: Soleimani killing: US reaches out to allies, Pompeo says Europeans aren't being 'helpful' The crowd went near the Green Zone, the high-security district which includes government offices and foreign embassies, including America's. The remains will be taken to Shiite holy city of Najaf before reaching Iran, which has declared three days of mourning. Earlier most of the countries asked all parties to act with restraint even though, the drone strike was praised by US-ally Israel. "This is a moment in which leaders must exercise maximum restraint. The world cannot afford another war in the Gulf," UN chief said. The Iraqi prime minister also said that US action would "spark a devastating war". However, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened "severe revenge" for the US-action, and vowed that "God willing, his work and his path will not be stopped". The US, on the other hand, is approaching allies of Middle East and elsewhere to gather support. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said that he Europeans were not as "helpful" as they could be after the drone strike.

Chants of 'Death to America' as Iraqis mourn death of Iranian commander Soleimani

The killing of Iranian military leader Qassim Soleimani proves the point: The United States has perfected the art of strengthening Iranian hardliners fuelled by an apparently ingrained misreading of Iranian politics and strategy sustained over decades.

It also suggests that the Trump administration has walked into a trap in which spiralling tension between the United States and Iran is likely to be played out on Iranian rather than US terms.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-gather-in-baghdad-to-mourn-soleimani-others-killed-in-us-airstrike-272067">Thousands gather in Baghdad to mourn Soleimani, others killed in US airstrike</a>

Iran moved last year away from its initial strategic patience response to the US withdrawal from the 2015 international agreement that curbed the Islamic republic’s nuclear program and the imposition of harsh economic sanctions to a strategy of gradual escalation.

Iran is banking on the assumption that taking the United States to the brink of yet another Middle Eastern war will ultimately persuade the Trump administration to return to the negotiating table. It’s a high-risk gamble that so far has produced results.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/qasem-soleimanis-killing-what-options-does-iran-have-to-avenge-top-commanders-assassination-272107">Qasem Soleimani's killing: What options does Iran have to avenge top commander's assassination</a>

Last week’skilling of an American contractor on an Iraqi military base constituted Iran’s latest chess move.

It sparked a US military strike against an Iranian-backed militia, the subsequent killing of Mr Soleimani and the leader of the militia, Abdul Mahdi al-Muhandis, and the targeting of a militia convoy.

The Iranian move led to the siege of the US embassy in Iraq that evoked images of the humiliating 1975 evacuation of the US mission in Saigon towards the end of the Vietnam war and the 444-day occupation of the US embassy in Tehran in 1979.

It also has put at risk the future of US forces in Iraq, seventeen years after US forces toppled Saddam Hussein and US$1 trillion later. Iraq’s parliament is about to discuss moves to remove foreign forces from the country.

“A humiliating departure for the US from Iraq now seems inevitable,” said International Crisis Group Iran expert Ali Vaez.

Pro-Iranian militias are counting on the fact that they are Iraqis with close ties to the Iraqi security establishment, which they expect will exclude them from the moves that would primarily target the United States.

Iraq’s influential Shiite leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has so far limited himself to calling for restraint in the wake of Mr Soleimani’s killing. Yet, Mr Al-Sistani could prove to be the player who definitively sways the pendulum.

“How long before Ayatollah Sistani issues a fatwa (religious opinion) asking US troops to leave?” Mr. Vaez asked.

In a similarly humbling development, Iraq, long a primary venue for an ongoing US-Iranian proxy war, has become in the wake of Mr Soleimani’s death a no-go zone for Americans with the Trump administration urging US citizens to leave immediately to avoid becoming targets.

Earlier, an attack in September on two key Saudi oil facilities, widely believed to have been instigated by Iran, coupled with US President Donald J. Trump’s hesitant response to the assault and the earlier downing of a US drone by Iran, persuaded Saudi Arabia to tone down its rhetoric and explore ways of reducing tension with Iran.

The spectre of a Saudi Iranian rapprochement was put on hold with the eruption in recent months of anti-government protests in Lebanon and Iraq that threatened to throw a monkey wrench into Iran’s strategy of exerting regional influence through proxies.

While it is likely to remain on hold amid the escalating tension, it has not been taken off the table.

Earlier, the United Arab Emirates reached out to Iran after the Islamic republic was sought to have instigated attacks on tankers off the Emirati coast.

The “sequence of events shows that, thus far, the Iranian strategy of calculated counter-escalation is working… By escalating on its own, Iran forced a number of key players to change their cost-benefit calculus,” said Eldar Mamedov, an advisor to the social-democrats in the European parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.

While that may be a positive development in and of itself, it also means that regional US allies, with the exception of Israel that wholeheartedly endorsed the killing of Mr Soleimani, are likely to be more circumspect in their support of the US amid escalating tensions.

Already, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have called for restraint in the wake of Mr Soleimani’s death.

Mr Soleimani’s killing has widened the opening for a tit-for-tat war in which Iran has the advantage of being a master of asymmetric warfare and at playing in grey areas.

Amid massive speculation about how it will respond to the killing, Iran is likely to take its time and strike out of the left field, potentially prompting an American response that again risks playing into Iranian hands.

“The Iranians will definitely respond, but not in a way that triggers an all-out war, which they know they would lose,” said Iran expert Dina Esfandiary.

In a further indication of US misreading of the tea leaves, the killing of Mr Soleimani threatens to amount to a gift of God for Iranian hardliners who are now expected to win next month’s parliamentary election in Iran.

A hardline victory would spotlight the United States’ repeated shooting of an own goal by adopting policies that undermine its own long-standing aim of persuading Iran to moderate its policies and tone down its revolutionary rhetoric.

Rather than provide incentives, like with the 2015 nuclear accord, US policy has more often than not reinforced perceptions in Tehran that the United States’ real goal was regime change.

Mr Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton reinforced those perceptions in response to Mr Soleimani’s killing: &nbsp;“Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran,” he tweeted.

US policy prompted Iran to adopt a defence and security policy that compensated for the Islamic republic’s intrinsic weakness by emphasizing the very things the United States has long wanted to see change. These include Iran’s successful use of proxies across the Middle East.

At the bottom line, the strengthening of Iranian hardliners not only undermines US policy goals but also risks putting the United States in difficult, if not impossible and at times humiliating positions, and sucking it into a conflict for which it is ill-equipped.

Said political anthropologist Negar Razavi: “The US foreign policy establishment has collectively created a culture of expert impunity when it comes to Iran, which has contributed in no small part to the unstable and dangerous policy conditions we see under Trump today.”

(Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The killing of Iranian military leader Qassim Soleimani proves the point: The United States has perfected the art of strengthening Iranian hardliners fuelled by an apparently ingrained misreading of Iranian politics and strategy sustained over decades.

The killing of Iranian military leader Qassim Soleimani proves the point: The United States has perfected the art of strengthening Iranian hardliners fuelled by an apparently ingrained misreading of Iranian politics and strategy sustained over decades. It also suggests that the Trump administration has walked into a trap in which spiralling tension between the United States and Iran is likely to be played out on Iranian rather than US terms. Also read: Thousands gather in Baghdad to mourn Soleimani, others killed in US airstrike Iran moved last year away from its initial strategic patience response to the US withdrawal from the 2015 international agreement that curbed the Islamic republic’s nuclear program and the imposition of harsh economic sanctions to a strategy of gradual escalation. Iran is banking on the assumption that taking the United States to the brink of yet another Middle Eastern war will ultimately persuade the Trump administration to return to the negotiating table. It’s a high-risk gamble that so far has produced results. Also read: Qasem Soleimani's killing: What options does Iran have to avenge top commander's assassination Last week’skilling of an American contractor on an Iraqi military base constituted Iran’s latest chess move. It sparked a US military strike against an Iranian-backed militia, the subsequent killing of Mr Soleimani and the leader of the militia, Abdul Mahdi al-Muhandis, and the targeting of a militia convoy. The Iranian move led to the siege of the US embassy in Iraq that evoked images of the humiliating 1975 evacuation of the US mission in Saigon towards the end of the Vietnam war and the 444-day occupation of the US embassy in Tehran in 1979. It also has put at risk the future of US forces in Iraq, seventeen years after US forces toppled Saddam Hussein and US$1 trillion later. Iraq’s parliament is about to discuss moves to remove foreign forces from the country. “A humiliating departure for the US from Iraq now seems inevitable,” said International Crisis Group Iran expert Ali Vaez. Pro-Iranian militias are counting on the fact that they are Iraqis with close ties to the Iraqi security establishment, which they expect will exclude them from the moves that would primarily target the United States. Iraq’s influential Shiite leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has so far limited himself to calling for restraint in the wake of Mr Soleimani’s killing. Yet, Mr Al-Sistani could prove to be the player who definitively sways the pendulum. “How long before Ayatollah Sistani issues a fatwa (religious opinion) asking US troops to leave?” Mr. Vaez asked. In a similarly humbling development, Iraq, long a primary venue for an ongoing US-Iranian proxy war, has become in the wake of Mr Soleimani’s death a no-go zone for Americans with the Trump administration urging US citizens to leave immediately to avoid becoming targets. Earlier, an attack in September on two key Saudi oil facilities, widely believed to have been instigated by Iran, coupled with US President Donald J. Trump’s hesitant response to the assault and the earlier downing of a US drone by Iran, persuaded Saudi Arabia to tone down its rhetoric and explore ways of reducing tension with Iran. The spectre of a Saudi Iranian rapprochement was put on hold with the eruption in recent months of anti-government protests in Lebanon and Iraq that threatened to throw a monkey wrench into Iran’s strategy of exerting regional influence through proxies. While it is likely to remain on hold amid the escalating tension, it has not been taken off the table. Earlier, the United Arab Emirates reached out to Iran after the Islamic republic was sought to have instigated attacks on tankers off the Emirati coast. The “sequence of events shows that, thus far, the Iranian strategy of calculated counter-escalation is working… By escalating on its own, Iran forced a number of key players to change their cost-benefit calculus,” said Eldar Mamedov, an advisor to the social-democrats in the European parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. While that may be a positive development in and of itself, it also means that regional US allies, with the exception of Israel that wholeheartedly endorsed the killing of Mr Soleimani, are likely to be more circumspect in their support of the US amid escalating tensions. Already, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have called for restraint in the wake of Mr Soleimani’s death. Mr Soleimani’s killing has widened the opening for a tit-for-tat war in which Iran has the advantage of being a master of asymmetric warfare and at playing in grey areas. Amid massive speculation about how it will respond to the killing, Iran is likely to take its time and strike out of the left field, potentially prompting an American response that again risks playing into Iranian hands. “The Iranians will definitely respond, but not in a way that triggers an all-out war, which they know they would lose,” said Iran expert Dina Esfandiary. In a further indication of US misreading of the tea leaves, the killing of Mr Soleimani threatens to amount to a gift of God for Iranian hardliners who are now expected to win next month’s parliamentary election in Iran. A hardline victory would spotlight the United States’ repeated shooting of an own goal by adopting policies that undermine its own long-standing aim of persuading Iran to moderate its policies and tone down its revolutionary rhetoric. Rather than provide incentives, like with the 2015 nuclear accord, US policy has more often than not reinforced perceptions in Tehran that the United States’ real goal was regime change. Mr Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton reinforced those perceptions in response to Mr Soleimani’s killing: “Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran,” he tweeted. US policy prompted Iran to adopt a defence and security policy that compensated for the Islamic republic’s intrinsic weakness by emphasizing the very things the United States has long wanted to see change. These include Iran’s successful use of proxies across the Middle East. At the bottom line, the strengthening of Iranian hardliners not only undermines US policy goals but also risks putting the United States in difficult, if not impossible and at times humiliating positions, and sucking it into a conflict for which it is ill-equipped. Said political anthropologist Negar Razavi: “The US foreign policy establishment has collectively created a culture of expert impunity when it comes to Iran, which has contributed in no small part to the unstable and dangerous policy conditions we see under Trump today.” (Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The killing of Qasem Soleimani will lead to the strengthening of Iranian hardliners

After the US drone strike that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis on Friday, Washington is disappointed with European reaction as it is reaching out to its allies around the world in order to gain support.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is spearheading the campaign and called officials worldwide over the support of the strikes that was praised by US President Donald Trump and US-ally Israel. However, most of the countries have warned that the latest strike would trigger regional tensions.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-cannot-afford-another-gulf-war-says-un-chief-after-us-kills-iran-general-271986">'World cannot afford' another Gulf war, says UN chief after US kills Iran general</a>

"I spent the last day and a half, two days, talking to partners in the region, sharing with them what we were doing, why we were doing it, seeking their assistance. They've all been fantastic," the secretary of state said in an interview with Fox News.

