Wishing India on its 73rd Independence Day, the United States on Thursday said New Delhi and Washington enjoy close ties of friendship which over the time have flourished into a "strategic partnership".

In a statement, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said: "On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I extend my best wishes to the people of India on your Independence Day."

"The United States and India have enjoyed close ties of friendship since the US supported&nbsp;India`s independence 72 years ago. Our shared democratic values, strong people-to-people ties, and commitment to economic growth further cemented our relationship.

Over the past two decades, our friendship has flourished into a strategic partnership, and we now cooperate on a range of important issues, from defence and counterterrorism to freedom of navigation and cutting-edge science, including in space," he added.

Pompeo, who visited India in June, said that India and the United States are "great democracies", "global powers" and "good friends"."As I said during my recent visit to India, the United States and India are great democracies, global powers, and good friends. I wish the people of India a joyful Independence Day," Pompeo stated.&nbsp;

Wishing India on its 73rd Independence Day, the United States on Thursday said New Delhi and Washington enjoy close ties of friendship which over the time have flourished into a "strategic partnership".

Wishing India on its 73rd Independence Day, the United States on Thursday said New Delhi and Washington enjoy close ties of friendship which over the time have flourished into a "strategic partnership". In a statement, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said: "On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I extend my best wishes to the people of India on your Independence Day." "The United States and India have enjoyed close ties of friendship since the US supported India`s independence 72 years ago. Our shared democratic values, strong people-to-people ties, and commitment to economic growth further cemented our relationship. Over the past two decades, our friendship has flourished into a strategic partnership, and we now cooperate on a range of important issues, from defence and counterterrorism to freedom of navigation and cutting-edge science, including in space," he added. Pompeo, who visited India in June, said that India and the United States are "great democracies", "global powers" and "good friends"."As I said during my recent visit to India, the United States and India are great democracies, global powers, and good friends. I wish the people of India a joyful Independence Day," Pompeo stated.

US extends good wishes to people of India on Independence Day

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/taliban-could-give-pakistan-a-short-term-win-in-afghanistan-243138">deal between the Taliban and the United States</a> for US&nbsp;forces to withdraw from their longest-ever war in Afghanistan could drive some diehard Taliban fighters into the arms of the Islamic State militant group, Afghan officials and militants say.

Such a deal is expected to see the United States agree to withdraw its forces in exchange for a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/latest-round-of-peace-talks-with-us-finished-taliban-242381">Taliban</a> promise they will not let Afghanistan be used to plot international militant attacks.

As part of the pact, the Taliban are expected to make a commitment to power-sharing talks with the US-backed government and work out a ceasefire.

The Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), after an old name for the region, first appeared in eastern Afghanistan in 2014, and has since made inroads into other areas, particularly the north.

The US&nbsp;military estimates their strength at 2,000 fighters. Some Afghan officials estimated the number is higher and could be about to get a boost.

"It's a big opportunity for Daesh to recruit fighters from the Taliban, and, no doubt, many Taliban fighters will happily join," said Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the provincial council in Nangarhar province on the border with Pakistan, referring to IS.

IS militants, who battle government forces and the Taliban, and have carried out some of the deadliest attacks in urban centres, will not be part of the deal between the United States and the Taliban.

For some Taliban, IS will offer an opportunity to continue jihad against those they see as infidels and their supporters. For others, who fear retribution if they try to reintegrate into society, it could be a refuge.

"They've killed and been killed, they have feuds," Qaderi said of the Taliban. "Many fighters won't feel safe returning to normal life."

A spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani said there was a major concern about the growing strength of IS and their attraction for some Taliban.

"Most Daesh are ex-Taliban, and there could be a possibility of some Taliban joining," said the spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi.

"The Afghan government and the US&nbsp;have shared goals combating terrorism. We need the support of our international partners."

The government has a reintegration programme for insurgents who surrender but critics say it can take too long for people to be vetted and the care they get is inadequate.

From white to black&nbsp;

But a Taliban commander and some members of the group dismissed the possibility of fighters breaking ranks to join IS.

"The Taliban leadership has enough control over their fighters to given them orders, and they obey them," Mawlavi Jamal, a Taliban commander in the western province of Farah, told Reuters by telephone.

But a Taliban fighter in eastern Kunar province said he had no choice but to join IS, and he thought others would too.

"During the fighting local people got killed, many people have enemies," said the fighter, who declined to be identified.

He said had killed one of his father's cousins who opposed the Taliban and could not return to his village.

"To survive, I have to go to Daesh," he said. "Our aim is to fight the infidels and corruption, no matter under what name."

One former Taliban member who joined IS in Kunar two years ago denounced the Taliban for negotiating with "infidels".

"They're selling the precious lives we've sacrificed ... I'm sure more true mujahideen will soon join us," said the fighter, who spoke by telephone and sought anonymity.

A former senior Taliban member who has defected to the government said fighters might be inadvertently driven into the arms of IS if the government did not rehabilitate them properly.

"If nothing else makes Taliban fighters join Daesh, it'll be government negligence," he told Reuters in an interview in a safe house provided by the government in Kabul, the capital.

He said he had former Taliban comrades who had wanted to leave the Taliban but been unable to strike a deal with the government, so had joined IS instead.

Rivalries, feuds and the anger among some fighters over what they see as their leaders' compromise with the Americans were also likely to drive defections to IS, he said.

"It's the easiest thing, just change the white flag to a black one," he said, referring to the white Taliban flag and the black IS banner.

A deal between the Taliban and the United States for US forces to withdraw from their longest-ever war in Afghanistan could drive some diehard Taliban fighters into the arms of the Islamic State militant group, Afghan officials and militants say.

A deal between the Taliban and the United States for US forces to withdraw from their longest-ever war in Afghanistan could drive some diehard Taliban fighters into the arms of the Islamic State militant group, Afghan officials and militants say. Such a deal is expected to see the United States agree to withdraw its forces in exchange for a Taliban promise they will not let Afghanistan be used to plot international militant attacks. As part of the pact, the Taliban are expected to make a commitment to power-sharing talks with the US-backed government and work out a ceasefire. The Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), after an old name for the region, first appeared in eastern Afghanistan in 2014, and has since made inroads into other areas, particularly the north. The US military estimates their strength at 2,000 fighters. Some Afghan officials estimated the number is higher and could be about to get a boost. "It's a big opportunity for Daesh to recruit fighters from the Taliban, and, no doubt, many Taliban fighters will happily join," said Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the provincial council in Nangarhar province on the border with Pakistan, referring to IS. IS militants, who battle government forces and the Taliban, and have carried out some of the deadliest attacks in urban centres, will not be part of the deal between the United States and the Taliban. For some Taliban, IS will offer an opportunity to continue jihad against those they see as infidels and their supporters. For others, who fear retribution if they try to reintegrate into society, it could be a refuge. "They've killed and been killed, they have feuds," Qaderi said of the Taliban. "Many fighters won't feel safe returning to normal life." A spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani said there was a major concern about the growing strength of IS and their attraction for some Taliban. "Most Daesh are ex-Taliban, and there could be a possibility of some Taliban joining," said the spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi. "The Afghan government and the US have shared goals combating terrorism. We need the support of our international partners." The government has a reintegration programme for insurgents who surrender but critics say it can take too long for people to be vetted and the care they get is inadequate. From white to black But a Taliban commander and some members of the group dismissed the possibility of fighters breaking ranks to join IS. "The Taliban leadership has enough control over their fighters to given them orders, and they obey them," Mawlavi Jamal, a Taliban commander in the western province of Farah, told Reuters by telephone. But a Taliban fighter in eastern Kunar province said he had no choice but to join IS, and he thought others would too. "During the fighting local people got killed, many people have enemies," said the fighter, who declined to be identified. He said had killed one of his father's cousins who opposed the Taliban and could not return to his village. "To survive, I have to go to Daesh," he said. "Our aim is to fight the infidels and corruption, no matter under what name." One former Taliban member who joined IS in Kunar two years ago denounced the Taliban for negotiating with "infidels". "They're selling the precious lives we've sacrificed ... I'm sure more true mujahideen will soon join us," said the fighter, who spoke by telephone and sought anonymity. A former senior Taliban member who has defected to the government said fighters might be inadvertently driven into the arms of IS if the government did not rehabilitate them properly. "If nothing else makes Taliban fighters join Daesh, it'll be government negligence," he told Reuters in an interview in a safe house provided by the government in Kabul, the capital. He said he had former Taliban comrades who had wanted to leave the Taliban but been unable to strike a deal with the government, so had joined IS instead. Rivalries, feuds and the anger among some fighters over what they see as their leaders' compromise with the Americans were also likely to drive defections to IS, he said. "It's the easiest thing, just change the white flag to a black one," he said, referring to the white Taliban flag and the black IS banner.

Taliban, US pact in Afghanistan could boost Islamic State: Afghan officials

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that China wants to make a trade deal but it should treat <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-urge-china-to-adhere-to-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-hong-kong-us-state-department-243027">Hong Kong</a> "humanely" first, explicitly tying a trade agreement to a peaceful resolution of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

"Of course China wants to make a deal. Let them work humanely with Hong Kong first!" Trump said on Twitter.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
..deferral to December. It actually helps China more than us, but will be reciprocated. Millions of jobs are being lost in China to other non-Tariffed countries. Thousands of companies are leaving. Of course China wants to make a deal. Let them work humanely with Hong Kong first!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1161767691646115840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"I have ZERO doubt that if President Xi (Jinping) wants to quickly and humanely solve the Hong Kong problem, he can do it. Personal meeting?" Trump said.

A US&nbsp;State Department spokeswoman said earlier on Wednesday that the United States was "deeply concerned" about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-deeply-concerned-by-reports-of-china-paramilitary-movement-near-hong-kong-243100">Chinese paramilitary movement along the Hong Kong border</a>.

The State Department's expression of concern came after senior US&nbsp;lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties called on Trump to take a tougher line with China as worries grew over a possible Chinese intervention.

Another US&nbsp;official said Beijing had stationed large numbers of paramilitary People's Armed Police (PAP) "near and further out from Hong Kong," in response to weeks of street protests in the territory, but said there had been no sign they were moving towards the border.

Watch: Violent clashes continue in Hong Kong

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The number of personnel was "in the thousands," said the official, who did not want to be identified.

"They have amped up training and made it all pretty visible," he said, but added,&nbsp;"There are no recent indicators that they are preparing to deploy."

China's state-run Global Times media outlet reported on Monday that People's Armed Police had been assembling in Shenzhen, a city bordering Hong Kong, "in advance of apparent large-scale exercises."

It cited video it had obtained showing numerous armoured personnel carriers (APCs), trucks and other vehicles on expressways heading in the direction of Shenzhen over the weekend. It noted that the role of the PAP was "dealing with rebellions, riots, serious violent and illegal incidents, terrorist attacks and other social security incidents."

Satellite images made available to Reuters on Wednesday from Maxar Technologies showed dozens of vehicles, including what appeared to be APCs, at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre across the harbour from Hong Kong.

On Tuesday, US&nbsp;President Donald Trump cited American intelligence as saying that China was moving troops to its border with Hong Kong, and urged calm as clashes continued between protesters and authorities in the former British colony.

Trump, who has been seeking a major deal to correct trade imbalances with China, has faced criticism from Congress and elsewhere for not taking a stronger public line on Hong Kong and for his characterization of the protests earlier this month as "riots" that were a matter for China to deal with.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that China wants to make a trade deal but it should treat Hong Kong "humanely" first, explicitly tying a trade agreement to a peaceful resolution of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that China wants to make a trade deal but it should treat Hong Kong "humanely" first, explicitly tying a trade agreement to a peaceful resolution of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. "Of course China wants to make a deal. Let them work humanely with Hong Kong first!" Trump said on Twitter. ..deferral to December. It actually helps China more than us, but will be reciprocated. Millions of jobs are being lost in China to other non-Tariffed countries. Thousands of companies are leaving. Of course China wants to make a deal. Let them work humanely with Hong Kong first! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2019 × "I have ZERO doubt that if President Xi (Jinping) wants to quickly and humanely solve the Hong Kong problem, he can do it. Personal meeting?" Trump said. A US State Department spokeswoman said earlier on Wednesday that the United States was "deeply concerned" about Chinese paramilitary movement along the Hong Kong border. The State Department's expression of concern came after senior US lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties called on Trump to take a tougher line with China as worries grew over a possible Chinese intervention. Another US official said Beijing had stationed large numbers of paramilitary People's Armed Police (PAP) "near and further out from Hong Kong," in response to weeks of street protests in the territory, but said there had been no sign they were moving towards the border. Watch: Violent clashes continue in Hong Kong × The number of personnel was "in the thousands," said the official, who did not want to be identified. "They have amped up training and made it all pretty visible," he said, but added, "There are no recent indicators that they are preparing to deploy." China's state-run Global Times media outlet reported on Monday that People's Armed Police had been assembling in Shenzhen, a city bordering Hong Kong, "in advance of apparent large-scale exercises." It cited video it had obtained showing numerous armoured personnel carriers (APCs), trucks and other vehicles on expressways heading in the direction of Shenzhen over the weekend. It noted that the role of the PAP was "dealing with rebellions, riots, serious violent and illegal incidents, terrorist attacks and other social security incidents." Satellite images made available to Reuters on Wednesday from Maxar Technologies showed dozens of vehicles, including what appeared to be APCs, at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre across the harbour from Hong Kong. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump cited American intelligence as saying that China was moving troops to its border with Hong Kong, and urged calm as clashes continued between protesters and authorities in the former British colony. Trump, who has been seeking a major deal to correct trade imbalances with China, has faced criticism from Congress and elsewhere for not taking a stronger public line on Hong Kong and for his characterization of the protests earlier this month as "riots" that were a matter for China to deal with.

