Amidst US president Donald Trump&#39;s scathing attack on Pakistan saying that they &quot;have given us nothing but lies and deceit&quot; and have provided <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/weve-been-fooled-for-15-years-no-more-donald-trumps-tweet-to-pakistan-28253" target="_blank">&quot;safe haven to the terrorists</a>,&quot; BJP leader&nbsp;Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday said that India should consider having stronger relations with the US.

The BJP leader&nbsp;recommended shifting the Indian embassy from Tel Aviv to western Jerusalem as a goodwill measure.

&quot;Now, India should be very clear that if we want to deal with Pakistan, we have to have the support of the United States and Israel. As a measure of goodwill, we should shift our embassy from Tel Aviv to western Jerusalem,&quot; Swamy said.&nbsp;

Trump reversed the decades-old US&nbsp;policy and recognised &nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/search?query=Jerusalem">Jerusalem</a>&nbsp;as Israel&#39;s capital on December 6.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/search?query=Jerusalem">Jerusalem</a>&nbsp;is a disputed territory contested by both Israel and Palestine.

Trump in his first tweet of 2018 attacked Pakistan for providing &#39;&#39;safe heavens&#39;&#39; to the terrorists. The United States has been fooled by Pakistan for 15 years, but no more, Trump tweeted on Monday.&nbsp;

The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies &amp; deceit, the tweet said. &nbsp;

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The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies &amp; deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/947802588174577664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Pakistan soon <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/we-have-rendered-unmatched-sacrifices-in-war-against-terrorism-pakistan-28264" target="_blank">hit back&nbsp;</a>and said the US should not blame Pakistan for its failure in Afghanistan. Pakistan has rendered &#39;&#39;unmatched sacrifices&#39;&#39; in the &#39;&#39;war against terrorism&#39;&#39; and there was no ambiguity about it.

The statement also accused the US of overlooking the cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis.&nbsp;

Subramanian Swamy welcomed Trump&#39;s statement remarking that the US President presented facts in his accusation about receiving nothing in return from Pakistan for the aid provided to them.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Amidst US president Donald Trump's scathing attack on Pakistan, the BJP leader?said that India should consider having stronger relations with the United States

Amidst US president Donald Trump's scathing attack on Pakistan saying that they "have given us nothing but lies and deceit" and have provided "safe haven to the terrorists," BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday said that India should consider having stronger relations with the US. The BJP leader recommended shifting the Indian embassy from Tel Aviv to western Jerusalem as a goodwill measure. "Now, India should be very clear that if we want to deal with Pakistan, we have to have the support of the United States and Israel. As a measure of goodwill, we should shift our embassy from Tel Aviv to western Jerusalem," Swamy said. Trump reversed the decades-old US policy and recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital on December 6. Jerusalem is a disputed territory contested by both Israel and Palestine. Trump in his first tweet of 2018 attacked Pakistan for providing ''safe heavens'' to the terrorists. The United States has been fooled by Pakistan for 15 years, but no more, Trump tweeted on Monday. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, the tweet said. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 × Pakistan soon hit back and said the US should not blame Pakistan for its failure in Afghanistan. Pakistan has rendered ''unmatched sacrifices'' in the ''war against terrorism'' and there was no ambiguity about it. The statement also accused the US of overlooking the cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis. Subramanian Swamy welcomed Trump's statement remarking that the US President presented facts in his accusation about receiving nothing in return from Pakistan for the aid provided to them.

After Trump tweet, Swamy says shift Indian embassy to Jerusalem

Russia has accused the United States of violating a key arms treaty.

The United States recently sold a missile defence system to Japan which, according to Russia&#39;s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov, violated the treaty.&nbsp;

Ryabkov&#39;s statement published on Russia&#39;s Foreign Ministry website noted that the US deployment of missile defence systems at areas closer to Russia&#39;s western borders was against the 1987 INF Treaty.&nbsp;

The US is reported to have established its missile defence systems at military bases in Romania and Poland, sites closer to Russia.&nbsp;

&quot;The fact that such complexes could now appear on Russia&#39;s eastern borders creates a situation that we cannot ignore in our military planning,&quot; said Ryabkov.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Russia&#39;s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the deployment of the US missile defence system would have a negative impact on relations between Tokyo and Moscow.&nbsp;

&quot;We consider the step made by the Japanese side as going against efforts of ensuring peace and stability in the region,&quot; Zakharova said, adding that Moscow has &quot;deep regret and serious concern&quot; over the move.&nbsp;

Japan has been making efforts to bolster its missile defence system against &#39;threats&#39; from North Korea.&nbsp;

On December 19 it announced the introduction of the American Aegis missile interceptor system.&nbsp;

Japan is likely to buy long-range cruise missiles from the US and also aims to propose $46 billion defence budget for the next fiscal year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The US is reported to have established its missile defence systems at military bases in Romania and Poland

Russia has accused the United States of violating a key arms treaty. The United States recently sold a missile defence system to Japan which, according to Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov, violated the treaty. Ryabkov's statement published on Russia's Foreign Ministry website noted that the US deployment of missile defence systems at areas closer to Russia's western borders was against the 1987 INF Treaty. The US is reported to have established its missile defence systems at military bases in Romania and Poland, sites closer to Russia. "The fact that such complexes could now appear on Russia's eastern borders creates a situation that we cannot ignore in our military planning," said Ryabkov. On Thursday, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the deployment of the US missile defence system would have a negative impact on relations between Tokyo and Moscow. "We consider the step made by the Japanese side as going against efforts of ensuring peace and stability in the region," Zakharova said, adding that Moscow has "deep regret and serious concern" over the move. Japan has been making efforts to bolster its missile defence system against 'threats' from North Korea. On December 19 it announced the introduction of the American Aegis missile interceptor system. Japan is likely to buy long-range cruise missiles from the US and also aims to propose $46 billion defence budget for the next fiscal year. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia accuses US of breaking treaty over defence system sale to Japan

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for &quot;pragmatic cooperation&quot; in his New Year wishes to US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said on Saturday.&nbsp;

In a statement on the Russian president&#39;s New Year wishes to world leaders, the Kremlin said Putin told Trump that &quot;a constructive Russian-American dialogue is especially needed to strengthen strategic stability in the world&quot;.&nbsp;

According to the statement, Putin said that &quot;mutual respect&quot; should be &quot;a base to develop relations&quot; between the two countries.&nbsp;

&quot;This would allow us to move towards building pragmatic cooperation, orientated on the long term,&quot; the statement quoted Putin as saying.&nbsp;