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Discussed with Iraqi President Salih <a href="https://twitter.com/RealDonalTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonalTrump</a>’s decision to take defensive action to protect U.S. personnel and interests abroad, and I reaffirmed that the U.S. remains committed to de-escalation.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1213207450293288960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/the-killing-of-iranians-general-qasem-soleimani-and-its-consequences-271884">The killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and its consequences</a>

"Frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be," he said. Pompeo also said that talks with US-allies, other than the ones in Middle East, were&nbsp;not "quite as good".&nbsp;

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and I discussed the decisive defensive action <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> employed in Baghdad to protect American lives. I emphasized that de-escalation is the United States’ principal goal.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1213141648475119621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Following the killing, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell called on all involved parties "to exercise maximum restraint and show responsibility in this crucial moment."&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron urged those involved to act with "restraint" and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called for de-escalation.&nbsp;

"The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well," Pompeo said.

Pompeo's twitter timeline was filled with the calls from leaders across the world.&nbsp;

The leaders with whom Pompeo talked include Iraqi President Barham Salih and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.&nbsp;

Interestingly, the US Secretary of State reached out to senior government officials of most of the countries, but in Pakistan's case, Pompeo called upon Army Chief Qamar Bajwa.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

After the US drone strike that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis on Friday, Washington is disappointed with European reaction as it is reaching out to its allies around the world in order to gain support.

After the US drone strike that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis on Friday, Washington is disappointed with European reaction as it is reaching out to its allies around the world in order to gain support. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is spearheading the campaign and called officials worldwide over the support of the strikes that was praised by US President Donald Trump and US-ally Israel. However, most of the countries have warned that the latest strike would trigger regional tensions. Also read: 'World cannot afford' another Gulf war, says UN chief after US kills Iran general "I spent the last day and a half, two days, talking to partners in the region, sharing with them what we were doing, why we were doing it, seeking their assistance. They've all been fantastic," the secretary of state said in an interview with Fox News. Discussed with Iraqi President Salih @realDonalTrump’s decision to take defensive action to protect U.S. personnel and interests abroad, and I reaffirmed that the U.S. remains committed to de-escalation. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 3, 2020 × Also read: The killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and its consequences "Frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be," he said. Pompeo also said that talks with US-allies, other than the ones in Middle East, were not "quite as good". Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and I discussed the decisive defensive action @realDonaldTrump employed in Baghdad to protect American lives. I emphasized that de-escalation is the United States’ principal goal. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 3, 2020 × Following the killing, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell called on all involved parties "to exercise maximum restraint and show responsibility in this crucial moment." French President Emmanuel Macron urged those involved to act with "restraint" and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called for de-escalation. "The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well," Pompeo said. Pompeo's twitter timeline was filled with the calls from leaders across the world. The leaders with whom Pompeo talked include Iraqi President Barham Salih and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Interestingly, the US Secretary of State reached out to senior government officials of most of the countries, but in Pakistan's case, Pompeo called upon Army Chief Qamar Bajwa.

Soleimani killing: US reaches out to allies, Pompeo says Europeans aren't being 'helpful'

On Friday, Iran's supreme leader announced that Esmail Qaani would be the leader of the Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' after the killing of former commander Qasem Soleimani in a US airstrike in Baghdad.&nbsp;

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had earlier described Qaani as one of the "most decorated commanders" of the Guards during the 1980-88 war between Iran and Iraq.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/soleimanis-death-will-be-avenged-at-right-place-and-time-irans-top-security-body-271993">Soleimani's death will be avenged at 'right place and time': Iran's top security body</a>

Watch the video here:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-brigadier-gen-esmail-ghaani-appointed-as-countrys-quds-force-chief-replacing-soleimani-272005/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Qaani's elevation to the top post comes at a time when the tension between Washington and Iran escalated after US's drone strike on Friday that killed Soleimani. So let's look at who is Iran's new head of the overseas arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guard.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/the-killing-of-iranians-general-qasem-soleimani-and-its-consequences-271884">The killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and its consequences</a>

Qaani became deputy commander of the Quds Force in 1997 when Soleimani became the Force's main commander. He is one of the most influential Iranian figures in Syria where the country backs President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;

The new commander is also known for his strong criticism on Israel.&nbsp;

He had also warned US President Donald Trump in 2017 that any military action against Iran would "be regretted". Qaani has repeatedly lashed out at Trump and US-alles and made inflammatory statements in the past.&nbsp;

"We have buried many ... like Trump and know how to fight against America," Qaani had earlier said in 2017, quoted Iranian media.&nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies)

On Friday, Iran's supreme leader announced that Esmail Qaani would be the leader of the Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' after the killing of former commander Qasem Soleimani in a US airstrike in Baghdad.

On Friday, Iran's supreme leader announced that Esmail Qaani would be the leader of the Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' after the killing of former commander Qasem Soleimani in a US airstrike in Baghdad. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had earlier described Qaani as one of the "most decorated commanders" of the Guards during the 1980-88 war between Iran and Iraq. Also read: Soleimani's death will be avenged at 'right place and time': Iran's top security body Watch the video here: Qaani's elevation to the top post comes at a time when the tension between Washington and Iran escalated after US's drone strike on Friday that killed Soleimani. So let's look at who is Iran's new head of the overseas arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Also read: The killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and its consequences Qaani became deputy commander of the Quds Force in 1997 when Soleimani became the Force's main commander. He is one of the most influential Iranian figures in Syria where the country backs President Bashar al-Assad. The new commander is also known for his strong criticism on Israel. He had also warned US President Donald Trump in 2017 that any military action against Iran would "be regretted". Qaani has repeatedly lashed out at Trump and US-alles and made inflammatory statements in the past. "We have buried many ... like Trump and know how to fight against America," Qaani had earlier said in 2017, quoted Iranian media. (with inputs from agencies)

Man who replaces Soleimani: Meet Iran's Quds Force's new chief, Esmail Qaani

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Friday issued sanctions on Cuban General, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fidel-castro-as-seen-by-allies-and-enemies-9356">Leopoldo Cintra Frias</a> for use of violence to assist the former Maduro regime in Venezuela.

"Today we designate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cuba-manuel-merrero-becomes-prime-minister-40-years-after-fidel-castro-269513">Cuba</a> regime official Leopoldo Cintra Frias for his involvement in gross violations of human rights and use of violence to prop up the former Maduro regime in Venezuela. We will promote accountability for those who abuse human rights, wherever they may reside," Michael Pompeo wrote in a tweet.

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Today we designate <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cuba?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cuba</a> regime official Leopoldo Cintra Frias for his involvement in gross violations of human rights and use of violence to prop up the former Maduro regime in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Venezuela?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Venezuela</a>. We will promote accountability for those who abuse human rights, wherever they may reside.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1212848892867420181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Last year, the United States imposed sanctions on Cuban Interior Minister Julio Ceaser Gandarilla Bermejo for involvement in "gross human rights violations in Venezuela."

Friday's sanction was the latest in a series of punitive measures that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kim-a-man-of-his-word-on-denuclearization-donald-trump-271377">Trump</a> administration has taken against Washington's old Cold War foe.

The Trump administration has stopped short of breaking off diplomatic relations with Cuba restored by former president Obama in 2015 after more than five decades of hostility.

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Friday issued sanctions on Cuban General, Leopoldo Cintra Frias for use of violence to assist the former Maduro regime in Venezuela.

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Friday issued sanctions on Cuban General, Leopoldo Cintra Frias for use of violence to assist the former Maduro regime in Venezuela. "Today we designate Cuba regime official Leopoldo Cintra Frias for his involvement in gross violations of human rights and use of violence to prop up the former Maduro regime in Venezuela. We will promote accountability for those who abuse human rights, wherever they may reside," Michael Pompeo wrote in a tweet. Today we designate #Cuba regime official Leopoldo Cintra Frias for his involvement in gross violations of human rights and use of violence to prop up the former Maduro regime in #Venezuela. We will promote accountability for those who abuse human rights, wherever they may reside. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 2, 2020 × Last year, the United States imposed sanctions on Cuban Interior Minister Julio Ceaser Gandarilla Bermejo for involvement in "gross human rights violations in Venezuela." Friday's sanction was the latest in a series of punitive measures that the Trump administration has taken against Washington's old Cold War foe. The Trump administration has stopped short of breaking off diplomatic relations with Cuba restored by former president Obama in 2015 after more than five decades of hostility.

US sanctions Cuban general Leopoldo Cintra Frias for supporting Maduro regime in Venezuela

The United States will expand the scope of a program that returns non-Mexican migrants crossing Mexico's border to that country to await their US&nbsp;court hearings, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/immigration-hawk-promoted-to-us-homeland-security-acting-deputy-262013">Department of Homeland Security</a> said on Thursday.

Washington already has sent more than 56,000 migrants to Mexico under the program, known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The majority have been Central Americans applying for US asylum.

The effort — which had been implemented over the past year at ports of entry in Texas and California — will be applied at a port of entry south of Tucson, Ariz. Previously, migrants encountered in that area had been sent to El Paso, Texas, to process their return to Mexico.

US&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kim-a-man-of-his-word-on-denuclearization-donald-trump-271377">President Donald Trump</a> has made immigration enforcement a major focus of his first term in office and has continued to press the issue in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election.

Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf said in a written statement on Thursday that the MPP program has been "an extremely effective tool" for the United States.

Advocates counter that the initiative exposes migrants to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-cabinet-opposed-mexican-cartel-policy-trump-forged-ahead-270508">violence in Mexico</a> and restricts their ability to seek protection in the United States. The US&nbsp;consulate in Mexico’s border city of Nuevo Laredo issued a security alert on Wednesday, warning against gun battles and urging government employees to take precautions.

Mexico’s asylum agency, known as COMAR, said on Wednesday that it had received 66,915 applications for asylum in 2019, up nearly 126 per cent&nbsp;from the previous year.

The agency has struggled to process the crush of applications with limited resources. COMAR received 20 million pesos ($1.05 million) in funding from the Mexican government in 2019, the lowest sum in seven years.

In December, US&nbsp;border authorities expanded a separate program to process asylum cases rapidly to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, according to CBS News. The programme, known as Prompt Asylum Claim Review (PACR), had been launched months earlier as a pilot in the El Paso area.

US&nbsp;authorities have not specified the criteria to place migrants in a growing array of border programs, which include MPP, PACR and another initiative that sends asylum seekers from Honduras and El Salvador to request protection in Guatemala.

Rodney Scott, acting deputy chief of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-citizen-dead-in-us-custody-ice-271529">US&nbsp;Border Patrol</a>, told reporters in December that the factors "change on a daily basis" but are determined in coordination with the receiving countries.

The United States will expand the scope of a program that returns non-Mexican migrants crossing Mexico's border to that country to await their US court hearings, the Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday.

The United States will expand the scope of a program that returns non-Mexican migrants crossing Mexico's border to that country to await their US court hearings, the Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday. Washington already has sent more than 56,000 migrants to Mexico under the program, known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The majority have been Central Americans applying for US asylum. The effort — which had been implemented over the past year at ports of entry in Texas and California — will be applied at a port of entry south of Tucson, Ariz. Previously, migrants encountered in that area had been sent to El Paso, Texas, to process their return to Mexico. US President Donald Trump has made immigration enforcement a major focus of his first term in office and has continued to press the issue in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election. Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf said in a written statement on Thursday that the MPP program has been "an extremely effective tool" for the United States. Advocates counter that the initiative exposes migrants to violence in Mexico and restricts their ability to seek protection in the United States. The US consulate in Mexico’s border city of Nuevo Laredo issued a security alert on Wednesday, warning against gun battles and urging government employees to take precautions. Mexico’s asylum agency, known as COMAR, said on Wednesday that it had received 66,915 applications for asylum in 2019, up nearly 126 per cent from the previous year. The agency has struggled to process the crush of applications with limited resources. COMAR received 20 million pesos ($1.05 million) in funding from the Mexican government in 2019, the lowest sum in seven years. In December, US border authorities expanded a separate program to process asylum cases rapidly to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, according to CBS News. The programme, known as Prompt Asylum Claim Review (PACR), had been launched months earlier as a pilot in the El Paso area. US authorities have not specified the criteria to place migrants in a growing array of border programs, which include MPP, PACR and another initiative that sends asylum seekers from Honduras and El Salvador to request protection in Guatemala. Rodney Scott, acting deputy chief of the US Border Patrol, told reporters in December that the factors "change on a daily basis" but are determined in coordination with the receiving countries.

US to expand scope of program to return migrants to Mexico: Department of Homeland Security

Across snow-covered North Dakota, US&nbsp;farmers are stuck with fields full of weather-damaged corn - a crop they planted after the US-China trade war killed their soybean market. Many don't know yet what crops they'll plant next season among a host of dicey options.

In Texas, Kansas and Colorado, farmers are weighing whether they should plant fewer acres of corn and more <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-imposes-anti-dumping-measures-against-us-sorghum-131047">sorghum</a>, even though China has all but stopped buying it. That's because sorghum costs about half as much as corn to plant, which appeals to farmers wary of investing too much for an uncertain return.

As the US&nbsp;farm economy reels from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-1-million-acres-of-us-cropland-ravaged-by-floods-206858">worst harvest</a> in decades after nearly two years of the trade war, US&nbsp;grain growers are struggling to decide what crops might keep them in business.