Trump says China should treat Hong Kong 'humanely' before trade deal can be agreed

US President Donald Trump threatens to pull the United States out of WTO. Watch this video to know more.

US President Trump threatens to pull United States out of WTO

Any move by the United States to place&nbsp;new&nbsp;ground-launched, intermediate-range&nbsp;missiles&nbsp;in South Korea could spark a "new&nbsp;Cold War" and an escalating arms race in the region,&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;state&nbsp;media&nbsp;said on Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-wants-to-quickly-deploy-new-missiles-in-asia-us-secretary-of-defense-240407">US Defence Secretary Mark Esper</a> this month said he was in favour of placing ground-launched, intermediate-range&nbsp;missiles&nbsp;in Asia, a day after the United States withdrew from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia.

"The&nbsp;US pointed out that it is now examining a plan for&nbsp;deploying&nbsp;ground-to-ground medium-range&nbsp;missiles&nbsp;in the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-defence-secretary-visits-south-korea-as-the-region-faces-myriad-challenges-241741"> Asian region and South Korea </a>has been singled out as a place for the deployment,"&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea's state&nbsp;news agency KCNA said.

"It is a reckless act of escalating regional tension, an act that may spark off a&nbsp;new&nbsp;Cold War and arms race in the Far Eastern region to deploy a&nbsp;new&nbsp;offensive weapon in South Korea," it said in a commentary.

Other senior&nbsp;US officials have said any deployment of such weaponry&nbsp;would&nbsp;be years away.

South Korea's defence ministry has said there had been no discussion of placing American intermediate-range&nbsp;missiles&nbsp;in the country, and there were no plans to consider the idea.

The KCNA statement also criticised recent moves to improve military sites in South that host&nbsp;US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems, which are designed to intercept ballistic&nbsp;missiles.

"It is a hard fact that the deployment of THAAD is under the&nbsp;US strategy to contain great powers and hold supremacy in&nbsp;Northeast Asia, not the one for 'shielding' South Korea from someone's 'threat'," KCNA said.

North&nbsp;Korea's military has launched a series of&nbsp;missiles&nbsp;in recent weeks to protest what it sees as a military build-up in South Korea, as well as joint military exercises by South&nbsp;Korean and American troops stationed on the peninsula.

The launches have complicated attempts to restart talks between&nbsp;US and&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;negotiators over the future of the country's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, which prompted sanctions by the United Nations Security Council.

Any move by the United States to place new ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in South Korea could spark a "new Cold War" and an escalating arms race in the region, North Korean state media said on Wednesday.

Any move by the United States to place new ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in South Korea could spark a "new Cold War" and an escalating arms race in the region, North Korean state media said on Wednesday. US Defence Secretary Mark Esper this month said he was in favour of placing ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in Asia, a day after the United States withdrew from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia. "The US pointed out that it is now examining a plan for deploying ground-to-ground medium-range missiles in the Asian region and South Korea has been singled out as a place for the deployment," North Korea's state news agency KCNA said. "It is a reckless act of escalating regional tension, an act that may spark off a new Cold War and arms race in the Far Eastern region to deploy a new offensive weapon in South Korea," it said in a commentary. Other senior US officials have said any deployment of such weaponry would be years away. South Korea's defence ministry has said there had been no discussion of placing American intermediate-range missiles in the country, and there were no plans to consider the idea. The KCNA statement also criticised recent moves to improve military sites in South that host US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems, which are designed to intercept ballistic missiles. "It is a hard fact that the deployment of THAAD is under the US strategy to contain great powers and hold supremacy in Northeast Asia, not the one for 'shielding' South Korea from someone's 'threat'," KCNA said. North Korea's military has launched a series of missiles in recent weeks to protest what it sees as a military build-up in South Korea, as well as joint military exercises by South Korean and American troops stationed on the peninsula. The launches have complicated attempts to restart talks between US and North Korean negotiators over the future of the country's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, which prompted sanctions by the United Nations Security Council.

Deploying new US missiles would be 'reckless act': North Korean state media

Measles cases nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2018, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-health-organization-says-e-cigarettes-undoubtedly-harmful-238779">World Health Organization said Tuesday</a>, amid growing concern over public resistance to the vaccine.

So far this year, 364,808 measles cases were reported around the world, compared to 129,239 cases during the first seven months a year earlier.&nbsp;

These numbers are "the highest (registered) since 2006," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva.

The numbers are especially worrying since only about one in 10 actual measles cases are believed to be reported worldwide, according to WHO.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-health-organisation-says-investigators-conclude-ebola-victim-did-not-enter-rwanda-237160">Measles, which is highly contagious</a>, can be entirely prevented through a two-dose vaccine, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has in recent months sounded the alarm overslipping vaccination rates.&nbsp;

Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Ukraine registered the highest number of cases, WHO said.

In Madagascar, which registered around 127,500 cases during the first half of this year alone, numbers have meanwhile dropped considerably in recent months following an emergency national vaccination campaign, the UN health agency stressed.

Measles cases have soared worldwide, with the African region seeing a 900 per cent jump in cases year-on-year, while cases rose 230 per cent in the western Pacific.

Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sudan, South Sudan and Thailand have all seen major outbreaks of the disease.

The United States has meanwhile registered 1,164 cases so far this year, compared to 372 for all of 2018 and the highest number on record in a quarter-century.

And in the European region, nearly 90,000 cases have been registered this year, well above the 84,462 cases registered last year.

Measles, an airborne infection causing fever, coughing and rashes that can be deadly in rare cases had been officially eliminated in many countries with advanced healthcare systems.

But the so-called anti-vax movement, driven by fraudulent claims linking the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella, and risk of autism in children has gained traction.

WHO pointed out that the reasons for people not being vaccinated vary significantly between communities and countries, with a lack of access to quality healthcare or vaccination services hindering some from getting the jabs, while others are led astray by "misinformation about vaccines, or low awareness about the need to vaccinate."

The measles vaccine is a "safe and highly effective vaccine", WHO stressed in a statement, urging "everyone to ensure their measles vaccinations are up to date."

Measles cases nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2018, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, amid growing concern over public resistance to the vaccine.

Measles cases nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2018, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, amid growing concern over public resistance to the vaccine. So far this year, 364,808 measles cases were reported around the world, compared to 129,239 cases during the first seven months a year earlier. These numbers are "the highest (registered) since 2006," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva. The numbers are especially worrying since only about one in 10 actual measles cases are believed to be reported worldwide, according to WHO. Measles, which is highly contagious, can be entirely prevented through a two-dose vaccine, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has in recent months sounded the alarm overslipping vaccination rates. Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Ukraine registered the highest number of cases, WHO said. In Madagascar, which registered around 127,500 cases during the first half of this year alone, numbers have meanwhile dropped considerably in recent months following an emergency national vaccination campaign, the UN health agency stressed. Measles cases have soared worldwide, with the African region seeing a 900 per cent jump in cases year-on-year, while cases rose 230 per cent in the western Pacific. Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sudan, South Sudan and Thailand have all seen major outbreaks of the disease. The United States has meanwhile registered 1,164 cases so far this year, compared to 372 for all of 2018 and the highest number on record in a quarter-century. And in the European region, nearly 90,000 cases have been registered this year, well above the 84,462 cases registered last year. Measles, an airborne infection causing fever, coughing and rashes that can be deadly in rare cases had been officially eliminated in many countries with advanced healthcare systems. But the so-called anti-vax movement, driven by fraudulent claims linking the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella, and risk of autism in children has gained traction. WHO pointed out that the reasons for people not being vaccinated vary significantly between communities and countries, with a lack of access to quality healthcare or vaccination services hindering some from getting the jabs, while others are led astray by "misinformation about vaccines, or low awareness about the need to vaccinate." The measles vaccine is a "safe and highly effective vaccine", WHO stressed in a statement, urging "everyone to ensure their measles vaccinations are up to date."

Global measles cases triple year-on-year: World Health Organization

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Sunday peace would come to his country but he appeared to question an expected deal between the United States and the Taliban, saying Afghanistan would decide its future, not outsiders.

Ghani and his US-backed government have not been involved in months of negotiations between the United States and the Taliban on an agreement for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/taliban-must-agree-to-a-ceasefire-and-join-the-intra-afghan-peace-talks-215289">US troops to withdraw </a>in exchange for a Taliban promise that Afghanistan would not be used by international militants to plot attacks.

While the pact is expected to include a Taliban commitment to open power-sharing talks with Afghan rivals, it is not expected to include a Taliban ceasefire with the government, leading to fears the Taliban will fight on when US forces leave.

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"Peace is a desire for each Afghan and peace will come, there shouldn't be any doubt about it," Ghani told a gathering for prayers marking the Eid al-Adha Muslim festival.

"But we want a peace in which each Afghan has dignity. We don't want a peace in which Afghans wouldn't have dignity. We don't want a peace that would cause our people to leave their country."

The Taliban and the United States have both reported significant progress in their negotiations, with one <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-deny-discussing-ceasefire-afghan-dialogue-with-us-202101">Taliban official</a> saying a pact could be signed this week after the Eid holiday.

An agreement would allow US President Donald Trump to achieve his aim of ending a war launched in the days after September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

The Taliban do not recognise the Kabul government and have refused to talk to it.

Ghani made no reference to the United States or to the expected US-Taliban pact but said Afghans should decide their fate, not outside powers, even if they were allies.

"Our future cannot be decided outside, whether in the capital cities of our friends or neighbours. The fate of Afghanistan will be decided here in Afghanistan," he said.

He also said a presidential election, scheduled for September 28, in which he hopes to win a second term, was essential.

The Taliban have denounced the election as a sham and threatened to attack rallies. There has been speculation that the vote could be postponed if the United States struck the deal with the militants.

"The Afghan people want a strong, efficient and responsible government, and this is not possible without elections," Ghani said. 
&nbsp;

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Sunday peace would come to his country but he appeared to question an expected deal between the United States and the Taliban, saying Afghanistan would decide its future, not outsiders.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Sunday peace would come to his country but he appeared to question an expected deal between the United States and the Taliban, saying Afghanistan would decide its future, not outsiders. Ghani and his US-backed government have not been involved in months of negotiations between the United States and the Taliban on an agreement for US troops to withdraw in exchange for a Taliban promise that Afghanistan would not be used by international militants to plot attacks. While the pact is expected to include a Taliban commitment to open power-sharing talks with Afghan rivals, it is not expected to include a Taliban ceasefire with the government, leading to fears the Taliban will fight on when US forces leave. × "Peace is a desire for each Afghan and peace will come, there shouldn't be any doubt about it," Ghani told a gathering for prayers marking the Eid al-Adha Muslim festival. "But we want a peace in which each Afghan has dignity. We don't want a peace in which Afghans wouldn't have dignity. We don't want a peace that would cause our people to leave their country." The Taliban and the United States have both reported significant progress in their negotiations, with one Taliban official saying a pact could be signed this week after the Eid holiday. An agreement would allow US President Donald Trump to achieve his aim of ending a war launched in the days after September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The Taliban do not recognise the Kabul government and have refused to talk to it. Ghani made no reference to the United States or to the expected US-Taliban pact but said Afghans should decide their fate, not outside powers, even if they were allies. "Our future cannot be decided outside, whether in the capital cities of our friends or neighbours. The fate of Afghanistan will be decided here in Afghanistan," he said. He also said a presidential election, scheduled for September 28, in which he hopes to win a second term, was essential. The Taliban have denounced the election as a sham and threatened to attack rallies. There has been speculation that the vote could be postponed if the United States struck the deal with the militants. "The Afghan people want a strong, efficient and responsible government, and this is not possible without elections," Ghani said.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani says peace coming but outsiders can't decide future

U.S. President Donald Trump has slammed his French President Emmanuel Macron by saying that no one is authorised to speak to Iran on behalf of U.S. Watch full video to know more.

WION Dispatch: Trump slams Macron for Iran diplomacy in a series of tweets

The leader of the Taliban said on Thursday the United States had raised a cloud of doubt and uncertainty about an expected deal aimed at allowing it to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and end its longest war.

The message from Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, to mark the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, came a day after a Taliban suicide bomber killed 14 people and wounded 145 in Kabul in an attack the government said raised questions about the militants'&nbsp;commitment to peace despite the talks with the United States.

Akhundzada called for trust but did not refer to Wednesday's bombing in his message. He said the Taliban had taken "incredible strides" towards their goal of "ending the occupation and establishing an Islamic system".

Addressing American officials, Akhundzada said the Taliban were engaged in negotiations with them with "utmost seriousness" and called for sincerity to end the "18-year tragedy".