The Russian president also sent messages to other heads of state, including the leaders of former Soviet countries, France&#39;s Emmanuel Macron, Germany&#39;s Angela Merkel and Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad.&nbsp;

In his wishes to the Syrian leader, with whom he met with during a surprise visit to Russia&#39;s Syrian air base Hmeimim earlier this month, Putin &quot;expressed sincere hope that key changes for the better will continue in Syria in the new year&quot;.&nbsp;

The statement added that Putin told Assad &quot;Russia will continue to show all kind of support to the Syrian Arab Republic in order to protect its state sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity&quot;.&nbsp;

Russia became involved in the Syrian conflict in September 2015, when it began an aerial campaign in support of Assad&#39;s military. Putin ordered a partial withdrawal of the Russian army from Syria earlier this month.&nbsp;

The Kremlin said Putin told Trump that 'a constructive Russian-American dialogue is especially needed to strengthen strategic stability in the world'

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for "pragmatic cooperation" in his New Year wishes to US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said on Saturday. In a statement on the Russian president's New Year wishes to world leaders, the Kremlin said Putin told Trump that "a constructive Russian-American dialogue is especially needed to strengthen strategic stability in the world". According to the statement, Putin said that "mutual respect" should be "a base to develop relations" between the two countries. "This would allow us to move towards building pragmatic cooperation, orientated on the long term," the statement quoted Putin as saying. The Russian president also sent messages to other heads of state, including the leaders of former Soviet countries, France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Angela Merkel and Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad. In his wishes to the Syrian leader, with whom he met with during a surprise visit to Russia's Syrian air base Hmeimim earlier this month, Putin "expressed sincere hope that key changes for the better will continue in Syria in the new year". The statement added that Putin told Assad "Russia will continue to show all kind of support to the Syrian Arab Republic in order to protect its state sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity". Russia became involved in the Syrian conflict in September 2015, when it began an aerial campaign in support of Assad's military. Putin ordered a partial withdrawal of the Russian army from Syria earlier this month.

Putin calls for 'pragmatic cooperation' in New Year wishes to Trump

Pakistan&#39;s military has warned the United States against taking any &#39;unilateral action&#39; against it, adding that the country&#39;s respect and sovereignty come first.

&quot;The armed forces are working with friends and want to continue doing so, but there can be no compromise on our national honour. We do not want a conflict with our friends, but will ensure the security of Pakistan,&quot; The Dawn quoted the Pakistan military spokesperson Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor as saying in a media briefing.

On December 4, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo issued a stern warning to Pakistan that if it did not act against the alleged terrorist safe havens inside the country, then the United States would be forced to destroy them on its own.

The CIA director gave this warning at the Reagan National Defence Forum in California on Saturday, when he was queried about what Trump administration was doing to make Pakistan participate in its new Afghan strategy.

Pakistan has consistently denied claims of Afghanistan and United States with respect to the presence of the terror havens on its soil.

Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif claimed that the majority of the attacks carried out in his country were coordinated from Afghanistan.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis has urged Pakistan to double its efforts to confront terrorists operating within the country.

He emphasised the vital role that Pakistan could play in working with the United States and others to facilitate a peace process in Afghanistan and bring back stability and security to the region, during his maiden visit to Pakistan since taking charge of the Pentagon.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share the strained bilateral relationship.

Both Kabul and Islamabad steadily purport that the attacks in the two countries were being plotted and carried out by the safe havens located in the two countries.&nbsp;

Pakistan has consistently denied claims of Afghanistan and United States with respect to the presence of the terror havens on its soil

Pakistan's military has warned the United States against taking any 'unilateral action' against it, adding that the country's respect and sovereignty come first. "The armed forces are working with friends and want to continue doing so, but there can be no compromise on our national honour. We do not want a conflict with our friends, but will ensure the security of Pakistan," The Dawn quoted the Pakistan military spokesperson Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor as saying in a media briefing. On December 4, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo issued a stern warning to Pakistan that if it did not act against the alleged terrorist safe havens inside the country, then the United States would be forced to destroy them on its own. The CIA director gave this warning at the Reagan National Defence Forum in California on Saturday, when he was queried about what Trump administration was doing to make Pakistan participate in its new Afghan strategy. Pakistan has consistently denied claims of Afghanistan and United States with respect to the presence of the terror havens on its soil. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif claimed that the majority of the attacks carried out in his country were coordinated from Afghanistan. US Defense Secretary James Mattis has urged Pakistan to double its efforts to confront terrorists operating within the country. He emphasised the vital role that Pakistan could play in working with the United States and others to facilitate a peace process in Afghanistan and bring back stability and security to the region, during his maiden visit to Pakistan since taking charge of the Pentagon. Pakistan and Afghanistan share the strained bilateral relationship. Both Kabul and Islamabad steadily purport that the attacks in the two countries were being plotted and carried out by the safe havens located in the two countries.

Pakistan military warns US against 'unilateral action'

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was &quot;very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea&quot; and that such moves would prevent &quot;a friendly solution&quot; to the crisis over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear program.

&quot;Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!&quot; Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.&nbsp;

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Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/946416486054285314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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China earlier on Thursday said there had been no UN&nbsp;sanction-breaking oil sales by Chinese ships to North Korea after a South Korea newspaper said Chinese and North Korean vessels had been illicitly linking up at sea to get oil to North Korea.&nbsp;

China earlier on Thursday said there had been no UN?sanction-breaking oil sales by Chinese ships to North Korea

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was "very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea" and that such moves would prevent "a friendly solution" to the crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear program. "Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!" Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2017 × China earlier on Thursday said there had been no UN sanction-breaking oil sales by Chinese ships to North Korea after a South Korea newspaper said Chinese and North Korean vessels had been illicitly linking up at sea to get oil to North Korea.

'Disappointed' on China allowing oil into North Korea, Trump tweets

Turkish missions in the United States will resume full visa services for US citizens, Ankara&#39;s embassy in Washington said Thursday, matching an identical move by American consulates in Turkey.

&quot;Within the framework of the principle of reciprocity, the restrictions placed from our side on the visa regime for US citizens are being lifted simultaneously,&quot; it said in a statement, following an announcement by the US embassy in Ankara that full visa services for Turkish citizens were being restored.

The US decision to stop handing out visas was implemented from October and was followed by a tit-for-tat move by Turkey to stop giving Turkish visas to Americans.

Turkey&#39;s embassy in Washington said it &quot;welcomed the decision to restore the old system from today&quot;.

The US said it had won assurances from Ankara that no further legal proceedings would be launched against its staff after the crisis was sparked by the arrest of a local consulate employee.

