Despite the United States pressuring Pakistan, the Islamabad Government is still supporting the Taliban terrorist group in the border region with Afghanistan, revealed United State Army General Joseph L. Votel.

According to a media report, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, when asked about the continued Pakistani support to Taliban, Gen. Votel noted, &quot;I cannot tell you that we have seen decisive changes in the areas in which we&#39;re working, but I remain very well-engaged with my partner to ensure that we are moving forward on this.&quot;

On recent increase in Taliban attacks in Afghanistan, Votel said, &quot;Having sanctuary in Pakistan or having support from other actors in the region certainly is an aspect of the Taliban&#39;s success here.&quot;

The report further quoted an intelligence source close to the Afghan border region as saying that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan is continuing its covert support for the Taliban in the border region.

&quot;ISI is providing both protection and material support to the Taliban in areas between Quetta and the Afghan border,&quot; the source said.

The insider revealed that the ISI is working along with the Pakistani Army in Taliban in Pashtun ethnic areas of Balochistan province in the northwestern part of the country.

&quot;In Pashtun areas which are close to Quetta, religious groups are operating madrasas&quot; - Islamic schools, the source said. &quot;Among these groups, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is most active. Under Sami ul Haq&#39;s leadership, madrasas are creating new soldiers for Taliban in Balochistan&#39;s Pashtun belt.&quot; Maulana Sami ul Haq is a Pakistani cleric regarded as &quot;the father of the Taliban.&quot;

&quot;We believe top Taliban leadership are operating from Pashtunabad, Gulistan and surrounding areas,&quot; the source added.

The report highlighted that Taliban is working with the ISI in another small border district called Killa Abdullah, about 44 miles from Quetta, capital of Balochistan.

In that area, Taliban fighters have been spotted along &quot;with automatic weapons either in motorbikes, or [in] four-by-four vehicles along with two to five companions,&quot; the source said.

The source further revealed that the local police is not allowed to stop the Taliban fighters from traveling from Afghanistan to Pakistan.

&quot;These people freely travel in Quetta, Chaman and all surrounding areas,&quot; the source said. &quot;Civilian [police] forces cannot intervene because they work under ISI and military apparatus. The police are also powerless and are afraid for their own security.&quot;

A report quoted an intelligence source close to the Afghan border region as saying that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan is continuing its covert support for the Taliban in the border region

Despite the United States pressuring Pakistan, the Islamabad Government is still supporting the Taliban terrorist group in the border region with Afghanistan, revealed United State Army General Joseph L. Votel. According to a media report, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, when asked about the continued Pakistani support to Taliban, Gen. Votel noted, "I cannot tell you that we have seen decisive changes in the areas in which we're working, but I remain very well-engaged with my partner to ensure that we are moving forward on this." On recent increase in Taliban attacks in Afghanistan, Votel said, "Having sanctuary in Pakistan or having support from other actors in the region certainly is an aspect of the Taliban's success here." The report further quoted an intelligence source close to the Afghan border region as saying that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan is continuing its covert support for the Taliban in the border region. "ISI is providing both protection and material support to the Taliban in areas between Quetta and the Afghan border," the source said. The insider revealed that the ISI is working along with the Pakistani Army in Taliban in Pashtun ethnic areas of Balochistan province in the northwestern part of the country. "In Pashtun areas which are close to Quetta, religious groups are operating madrasas" - Islamic schools, the source said. "Among these groups, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is most active. Under Sami ul Haq's leadership, madrasas are creating new soldiers for Taliban in Balochistan's Pashtun belt." Maulana Sami ul Haq is a Pakistani cleric regarded as "the father of the Taliban." "We believe top Taliban leadership are operating from Pashtunabad, Gulistan and surrounding areas," the source added. The report highlighted that Taliban is working with the ISI in another small border district called Killa Abdullah, about 44 miles from Quetta, capital of Balochistan. In that area, Taliban fighters have been spotted along "with automatic weapons either in motorbikes, or [in] four-by-four vehicles along with two to five companions," the source said. The source further revealed that the local police is not allowed to stop the Taliban fighters from traveling from Afghanistan to Pakistan. "These people freely travel in Quetta, Chaman and all surrounding areas," the source said. "Civilian [police] forces cannot intervene because they work under ISI and military apparatus. The police are also powerless and are afraid for their own security."

Pakistan providing covert support to Taliban: US Army General

The United States today accused Russia of disdaining the international order and disrespecting the territorial integrity of sovereign nations.

State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert&#39;s remarks came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin&#39;s campaigned in Crimea, which the US alleges was annexed by Russia some four years ago.

In his election rally in Crimea, home to about two million people, Putin reportedly said that there was still a lot of work to do and that his government was working on various long-term projects.

&quot;In his campaign rally in Crimea today, President Putin reiterated Russia&#39;s false claims to Ukrainian territory in another open admission that the Russian government disdains the international order and disrespects the territorial integrity of sovereign nations,&quot; Nauert said.

&quot;Four years ago this week, Russia held an illegitimate, fabricated &quot;referendum&quot; in Ukraine in a futile attempt to legitimize its purported annexation of Ukrainian territory,&quot; she alleged.

Nauert alleged that the residents of Crimea were made to vote under duress during 2014&#39;s Crimean status referendum.

Russia claimed Crimea on March 18, 2014.

&quot;Crimean residents were compelled to vote under scrutiny by heavily armed Russian troops.Russia&#39;s claim that Ukrainians made a free choice in that sham &quot;referendum&quot; has always lacked credibility,&quot; Nauert said.

Nauert said Russia has engaged in a campaign of coercion and violence over the past four years, &quot;targeting anyone opposed to its attempted annexation&quot;.

&quot;In light of Putin&#39;s remarks, it is important to call attention to the illegitimacy of the staged &quot;referendum,&quot; but also to the tremendous human costs the Russian government has imposed on the people of Crimea,&quot; Nauert said. 
 
&quot;Russian occupation authorities have subjected Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians, pro-Ukrainian activists, civil society members, and independent journalists to politically motivated prosecution and ongoing repression, while methodically suppressing nongovernmental organisations and independent media outlets,&quot; Nauert said.

The State Department spokesperson applauded people who speak out against the situation in Crimea.

&quot;We stand behind those courageous individuals who continue to speak out about these abuses and we call on Russia to cease its attempts to quell fundamental freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and religion or belief,&quot; she said.

Nauert said the US will continue its Crimea-related sanctions until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine.

&quot;We reaffirm our commitment to Ukraine&#39;s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Crimea is part of Ukraine,&quot; she said.

The United States today accused Russia of disdaining the international order and disrespecting the territorial integrity of sovereign nations

The United States today accused Russia of disdaining the international order and disrespecting the territorial integrity of sovereign nations. State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert's remarks came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin's campaigned in Crimea, which the US alleges was annexed by Russia some four years ago. In his election rally in Crimea, home to about two million people, Putin reportedly said that there was still a lot of work to do and that his government was working on various long-term projects. "In his campaign rally in Crimea today, President Putin reiterated Russia's false claims to Ukrainian territory in another open admission that the Russian government disdains the international order and disrespects the territorial integrity of sovereign nations," Nauert said. "Four years ago this week, Russia held an illegitimate, fabricated "referendum" in Ukraine in a futile attempt to legitimize its purported annexation of Ukrainian territory," she alleged. Nauert alleged that the residents of Crimea were made to vote under duress during 2014's Crimean status referendum. Russia claimed Crimea on March 18, 2014. "Crimean residents were compelled to vote under scrutiny by heavily armed Russian troops.Russia's claim that Ukrainians made a free choice in that sham "referendum" has always lacked credibility," Nauert said. Nauert said Russia has engaged in a campaign of coercion and violence over the past four years, "targeting anyone opposed to its attempted annexation". "In light of Putin's remarks, it is important to call attention to the illegitimacy of the staged "referendum," but also to the tremendous human costs the Russian government has imposed on the people of Crimea," Nauert said. "Russian occupation authorities have subjected Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians, pro-Ukrainian activists, civil society members, and independent journalists to politically motivated prosecution and ongoing repression, while methodically suppressing nongovernmental organisations and independent media outlets," Nauert said. The State Department spokesperson applauded people who speak out against the situation in Crimea. "We stand behind those courageous individuals who continue to speak out about these abuses and we call on Russia to cease its attempts to quell fundamental freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and religion or belief," she said. Nauert said the US will continue its Crimea-related sanctions until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine. "We reaffirm our commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Crimea is part of Ukraine," she said.

Russia disrespects territorial integrity of sovereign nations: US

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/hillary-clinton-arrives-on-three-day-private-visit-to-india-35487" target="_blank">Hillary Clinton who visited India for a&nbsp;three-day private visit</a> to Madhya Pradesh said that&nbsp; United States did not &ldquo;deserve&rdquo; Donald Trump&rsquo;s presidency and these are &ldquo;perilous times.&rdquo;

Clinton said this while addressing an audience during the weekend in Mumbai.

She said that the Republican president has &ldquo;quite an affinity for dictators&rdquo; and Trump &ldquo;really likes their authoritarian posturing and behavior.&rdquo;&nbsp;

She also added that she thinks it&rsquo;s &ldquo;more than that&rdquo; with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia.

Clinton also targetted people who supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential elections.

While speaking at a media event in Mumbai she had said those who supported Trump did so because they did not like black people getting rights, women getting jobs or Indian-American succeeding more than them.

Clinton was recently in India on a business tour.

&nbsp;

While speaking at a media event in Mumbai she had said those who supported Trump did so because they did not like black people getting rights, women getting jobs or Indian-American succeeding more than them

Hillary Clinton who visited India for a three-day private visit to Madhya Pradesh said that United States did not “deserve” Donald Trump’s presidency and these are “perilous times.” Clinton said this while addressing an audience during the weekend in Mumbai. She said that the Republican president has “quite an affinity for dictators” and Trump “really likes their authoritarian posturing and behavior.” She also added that she thinks it’s “more than that” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia. Clinton also targetted people who supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential elections. While speaking at a media event in Mumbai she had said those who supported Trump did so because they did not like black people getting rights, women getting jobs or Indian-American succeeding more than them. Clinton was recently in India on a business tour.

United States did not 'deserve' Donald Trump's presidency: Hillary Clinton

The US State Department placed a $5 million reward for help locating the leader of the Pakistani Taliban on Thursday, linked to bloody attacks in Pakistan and the 2010 attempted Times Square car bombing in New York.

The State Department posted the reward for information leading to the identification or location of Maulana Fazlullah, the head of the outlawed Tehreek&ndash;e-Taliban Pakistan militant group (TTP).&nbsp;

It also offered $3 million each for two other Islamic militants associated with the TTP: Abdul Wali, leader of Jamaat ul-Ahrar, and Mangal Bagh, the leader of Lashkar-e-Islam.

The State Department said the TTP has &quot;demonstrated a close alliance with al-Qaeda&quot; and the three pose a threat to the security of the United States.

According to US officials, TTP gave explosives training to Faisal Shahzad, who failed in his attempt to set off a car bomb in Times Square in May 2010.

The group was behind the massacre of more than 150 people at a Peshawar school in December 2014, and nine dead in another attack in December 2017 in the same city.

It was also responsible for the October 2012 shooting of Malala Yousafzai, who became a global symbol of the fight for girls&#39; rights to schooling.&nbsp;

In January a US drone strike killed Khalid Mehsood, the TTP deputy leader, the group said.

In a separate move, the State Department also added two members of the Kenya arm of the violent al-Shabaab extremist group to its list of &quot;specially designated global terrorists&quot;: Ahmad Iman Ali and Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi.

Both are tied to deadly attacks in the country.

The State Department posted the reward for information leading to the identification or location of Maulana Fazlullah, the head of the outlawed Tehreek–e-Taliban Pakistan militant group (TTP)

The US State Department placed a $5 million reward for help locating the leader of the Pakistani Taliban on Thursday, linked to bloody attacks in Pakistan and the 2010 attempted Times Square car bombing in New York. The State Department posted the reward for information leading to the identification or location of Maulana Fazlullah, the head of the outlawed Tehreek–e-Taliban Pakistan militant group (TTP). It also offered $3 million each for two other Islamic militants associated with the TTP: Abdul Wali, leader of Jamaat ul-Ahrar, and Mangal Bagh, the leader of Lashkar-e-Islam. The State Department said the TTP has "demonstrated a close alliance with al-Qaeda" and the three pose a threat to the security of the United States. According to US officials, TTP gave explosives training to Faisal Shahzad, who failed in his attempt to set off a car bomb in Times Square in May 2010. The group was behind the massacre of more than 150 people at a Peshawar school in December 2014, and nine dead in another attack in December 2017 in the same city. It was also responsible for the October 2012 shooting of Malala Yousafzai, who became a global symbol of the fight for girls' rights to schooling. In January a US drone strike killed Khalid Mehsood, the TTP deputy leader, the group said. In a separate move, the State Department also added two members of the Kenya arm of the violent al-Shabaab extremist group to its list of "specially designated global terrorists": Ahmad Iman Ali and Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi. Both are tied to deadly attacks in the country.

US offers $5 million reward for Pakistan Taliban leader

Following the brutal Florida school shooting just a few weeks back, Senate narrowly passed a bill Monday that would create new restrictions on rifle sales and plan to allow school staff to carry firearms as part of a package of measures.&nbsp;

The meeting carried on for three hours. The amendment was designed in part to increase support from many parents, law enforcement officials and legislators in both parties who object to arming teachers, as well as from Governor Rick Scott, a Republican also on record as opposed to the idea.&nbsp;

Democratic senator Lauran Book had suggested a ban on assault-style rifles, like many of the students who travelled to the state Capitol to ask lawmakers to go even further to stop future mass shootings.&nbsp;

The exclusion was adopted by voice vote as part of a package of legislation the Senate passed a short time later, 20-18, to raise the minimum legal age for buying all guns in Florida to 21 and impose a three-day waiting period for any gun purchase.

The minimum age for handguns nationally is already 21. But a person can be as young as 18 to buy a rifle in Florida, with no waiting period.