President Donald Trump announced last month that China had agreed to double its pre-trade war purchases of US&nbsp;agricultural products over the next two years as part of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-phase-one-trade-deal-to-be-signed-january-15-trump-271308">Phase 1 trade deal</a>. That brought little comfort to US&nbsp;farmers because China still has not confirmed the commitment or signed any deal.

"<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/phase-one-trade-deal-with-china-would-be-signed-very-shortly-donald-trump-269576">President Trump</a> said that we're all going to need to go buy bigger tractors," said North Dakota farmer Justin Sherlock. "I don't think many farmers are going to invest much money until we see that this is a done deal and a long-term deal."

Trump administration officials say the Phase 1 trade deal with China will be signed in January, though many tariffs will remain in place during further negotiation. Commodity market analysts and agricultural economists warn an agreement won't be an immediate fix for the US&nbsp;farm economy because the conflict has spurred China to develop new supply chains.

China has, for instance, deepened ties with rival exporters such as Brazil and Argentina. Brazilian soy cultivation is expanding after record exports to China in the past year and China is investing in South American ports.

Making matters worse, China's need for soy and sorghum to feed livestock is waning because of a deadly pig disease that experts estimate has killed off about half the world's largest hog herd. China's hog industry has also worked to reformulate pig rations to include less soy and more alternative feeds that don't have to be imported from the United States.

"We won't go immediately back to where we were 18 months ago - maybe not for a long time," Jay Debertin, chief executive officer of CHS Inc, the largest US&nbsp;farmer cooperative, told grain producers at a recent conference in North Dakota.

&nbsp;

'We're done' withouth more trade aid

Many US&nbsp;farmers have tried shifting crops to dodge the economic fallout from losing such a crucial export market. They planted 76.5 million acres of soybeans in 2019, 14.3 per cent&nbsp;fewer than the previous year, according to the latest <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-moves-to-remove-700000-people-from-food-stamps-266299">US&nbsp;Department of Agriculture</a> data. US&nbsp;plantings of sorghum - used in livestock feed and the fiery Chinese liquor baijiu - dipped about 7.5 per cent in 2019, to 5.3 million acres. Plantings of cotton have dropped, too, as China pulled back on purchases.

Plantings of such China-dependent crops likely would have fallen much further were it not for the Trump administration's allocation of $24.5 billion in aid to compensate farmers for trade-war losses. The bailouts gave many farmers an incentive to keep planting crops such as soybeans that they knew would be difficult to sell at any profitable price. Government handouts are expected to account for nearly a third of 2019 net farm income, according to federal government and bank regulatory data.

Trump administration officials have not said if farmers will get more payments in 2020. Robert Johansson, chief economist at USDA, told Reuters he expected the interim trade deal would solve the issues that the aid program had addressed.

USDA Deputy Press Secretary Alec Varsamis said the agency would decide in January on future payments. White House spokesman Judd Deere declined to comment and referred to previous statements by US&nbsp;Trade Representative <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-probably-sign-trade-deal-with-china-next-week-white-house-trade-adviser-271142">Robert Lighthizer</a>, who has said China committed to "massive" US&nbsp;agriculture purchases.

Farmers in export-dependent regions say they can't continue to sell their crops for below the cost of production without a third round of subsidies to cover the losses.

"If the government doesn't pay us, we're done," said Sherlock, who did not vote for Trump in 2016 and remains undecided for 2020.

Most farmers have backed the president as he seeks re-election, according to polls by Reuters and farm media outlets. In 2016, they were drawn to Trump's promise to shake up Washington bureaucracy and hoped the trade war, although it might bring short-term losses, would eventually improve the size and scope of China's US&nbsp;agricultural purchases.

&nbsp;

Damaged corn

Farmers last season intended to use more of their land for corn – a crop aimed at markets outside <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tesla-says-will-start-delivering-china-made-model-3s-to-public-on-january-7-271722">China</a> - but that backfired for many growers when extreme weather prevented planting on millions of acres. Early seed orders for 2020 suggest farmers will again turn to corn to replace soybeans, China's largest agricultural import. Scott Beck - president of Beck's Hybrids, the largest family-owned US&nbsp;retail seed company - told Reuters that sales of corn seed for 2020 planting are already up about 40 per cent&nbsp;from 2019.

Sherlock and many of his neighbors last spring sowed one of North Dakota's largest-ever corn crops by acreage. They were enticed by rising springtime prices and the promise of trade aid as long as they planted something. They figured their corn would find buyers among domestic livestock or ethanol producers or in established export markets such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japans-naruhito-hopes-for-a-year-without-natural-disasters-271532">Japan</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dozens-of-south-korean-mps-charged-over-parliamentary-stand-off-271713">South Korea</a> or <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-expands-scope-of-program-to-return-migrants-to-mexico-271770">Mexico</a>. But bad weather left almost 60 per cent of the state's corn - about 2 million acres - unfit for harvest at winter's onset, according to USDA.

Many growers are caught in limbo. Their fields are not bad enough to trigger crop insurance payouts but not good enough to recoup costs. And trade-aid payments for North Dakota are not robust enough to cover losses, with larger per-acre aid payments flowing to southern states.

Sherlock says he might contract to grow more soybeans for a local seed company, a niche crop that costs more to grow but could reap higher prices. Field peas, used in grain-free pet foods, are another option.

Iowa corn and soybean farmer Mitchell Hora is also seeking alternatives. He sowed winter wheat and rye in fall of 2018 and sold the cleaned seed to fellow producers, and has more recently contracted to sell rye to a start-up malting company.

"The agricultural system is completely broken” because of the trade war, severe weather and mounting farm debt, Hora said. "We have to farm smarter."

Best of bad options

Farmers in the High Plains of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/egypt-signs-430-million-gas-deal-with-texas-noble-energy-264199">Texas</a>, the second-largest sorghum-producing state, also face hard choices. China's imports of US&nbsp;sorghum in 2019 were less than one-tenth of the volume purchased four years earlier, according to the most recent government data.

Still, the production cost for an acre of sorghum in this heavily irrigated region will be about half the cost of planting corn, according to Texas A&amp;M AgriLife Extension data. Farmer Robert Boozer of Dimmitt, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shooter-among-one-dead-in-texas-church-attack-270896">Texas </a>– who grows cotton, corn and sorghum – said he and his neighbours pray for a time when the trade war no longer factors into planting decisions.

He's agonizing over the per-acre costs of different crops and the break-even selling prices he'll need to stay afloat. For now, he'll plant more sorghum - "the best option in a field of terrible options."

Across snow-covered North Dakota, US farmers are stuck with fields full of weather-damaged corn - a crop they planted after the US-China trade war killed their soybean market.

Across snow-covered North Dakota, US farmers are stuck with fields full of weather-damaged corn - a crop they planted after the US-China trade war killed their soybean market. Many don't know yet what crops they'll plant next season among a host of dicey options. In Texas, Kansas and Colorado, farmers are weighing whether they should plant fewer acres of corn and more sorghum, even though China has all but stopped buying it. That's because sorghum costs about half as much as corn to plant, which appeals to farmers wary of investing too much for an uncertain return. As the US farm economy reels from the worst harvest in decades after nearly two years of the trade war, US grain growers are struggling to decide what crops might keep them in business. President Donald Trump announced last month that China had agreed to double its pre-trade war purchases of US agricultural products over the next two years as part of a Phase 1 trade deal. That brought little comfort to US farmers because China still has not confirmed the commitment or signed any deal. "President Trump said that we're all going to need to go buy bigger tractors," said North Dakota farmer Justin Sherlock. "I don't think many farmers are going to invest much money until we see that this is a done deal and a long-term deal." Trump administration officials say the Phase 1 trade deal with China will be signed in January, though many tariffs will remain in place during further negotiation. Commodity market analysts and agricultural economists warn an agreement won't be an immediate fix for the US farm economy because the conflict has spurred China to develop new supply chains. China has, for instance, deepened ties with rival exporters such as Brazil and Argentina. Brazilian soy cultivation is expanding after record exports to China in the past year and China is investing in South American ports. Making matters worse, China's need for soy and sorghum to feed livestock is waning because of a deadly pig disease that experts estimate has killed off about half the world's largest hog herd. China's hog industry has also worked to reformulate pig rations to include less soy and more alternative feeds that don't have to be imported from the United States. "We won't go immediately back to where we were 18 months ago - maybe not for a long time," Jay Debertin, chief executive officer of CHS Inc, the largest US farmer cooperative, told grain producers at a recent conference in North Dakota. 'We're done' withouth more trade aid Many US farmers have tried shifting crops to dodge the economic fallout from losing such a crucial export market. They planted 76.5 million acres of soybeans in 2019, 14.3 per cent fewer than the previous year, according to the latest US Department of Agriculture data. US plantings of sorghum - used in livestock feed and the fiery Chinese liquor baijiu - dipped about 7.5 per cent in 2019, to 5.3 million acres. Plantings of cotton have dropped, too, as China pulled back on purchases. Plantings of such China-dependent crops likely would have fallen much further were it not for the Trump administration's allocation of $24.5 billion in aid to compensate farmers for trade-war losses. The bailouts gave many farmers an incentive to keep planting crops such as soybeans that they knew would be difficult to sell at any profitable price. Government handouts are expected to account for nearly a third of 2019 net farm income, according to federal government and bank regulatory data. Trump administration officials have not said if farmers will get more payments in 2020. Robert Johansson, chief economist at USDA, told Reuters he expected the interim trade deal would solve the issues that the aid program had addressed. USDA Deputy Press Secretary Alec Varsamis said the agency would decide in January on future payments. White House spokesman Judd Deere declined to comment and referred to previous statements by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who has said China committed to "massive" US agriculture purchases. Farmers in export-dependent regions say they can't continue to sell their crops for below the cost of production without a third round of subsidies to cover the losses. "If the government doesn't pay us, we're done," said Sherlock, who did not vote for Trump in 2016 and remains undecided for 2020. Most farmers have backed the president as he seeks re-election, according to polls by Reuters and farm media outlets. In 2016, they were drawn to Trump's promise to shake up Washington bureaucracy and hoped the trade war, although it might bring short-term losses, would eventually improve the size and scope of China's US agricultural purchases. Damaged corn Farmers last season intended to use more of their land for corn – a crop aimed at markets outside China - but that backfired for many growers when extreme weather prevented planting on millions of acres. Early seed orders for 2020 suggest farmers will again turn to corn to replace soybeans, China's largest agricultural import. Scott Beck - president of Beck's Hybrids, the largest family-owned US retail seed company - told Reuters that sales of corn seed for 2020 planting are already up about 40 per cent from 2019. Sherlock and many of his neighbors last spring sowed one of North Dakota's largest-ever corn crops by acreage. They were enticed by rising springtime prices and the promise of trade aid as long as they planted something. They figured their corn would find buyers among domestic livestock or ethanol producers or in established export markets such as Japan, South Korea or Mexico. But bad weather left almost 60 per cent of the state's corn - about 2 million acres - unfit for harvest at winter's onset, according to USDA. Many growers are caught in limbo. Their fields are not bad enough to trigger crop insurance payouts but not good enough to recoup costs. And trade-aid payments for North Dakota are not robust enough to cover losses, with larger per-acre aid payments flowing to southern states. Sherlock says he might contract to grow more soybeans for a local seed company, a niche crop that costs more to grow but could reap higher prices. Field peas, used in grain-free pet foods, are another option. Iowa corn and soybean farmer Mitchell Hora is also seeking alternatives. He sowed winter wheat and rye in fall of 2018 and sold the cleaned seed to fellow producers, and has more recently contracted to sell rye to a start-up malting company. "The agricultural system is completely broken” because of the trade war, severe weather and mounting farm debt, Hora said. "We have to farm smarter." Best of bad options Farmers in the High Plains of Texas, the second-largest sorghum-producing state, also face hard choices. China's imports of US sorghum in 2019 were less than one-tenth of the volume purchased four years earlier, according to the most recent government data. Still, the production cost for an acre of sorghum in this heavily irrigated region will be about half the cost of planting corn, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension data. Farmer Robert Boozer of Dimmitt, Texas – who grows cotton, corn and sorghum – said he and his neighbours pray for a time when the trade war no longer factors into planting decisions. He's agonizing over the per-acre costs of different crops and the break-even selling prices he'll need to stay afloat. For now, he'll plant more sorghum - "the best option in a field of terrible options."

US farmers see another bleak year despite Phase 1 trade deal with China

Russia's President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/impeachment-against-trump-absolutely-on-made-up-grounds-putin-269164">Vladimir Putin </a>thanked US counterpart Donald Trump on Sunday for intelligence that helped in thwarting attacks planned in St' Petersburg, the Kremlin said. &nbsp;

The Russian president thanked Trump "for the transfer, through special services, of information allowing the prevention of terrorist acts in Russia," said a statement released by the president's office. Kremlin said that Putin expressed his gratitude through a phone call to the US president.&nbsp;

Kremlin's statement also added that Putin and Trump would continue the bilateral cooperation to tackle terrorism.