But the Turkish embassy statement took issue with this, saying that &quot;Turkey is a state of law&quot; and &quot;no such assurances have been given regarding cases pending in the courts&quot;.

&quot;We do not find it right to misinform the Turkish and American public by saying that assurances have been given,&quot; it said.&nbsp;

Reflecting the language of the American statement, it said that Ankara continued to have &quot;serious concerns&quot; regarding cases involving Turkish citizens in the United States.

The US decision to stop handing out visas was implemented from October

Turkish missions in the United States will resume full visa services for US citizens, Ankara's embassy in Washington said Thursday, matching an identical move by American consulates in Turkey. "Within the framework of the principle of reciprocity, the restrictions placed from our side on the visa regime for US citizens are being lifted simultaneously," it said in a statement, following an announcement by the US embassy in Ankara that full visa services for Turkish citizens were being restored. The US decision to stop handing out visas was implemented from October and was followed by a tit-for-tat move by Turkey to stop giving Turkish visas to Americans. Turkey's embassy in Washington said it "welcomed the decision to restore the old system from today". The US said it had won assurances from Ankara that no further legal proceedings would be launched against its staff after the crisis was sparked by the arrest of a local consulate employee. But the Turkish embassy statement took issue with this, saying that "Turkey is a state of law" and "no such assurances have been given regarding cases pending in the courts". "We do not find it right to misinform the Turkish and American public by saying that assurances have been given," it said. Reflecting the language of the American statement, it said that Ankara continued to have "serious concerns" regarding cases involving Turkish citizens in the United States.

Turkish missions in US to lift visa restrictions on US citizens

A group of Muhajirs in the US has lauded the Trump administration for putting Pakistan &quot;on notice&quot; for &quot;harbouring&quot; terror groups.

The term &#39;Muhajir&#39; is used to describe the Urdu-speaking immigrants who left India in 1947 and came to Pakistan. A large chunk of them settled in the Sindh province.

US Vice President Mike Pence, during an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to assess the ground realities in the war-torn country, said that President Donald Trump has put Pakistan on notice for providing safe havens to the Taliban and other militant groups.

&quot;As the president said, so I say now: Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the US, and Pakistan has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists,&quot; Pence had said, issuing another stern warning to Pakistan.

In a letter to Trump, the World Muhajir Congress (WMC) welcomed the recent statement in this regard by Pence in Afghanistan.

This is a &quot;bold&quot; policy in placing Pakistan &quot;on notice&quot; regarding its ill-fated policy of harbouring and supporting terrorist organisations in South Asia, particularly through the powerful Pakistani military establishment and intelligence wing the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the WMC said.

The WMC claimed that due to Muhajirs&#39; strong opposition to radical Islamist voices in Pakistan, they are being singled out by military establishment through political persecution, extra-judicial killings, forced disappearances of Muhajir men, and a state-sponsored media trial that continues to portray them as &quot;agents of India&quot; and &quot;anti-state&quot;.

In its letter, the WMC also offered to assist the Trump administration in formulating policy matters for South Asia as it relates to Pakistan.

Trump, while announcing his South Asia Policy in August, had criticised Pakistan for not doing enough to combat terrorism.

Observing that Muhajirs are the most liberal, progressive and pro-Western people in Pakistan, the WMC said that they are America&#39;s natural allies in the region.

&quot;If given a chance, Muhajirs can play a leading role in eliminating terrorism and violence from the region,&quot; the WMC said in the letter.

The group offered unequivocal support to the Trump administration as it formulates a more tougher approach in dealing with Pakistan&#39;s duplicitous behaviour in the region, the letter added.&nbsp;

The term 'Muhajir' is used to describe the Urdu-speaking immigrants who left India in 1947 and came to Pakistan.

A group of Muhajirs in the US has lauded the Trump administration for putting Pakistan "on notice" for "harbouring" terror groups. The term 'Muhajir' is used to describe the Urdu-speaking immigrants who left India in 1947 and came to Pakistan. A large chunk of them settled in the Sindh province. US Vice President Mike Pence, during an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to assess the ground realities in the war-torn country, said that President Donald Trump has put Pakistan on notice for providing safe havens to the Taliban and other militant groups. "As the president said, so I say now: Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the US, and Pakistan has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists," Pence had said, issuing another stern warning to Pakistan. In a letter to Trump, the World Muhajir Congress (WMC) welcomed the recent statement in this regard by Pence in Afghanistan. This is a "bold" policy in placing Pakistan "on notice" regarding its ill-fated policy of harbouring and supporting terrorist organisations in South Asia, particularly through the powerful Pakistani military establishment and intelligence wing the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the WMC said. The WMC claimed that due to Muhajirs' strong opposition to radical Islamist voices in Pakistan, they are being singled out by military establishment through political persecution, extra-judicial killings, forced disappearances of Muhajir men, and a state-sponsored media trial that continues to portray them as "agents of India" and "anti-state". In its letter, the WMC also offered to assist the Trump administration in formulating policy matters for South Asia as it relates to Pakistan. Trump, while announcing his South Asia Policy in August, had criticised Pakistan for not doing enough to combat terrorism. Observing that Muhajirs are the most liberal, progressive and pro-Western people in Pakistan, the WMC said that they are America's natural allies in the region. "If given a chance, Muhajirs can play a leading role in eliminating terrorism and violence from the region," the WMC said in the letter. The group offered unequivocal support to the Trump administration as it formulates a more tougher approach in dealing with Pakistan's duplicitous behaviour in the region, the letter added.

Muhajirs in US welcome Trump's move to put Pakistan on notice

The US says it has negotiated a $285 million cut to the UN&#39;s budget for 2018.&nbsp;

The budget cut comes a few days after a majority of UN member countries voted against US President Donald Trump&#39;s decision to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-votes-128-9-to-reject-trump-decision-on-jerusalem-27409" target="_blank">India, over 100 countries vote at UN against Trump decision on Jerusalem</a>

&quot;We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked,&quot; US ambassador the UN Nikki Haley said in a statement.

Haley added that &quot;inefficiency and overspending&quot; at the world body were &quot;well known&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;This historic reduction in spending -- in addition to many other moves toward a more efficient and accountable UN -- is a big step in the right direction.&quot;

Haley said the budget negotiations had generated several &quot;successes&quot; with financial cutbacks and a reduction of the UN&#39;s &quot;bloated management and support functions.&quot;

The negotiations had taken place on Sunday, with the UN General Assembly adopting a budget of $5.396 billion for 2018-2019, slightly below the $5.4 billion that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had sought.&nbsp;

The budget cut works out to 5 per cent&nbsp;of the UN&#39;s operating budget.&nbsp;

&quot;While we are pleased with the results of this year&#39;s budget negotiations, you can be sure we&#39;ll continue to look at ways to increase the UN&#39;s efficiency while protecting our interests,&quot; Haley added.