A single vote against the bill would have resulted in failure to pass the decision on Monday. The Republicans, as well as the Democrats, said that there will some terms in the bill which they were not in favour of, reports said. They did not like the idea of teachers carrying guns and raising the minimum age to buy rifles from 18 to 21 and to create a waiting period on sales of the weapons.

The Senate-passed bill represents a break with the National Rifle Association gun rights lobby, which has resisted proposals to raise age limits or impose new waiting limits.

The bill now moves to Florida&rsquo;s Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The annual 60-day session is scheduled to end Friday.

A House committee last week approved similar legislation, including a provision allowing local sheriffs to create voluntary programs for deputizing school personnel as armed &ldquo;marshals,&rdquo; subject to school district approval and special training. U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced support for such a plan, also advocated by the NRA.

As amended in the Senate bill, classroom teachers would be excluded from carrying guns to work unless they are part of the Junior Reserve Officers&rsquo; Training Corps program, or are members of the U.S. military or former police officers. Other school personnel would be eligible to participate. 
&nbsp;

The amendment was designed in part to increase support from many parents, law enforcement officials and legislators in both parties who object to arming teachers, as well as from Governor Rick Scott, a Republican also on record as opposed to the idea

Following the brutal Florida school shooting just a few weeks back, Senate narrowly passed a bill Monday that would create new restrictions on rifle sales and plan to allow school staff to carry firearms as part of a package of measures. The meeting carried on for three hours. The amendment was designed in part to increase support from many parents, law enforcement officials and legislators in both parties who object to arming teachers, as well as from Governor Rick Scott, a Republican also on record as opposed to the idea. Democratic senator Lauran Book had suggested a ban on assault-style rifles, like many of the students who travelled to the state Capitol to ask lawmakers to go even further to stop future mass shootings. The exclusion was adopted by voice vote as part of a package of legislation the Senate passed a short time later, 20-18, to raise the minimum legal age for buying all guns in Florida to 21 and impose a three-day waiting period for any gun purchase. The minimum age for handguns nationally is already 21. But a person can be as young as 18 to buy a rifle in Florida, with no waiting period. A single vote against the bill would have resulted in failure to pass the decision on Monday. The Republicans, as well as the Democrats, said that there will some terms in the bill which they were not in favour of, reports said. They did not like the idea of teachers carrying guns and raising the minimum age to buy rifles from 18 to 21 and to create a waiting period on sales of the weapons. The Senate-passed bill represents a break with the National Rifle Association gun rights lobby, which has resisted proposals to raise age limits or impose new waiting limits. The bill now moves to Florida’s Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The annual 60-day session is scheduled to end Friday. A House committee last week approved similar legislation, including a provision allowing local sheriffs to create voluntary programs for deputizing school personnel as armed “marshals,” subject to school district approval and special training. U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced support for such a plan, also advocated by the NRA. As amended in the Senate bill, classroom teachers would be excluded from carrying guns to work unless they are part of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, or are members of the U.S. military or former police officers. Other school personnel would be eligible to participate.

Florida lawmakers pass bill to increase minimum age on gun sales, arming teachers

In a heavy blow to the financial markets worldwide on Thursday, the US president Donald Trump increased the tariff up to 25 percent on the steel exports, which is expected to impact the South Korean manufacturers of steel.

While addressing a meeting with the business executives at the White House, he further intended to impose 10 percent tariff on the aluminium imports within the next week.This announcement impacted the stock markets as the equity indices recorded a steep flow.

At the close of trading in New York, the S&amp;P 500 had fallen 1.3 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was off 1.7 percent.

This move of the Trump government has been opposed by the European Union and is further mooted to be in favour of the trade policies of US.Donald Trump is taken this step as part of national security investigation that allows him to invoke a loophole in the international trade rules enabling countries to impose trade restrictions during the war times.&nbsp;

At the close of trading in New York, the S&P 500 had fallen 1.3 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was off 1.7 percent.

In a heavy blow to the financial markets worldwide on Thursday, the US president Donald Trump increased the tariff up to 25 percent on the steel exports, which is expected to impact the South Korean manufacturers of steel. While addressing a meeting with the business executives at the White House, he further intended to impose 10 percent tariff on the aluminium imports within the next week.This announcement impacted the stock markets as the equity indices recorded a steep flow. At the close of trading in New York, the S&P 500 had fallen 1.3 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was off 1.7 percent. This move of the Trump government has been opposed by the European Union and is further mooted to be in favour of the trade policies of US.Donald Trump is taken this step as part of national security investigation that allows him to invoke a loophole in the international trade rules enabling countries to impose trade restrictions during the war times.

US: Stock Exchange tumbles after steel tariff announcement

The White House on Thursday faced fresh speculation about the future of National Security Advisor HR McMaster, with officials sending mixed messages about his possible departure.

Amid a stream of staff leaving Donald Trump&#39;s White House, NBC reported that the three-star general tasked with running White House security policy will, within months, be headed for the exit as well.

&quot;We frequently face rumor and innuendo about senior administration officials,&quot; White House spokesman Raj Shah said in response. &quot;There are no personnel announcements at this time.&quot;

That non-denial only fanned the flames -- it was followed up by a more categorical statement from McMaster&#39;s spokesman Michael Anton.

&quot;I was just with President Trump and HR McMaster in the Oval Office. President Trump said that the NBC News story is &#39;fake news,&#39; and told McMaster that he is doing a great job.&quot;

NBC reported that a senior executive at US automaker Ford, Stephen Biegun, was a possible replacement.

Biegun previously worked as national security advisor to former Senate majority leader Bill Frist and worked in the George. W. Bush White House.

Trump and McMaster have had an uneasy relationship.

When the army general recently said there was &quot;incontrovertible&quot; evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, he was publicly upbraided by Trump.

&quot;General McMaster forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians,&quot; Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

McMaster joined the administration in February last year, replacing Michael Flynn, who has since been indicted by Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia&#39;s role in Trump&#39;s election -- and possible collusion between Team Trump and Moscow.

Last week, CNN reported that the Pentagon was looking at moving McMaster back into the military, a move that could net him a fourth star.&nbsp;

'We frequently face rumour and innuendo about senior administration officials,' White House spokesman Raj Shah said in response. 'There are no personnel announcements at this time'

The White House on Thursday faced fresh speculation about the future of National Security Advisor HR McMaster, with officials sending mixed messages about his possible departure. Amid a stream of staff leaving Donald Trump's White House, NBC reported that the three-star general tasked with running White House security policy will, within months, be headed for the exit as well. "We frequently face rumor and innuendo about senior administration officials," White House spokesman Raj Shah said in response. "There are no personnel announcements at this time." That non-denial only fanned the flames -- it was followed up by a more categorical statement from McMaster's spokesman Michael Anton. "I was just with President Trump and HR McMaster in the Oval Office. President Trump said that the NBC News story is 'fake news,' and told McMaster that he is doing a great job." NBC reported that a senior executive at US automaker Ford, Stephen Biegun, was a possible replacement. Biegun previously worked as national security advisor to former Senate majority leader Bill Frist and worked in the George. W. Bush White House. Trump and McMaster have had an uneasy relationship. When the army general recently said there was "incontrovertible" evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, he was publicly upbraided by Trump. "General McMaster forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians," Trump tweeted. McMaster joined the administration in February last year, replacing Michael Flynn, who has since been indicted by Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in Trump's election -- and possible collusion between Team Trump and Moscow. Last week, CNN reported that the Pentagon was looking at moving McMaster back into the military, a move that could net him a fourth star.

US National Security Adviser HR McMaster may be leaving White House: Reports

North Korea denied reports it had cooperated with Syria on chemical weapons, dismissing them as a fabrication by the United States to pressure the country, state media reported late Thursday (March 1).

The state-run television KRT cited a spokesman at the foreign ministry&#39;s research institute of American studies arguing that the United States made a &quot;nonsensical argument&quot; that it helped Syria produce chemical weapons.

&quot;As we have clearly said several times, our republic does not develop, produce and stockpile chemical weapons and opposes chemical weapons themselves,&quot; KRT quoted its foreign ministry.

Two North Korean shipments to a Syrian government agency responsible for the country&#39;s chemical weapons program were intercepted in the past six months, according to a confidential U.N. report on North Korea sanctions violations.

The state-run television KRT cited a spokesman at the foreign ministry's research institute of American studies arguing that the United States made a "nonsensical argument" that it helped Syria produce chemical weapons

North Korea denied reports it had cooperated with Syria on chemical weapons, dismissing them as a fabrication by the United States to pressure the country, state media reported late Thursday (March 1). The state-run television KRT cited a spokesman at the foreign ministry's research institute of American studies arguing that the United States made a "nonsensical argument" that it helped Syria produce chemical weapons. "As we have clearly said several times, our republic does not develop, produce and stockpile chemical weapons and opposes chemical weapons themselves," KRT quoted its foreign ministry. Two North Korean shipments to a Syrian government agency responsible for the country's chemical weapons program were intercepted in the past six months, according to a confidential U.N. report on North Korea sanctions violations.

North Korea denies chemical weapons link with Syria

South Korean President Moon Jae-in Thursday told Donald Trump that he plans to send a special envoy to Pyongyang, his office said, the latest in the Olympic-driven detente between the two Koreas.

An intense rapprochement saw the two Koreas march into the Games opening ceremony together behind a unification flag, and Moon shared a historic handshake with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un&#39;s sister Kim Yo Jong.

&quot;In response to the visit by North Korea&#39;s special envoy Kim Yo Jong, ... Moon conveyed to Trump his plans to dispatch a special envoy to the North soon,&quot; Seoul&#39;s presidential office said in a statement following their phone conversation.

The two presidents also &quot;agreed to maintain the momentum in inter-Korean dialogue and to continue efforts so it leads to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,&quot; it said.

Moon has sought to use the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics that ended Sunday to open dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang in the hopes of easing a nuclear standoff that has sparked global security fears.

Pyongyang mounted a charm offensive during the Games, sending athletes, cheerleaders and high-level delegations following months of tensions over its nuclear and missile programmes.

Moon, who advocates dialogue with the North to defuse tension, said on Monday that Washington needs to &quot;lower the threshold for talks&quot; with the North.&nbsp;

In a meeting with North Korean General Kim Yong Chol on Sunday, Moon also urged the North to open dialogue with the US as soon as possible -- to which Kim responded by saying the North was &quot;very willing&quot; to hold talks.

But the US has ruled out any possibility of talks before Pyongyang -- which last year staged multiple missile and nuclear tests -- takes steps towards denuclearisation.

There was no known interaction between the North and the US during the Games and Washington last week imposed what Trump described as the &quot;heaviest ever&quot; sanctions on the isolated regime.

The two presidents also 'agreed to maintain the momentum in inter-Korean dialogue and to continue efforts so it leads to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula'

South Korean President Moon Jae-in Thursday told Donald Trump that he plans to send a special envoy to Pyongyang, his office said, the latest in the Olympic-driven detente between the two Koreas. An intense rapprochement saw the two Koreas march into the Games opening ceremony together behind a unification flag, and Moon shared a historic handshake with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong. "In response to the visit by North Korea's special envoy Kim Yo Jong, ... Moon conveyed to Trump his plans to dispatch a special envoy to the North soon," Seoul's presidential office said in a statement following their phone conversation. The two presidents also "agreed to maintain the momentum in inter-Korean dialogue and to continue efforts so it leads to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula," it said. Moon has sought to use the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics that ended Sunday to open dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang in the hopes of easing a nuclear standoff that has sparked global security fears. Pyongyang mounted a charm offensive during the Games, sending athletes, cheerleaders and high-level delegations following months of tensions over its nuclear and missile programmes. Moon, who advocates dialogue with the North to defuse tension, said on Monday that Washington needs to "lower the threshold for talks" with the North. In a meeting with North Korean General Kim Yong Chol on Sunday, Moon also urged the North to open dialogue with the US as soon as possible -- to which Kim responded by saying the North was "very willing" to hold talks. But the US has ruled out any possibility of talks before Pyongyang -- which last year staged multiple missile and nuclear tests -- takes steps towards denuclearisation. There was no known interaction between the North and the US during the Games and Washington last week imposed what Trump described as the "heaviest ever" sanctions on the isolated regime.

Will send special envoy to North Korea: South Korea to Trump

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday the United States should lower the threshold for talks with North Korea, while Pyongyang should in return show willingness towards denuclearisation.

&quot;Recently, North Korea has shown it is open to actively engaging the United States in talks and the United States is talking about the importance of dialogue,&quot; Moon said during a meeting in Seoul with Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong.

&quot;There is a need for the United States to lower the threshold for talks with North Korea and North Korea should show it is willing to denuclearise. It&#39;s important the United States and North Korea sit down together quickly,&quot; he said, according to a statement from his office.

'There is a need for the United States to lower the threshold for talks with North Korea and North Korea should show it is willing to denuclearise,' the South Korean President said

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday the United States should lower the threshold for talks with North Korea, while Pyongyang should in return show willingness towards denuclearisation. "Recently, North Korea has shown it is open to actively engaging the United States in talks and the United States is talking about the importance of dialogue," Moon said during a meeting in Seoul with Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong. "There is a need for the United States to lower the threshold for talks with North Korea and North Korea should show it is willing to denuclearise. It's important the United States and North Korea sit down together quickly," he said, according to a statement from his office.

South Korea's Moon says US should lower threshold for North Korea talks

The government agency in charge of granting citizenship to prospective Americans has removed a passage from its mission statement that describes the United States as a nation of immigrants.

The move by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency &nbsp;(USCIS) was first revealed via an email shared with the Intercept, confirmed by the UK based newspaper The Guardian on Thursday.

Whereas the mission statement had previously read:

USCIS secures America&rsquo;s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system.&rdquo;

It will now read:

US&nbsp;Citizenship and Immigration Services administers the nation&rsquo;s lawful immigration system, safeguarding its integrity and promise by efficiently and fairly adjudicating requests for immigration benefits while protecting Americans, securing the homeland, and honouring our values.