"However, the increasing blind and brutal bombings by America during the negotiation process, attacks on civilian areas and the contradictory statements by your military and political officials have generated a cloud of uncertainty about this process and raised doubts about your intentions," he said.

"Bilateral trust is the foundation of a successful negotiations process, therefore, it is imperative that such negative actions are ceased," Akhundzada said.

The negotiations, which began late last year in Qatar, have not brought a reduction in violence, with both the Taliban and Afghan government forces, assisted by US-led international troops, launching assaults against each other.

At the same time, the violence has had virtually no impact on the talks. Both sides reported significant progress this week in their efforts to forge a deal.&nbsp;

The expected pact will be centred on a timeline for the withdrawal of US&nbsp;troops in exchange for a Taliban promise that Afghanistan will not be used as a base for international terrorism, both sides have said.

About 20,000 foreign troops, most of them American, are in Afghanistan as part of a US-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces. Some US&nbsp;forces carry out counter-terrorism operations.

The Taliban said Wednesday's bomb in Kabul was a response to daily attacks by government forces in the countryside.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the US&nbsp;envoy negotiating with the Taliban, condemned the Kabul blast and said the focus should be on reducing violence to prepare "intra-Afghan negotiations that will produce a political roadmap and a permanent ceasefire".

A Taliban promise to talk peace with the US-backed government is likely to be part of any agreement with the United States, but many Afghan government officials fear their war with the Taliban will not end if and when the Americans leave.

The militants control more territory than at any point since the United States bombed them out of power in 2001.

The leader of the Taliban said on Thursday the United States had raised a cloud of doubt and uncertainty about an expected deal aimed at allowing it to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and end its longest war.

The leader of the Taliban said on Thursday the United States had raised a cloud of doubt and uncertainty about an expected deal aimed at allowing it to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and end its longest war. The message from Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, to mark the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, came a day after a Taliban suicide bomber killed 14 people and wounded 145 in Kabul in an attack the government said raised questions about the militants' commitment to peace despite the talks with the United States. Akhundzada called for trust but did not refer to Wednesday's bombing in his message. He said the Taliban had taken "incredible strides" towards their goal of "ending the occupation and establishing an Islamic system". Addressing American officials, Akhundzada said the Taliban were engaged in negotiations with them with "utmost seriousness" and called for sincerity to end the "18-year tragedy". "However, the increasing blind and brutal bombings by America during the negotiation process, attacks on civilian areas and the contradictory statements by your military and political officials have generated a cloud of uncertainty about this process and raised doubts about your intentions," he said. "Bilateral trust is the foundation of a successful negotiations process, therefore, it is imperative that such negative actions are ceased," Akhundzada said. The negotiations, which began late last year in Qatar, have not brought a reduction in violence, with both the Taliban and Afghan government forces, assisted by US-led international troops, launching assaults against each other. At the same time, the violence has had virtually no impact on the talks. Both sides reported significant progress this week in their efforts to forge a deal. The expected pact will be centred on a timeline for the withdrawal of US troops in exchange for a Taliban promise that Afghanistan will not be used as a base for international terrorism, both sides have said. About 20,000 foreign troops, most of them American, are in Afghanistan as part of a US-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces. Some US forces carry out counter-terrorism operations. The Taliban said Wednesday's bomb in Kabul was a response to daily attacks by government forces in the countryside. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy negotiating with the Taliban, condemned the Kabul blast and said the focus should be on reducing violence to prepare "intra-Afghan negotiations that will produce a political roadmap and a permanent ceasefire". A Taliban promise to talk peace with the US-backed government is likely to be part of any agreement with the United States, but many Afghan government officials fear their war with the Taliban will not end if and when the Americans leave. The militants control more territory than at any point since the United States bombed them out of power in 2001.

Afghan Taliban leader accuses US of creating doubts over pact

* By Charles Hankla

President Donald Trump recently escalated his trade war with China, threatening to impose a 10 per cent tariff on the remaining $300 billion of untaxed Chinese imports.

If the new tariff goes into effect in September as promised, virtually all Chinese exports to the US would be subject to levies ranging from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. China retaliated by letting the value of its currency fall to the lowest level in more than a decade and halting all crop imports.

Many Americans like me are now wondering: Is there any end in sight?

How to win an economic war

As a scholar of trade policy, I’ve repeatedly made the point that free exchange is a positive-sum game – meaning every participating country can benefit – rather than zero sum — as Trump seems to believe. This is why commercial disputes are certain to harm all participants.

I believe that the United States could have avoided its current predicament by using the World Trade Organization’s existing dispute resolution process to address its justifiable concerns with Chinese behaviour.

Still, from the perspective of a single country, starting a trade war could potentially be justified if the end result ultimately shifts the terms of trade in its favour.

Such a victory can only be achieved when the country has more bargaining leverage than its opponent – in other words, when it can impose more pain on its adversary than it experiences itself.

And the longer the trade war continues, the more concessions that country will have to win in order to compensate for the damage caused.

So, after nearly 18 months of escalating disputes between the US and China, where are we? Is either side winning, and can any concessions justify the economic harm that both sides have already experienced?

China’s Pain

First and foremost, it has become increasingly clear that the trade war is hurting the economies of both countries. Neither will emerge from this conflict unscathed.

Unfortunately, however, the last 18 months have done little to clarify who is winning – that is, who is hurting less and can credibly hold out for longer.

Take China. Before the trade war, it was already facing a number of significant challenges, first among them how to effect a transition from its current reliance on cheap manufacturing to the production of higher value-added goods. China’s political stability is also somewhat precarious, as evidenced by recent events in Hong Kong and Xianjing, as well as Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s authoritarian crackdown.

Moreover, China’s economic growth has slowed to a 27-year low of 6.2 per cent. And perhaps more ominously for the country, there are growing signs that foreign companies from America and elsewhere are looking outside China as they expand their sourcing, production and distribution activities.

Of course, China’s growth rate still makes it among the fastest-expanding economies in the world, so the recent slowdown can hardly be termed a crisis. And the shift away from China, limited as it is, began before the trade war, spurred on by rising prices, intellectual property theft and other issues.

Not Necessarily America’s Gain

The problem for the US is that Americans are also increasingly feeling the pinch.

Perhaps most notably, farmers – many of whom continue to support Trump – are beginning to tire of the sacrifices they are making for his uncompromising positions. With the Chinese government threatening to retaliate if Trump follows through on the new tariffs, their willingness to go along may be even more sorely tested.

To keep agriculture on its side, the Trump administration has channeled billions of dollars in subsidies to those hurt by his trade policies. But this approach also has its political costs, with more fiscally conservative backers of the president balking at the price tag.

From a broader perspective, recent studies have undercut Trump’s claim that Chinese companies are bearing the brunt of the tariff payments, showing that the bulk of costs are passed to US companies and consumers. And the stock market is reacting negatively to the latest Trump threats.

It is true that the overall American economy remains strong, with expanding employment and a fast, though slowing, the growth rate of 2.1 per cent in the most recent period. But China has one more strategic advantage that could make a substantial difference: It can wait out Trump’s presidency.

If the Trump administration’s approach to trade represented a bipartisan consensus, the US could keep up the pressure over the long term. Containment policy during the Cold War, in which the United States committed itself to curbing Soviet influence, represents the classic example of a consensus that was credibly maintained, in one form or another, across several administrations.

But because the tariffs are so associated with Trump’s personality, the Chinese government can afford to wait for a new president. If a Democrat wins in 2020, he or she will likely maintain a harder line on China than we saw before Trump, but will probably repudiate the current president’s penchant for punitive and precipitous tariffs.

In a sense, America’s negotiating credibility has become yet another casualty of its polarised politics.

In Other Words: No End in Sight

In the final analysis, China may have the most to lose from the ongoing dispute. But the US bargaining position is more politically vulnerable.

And the Chinese can credibly claim that buckling under American pressure would be unacceptable to their domestic audience.

Studies of shooting wars indicate that they tend to continue until events on the ground reveal which side is likely to win. The same is surely true for trade wars.

Since neither side is clearly winning or losing, we have probably not seen the end of this conflict.

(Charles Hankla is Associate Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University) 
 
(This article was originally published on The Conversation. <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-trumps-trade-war-with-china-ever-end-121405">Read the original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) 
&nbsp;

* By Charles Hankla President Donald Trump recently escalated his trade war with China, threatening to impose a 10 per cent tariff on the remaining $300 billion of untaxed Chinese imports.

* By Charles Hankla President Donald Trump recently escalated his trade war with China, threatening to impose a 10 per cent tariff on the remaining $300 billion of untaxed Chinese imports. If the new tariff goes into effect in September as promised, virtually all Chinese exports to the US would be subject to levies ranging from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. China retaliated by letting the value of its currency fall to the lowest level in more than a decade and halting all crop imports. Many Americans like me are now wondering: Is there any end in sight? How to win an economic war As a scholar of trade policy, I’ve repeatedly made the point that free exchange is a positive-sum game – meaning every participating country can benefit – rather than zero sum — as Trump seems to believe. This is why commercial disputes are certain to harm all participants. I believe that the United States could have avoided its current predicament by using the World Trade Organization’s existing dispute resolution process to address its justifiable concerns with Chinese behaviour. Still, from the perspective of a single country, starting a trade war could potentially be justified if the end result ultimately shifts the terms of trade in its favour. Such a victory can only be achieved when the country has more bargaining leverage than its opponent – in other words, when it can impose more pain on its adversary than it experiences itself. And the longer the trade war continues, the more concessions that country will have to win in order to compensate for the damage caused. So, after nearly 18 months of escalating disputes between the US and China, where are we? Is either side winning, and can any concessions justify the economic harm that both sides have already experienced? China’s Pain First and foremost, it has become increasingly clear that the trade war is hurting the economies of both countries. Neither will emerge from this conflict unscathed. Unfortunately, however, the last 18 months have done little to clarify who is winning – that is, who is hurting less and can credibly hold out for longer. Take China. Before the trade war, it was already facing a number of significant challenges, first among them how to effect a transition from its current reliance on cheap manufacturing to the production of higher value-added goods. China’s political stability is also somewhat precarious, as evidenced by recent events in Hong Kong and Xianjing, as well as Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s authoritarian crackdown. Moreover, China’s economic growth has slowed to a 27-year low of 6.2 per cent. And perhaps more ominously for the country, there are growing signs that foreign companies from America and elsewhere are looking outside China as they expand their sourcing, production and distribution activities. Of course, China’s growth rate still makes it among the fastest-expanding economies in the world, so the recent slowdown can hardly be termed a crisis. And the shift away from China, limited as it is, began before the trade war, spurred on by rising prices, intellectual property theft and other issues. Not Necessarily America’s Gain The problem for the US is that Americans are also increasingly feeling the pinch. Perhaps most notably, farmers – many of whom continue to support Trump – are beginning to tire of the sacrifices they are making for his uncompromising positions. With the Chinese government threatening to retaliate if Trump follows through on the new tariffs, their willingness to go along may be even more sorely tested. To keep agriculture on its side, the Trump administration has channeled billions of dollars in subsidies to those hurt by his trade policies. But this approach also has its political costs, with more fiscally conservative backers of the president balking at the price tag. From a broader perspective, recent studies have undercut Trump’s claim that Chinese companies are bearing the brunt of the tariff payments, showing that the bulk of costs are passed to US companies and consumers. And the stock market is reacting negatively to the latest Trump threats. It is true that the overall American economy remains strong, with expanding employment and a fast, though slowing, the growth rate of 2.1 per cent in the most recent period. But China has one more strategic advantage that could make a substantial difference: It can wait out Trump’s presidency. If the Trump administration’s approach to trade represented a bipartisan consensus, the US could keep up the pressure over the long term. Containment policy during the Cold War, in which the United States committed itself to curbing Soviet influence, represents the classic example of a consensus that was credibly maintained, in one form or another, across several administrations. But because the tariffs are so associated with Trump’s personality, the Chinese government can afford to wait for a new president. If a Democrat wins in 2020, he or she will likely maintain a harder line on China than we saw before Trump, but will probably repudiate the current president’s penchant for punitive and precipitous tariffs. In a sense, America’s negotiating credibility has become yet another casualty of its polarised politics. In Other Words: No End in Sight In the final analysis, China may have the most to lose from the ongoing dispute. But the US bargaining position is more politically vulnerable. And the Chinese can credibly claim that buckling under American pressure would be unacceptable to their domestic audience. Studies of shooting wars indicate that they tend to continue until events on the ground reveal which side is likely to win. The same is surely true for trade wars. Since neither side is clearly winning or losing, we have probably not seen the end of this conflict. (Charles Hankla is Associate Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Will Donald Trump’s trade war with China ever end?

In a stern message to Pakistan, the United States asked the country to take demonstrable action against terrorism on home soil instead of focusing on any “retaliatory aggression.”