With the help of information shared by the US, the Federal Security Service (FSB) detained two Russians on December 27 on suspicion of plotting attacks during new New Year festivities in St. Petersburg, Russian news agencies said.&nbsp;

The reports said that the two detained were preparing a "terrorist act".

Moscow and Washington are at odds on most of the issues including Syria, allegations of Russia meddling 2016 US election, but Trump and Putin managed to maintain their personal ties.&nbsp;

(with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

&nbsp;

Russia's President Vladimir Putin thanked US counterpart Donald Trump on Sunday for intelligence that helped in thwarting attacks planned in St' Petersburg, the Kremlin said.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin thanked US counterpart Donald Trump on Sunday for intelligence that helped in thwarting attacks planned in St' Petersburg, the Kremlin said. The Russian president thanked Trump "for the transfer, through special services, of information allowing the prevention of terrorist acts in Russia," said a statement released by the president's office. Kremlin said that Putin expressed his gratitude through a phone call to the US president. Kremlin's statement also added that Putin and Trump would continue the bilateral cooperation to tackle terrorism. With the help of information shared by the US, the Federal Security Service (FSB) detained two Russians on December 27 on suspicion of plotting attacks during new New Year festivities in St. Petersburg, Russian news agencies said. The reports said that the two detained were preparing a "terrorist act". Moscow and Washington are at odds on most of the issues including Syria, allegations of Russia meddling 2016 US election, but Trump and Putin managed to maintain their personal ties. (with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

Vladimir Putin thanks Donald Trump for intelligence that foiled attack

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said she was "disturbed" by the Senate leader's approach to working with White House counsel on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democrats-have-no-proof-i-want-an-immediate-trial-trump-on-impeachment-proceedings-269248">impeachment trial of President Donald Trump</a>, saying there should be distance between the two.

The comments by the Alaska lawmaker come after Mitch&nbsp;McConnell, majority leader of the Republican-led Senate, said during an&nbsp;interview earlier this month that he was working in "total coordination" with the White House on the upcoming trial.

"To me, it means that we have to take that step back from being hand-in-glove with the defence," Murkowski said in comments aired late on Tuesday during an interview. "I heard what leader&nbsp;McConnell&nbsp;had said. I happened to think that has further confused the process."

&nbsp;

Also Watch: Trump impeachment gets mixed reviews

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&nbsp;

Murkowski, who says she remains undecided in how she will vote in the upcoming impeachment proceedings, cited the need for distance between the White House and the Senate on how the trial should be conducted.

Trump was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/so-unfair-donald-trump-slams-impeachment-delay-in-senate-269522">impeached</a> last week by the Democratic-led House of Representatives on two charges over his pressuring Ukraine to announce an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden, one of the top contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, and Biden's son. He has been charged with abuse of power and obstructing Congress' investigation.

Trump has said he did nothing wrong.

Republicans have a 53-seat majority in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-senator-schumer-outlines-documents-he-wants-for-impeachment-trial-269912">Senate</a>, where 51 votes are needed to pass a set of rules for the Trump trial. The actual impeachment trial in the Senate would need a two-thirds majority vote for a conviction.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not yet transmitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate, a bid to pressure Senate Republicans to reach an accord with the Democrats in the chamber on trial rules.&nbsp;McConnell&nbsp;said the Senate could not take any action until it receives the articles.

Whether or not to call witnesses has been one of the main sticking points between the Democrats and the Republicans in drafting rules for the impeachment proceedings.&nbsp;McConnell&nbsp;on Monday said that Republicans had not ruled out hearing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democrats-have-no-proof-i-want-an-immediate-trial-trump-on-impeachment-proceedings-269248">witnesses</a> in the impeachment trial the Republican president.

However,&nbsp;McConnell&nbsp;made clear he would not accede to a Democratic request for the Senate to agree ahead of time to take testimony during the trial.

There is little chance Trump will be convicted and removed from office through a trial in the Republican-led Senate, but the impeachment proceedings could resonate at the ballot box in November.

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said she was "disturbed" by the Senate leader's approach to working with White House counsel on the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, saying there should be distance between the two.

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said she was "disturbed" by the Senate leader's approach to working with White House counsel on the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, saying there should be distance between the two. The comments by the Alaska lawmaker come after Mitch McConnell, majority leader of the Republican-led Senate, said during an interview earlier this month that he was working in "total coordination" with the White House on the upcoming trial. "To me, it means that we have to take that step back from being hand-in-glove with the defence," Murkowski said in comments aired late on Tuesday during an interview. "I heard what leader McConnell had said. I happened to think that has further confused the process." Also Watch: Trump impeachment gets mixed reviews × Murkowski, who says she remains undecided in how she will vote in the upcoming impeachment proceedings, cited the need for distance between the White House and the Senate on how the trial should be conducted. Trump was impeached last week by the Democratic-led House of Representatives on two charges over his pressuring Ukraine to announce an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden, one of the top contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, and Biden's son. He has been charged with abuse of power and obstructing Congress' investigation. Trump has said he did nothing wrong. Republicans have a 53-seat majority in the Senate, where 51 votes are needed to pass a set of rules for the Trump trial. The actual impeachment trial in the Senate would need a two-thirds majority vote for a conviction. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not yet transmitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate, a bid to pressure Senate Republicans to reach an accord with the Democrats in the chamber on trial rules. McConnell said the Senate could not take any action until it receives the articles. Whether or not to call witnesses has been one of the main sticking points between the Democrats and the Republicans in drafting rules for the impeachment proceedings. McConnell on Monday said that Republicans had not ruled out hearing witnesses in the impeachment trial the Republican president. However, McConnell made clear he would not accede to a Democratic request for the Senate to agree ahead of time to take testimony during the trial. There is little chance Trump will be convicted and removed from office through a trial in the Republican-led Senate, but the impeachment proceedings could resonate at the ballot box in November.

Republican senator 'disturbed' by McConnell's work with White House on impeachment trial

High profile city rivals&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lakers-kyle-kuzma-ruled-out-for-nba-season-opener-257190">Los Angeles Lakers</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/camila-cabello-shawn-mendes-make-temperatures-soar-during-los-angeles-clippers-game-261971">Los Angeles Clippers</a> clashed on Christmas Day which was witnessed by several Hollywood stars.

However, an incident&nbsp;became&nbsp;the centrepiece of jokes on social media&nbsp;at Staples Centre, Los Angeles after&nbsp;Lakers' player Anthony Davis fell on the lap of actor and comedian, Kevin Hart.

Rather than getting up, Davis decided to remain seated on Hart's lap to pose for a photo, and probably to make his Christmas wish. The two were joined by Davis's teammate and NBA star, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/houston-rockets-gm-wasnt-educated-when-he-sent-hong-kong-tweet-lebron-james-256087">LeBron James</a>, who rushed to sit on Hart's lap to make his own wish.

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Did AD want a selfie with Kevin Hart? 🤔😂<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LakeShow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LakeShow</a> <a href="https://t.co/DrgmKyK2Km">pic.twitter.com/DrgmKyK2Km</a>
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Hart has made known his liking for the game, having been seen on the telecast of several NBA games.

It led to several memes and&nbsp;jokes on social media.&nbsp;A&nbsp;joke on social media compared&nbsp;the situation to a scene from the 2003 movie 'Elf', where&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/julia-louis-dreyfus-and-will-ferrell-starrer-downhill-to-release-on-valentines-day-2020-264706">Will Ferrel</a> plays 'Buddy', sitting on the lap of the much smaller 'Papa Elf'.

High profile city rivals Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers clashed on Christmas Day which was witnessed by several Hollywood stars. However, an incident became the centrepiece of jokes on social media at Staples Centre, Los Angeles after Lakers' player Anthony Davis fell on the lap of actor and comedian, Kevin Hart.

High profile city rivals Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers clashed on Christmas Day which was witnessed by several Hollywood stars. However, an incident became the centrepiece of jokes on social media at Staples Centre, Los Angeles after Lakers' player Anthony Davis fell on the lap of actor and comedian, Kevin Hart. Rather than getting up, Davis decided to remain seated on Hart's lap to pose for a photo, and probably to make his Christmas wish. The two were joined by Davis's teammate and NBA star, LeBron James, who rushed to sit on Hart's lap to make his own wish. Did AD want a selfie with Kevin Hart? 🤔😂#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/DrgmKyK2Km — NBA TV (@NBATV) December 26, 2019 × Hart has made known his liking for the game, having been seen on the telecast of several NBA games. It led to several memes and jokes on social media. A joke on social media compared the situation to a scene from the 2003 movie 'Elf', where Will Ferrel plays 'Buddy', sitting on the lap of the much smaller 'Papa Elf'.

NBA star Anthony Davis land's on Kevin Hart's lap as LeBron James joins in

Rescue kittens got dressed up in festive holiday sweaters on Christmas Eve (December 24) as adoring fans took turns playing and cuddling with them at a Washington cat cafe.

Kittens in festive sweaters bring holiday cheer to Washington cat cafe

Christianity Today, the magazine founded by the late Reverend Billy Graham, renewed its criticism of President Donald Trump in a new editorial that cited his "misuses of power" and asked fellow Christians to examine their loyalty to him, days after a controversial editorial that called for his impeachment.

The 130,000-circulation magazine, which has 4.3 million monthly website viewers, in its editorial last week cited Trump's "profoundly immoral" conduct in office, drawing immediate criticism from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-democrats-seek-high-profile-trial-for-trump-in-senate-269263">Trump</a> and dozens of evangelical leaders.

Evangelicals have been a bedrock of support for the Republican president, and the magazine noted in its new editorial, published Sunday, that Trump "has done a lot of good for causes we all care about."

But the magazine's president, Timothy Dalrymple, wrote in the editorial, headlined "The Flag in the Whirlwind," that evangelicals' embrace of Trump means being tied to his "rampant immorality, greed, and corruption; his divisiveness and race-baiting; his cruelty and hostility to immigrants and refugees."

"With profound love and respect," Dalrymple said, "we ask our brothers and sisters in Christ to consider whether they have given to Caesar what belongs only to God: their unconditional loyalty."

The editorial praised the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-unveils-development-at-arak-reactor-amid-us-sanctions-pressure-269852">Trump administration</a>'s judicial appointment, "advocacy of life, family, and religious liberty." But it said, "It is one thing to praise his accomplishments; it is another to excuse and deny his obvious misuses of power.

Dalrymple pledged to open up a "serious discussion about how our activity as Christians shapes our activity as citizens" in 2020. He declined to be interviewed until after the Christmas holiday.

Evangelical Christians make up about 25 pet cent&nbsp;of the US&nbsp;population. According to a Pew Research poll from last January, 69 per cent&nbsp;of white evangelicals approved of the job Trump is doing, compared with 48 pet cent&nbsp;of white mainline Protestants and 12 per cent&nbsp;of black Protestants.

On January&nbsp;3, Trump will hold an "Evangelicals for Trump coalition launch" in Miami.

Graham's son Franklin had slammed the original Christianity Today editorial and said his father knew, believed in and voted for Trump, an endorsement that other family members dispute. Dozens of evangelical leaders signed a letter criticizing the magazine's impeachment call, and Trump said on Twitter he would stop reading the publication.

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....have a Radical Left nonbeliever, who wants to take your religion &amp; your guns, than Donald Trump as your President. No President has done more for the Evangelical community, and it’s not even close. You’ll not get anything from those Dems on stage. I won’t be reading ET again!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1207997319821615105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Christianity Today was founded in 1956, and its current impact in the evangelical community is limited, said Greg Carey, a New Testament professor at Lancaster Seminary in Pennsylvania. “Like other traditional media, their platform has fragmented, so I’m skeptical that they have the real punch to change a movement.”

Still, the way <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-tells-jewish-americans-he-is-israels-best-friend-266897">Trump</a> and others have pushed back showed the outlet is being heard. “There are those who feel that a crack in that foundation (of evangelical support of Trump) is a threat” that needs to be patched, Carey said.

For evangelicals who have doubts about Trump's conduct in office and the church's embrace of the president, "having an institutional voice that has some respect gives them cover to voice their opinion," Carey said.

Christianity Today, the magazine founded by the late Reverend Billy Graham, renewed its criticism of President Donald Trump in a new editorial that cited his "misuses of power" and asked fellow Christians to examine their loyalty to him, days after a controversial editorial that called for his impeachment.