USCIS which processes about 6m applications a year was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, under the Department of Homeland Security.&nbsp;

In the email, USCIS director L Francis Cissna said: &ldquo;This simple, straightforward statement clearly defines the agency&rsquo;s role in our country&rsquo;s lawful immigration system and the commitment we have to the American people,&rdquo; the newspaper reported.&nbsp;

The director also noted the removal of the term &ldquo;customers&rdquo;, arguing that US citizens are the agency&rsquo;s customers, not those applying for citizenship.

&ldquo;All applicants and petitioners should, of course, always be treated with the greatest respect and courtesy, but we can&rsquo;t forget that we serve the American people,&rdquo; he wrote in the email.

However, virtually the entire agency budget &ndash; between 95 per cent and 99 per cent, according to publicly available budget documents &ndash; is funded through user fees paid by the applicants and petitioners.

&ldquo;With this mission statement, we move away from the transactional language of customer and product. Citizenship, residency and the other benefits of our immigration system are granted only after a rigorous evaluation, not merely by the payment of a fee, or submission of an application,&rdquo; agency officials said.

They added that the new mission statement was effective immediately and was not ordered by Donald Trump or White House officials.

The director also noted the removal of the term “customers”, arguing that US citizens are the agency’s customers, not those applying for citizenship.

The government agency in charge of granting citizenship to prospective Americans has removed a passage from its mission statement that describes the United States as a nation of immigrants. The move by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency (USCIS) was first revealed via an email shared with the Intercept, confirmed by the UK based newspaper The Guardian on Thursday. Whereas the mission statement had previously read: USCIS secures America’s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system.” It will now read: US Citizenship and Immigration Services administers the nation’s lawful immigration system, safeguarding its integrity and promise by efficiently and fairly adjudicating requests for immigration benefits while protecting Americans, securing the homeland, and honouring our values. USCIS which processes about 6m applications a year was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, under the Department of Homeland Security. In the email, USCIS director L Francis Cissna said: “This simple, straightforward statement clearly defines the agency’s role in our country’s lawful immigration system and the commitment we have to the American people,” the newspaper reported. The director also noted the removal of the term “customers”, arguing that US citizens are the agency’s customers, not those applying for citizenship. “All applicants and petitioners should, of course, always be treated with the greatest respect and courtesy, but we can’t forget that we serve the American people,” he wrote in the email. However, virtually the entire agency budget – between 95 per cent and 99 per cent, according to publicly available budget documents – is funded through user fees paid by the applicants and petitioners. “With this mission statement, we move away from the transactional language of customer and product. Citizenship, residency and the other benefits of our immigration system are granted only after a rigorous evaluation, not merely by the payment of a fee, or submission of an application,” agency officials said. They added that the new mission statement was effective immediately and was not ordered by Donald Trump or White House officials.

USCIS removes description of US as 'nation of immigrants'

The United States is expected to open its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem in May, a US official said on Friday, a move from Tel Aviv that reverses decades of US policy.

US President Donald Trump announced last year that the United States recognised Jerusalem as Israel`s capital, infuriating even Washington`s Arab allies and dismaying Palestinians who want the eastern part of the city as their capital.

A May opening appears to represent an earlier time frame than what had been expected. While speaking in the Israeli parliament last month, US Vice President Mike Pence said the move would take place by the end of 2019.&nbsp;

The opening will coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel`s founding, said the US official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

US President Donald Trump announced last year that the United States recognised Jerusalem as Israel`s capital, infuriating even Washington`s Arab allies and dismaying Palestinians who want the eastern part of the city as their capital

The United States is expected to open its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem in May, a US official said on Friday, a move from Tel Aviv that reverses decades of US policy. US President Donald Trump announced last year that the United States recognised Jerusalem as Israel`s capital, infuriating even Washington`s Arab allies and dismaying Palestinians who want the eastern part of the city as their capital. A May opening appears to represent an earlier time frame than what had been expected. While speaking in the Israeli parliament last month, US Vice President Mike Pence said the move would take place by the end of 2019. The opening will coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel`s founding, said the US official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

US expected to open embassy in Jerusalem in May: Officials

The United States President Donald Trump&#39;s son Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled to arrive in Gurugram on Monday to endorse his luxurious residential project, the Trump Towers.

Trump Jr., who is the executive director of the Trump Organisation, will arrive on a Boeing 757, which is nicknamed as Trump Force One, The New York Times reported.

The major English daily, Hindustan Times published an advertisement on their front page of the newspaper on Saturday which read- &quot;Trump has arrived. Have you?&quot;

Advertisements inside the newspaper mentioned that anyone who agreed to buy a Trump property before February 21 will have a chance of &quot;a conversation and dinner&quot; with Trump Jr.

Trump Jr. is scheduled to speak at the Global Business Summit in Delhi, which will be held on February 23 and 24.

He will also visit Kolkata, where the construction of a project with 137 luxury units will begin soon.

In Mumbai, he will oversee a 78-story Trump Tower with 400 residences, which is under construction and is scheduled to be completed by next year.

Trump Jr. will also visit Pune, where a fourth Trump-branded project has been built.

In an interview last week, Trump Jr. stated that he had spent nearly a decade &quot;cultivating relationships in India&quot; and that his company was &quot;now seeing the response of that effort.&quot;

According to business partners in India, many units in the Trump Towers are selling about 30 percent per square foot higher than the current market rates. Trump Jr.&#39;s visit to India this week is expected to reinforce the trend.

Talking about his trip earlier this month, Trump Jr. said, &quot;India is such an incredible country and our brand has enjoyed tremendous success in the region for many years. This trip is a celebration of all we have achieved, including the launch of the Trump developments in Kolkata and Delhi which have been underway for many months.&quot;

&quot;The teams in India have been working very hard to deliver residences that are truly second to none and I am looking forward to visiting these spectacular projects very soon,&quot; he added.

India is Trump Organisation&#39;s biggest international market, with four real estate projects underway in Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, and Gurugram.

The towers are being built by local partners- M3M, a National Capital Region (NCR) real estate company and Tribeca Developers of Mumbai.

The Trump development encompasses two towers with a total of 254 &quot;ultra luxury&quot; units, each selling for up to $1.5 million, according to the Trump Organisation.

Among other features of Trump Towers are a temperature-controlled indoor swimming pool, a spa and fitness centre, a fine-dining restaurant, business centre, and in-residence catering.

Trump Jr.&#39;s visit to India comes after his sister, Ivanka, visited Hyderabad in November last year to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. (GES)

Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled to arrive in Gurugram on Monday

The United States President Donald Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled to arrive in Gurugram on Monday to endorse his luxurious residential project, the Trump Towers. Trump Jr., who is the executive director of the Trump Organisation, will arrive on a Boeing 757, which is nicknamed as Trump Force One, The New York Times reported. The major English daily, Hindustan Times published an advertisement on their front page of the newspaper on Saturday which read- "Trump has arrived. Have you?" Advertisements inside the newspaper mentioned that anyone who agreed to buy a Trump property before February 21 will have a chance of "a conversation and dinner" with Trump Jr. Trump Jr. is scheduled to speak at the Global Business Summit in Delhi, which will be held on February 23 and 24. He will also visit Kolkata, where the construction of a project with 137 luxury units will begin soon. In Mumbai, he will oversee a 78-story Trump Tower with 400 residences, which is under construction and is scheduled to be completed by next year. Trump Jr. will also visit Pune, where a fourth Trump-branded project has been built. In an interview last week, Trump Jr. stated that he had spent nearly a decade "cultivating relationships in India" and that his company was "now seeing the response of that effort." According to business partners in India, many units in the Trump Towers are selling about 30 percent per square foot higher than the current market rates. Trump Jr.'s visit to India this week is expected to reinforce the trend. Talking about his trip earlier this month, Trump Jr. said, "India is such an incredible country and our brand has enjoyed tremendous success in the region for many years. This trip is a celebration of all we have achieved, including the launch of the Trump developments in Kolkata and Delhi which have been underway for many months." "The teams in India have been working very hard to deliver residences that are truly second to none and I am looking forward to visiting these spectacular projects very soon," he added. India is Trump Organisation's biggest international market, with four real estate projects underway in Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, and Gurugram. The towers are being built by local partners- M3M, a National Capital Region (NCR) real estate company and Tribeca Developers of Mumbai. The Trump development encompasses two towers with a total of 254 "ultra luxury" units, each selling for up to $1.5 million, according to the Trump Organisation. Among other features of Trump Towers are a temperature-controlled indoor swimming pool, a spa and fitness centre, a fine-dining restaurant, business centre, and in-residence catering. Trump Jr.'s visit to India comes after his sister, Ivanka, visited Hyderabad in November last year to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. (GES)

Donald Trump Jr. to launch Trump Towers in Gurugram tomorrow

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-moves-motion-to-place-pakistan-on-a-global-terrorist-financing-watchlist-at-fatf-32787">US moves motion to place Pakistan on global terror financing watchlist at FATF: Report</a>

The United States has reportedly put forward a motion to place Pakistan on a global terrorist financing watchlist at the Financial Action Task Force &nbsp;(FATF) meeting due to take place in Paris next week, newswire Reuters reported.

<a href="http://Another US judge blocks Trump's move to end 'Dreamers' programme">Another US judge blocks Trump&#39;s move to end &#39;Dreamers&#39; programme&nbsp;</a>

A month after a US judge blocked President Trump&#39;s move to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals(DACA) immigrant programme, another judge on Tuesday blocked the US president&#39;s move to end the programme.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/paul-nehlens-twitter-account-permantently-suspended-for-posting-racist-picture-of-meghan-markle-32789">Twitter permanently suspends Paul Nehlen&#39;s account for posting racist picture of Meghan Markle</a>

Republican politician Paul Nehlen&#39;s account was permanently suspended by Twitter after he tweeted a &quot;racist&quot; picture targetting Meghan Markle on Tuesday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-backed-militants-to-continue-attacks-inside-india-us-32793">Pakistan backed militants to continue attacks inside India: US</a>

America&#39;s intelligence chief today warned that Pakistan-supported terrorist groups would continue to carry out attacks inside India, thus risking escalation of tension between the two neighbours.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-police-recommends-bribery-fraud-charge-against-pm-netanyahu-32782">Israeli police recommends bribery, fraud charge against PM Netanyahu</a>

Israeli police on Tuesday recommended indicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for bribery, opening the way for what could be the biggest challenge yet to the right-wing leader&#39;s political survival.

 
&nbsp;

US moves motion to place Pakistan on global terror financing watchlist at FATF: Report The United States has reportedly put forward a motion to place Pakistan on a global terrorist financing watchlist at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting due to take place in Paris next week, newswire Reuters reported. Another US judge blocks Trump's move to end 'Dreamers' programme A month after a US judge blocked President Trump's move to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals(DACA) immigrant programme, another judge on Tuesday blocked the US president's move to end the programme. Twitter permanently suspends Paul Nehlen's account for posting racist picture of Meghan Markle Republican politician Paul Nehlen's account was permanently suspended by Twitter after he tweeted a "racist" picture targetting Meghan Markle on Tuesday. Pakistan backed militants to continue attacks inside India: US America's intelligence chief today warned that Pakistan-supported terrorist groups would continue to carry out attacks inside India, thus risking escalation of tension between the two neighbours. Israeli police recommends bribery, fraud charge against PM Netanyahu Israeli police on Tuesday recommended indicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for bribery, opening the way for what could be the biggest challenge yet to the right-wing leader's political survival.

WION Morning News Brief, February 14, 2018

President Donald Trump`s administration on Monday revived its support for construction of a new FBI headquarters, saying it planned to ask Congress in 2018 for the remaining $2.175 billion needed to help pay for it.

The funding request, tucked inside the president`s larger $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan, would help cover the cost to tear down and rebuild the Federal Bureau of Investigation`s aging 1970s-era headquarters building in downtown Washington, which has nets rigged to catch falling stones.

The move marks a reversal from July, when the administration cancelled a years-long search to find a new home for the crime-fighting agency.&nbsp;

The FBI had previously searched for possible new spots in either Maryland or Virginia.

The total estimated cost for a new FBI headquarters is $3.3 billion, Assistant Attorney General Lee Lofthus told reporters in a briefing on Monday at the Justice Department.&nbsp;

The FBI has already set aside $1.125 billion toward the construction project.

&quot;The idea is to build a modern and secure headquarters building across the street on the side of the (J. Edgar) Hoover building,&quot; Lofthus said.&nbsp;

&quot;This is an important part of the president`s infrastructure program.&quot;

Lofthus added that the projected $3.3 billion would also cover the cost of &quot;swing space,&quot; or space that FBI employees will use on a temporary basis during construction.

The agency endorsed the plan, saying in a statement: &quot;The FBI believes this proposed consolidation strategy enhances mission resiliency, continuity of operations, and will provide the Bureau with the agility necessary to meet future needs.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Also on Monday, the Trump administration unveiled its proposal for the fiscal 2019 budget.

That plan asks for a Justice Department budget of $28 billion, a slight decrease of 1.2 percent from the 2017 enacted level.

Most of the Justice Department`s components would see a funding boost under the plan, with increases proposed for the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as for U.S. attorneys and the office that oversees immigration courts.

The decrease would be achieved by consolidating the COPS grants program into the Office of Justice Programs, and closing two regional Bureau of Prisons offices.

The plan also calls for stripping the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of its powers to police cigarette and alcohol smuggling and transferring them to a tax and trade unit inside the Treasury Department.

After that, the ATF would focus solely on efforts to combat violent crimes such as arson, illegal firearms trafficking and bombings.

FBI had previously searched for possible new spots in either Maryland or Virginia.