Pakistan must take action against terrorists, refrain from retaliatory aggression, says US

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-daughter-ivanka-and-pompeo-beautiful-couple-beauty-and-the-beast-231774">White House advisor Ivanka&nbsp;Trump</a> on Thursday took to Twitter and posted a heartfelt message on the passing away of former external affairs minister and Bharatiya Janata Party veteran <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/madan-lal-khurana-sheila-dikshit-and-sushma-swaraj-delhi-lost-its-three-former-cms-in-less-than-a-year-241358">Sushma Swaraj</a>.&nbsp;

Ivanka described Swaraj as a "champion for women in India and across the globe", adding that India has lost a "warm and dedicated leader" in her loss.&nbsp;

"It was an honour to know her," read her tweet which also included pictures of her with Swaraj.&nbsp;

The country came to a standstill when the news of former external affairs minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/former-external-affairs-minister-and-senior-bjp-leader-sushma-swaraj-cremated-with-full-state-honours-241354">Sushma Swaraj's sudden demise</a> made headlines on Tuesday night.&nbsp;

"Iron lady", "affable person", "extraordinary parliamentarian", "prolific orator"&nbsp;were some of the phrases of praise used for Swaraj in her memory by political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
With the passing of former Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, India has lost a warm and dedicated leader and public servant. 
Sushma Swaraj was a champion for women in India and across the globe, and it was an honor to know her. <a href="https://t.co/U1X25nrMh4">pic.twitter.com/U1X25nrMh4</a>
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/1159191366179725312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Besides her strong personality and her indelible contribution to the growth of the Bharatiya Janata Party and her service to the nation, Swaraj will also be remembered as a soft-spoken person who bore empathy and worked tirelessly.&nbsp;

Many remember her as the most approachable foreign minister, who responded to every distress call addressed to her with utmost urgency and sensitivity - a minister who brought foreign policy to aam admi.&nbsp;

From the country's tallest leaders to the common man, all&nbsp;mourned her loss and condoled her sudden demise. Social media was flooded with posts in her memory.&nbsp; 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter on late Tuesday night and in a series of tweets, condoled her sudden demise.&nbsp; 
"A glorious chapter in Indian politics comes to an end. India grieves the demise of a remarkable leader who devoted her life to public service and bettering lives of the poor. Sushma Swaraj Ji was one of her kind, who was a source of inspiration for crores of people," his tweet read.&nbsp; 
Swaraj had been a seven-time Member of Parliament (MP) and a three-time MLA.

Hours before her death,&nbsp;Swaraj congratulated the central government for its historic decision to abrogate Article 370. 
“Narendra Modi ji - Thank you Prime Minister. Thank you very much. I was waiting to see this day in my lifetime,” she said in her tweet. 
Swaraj was rushed to AIIMS Delhi on Tuesday evening on having a cardiac arrest.&nbsp;

She was cremated with full state honours on Wednesday at Lodhi Road crematorium.&nbsp;

White House advisor Ivanka Trump on Thursday took to Twitter and posted a heartfelt message on the passing away of former external affairs minister and Bharatiya Janata Party veteran Sushma Swaraj.

White House advisor Ivanka Trump on Thursday took to Twitter and posted a heartfelt message on the passing away of former external affairs minister and Bharatiya Janata Party veteran Sushma Swaraj. Ivanka described Swaraj as a "champion for women in India and across the globe", adding that India has lost a "warm and dedicated leader" in her loss. "It was an honour to know her," read her tweet which also included pictures of her with Swaraj. The country came to a standstill when the news of former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj's sudden demise made headlines on Tuesday night. "Iron lady", "affable person", "extraordinary parliamentarian", "prolific orator" were some of the phrases of praise used for Swaraj in her memory by political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the passing of former Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, India has lost a warm and dedicated leader and public servant. Sushma Swaraj was a champion for women in India and across the globe, and it was an honor to know her. pic.twitter.com/U1X25nrMh4 — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) August 7, 2019 × Besides her strong personality and her indelible contribution to the growth of the Bharatiya Janata Party and her service to the nation, Swaraj will also be remembered as a soft-spoken person who bore empathy and worked tirelessly. Many remember her as the most approachable foreign minister, who responded to every distress call addressed to her with utmost urgency and sensitivity - a minister who brought foreign policy to aam admi. From the country's tallest leaders to the common man, all mourned her loss and condoled her sudden demise. Social media was flooded with posts in her memory. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter on late Tuesday night and in a series of tweets, condoled her sudden demise. "A glorious chapter in Indian politics comes to an end. India grieves the demise of a remarkable leader who devoted her life to public service and bettering lives of the poor. Sushma Swaraj Ji was one of her kind, who was a source of inspiration for crores of people," his tweet read. Swaraj had been a seven-time Member of Parliament (MP) and a three-time MLA. Hours before her death, Swaraj congratulated the central government for its historic decision to abrogate Article 370. “Narendra Modi ji - Thank you Prime Minister. Thank you very much. I was waiting to see this day in my lifetime,” she said in her tweet. Swaraj was rushed to AIIMS Delhi on Tuesday evening on having a cardiac arrest. She was cremated with full state honours on Wednesday at Lodhi Road crematorium.

Ivanka Trump remembers Sushma Swaraj, calls her 'champion for women in India and across globe'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-says-talks-with-south-korea-underway-over-increasing-defence-costs-241360">The US government</a> has approved the sale of $800 million worth of helicopters to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kim-jong-un-sends-missile-warning-to-south-korea-us-as-tensions-rise-241269">South Korea</a>, the Pentagon announced Wednesday, hours after President Donald Trump said Seoul had agreed to pay more for the US military presence in the country.

The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the State Department had approved the sale of 12 MH-60R Multi-Mission Seahawk Helicopters and extensive associated radar, communications and weaponry equipment.

The helicopters bolster anti-surface and anti-submarine missions and handle secondary missions like replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay, the agency said.

"The Republic of Korea will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defence," it said.

The Seahawk is made by the Sikorsky division of US defence manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

The sale was approved after Trump tweeted Wednesday that the two countries had entered negotiations on South Korea paying for the defence umbrella the United States provides the country.

"Over the past many decades, the US has been paid very little by South Korea," Trump wrote.

"South Korea is a very wealthy nation that now feels an obligation to contribute to the military defence provided by the United States of America. The relationship between the two countries is a very good one!"

The two countries have been in a security alliance since the 1950-53 Korean war, which ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty -- with more than 28,000 US troops stationed in the South to guard against threats from North Korea.

The US government has approved the sale of $800 million worth of helicopters to South Korea, the Pentagon announced Wednesday, hours after President Donald Trump said Seoul had agreed to pay more for the US military presence in the country.

The US government has approved the sale of $800 million worth of helicopters to South Korea, the Pentagon announced Wednesday, hours after President Donald Trump said Seoul had agreed to pay more for the US military presence in the country. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the State Department had approved the sale of 12 MH-60R Multi-Mission Seahawk Helicopters and extensive associated radar, communications and weaponry equipment. The helicopters bolster anti-surface and anti-submarine missions and handle secondary missions like replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay, the agency said. "The Republic of Korea will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defence," it said. The Seahawk is made by the Sikorsky division of US defence manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The sale was approved after Trump tweeted Wednesday that the two countries had entered negotiations on South Korea paying for the defence umbrella the United States provides the country. "Over the past many decades, the US has been paid very little by South Korea," Trump wrote. "South Korea is a very wealthy nation that now feels an obligation to contribute to the military defence provided by the United States of America. The relationship between the two countries is a very good one!" The two countries have been in a security alliance since the 1950-53 Korean war, which ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty -- with more than 28,000 US troops stationed in the South to guard against threats from North Korea.

US approves $800 million helicopter deal with South Korea

Wall Street stocks finished little changed on Wednesday following a choppy session as a plunge in treasury bond yields early in the day underscored worries about a weakening global economy.

After a bruising start, US stocks gradually pushed higher throughout the day while Treasury yields recovered from their lows. Two of the three major indices finished in positive territory.

Decisions by Asian central banks to cut interest rates and weak German data "reminded investors that economic growth in several other regions of the world remain at risk as the US and China trade dispute drags on," said CFRA strategist Lindsey Bell in a note.

"While uncertainty is driving upside in defensive asset classes, we don't think stocks should be abandoned at this time. A near-term recession is unlikely."

The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished at 26,007.07, down 0.1 per cent but more than 560 points above its session low.

The broad-based S&amp;P 500 added 0.1 per cent at 2,883.98, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.4 per cent to 7,862.83.

US stocks have been under pressure in August as optimism over a Federal Reserve interest rate cut has been replaced by unease at US President Donald Trump's latest tariffs on China and China's response, which has included halting US agricultural purchases.

Banking shares were big losers as the weakening US interest rate outlook crimps the profit outlook. JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America all lost around two per cent or more.

Disney also had a bad day, losing 4.9 per cent after missing earnings forecasts.&nbsp;

But CVS Health shot up 7.5 per cent as the pharmacy chain lifted its profit forecasts. The results also lifted rival Walgreens Boots Alliance, which gained 2.0 per cent. 
&nbsp;

Wall Street stocks finished little changed on Wednesday following a choppy session as a plunge in treasury bond yields early in the day underscored worries about a weakening global economy.

Wall Street stocks finished little changed on Wednesday following a choppy session as a plunge in treasury bond yields early in the day underscored worries about a weakening global economy. After a bruising start, US stocks gradually pushed higher throughout the day while Treasury yields recovered from their lows. Two of the three major indices finished in positive territory. Decisions by Asian central banks to cut interest rates and weak German data "reminded investors that economic growth in several other regions of the world remain at risk as the US and China trade dispute drags on," said CFRA strategist Lindsey Bell in a note. "While uncertainty is driving upside in defensive asset classes, we don't think stocks should be abandoned at this time. A near-term recession is unlikely." The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished at 26,007.07, down 0.1 per cent but more than 560 points above its session low. The broad-based S&P 500 added 0.1 per cent at 2,883.98, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.4 per cent to 7,862.83. US stocks have been under pressure in August as optimism over a Federal Reserve interest rate cut has been replaced by unease at US President Donald Trump's latest tariffs on China and China's response, which has included halting US agricultural purchases. Banking shares were big losers as the weakening US interest rate outlook crimps the profit outlook. JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America all lost around two per cent or more. Disney also had a bad day, losing 4.9 per cent after missing earnings forecasts. But CVS Health shot up 7.5 per cent as the pharmacy chain lifted its profit forecasts. The results also lifted rival Walgreens Boots Alliance, which gained 2.0 per cent.

US stocks recover from early swoon amid global growth angst

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-us-talks-positive-and-rather-constructiveturkeys-defence-minister-241348">Turkish and US officials reached agreement</a> Wednesday to establish a "joint operations centre" for northern Syria aimed at creating a safe zone to manage tensions between Turkey and a US-backed Kurdish militia.&nbsp;

Coming after three days of tense negotiations, the agreement contained no details on the size and nature of the safe zone, but appeared to provide some breathing room after Turkey had threatened an imminent attack on the Kurdish YPG group which controls large swathes of northern Syria.&nbsp;

Turkey sees the YPG as a terrorist offshoot of the Kurdish PKK, which has fought a bloody insurgency inside its territory for the past 35 years.

The US, however, supports the militia as the main fighting force against the Islamic State group. &nbsp;

The defence ministry said in a statement that Ankara had agreed with US officials to "implement without delay the first measures aimed at eliminating Turkey's concerns.&nbsp;

"In that framework, to quickly create in Turkey a joint operation centre to coordinate and manage the implementation of the safe zone with the US."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the talks had gone in "a positive direction".&nbsp;

He refused to give a date on when the joint operation centre would be established nor provide details about the safe zone.&nbsp;

But he said the agreement showed Turkey's resolve to intervene "east of the Euphrates" was "now being done with the Americans."

'Peace corridor'

The three-point agreement described the planned safe zone as a "peace corridor" that can "ensure that our Syrian brothers will be able to return to their country".&nbsp;

Turkey has the highest number of Syrian refugees in the world at more than 3.6 million and has faced increasing pressure domestically to speed up repatriations to peaceful parts of the country.

All sides agree that a buffer zone is needed to keep the YPG away from Turkey's borders, but they have differed on how large it should be, or who should control it.&nbsp;

The talks came at a delicate moment between Turkey and the US, who have grown increasingly estranged over a number of issues, including American support for the Kurds and Turkey's decision to buy a Russian S-400 missile defence system.&nbsp;

It is also a tricky moment for Erdogan domestically after his party lost control of Istanbul and Ankara in municipal elections this year, and has seen high-profile defections.&nbsp;

"He needed to show he was both tough for Turkish security and willing to relieve the pressure on Turkey from millions of refugees. This led him toward a credible threat to invade Syria unilaterally," Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security, told AFP.

"The US has started a process to give Erdogan a chaperoned presence east of the Euphrates, and the managed resettlement of some refugees."

Heras said the goal for the US was to prevent the destruction of the Syrian Democratic Forces, of which the YPG is the leading force, to ensure it remains the dominant player in northern and eastern Syria.&nbsp;

Erdogan warned in recent days that patience was running out with the Americans to find a solution in northern Syria.&nbsp;

"Turkey has the right to eliminate all threats against its national security," he said in a televised speech on Tuesday.&nbsp;

US Defence Secretary Mark Esper countered that any unilateral action by Turkey would be "unacceptable".&nbsp;

But by the third day of talks, his Turkish counterpart, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, said there were positive signs.