The United States is by far the largest contributor to the UN budget, providing for 22 per cent of the core budget.&nbsp;

The UN&#39;s operating budget is separate from its peacekeeping budget, which was cut by $600 million this year under pressure from the Donald Trump administration.&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)

The US says it has negotiated a $285 million cut to the UN's budget for 2018

The US says it has negotiated a $285 million cut to the UN's budget for 2018. The budget cut comes a few days after a majority of UN member countries voted against US President Donald Trump's decision to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Also read: India, over 100 countries vote at UN against Trump decision on Jerusalem "We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked," US ambassador the UN Nikki Haley said in a statement. Haley added that "inefficiency and overspending" at the world body were "well known". "This historic reduction in spending -- in addition to many other moves toward a more efficient and accountable UN -- is a big step in the right direction." Haley said the budget negotiations had generated several "successes" with financial cutbacks and a reduction of the UN's "bloated management and support functions." The negotiations had taken place on Sunday, with the UN General Assembly adopting a budget of $5.396 billion for 2018-2019, slightly below the $5.4 billion that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had sought. The budget cut works out to 5 per cent of the UN's operating budget. "While we are pleased with the results of this year's budget negotiations, you can be sure we'll continue to look at ways to increase the UN's efficiency while protecting our interests," Haley added. The United States is by far the largest contributor to the UN budget, providing for 22 per cent of the core budget. The UN's operating budget is separate from its peacekeeping budget, which was cut by $600 million this year under pressure from the Donald Trump administration. (With inputs from AFP)

US slashes UN budget after Jerusalem vote

&nbsp;

The coming year will unravel the astonishing predictions made by a mystic woman from Bulgaria, Nostradamus Baba Vanga.

The woman is revered by many for her predictions that have translated into real-life events.&nbsp;

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She is credited to have predicted some of the most noticeable global events including the 9/11 attack, the rise of IS in Syria and Brexit.

In 1989 Baba Vanga said: &ldquo;Horror, horror! The American brethren will fall after being attacked by the steel birds. The wolves will be howling in a bush, and innocent blood will be gushing&quot; a media report quoted.&nbsp;

She also&nbsp;reportedly foretold that Europe will be invaded by Muslim extremists in the year 2016.

Baba Vanga also predicted that the conflict&nbsp;would begin with the Arab Spring in 2010. Theorists believe she had foreseen Brexit too.

The year 2018 will reveal the authenticity of a couple of her predictions for the year.

For the upcoming year, Baba had predicted two significant events that will have a remarkable impact on the world.&nbsp;

The mystic woman had predicted that China will overtake US&nbsp;to become world&#39;s strongest superpower.

Her second prediction noted a &quot;new form of energy&quot; to be discovered on planet Venus.&nbsp;

Over the years, several reports have indicated a move towards these predictions.

Many research pieces have pointed at China&#39;s emergence as the global superpower, overtaking the United States in the coming years.&nbsp;

Research predicts America&#39;s economy to fall over the years while China&#39;s to see a continuous rise.&nbsp;

According to a recent media report, a spacecraft named &quot;The Parker Solar&quot; is scheduled for a launch in July 2018.&nbsp;

Though the spacecraft will not land on the planet Venus, it will use the planet&#39;s gravitational force to probe the outer corona of the sun.&nbsp;

Baba Vanga had also predicted the world to come to an end in the 51st century.&nbsp;

The mystic died at the age of 85 in 1996; many suspected her to&nbsp;possess paranormal abilities.&nbsp;

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Nostradamus Baba Vanga, who died at the age of 85 in 1996,?is revered in Russia for her predictions

The coming year will unravel the astonishing predictions made by a mystic woman from Bulgaria, Nostradamus Baba Vanga. The woman is revered by many for her predictions that have translated into real-life events. × She is credited to have predicted some of the most noticeable global events including the 9/11 attack, the rise of IS in Syria and Brexit. In 1989 Baba Vanga said: “Horror, horror! The American brethren will fall after being attacked by the steel birds. The wolves will be howling in a bush, and innocent blood will be gushing" a media report quoted. She also reportedly foretold that Europe will be invaded by Muslim extremists in the year 2016. Baba Vanga also predicted that the conflict would begin with the Arab Spring in 2010. Theorists believe she had foreseen Brexit too. The year 2018 will reveal the authenticity of a couple of her predictions for the year. For the upcoming year, Baba had predicted two significant events that will have a remarkable impact on the world. The mystic woman had predicted that China will overtake US to become world's strongest superpower. Her second prediction noted a "new form of energy" to be discovered on planet Venus. Over the years, several reports have indicated a move towards these predictions. Many research pieces have pointed at China's emergence as the global superpower, overtaking the United States in the coming years. Research predicts America's economy to fall over the years while China's to see a continuous rise. According to a recent media report, a spacecraft named "The Parker Solar" is scheduled for a launch in July 2018. Though the spacecraft will not land on the planet Venus, it will use the planet's gravitational force to probe the outer corona of the sun. Baba Vanga had also predicted the world to come to an end in the 51st century. The mystic died at the age of 85 in 1996; many suspected her to possess paranormal abilities.

Baba Vanga, who foresaw 9/11, Brexit, IS rise, had astonishing predictions for 2018

On Christmas Eve, US&nbsp;President Donald Trump took calls from children, asking them what they wanted most from Santa, and revealing what was on his own wish list.

One boy wanted building blocks. Another wished for his grandma to get out of the hospital.

And as for Trump - who has sent a series of combative tweets since arriving at his Florida vacation home - he said he wants &quot;peace for the country.&quot;

&quot;We&#39;ve got prosperity - now we want peace,&quot; Trump told a child named Ryan, who called the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to check on Santa&#39;s progress.

Every year on Christmas eve NORAD purports to track the flight of Santa and his reindeer-pulled sleigh, a tradition since 1955 when a department store misprinted a phone number, sending a flood of calls to a NORAD colonel, who played along.

Sitting in a gold chair beside first lady Melania Trump in an ornate, tapestried great room, the president enthusiastically chatted with youngsters and their parents. Reporters in the room could hear only the president&#39;s side of the conversation.

In his trademark brash style honed during a career in the New York real estate world, Trump predicted the kids would have the greatest Christmas ever.

&quot;I&#39;ll make a prediction - Santa is going to treat you well. Really well. The best he&#39;s ever treated you,&quot; he told one child from Mississippi, throwing in an invitation to come to the Oval Office sometime.