President Donald Trump`s administration on Monday revived its support for construction of a new FBI headquarters, saying it planned to ask Congress in 2018 for the remaining $2.175 billion needed to help pay for it. The funding request, tucked inside the president`s larger $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan, would help cover the cost to tear down and rebuild the Federal Bureau of Investigation`s aging 1970s-era headquarters building in downtown Washington, which has nets rigged to catch falling stones. The move marks a reversal from July, when the administration cancelled a years-long search to find a new home for the crime-fighting agency. The FBI had previously searched for possible new spots in either Maryland or Virginia. The total estimated cost for a new FBI headquarters is $3.3 billion, Assistant Attorney General Lee Lofthus told reporters in a briefing on Monday at the Justice Department. The FBI has already set aside $1.125 billion toward the construction project. "The idea is to build a modern and secure headquarters building across the street on the side of the (J. Edgar) Hoover building," Lofthus said. "This is an important part of the president`s infrastructure program." Lofthus added that the projected $3.3 billion would also cover the cost of "swing space," or space that FBI employees will use on a temporary basis during construction. The agency endorsed the plan, saying in a statement: "The FBI believes this proposed consolidation strategy enhances mission resiliency, continuity of operations, and will provide the Bureau with the agility necessary to meet future needs.” Also on Monday, the Trump administration unveiled its proposal for the fiscal 2019 budget. That plan asks for a Justice Department budget of $28 billion, a slight decrease of 1.2 percent from the 2017 enacted level. Most of the Justice Department`s components would see a funding boost under the plan, with increases proposed for the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as for U.S. attorneys and the office that oversees immigration courts. The decrease would be achieved by consolidating the COPS grants program into the Office of Justice Programs, and closing two regional Bureau of Prisons offices. The plan also calls for stripping the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of its powers to police cigarette and alcohol smuggling and transferring them to a tax and trade unit inside the Treasury Department. After that, the ATF would focus solely on efforts to combat violent crimes such as arson, illegal firearms trafficking and bombings.

Donald Trump administration revives support for new FBI headquarters

U.S. President Donald Trump, who complained last month that Moscow was &quot;not helping us at all with North Korea,&quot; told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday that more needs to be done to scrap Pyongyang`s nuclear program, the White House said.

&quot;President Trump reiterated the importance of taking further steps to ensure the denuclearisation of North Korea,&quot; the White House said in a statement about the call with Putin.

In an interview with Reuters last month, Trump accused Russia of helping North Korea evade international sanctions meant to punish Pyongyang for its pursuit of a nuclear-armed missile capable of reaching the United States.

&quot;Russia is not helping us at all with North Korea,&quot; Trump told Reuters.

Moscow denies it has failed to uphold U.N. sanctions.

Trump and Putin spoke after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, in an interview with the Washington Post, raised the prospect of talks with North Korea.

But Pence, who travelled to South Korea for the Winter Olympics, also said Washington would intensify its &quot;maximum pressure campaign&quot; against Pyongyang until it takes a &quot;meaningful step toward denuclearisation.&quot;

Last year, North Korea cond ucted dozens of missile launches and its sixth and largest nuclear test in defiance of U.N. resolutions.

Russia signed on to the latest rounds of United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea imposed last year, including a ban on coal exports, which are an important source of the foreign currency Pyongyang needs to fund its nuclear program.

But North Korea shipped coal to Russia at least three times last year after the ban was put in place on Aug. 5, three Western European intelligence sources told Reuters.

The North Korean coal was shipped to the Russian ports of Nakhodka and Kholmsk, where it was unloaded at docks and reloaded onto ships that took it to South Korea or Japan, the sources said.

Trump reiterated the importance of taking further steps to ensure the denuclearisation of North Korea.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who complained last month that Moscow was "not helping us at all with North Korea," told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday that more needs to be done to scrap Pyongyang`s nuclear program, the White House said. "President Trump reiterated the importance of taking further steps to ensure the denuclearisation of North Korea," the White House said in a statement about the call with Putin. In an interview with Reuters last month, Trump accused Russia of helping North Korea evade international sanctions meant to punish Pyongyang for its pursuit of a nuclear-armed missile capable of reaching the United States. "Russia is not helping us at all with North Korea," Trump told Reuters. Moscow denies it has failed to uphold U.N. sanctions. Trump and Putin spoke after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, in an interview with the Washington Post, raised the prospect of talks with North Korea. But Pence, who travelled to South Korea for the Winter Olympics, also said Washington would intensify its "maximum pressure campaign" against Pyongyang until it takes a "meaningful step toward denuclearisation." Last year, North Korea cond ucted dozens of missile launches and its sixth and largest nuclear test in defiance of U.N. resolutions. Russia signed on to the latest rounds of United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea imposed last year, including a ban on coal exports, which are an important source of the foreign currency Pyongyang needs to fund its nuclear program. But North Korea shipped coal to Russia at least three times last year after the ban was put in place on Aug. 5, three Western European intelligence sources told Reuters. The North Korean coal was shipped to the Russian ports of Nakhodka and Kholmsk, where it was unloaded at docks and reloaded onto ships that took it to South Korea or Japan, the sources said.

More steps needed to scrap North Korea nuclear programme: Trump tells Putin

Guillermo del Toro&#39;s fantasy romance &quot;The Shape of Water&quot; took home best movie at the Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, putting it in pole position for Oscars glory in March.&nbsp;

The movie bested leading Academy Awards contenders including &quot;Call Me by Your Name,&quot; &quot;Dunkirk,&quot; &quot;Get Out,&quot; &quot;I, Tonya&quot; and &quot;Lady Bird.&quot;

In a crowded field, it also saw off &quot;The Big Sick,&quot; &nbsp;&quot;Molly&#39;s Game,&quot; &quot;The Post,&quot; &quot;Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,&quot; and &quot;Wonder Woman.&quot;

The 1960s-set fairytale about a mute government laboratory janitor falling in love with a merman-like creature won the best director for Del Toro at the Golden Globes, considered a dry-run for the Oscars.&nbsp;

It also has 12 nominations for February&#39;s BAFTAs, Britain&#39;s version of the Oscars, and is expected to do well when nominees for the actual Academy Awards are announced on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The 53-year-old filmmaker, who co-produced alongside J. Miles Dale, was not there to pick up his trophy due to having gone to his sick father&#39;s bedside in Mexico.

In one of the ceremony&#39;s highlights, &quot;Get Out&quot; director and producer Jordan Peele was recognized for making a film that raises awareness of social issues and talked about &quot;the sunken place,&quot; the term used for the hypnotic, brainwashed state that traps victims in this movie.

&quot;The sunken place is the system that silences the voice of women, minorities, and of other people,&quot; he said in a politically charged speech condemning President Donald Trump for derogatory comments about Haiti, Africa and black football stars kneeling during the national anthem.

&quot;Every day there is proof that we are in the sunken place,&quot; he added.

&quot;Coco&quot; &mdash; Pixar&#39;s love letter to Mexico based on the country&#39;s Day of the Dead festival &mdash; won best-animated picture, the first prize of the night handed out at the Beverly Hilton.

&quot;Now is the time for more diversity in our culture and in our world,&quot; said producer Darla K. Anderson, dedicating the award to the people of Mexico.

In the TV section, Hulu&#39;s &quot;The Handmaid&#39;s Tale&quot; won best television drama, while fellow internet streaming service Amazon bagged best episodic comedy for &quot;The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.&quot;

&quot;The Handmaid&#39;s Tale,&quot; based on Margaret Atwood&#39;s dystopian 1985 novel of the same name, has been the darling of recent awards ceremonies, winning eight Emmys and two Golden Globes.

The PGA has boasted a solid record of giving top honours to movies that go on to earn best picture honours at the Oscars.

The trend has been bucked somewhat recently, however, with last year&#39;s best film award going to &quot;La La Land,&quot; which lost out to &quot;Moonlight&quot; at the Oscars.

Financial crisis comedy &quot;The Big Short&quot; took the top prize at 2016&#39;s PGAs, but lost out to &quot;Spotlight&quot; for the Academy Award. &nbsp;

The Oscars ceremony is staged on March 4, hosted by late night funnyman Jimmy Kimmel.

The film also has 12 nominations for February's BAFTAs, Britain's version of the Oscars

Guillermo del Toro's fantasy romance "The Shape of Water" took home best movie at the Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, putting it in pole position for Oscars glory in March. The movie bested leading Academy Awards contenders including "Call Me by Your Name," "Dunkirk," "Get Out," "I, Tonya" and "Lady Bird." In a crowded field, it also saw off "The Big Sick," "Molly's Game," "The Post," "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," and "Wonder Woman." The 1960s-set fairytale about a mute government laboratory janitor falling in love with a merman-like creature won the best director for Del Toro at the Golden Globes, considered a dry-run for the Oscars. It also has 12 nominations for February's BAFTAs, Britain's version of the Oscars, and is expected to do well when nominees for the actual Academy Awards are announced on Tuesday. The 53-year-old filmmaker, who co-produced alongside J. Miles Dale, was not there to pick up his trophy due to having gone to his sick father's bedside in Mexico. In one of the ceremony's highlights, "Get Out" director and producer Jordan Peele was recognized for making a film that raises awareness of social issues and talked about "the sunken place," the term used for the hypnotic, brainwashed state that traps victims in this movie. "The sunken place is the system that silences the voice of women, minorities, and of other people," he said in a politically charged speech condemning President Donald Trump for derogatory comments about Haiti, Africa and black football stars kneeling during the national anthem. "Every day there is proof that we are in the sunken place," he added. "Coco" — Pixar's love letter to Mexico based on the country's Day of the Dead festival — won best-animated picture, the first prize of the night handed out at the Beverly Hilton. "Now is the time for more diversity in our culture and in our world," said producer Darla K. Anderson, dedicating the award to the people of Mexico. In the TV section, Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale" won best television drama, while fellow internet streaming service Amazon bagged best episodic comedy for "The Marvelous Mrs Maisel." "The Handmaid's Tale," based on Margaret Atwood's dystopian 1985 novel of the same name, has been the darling of recent awards ceremonies, winning eight Emmys and two Golden Globes. The PGA has boasted a solid record of giving top honours to movies that go on to earn best picture honours at the Oscars. The trend has been bucked somewhat recently, however, with last year's best film award going to "La La Land," which lost out to "Moonlight" at the Oscars. Financial crisis comedy "The Big Short" took the top prize at 2016's PGAs, but lost out to "Spotlight" for the Academy Award. The Oscars ceremony is staged on March 4, hosted by late night funnyman Jimmy Kimmel.

'The Shape of Water' wins Producers Guild Awards best film ahead of Oscars

As many as 1.4 million jobs in the United States will be vulnerable to disruption from technology and other factors by 2026, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report said today.

The report, &#39;Towards a Reskilling Revolution: A Future of Jobs for All&#39;, is based on an analysis of nearly 1,000 job types across the US economy that encompass 96 per cent of employment in that country.

&quot;...1.4 million US jobs alone expected to disrupted by technology and other factors between now and 2026, of which 57 per cent belong to women,&quot; the WEF said in a release.

On the positive side, the report said that with adequate reskilling, 95 per cent of the most immediately at-risk workers would find good-quality, higher-wage work in growing job families.

&quot;Without reskilling, only 2 per cent of workers would have an optimal opportunity to transition to new jobs while 16 per cent would have none at all,&quot; it added.

The report, published in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group, also found that coordinated reskilling that aims to maintain or grow wages have very high returns for workers at risk of displacement as well as for businesses and the economy.

The WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said the only limiting factor on a world of opportunities for people is the willingness of leaders to make investments in re-skilling that would bridge workers onto new jobs.

As many as 1.4 million jobs in the United States will be vulnerable to disruption from technology and other factors by 2026, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report said today

As many as 1.4 million jobs in the United States will be vulnerable to disruption from technology and other factors by 2026, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report said today. The report, 'Towards a Reskilling Revolution: A Future of Jobs for All', is based on an analysis of nearly 1,000 job types across the US economy that encompass 96 per cent of employment in that country. "...1.4 million US jobs alone expected to disrupted by technology and other factors between now and 2026, of which 57 per cent belong to women," the WEF said in a release. On the positive side, the report said that with adequate reskilling, 95 per cent of the most immediately at-risk workers would find good-quality, higher-wage work in growing job families. "Without reskilling, only 2 per cent of workers would have an optimal opportunity to transition to new jobs while 16 per cent would have none at all," it added. The report, published in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group, also found that coordinated reskilling that aims to maintain or grow wages have very high returns for workers at risk of displacement as well as for businesses and the economy. The WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said the only limiting factor on a world of opportunities for people is the willingness of leaders to make investments in re-skilling that would bridge workers onto new jobs.

1.4 million jobs vulnerable to disruption in US: WEF report

In a post-war first, the United States is poised to send an aircraft carrier to Vietnam in March, officials of both sides said on Thursday, dramatic evidence of deepening military ties between them, more than four decades after the Vietnam War.

The announcement came during a two-day visit to Hanoi by US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that had been expected to focus on shared concerns about China.

The proposed visit is set for March at the central port of Danang, Vietnam&#39;s defence ministry said in a statement. Such a visit by a US&nbsp;aircraft carrier could bring the most US&nbsp;forces to Vietnam since the conflict ended in 1975.

Mattis cheered the planned port visit during talks with Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam.

&quot;Thank you for the increasing partnership, with our aircraft carrier coming into Danang here in March,&quot; Mattis said.

Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the carrier visit was discussed by Mattis and Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, and Vietnam&#39;s defence ministry was seeking final approvals from national leaders.

&quot;We expect it will be approved,&quot; Davis said.

The arrival of a US aircraft carrier in Vietnam will be welcomed by an emerging network of countries that are nervously eyeing China&#39;s military rise, particularly its assertive stance and island-building activities in the South China Sea.

The busy waterway is a vital global trade route linking Northeast Asia with the Middle East and Europe.

In particular, the militaries of US, Japan, India and Australia are working more closely together as a &quot;quad&quot; of liberal democracies across what they now term the &quot;Indo-Pacific&quot; &ndash; moves driven by mistrust of China.

US&nbsp;Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris last week described China as a &quot;disruptive transitional force in the Indo-Pacific&quot; after meetings with Japanese and Indian military leaders in New Delhi.