"We witnessed with satisfaction that our partners grew closer to our position. We would prefer to act together with our American ally. If that isn't possible we have said multiple times that we will do what is necessary," he told the state-run Anadolu news agency.&nbsp;

Turkish media outlets have often shown images in recent weeks of military convoys heading for the border area, carrying equipment and fighting units.&nbsp;

Turkey has twice carried out unilateral offensives into northern Syria against the Islamic State group and YPG, in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

Turkish and US officials reached agreement Wednesday to establish a "joint operations centre" for northern Syria aimed at creating a safe zone to manage tensions between Turkey and a US-backed Kurdish militia.

Turkish and US officials reached agreement Wednesday to establish a "joint operations centre" for northern Syria aimed at creating a safe zone to manage tensions between Turkey and a US-backed Kurdish militia. Coming after three days of tense negotiations, the agreement contained no details on the size and nature of the safe zone, but appeared to provide some breathing room after Turkey had threatened an imminent attack on the Kurdish YPG group which controls large swathes of northern Syria. Turkey sees the YPG as a terrorist offshoot of the Kurdish PKK, which has fought a bloody insurgency inside its territory for the past 35 years. The US, however, supports the militia as the main fighting force against the Islamic State group. The defence ministry said in a statement that Ankara had agreed with US officials to "implement without delay the first measures aimed at eliminating Turkey's concerns. "In that framework, to quickly create in Turkey a joint operation centre to coordinate and manage the implementation of the safe zone with the US." President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the talks had gone in "a positive direction". He refused to give a date on when the joint operation centre would be established nor provide details about the safe zone. But he said the agreement showed Turkey's resolve to intervene "east of the Euphrates" was "now being done with the Americans." 'Peace corridor' The three-point agreement described the planned safe zone as a "peace corridor" that can "ensure that our Syrian brothers will be able to return to their country". Turkey has the highest number of Syrian refugees in the world at more than 3.6 million and has faced increasing pressure domestically to speed up repatriations to peaceful parts of the country. All sides agree that a buffer zone is needed to keep the YPG away from Turkey's borders, but they have differed on how large it should be, or who should control it. The talks came at a delicate moment between Turkey and the US, who have grown increasingly estranged over a number of issues, including American support for the Kurds and Turkey's decision to buy a Russian S-400 missile defence system. It is also a tricky moment for Erdogan domestically after his party lost control of Istanbul and Ankara in municipal elections this year, and has seen high-profile defections. "He needed to show he was both tough for Turkish security and willing to relieve the pressure on Turkey from millions of refugees. This led him toward a credible threat to invade Syria unilaterally," Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security, told AFP. "The US has started a process to give Erdogan a chaperoned presence east of the Euphrates, and the managed resettlement of some refugees." Heras said the goal for the US was to prevent the destruction of the Syrian Democratic Forces, of which the YPG is the leading force, to ensure it remains the dominant player in northern and eastern Syria. Erdogan warned in recent days that patience was running out with the Americans to find a solution in northern Syria. "Turkey has the right to eliminate all threats against its national security," he said in a televised speech on Tuesday. US Defence Secretary Mark Esper countered that any unilateral action by Turkey would be "unacceptable". But by the third day of talks, his Turkish counterpart, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, said there were positive signs. "We witnessed with satisfaction that our partners grew closer to our position. We would prefer to act together with our American ally. If that isn't possible we have said multiple times that we will do what is necessary," he told the state-run Anadolu news agency. Turkish media outlets have often shown images in recent weeks of military convoys heading for the border area, carrying equipment and fighting units. Turkey has twice carried out unilateral offensives into northern Syria against the Islamic State group and YPG, in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

Turkey, US agree 'joint operation centre' for north Syria

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-immigration-agency-names-venezuelan-minister-tareck-el-aissami-among-most-wanted-239965">US officials</a> said that some 680 undocumented <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-and-mexican-counterpart-welcome-reduced-flow-of-migrants-237547">migrants</a> were detained in a major series of raids Wednesday at food processing plants in the southeastern United States, part of President Donald Trump's announced crackdown on illegal immigration.

Most of those detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were Hispanic migrants, officials said.

TV footage showed lines of arrested migrants heading to buses parked outside the processing plants with their hands behind their backs under the watchful eyes of ICE agents.

Those who were not detained, including some children, stood by waving at their friends and relatives. Several wiped away tears as they gave their farewells.

"Special agents executed administrative and criminal search warrants resulting in the detention of approximately 680 illegal aliens," said Mike Hurst, US Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.

"They have to follow our laws, they have to abide by our rules, they have to come here legally or they shouldn't come here at all," Hurst said at a news conference.

The US attorney did not spare the employers.&nbsp;

"To those who use illegal aliens for competitive advantage or to make a quick buck, we have something to say to you: If we find that you have violated federal criminal law, we're coming after you," he said.

'Dehumanizing' raids

Matthew Albence, the interim ICE head, said the raids were the result of a year-long investigation.

He said that the children of detained parents will be sent to live with relatives or other families.

Some of the migrants will be released with electronic ankle monitors as they await a court hearing.

ICE agents raided plants in the towns of Morton, Carthage, Canton, Pelahatchie, Sebastopol and Bay Springs, all in the state of Mississippi, officials said.

"After speaking with the agents, I now know that they are identifying illegal immigrants, versus those who are legal, and rounding them up, putting them in buses and carrying them away," Canton Mayor William Truly told the local ABC News television affiliate.

Chokwe Antar Lumumba, the mayor of Mississippi state capital Jackson, took to social media to seek help for the migrants.

"I'm calling upon faith institutions in our community to become sanctuaries for our immigrant neighbours and protect them from potential harm," he wrote on his Facebook account.&nbsp;

"The ICE raids are both dehumanizing and ineffective as a tactic for protecting citizens from potential harm."

In June, Trump tweeted that ICE "will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States."

Trump has also tweeted several times about an alleged "invasion" of people crossing the southern border into the United States.

US officials said that some 680 undocumented migrants were detained in a major series of raids Wednesday at food processing plants in the southeastern United States, part of President Donald Trump's announced crackdown on illegal immigration.

US officials said that some 680 undocumented migrants were detained in a major series of raids Wednesday at food processing plants in the southeastern United States, part of President Donald Trump's announced crackdown on illegal immigration. Most of those detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were Hispanic migrants, officials said. TV footage showed lines of arrested migrants heading to buses parked outside the processing plants with their hands behind their backs under the watchful eyes of ICE agents. Those who were not detained, including some children, stood by waving at their friends and relatives. Several wiped away tears as they gave their farewells. "Special agents executed administrative and criminal search warrants resulting in the detention of approximately 680 illegal aliens," said Mike Hurst, US Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. "They have to follow our laws, they have to abide by our rules, they have to come here legally or they shouldn't come here at all," Hurst said at a news conference. The US attorney did not spare the employers. "To those who use illegal aliens for competitive advantage or to make a quick buck, we have something to say to you: If we find that you have violated federal criminal law, we're coming after you," he said. 'Dehumanizing' raids Matthew Albence, the interim ICE head, said the raids were the result of a year-long investigation. He said that the children of detained parents will be sent to live with relatives or other families. Some of the migrants will be released with electronic ankle monitors as they await a court hearing. ICE agents raided plants in the towns of Morton, Carthage, Canton, Pelahatchie, Sebastopol and Bay Springs, all in the state of Mississippi, officials said. "After speaking with the agents, I now know that they are identifying illegal immigrants, versus those who are legal, and rounding them up, putting them in buses and carrying them away," Canton Mayor William Truly told the local ABC News television affiliate. Chokwe Antar Lumumba, the mayor of Mississippi state capital Jackson, took to social media to seek help for the migrants. "I'm calling upon faith institutions in our community to become sanctuaries for our immigrant neighbours and protect them from potential harm," he wrote on his Facebook account. "The ICE raids are both dehumanizing and ineffective as a tactic for protecting citizens from potential harm." In June, Trump tweeted that ICE "will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States." Trump has also tweeted several times about an alleged "invasion" of people crossing the southern border into the United States.

US immigration raids sweep up hundreds of undocumented migrants

The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has said that the US will be “on the doorstep, pen in hand”, ready to sign a new trade deal with the UK as soon as possible after Brexit.

WION Global Round-Up: US-UK commit to free trade agreement post Brexit

Weaponising Yuan: Beijing's double-edged sword

US has backed the Indian role in the Afghan Peace Process. In a tweet, the visiting US special representative on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said, "India has an important role to play in helping deliver &amp; sustain a durable peace in Afghanistan."

&nbsp;He met India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar in Delhi on Tuesday and had a&nbsp;detailed discussion on the&nbsp;Afghan&nbsp;Peace&nbsp;Process with both sides briefing each other on their views respectively.&nbsp;

The ministry of external affairs said both sides held "useful discussions" with EAM Jaishankar tweeting, they "shared views on how we could work together effectively".&nbsp;

This is the third visit by Khalilzad to India in 2019 and comes even as Afghan Peace Process gathers pace.

Zalmay came directly to Delhi from Doha where he held the 8th round of talks with Taliban and it is expected that a deal might happen soon between them both that can pave way for the American troops to leave the landlocked South Asian country. Taliban expects the deal to be signed between Eid that begins from August 11 to August 14.

Before leaving for Delhi, Zalmay in a tweet said, "My team and Taliban representatives will continue to discuss technical details as well as steps and mechanisms required for a successful implementation of the four-part agreement we've been working towards since my appointment. Agreement on these details is essential".

India backs "Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled" peace process and has&nbsp;been engaging with regional countries--Iran, Russia, China, Central Asian countries-- regarding the Afghan peace process.

US has backed the Indian role in the Afghan Peace Process. In a tweet, the visiting US special representative on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said, "India has an important role to play in helping deliver & sustain a durable peace in Afghanistan.

US has backed the Indian role in the Afghan Peace Process. In a tweet, the visiting US special representative on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said, "India has an important role to play in helping deliver & sustain a durable peace in Afghanistan." He met India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar in Delhi on Tuesday and had a detailed discussion on the Afghan Peace Process with both sides briefing each other on their views respectively. The ministry of external affairs said both sides held "useful discussions" with EAM Jaishankar tweeting, they "shared views on how we could work together effectively". This is the third visit by Khalilzad to India in 2019 and comes even as Afghan Peace Process gathers pace. Zalmay came directly to Delhi from Doha where he held the 8th round of talks with Taliban and it is expected that a deal might happen soon between them both that can pave way for the American troops to leave the landlocked South Asian country. Taliban expects the deal to be signed between Eid that begins from August 11 to August 14. Before leaving for Delhi, Zalmay in a tweet said, "My team and Taliban representatives will continue to discuss technical details as well as steps and mechanisms required for a successful implementation of the four-part agreement we've been working towards since my appointment. Agreement on these details is essential". India backs "Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled" peace process and has been engaging with regional countries--Iran, Russia, China, Central Asian countries-- regarding the Afghan peace process.

United States backs India's role in Afghan peace process

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the US Federal Reserve must cut rates "bigger and faster" for the United States to be competitive against other countries.

"Our problem is a Federal Reserve that is too proud to admit their mistake of acting too fast and tightening too much (and that I was right!). They must Cut Rates bigger and faster, and stop their ridiculous quantitative tightening NOW," Trump said in a series of Twitter posts.

The Republican president has for months been calling on the Fed to lower interest rates to support the US economy.

His surprise move last week to impose new tariffs on Chinese imports has thrown the Federal Reserve another curveball that may force it to cut rates more than the central bank had hoped was necessary to protect the economy from trade-policy risks.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Monday urged the Fed to cut key rates by another three-quarters of a point to a full point by the end of the year to bring U.S. rates in line with rates elsewhere.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the US Federal Reserve must cut rates "bigger and faster" for the United States to be competitive against other countries.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the US Federal Reserve must cut rates "bigger and faster" for the United States to be competitive against other countries. "Our problem is a Federal Reserve that is too proud to admit their mistake of acting too fast and tightening too much (and that I was right!). They must Cut Rates bigger and faster, and stop their ridiculous quantitative tightening NOW," Trump said in a series of Twitter posts. The Republican president has for months been calling on the Fed to lower interest rates to support the US economy. His surprise move last week to impose new tariffs on Chinese imports has thrown the Federal Reserve another curveball that may force it to cut rates more than the central bank had hoped was necessary to protect the economy from trade-policy risks. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Monday urged the Fed to cut key rates by another three-quarters of a point to a full point by the end of the year to bring U.S. rates in line with rates elsewhere.

US Federal Reserve must cut rates 'bigger and faster': US President Trump 

Four former leaders of the US Federal Reserve have called for the independence of the central bank, saying that the Fed and its chair must be permitted to act in the best interests of the economy, free of short-term political pressures, and, in particular, without the threat of removal or demotion of Fed leaders for political reasons.

In an opinion piece published on The Wall Street Journal on Monday, Paul Volcker, Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen said that an economy is strongest and functions best when the central bank acts independently and relies solely on sound economic principles and data.

The piece wrote, "Research has shown that monetary policy based on the political (rather than economic) needs of the moment leads to worse economic performance in the long run, including higher inflation and slower growth".

"Even the perception that monetary-policy decisions are politically motivated, or influenced by threats that policymakers won't be able to serve out their terms of office, can undermine public confidence that the central bank is acting in the best interest of the economy. That can lead to unstable financial markets and worse economic outcomes," the piece wrote.