Christianity Today, the magazine founded by the late Reverend Billy Graham, renewed its criticism of President Donald Trump in a new editorial that cited his "misuses of power" and asked fellow Christians to examine their loyalty to him, days after a controversial editorial that called for his impeachment. The 130,000-circulation magazine, which has 4.3 million monthly website viewers, in its editorial last week cited Trump's "profoundly immoral" conduct in office, drawing immediate criticism from Trump and dozens of evangelical leaders. Evangelicals have been a bedrock of support for the Republican president, and the magazine noted in its new editorial, published Sunday, that Trump "has done a lot of good for causes we all care about." But the magazine's president, Timothy Dalrymple, wrote in the editorial, headlined "The Flag in the Whirlwind," that evangelicals' embrace of Trump means being tied to his "rampant immorality, greed, and corruption; his divisiveness and race-baiting; his cruelty and hostility to immigrants and refugees." "With profound love and respect," Dalrymple said, "we ask our brothers and sisters in Christ to consider whether they have given to Caesar what belongs only to God: their unconditional loyalty." The editorial praised the Trump administration's judicial appointment, "advocacy of life, family, and religious liberty." But it said, "It is one thing to praise his accomplishments; it is another to excuse and deny his obvious misuses of power. Dalrymple pledged to open up a "serious discussion about how our activity as Christians shapes our activity as citizens" in 2020. He declined to be interviewed until after the Christmas holiday. Evangelical Christians make up about 25 pet cent of the US population. According to a Pew Research poll from last January, 69 per cent of white evangelicals approved of the job Trump is doing, compared with 48 pet cent of white mainline Protestants and 12 per cent of black Protestants. On January 3, Trump will hold an "Evangelicals for Trump coalition launch" in Miami. Graham's son Franklin had slammed the original Christianity Today editorial and said his father knew, believed in and voted for Trump, an endorsement that other family members dispute. Dozens of evangelical leaders signed a letter criticizing the magazine's impeachment call, and Trump said on Twitter he would stop reading the publication. ....have a Radical Left nonbeliever, who wants to take your religion & your guns, than Donald Trump as your President. No President has done more for the Evangelical community, and it’s not even close. You’ll not get anything from those Dems on stage. I won’t be reading ET again! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2019 × Christianity Today was founded in 1956, and its current impact in the evangelical community is limited, said Greg Carey, a New Testament professor at Lancaster Seminary in Pennsylvania. “Like other traditional media, their platform has fragmented, so I’m skeptical that they have the real punch to change a movement.” Still, the way Trump and others have pushed back showed the outlet is being heard. “There are those who feel that a crack in that foundation (of evangelical support of Trump) is a threat” that needs to be patched, Carey said. For evangelicals who have doubts about Trump's conduct in office and the church's embrace of the president, "having an institutional voice that has some respect gives them cover to voice their opinion," Carey said.

Christianity Today again slams Trump, raises issue of 'unconditional loyalty'

It is "more important than anything" to keep up the momentum for talks between the United States and North&nbsp;Korea,&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korean President Moon Jae-in told Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday.

North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;has set a year-end <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-envoy-to-visit-seoul-as-deadline-looms-for-stalled-north-korea-talks-268219">deadline</a> for the United States to change what it says is a policy of hostility amid a stalemate in efforts to make progress on their pledge to end the North's nuclear programme and establish lasting peace.

North&nbsp;Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US&nbsp;President Donald Trump have met three times since June 2018, but there has been no substantive progress in dialogue while the North demanded crushing international sanctions be lifted first.

On Saturday, state media said the United States would "pay dearly" for taking issue with the North's human rights record and said Washington's "malicious words" would only aggravate tensions on the&nbsp;Korean Peninsula.

China is North&nbsp;Korea's most important diplomatic backer and trading partner, and Moon took his message about the significance of talks straight to Xi.

"It is more important than anything to keep up the momentum for dialogue between North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;and the United States," Moon said, according to his spokeswoman Ko Min-jung who was present at the meeting in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

Ko cited Xi as saying that many people are concerned about the tense situation on the&nbsp;Korean peninsula.

"<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-japan-south-korea-prepare-for-trilateral-summit-amid-tensions-269632">China and&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea</a>&nbsp;should gather strength to help North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;and the United States sustain the momentum for dialogue," she cited Xi as saying.

Earlier, Moon's office quoted him as saying that the suspension of US-North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;talks and rising tensions was not beneficial for&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea, China or North&nbsp;Korea.

New impetus

Xi told Moon that China supports&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea's efforts to improve ties with North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;and inject new impetus into promoting peace talks, China's Foreign Ministry said.

China and&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;both advocate that the&nbsp;Korean peninsula issue be resolved through dialogue and consultation and are a "firm force for maintaining stability and promoting talks", the ministry paraphrased Xi as saying.

Moon is visiting China for a trilateral meeting between him, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in the&nbsp;southwestern city of Chengdu.

Though various economic matters will also be on the agenda - as well as tensions between Seoul and Tokyo - North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;appears likely to dominate the agenda.

US&nbsp;special envoy for North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;Stephen Biegun met with two senior Chinese diplomats during his two-day visit to Beijing last week, following a similar meeting in&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;and Japan days earlier, as diplomats make last-ditch attempts to prevent new confrontation.

Beijing, jointly with Moscow, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-china-make-un-proposal-to-ease-sanctions-against-nuclear-armed-north-korea-268814">proposed</a> last week that the United Nations Security Council lift some sanctions in what it calls an attempt to break the current deadlock and seek to build support.

But it's unclear whether Beijing can convince Seoul and Tokyo to break ranks from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-us-commandos-practice-raiding-enemy-facility-as-north-korea-tensions-rise-269734">Washington</a>, which has made its opposition clear and can veto any resolution.

Though&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;sees China as instrumental in reviving negotiations, it has so far sidestepped questions on whether it supports the new proposal by Beijing and Moscow.

For its part, Japan has historically been a staunch supporter of sanctions against North&nbsp;Korea.

Japan Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Naoki Okada, speaking to reporters after Abe held his own meeting with Xi in Beijing, said Xi had asked Japan to support the joint Chinese-Russian proposal.

But Japan considers easing sanctions on North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;"still premature", Okada said.

It is "more important than anything" to keep up the momentum for talks between the United States and North Korea, South Korean President Moon Jae-in told Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday.

It is "more important than anything" to keep up the momentum for talks between the United States and North Korea, South Korean President Moon Jae-in told Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday. North Korea has set a year-end deadline for the United States to change what it says is a policy of hostility amid a stalemate in efforts to make progress on their pledge to end the North's nuclear programme and establish lasting peace. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump have met three times since June 2018, but there has been no substantive progress in dialogue while the North demanded crushing international sanctions be lifted first. On Saturday, state media said the United States would "pay dearly" for taking issue with the North's human rights record and said Washington's "malicious words" would only aggravate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. China is North Korea's most important diplomatic backer and trading partner, and Moon took his message about the significance of talks straight to Xi. "It is more important than anything to keep up the momentum for dialogue between North Korea and the United States," Moon said, according to his spokeswoman Ko Min-jung who was present at the meeting in Beijing's Great Hall of the People. Ko cited Xi as saying that many people are concerned about the tense situation on the Korean peninsula. "China and South Korea should gather strength to help North Korea and the United States sustain the momentum for dialogue," she cited Xi as saying. Earlier, Moon's office quoted him as saying that the suspension of US-North Korea talks and rising tensions was not beneficial for South Korea, China or North Korea. New impetus Xi told Moon that China supports South Korea's efforts to improve ties with North Korea and inject new impetus into promoting peace talks, China's Foreign Ministry said. China and South Korea both advocate that the Korean peninsula issue be resolved through dialogue and consultation and are a "firm force for maintaining stability and promoting talks", the ministry paraphrased Xi as saying. Moon is visiting China for a trilateral meeting between him, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in the southwestern city of Chengdu. Though various economic matters will also be on the agenda - as well as tensions between Seoul and Tokyo - North Korea appears likely to dominate the agenda. US special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun met with two senior Chinese diplomats during his two-day visit to Beijing last week, following a similar meeting in South Korea and Japan days earlier, as diplomats make last-ditch attempts to prevent new confrontation. Beijing, jointly with Moscow, proposed last week that the United Nations Security Council lift some sanctions in what it calls an attempt to break the current deadlock and seek to build support. But it's unclear whether Beijing can convince Seoul and Tokyo to break ranks from Washington, which has made its opposition clear and can veto any resolution. Though South Korea sees China as instrumental in reviving negotiations, it has so far sidestepped questions on whether it supports the new proposal by Beijing and Moscow. For its part, Japan has historically been a staunch supporter of sanctions against North Korea. Japan Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Naoki Okada, speaking to reporters after Abe held his own meeting with Xi in Beijing, said Xi had asked Japan to support the joint Chinese-Russian proposal. But Japan considers easing sanctions on North Korea "still premature", Okada said.

US-North Korea talks 'more important than anything', South Korea tells China

After the United States supported a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-condemns-north-korea-rights-abuses-pyongyang-rejects-resolution-269093">UN resolution </a>on human rights violations in North Korea, Pyongyang warned Washington would "pay dearly" for its stand in this issue.&nbsp;

A North Korean foreign ministry spokesperson said US's "malicious words" would only escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, reported state news agency KCNA. &nbsp;

The statement said if Washington dared to claim human rights concerns to the North's system of government, it would "pay dearly".&nbsp;

In an annual resolution, the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday condemned North Korea's "long-standing and ongoing" violations of human rights, which was sponsored by a dozen countries, including the US.&nbsp;

The comments from North Korean ministry comes after US special envoy for North Korea, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-envoy-biegun-to-north-korea-were-here-you-know-how-to-reach-us-268526">Stephen Biegun</a>, publicly urged the nation on Monday to resume talks.

The tensions between Pyongyang and Washington rose in recent months after North Korea threatened a "Christmas gift" to the United States if it doesn't offer concessions by the end of 2019.&nbsp;

Lately, North Korea has also conducted a series of weapon tests which some experts regard as the preparation of an intercontinental ballistic missile test, which could destroy US President Donald Trump's argument that he has deescalated risks from the region.&nbsp;

(with inputs from Reuters and AFP)

After the United States supported a UN resolution on human rights violations in North Korea, Pyongyang warned Washington would "pay dearly" for its stand in this issue.

After the United States supported a UN resolution on human rights violations in North Korea, Pyongyang warned Washington would "pay dearly" for its stand in this issue. A North Korean foreign ministry spokesperson said US's "malicious words" would only escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, reported state news agency KCNA. The statement said if Washington dared to claim human rights concerns to the North's system of government, it would "pay dearly". In an annual resolution, the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday condemned North Korea's "long-standing and ongoing" violations of human rights, which was sponsored by a dozen countries, including the US. The comments from North Korean ministry comes after US special envoy for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, publicly urged the nation on Monday to resume talks. The tensions between Pyongyang and Washington rose in recent months after North Korea threatened a "Christmas gift" to the United States if it doesn't offer concessions by the end of 2019. Lately, North Korea has also conducted a series of weapon tests which some experts regard as the preparation of an intercontinental ballistic missile test, which could destroy US President Donald Trump's argument that he has deescalated risks from the region. (with inputs from Reuters and AFP)

US could 'pay dearly' for citing violations of human rights: North Korea

Fresh signals of the United States and China closing in on phase one of the trade deal were given after US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/want-to-work-out-preliminary-trade-deal-with-united-states-not-afraid-of-retaliating-chinese-president-jinping-263827">Xi Jinping </a>undertook a telephonic conversation on Friday.

After the phone call, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/had-good-talk-with-chinese-president-xi-formal-signing-is-being-arranged-donald-trump-269409">Trump </a>tweeted that he had a "very good talk" with Jinping over the trade deal. He also said that China has already started making large scale purchases of agricultural and other products from China.&nbsp;

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Had a very good talk with President Xi of China concerning our giant Trade Deal. China has already started large scale purchaes of agricultural product &amp; more. Formal signing being arranged. Also talked about North Korea, where we are working with China, &amp; Hong Kong (progress!).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1208045488156614659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"Had a very good talk with President Xi of China concerning our giant Trade Deal. China has already started large scale purchaes of agricultural product &amp; more. Formal signing being arranged. Also talked about North Korea, where we are working with China, &amp; Hong Kong (progress!)," Trump tweeted.

Jinping also welcomed the talks with the US President and said that phase one of the trade truce will benefit both the nations and the entire world.

Both the US and China have finalised phase one of the deal on the "principle of equality and mutual respect for each other", Jinping said.&nbsp;

The phase one the deal is expected to see China boost US imports of agricultural and other goods, while, the US, in return, will ease massive tariffs against the imports of the Asian giant.&nbsp;

Jinping also said that trade between both the countries will help in making "significant contributions to the stability and development of China-US relations and the advancement of the world economy," reported Chinese state news agency Xinhua.&nbsp;

However, Xinhua's report added that Jinping expressed "serious concerns" over US's recent stance on Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet. &nbsp;

Jinping "noted that the US behaviours have interfered in China's internal affairs and harmed China's interests, which is detrimental to the mutual trust and bilateral cooperation," Xinhua said.&nbsp;

The Chinese president hopes Washington "pay high attention and attach great importance to China's concerns," the report added.

(with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

&nbsp;

Fresh signals of the United States and China closing in on phase one of the trade deal were given after US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping undertook a telephonic conversation on Friday.