India, Japan and Australia have all boosted military relations with Vietnam in recent years, with New Delhi providing advanced training for its emerging submarine forces and jet fighter pilots.&nbsp;

Backroom Diplomacy

Thursday&#39;s confirmation of the US&nbsp;aircraft carrier visit to Danang caps months of backroom military diplomacy between Hanoi and the Pentagon, diplomats said.

The prospect surfaced when US President Donald Trump met Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the White House last May, and talks continued when Vietnamese Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich met Mattis in Washington in August.

Vietnam&#39;s Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh became the country&#39;s highest-ranking official to tour a US carrier when he led 11 Vietnamese officials to watch flight operations aboard the USS Carl Vinson off southern California last October, the US&nbsp;Navy said at the time.

Although no US&nbsp;aircraft carrier has been to Vietnam since the end of the war, other, smaller US&nbsp;warships have made high-level visits as ties improved in recent years.

That includes a 2016 visit by submarine tender USS Frank Cable and guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain to Cam Ranh Bay, which was a crucial logistics complex during the Vietnam War.

The planned carrier visit was &quot;highly significant&quot;, said Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

&quot;It is a potent symbol of the way the defence relationship has moved forward against the backdrop of China&#39;s rising power,&quot; Storey added.

Decades after the US&nbsp;war in Vietnam, ties between the United States and the Communist-ruled state are increasingly seen through shared concern over China&#39;s aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion in cargo passes every year.

Vietnam has emerged as the most vocal opponent of China&#39;s territorial claims and has been buying US military hardware, such as an armed, Hamilton-class Coast Guard cutter.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The ship, one US official said, was larger than anything Vietnam had in its navy.

&quot;(Vietnam) does have one of the region&#39;s fastest growing economies and so freedom of navigation and access in the South China Sea will be critical to them economically and of course in their security efforts,&quot; Mattis said before arrival on Wednesday.

US&nbsp;ties with Vietnam have developed significantly in the decades since they normalised ties in 1995. Still, there were vivid reminders of the history of conflict during Mattis&#39; visit.

That included a stop by Mattis on Tuesday to a US&nbsp;Defense Department office in Hanoi that seeks to recover the remains of US&nbsp;troops killed in the conflict.

About 1,293 US&nbsp;military personnel are still unaccounted for, a US&nbsp;official said.

In a post-war first, the United States is poised to send an aircraft carrier to Vietnam in March, officials of both sides said on Thursday, dramatic evidence of deepening military ties between them, more than four decades after the Vietnam War

In a post-war first, the United States is poised to send an aircraft carrier to Vietnam in March, officials of both sides said on Thursday, dramatic evidence of deepening military ties between them, more than four decades after the Vietnam War. The announcement came during a two-day visit to Hanoi by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that had been expected to focus on shared concerns about China. The proposed visit is set for March at the central port of Danang, Vietnam's defence ministry said in a statement. Such a visit by a US aircraft carrier could bring the most US forces to Vietnam since the conflict ended in 1975. Mattis cheered the planned port visit during talks with Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam. "Thank you for the increasing partnership, with our aircraft carrier coming into Danang here in March," Mattis said. Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the carrier visit was discussed by Mattis and Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, and Vietnam's defence ministry was seeking final approvals from national leaders. "We expect it will be approved," Davis said. The arrival of a US aircraft carrier in Vietnam will be welcomed by an emerging network of countries that are nervously eyeing China's military rise, particularly its assertive stance and island-building activities in the South China Sea. The busy waterway is a vital global trade route linking Northeast Asia with the Middle East and Europe. In particular, the militaries of US, Japan, India and Australia are working more closely together as a "quad" of liberal democracies across what they now term the "Indo-Pacific" – moves driven by mistrust of China. US Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris last week described China as a "disruptive transitional force in the Indo-Pacific" after meetings with Japanese and Indian military leaders in New Delhi. India, Japan and Australia have all boosted military relations with Vietnam in recent years, with New Delhi providing advanced training for its emerging submarine forces and jet fighter pilots. Backroom Diplomacy Thursday's confirmation of the US aircraft carrier visit to Danang caps months of backroom military diplomacy between Hanoi and the Pentagon, diplomats said. The prospect surfaced when US President Donald Trump met Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the White House last May, and talks continued when Vietnamese Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich met Mattis in Washington in August. Vietnam's Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh became the country's highest-ranking official to tour a US carrier when he led 11 Vietnamese officials to watch flight operations aboard the USS Carl Vinson off southern California last October, the US Navy said at the time. Although no US aircraft carrier has been to Vietnam since the end of the war, other, smaller US warships have made high-level visits as ties improved in recent years. That includes a 2016 visit by submarine tender USS Frank Cable and guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain to Cam Ranh Bay, which was a crucial logistics complex during the Vietnam War. The planned carrier visit was "highly significant", said Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. "It is a potent symbol of the way the defence relationship has moved forward against the backdrop of China's rising power," Storey added. Decades after the US war in Vietnam, ties between the United States and the Communist-ruled state are increasingly seen through shared concern over China's aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion in cargo passes every year. Vietnam has emerged as the most vocal opponent of China's territorial claims and has been buying US military hardware, such as an armed, Hamilton-class Coast Guard cutter. The ship, one US official said, was larger than anything Vietnam had in its navy. "(Vietnam) does have one of the region's fastest growing economies and so freedom of navigation and access in the South China Sea will be critical to them economically and of course in their security efforts," Mattis said before arrival on Wednesday. US ties with Vietnam have developed significantly in the decades since they normalised ties in 1995. Still, there were vivid reminders of the history of conflict during Mattis' visit. That included a stop by Mattis on Tuesday to a US Defense Department office in Hanoi that seeks to recover the remains of US troops killed in the conflict. About 1,293 US military personnel are still unaccounted for, a US official said.

US aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam in post-war first

Protestors took to the streets en masse across the United States Saturday, hoisting anti-Donald Trump placards, banging drums and donning pink hats for a second Women&#39;s March opposing the president -- one year to the day of his inauguration.

Hundreds of thousands of marchers assembled in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver, Boston and other cities nationwide, many donning the famous pink knit &quot;pussy hats&quot; -- a reference to Trump&#39;s videotaped boasts of his license to grope women without repercussions.

Protestors hoisted signs emblazoned with slogans like &quot;Fight like a girl&quot;, &quot;A woman&#39;s place is in the White House&quot; and &quot;Elect a clown, expect a circus.&quot;

The largest demonstrations were in cities where Trump performed poorly at the polls: the Los Angeles mayor said estimated turnout in his city was 500,000, while New York police estimated about 200,000 protesters.

In Manhattan, a diverse crowd descended on Central Park West, the avenue that borders the city&#39;s beloved park and arrives at the foot of the Trump International Hotel -- part of the magnate-turned-commander-in-chief&#39;s real estate empire.

&quot;We live in an alternate universe -- it is so bad,&quot; said Althea Fusco, 67, who traveled to the city from upstate New York with two neighbors.

&quot;I see an erosion of democracy,&quot; she said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/why-does-donald-trump-matter-8187" target="_blank">Why does Donald Trump matter?</a>

Speakers at the New York rally included activist and actress Rosie Perez and entertainer Whoopi Goldberg, who emphasized that &quot;we are here to say -- as women -- we&#39;re not taking it anymore.&quot;

Throngs of demonstrators paraded in Los Angeles, where actress Natalie Portman was among the celebrities pumping up the crowd: &quot;Because of you the revolution is rolling.&quot;

&quot;The way Trump has treated women and still been elected -- I want him to be aware that we are coming together as a powerful force and we&#39;re going to change this,&quot; said 44-year-old artist Heather Arndt in the California metropolis.

The marches aim to build on the movement launched last year when more than three million people turned out nationwide to voice opposition to Trump.

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A group of people wearing &#39;pussyhats&#39; board the subway as they head toward the Women&#39;s March in Manhattan, New York. (Reuters)
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Thousands of people take part in the second Annual Women&#39;s March in Washington. (Reuters)
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The weekend of demonstrations is aimed at translating enthusiasm into political action with the theme &quot;Power to the Polls&quot; -- a message designed to drive voter registrations and maximize women&#39;s involvement in the 2018 midterm elections.

The president meanwhile posted a deadpan tweet referencing the rallies protesting his policies, urging people to &quot;get out there and celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months.&quot;

&quot;Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March,&quot; he wrote.&nbsp;

Many of the demonstrations indeed took place under sunny skies but marchers in Park City, Utah -- where the annual Sundance Film Festival is underway -- braved chilly temperatures and steady snow to make their voices heard, led by celebrities including activist and actress Jane Fonda.&nbsp;

This year&#39;s edition of Sundance took on a political bent in light of the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct, a campaign that has rippled through Hollywood and beyond since scores of actresses leveled sexual assault allegations against disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein.&nbsp;

Crowds in the North Carolina city of Charlotte heard an address from its first black female mayor, while Washington protestors rallied at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial and marched to the White House, speaking out on a raft of issues ranging from immigrant protections to racial equality to sexual assault.

&quot;We feel like our work isn&#39;t done and that there&#39;s so much more that we need to fix,&quot; said Tanaquil Eltson, 14, who also participated in Washington&#39;s 2017 march.

&quot;I know the world around me isn&#39;t happy colors; it&#39;s scary. But I&#39;m excited to be able to fix it,&quot; she said, clad in a red and blue Superwoman outfit.

Her mother Vitessa Del Prete, a retired US army lieutenant colonel, pointed to the recent flood of sexual abuse and harassment allegations against powerful men that has galvanized women to fight back against injustice.

&quot;I&#39;ve lived through decades of sexual harassment issues and it&#39;s getting better -- but it&#39;s nowhere near where it needs to be,&quot; the 51-year-old said, sporting a Wonder Woman costume in coordination with her daughter.

&quot;Issues that face women are just not being represented well enough in our country, so it&#39;s a privilege to be able to get out here and try to do something from a citizen standpoint.&quot;

More than 300 towns and cities had organized anniversary marches and rallies. Other protests are set for Sunday, notably in Las Vegas, as well as in several European cities including Berlin.

&quot;We cannot rest,&quot; said Pam Morris in Washington. &quot;We have to keep energized until we overcome this administration.&quot;

&quot;We cannot get worn down. We have to be here.&quot;

Protestors hoisted signs emblazoned with slogans like 'Fight like a girl', 'A woman's place is in the White House' and 'Elect a clown, expect a circus'

Protestors took to the streets en masse across the United States Saturday, hoisting anti-Donald Trump placards, banging drums and donning pink hats for a second Women's March opposing the president -- one year to the day of his inauguration. Hundreds of thousands of marchers assembled in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver, Boston and other cities nationwide, many donning the famous pink knit "pussy hats" -- a reference to Trump's videotaped boasts of his license to grope women without repercussions. Protestors hoisted signs emblazoned with slogans like "Fight like a girl", "A woman's place is in the White House" and "Elect a clown, expect a circus." The largest demonstrations were in cities where Trump performed poorly at the polls: the Los Angeles mayor said estimated turnout in his city was 500,000, while New York police estimated about 200,000 protesters. In Manhattan, a diverse crowd descended on Central Park West, the avenue that borders the city's beloved park and arrives at the foot of the Trump International Hotel -- part of the magnate-turned-commander-in-chief's real estate empire. "We live in an alternate universe -- it is so bad," said Althea Fusco, 67, who traveled to the city from upstate New York with two neighbors. "I see an erosion of democracy," she said. Also read: Why does Donald Trump matter? Speakers at the New York rally included activist and actress Rosie Perez and entertainer Whoopi Goldberg, who emphasized that "we are here to say -- as women -- we're not taking it anymore." Throngs of demonstrators paraded in Los Angeles, where actress Natalie Portman was among the celebrities pumping up the crowd: "Because of you the revolution is rolling." "The way Trump has treated women and still been elected -- I want him to be aware that we are coming together as a powerful force and we're going to change this," said 44-year-old artist Heather Arndt in the California metropolis. The marches aim to build on the movement launched last year when more than three million people turned out nationwide to voice opposition to Trump. A group of people wearing 'pussyhats' board the subway as they head toward the Women's March in Manhattan, New York. (Reuters) × Thousands of people take part in the second Annual Women's March in Washington. (Reuters) × The weekend of demonstrations is aimed at translating enthusiasm into political action with the theme "Power to the Polls" -- a message designed to drive voter registrations and maximize women's involvement in the 2018 midterm elections. The president meanwhile posted a deadpan tweet referencing the rallies protesting his policies, urging people to "get out there and celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months." "Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March," he wrote. Many of the demonstrations indeed took place under sunny skies but marchers in Park City, Utah -- where the annual Sundance Film Festival is underway -- braved chilly temperatures and steady snow to make their voices heard, led by celebrities including activist and actress Jane Fonda. This year's edition of Sundance took on a political bent in light of the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct, a campaign that has rippled through Hollywood and beyond since scores of actresses leveled sexual assault allegations against disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein. Crowds in the North Carolina city of Charlotte heard an address from its first black female mayor, while Washington protestors rallied at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial and marched to the White House, speaking out on a raft of issues ranging from immigrant protections to racial equality to sexual assault. "We feel like our work isn't done and that there's so much more that we need to fix," said Tanaquil Eltson, 14, who also participated in Washington's 2017 march. "I know the world around me isn't happy colors; it's scary. But I'm excited to be able to fix it," she said, clad in a red and blue Superwoman outfit. Her mother Vitessa Del Prete, a retired US army lieutenant colonel, pointed to the recent flood of sexual abuse and harassment allegations against powerful men that has galvanized women to fight back against injustice. "I've lived through decades of sexual harassment issues and it's getting better -- but it's nowhere near where it needs to be," the 51-year-old said, sporting a Wonder Woman costume in coordination with her daughter. "Issues that face women are just not being represented well enough in our country, so it's a privilege to be able to get out here and try to do something from a citizen standpoint." More than 300 towns and cities had organized anniversary marches and rallies. Other protests are set for Sunday, notably in Las Vegas, as well as in several European cities including Berlin. "We cannot rest," said Pam Morris in Washington. "We have to keep energized until we overcome this administration." "We cannot get worn down. We have to be here."