The co-signed article came after US President Donald Trump's criticism of Fed Chairman Jerome Powell last week when he lashed out at Powell for not signalling the start of "a lengthy and aggressive rate-cutting cycle." Trump on Monday urged the Fed to pay attention to his remarks when he falsely accused China of "currency manipulation" on Twitter.

Trump has repeatedly voiced his discontent of the Fed's monetary policy over the past few months and even reportedly discussed an attempt to remove Powell from his position, raising questions about the central bank's independence.

Powell, meanwhile, has repeatedly stressed the Fed's commitment to independence and said he fully intends to serve a four-year term.

Four former leaders of the US Federal Reserve have called for the independence of the central bank, saying that the Fed and its chair must be permitted to act in the best interests of the economy, free of short-term political pressures, and, in particular, without the threat of removal or demotion of Fed leaders for political reasons.

Four former leaders of the US Federal Reserve have called for the independence of the central bank, saying that the Fed and its chair must be permitted to act in the best interests of the economy, free of short-term political pressures, and, in particular, without the threat of removal or demotion of Fed leaders for political reasons. In an opinion piece published on The Wall Street Journal on Monday, Paul Volcker, Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen said that an economy is strongest and functions best when the central bank acts independently and relies solely on sound economic principles and data. The piece wrote, "Research has shown that monetary policy based on the political (rather than economic) needs of the moment leads to worse economic performance in the long run, including higher inflation and slower growth". "Even the perception that monetary-policy decisions are politically motivated, or influenced by threats that policymakers won't be able to serve out their terms of office, can undermine public confidence that the central bank is acting in the best interest of the economy. That can lead to unstable financial markets and worse economic outcomes," the piece wrote. The co-signed article came after US President Donald Trump's criticism of Fed Chairman Jerome Powell last week when he lashed out at Powell for not signalling the start of "a lengthy and aggressive rate-cutting cycle." Trump on Monday urged the Fed to pay attention to his remarks when he falsely accused China of "currency manipulation" on Twitter. Trump has repeatedly voiced his discontent of the Fed's monetary policy over the past few months and even reportedly discussed an attempt to remove Powell from his position, raising questions about the central bank's independence. Powell, meanwhile, has repeatedly stressed the Fed's commitment to independence and said he fully intends to serve a four-year term.

Former United States Federal leaders call for independence of Central Bank

Those in the U.S. that constantly flip flop on trade talks with China need to abandon their outdated zero sum thinking, said a China Media Group (CMG) commentary on Sunday.

U.S.'s zero sum thinking detrimental to all

The United States on Tuesday said it was "closely following" the events in Jammu and Kashmir following the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/article-370-revoked-united-nations-urges-india-pakistan-to-exercise-restraint-240975">abrogation of Article 370</a> of the Indian Constitution that gave special status to the state.

However, it expressed concern over the reports of detentions of some politicians in the state.

"We are closely following the events in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. We take note of India's announcement revising the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir and India's plan to split the state into two union territories. We note that the Indian government has described these actions as strictly an internal matter," State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement, which was posted by Voice of America's White House Bureau Chief Steve Herman on his Twitter handle.

"We are concerned about reports of detentions and urge respect for individual rights and discussion with those in affected communities. We call on all parties to maintain peace and stability along the Line of Control," the statement said.

On Monday, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/top-bjp-leaders-hail-governments-decision-to-revoke-article-370-in-jk-240962">BJP-led central government scrapped Article 370</a>, along with Article 35 (A), and propose to convert Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory with a legislature, while hiving off Ladakh as a separate Union Territory without legislature.

Watch: US, UN keeping close watch on Jammu and Kashmir

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-un-keeping-close-watch-on-jammu-and-kashmir-240963/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Shortly after India's Home Minister Amit Shah tabled a resolution to this effect in Rajya Sabha or the Upper House of the Parliament, President Ram Nath Kovind came out with a notification -- The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019 that came into force immediately.

Ahead of the landmark announcement, Kashmir has been on the edge in the wake of a massive security build-up and the state government issued an advisory to Amarnath pilgrims and tourists urging them to curtail their visit.

Several leaders, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, had claimed that they were put under house arrest amid the prevailing tense situation in the state.

The United States on Tuesday said it was "closely following" the events in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that gave special status to the state.

The United States on Tuesday said it was "closely following" the events in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that gave special status to the state. However, it expressed concern over the reports of detentions of some politicians in the state. "We are closely following the events in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. We take note of India's announcement revising the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir and India's plan to split the state into two union territories. We note that the Indian government has described these actions as strictly an internal matter," State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement, which was posted by Voice of America's White House Bureau Chief Steve Herman on his Twitter handle. "We are concerned about reports of detentions and urge respect for individual rights and discussion with those in affected communities. We call on all parties to maintain peace and stability along the Line of Control," the statement said. On Monday, the BJP-led central government scrapped Article 370, along with Article 35 (A), and propose to convert Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory with a legislature, while hiving off Ladakh as a separate Union Territory without legislature. Watch: US, UN keeping close watch on Jammu and Kashmir Shortly after India's Home Minister Amit Shah tabled a resolution to this effect in Rajya Sabha or the Upper House of the Parliament, President Ram Nath Kovind came out with a notification -- The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019 that came into force immediately. Ahead of the landmark announcement, Kashmir has been on the edge in the wake of a massive security build-up and the state government issued an advisory to Amarnath pilgrims and tourists urging them to curtail their visit. Several leaders, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, had claimed that they were put under house arrest amid the prevailing tense situation in the state.

Article 370 revoked: 'Closely watching' events in Jammu and Kashmir, says US

China's decision to lower the value of renminbi has angered the United States which has accused Beijing of manipulating its currency. Washington's sudden move came the day China allowed the yuan to fall below 7 to the dollar for the first time in about a decade - provoking US President Donald Trump's ire and sending global equities markets diving into the red.

So what exactly is currency manipulation? To put it simply, a country indulges in currency manipulation when it artificially lowers the value of its own currency. In turn, it lowers the cost of its exports to gain a competitive advantage.

The move will help maintain the attractiveness of Chinese goods, and keep its exports at a favourable prices.

The US called it an unfair practice; in fact Washington has threatened to impose more tariffs on Chinese goods from September 1. But Beijing said it lowered the value of its currency to balance out the adverse impact of high US tariffs on Chinese exports.

On the positive side, currency devaluation strengthens the sales and revenue of domestic industry. But on the negative side, due to high import cost, people may choose not to buy imported goods, which could lead to inflation or sometimes monopoly in the local market.

An immediate impact of currency devaluation by China could be felt by Indian exporters. If Chinese exports become more attractive, it will make it that much more difficult for Indian exports.

The Indian rupee is already trading higher, at 70.80 per dollar.

Some Asian countries could follow suit by lowering their own currencies which would potentially affect the global supply chain.

The second major battle between the US and China - amid the trade war - has sapped business confidence and undermined both countries' manufacturing sectors just as the world economy's slowdown worsens.

Activity in the US service sector hit a three-year low last month, survey data showed Monday, confirming a step-down in US economic growth.

China's decision to lower the value of renminbi has angered the United States which has accused Beijing of manipulating its currency. Washington's sudden move came the day China allowed the yuan to fall below 7 to the dollar for the first time in about a decade - provoking US President Donald Trump's ire and sending global equities markets diving into the red.

China's decision to lower the value of renminbi has angered the United States which has accused Beijing of manipulating its currency. Washington's sudden move came the day China allowed the yuan to fall below 7 to the dollar for the first time in about a decade - provoking US President Donald Trump's ire and sending global equities markets diving into the red. So what exactly is currency manipulation? To put it simply, a country indulges in currency manipulation when it artificially lowers the value of its own currency. In turn, it lowers the cost of its exports to gain a competitive advantage. The move will help maintain the attractiveness of Chinese goods, and keep its exports at a favourable prices. The US called it an unfair practice; in fact Washington has threatened to impose more tariffs on Chinese goods from September 1. But Beijing said it lowered the value of its currency to balance out the adverse impact of high US tariffs on Chinese exports. On the positive side, currency devaluation strengthens the sales and revenue of domestic industry. But on the negative side, due to high import cost, people may choose not to buy imported goods, which could lead to inflation or sometimes monopoly in the local market. An immediate impact of currency devaluation by China could be felt by Indian exporters. If Chinese exports become more attractive, it will make it that much more difficult for Indian exports. The Indian rupee is already trading higher, at 70.80 per dollar. Some Asian countries could follow suit by lowering their own currencies which would potentially affect the global supply chain. The second major battle between the US and China - amid the trade war - has sapped business confidence and undermined both countries' manufacturing sectors just as the world economy's slowdown worsens. Activity in the US service sector hit a three-year low last month, survey data showed Monday, confirming a step-down in US economic growth.

Explained: What is currency manipulation and how China's move can impact India

Trade war whiplash and other market themes for the week ahead

President Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said Sunday that "hate has no place" in the United States after two mass shootings left 29 dead and sparked accusations that his rhetoric was part of the problem.

The rampages turned innocent snippets of everyday life into nightmares of bloodshed: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/el-paso-shooting-walmart-massacre-to-be-probed-as-domestic-terror-case-240685">20 people were shot dead</a> while shopping at a crowded Walmart in El Paso, Texas on Saturday morning, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ohio-mass-shooting-gunman-killed-within-30-seconds-after-firing-started-say-police-240693">nine more outside a bar</a> in a popular nightlife district in Dayton, Ohio just 13 hours later.

"Hate has no place in our country,"&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said, but he also blamed mental illness for the violence.

"This is also a mental illness problem if you look at both of those cases," added the US president, who is under increased pressure over mass shootings.&nbsp;

"These are really people that are very, very seriously mentally ill," he said, despite the fact that police have not confirmed this to be the case.

"We have to get it stopped. This has been going on for years... and years in our country," the president said.

In Texas, 26 people were wounded, and 27 in Ohio, where the shooter was killed in roughly 30 seconds by police who were patrolling nearby and prevented a casualty toll that could have been many times greater.

100-round drum magazine

Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl told a news conference that the quick police response was "crucial," preventing the shooter from entering a bar where "there would have been... catastrophic injury and loss of life." 
But the shooter still managed to mow down dozens of people.

Biehl said the gunman wore a mask and a bullet-proof vest and was armed with an assault rifle fitted with a 100-round drum magazine.&nbsp;

"You could see the bodies actually start to fall and we knew it was bigger than just even a shoot-out," Anthony Reynolds, who was outside the Dayton bar when the shooting started, told NBC News.&nbsp;

Police named the gunman as a 24-year-old white man called Connor Betts and said that his sister was among those killed. She had gone with him to the scene of the massacre.

Six of the nine people shot dead were black, but Biehl said the gunman's motive was still unclear.

In Texas, police said the suspect surrendered standing on a sidewalk near the scene of the massacre. He was described in media reports as a 21-year-old white man named Patrick Crusius.

He was believed to have posted online a manifesto denouncing a "Hispanic invasion" of Texas. El Paso, on the border with Mexico, is majority Latino.

'Amplifying and condoning' hate

Six of the 20 people killed in the El Paso shooting were Mexican, the country's president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, said Sunday.

The manifesto posted shortly before the shooting also praises the killing of 51 Muslims at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand in&nbsp; 
March.

Police said the suspected shooter has been charged with murder offences that can carry the death penalty, and a federal official said investigators are treating the El Paso shooting as a case of domestic terrorism.

While the country stood aghast over its latest spasm of gun violence,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;ordered flags to be flown at half-mast for five days.

At the Walmart in El Paso, terrified shoppers cowered in aisles or ran out of the store as gunfire echoed.

Most of the victims were inside the store but some were also in the parking lot outside, police said.

"Shooting kids and women and men, to him it mostly mattered that they were Hispanic," said Manuel Sanchez, a resident of the city.

These were the 250th and 251st mass shootings this year in the US, according to the Gun Violence Archive, an NGO that defines a mass shooting as an incident in which at least four people are wounded or killed.

The latest two shootings ended a particularly tragic week for gun violence in America: three people died in a shooting at a food festival last Sunday in California, and two more Tuesday in a shooting in a Walmart in Mississippi.

On Twitter,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;described the El Paso attack as "an act of cowardice." 
But critics said&nbsp;Trump's custom of speaking in derogatory terms about immigrants is pushing hatred of foreigners into the political mainstream and encouraging white supremacist thinking that can lead to violence.

"To pretend that his administration and the hateful rhetoric it spreads doesn't play a role in the kind of violence that we saw yesterday in El Paso is ignorant at best and irresponsible at worst," said the Southern Poverty Law Center, a major civil rights group.

It cited&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;actions like calling Mexican migrants rapists and drug dealers and doing nothing when a crowd at a&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;rally chanted "send her back" in reference to a Somali-born congresswoman.

The Republican mayor of El Paso, Dee Margo, seemed to discount any race element to the Texas shooting, telling Fox News the gunman was "deranged."

But several Democratic presidential hopefuls said&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;bears some of the blame for such violence.

Watch:&nbsp;<meta charset="utf-8" />Gunman kills 20 at Texas Walmart store

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/texas-shooting-gunman-kills-20-at-texas-walmart-store-240658/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Our president isn't just failing to confront and disarm these domestic terrorists, he is amplifying and condoning their hate," Mayor Pete Buttigieg tweeted.