Casper from Arlington, Virginia, was a child after Trump&#39;s own heart. &quot;Building blocks! That&#39;s what I always liked too,&quot; the president exclaimed.

&quot;I predict that Santa will bring you building blocks, so many you won&#39;t be able to use them all,&quot; he said.

As for Ryan, he told Trump he wanted his grandmother to come home from the hospital.

&quot;That is great. That&#39;s better than asking for some toy or something,&quot; Trump said.

As for Trump - who has sent a series of combative tweets since arriving at his Florida vacation home - he said he wants "peace for the country."

On Christmas Eve, US President Donald Trump took calls from children, asking them what they wanted most from Santa, and revealing what was on his own wish list. One boy wanted building blocks. Another wished for his grandma to get out of the hospital. And as for Trump - who has sent a series of combative tweets since arriving at his Florida vacation home - he said he wants "peace for the country." "We've got prosperity - now we want peace," Trump told a child named Ryan, who called the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to check on Santa's progress. Every year on Christmas eve NORAD purports to track the flight of Santa and his reindeer-pulled sleigh, a tradition since 1955 when a department store misprinted a phone number, sending a flood of calls to a NORAD colonel, who played along. Sitting in a gold chair beside first lady Melania Trump in an ornate, tapestried great room, the president enthusiastically chatted with youngsters and their parents. Reporters in the room could hear only the president's side of the conversation. In his trademark brash style honed during a career in the New York real estate world, Trump predicted the kids would have the greatest Christmas ever. "I'll make a prediction - Santa is going to treat you well. Really well. The best he's ever treated you," he told one child from Mississippi, throwing in an invitation to come to the Oval Office sometime. Casper from Arlington, Virginia, was a child after Trump's own heart. "Building blocks! That's what I always liked too," the president exclaimed. "I predict that Santa will bring you building blocks, so many you won't be able to use them all," he said. As for Ryan, he told Trump he wanted his grandmother to come home from the hospital. "That is great. That's better than asking for some toy or something," Trump said.

Trump's Christmas wish: 'We've got prosperity, Now we want peace'

The United States on Sunday applauded a $285-million-cut in the UN core budget, saying it was &quot;a big step in right direction.&quot;

The General Assembly adopted a budget of $5.396 billion for 2018-2019, slightly below the $5.4 billion that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had sought.

The United States is by far the largest contributor to the UN budget, providing for 22 percent of the core budget.&nbsp;

US Ambassador Nikki Haley said in a statement that &quot;inefficiency and overspending&quot; at the world body were &quot;well known.&quot;

Haley said the budget negotiations had generated several &quot;successes&quot; with financial cutbacks and a reduction of the UN&#39;s &quot;bloated management and support functions.&quot;

&quot;We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked,&quot; she said.

&quot;This historic reduction in spending -- in addition to many other moves toward a more efficient and accountable UN -- is a big step in the right direction.&quot;

&quot;While we are pleased with the results of this year&#39;s budget negotiations, you can be sure we&#39;ll continue to look at ways to increase the UN&#39;s efficiency while protecting our interests,&quot; she added.

The UN&#39;s operating budget is separate from its peacekeeping budget, which was cut by $600 million this year under pressure from the administration of US President Donald Trump.

The push for deeper cuts comes as Guterres is trying to build support for his plans for reform of the UN bureaucracy.

Guterres&#39; budget proposal was $200 million below the 2016-2017 biennial budget.&nbsp;

During a meeting held on the sidelines of the annual General Assembly debate in September, Trump said the United Nations had failed to reach its &quot;full potential due to bureaucracy and mismanagement.&quot;

&quot;We are not seeing the results in line with this investment,&quot; he said.

Last week, Trump threatened to cut funding to countries that supported a UN resolution rejecting his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

The General Assembly adopted a budget of $5.396 billion for 2018-2019

The United States on Sunday applauded a $285-million-cut in the UN core budget, saying it was "a big step in right direction." The General Assembly adopted a budget of $5.396 billion for 2018-2019, slightly below the $5.4 billion that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had sought. The United States is by far the largest contributor to the UN budget, providing for 22 percent of the core budget. US Ambassador Nikki Haley said in a statement that "inefficiency and overspending" at the world body were "well known." Haley said the budget negotiations had generated several "successes" with financial cutbacks and a reduction of the UN's "bloated management and support functions." "We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked," she said. "This historic reduction in spending -- in addition to many other moves toward a more efficient and accountable UN -- is a big step in the right direction." "While we are pleased with the results of this year's budget negotiations, you can be sure we'll continue to look at ways to increase the UN's efficiency while protecting our interests," she added. The UN's operating budget is separate from its peacekeeping budget, which was cut by $600 million this year under pressure from the administration of US President Donald Trump. The push for deeper cuts comes as Guterres is trying to build support for his plans for reform of the UN bureaucracy. Guterres' budget proposal was $200 million below the 2016-2017 biennial budget. During a meeting held on the sidelines of the annual General Assembly debate in September, Trump said the United Nations had failed to reach its "full potential due to bureaucracy and mismanagement." "We are not seeing the results in line with this investment," he said. Last week, Trump threatened to cut funding to countries that supported a UN resolution rejecting his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

US hails UN budget cuts as 'step in right direction'

According to Nadav Argaman, head of Shin Bet, Israel&#39;s security agency, while the number of anti-Israeli attacks in 2017 (54) fell by nearly 50 per cent -- as compared to the year 2016 (108) -- greater instability and distress now strikes Israel.&nbsp;

Argaman stated that US President&#39;s decision, to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, has provoked instability in the region.

So far, nearly 12 Palestinians have been killed.

Palestinian territories are thwarted by protests and clashes with Israeli forces.&nbsp;

He pointed at Gaza and West Bank, areas that witnessed &quot;greater instability&quot; after Trump&#39;s declaration.

Islamist movement Hamas, which rules Gaza, &quot;is trying with all its might to organise attacks in the West Bank to destabilise the Palestinian Authority,&quot; Argaman noted.

The security official also expressed his concern over the imminent Palestinian &quot;protests and demonstrations&quot; against the US declaration.

The Shin Bet chief said 400 bomb attacks were foiled in 2017, including 13 suicide bombings and nine kidnapping attempts, while 148 Hamas cells were dismantled in the West Bank.