1 year of Trump: Protesters flock in droves to women's marches

Eleven countries aiming to forge an Asia-Pacific trade pact after the United States pulled out of an earlier version will sign an agreement in Chile in March, Japan&#39;s economy minister said on Tuesday, in a big win for Tokyo.

Trade officials had been meeting in Tokyo to resolve rifts including Canada&#39;s insistence on protections for its cultural industries such as movies, TV and music.

An agreement is a win for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe&#39;s government, which has been lobbying hard to save the pact, originally called the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

In one of his first acts as US&nbsp;president in January 2017, Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the original 12-nation treaty.

Abe has painted the deal as a spur to growth and reform in Japan and a symbol of commitment to free and multilateral trade at a time when Trump stresses &quot;America First&quot; policies.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Canada&#39;s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the agreement the &quot;right deal&quot;.

Canada&#39;s trade minister said in a statement it included an improved arrangement on autos with Japan and the suspension of intellectual property provisions that had been a concern.

The timing of the deal is significant for Canada, which is trying to diversify its exports. US, Canadian and Mexican negotiators opened a key week-long round of talks to modernize NAFTA on Tuesday.

The US&nbsp;Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) expressed concern the pact could put overseas demand for US&nbsp;wheat &quot;at serious risk,&quot; saying Japan imports an average of 3.1 million tonnes of wheat from the United States a year.&nbsp;

After TPP-11 is fully implemented Japanese import tariffs on Canadian and Australian wheat would fall by some $65 per tonne, they said in a statement.

&quot;If nothing else, this announcement should serve as a rallying cry for farmers, ranchers and dairy producers calling for the new trade deals we were promised when the president walked away from TPP,&quot; said NAWG&#39;s president Gordon Stoner.

Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), or TPP-11, would be an &quot;engine to overcome protectionism&quot; emerging in parts of the world.

He added Japan would explain the importance of the deal to Washington in hopes of persuading it to join.

Ministers from the 11 countries, including Japan, Australia and Canada, agreed in November on core elements to move ahead without the United States, but demands by countries including Canada for measures to ensure the deal protects jobs blocked a final agreement.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said last week the new agreement would leave a door open for eventual US&nbsp;participation.

Canada, which wanted protection of its cultural industries, and Vietnam, which has worried about labour protection rules, will exchange separate side letters with other members on those topics at the time of the signing, Motegi said.

Trade officials had been meeting in Tokyo to resolve rifts

Eleven countries aiming to forge an Asia-Pacific trade pact after the United States pulled out of an earlier version will sign an agreement in Chile in March, Japan's economy minister said on Tuesday, in a big win for Tokyo. Trade officials had been meeting in Tokyo to resolve rifts including Canada's insistence on protections for its cultural industries such as movies, TV and music. An agreement is a win for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government, which has been lobbying hard to save the pact, originally called the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In one of his first acts as US president in January 2017, Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the original 12-nation treaty. Abe has painted the deal as a spur to growth and reform in Japan and a symbol of commitment to free and multilateral trade at a time when Trump stresses "America First" policies. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the agreement the "right deal". Canada's trade minister said in a statement it included an improved arrangement on autos with Japan and the suspension of intellectual property provisions that had been a concern. The timing of the deal is significant for Canada, which is trying to diversify its exports. US, Canadian and Mexican negotiators opened a key week-long round of talks to modernize NAFTA on Tuesday. The US Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) expressed concern the pact could put overseas demand for US wheat "at serious risk," saying Japan imports an average of 3.1 million tonnes of wheat from the United States a year. After TPP-11 is fully implemented Japanese import tariffs on Canadian and Australian wheat would fall by some $65 per tonne, they said in a statement. "If nothing else, this announcement should serve as a rallying cry for farmers, ranchers and dairy producers calling for the new trade deals we were promised when the president walked away from TPP," said NAWG's president Gordon Stoner. Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), or TPP-11, would be an "engine to overcome protectionism" emerging in parts of the world. He added Japan would explain the importance of the deal to Washington in hopes of persuading it to join. Ministers from the 11 countries, including Japan, Australia and Canada, agreed in November on core elements to move ahead without the United States, but demands by countries including Canada for measures to ensure the deal protects jobs blocked a final agreement. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said last week the new agreement would leave a door open for eventual US participation. Canada, which wanted protection of its cultural industries, and Vietnam, which has worried about labour protection rules, will exchange separate side letters with other members on those topics at the time of the signing, Motegi said.

Trans-Pacific trade pact, without US, to be signed in March: Japan

US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they did not pursue peace with Israel, saying they had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice President Mike Pence during a recent visit.

Trump, speaking after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum, said he wanted peace. However, his remarks could further frustrate the aim of reviving long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian talks.

Palestinians shunned Pence&#39;s visit to the region this month after Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and vowed to begin moving the U.S. embassy to the city, whose status is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Trump&#39;s endorsement in December of Israel&#39;s claim to Jerusalem as its capital drew universal condemnation from Arab leaders and criticism around the world. It also broke with decades of U.S. policy that the city&#39;s status must be decided in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

&quot;When they disrespected us a week ago by not allowing our great vice president to see them, and we give them hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and support, tremendous numbers, numbers that nobody understands -- that money is on the table and that money is not going to them unless they sit down and negotiate peace,&quot; Trump said.

The United States said this month it would withhold $65 million of $125 million it had planned to send to the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees. The UNRWA agency is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from U.N. states and the United states is the largest contributor.

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the United States had taken itself &quot;off the table&quot; as a peace mediator since it recognised Jerusalem as Israel&rsquo;s capital.

&quot;Palestinian rights are not up to any bargain and Jerusalem is not for sale. The United States can&#39;t have any role unless it retreats its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital,&quot; spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah told Reuters by phone from Jordan.

Abbas has called Trump&#39;s Jerusalem declaration a &quot;slap in the face&quot; and has rejected Washington as an honest broker in any future talks with Israel. Abbas left for an overseas visit before Pence arrived.

Abbas has said he would only accept a broad, internationally backed panel to broker any peace talks with Israel. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley also criticized Abbas.

Israel&#39;s government regards Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the country, although that is not recognised internationally. Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Speaking in Davos, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said only the United States could broker a peace deal.

&quot;I think there&#39;s no substitute for the United States. As the honest broker, as a facilitator, there&#39;s no other international body that would do it,&quot; Netanyahu said.

Trump said Palestinians had to come to the negotiating table.

&quot;Because I can tell you that Israel does want to make peace and they&#39;re going to have to want to make peace too or we&#39;re going to have nothing to do with them any longer,&quot; Trump said.

Trump said his administration had a peace proposal in the works that was a &quot;great proposal for Palestinians&quot; which covers &quot;a lot of the things that were over the years discussed or agreed on&quot;, without providing specifics.

Trump said his declaration on Jerusalem took it off the negotiating table &quot;and Israel will pay for that&quot;, adding &quot;they&#39;ll do something that will be a very good thing&quot; without elaborating.

Earlier at the World Economic Forum, Jordanian King Abdullah said Jerusalem had to be part of a comprehensive solution.

He said Trump&#39;s decision had created a backlash, frustrating Palestinians who felt there was no honest broker.

But he added: &quot;I&#39;d like to reserve judgement because we&#39;re still waiting for the Americans to come out with their plan.&quot;

King Abdullah&rsquo;s Hashemite dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, making Jordan particularly sensitive to any changes of status there.

The last talks collapsed in 2014, partly due to Israel&#39;s opposition to an attempted unity pact between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, and because of Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians seek for a state, among other factors.

Palestinians want the West Bank for a future state, along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Most countries consider as illegal the Israeli settlements built in the territory which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Israel denies its settlements are illegal and says their future should be determined in peace talks.

The United States has said it would support a two-state solution if the Israelis and Palestinians agreed to it.

Trump added that the Palestinians had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice-President Mike Pence during a recent visit

US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they did not pursue peace with Israel, saying they had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice President Mike Pence during a recent visit. Trump, speaking after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum, said he wanted peace. However, his remarks could further frustrate the aim of reviving long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian talks. Palestinians shunned Pence's visit to the region this month after Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital and vowed to begin moving the U.S. embassy to the city, whose status is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Trump's endorsement in December of Israel's claim to Jerusalem as its capital drew universal condemnation from Arab leaders and criticism around the world. It also broke with decades of U.S. policy that the city's status must be decided in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. "When they disrespected us a week ago by not allowing our great vice president to see them, and we give them hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and support, tremendous numbers, numbers that nobody understands -- that money is on the table and that money is not going to them unless they sit down and negotiate peace," Trump said. The United States said this month it would withhold $65 million of $125 million it had planned to send to the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees. The UNRWA agency is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from U.N. states and the United states is the largest contributor. A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the United States had taken itself "off the table" as a peace mediator since it recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. "Palestinian rights are not up to any bargain and Jerusalem is not for sale. The United States can't have any role unless it retreats its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital," spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah told Reuters by phone from Jordan. Abbas has called Trump's Jerusalem declaration a "slap in the face" and has rejected Washington as an honest broker in any future talks with Israel. Abbas left for an overseas visit before Pence arrived. Abbas has said he would only accept a broad, internationally backed panel to broker any peace talks with Israel. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley also criticized Abbas. Israel's government regards Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the country, although that is not recognised internationally. Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Speaking in Davos, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said only the United States could broker a peace deal. "I think there's no substitute for the United States. As the honest broker, as a facilitator, there's no other international body that would do it," Netanyahu said. Trump said Palestinians had to come to the negotiating table. "Because I can tell you that Israel does want to make peace and they're going to have to want to make peace too or we're going to have nothing to do with them any longer," Trump said. Trump said his administration had a peace proposal in the works that was a "great proposal for Palestinians" which covers "a lot of the things that were over the years discussed or agreed on", without providing specifics. Trump said his declaration on Jerusalem took it off the negotiating table "and Israel will pay for that", adding "they'll do something that will be a very good thing" without elaborating. Earlier at the World Economic Forum, Jordanian King Abdullah said Jerusalem had to be part of a comprehensive solution. He said Trump's decision had created a backlash, frustrating Palestinians who felt there was no honest broker. But he added: "I'd like to reserve judgement because we're still waiting for the Americans to come out with their plan." King Abdullah’s Hashemite dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, making Jordan particularly sensitive to any changes of status there. The last talks collapsed in 2014, partly due to Israel's opposition to an attempted unity pact between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, and because of Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians seek for a state, among other factors. Palestinians want the West Bank for a future state, along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Most countries consider as illegal the Israeli settlements built in the territory which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel denies its settlements are illegal and says their future should be determined in peace talks. The United States has said it would support a two-state solution if the Israelis and Palestinians agreed to it.

Make peace with Israel or lose aid, Trump tells Palestinians

The United States today called on Maldives President Abdulla Yameen to ensure the proper functioning of the Parliament and restore constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people and institutions in the country.

&quot;The US calls on President Yameen, the army, and police to comply with the rule of law, implement the Supreme Court&#39;s lawful ruling, ensure the full and proper functioning of the Parliament, and restore constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people and institutions of Maldives,&quot; a State Department spokesperson told PTI.

He was responding to questions on the current situation in Maldives.

The spokesperson, however, did not weigh in on former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed seeking military intervention from India.

Nasheed yesterday had asked India to play its role of &quot;liberators&quot; and intervene militarily to resolve the ongoing political turmoil in Maldives.

&quot;We are troubled by reports that Yameen has declared a state of emergency, which gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, bans public gatherings, imposes travel restrictions, and suspends parts of the Maldivian Constitution,&quot; he said.

Asserting that the US stands with the people of Maldives, the State Department spokesperson said Yameen, the army and police should respect the Maldives&#39; international human rights obligations and commitments.

Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra&#39;ad Zeid Al Hussein said the declaration of the state of emergency in the Maldives and the resulting suspension of constitutional guarantees have swept away the checks and balances and separation of powers necessary in any functioning democracy.

He warned that this could potentially lead to a greater number of violations of the rights of people in the Island country.

&quot;The suspension of several functions of the judiciary and Parliament, and the restrictions on a series of constitutional rights create a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of the President,&quot; he said.

The Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) said it remains deeply concerned over the escalating tensions and the resultant law and order situation in Maldives.

In a statement, it called on all parties to respect the rule of law, independence of the judiciary and to take into account the overall interest of their country to avoid any untoward incident, which could undermine the peace and stability in the country.

The OIC also stressed the need for a peaceful settlement of the ongoing political crisis in line with the constitutional provisions. 
&nbsp;

Maldives, which has seen a number of political crisis since the ouster of its first democratically-elected president Nasheed in 2012, plunged into a political chaos on Thursday last when the apex court ordered the release of nine imprisoned opposition politicians, maintaining that their trials were &quot;politically motivated and flawed&quot;.

The nine political leaders included Nasheed.

The Yameen government refused to implement the ruling, prompting a wave of protests in Maldives capital, Male.

Following clashes and protests, the Yameen government imposed the emergency, evoking concerns from the international community.

However, on Tuesday night the Maldives&#39; Supreme Court revoked the order to release nine high-profile political prisoners.

Nasheed yesterday had asked India to play its role of "liberators" and intervene militarily to resolve the ongoing political turmoil in Maldives.