Fresh signals of the United States and China closing in on phase one of the trade deal were given after US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping undertook a telephonic conversation on Friday. After the phone call, Trump tweeted that he had a "very good talk" with Jinping over the trade deal. He also said that China has already started making large scale purchases of agricultural and other products from China. Had a very good talk with President Xi of China concerning our giant Trade Deal. China has already started large scale purchaes of agricultural product & more. Formal signing being arranged. Also talked about North Korea, where we are working with China, & Hong Kong (progress!). — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2019 × "Had a very good talk with President Xi of China concerning our giant Trade Deal. China has already started large scale purchaes of agricultural product & more. Formal signing being arranged. Also talked about North Korea, where we are working with China, & Hong Kong (progress!)," Trump tweeted. Jinping also welcomed the talks with the US President and said that phase one of the trade truce will benefit both the nations and the entire world. Both the US and China have finalised phase one of the deal on the "principle of equality and mutual respect for each other", Jinping said. The phase one the deal is expected to see China boost US imports of agricultural and other goods, while, the US, in return, will ease massive tariffs against the imports of the Asian giant. Jinping also said that trade between both the countries will help in making "significant contributions to the stability and development of China-US relations and the advancement of the world economy," reported Chinese state news agency Xinhua. However, Xinhua's report added that Jinping expressed "serious concerns" over US's recent stance on Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet. Jinping "noted that the US behaviours have interfered in China's internal affairs and harmed China's interests, which is detrimental to the mutual trust and bilateral cooperation," Xinhua said. The Chinese president hopes Washington "pay high attention and attach great importance to China's concerns," the report added. (with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

Donald Trump, Xi Jinping give positive signals on trade deal after phone call

In a muddy makeshift camp in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, more than 1,000 migrants had waited for weeks for a chance to request asylum in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-pushes-back-after-top-us-court-favours-trump-on-shunning-migrants-249280">United States</a>, enduring cold nights and long days of uncertainty.

Frustrated, many are giving up and clearing out.

Authorities say as of last week, there were still about 1,400 migrants, most of them from southwestern Mexico, holding out hope under tents and tarps in a park not far from the Rio Grande.&nbsp;

But on Thursday, only about 700 remained. The others grew tired of the near-freezing temperatures at night and the seemingly fruitless quest to be heard by US officials.

Local associations convinced several families to head to shelters or hotels when the mercury started to plummet.

Some instead made their way across the river, without any idea if they would succeed.

And still others opted to remain -- they are afraid to lose their place on the murky waitlist system they themselves created to convince US border agents to take them in order of their arrival.

"They won't let us proceed unless we hand them our slips to show them we have indeed been waiting," said Rosa, who keeps up the list on a daily basis.

Every night, the men and women at the camp keep watch on the comings and goings on the bridge crossing the Rio Grande -- the natural, international border -- to make sure new arrivals don't jump the queue.

'The cartels threatened us'&nbsp;

According to a survey recently led by several universities in northern Mexico, 60 per cent of those at the camp wait their turn in tents, but more than a quarter are sleeping in the open air.

Many migrants say they are fleeing violence in their hometowns.

"The cartels threatened us and took our land," said one man from Guerrero state.

"At first, they asked us for money," he explained. "But when we could no longer pay, they took our house. They gave us two weeks" to get out, he added.

Officials in Ciudad Juarez -- once known as the "murder capital of the world" -- are trying to be flexible about the influx of migrants.

"We understand that US authorities administratively can't process all of these requests," said Enrique Valenzuela, who works for a Chihuahua state agency tasked with local population issues.

"Most of these people are alleged victims in some way," he said.

"They say that they either have been threatened for some reason -- themselves or their families -- or they have either lost a loved one or a neighbour," he added. 
&nbsp;

In a muddy makeshift camp in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, more than 1,000 migrants had waited for weeks for a chance to request asylum in the United States, enduring cold nights and long days of uncertainty.

In a muddy makeshift camp in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, more than 1,000 migrants had waited for weeks for a chance to request asylum in the United States, enduring cold nights and long days of uncertainty. Frustrated, many are giving up and clearing out. Authorities say as of last week, there were still about 1,400 migrants, most of them from southwestern Mexico, holding out hope under tents and tarps in a park not far from the Rio Grande. But on Thursday, only about 700 remained. The others grew tired of the near-freezing temperatures at night and the seemingly fruitless quest to be heard by US officials. Local associations convinced several families to head to shelters or hotels when the mercury started to plummet. Some instead made their way across the river, without any idea if they would succeed. And still others opted to remain -- they are afraid to lose their place on the murky waitlist system they themselves created to convince US border agents to take them in order of their arrival. "They won't let us proceed unless we hand them our slips to show them we have indeed been waiting," said Rosa, who keeps up the list on a daily basis. Every night, the men and women at the camp keep watch on the comings and goings on the bridge crossing the Rio Grande -- the natural, international border -- to make sure new arrivals don't jump the queue. 'The cartels threatened us' According to a survey recently led by several universities in northern Mexico, 60 per cent of those at the camp wait their turn in tents, but more than a quarter are sleeping in the open air. Many migrants say they are fleeing violence in their hometowns. "The cartels threatened us and took our land," said one man from Guerrero state. "At first, they asked us for money," he explained. "But when we could no longer pay, they took our house. They gave us two weeks" to get out, he added. Officials in Ciudad Juarez -- once known as the "murder capital of the world" -- are trying to be flexible about the influx of migrants. "We understand that US authorities administratively can't process all of these requests," said Enrique Valenzuela, who works for a Chihuahua state agency tasked with local population issues. "Most of these people are alleged victims in some way," he said. "They say that they either have been threatened for some reason -- themselves or their families -- or they have either lost a loved one or a neighbour," he added.

At the US-Mexican border, migrants give up hope of crossing

Iranian President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-rouhani-to-meet-japan-pm-amid-tension-with-us-269275">Hassan Rouhani </a>concluded his two-day trip to Japan on Saturday, where the sanctions-hit Islamic country sought economic support from Tokyo.

On Saturday, Rouhani held a closed meeting at a Tokyo hotel with Japanese business leaders, during which he criticised US sanctions and expressed hope for boosting long-standing ties with Japan, public broadcaster NHK said, quoting the Iranian foreign ministry.

The economic crisis in Iran deepened after the US withdrew from the historic Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) last year and imposed sanctions on the country. The JCPOA limits Iran's uranium enrichment capacity and prevents the country from sanctions.&nbsp;

The visit to Japan was the first by an Iranian head of state in two decades and came following deadly protests in Iran over fuel price hikes.&nbsp;

In a summit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday, Rouhani sought help from Japan and other countries to revive the Iranian economy.&nbsp;

"We welcome any plan that can increase trade, especially in the field of energy and increasing the exports and sales of oil," Rouhani told Abe, according to Iranian state news agency IRNA.

The Japanese PM asked his counterpart to follow the 2015 nuclear deal, adding that Tokyo will do its best to ensure stability is maintained in the Middle East. Rouhani asked Abe to work with other countries to keep the nuclear deal in place.&nbsp;

Japan is a key US ally and in an attempt to ease tensions between Iran and the United States, Abe earlier visited Tehran in June.&nbsp;

(with inputs from AFP and Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani concluded his two-day trip to Japan on Saturday, where the sanctions-hit Islamic country sought economic support from Tokyo. On Saturday, Rouhani held a closed meeting at a Tokyo hotel with Japanese business leaders, during which he criticised US sanctions and expressed hope for boosting long-standing ties with Japan, public broadcaster NHK said, quoting the Iranian foreign ministry.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani concluded his two-day trip to Japan on Saturday, where the sanctions-hit Islamic country sought economic support from Tokyo. On Saturday, Rouhani held a closed meeting at a Tokyo hotel with Japanese business leaders, during which he criticised US sanctions and expressed hope for boosting long-standing ties with Japan, public broadcaster NHK said, quoting the Iranian foreign ministry. The economic crisis in Iran deepened after the US withdrew from the historic Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) last year and imposed sanctions on the country. The JCPOA limits Iran's uranium enrichment capacity and prevents the country from sanctions. The visit to Japan was the first by an Iranian head of state in two decades and came following deadly protests in Iran over fuel price hikes. In a summit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday, Rouhani sought help from Japan and other countries to revive the Iranian economy. "We welcome any plan that can increase trade, especially in the field of energy and increasing the exports and sales of oil," Rouhani told Abe, according to Iranian state news agency IRNA. The Japanese PM asked his counterpart to follow the 2015 nuclear deal, adding that Tokyo will do its best to ensure stability is maintained in the Middle East. Rouhani asked Abe to work with other countries to keep the nuclear deal in place. Japan is a key US ally and in an attempt to ease tensions between Iran and the United States, Abe earlier visited Tehran in June. (with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

Seeking economic support, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani concluded two-day Japan visit

In a crackdown against state-sponsored propaganda, social-media giants Facebook and Twitter said that they had blocked multiple government-backed manipulation operations around the world.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-blocks-group-spreading-pro-trump-posts-from-fake-accounts-269435">Facebook </a>said that it had blocked a network in Vietnam and the United States which posted pro-Trump messages targetting US citizens.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-suspends-thousands-of-accounts-that-were-linked-to-saudi-arabia-269402">Twitter</a>, on the other hand, claimed that it had blocked nearly 88,000 accounts linked to Saudi state-backed "information operations", in violation of its manipulation rules.

The Twitter safety team said that their analysis found that the network targetted discussions related to Saudi Arabia and was promoting Riyadh's geopolitical interests at an international level.&nbsp;

"Our internal analysis shows the network was involved in various forms of platform manipulation, targetting discussions related to Saudi Arabia and advancing their geopolitical interests on the world stage," the Twitter team said.&nbsp;

Twitter's investigations revealed Saudi-based social media marketing firm Smaat behind this campaign of manipulation. Smaat has been permanently blocked by the platform.&nbsp;

The Saudi-based firm was working for "high-profile individuals" and for several government departments in Saudi Arabia, Twitter said. Some of the tweets were of 2016 and were supporting&nbsp;the presidential campaign of US President Donald Trump.

Facebook said that the Vietnam network was traced to the multi-language media group Epoch Times, which is linked to the Falun Gong spiritual movement, and a US media outlet called BL, which has been uploading pro-Trump posts.&nbsp;

Facebook also said that it has removed more than 600 accounts on Facebook and Instagram.&nbsp;

"The people behind this activity made widespread use of fake accounts -- many of which had been automatically removed by our systems -- to manage pages and groups, automate posting at very high frequencies and direct traffic to off-platform sites," Facebook security chief Nathaniel Gleicher said.

"The BL-focused network repeatedly violated a number of our policies, including our policies against coordinated inauthentic behavior, spam and misrepresentation, to name just a few."

The Facebook security chief said that the fake accounts shared memes and content focussing on conservative ideology and US political issues such as Trump's impeachment, trade, family values, freedom of religion, among others.

(with inputs from AFP)

In a crackdown against state-sponsored propaganda, social-media giants Facebook and Twitter said that they had blocked multiple government-backed manipulation operations around the world.

In a crackdown against state-sponsored propaganda, social-media giants Facebook and Twitter said that they had blocked multiple government-backed manipulation operations around the world. Facebook said that it had blocked a network in Vietnam and the United States which posted pro-Trump messages targetting US citizens. Twitter, on the other hand, claimed that it had blocked nearly 88,000 accounts linked to Saudi state-backed "information operations", in violation of its manipulation rules. The Twitter safety team said that their analysis found that the network targetted discussions related to Saudi Arabia and was promoting Riyadh's geopolitical interests at an international level. "Our internal analysis shows the network was involved in various forms of platform manipulation, targetting discussions related to Saudi Arabia and advancing their geopolitical interests on the world stage," the Twitter team said. Twitter's investigations revealed Saudi-based social media marketing firm Smaat behind this campaign of manipulation. Smaat has been permanently blocked by the platform. The Saudi-based firm was working for "high-profile individuals" and for several government departments in Saudi Arabia, Twitter said. Some of the tweets were of 2016 and were supporting the presidential campaign of US President Donald Trump. Facebook said that the Vietnam network was traced to the multi-language media group Epoch Times, which is linked to the Falun Gong spiritual movement, and a US media outlet called BL, which has been uploading pro-Trump posts. Facebook also said that it has removed more than 600 accounts on Facebook and Instagram. "The people behind this activity made widespread use of fake accounts -- many of which had been automatically removed by our systems -- to manage pages and groups, automate posting at very high frequencies and direct traffic to off-platform sites," Facebook security chief Nathaniel Gleicher said. "The BL-focused network repeatedly violated a number of our policies, including our policies against coordinated inauthentic behavior, spam and misrepresentation, to name just a few." The Facebook security chief said that the fake accounts shared memes and content focussing on conservative ideology and US political issues such as Trump's impeachment, trade, family values, freedom of religion, among others. (with inputs from AFP)

Facebook, Twitter block state-sponsored manipulation accounts in latest crackdown

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump has accused South Korea of being a rich nation that is profiting off the&nbsp;US&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-south-korea-postpone-joint-drills-in-act-of-goodwill-262741">military</a> forces, which are stationed in the country as a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-koreans-fearful-of-nightmare-us-troop-withdrawal-199239">legacy</a> of the 1950-1953 Korean War and continued threats from North Korea.