"Mr President: stop your racist, hateful and anti-immigrant rhetoric. Your language creates a climate which emboldens violent extremists," Senator Bernie Sanders wrote on Twitter.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that "hate has no place" in the United States after two mass shootings left 29 dead and sparked accusations that his rhetoric was part of the problem.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that "hate has no place" in the United States after two mass shootings left 29 dead and sparked accusations that his rhetoric was part of the problem. The rampages turned innocent snippets of everyday life into nightmares of bloodshed: 20 people were shot dead while shopping at a crowded Walmart in El Paso, Texas on Saturday morning, and nine more outside a bar in a popular nightlife district in Dayton, Ohio just 13 hours later. "Hate has no place in our country," Trump said, but he also blamed mental illness for the violence. "This is also a mental illness problem if you look at both of those cases," added the US president, who is under increased pressure over mass shootings. "These are really people that are very, very seriously mentally ill," he said, despite the fact that police have not confirmed this to be the case. "We have to get it stopped. This has been going on for years... and years in our country," the president said. In Texas, 26 people were wounded, and 27 in Ohio, where the shooter was killed in roughly 30 seconds by police who were patrolling nearby and prevented a casualty toll that could have been many times greater. 100-round drum magazine Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl told a news conference that the quick police response was "crucial," preventing the shooter from entering a bar where "there would have been... catastrophic injury and loss of life." But the shooter still managed to mow down dozens of people. Biehl said the gunman wore a mask and a bullet-proof vest and was armed with an assault rifle fitted with a 100-round drum magazine. "You could see the bodies actually start to fall and we knew it was bigger than just even a shoot-out," Anthony Reynolds, who was outside the Dayton bar when the shooting started, told NBC News. Police named the gunman as a 24-year-old white man called Connor Betts and said that his sister was among those killed. She had gone with him to the scene of the massacre. Six of the nine people shot dead were black, but Biehl said the gunman's motive was still unclear. In Texas, police said the suspect surrendered standing on a sidewalk near the scene of the massacre. He was described in media reports as a 21-year-old white man named Patrick Crusius. He was believed to have posted online a manifesto denouncing a "Hispanic invasion" of Texas. El Paso, on the border with Mexico, is majority Latino. 'Amplifying and condoning' hate Six of the 20 people killed in the El Paso shooting were Mexican, the country's president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, said Sunday. The manifesto posted shortly before the shooting also praises the killing of 51 Muslims at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand in March. Police said the suspected shooter has been charged with murder offences that can carry the death penalty, and a federal official said investigators are treating the El Paso shooting as a case of domestic terrorism. While the country stood aghast over its latest spasm of gun violence, Trump ordered flags to be flown at half-mast for five days. At the Walmart in El Paso, terrified shoppers cowered in aisles or ran out of the store as gunfire echoed. Most of the victims were inside the store but some were also in the parking lot outside, police said. "Shooting kids and women and men, to him it mostly mattered that they were Hispanic," said Manuel Sanchez, a resident of the city. These were the 250th and 251st mass shootings this year in the US, according to the Gun Violence Archive, an NGO that defines a mass shooting as an incident in which at least four people are wounded or killed. The latest two shootings ended a particularly tragic week for gun violence in America: three people died in a shooting at a food festival last Sunday in California, and two more Tuesday in a shooting in a Walmart in Mississippi. On Twitter, Trump described the El Paso attack as "an act of cowardice." But critics said Trump's custom of speaking in derogatory terms about immigrants is pushing hatred of foreigners into the political mainstream and encouraging white supremacist thinking that can lead to violence. "To pretend that his administration and the hateful rhetoric it spreads doesn't play a role in the kind of violence that we saw yesterday in El Paso is ignorant at best and irresponsible at worst," said the Southern Poverty Law Center, a major civil rights group. It cited Trump actions like calling Mexican migrants rapists and drug dealers and doing nothing when a crowd at a Trump rally chanted "send her back" in reference to a Somali-born congresswoman. The Republican mayor of El Paso, Dee Margo, seemed to discount any race element to the Texas shooting, telling Fox News the gunman was "deranged." But several Democratic presidential hopefuls said Trump bears some of the blame for such violence. Watch: Gunman kills 20 at Texas Walmart store "Our president isn't just failing to confront and disarm these domestic terrorists, he is amplifying and condoning their hate," Mayor Pete Buttigieg tweeted. "Mr President: stop your racist, hateful and anti-immigrant rhetoric. Your language creates a climate which emboldens violent extremists," Senator Bernie Sanders wrote on Twitter.

Mental illness problem if you look at both cases: Trump on US shootings

The United States is acting alone against Tehran and its allies are too "ashamed" to join its forces in the Gulf, Iran's top diplomat said Monday, dismissing its calls for talks as a sham.

The United States is acting alone against Tehran and its allies are too "ashamed" to join its forces in the Gulf, Iran's top diplomat said Monday, dismissing its calls for talks as a sham. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also confirmed he turned down an offer to meet President Donald Trump last month despite the threat of US sanctions against him. "Today the United States in alone in the world and cannot create a coalition. Countries that are its friends are too ashamed of being in a coalition with them," Zarif told a news conference in Tehran. "They brought this situation upon themselves, with lawbreaking, by creating tensions and crises." Tehran and Washington have been locked in a battle of nerves since May 2018 when Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark 2015 deal placing limits on Iran's nuclear programme and began reimposing sanctions. Tensions have soared since the Trump administration began stepping up a US campaign of "maximum pressure" against Iran, with drones downed and tankers mysteriously attacked in Gulf waters. At the height of the crisis, Trump called off airstrikes against Iran at the last minute in June after the Islamic republic's forces shot down a US drone. Iran said on Sunday its forces seized a "foreign" tanker carrying smuggled fuel in what would be the third such seizure in less than a month in Gulf waters - a conduit for much of the world's crude oil. On July 18, the Guards said they had detained the Panama-flagged MT Riah for alleged fuel smuggling. A day later, they announced they had impounded the British-flagged Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz for breaking "international maritime rules". In response to such incidents, the United States has been seeking to form a coalition whose mission - dubbed Operation Sentinel - it says is to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Gulf. However, it has been struggling to build such a coalition, with European countries reticent and believed to be concerned about being dragged into a possible conflict. Arsonist cannot be fireman "An arsonist cannot be a fireman," said Zarif, adding that since the Americans had come to the Gulf there was nothing but "violence, war and slaughter". Asked about reports he had been invited to meet Trump in the White House, Zarif said he had turned it down despite the threat of sanctions against him. "I was told in New York I would be sanctioned in two weeks unless I accepted that offer, which fortunately I did not," Iran's top diplomat said. The New Yorker magazine reported on Friday that Senator Rand Paul met Zarif in the US on July 15 and had Trump's blessing when he extended an invitation to the Iranian minister to go to the White House. The United States imposed sanctions against Zarif on Wednesday, targeting any assets he has in America and squeezing his ability to function as a globe-trotting diplomat. The designation of Zarif under the same sanctions already applied to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the latest in a series of US moves against Iran. Zarif dismissed as disingenuous US "claims" that it wants to engage in dialogue with Iran. "They were the ones who left the table, sanctioned the foreign minister of Iran, sanctioned the highest authority of the Islamic republic. Who do they want to negotiate with?" he said. "The US only wants to impose its will on the Islamic republic. "They should not expect us to negotiate as long as they engage in economic terrorism." But Zarif did not rule out talks in the future. "In my view negotiations and diplomacy will never end. Negotiation has always been and will always be on my agenda. Even in times of war negotiations will exist." Zarif said he did not believe Trump would go to war with Iran unless hawks around him like his national security adviser John Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had their way. "I believe Mr Trump does not seek war. But Mr Bolton and Netanyahu have always sought war," he said. "They're willing to fight their wars till the last American soldier."

Iran says US acting alone as allies 'ashamed'

Mike Pompeo became the first US Secretary of State to visit Micronesia Monday, as Washington's signalled a renewed interest in its Pacific allies, no matter how small, in the face of regional competition with China.

Mike Pompeo became the first US Secretary of State to visit Micronesia Monday, as Washington's signalled a renewed interest in its Pacific allies, no matter how small, in the face of regional competition with China. Pompeo touched down on the paradise island of Pohnpei and spent a few hours meeting leaders from Micronesia's Federated States, as well as neighbouring micro-states like Palau and the Marshall Islands. "Your small islands are big strongholds of freedom," he said while encouraging American tourists to visit. The diplomatic courtship follows a visit by Pacific Island leaders to the White House earlier this year, part of America's drive for a "free and open" region to counter China's increasingly muscular and expansionist policies. "We want to help nations of the Indo-Pacific to continue their decades-long rise and maintain their sovereignty both in the political and economic spheres," he said. "We know China seeks to engage and to influence this region," Pompeo added, expressing confidence that Pacific islands would understand "other Pacific democracies, are the best partnerships." The President of the Federated States of Micronesia David Panuelo tried to play down concerns, saying "our relation with the US is first and foremost" while adding that the relationship with China was purely "economic and technical cooperation." Elizabeth Economy of the Council on Foreign Relations told AFP that over the past year, the US had "worked aggressively" to shore up its position in the Pacific Islands region, considering it "of significant strategic interest". Hugging the equator, the Federated States of Micronesia are scattered along nearly 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) of the Pacific, a significant area given Sino-American disputes over freedom of navigation. Duelling charm offensives Washington is no stranger to the Federation - which brings together four island states and more than 600 islands and atolls - thanks to a compact that guarantees US development aid and military protection. Formerly part of the Caroline Islands, which were American trust territories, the federation and other nations signed a Compact of Free Association with the United States on gaining independence more than three decades ago. Pompeo announced that "the US has begun negotiations on extending our respective compacts of free association with each country". China has launched a regional charm offensive that has alarmed the Trump administration, offering infrastructure loans and seemingly trying to have the Marshall Islands and Palau break off diplomatic relations with Taiwan. "The United States can no longer afford to take the Pacific Islands for granted," said Economy. At times, the United States has looked to these island states at the United Nations - where their voice is equal to any other state - in looking for support for issues such as recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. But the major point of difference remains climate change, an existential challenge for low-lying nations but a trend that the Trump administration has variously dismissed as a hoax or unimportant. "We did talk about climate change, we talked about the concerns about rising sea level here," Pompeo said, attempting to square the circle following talks.

US Secretary Mike Pompeo makes history in Pohnpei, courts Pacific allies

By Lacey Wallace

Americans own nearly half of the world’s guns, with approximately 120 firearms for every 100 US residents.

Gun control policies may someday restrict new gun sales. But what impact can they have when Americans already own millions of guns?

Some have pointed to gun buybacks as a potential solution to this problem.

I have spent years studying American attitudes toward guns and gun policies, including smart guns and open carry. I know that gun owners feel strongly about their identities as gun owners, making it difficult to create a strategy for taking guns off the streets.

US Gun Stock

The sheer number of guns is part of the challenge. The United States has the largest civilian-owned stock of guns in the world. At the end of 2017, the Small Arms Survey reported that there were an estimated 393 million firearms in the United States – and that’s not even counting guns owned by the police and military. That represents 45.8 per cent of the world’s civilian-owned guns.

Yemen has the second-highest rate of gun ownership per person in the world, with just 52.8 firearms per 100 residents.

More than 40 per cent of US adults live in a household with at least one gun. About half of all civilian-owned guns in the US are owned by just 3 per cent of US adults. These gun owners have an average of 17 guns each. Most other gun owners average about three guns at home.

Reducing Numbers

Gun buyback programs are designed to reduce the number of firearms by purchasing guns from private owners, and typically destroying them.

Gun buyback programs are not new.

Following a mass shooting in 1996, Australia banned automatic and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns and instituted a national gun buyback program.

In a year, Australia purchased about 650,000 firearms from private residents, estimated to represent about 20 per cent of the country’s privately owned guns. Research evaluating the effects of the buyback found a 42 per cent decrease in homicide rates and a 57 per cent decrease in suicide rates in the seven years after the legislation passed. But some researchers are still uncertain whether this decrease was due to the buyback, or whether it was simply part of an existing downward trend.

US&nbsp;cities have experimented with buybacks on a much smaller scale, even though the Pew Research Center reports that more than 70 per cent of gun owners say they could never imagine themselves not owning some sort of firearm.

One of the earliest examples occurred in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1974, Baltimore police paid residents US$50 per firearm, collecting roughly 13,500 over a two-month period. Rather than reduce crime, homicides and assaults spiked during the buyback. It is unclear why, but two months is a short time period for a clear pattern to emerge and crime rates in cities across the country were increasing through much of the 1970s.

Baltimore is not unique. A 2008 review of the existing research by Matthew Makarios and Travis Pratt in the journal Crime &amp; Delinquency found that gun buyback programs have generally been ineffective in reducing crime in the US Challenges include the types of guns purchased, the involvement of law enforcement, and the costs involved.

Types of Guns Purchased

Gun buyback programs often place no restrictions on the types of guns that can be purchased. Civilians frequently bring in old firearms, guns in disrepair, rifles, or shotguns. Sacramento, California, implemented a gun buyback program in 1993. Nearly a quarter of all guns submitted were not in working order.