The United States today called on Maldives President Abdulla Yameen to ensure the proper functioning of the Parliament and restore constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people and institutions in the country. "The US calls on President Yameen, the army, and police to comply with the rule of law, implement the Supreme Court's lawful ruling, ensure the full and proper functioning of the Parliament, and restore constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people and institutions of Maldives," a State Department spokesperson told PTI. He was responding to questions on the current situation in Maldives. The spokesperson, however, did not weigh in on former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed seeking military intervention from India. Nasheed yesterday had asked India to play its role of "liberators" and intervene militarily to resolve the ongoing political turmoil in Maldives. "We are troubled by reports that Yameen has declared a state of emergency, which gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, bans public gatherings, imposes travel restrictions, and suspends parts of the Maldivian Constitution," he said. Asserting that the US stands with the people of Maldives, the State Department spokesperson said Yameen, the army and police should respect the Maldives' international human rights obligations and commitments. Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al Hussein said the declaration of the state of emergency in the Maldives and the resulting suspension of constitutional guarantees have swept away the checks and balances and separation of powers necessary in any functioning democracy. He warned that this could potentially lead to a greater number of violations of the rights of people in the Island country. "The suspension of several functions of the judiciary and Parliament, and the restrictions on a series of constitutional rights create a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of the President," he said. The Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) said it remains deeply concerned over the escalating tensions and the resultant law and order situation in Maldives. In a statement, it called on all parties to respect the rule of law, independence of the judiciary and to take into account the overall interest of their country to avoid any untoward incident, which could undermine the peace and stability in the country. The OIC also stressed the need for a peaceful settlement of the ongoing political crisis in line with the constitutional provisions. Maldives, which has seen a number of political crisis since the ouster of its first democratically-elected president Nasheed in 2012, plunged into a political chaos on Thursday last when the apex court ordered the release of nine imprisoned opposition politicians, maintaining that their trials were "politically motivated and flawed". The nine political leaders included Nasheed. The Yameen government refused to implement the ruling, prompting a wave of protests in Maldives capital, Male. Following clashes and protests, the Yameen government imposed the emergency, evoking concerns from the international community. However, on Tuesday night the Maldives' Supreme Court revoked the order to release nine high-profile political prisoners.

US calls on Maldives to restore rights of people and institutions

North Korea accused the United States on Tuesday of seeking to aggravate the situation on the divided Korean peninsula by &quot;deploying large nuclear assets&quot; nearby and lay the ground for a possible pre-emptive strike against it.

&quot;In view of the nature and scale of US&nbsp;military reinforcements, they are designed to make a pre-emptive strike against the DPRK,&quot; North Korean diplomat Ju Yong Chol told the UN sponsored Conference on Disarmament, referring to his country&#39;s official name the Democratic People&#39;s Republic of Korea.

&quot;US officials including the defense secretary and the CIA director repeatedly talked about DPRK nuclear and missile threat to justify their argument for a military option and a new concept of a so-called &#39;bloody nose&#39;, a limited pre-emptive strike on the DPRK is under consideration within the US&nbsp;administration,&quot; Ju said.

North Korea accused the United States on Tuesday of seeking to aggravate the situation on the divided Korean peninsula by "deploying large nuclear assets" nearby and lay the ground for a possible pre-emptive strike against it

North Korea accused the United States on Tuesday of seeking to aggravate the situation on the divided Korean peninsula by "deploying large nuclear assets" nearby and lay the ground for a possible pre-emptive strike against it. "In view of the nature and scale of US military reinforcements, they are designed to make a pre-emptive strike against the DPRK," North Korean diplomat Ju Yong Chol told the UN sponsored Conference on Disarmament, referring to his country's official name the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "US officials including the defense secretary and the CIA director repeatedly talked about DPRK nuclear and missile threat to justify their argument for a military option and a new concept of a so-called 'bloody nose', a limited pre-emptive strike on the DPRK is under consideration within the US administration," Ju said.

North Korea says US considering limited pre-emptive strike

A new World Cup event featuring eight leading athletics nations and intended to attract a wider audience to the sport will take place in London this year, British Athletics said on Monday.

Britain and the United States will compete along with South Africa, Poland, France, China, Germany and Jamaica in the inaugural World Cup from July 14-15 at London Stadium, venue for the 2012 Olympic athletics events and last year&#39;s world championships.

&quot;This is one of the exciting innovative events we are seeing in our sport and our thanks go to British Athletics and the Mayor of London for creating it and hosting it,&quot; International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President Sebastian Coe said in a statement.

&quot;We have 8 lanes, 8 top nations, 8 teams and a host of world class athletes lining up in each event to win the trophy and prize pot. This will be a fast-paced and exhilarating experience for athletes and fans.&quot;

One male and one female athlete from each nation will be selected for every field event and each track race up to 1500 metres, with the total prize pot set at $2 million over two evening sessions.

UK Athletics Chairman Richard Bowker said the World Cup event was an extension of the original idea to host a competition between Britain and the U.S.

Because other countries were keen to become involved an eight-country format was devised to extend the sport&#39;s reach to a new audience.

&quot;The two sessions will be in the evening, under lights with straight finals. There will be no heats or rounds so it should be even more exciting,&quot; he said, adding that it might become more than a one-off.

&quot;We hope this can become a major event. The best way to do that is to ensure the success of his first edition,&quot; he said.

Bowker defended the timing, which was criticised by British athlete Kelly Sotherton on social media for clashing with soccer&#39;s World Cup final and Wimbledon tennis finals.

&quot;We were obviously aware of the dates,&quot; said Bowker, pointing out that organisers were constrained by the stadium sharing arrangement with Premier League soccer club West Ham United.

&quot;There is limited availability. We know the World Cup Final happens in the afternoon, UK time, so we would say that everyone can come along afterwards. What a fantastic weekend of sport that will be.&quot;

Britain and the United States will compete along with South Africa, Poland, France, China, Germany and Jamaica in the inaugural World Cup from July 14-15 at London Stadium

A new World Cup event featuring eight leading athletics nations and intended to attract a wider audience to the sport will take place in London this year, British Athletics said on Monday. Britain and the United States will compete along with South Africa, Poland, France, China, Germany and Jamaica in the inaugural World Cup from July 14-15 at London Stadium, venue for the 2012 Olympic athletics events and last year's world championships. "This is one of the exciting innovative events we are seeing in our sport and our thanks go to British Athletics and the Mayor of London for creating it and hosting it," International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President Sebastian Coe said in a statement. "We have 8 lanes, 8 top nations, 8 teams and a host of world class athletes lining up in each event to win the trophy and prize pot. This will be a fast-paced and exhilarating experience for athletes and fans." One male and one female athlete from each nation will be selected for every field event and each track race up to 1500 metres, with the total prize pot set at $2 million over two evening sessions. UK Athletics Chairman Richard Bowker said the World Cup event was an extension of the original idea to host a competition between Britain and the U.S. Because other countries were keen to become involved an eight-country format was devised to extend the sport's reach to a new audience. "The two sessions will be in the evening, under lights with straight finals. There will be no heats or rounds so it should be even more exciting," he said, adding that it might become more than a one-off. "We hope this can become a major event. The best way to do that is to ensure the success of his first edition," he said. Bowker defended the timing, which was criticised by British athlete Kelly Sotherton on social media for clashing with soccer's World Cup final and Wimbledon tennis finals. "We were obviously aware of the dates," said Bowker, pointing out that organisers were constrained by the stadium sharing arrangement with Premier League soccer club West Ham United. "There is limited availability. We know the World Cup Final happens in the afternoon, UK time, so we would say that everyone can come along afterwards. What a fantastic weekend of sport that will be."

London to host inaugural eight-nation Athletics World Cup

China urged the United States to drop its &quot;Cold War mentality&quot; and not misread its military build-up after Washington published a document on Friday outlining plans to expand its nuclear capabilities to deter others.

&quot;Peace and development are irreversible global trends. The United States, the country that owns the world&#39;s largest nuclear arsenal, should take the initiative to follow the trend instead of going against it,&quot; said China&#39;s Ministry of Defence in a statement on Sunday.

The review of US nuclear policy has already riled Russia, which viewed the document as confrontational, and raised fears that it could increase the risk of miscalculation between the two countries.

The US military has put countering China and Russia, dubbed &quot;revisionist powers&quot;, at the centre of a new national defence strategy unveiled earlier this month.

By expanding its own low-yield nuclear capability, the US would deter Russia from using nuclear weapons, say American officials.

China accused the United States of &quot;presumptuous speculation&quot; about China&#39;s intentions and said it has always adopted a restrained attitude towards the development of nuclear weapons and kept its nuclear forces to a minimum.

&quot;We hope that the United States will abandon its Cold War mentality, earnestly assume its special disarmament responsibilities, correctly understand China&#39;s strategic intentions and objectively view China&#39;s national defence and military build-up...,&quot; the ministry said in the statement posted on its website.

It called on the US to work together with China and for their armies to become a stabilizing factor in Sino-US relations and in the region.

The US military has put countering China and Russia, dubbed "revisionist powers", at the centre of a new national defence strategy unveiled earlier this month

China urged the United States to drop its "Cold War mentality" and not misread its military build-up after Washington published a document on Friday outlining plans to expand its nuclear capabilities to deter others. "Peace and development are irreversible global trends. The United States, the country that owns the world's largest nuclear arsenal, should take the initiative to follow the trend instead of going against it," said China's Ministry of Defence in a statement on Sunday. The review of US nuclear policy has already riled Russia, which viewed the document as confrontational, and raised fears that it could increase the risk of miscalculation between the two countries. The US military has put countering China and Russia, dubbed "revisionist powers", at the centre of a new national defence strategy unveiled earlier this month. By expanding its own low-yield nuclear capability, the US would deter Russia from using nuclear weapons, say American officials. China accused the United States of "presumptuous speculation" about China's intentions and said it has always adopted a restrained attitude towards the development of nuclear weapons and kept its nuclear forces to a minimum. "We hope that the United States will abandon its Cold War mentality, earnestly assume its special disarmament responsibilities, correctly understand China's strategic intentions and objectively view China's national defence and military build-up...," the ministry said in the statement posted on its website. It called on the US to work together with China and for their armies to become a stabilizing factor in Sino-US relations and in the region.

US should drop its "Cold War mentality" and not misread Beijing's military build-up: China

Mexico has taken into custody more than 300 Central American men, women, and children who were being smuggled to the United States without water or food, officials said Saturday.

The largest group of 198 people crammed into the bottom of a truck was found in Tamaulipas in the northeast, just below the US state of Texas, Mexican immigration enforcement officials said.

The migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador &quot;were travelling in grossly overcrowded conditions without enough ventilation, food or water,&quot; they said in a statement.

Among the many child migrants, 55 were with their parents or relatives, while 24 were making the dangerous journey alone. Just a week ago, another 174 Central Americans were caught in operations in the Mexican states of Coahuila and Tamaulipas.

Amnesty International recently reported that Mexico deports thousands of Central Americans without taking into account their potential rights to treatment as refugees, such as when they are persecuted by organized crime in their home countries.

The so-called Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras are among the most violent parts of the world outside of war zones.

They are also a major source of migrants flowing into the United States, where President Donald Trump wants to clamp down on both legal and illegal migration.

Among the many child migrants, 55 were with their parents or relatives, while 24 were making the dangerous journey alone

Mexico has taken into custody more than 300 Central American men, women, and children who were being smuggled to the United States without water or food, officials said Saturday. The largest group of 198 people crammed into the bottom of a truck was found in Tamaulipas in the northeast, just below the US state of Texas, Mexican immigration enforcement officials said. The migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador "were travelling in grossly overcrowded conditions without enough ventilation, food or water," they said in a statement. Among the many child migrants, 55 were with their parents or relatives, while 24 were making the dangerous journey alone. Just a week ago, another 174 Central Americans were caught in operations in the Mexican states of Coahuila and Tamaulipas. Amnesty International recently reported that Mexico deports thousands of Central Americans without taking into account their potential rights to treatment as refugees, such as when they are persecuted by organized crime in their home countries. The so-called Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras are among the most violent parts of the world outside of war zones. They are also a major source of migrants flowing into the United States, where President Donald Trump wants to clamp down on both legal and illegal migration.

US-bound migrants 'lacked food and water', freed in Mexico

Russia has issued a travel warning recommending its citizens think twice before travelling abroad, saying the United States was hunting for Russians to arrest around the world.

The Foreign Ministry statement warns Russian citizens that when abroad they face a serious threat of arrest by other countries at Washington&#39;s request, after which they could be extradited to the United States.

&quot;Despite our calls to improve cooperation between the relevant US&nbsp;and Russian authorities ... US&nbsp;special services have effectively continued &quot;hunting&quot; for Russians around the world,&quot; the travel warning said.

&quot;Considering these circumstances, we strongly insist that Russian citizens carefully weigh up all the risks when planning trips abroad,&quot; the Foreign Ministry said.

It said more than 10 Russians had been detained in foreign countries with US&nbsp;involvement since the start of 2017.

By way of example, it pointed to at least four Russians arrested on US&nbsp;cybercrime charges in Spain, Latvia and Greece. US&nbsp;action against suspected Russian cybercriminals surged to a record high last year.

Seven Russians were arrested or indicted in 2017 in the United States and abroad, compared to an average of two a year in the preceding six years.

The ministry pointed to the case of Stanislav Lisov, accused of creating a computer virus that targeted customers of financial institutions, causing millions of dollars of damage, who was extradited from Spain to the United States last year.

It mentioned earlier cases as well, including the detention of Roman Seleznev for cybercrime in the Maldives in 2014, which it described as a kidnapping by American agents.

The statement, published on Thursday, also warns Russian citizens that upon extradition they will face biased treatment at the hands of the US&nbsp;justice system.

The US&nbsp;State Department declined to comment.

"Considering these circumstances, we strongly insist that Russian citizens carefully weigh up all the risks when planning trips abroad," the Foreign Ministry said.

Russia has issued a travel warning recommending its citizens think twice before travelling abroad, saying the United States was hunting for Russians to arrest around the world. The Foreign Ministry statement warns Russian citizens that when abroad they face a serious threat of arrest by other countries at Washington's request, after which they could be extradited to the United States. "Despite our calls to improve cooperation between the relevant US and Russian authorities ... US special services have effectively continued "hunting" for Russians around the world," the travel warning said. "Considering these circumstances, we strongly insist that Russian citizens carefully weigh up all the risks when planning trips abroad," the Foreign Ministry said. It said more than 10 Russians had been detained in foreign countries with US involvement since the start of 2017. By way of example, it pointed to at least four Russians arrested on US cybercrime charges in Spain, Latvia and Greece. US action against suspected Russian cybercriminals surged to a record high last year. Seven Russians were arrested or indicted in 2017 in the United States and abroad, compared to an average of two a year in the preceding six years. The ministry pointed to the case of Stanislav Lisov, accused of creating a computer virus that targeted customers of financial institutions, causing millions of dollars of damage, who was extradited from Spain to the United States last year. It mentioned earlier cases as well, including the detention of Roman Seleznev for cybercrime in the Maldives in 2014, which it described as a kidnapping by American agents. The statement, published on Thursday, also warns Russian citizens that upon extradition they will face biased treatment at the hands of the US justice system. The US State Department declined to comment.