South Korean lawmakers have said&nbsp;Washington&nbsp;is seeking up to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-south-korea-resume-defence-cost-sharing-talks-after-trumps-5-bn-demand-gets-dubbed-as-robbery-262883">$5&nbsp;billion</a>&nbsp;a year to support the&nbsp;troops&nbsp;- more than five times the amount&nbsp;Seoul&nbsp;agreed to pay this year.

But the&nbsp;US's chief negotiator James DeHart told reporters after Wednesday's meeting that "($5&nbsp;billion) is not the number we are currently focusing on in the negotiation," according to Yonhap News Agency.

"We have been coordinating and compromising. But the figure we&nbsp;agree&nbsp;on will be very different from our initial proposal and will also be different from what we are currently hearing from the Korean side," he added.

As part of his 'America First" policy, Trump has&nbsp;demanded that many&nbsp;US&nbsp;allies, including NATO members and Japan, pay more towards defence.

The lack of a deal in the talks led on South Korea's side by chief negotiator Jeong Eun-bo, could result in a repeat of last year when the two countries missed a year-end deadline but reached a retroactive&nbsp;agreement in the new year.

Some experts, both&nbsp;US&nbsp;and Korean, have warned that if no&nbsp;agreement is reached, it could throw the future of the&nbsp;US&nbsp;presence in South Korea into doubt.

The next set of talks will be in the United States in January, with the exact timing still to be determined.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry said their negotiators emphasized the need for "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable&nbsp;agreements," that will strengthen the alliance.

"The two sides have expanded their understanding of each other through many discussions despite differences in their positions on various issues, and decided to continue close consultations," it said in a statement.

The dispute has been a rare public sign of discord in the alliance that has for 70 years formed a buffer against North Korean aggression. The two Koreas remain technically at war after the Korean War ended in a truce but not a peace treaty.

There have been several public protests in South Korea against the&nbsp;US&nbsp;calls for more money, and a survey by the Chicago Council of Global Affairs found that only 4&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of South Korean respondents said&nbsp;Seoul&nbsp;should meet <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-warns-united-states-not-to-exploit-close-trump-kim-ties-258322">Trump</a>'s&nbsp;demands.

On the other hand, 74 per cent&nbsp;of those questioned said they supported the long-term stationing of American&nbsp;troops&nbsp;in South Korea.

If no deal is reached, the most immediate effect may be on thousands of South Korean civilians who work for the&nbsp;US&nbsp;military and who could be placed on unpaid leave.

US President Donald Trump has accused South Korea of being a rich nation that is profiting off the US military forces, which are stationed in the country as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War and continued threats from North Korea.

US President Donald Trump has accused South Korea of being a rich nation that is profiting off the US military forces, which are stationed in the country as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War and continued threats from North Korea. South Korean lawmakers have said Washington is seeking up to $5 billion a year to support the troops - more than five times the amount Seoul agreed to pay this year. But the US's chief negotiator James DeHart told reporters after Wednesday's meeting that "($5 billion) is not the number we are currently focusing on in the negotiation," according to Yonhap News Agency. "We have been coordinating and compromising. But the figure we agree on will be very different from our initial proposal and will also be different from what we are currently hearing from the Korean side," he added. As part of his 'America First" policy, Trump has demanded that many US allies, including NATO members and Japan, pay more towards defence. The lack of a deal in the talks led on South Korea's side by chief negotiator Jeong Eun-bo, could result in a repeat of last year when the two countries missed a year-end deadline but reached a retroactive agreement in the new year. Some experts, both US and Korean, have warned that if no agreement is reached, it could throw the future of the US presence in South Korea into doubt. The next set of talks will be in the United States in January, with the exact timing still to be determined. South Korea's Foreign Ministry said their negotiators emphasized the need for "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable agreements," that will strengthen the alliance. "The two sides have expanded their understanding of each other through many discussions despite differences in their positions on various issues, and decided to continue close consultations," it said in a statement. The dispute has been a rare public sign of discord in the alliance that has for 70 years formed a buffer against North Korean aggression. The two Koreas remain technically at war after the Korean War ended in a truce but not a peace treaty. There have been several public protests in South Korea against the US calls for more money, and a survey by the Chicago Council of Global Affairs found that only 4 per cent of South Korean respondents said Seoul should meet Trump's demands. On the other hand, 74 per cent of those questioned said they supported the long-term stationing of American troops in South Korea. If no deal is reached, the most immediate effect may be on thousands of South Korean civilians who work for the US military and who could be placed on unpaid leave.

Seoul, Washington fail to agree on cost of US troops; US denies $5 billion demand

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is negotiating US-Taliban peace talks, reached Pakistan on Friday where he briefed it about the development with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-announces-a-pause-in-peace-talks-with-taliban-after-airbase-attack-267989">Taliban in Afghanistan</a>, US embassy officials said.

"In his meetings with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and other government officials, Ambassador Khalilzad discussed the current status of US-Taliban talks," the statement of the US Embassy in Pakistan said.&nbsp;

The US special representative highlighted Pakistan's support for intra-Afghan negotiations and discussed the economic and security benefits to the region if the truce with Taliban is reached, the statement said.&nbsp;

Khalilzad's visit to Pakistan came after he announced on Thursday that there is a "brief" pause in talks with the Taliban after an attack in the US military base at Bagram in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Reportedly, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive-packed vehicle near Bagram military base in Parwan province, north of the capital Kabul days after talks resumed between the US and Taliban. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide blast.&nbsp;

The talks between the US and the insurgent group resumed after getting suspended in September following a fatal attack in Kabul, in which an American soldier was killed.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump on November 28 made a surprise visit to Afghanistan to celebrate Thanksgiving with US troops and meet President Ashraf Ghani.&nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is negotiating US-Taliban peace talks, reached Pakistan on Friday where he briefed it about the development with the Taliban in Afghanistan, US embassy officials said.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is negotiating US-Taliban peace talks, reached Pakistan on Friday where he briefed it about the development with the Taliban in Afghanistan, US embassy officials said. "In his meetings with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and other government officials, Ambassador Khalilzad discussed the current status of US-Taliban talks," the statement of the US Embassy in Pakistan said. The US special representative highlighted Pakistan's support for intra-Afghan negotiations and discussed the economic and security benefits to the region if the truce with Taliban is reached, the statement said. Khalilzad's visit to Pakistan came after he announced on Thursday that there is a "brief" pause in talks with the Taliban after an attack in the US military base at Bagram in Afghanistan. Reportedly, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive-packed vehicle near Bagram military base in Parwan province, north of the capital Kabul days after talks resumed between the US and Taliban. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide blast. The talks between the US and the insurgent group resumed after getting suspended in September following a fatal attack in Kabul, in which an American soldier was killed. US President Donald Trump on November 28 made a surprise visit to Afghanistan to celebrate Thanksgiving with US troops and meet President Ashraf Ghani. (with inputs from agencies)

US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad briefs Pakistan on Taliban peace talks

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-jr-subpoenaed-as-congress-battles-white-house-over-russia-report-217187">Donald Trump Jr</a>, the eldest son of US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he wants the United States to work with “its incredible allies” like India to make the world a safer place and present democracy as a shining beacon light for everyone to learn from.&nbsp;

“I want to see America maintain its rightful place as the leader of the free world. I want to see them be able to work with their incredible allies, like India to make the world a safer place. To use democracy as a shining beacon of light for everyone to be able to learn from,” Trump Jr said.

Trump Jr, was addressing the Indian-American community during a event in Long Island, US, along with Trump’s senior advisor for 2020 presidential campaign and former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle.&nbsp;

In the rally, he also spoke about this book: ‘Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us’, his father and ties with India.

Trump Jr said that father fought for American rights and businesses.&nbsp;

“To see what he’s been able to do and I imagine, in this community full of business leaders, you’ve seen those results yourself. But they’re not just benefits for you. They are benefits for everyone around, the employees that you hire, the businesses who are your suppliers, the beneficiaries. Everyone’s winning because of this" Trump Jr said.

“And that’s why I’ve been such an advocate for this (Donald Trump’s vision) because I want to see that winning continue.

Trump Jr added that his father have had a "wonderful" presidency and added that the road ahead will be entertaining "because my father will keep it so, I promise you that. It will be like Bollywood with a lot less dancing".

He also said that his business experience in India was "interesting, and certainly a little bit of a culture shock".&nbsp;

"It also made me appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit that so resides in my friends in the Indian community, that notion that you get a deal, go and get whatever it takes to make something happen and get it going.”&nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump Jr, the eldest son of US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he wants the United States to work with “its incredible allies” like India to make the world a safer place and present democracy as a shining beacon light for everyone to learn from.

Donald Trump Jr, the eldest son of US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he wants the United States to work with “its incredible allies” like India to make the world a safer place and present democracy as a shining beacon light for everyone to learn from. “I want to see America maintain its rightful place as the leader of the free world. I want to see them be able to work with their incredible allies, like India to make the world a safer place. To use democracy as a shining beacon of light for everyone to be able to learn from,” Trump Jr said. Trump Jr, was addressing the Indian-American community during a event in Long Island, US, along with Trump’s senior advisor for 2020 presidential campaign and former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle. In the rally, he also spoke about this book: ‘Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us’, his father and ties with India. Trump Jr said that father fought for American rights and businesses. “To see what he’s been able to do and I imagine, in this community full of business leaders, you’ve seen those results yourself. But they’re not just benefits for you. They are benefits for everyone around, the employees that you hire, the businesses who are your suppliers, the beneficiaries. Everyone’s winning because of this" Trump Jr said. “And that’s why I’ve been such an advocate for this (Donald Trump’s vision) because I want to see that winning continue. Trump Jr added that his father have had a "wonderful" presidency and added that the road ahead will be entertaining "because my father will keep it so, I promise you that. It will be like Bollywood with a lot less dancing". He also said that his business experience in India was "interesting, and certainly a little bit of a culture shock". "It also made me appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit that so resides in my friends in the Indian community, that notion that you get a deal, go and get whatever it takes to make something happen and get it going.” (with inputs from agencies)

Want to see US works with 'incredible allies' like India to make world safe: Donald Trump Jr

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to prohibit federal funding for colleges and universities that allow <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/american-jews-confront-rising-tide-of-anti-semitism-174320">anti-Semitism</a>, but the move drew some criticism for potentially limiting free speech.

The order would extend protections against discrimination under the 1964 Civil Rights Act to people subjected to anti-Semitism on college campuses.

"This is our message to universities: If you want to accept the tremendous amount of federal dollars that you get every year, you must reject anti-Semitism. It's very simple," Trump said during a Hanukkah reception at the White House.

Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, colour, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.

"This action makes clear that Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits the federal funding of universities and other institutions that engage in discrimination, applies to institutions that traffic in anti-Semitic hate," Trump said.

J Street, a liberal Jewish-American lobbying group, criticized the order.

"This executive order, like the stalled congressional legislation it is based on, appears designed less to combat anti-Semitism than to have a chilling effect on free speech and to crack down on campus critics of Israel," it said in a statement.

The Anti-Defamation League, which tracks acts of racism, welcomed the order.

"In a climate of rising anti-Semitism, this executive order provides valuable guidance on anti-Semitism, giving law enforcement and campus officials an important additional tool to help identify and fight this pernicious hate," Chief Executive Jonathan Greenblatt said.

"It also reaffirms protection of Jews under Title VI without infringing on First Amendment rights," he said in a statement.

The pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement over Israel’s policies towards Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip has gained support among some university students in recent years.

The movement, however, has received a bipartisan rebuke in the US&nbsp;Congress and many states have passed anti-BDS measures.Amid criticism, Trump signs order targeting anti-Semitism at universities

Some critics argue that participating in boycotts is protected by Americans' constitutional right to free speech and that legitimate criticism of Israeli policies could be stifled under the name of combating anti-Semitism.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to prohibit federal funding for colleges and universities that allow anti-Semitism, but the move drew some criticism for potentially limiting free speech.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to prohibit federal funding for colleges and universities that allow anti-Semitism, but the move drew some criticism for potentially limiting free speech. The order would extend protections against discrimination under the 1964 Civil Rights Act to people subjected to anti-Semitism on college campuses. "This is our message to universities: If you want to accept the tremendous amount of federal dollars that you get every year, you must reject anti-Semitism. It's very simple," Trump said during a Hanukkah reception at the White House. Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, colour, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. "This action makes clear that Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits the federal funding of universities and other institutions that engage in discrimination, applies to institutions that traffic in anti-Semitic hate," Trump said. J Street, a liberal Jewish-American lobbying group, criticized the order. "This executive order, like the stalled congressional legislation it is based on, appears designed less to combat anti-Semitism than to have a chilling effect on free speech and to crack down on campus critics of Israel," it said in a statement. The Anti-Defamation League, which tracks acts of racism, welcomed the order. "In a climate of rising anti-Semitism, this executive order provides valuable guidance on anti-Semitism, giving law enforcement and campus officials an important additional tool to help identify and fight this pernicious hate," Chief Executive Jonathan Greenblatt said. "It also reaffirms protection of Jews under Title VI without infringing on First Amendment rights," he said in a statement. The pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement over Israel’s policies towards Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip has gained support among some university students in recent years. The movement, however, has received a bipartisan rebuke in the US Congress and many states have passed anti-BDS measures.Amid criticism, Trump signs order targeting anti-Semitism at universities Some critics argue that participating in boycotts is protected by Americans' constitutional right to free speech and that legitimate criticism of Israeli policies could be stifled under the name of combating anti-Semitism.