The Boston Police Department also attempted a gun buyback program in 1993 without a restriction for weapon type. Only about half of the submitted firearms were handguns. That’s significant because we know from existing crime data that although some mass shooters use more powerful weapons, handguns are the type of firearm most often used in violent crime and in youth violence. If the goal is to reduce crime, getting shotguns or broken firearms off the street will likely have little effect.

Guns obtained through a 1994 to 1996 buyback in Milwaukee also differed from those typically used in suicide and homicide.

The Boston Police Department tried again in 2006. Learning from their past mistakes, the police offered a $200 gift card for each handgun – but no cash or gift card for rifles or shotguns. At the conclusion of the program, the Boston Police Department reported that more than 85% of submitted firearms were handguns, closely matching the types of guns used in crime.

The number of shootings decreased by 14 per cent&nbsp;in Boston in the year after the buyback and continued to decrease through 2010.

Other jurisdictions followed Boston’s example. In 2015, 13 police departments in Massachusetts instituted a buyback program with higher amounts paid for types of firearms more frequently used in crime. As a result, they were able to collect more handguns. But three out of five people who sold their guns said they still had one or more guns at home.

Cost and Profit 
 
Experience shows that some people will attempt to profit from gun buybacks by submitting inexpensive or broken firearms worth less than the cash incentive offered through the buyback.

In Baltimore, one buyback participant claimed she was going to use the buyback money to purchase a larger weapon.

In Oregon, private citizens waited outside the gun buyback locations to purchase firearms and ammunition from owners before they could go inside to submit them to law enforcement.

Gun buybacks are financed by taxpayer dollars and are generally paid for by local agencies rather than through state or federal funding. A local jurisdiction’s budget will limit the amount of firearms it can purchase and destroy, reducing the likelihood that a gun buyback will have an observable impact on local crime rates.

Law Enforcement Involvement 
 
Typically, gun buyback programs are run by law enforcement. Understandably, criminal offenders may be hesitant to come to the local police station or interact with law enforcement – even if they are promised exemption from prosecution for weapon possession.

Boston attempted to address this concern in 2006 by designating sites like churches as drop-off locations. Other jurisdictions have held gun buybacks run by nonprofit groups, but law enforcement officials are frequently on-hand as security, or to help take the guns to be destroyed after the buyback.

So far, gun buybacks in the United States have been a community-based, grassroots endeavor with limited impact. Their feasibility on a state or nationwide scale is unclear.

Cost alone may be a prohibiting factor. Assuming a $50 per firearm incentive, reducing the US gun stock by 1 per cent&nbsp;would cost $196.5 million. Inevitably, only some of the guns purchased would have been used in future crimes.&nbsp;

(Lacey Wallace is Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Pennsylvania State University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-a-national-buyback-program-reduce-gun-violence-in-america-120060">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) 
&nbsp;

By Lacey Wallace Americans own nearly half of the world’s guns, with approximately 120 firearms for every 100 US residents. Gun control policies may someday restrict new gun sales.

By Lacey Wallace Americans own nearly half of the world’s guns, with approximately 120 firearms for every 100 US residents. Gun control policies may someday restrict new gun sales. But what impact can they have when Americans already own millions of guns? Some have pointed to gun buybacks as a potential solution to this problem. I have spent years studying American attitudes toward guns and gun policies, including smart guns and open carry. I know that gun owners feel strongly about their identities as gun owners, making it difficult to create a strategy for taking guns off the streets. US Gun Stock The sheer number of guns is part of the challenge. The United States has the largest civilian-owned stock of guns in the world. At the end of 2017, the Small Arms Survey reported that there were an estimated 393 million firearms in the United States – and that’s not even counting guns owned by the police and military. That represents 45.8 per cent of the world’s civilian-owned guns. Yemen has the second-highest rate of gun ownership per person in the world, with just 52.8 firearms per 100 residents. More than 40 per cent of US adults live in a household with at least one gun. About half of all civilian-owned guns in the US are owned by just 3 per cent of US adults. These gun owners have an average of 17 guns each. Most other gun owners average about three guns at home. Reducing Numbers Gun buyback programs are designed to reduce the number of firearms by purchasing guns from private owners, and typically destroying them. Gun buyback programs are not new. Following a mass shooting in 1996, Australia banned automatic and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns and instituted a national gun buyback program. In a year, Australia purchased about 650,000 firearms from private residents, estimated to represent about 20 per cent of the country’s privately owned guns. Research evaluating the effects of the buyback found a 42 per cent decrease in homicide rates and a 57 per cent decrease in suicide rates in the seven years after the legislation passed. But some researchers are still uncertain whether this decrease was due to the buyback, or whether it was simply part of an existing downward trend. US cities have experimented with buybacks on a much smaller scale, even though the Pew Research Center reports that more than 70 per cent of gun owners say they could never imagine themselves not owning some sort of firearm. One of the earliest examples occurred in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1974, Baltimore police paid residents US$50 per firearm, collecting roughly 13,500 over a two-month period. Rather than reduce crime, homicides and assaults spiked during the buyback. It is unclear why, but two months is a short time period for a clear pattern to emerge and crime rates in cities across the country were increasing through much of the 1970s. Baltimore is not unique. A 2008 review of the existing research by Matthew Makarios and Travis Pratt in the journal Crime & Delinquency found that gun buyback programs have generally been ineffective in reducing crime in the US Challenges include the types of guns purchased, the involvement of law enforcement, and the costs involved. Types of Guns Purchased Gun buyback programs often place no restrictions on the types of guns that can be purchased. Civilians frequently bring in old firearms, guns in disrepair, rifles, or shotguns. Sacramento, California, implemented a gun buyback program in 1993. Nearly a quarter of all guns submitted were not in working order. The Boston Police Department also attempted a gun buyback program in 1993 without a restriction for weapon type. Only about half of the submitted firearms were handguns. That’s significant because we know from existing crime data that although some mass shooters use more powerful weapons, handguns are the type of firearm most often used in violent crime and in youth violence. If the goal is to reduce crime, getting shotguns or broken firearms off the street will likely have little effect. Guns obtained through a 1994 to 1996 buyback in Milwaukee also differed from those typically used in suicide and homicide. The Boston Police Department tried again in 2006. Learning from their past mistakes, the police offered a $200 gift card for each handgun – but no cash or gift card for rifles or shotguns. At the conclusion of the program, the Boston Police Department reported that more than 85% of submitted firearms were handguns, closely matching the types of guns used in crime. The number of shootings decreased by 14 per cent in Boston in the year after the buyback and continued to decrease through 2010. Other jurisdictions followed Boston’s example. In 2015, 13 police departments in Massachusetts instituted a buyback program with higher amounts paid for types of firearms more frequently used in crime. As a result, they were able to collect more handguns. But three out of five people who sold their guns said they still had one or more guns at home. Cost and Profit Experience shows that some people will attempt to profit from gun buybacks by submitting inexpensive or broken firearms worth less than the cash incentive offered through the buyback. In Baltimore, one buyback participant claimed she was going to use the buyback money to purchase a larger weapon. In Oregon, private citizens waited outside the gun buyback locations to purchase firearms and ammunition from owners before they could go inside to submit them to law enforcement. Gun buybacks are financed by taxpayer dollars and are generally paid for by local agencies rather than through state or federal funding. A local jurisdiction’s budget will limit the amount of firearms it can purchase and destroy, reducing the likelihood that a gun buyback will have an observable impact on local crime rates. Law Enforcement Involvement Typically, gun buyback programs are run by law enforcement. Understandably, criminal offenders may be hesitant to come to the local police station or interact with law enforcement – even if they are promised exemption from prosecution for weapon possession. Boston attempted to address this concern in 2006 by designating sites like churches as drop-off locations. Other jurisdictions have held gun buybacks run by nonprofit groups, but law enforcement officials are frequently on-hand as security, or to help take the guns to be destroyed after the buyback. So far, gun buybacks in the United States have been a community-based, grassroots endeavor with limited impact. Their feasibility on a state or nationwide scale is unclear. Cost alone may be a prohibiting factor. Assuming a $50 per firearm incentive, reducing the US gun stock by 1 per cent would cost $196.5 million. Inevitably, only some of the guns purchased would have been used in future crimes. (Lacey Wallace is Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Pennsylvania State University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Could a national buyback program reduce gun violence in America?

Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi will not travel to the United States for the club's pre-season tour after sustaining a calf problem on his return to training from a close-season break, the La Liga champions said on Monday.

The Argentine forward experienced discomfort in his right leg during Monday's training session and tests confirmed that the 32-year-old had suffered a grade one calf strain, forcing him out of the tour.

"Messi will remain in Barcelona... his availability to come back to action will be dictated by his recovery," Barcelona said in a statement on their website.

Barcelona are set to travel to the US&nbsp;later on Monday, with two friendly matches scheduled against Italian Serie A side Napoli on Aug. 7 (Miami) and 10 (Michigan).

Messi was banned from international duty for three months and fined $50,000 after levelling accusations of "corruption" at South American soccer chiefs during last month's Copa America.

He was sent off against Chile in the third-place playoff and later alleged that the tournament had been fixed in favour of hosts Brazil, who defeated Argentina in the semi-final on their way to the title.

Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi will not travel to the United States for the club's pre-season tour after sustaining a calf problem on his return to training from a close-season break, the La Liga champions said on Monday.

Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi will not travel to the United States for the club's pre-season tour after sustaining a calf problem on his return to training from a close-season break, the La Liga champions said on Monday. The Argentine forward experienced discomfort in his right leg during Monday's training session and tests confirmed that the 32-year-old had suffered a grade one calf strain, forcing him out of the tour. "Messi will remain in Barcelona... his availability to come back to action will be dictated by his recovery," Barcelona said in a statement on their website. Barcelona are set to travel to the US later on Monday, with two friendly matches scheduled against Italian Serie A side Napoli on Aug. 7 (Miami) and 10 (Michigan). Messi was banned from international duty for three months and fined $50,000 after levelling accusations of "corruption" at South American soccer chiefs during last month's Copa America. He was sent off against Chile in the third-place playoff and later alleged that the tournament had been fixed in favour of hosts Brazil, who defeated Argentina in the semi-final on their way to the title.

Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi out of US tour with calf strain

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gunman-kills-20-at-texas-walmart-store-in-us-mass-shooting-240504">Gunman kills 20 at Texas Walmart store in US mass shooting</a>

A gunman armed with an assault rifle killed 20 people Saturday when he opened fire on shoppers at a packed Walmart store in the latest mass shooting in the United States.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-cheers-as-rapper-aap-rocky-freed-in-swedish-assault-case-240508">Trump cheers as rapper A$AP Rocky freed in Swedish assault case</a>

US rapper A$AP Rocky and two of his friends were released from custody in Sweden on Friday three days into their highly publicised assault trial, a development hailed by President Donald Trump who had tried to intervene in the case.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-police-detain-over-800-in-opposition-crackdown-in-moscow-240510">Russian police detain over 800 in opposition crackdown in Moscow</a>

Russian police forcibly detained over 800 people attending a protest in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections, including prominent activist Lyubov Sobol, after authorities warned the demonstration was illegal.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amsterdam-canal-pride-parade-celebrates-stonewall-anniversary-240513">Amsterdam Canal Pride parade celebrates Stonewall anniversary</a>

One of Europe's biggest annual Gay Pride parades kicked off on the canals of Amsterdam on Saturday, with over 500,000 visitors from around the world expected to cheer on 80 boats representing a wide variety of organizations from the LGBTI+ community.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-police-fire-tear-gas-as-city-is-again-roiled-by-protests-240515">Hong Kong police fire tear gas as city is again roiled by protests</a>

Hong Kong police fired multiple tear gas rounds on Saturday night in confrontations with black-clad activists in the city's Kowloon area, as the Chinese-controlled territory was again rocked by anti-government protests.

Gunman kills 20 at Texas Walmart store in US mass shooting A gunman armed with an assault rifle killed 20 people Saturday when he opened fire on shoppers at a packed Walmart store in the latest mass shooting in the United States.

Gunman kills 20 at Texas Walmart store in US mass shooting A gunman armed with an assault rifle killed 20 people Saturday when he opened fire on shoppers at a packed Walmart store in the latest mass shooting in the United States. Trump cheers as rapper A$AP Rocky freed in Swedish assault case US rapper A$AP Rocky and two of his friends were released from custody in Sweden on Friday three days into their highly publicised assault trial, a development hailed by President Donald Trump who had tried to intervene in the case. Russian police detain over 800 in opposition crackdown in Moscow Russian police forcibly detained over 800 people attending a protest in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections, including prominent activist Lyubov Sobol, after authorities warned the demonstration was illegal. Amsterdam Canal Pride parade celebrates Stonewall anniversary One of Europe's biggest annual Gay Pride parades kicked off on the canals of Amsterdam on Saturday, with over 500,000 visitors from around the world expected to cheer on 80 boats representing a wide variety of organizations from the LGBTI+ community. Hong Kong police fire tear gas as city is again roiled by protests Hong Kong police fired multiple tear gas rounds on Saturday night in confrontations with black-clad activists in the city's Kowloon area, as the Chinese-controlled territory was again rocked by anti-government protests.

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