Russia says US 'hunting' for Russians to arrest around the world

The Pentagon has restricted the release of critical information on the progress being made in the war in Afghanistan, a move that will limit transparency, the US&nbsp;government&#39;s top watchdog on Afghanistan said on Monday.

For years, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, has published a quarterly report that includes unclassified data on the amount of territory controlled or influenced by the Taliban and the government.

In a report published late on Monday, SIGAR said, however, it was told not to release that information. The military also classified, for the first time since 2009, the actual and authorised total troop numbers and attrition rate for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, or ANDSF.

&quot;The implication is that I think the average American who reads our reports or reads your press accounts of it, has no meaningful ability to analyse how his money or her money is being spent on Afghanistan,&quot; John Sopko, who leads the independent watchdog office, told Reuters in an interview.

The Pentagon sought to deflect blame for the decision, the latest move to limit the amount of publicly available information about the 16-year-old war in Afghanistan - America&#39;s longest.

It said in a statement that the Department of Defense did not tell SIGAR to withhold the data, but rather it was the NATO-led Resolute Support coalition that made the determination.

It added that the Pentagon did not have the authority to overrule the classification made by Resolute Support, which is led by US&nbsp;General John Nicholson.

&quot;The Department continues to work with SIGAR, US&nbsp;Forces-Afghanistan, and NATO Resolute Support to resolve concerns about restrictions on information that was previously unclassified,&quot; Lieutenant Colonel Michael Andrews said.

Former officials and experts said that regardless of who restricted the information, it was particularly worrying because Afghan and US&nbsp;officials had publicly set a benchmark it would now be difficult to measure.

The top US general in Afghanistan set a goal in November of driving back Taliban insurgents enough to control at least 80 percent of the country within two years.

In its most recent report, SIGAR said that 43 percent of Afghanistan&#39;s districts were either under Taliban control or being contested.

Sopko said people would jump to the conclusion that information was being withheld because progress was not being made, which may not be the case.

A similar accusation was made during the Vietnam War, which later proved true.

&quot;In essence, you can ask me almost any question and I will have to say, it is classified or non-releasable, I mean you go down the list, it is just amazing,&quot; Sopko said.

He added that the Department of Defense did not give him any reasons for the move.

Recent attacks

The move by the Pentagon comes amid a spate of violence in Afghanistan over the past nine days that is putting a new, more aggressive strategy under the spotlight.

An ambulance bomb in the city center killed more than 100 people, just over a week after an attack on the Hotel Intercontinental, also in Kabul, killed more than 20, including four US&nbsp;citizens.

President Donald Trump has committed an additional 3,000 US&nbsp;troops to Afghanistan in recent weeks, bringing the total number of American troops in Afghanistan to about 14,000.

Michael Kugelman, with the Woodrow Wilson Center, said it made little sense to block the information.

&quot;It&#39;s not fair to the American people, to American troops and I would think it&#39;s pretty hard to justify doing something like this,&quot; Kugelman said.

It is not the first time data has been withheld on the Afghan war.

Last year, US&nbsp;forces in Afghanistan restricted the amount of data it provided on the ANDSF, including casualties, personnel strength, and attrition rates - data that has now been completely withheld.

The US&nbsp;military said at the time the data belonged to the Afghan government, which did not want it released.

A former US&nbsp;official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was pressure on the US&nbsp;military to achieve the success that could create a risk of not being fully open with the facts.

&quot;We&#39;re going in a direction of hiding facts and shading and shaping facts in reaction to a lot of pressure to show fast results,&quot; the former official said.

The move will limit transparency, the US government's top watchdog on Afghanistan said on Monday

The Pentagon has restricted the release of critical information on the progress being made in the war in Afghanistan, a move that will limit transparency, the US government's top watchdog on Afghanistan said on Monday. For years, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, has published a quarterly report that includes unclassified data on the amount of territory controlled or influenced by the Taliban and the government. In a report published late on Monday, SIGAR said, however, it was told not to release that information. The military also classified, for the first time since 2009, the actual and authorised total troop numbers and attrition rate for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, or ANDSF. "The implication is that I think the average American who reads our reports or reads your press accounts of it, has no meaningful ability to analyse how his money or her money is being spent on Afghanistan," John Sopko, who leads the independent watchdog office, told Reuters in an interview. The Pentagon sought to deflect blame for the decision, the latest move to limit the amount of publicly available information about the 16-year-old war in Afghanistan - America's longest. It said in a statement that the Department of Defense did not tell SIGAR to withhold the data, but rather it was the NATO-led Resolute Support coalition that made the determination. It added that the Pentagon did not have the authority to overrule the classification made by Resolute Support, which is led by US General John Nicholson. "The Department continues to work with SIGAR, US Forces-Afghanistan, and NATO Resolute Support to resolve concerns about restrictions on information that was previously unclassified," Lieutenant Colonel Michael Andrews said. Former officials and experts said that regardless of who restricted the information, it was particularly worrying because Afghan and US officials had publicly set a benchmark it would now be difficult to measure. The top US general in Afghanistan set a goal in November of driving back Taliban insurgents enough to control at least 80 percent of the country within two years. In its most recent report, SIGAR said that 43 percent of Afghanistan's districts were either under Taliban control or being contested. Sopko said people would jump to the conclusion that information was being withheld because progress was not being made, which may not be the case. A similar accusation was made during the Vietnam War, which later proved true. "In essence, you can ask me almost any question and I will have to say, it is classified or non-releasable, I mean you go down the list, it is just amazing," Sopko said. He added that the Department of Defense did not give him any reasons for the move. Recent attacks The move by the Pentagon comes amid a spate of violence in Afghanistan over the past nine days that is putting a new, more aggressive strategy under the spotlight. An ambulance bomb in the city center killed more than 100 people, just over a week after an attack on the Hotel Intercontinental, also in Kabul, killed more than 20, including four US citizens. President Donald Trump has committed an additional 3,000 US troops to Afghanistan in recent weeks, bringing the total number of American troops in Afghanistan to about 14,000. Michael Kugelman, with the Woodrow Wilson Center, said it made little sense to block the information. "It's not fair to the American people, to American troops and I would think it's pretty hard to justify doing something like this," Kugelman said. It is not the first time data has been withheld on the Afghan war. Last year, US forces in Afghanistan restricted the amount of data it provided on the ANDSF, including casualties, personnel strength, and attrition rates - data that has now been completely withheld. The US military said at the time the data belonged to the Afghan government, which did not want it released. A former US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was pressure on the US military to achieve the success that could create a risk of not being fully open with the facts. "We're going in a direction of hiding facts and shading and shaping facts in reaction to a lot of pressure to show fast results," the former official said.

Pentagon blocks release of key data on Afghan war - watchdog

Donald Trump&#39;s misspellings have become legendary -- &quot;covfefe,&quot; anyone? -- but a glaring typo on tickets for the president&#39;s State of the Union speech Tuesday has some lawmakers crying for spell check.

Tickets to the prime-time speech before a joint session of Congress were printed inviting lawmakers and guests to the State of the &quot;Uniom,&quot; lawmakers and officials said Monday.

&quot;Just received my ticket for the State of the Union. Looks like @BetsyDeVosED was in charge of spell checking... #SOTUniom,&quot; tweeted House Democrat Raul Grijalva, referring to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who has advocated policies that critics say undermine the public education system.

Grijalva&#39;s tweet also included a photograph of the offending ticket.

The White House is not responsible for the error. The printing is overseen by the Sergeant at Arms of the US House of Representatives, whose office on Monday acknowledged the snafu.&nbsp;

&quot;There was a misprint on the ticket,&quot; a Sergeant at Arms spokesman told AFP.

&quot;It was corrected immediately, and our office is redistributing the tickets.&quot;

But not before a few lawmakers got some ribbing in.

&quot;Looking forward to tomorrow&#39;s State of the Uniom,&quot; tweeted Republican Senator Marco Rubio.

On the spelling front, Trump has been a presidential trailblazer. He has routinely posted tweets containing errors, including one on the day after his January 20, 2017 inauguration, in which he wrote he was &quot;honered to serve&quot; as the nation&#39;s 45th president.

Grijalva's tweet also included a photograph of the offending ticket

Donald Trump's misspellings have become legendary -- "covfefe," anyone? -- but a glaring typo on tickets for the president's State of the Union speech Tuesday has some lawmakers crying for spell check. Tickets to the prime-time speech before a joint session of Congress were printed inviting lawmakers and guests to the State of the "Uniom," lawmakers and officials said Monday. "Just received my ticket for the State of the Union. Looks like @BetsyDeVosED was in charge of spell checking... #SOTUniom," tweeted House Democrat Raul Grijalva, referring to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who has advocated policies that critics say undermine the public education system. Grijalva's tweet also included a photograph of the offending ticket. The White House is not responsible for the error. The printing is overseen by the Sergeant at Arms of the US House of Representatives, whose office on Monday acknowledged the snafu. "There was a misprint on the ticket," a Sergeant at Arms spokesman told AFP. "It was corrected immediately, and our office is redistributing the tickets." But not before a few lawmakers got some ribbing in. "Looking forward to tomorrow's State of the Uniom," tweeted Republican Senator Marco Rubio. On the spelling front, Trump has been a presidential trailblazer. He has routinely posted tweets containing errors, including one on the day after his January 20, 2017 inauguration, in which he wrote he was "honered to serve" as the nation's 45th president.

Oops: Guests invited to Trump's State of the 'Uniom'

India has been ranked sixth in the list of wealthiest countries with a total wealth of $8,230 billion, while the United States topped the chart, says a report.

According to a report by New World Wealth, the United States is the wealthiest country in the world as the total wealth held in 2017 amounted to $64,584 billion, followed by China at the second place with &nbsp;$24,803 billion and Japan with $19,522 billion at third.

Total wealth refers to the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each country/city. It includes all their assets (property, cash, equities, business interests) less any liabilities. The report, however, excludes government funds from its figures.

Others in the list include United Kingdom (4th, $9,919 billion), Germany (5th, $9,660 billion), France (7th, $6,649 billion), Canada (8th, $6,393 billion), Australia (9th, $6,142 billion) and Italy (10th, $4,276 billion).

The report further noted that India was the best-performing wealth market globally in 2017 as its total wealth swelled from $6,584 billion in 2016 to $8,230 billion in 2017, registering a 25 per cent growth. 
Meanwhile, during the period under consideration, China&#39;s wealth saw an increase of 22 per cent and global wealth rose by 12 per cent (from $192 trillion at the end of 2016 to $215 trillion at the end of 2017).

Over the past decade (2007-2017) India&#39;s total wealth increased from $3,165 billion in 2007 to $8,230 billion in 2017, a jump of 160 per cent.

The report further noted that India is home to 3,30,400 HNWIs (individuals with $1 million or more in net assets).

Globally, India was ranked 9th in this aspect while US topped the list with 50,47,400 HNWIs (high-net-worth individuals). India is also home to 20,730 multi-millionaires, 7th largest in the world. &nbsp;And in terms of resident billionaires, India with 119 such individuals was named among the top three countries globally, after the US and China.

A billionaire is defined as an individual with $1 billion or more in net assets.

&quot;In general, it was a good year for all W10 (wealthiest 10) markets, thanks to strong global stock market gains - the MSCI world index was up 23 per cent and the Dow Jones (DJIA) was up 26 per cent during the year (in USD terms),&quot; the report said, adding &quot;wealth held in China, India, USA, Japan and Australia all grew strongly over the past year&quot;.

According to a report by New World Wealth, the United States is the wealthiest country in the world

India has been ranked sixth in the list of wealthiest countries with a total wealth of $8,230 billion, while the United States topped the chart, says a report. According to a report by New World Wealth, the United States is the wealthiest country in the world as the total wealth held in 2017 amounted to $64,584 billion, followed by China at the second place with $24,803 billion and Japan with $19,522 billion at third. Total wealth refers to the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each country/city. It includes all their assets (property, cash, equities, business interests) less any liabilities. The report, however, excludes government funds from its figures. Others in the list include United Kingdom (4th, $9,919 billion), Germany (5th, $9,660 billion), France (7th, $6,649 billion), Canada (8th, $6,393 billion), Australia (9th, $6,142 billion) and Italy (10th, $4,276 billion). The report further noted that India was the best-performing wealth market globally in 2017 as its total wealth swelled from $6,584 billion in 2016 to $8,230 billion in 2017, registering a 25 per cent growth. Meanwhile, during the period under consideration, China's wealth saw an increase of 22 per cent and global wealth rose by 12 per cent (from $192 trillion at the end of 2016 to $215 trillion at the end of 2017). Over the past decade (2007-2017) India's total wealth increased from $3,165 billion in 2007 to $8,230 billion in 2017, a jump of 160 per cent. The report further noted that India is home to 3,30,400 HNWIs (individuals with $1 million or more in net assets). Globally, India was ranked 9th in this aspect while US topped the list with 50,47,400 HNWIs (high-net-worth individuals). India is also home to 20,730 multi-millionaires, 7th largest in the world. And in terms of resident billionaires, India with 119 such individuals was named among the top three countries globally, after the US and China. A billionaire is defined as an individual with $1 billion or more in net assets. "In general, it was a good year for all W10 (wealthiest 10) markets, thanks to strong global stock market gains - the MSCI world index was up 23 per cent and the Dow Jones (DJIA) was up 26 per cent during the year (in USD terms)," the report said, adding "wealth held in China, India, USA, Japan and Australia all grew strongly over the past year".

India ranked sixth wealthiest country with total wealth of $8,230 billion: Report

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