(With inputs from AFP)

So far, nearly 12 Palestinians have been killed. Palestinian territories are thwarted by protests and clashes with Israeli forces

According to Nadav Argaman, head of Shin Bet, Israel's security agency, while the number of anti-Israeli attacks in 2017 (54) fell by nearly 50 per cent -- as compared to the year 2016 (108) -- greater instability and distress now strikes Israel. Argaman stated that US President's decision, to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, has provoked instability in the region. So far, nearly 12 Palestinians have been killed. Palestinian territories are thwarted by protests and clashes with Israeli forces. He pointed at Gaza and West Bank, areas that witnessed "greater instability" after Trump's declaration. Islamist movement Hamas, which rules Gaza, "is trying with all its might to organise attacks in the West Bank to destabilise the Palestinian Authority," Argaman noted. The security official also expressed his concern over the imminent Palestinian "protests and demonstrations" against the US declaration. The Shin Bet chief said 400 bomb attacks were foiled in 2017, including 13 suicide bombings and nine kidnapping attempts, while 148 Hamas cells were dismantled in the West Bank. (With inputs from AFP)

Fewer attacks but 'greater instability' post Trump's Jerusalem move, says Israel security chief?

One of the major Islamic countries of Europe, Turkey is the only Islamic country which is part of America-led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. When Mustafa Kamal Ataturk fought the Turkish War of Independence, he himself did not think that the country would be in such a state after few decades. The country has been inhibited by Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Persians and other communities before, finally, surrendering to Islamic invaders in the late eleventh century.

&nbsp;

Traditionally, Turkey had been considered as a moderate Islamic country but in the recent times, the inclination of this country, which acts as a bridge between Europe and Asia, had been overtly hard-line Islamic, making it a matter of concern.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In 1952, when the Cold War started and America wanted to isolate the then mighty USSR, it had no option but to include Turkey in the NATO.&nbsp; Particularly, because the country was virtually controlling every movement from the Black Sea and, indirectly,&nbsp; was restricting the entire USSR Navy to operate in global waters.

&nbsp;

During the initial phase of Cold War, Turkey got immensely benefited from the economic, political and diplomatic support of United States and emerged as one of the major allies of the European Union. Even after the Cold War ended, the Mediterranean country&rsquo;s importance did not reduce but because of its strategic location and active support to America in all perspectives, it flourished.

&nbsp;

Even till now, Turkey has the second biggest standing force in NATO with over 5 lakh soldiers. Not only this, it is governed by the nuclear weapon sharing programme with the US. Accordingly, the US has housed a total of 90 B61 Nuclear warheads at its Incirlik Air Base, out of which 40 are at the disposal of Turkish Air Force.

&nbsp;

In 1991, Turkey played an important role in establishing NATO footholds in the Central Asian countries, which were liberated out of erstwhile USSR since they share the same culture and linguistic heritage. Things were going fine but after the win of AKP in the elections in 2002, the situation started deteriorating. Earlier Turkey used to support every move of the United States but for the first time in 2003, a major part of the AKP legislatures joined the Opposition party to prevent the government from supporting US decision to invade Iraq from the Turkish Territory.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

That was a game-changing moment.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tayyip Recep Erdogan had been one of the founders of AKP and is considered a hardliner Islamic politician. Everyone feared that his becoming the President will negatively affect the secular nature of Turkey. And the fear came true when he took over the country as Prime Minister in 2003 and then as President in 2014.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Erdogan started affecting the country&rsquo;s politics soon after his party came to power. He negotiated the membership of Turkey with the European Union, made changes in the Constitution in 2007 and 2010 and curbed the powers of his military, anticipating any future coup.

&nbsp;

He actively supported some hardliner Islamic movements within the country and nurtured their leaders and this is what disturbs the West. The over-inclination of Erdogan with the hardliner Islamic elements, the ISIS factor, the recent statements of the Turkish government against the US are challenging the existence of the country as a major NATO ally.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

There are several other issues too.&nbsp; The US support to Kurdish fighters is a point of friction as is Turkey supporting some of the ISIS elements. Turkish government officials gave statements, indicating the US as their enemy in open forum. Turkey believes that the US supported FETO movement to the July 2016 Coup. Turkey&rsquo;s increasing inclination to Russia and its joining of Moscow-Beijing led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is another matter of concern.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Turkey is not only doing joint military exercises with Russia but also procuring S-400 Anti-Missile system, which will be integrated with the NATO defence systems. This is a clear breach of trust. US has also included Turkey as a joint partner in F-35 Program, which is a sensitive military programme but with the current inclination of this country, a leakage of technology into wrong hands can&rsquo;t be ruled out. The support of Turkey to Pakistan and some of its terror elements is also a serious matter of concern.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

But what is compelling the US to keep Turkey as its major NATO ally? Because even keeping Turkey out of NATO is not easy for the US as this organisation is run by consensus and, if needed, Turkey could paralyse all decisions, impacting the efficiency of NATO.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

What Erdogan thinks is that by playing this game, he can be in a win-win situation with respect to both the US and Russia. But if he would ever compare himself to these two countries, one led by a sharp businessman and other by an ex KGB operative, Erdogan is a novice and he must accept that.

&nbsp;

Ironically, Turkey is caught between his own moves and this would not lead the country anywhere. There are serious undercurrents in the government which was evident from the July 2016 Coup. Different governments have different ideologies and priorities which affect the nation to a great sense. The future has a lot in store for Turkey.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Keeping Turkey out of NATO is not easy for the US as this organisation is run by consensus and, if needed, Turkey could paralyse all decisions, impacting the efficiency of NATO.