Amid criticism, Trump signs order targeting anti-Semitism at universities

A day after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-security-council-to-meet-over-north-korea-on-wednesday-at-us-request-267389">United States </a>warned North Korea of consequences of a spectacular weapons test, Pyongyang said it is ready to respond to Washington's any "corresponding measure". &nbsp;

"The United States said about corresponding measure at the meeting, as we have said we have nothing to lose and we are ready to respond to any corresponding measure that the US choooses," North Korea's state news agency KCNA said citing a foreign ministry spokesperson.&nbsp;

Earlier, North Korea vowed for an ominous "Christmas gift" if the US does not come up with concessions by the end of 2019.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, the US ambassador, Kelly Craft, said that North Korea was indicating of carrying out intercontinental ballistic missiles test which is designed to attack the US with nuclear weapons.&nbsp;

"Missile and nuclear testing will not bring the DPRK greater security," Craft said, referring to North Korea by its official name.&nbsp;

"We trust that the DPRK will turn away from further hostility and threats, and instead make a bold decision to engage with us," Craft said.

Craft added that if Pyongyang acted otherwise "we, this Security Council, must all be prepared to act accordingly."

(with inputs from Reuters and AFP)

A day after the United States warned North Korea of consequences of a spectacular weapons test, Pyongyang said it is ready to respond to Washington's any "corresponding measure".

A day after the United States warned North Korea of consequences of a spectacular weapons test, Pyongyang said it is ready to respond to Washington's any "corresponding measure". "The United States said about corresponding measure at the meeting, as we have said we have nothing to lose and we are ready to respond to any corresponding measure that the US choooses," North Korea's state news agency KCNA said citing a foreign ministry spokesperson. Earlier, North Korea vowed for an ominous "Christmas gift" if the US does not come up with concessions by the end of 2019. On Wednesday, the US ambassador, Kelly Craft, said that North Korea was indicating of carrying out intercontinental ballistic missiles test which is designed to attack the US with nuclear weapons. "Missile and nuclear testing will not bring the DPRK greater security," Craft said, referring to North Korea by its official name. "We trust that the DPRK will turn away from further hostility and threats, and instead make a bold decision to engage with us," Craft said. Craft added that if Pyongyang acted otherwise "we, this Security Council, must all be prepared to act accordingly." (with inputs from Reuters and AFP)

We are ready to respond to any corresponding measure that US chooses: North Korea

China and the United States are in close communication on trade, its commerce ministry said on Thursday, declining to comment on possible retaliatory steps if Washington imposes more tariffs on Chinese goods this weekend.

The United States is due to impose tariffs on almost $160 billion of Chinese imports such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nintendo-to-officially-launch-its-switch-gaming-console-in-china-266103">video game consoles</a>, computer monitors and toys on Sunday.

US&nbsp;President<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-criticism-trump-signs-order-targeting-anti-semitism-at-universities-267765"> Donald Trump</a> is expected to meet top trade advisers on Thursday to discuss the move, sources told Reuters previously.

A decision to proceed with the levies could roil financial markets and scuttle <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/us-china-trade-talks-free-trade-must-not-be-derailed-198923">US-China talks</a> to end the 17-month-long trade war between the world's two largest economies.

"The two sides' economic and trade teams are maintaining close communication," Gao Feng, a spokesman at the Chinese commerce ministry, told reporters at a regular briefing.

The countries agreed in October to conclude a preliminary trade agreement, but talks have failed to produce deals on agricultural purchases by China and rollbacks of existing tariffs imposed by the United States. Many analysts had expected a deal ahead of December&nbsp;15.

Beijing has said it would retaliate if the United States escalates the trade dispute.

In August, China said it would impose 5 per cent&nbsp;and 10&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;in additional tariffs on $75 billion of US&nbsp;goods in two batches. Tariffs on the first batch kicked in on September&nbsp;1, hitting US&nbsp;goods including soybeans, pork, beef, chemicals, and crude oil.

The tariffs on the second batch of products are due to be activated on December&nbsp;15, affecting goods ranging from corn and wheat to small aircraft and rare earth magnets.

China also said at the time that it will reinstitute on December&nbsp;15 an additional 25&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;tariff on US-made vehicles and 5&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;tariffs on auto parts that had been suspended at the beginning of 2019.

China and the United States are in close communication on trade, its commerce ministry said on Thursday, declining to comment on possible retaliatory steps if Washington imposes more tariffs on Chinese goods this weekend.

China and the United States are in close communication on trade, its commerce ministry said on Thursday, declining to comment on possible retaliatory steps if Washington imposes more tariffs on Chinese goods this weekend. The United States is due to impose tariffs on almost $160 billion of Chinese imports such as video game consoles, computer monitors and toys on Sunday. US President Donald Trump is expected to meet top trade advisers on Thursday to discuss the move, sources told Reuters previously. A decision to proceed with the levies could roil financial markets and scuttle US-China talks to end the 17-month-long trade war between the world's two largest economies. "The two sides' economic and trade teams are maintaining close communication," Gao Feng, a spokesman at the Chinese commerce ministry, told reporters at a regular briefing. The countries agreed in October to conclude a preliminary trade agreement, but talks have failed to produce deals on agricultural purchases by China and rollbacks of existing tariffs imposed by the United States. Many analysts had expected a deal ahead of December 15. Beijing has said it would retaliate if the United States escalates the trade dispute. In August, China said it would impose 5 per cent and 10 per cent in additional tariffs on $75 billion of US goods in two batches. Tariffs on the first batch kicked in on September 1, hitting US goods including soybeans, pork, beef, chemicals, and crude oil. The tariffs on the second batch of products are due to be activated on December 15, affecting goods ranging from corn and wheat to small aircraft and rare earth magnets. China also said at the time that it will reinstitute on December 15 an additional 25 per cent tariff on US-made vehicles and 5 per cent tariffs on auto parts that had been suspended at the beginning of 2019.

China says in close communication with US on trade as fresh tariffs loom

Six people, including one policemen and two suspects, were killed in an hours-long <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/florida-base-shooting-probe-trump-saudi-crown-prince-vow-to-cooperate-267259">shootout </a>near a cemetery and a grocery store in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Tuesday afternoon.&nbsp;

"Our officers were under fire for hours," Jersey City Police Chief Michael Kelly told reporters after the incident. Kelly also said that it is not immediately clear whether the act was a hate crime or terror-related.&nbsp;

The police chief said that the two suspects acted alone.&nbsp;

Kelly said that the shootout began during the noon at the cemetery and ended in the JC Kosher Supermarket.

The two suspected gunmen and three civilian victims were killed inside the supermarket and the slain police detective was found fatally wounded near the cemetery about a mile away from where the shooting apparently began as he tried to intercept one of the gunmen, the police chief said.&nbsp;

Kelly said that as per the investigation, the U-Haul vehicle might contain an "incendiary device," adding that the device is removed and under examination by the bomb squad.&nbsp;

Two more cops got injured in the shooting spree but were later released from the hospital after getting recovered.&nbsp;

New York Mayor Steven Fulop said that the police officer&nbsp;killed in the shootout was identified as Joe Seals, a married father of five children.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump, in a tweet, described the shootout "horrific" and expressed his condolences to the victims and their families.&nbsp;

"Just received a briefing on the horrific shootout that took place in Jersey City, NJ. Our thoughts &amp; prayers are w/ the victims &amp; their families during this very difficult &amp; tragic time.

"We will continue to monitor the situation as we assist local &amp; state officials on the ground," Trump wrote.

Immediately post the incident, all schools in Jersey city were placed on lockdown, which was later lifted in the afternoon, as per reports from local media and the mayor.&nbsp;

"I heard fighting outside, then 'Boom! Boom! Boom!'" a food store worker two blocks from the shooting said, reported the New York Daily News.&nbsp;

(with inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Six people, including one policemen and two suspects, were killed in an hours-long shootout near a cemetery and a grocery store in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Tuesday afternoon.

Six people, including one policemen and two suspects, were killed in an hours-long shootout near a cemetery and a grocery store in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Tuesday afternoon. "Our officers were under fire for hours," Jersey City Police Chief Michael Kelly told reporters after the incident. Kelly also said that it is not immediately clear whether the act was a hate crime or terror-related. The police chief said that the two suspects acted alone. Kelly said that the shootout began during the noon at the cemetery and ended in the JC Kosher Supermarket. The two suspected gunmen and three civilian victims were killed inside the supermarket and the slain police detective was found fatally wounded near the cemetery about a mile away from where the shooting apparently began as he tried to intercept one of the gunmen, the police chief said. Kelly said that as per the investigation, the U-Haul vehicle might contain an "incendiary device," adding that the device is removed and under examination by the bomb squad. Two more cops got injured in the shooting spree but were later released from the hospital after getting recovered. New York Mayor Steven Fulop said that the police officer killed in the shootout was identified as Joe Seals, a married father of five children. US President Donald Trump, in a tweet, described the shootout "horrific" and expressed his condolences to the victims and their families. "Just received a briefing on the horrific shootout that took place in Jersey City, NJ. Our thoughts & prayers are w/ the victims & their families during this very difficult & tragic time. "We will continue to monitor the situation as we assist local & state officials on the ground," Trump wrote. Immediately post the incident, all schools in Jersey city were placed on lockdown, which was later lifted in the afternoon, as per reports from local media and the mayor. "I heard fighting outside, then 'Boom! Boom! Boom!'" a food store worker two blocks from the shooting said, reported the New York Daily News. (with inputs from Reuters and AFP)

US shooting: Six killed, including one policeman in New Jersey

The US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-democrats-introduce-two-articles-of-impeachment-against-president-trump-267510">Donald Trump </a>warned Russia against any attempts to meddle next year's presidential election, the White House said on Tuesday, but Russia's foreign minister denied any such issue arriving at the meet in Washington.&nbsp;

"President Trump warned against any Russian attempts to interfere in United States elections," White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement after the US president's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.&nbsp;

Immediately after the meeting, Lavrov told reporters that he is not aware of the communication by the White House, and said: "We haven't even actually discussed elections."

US intelligence discovered that Russia, among other means, manipulated social media to sway the 2016 election in Trump's favour.&nbsp;

Trump has denounced such claims in the past and is stressing on an alternative theory of Ukraine meddling in the 2016 election, an accusation outrightly rejected by US Intelligence.&nbsp;

Lavrov also said that Russia wanted to publish US-Russian communications that he said cleared Russia of allegations it meddles 2016 election, but the US had blocked the release.&nbsp;

In the bilateral meeting, the Russian foreign minister also stressed on Moscow's offer of extending US-Russia START treaty, however, Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, emphasized on a strategic dialogue involving China.

The meeting came on the day when the Democrats declared two impeachment charges against the US president, accusing him of abuse of power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate his democratic rival and obstructing the subsequent Congress investigation. &nbsp;

Pompeo said that the Trump administration will always work for maintaining the integrity of the US elections.&nbsp;

"Should Russia or any foreign actor take steps to undermine our democratic processes, we will take action in response," Pompeo added.&nbsp;

(with inputs from Reuters and AFP)

The US President Donald Trump warned Russia against any attempts to meddle next year's presidential election, the White House said on Tuesday, but Russia's foreign minister denied any such issue arriving at the meet in Washington.

The US President Donald Trump warned Russia against any attempts to meddle next year's presidential election, the White House said on Tuesday, but Russia's foreign minister denied any such issue arriving at the meet in Washington. "President Trump warned against any Russian attempts to interfere in United States elections," White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement after the US president's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Immediately after the meeting, Lavrov told reporters that he is not aware of the communication by the White House, and said: "We haven't even actually discussed elections." US intelligence discovered that Russia, among other means, manipulated social media to sway the 2016 election in Trump's favour. Trump has denounced such claims in the past and is stressing on an alternative theory of Ukraine meddling in the 2016 election, an accusation outrightly rejected by US Intelligence. Lavrov also said that Russia wanted to publish US-Russian communications that he said cleared Russia of allegations it meddles 2016 election, but the US had blocked the release. In the bilateral meeting, the Russian foreign minister also stressed on Moscow's offer of extending US-Russia START treaty, however, Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, emphasized on a strategic dialogue involving China. The meeting came on the day when the Democrats declared two impeachment charges against the US president, accusing him of abuse of power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate his democratic rival and obstructing the subsequent Congress investigation. Pompeo said that the Trump administration will always work for maintaining the integrity of the US elections. "Should Russia or any foreign actor take steps to undermine our democratic processes, we will take action in response," Pompeo added. (with inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Donald Trump warns Russia not to meddle in US election 2020