One of the major Islamic countries of Europe, Turkey is the only Islamic country which is part of America-led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. When Mustafa Kamal Ataturk fought the Turkish War of Independence, he himself did not think that the country would be in such a state after few decades. The country has been inhibited by Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Persians and other communities before, finally, surrendering to Islamic invaders in the late eleventh century. Traditionally, Turkey had been considered as a moderate Islamic country but in the recent times, the inclination of this country, which acts as a bridge between Europe and Asia, had been overtly hard-line Islamic, making it a matter of concern. In 1952, when the Cold War started and America wanted to isolate the then mighty USSR, it had no option but to include Turkey in the NATO. Particularly, because the country was virtually controlling every movement from the Black Sea and, indirectly, was restricting the entire USSR Navy to operate in global waters. During the initial phase of Cold War, Turkey got immensely benefited from the economic, political and diplomatic support of United States and emerged as one of the major allies of the European Union. Even after the Cold War ended, the Mediterranean country’s importance did not reduce but because of its strategic location and active support to America in all perspectives, it flourished. Even till now, Turkey has the second biggest standing force in NATO with over 5 lakh soldiers. Not only this, it is governed by the nuclear weapon sharing programme with the US. Accordingly, the US has housed a total of 90 B61 Nuclear warheads at its Incirlik Air Base, out of which 40 are at the disposal of Turkish Air Force. In 1991, Turkey played an important role in establishing NATO footholds in the Central Asian countries, which were liberated out of erstwhile USSR since they share the same culture and linguistic heritage. Things were going fine but after the win of AKP in the elections in 2002, the situation started deteriorating. Earlier Turkey used to support every move of the United States but for the first time in 2003, a major part of the AKP legislatures joined the Opposition party to prevent the government from supporting US decision to invade Iraq from the Turkish Territory. That was a game-changing moment. Tayyip Recep Erdogan had been one of the founders of AKP and is considered a hardliner Islamic politician. Everyone feared that his becoming the President will negatively affect the secular nature of Turkey. And the fear came true when he took over the country as Prime Minister in 2003 and then as President in 2014. Erdogan started affecting the country’s politics soon after his party came to power. He negotiated the membership of Turkey with the European Union, made changes in the Constitution in 2007 and 2010 and curbed the powers of his military, anticipating any future coup. He actively supported some hardliner Islamic movements within the country and nurtured their leaders and this is what disturbs the West. The over-inclination of Erdogan with the hardliner Islamic elements, the ISIS factor, the recent statements of the Turkish government against the US are challenging the existence of the country as a major NATO ally. There are several other issues too. The US support to Kurdish fighters is a point of friction as is Turkey supporting some of the ISIS elements. Turkish government officials gave statements, indicating the US as their enemy in open forum. Turkey believes that the US supported FETO movement to the July 2016 Coup. Turkey’s increasing inclination to Russia and its joining of Moscow-Beijing led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is another matter of concern. Turkey is not only doing joint military exercises with Russia but also procuring S-400 Anti-Missile system, which will be integrated with the NATO defence systems. This is a clear breach of trust. US has also included Turkey as a joint partner in F-35 Program, which is a sensitive military programme but with the current inclination of this country, a leakage of technology into wrong hands can’t be ruled out. The support of Turkey to Pakistan and some of its terror elements is also a serious matter of concern. But what is compelling the US to keep Turkey as its major NATO ally? Because even keeping Turkey out of NATO is not easy for the US as this organisation is run by consensus and, if needed, Turkey could paralyse all decisions, impacting the efficiency of NATO. What Erdogan thinks is that by playing this game, he can be in a win-win situation with respect to both the US and Russia. But if he would ever compare himself to these two countries, one led by a sharp businessman and other by an ex KGB operative, Erdogan is a novice and he must accept that. Ironically, Turkey is caught between his own moves and this would not lead the country anywhere. There are serious undercurrents in the government which was evident from the July 2016 Coup. Different governments have different ideologies and priorities which affect the nation to a great sense. The future has a lot in store for Turkey. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: Erdogan's Turkey a threat or a trusted ally of NATO?

The United States and Canada will be co-hosting a meeting of foreign ministers in Vancouver to demonstrate international solidarity against North Korea&#39;s continued nuclear and missile tests.

The meeting is scheduled for January 2018.

The so-called Vancouver Group will also include Australia, Belgium, Britain, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey.

Canada&#39;s Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland met with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this Tuesday.

Freeland noted that the pressure campaign on North Korea would not abate until the country agreed to give up its nuclear ambitions.

North Korea&#39;s intercontinental ballistic missile stunt sparked an outcry among world leaders with US President Donald Trump calling for more stringent sanctions on the Pyongyang regime.

Kim Jong-un&#39;s government also fired two missiles over Japan previously this year, threatening to &quot;sink&quot; Japan into the sea.

Japan, on the other hand, has signed a deal with the US to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/japan-to-bolster-its-missile-defence-system-against-north-koreas-threats-27161">introduce Aegis Ashore</a> missile in a move to combat &#39;increasing North Korean threats&#39;.&nbsp;

&quot;Japan is reportedly planning a record $46 billion defence budget for the next fiscal year in the wake of the North Korean threat,&quot; reported AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Japan, on the other hand, has signed a deal with the US to introduce Aegis Ashore missile in a move to combat 'increasing North Korean threats'

The United States and Canada will be co-hosting a meeting of foreign ministers in Vancouver to demonstrate international solidarity against North Korea's continued nuclear and missile tests. The meeting is scheduled for January 2018. The so-called Vancouver Group will also include Australia, Belgium, Britain, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey. Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland met with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this Tuesday. Freeland noted that the pressure campaign on North Korea would not abate until the country agreed to give up its nuclear ambitions. North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile stunt sparked an outcry among world leaders with US President Donald Trump calling for more stringent sanctions on the Pyongyang regime. Kim Jong-un's government also fired two missiles over Japan previously this year, threatening to "sink" Japan into the sea. Japan, on the other hand, has signed a deal with the US to introduce Aegis Ashore missile in a move to combat 'increasing North Korean threats'. "Japan is reportedly planning a record $46 billion defence budget for the next fiscal year in the wake of the North Korean threat," reported AFP. (With inputs from agencies)

US, Canada to host talks to keep 'pressure' on North Korea

US President Donald Trump has asked Pakistan to take &quot;decisive action&quot; against terror groups operating on its soil, as he unveiled America&#39;s new National Security Strategy.

The US will also encourage Pakistan to continue demonstrating that it is a responsible steward of its nuclear assets, the National Security Strategy (NSS) said.

Mandated by the Congress, Trump yesterday released his first NSS, according to which the US has asked Pakistan to intensify its counterterrorism efforts.

&quot;We have made clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory. And we make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help,&quot; Trump said in his remarks as he announced the NSS.

Pakistan has received more than USD 33 billion from the US since the 9/11 terror attacks.

&quot;We will press Pakistan to intensify its counterterrorism efforts, since no partnership can survive a country&#39;s support for militants and terrorists who target a partner&#39;s own service members and officials,&quot; it said.

The NSS links its efforts to build trade and investment ties with Pakistan with improvement in security.

The Trump administration has been talking tough with Pakistan after it came to power, but has stopped short of taking any action against it even though the Pakistani leadership have shown reluctance in taking decisive actions against terrorist groups.

On November 25, the White House asked Pakistan to immediately re-arrest and prosecute Hafiz Saeed, leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

&quot;If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and charge him for his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions for bilateral relations and for Pakistan?s global reputation,&quot; the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders had said.

On Afghanistan, the US will continue to partner with it to promote peace and security in the region, it said.

&quot;We will continue to promote anti-corruption reform in Afghanistan to increase the legitimacy of its government and reduce the appeal of violent extremist organisations,&quot; it added.

In his South Asia speech on August 21, Trump became the first US president to publicly point out for its support to terrorist outfits and leaders.

&quot;For its part, Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror,&quot; he said and asked Pakistan to &quot;demonstrate&quot; its commitment to civilisation, order, and to peace.

The US, Trump then said, can no longer be silent about Pakistan&#39;s safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond.

Since then top US leadership, including the Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, have visited Pakistan to press the latter.

Mattis has refused to give necessary certification to Pakistan that it is taking action against Haqqani network, as a result of which blocking several hundred million coalition support funds to Islamabad.&nbsp;

Trump asked Pakistan to intensify its efforts as he unveiled America's new National Security Strategy

US President Donald Trump has asked Pakistan to take "decisive action" against terror groups operating on its soil, as he unveiled America's new National Security Strategy. The US will also encourage Pakistan to continue demonstrating that it is a responsible steward of its nuclear assets, the National Security Strategy (NSS) said. Mandated by the Congress, Trump yesterday released his first NSS, according to which the US has asked Pakistan to intensify its counterterrorism efforts. "We have made clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory. And we make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help," Trump said in his remarks as he announced the NSS. Pakistan has received more than USD 33 billion from the US since the 9/11 terror attacks. "We will press Pakistan to intensify its counterterrorism efforts, since no partnership can survive a country's support for militants and terrorists who target a partner's own service members and officials," it said. The NSS links its efforts to build trade and investment ties with Pakistan with improvement in security. The Trump administration has been talking tough with Pakistan after it came to power, but has stopped short of taking any action against it even though the Pakistani leadership have shown reluctance in taking decisive actions against terrorist groups. On November 25, the White House asked Pakistan to immediately re-arrest and prosecute Hafiz Saeed, leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba. "If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and charge him for his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions for bilateral relations and for Pakistan?s global reputation," the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders had said. On Afghanistan, the US will continue to partner with it to promote peace and security in the region, it said. "We will continue to promote anti-corruption reform in Afghanistan to increase the legitimacy of its government and reduce the appeal of violent extremist organisations," it added. In his South Asia speech on August 21, Trump became the first US president to publicly point out for its support to terrorist outfits and leaders. "For its part, Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror," he said and asked Pakistan to "demonstrate" its commitment to civilisation, order, and to peace. The US, Trump then said, can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Since then top US leadership, including the Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, have visited Pakistan to press the latter. Mattis has refused to give necessary certification to Pakistan that it is taking action against Haqqani network, as a result of which blocking several hundred million coalition support funds to Islamabad.

US asks Pakistan to take 'decisive action' against terror groups

India and the US on Tuesday concluded their first dialogue on designations of terrorist groups and individuals through domestic and international mechanisms.

The establishment of the &#39;India-US designations dialogue&#39; mechanism reflected shared Indian and American commitments to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats, the ministry of external affairs said here at the end of the two-day meet.

Joint Secretary in-charge of America&#39;s division in the MEA Munu Mahawar and senior officials from other ministries, including the home ministry, participated in the meet. From the US side, officials from the homeland security were present.

The dialogue was held to discuss increasing bilateral cooperation on terrorism-related designations, the ministry said in a statement.

&quot;The Indian and US delegations exchanged information on procedures for pursuing designations against terrorist groups and individuals, through domestic and international mechanisms. They also discussed best practices for effective implementation of the designations,&quot; it said.

The statement was also released by the US.

The dialogue comes amidst China blocking the designation of Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) chief and Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the UN.

In June, a joint statement issued after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump had said the two sides were committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, D-Company, and their affiliates.

India had also appreciated the US designation of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist as evidence of the commitment of the US to end terror in all its forms.

The US will host the second round of the dialogue in 2018.&nbsp;

The establishment of the 'India-US designations dialogue' mechanism reflected shared Indian and American commitments to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats, the ministry of external affairs said

India and the US on Tuesday concluded their first dialogue on designations of terrorist groups and individuals through domestic and international mechanisms. The establishment of the 'India-US designations dialogue' mechanism reflected shared Indian and American commitments to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats, the ministry of external affairs said here at the end of the two-day meet. Joint Secretary in-charge of America's division in the MEA Munu Mahawar and senior officials from other ministries, including the home ministry, participated in the meet. From the US side, officials from the homeland security were present. The dialogue was held to discuss increasing bilateral cooperation on terrorism-related designations, the ministry said in a statement. "The Indian and US delegations exchanged information on procedures for pursuing designations against terrorist groups and individuals, through domestic and international mechanisms. They also discussed best practices for effective implementation of the designations," it said. The statement was also released by the US. The dialogue comes amidst China blocking the designation of Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) chief and Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the UN. In June, a joint statement issued after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump had said the two sides were committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, D-Company, and their affiliates. India had also appreciated the US designation of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist as evidence of the commitment of the US to end terror in all its forms. The US will host the second round of the dialogue in 2018.

India, US conclude first meeting on designations of terrorists, groups

US President Donald Trump unveiled &#39;America First National Strategy&#39; Monday wherein he talked about strengthening ties with ally nations and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-talks-about-america-first-national-strategy-welcomes-indias-emergence-as-leading-global-power-27128">supporting India in a &quot;leadership&quot; role</a> in the Indo-Pacific region.

Trump went on to target Russia in the official statement calling the country to have a meddling stance on global political affairs thereby undermining &quot;the legitimacy of democracies.&quot;

Russia was also targetted for waging &quot;offensive cyber efforts to influence public opinion&quot; in other countries.

&quot;Its (Russia&#39;s) influence campaigns blend covert intelligence operations and false online personas with state-funded media, third-party intermediaries, and paid social media users or &#39;trolls,&#39;&quot; the official statement noted.&nbsp;

The document also pointed to Russia&#39;s attempts to &quot;interfere&quot; in the 2016 US&nbsp;presidential election.&nbsp;

Trump administration aims to keep the global &#39;status quo&#39; in balance by rolling-out the national security strategy, the statement noted.&nbsp;

&quot;We must protect our people, we cannot protect our nation if we do not secure our borders. We will find new ways to counter cyber-threats and people who use social media to attack our nation. Economic security will ensure nation&#39;s prosperity,&quot; Trump noted in his address.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
With the strategy that I announced today, we are declaring that AMERICA is in the game and AMERICA is DETERMINED to WIN! 
 
OUR FOUR PILLARS OF NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY: <a href="https://t.co/B3POaMVID8">pic.twitter.com/B3POaMVID8</a>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/942904686125965312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

US president also emphasised the importance of strengthening and growing America&#39;s military prowess to counter threats and called for a &quot;total modernisation&quot; of the military.&nbsp;

This strategy aims to counter modern threats and electromagnetic attacks. It recognises space as a competitive domain and calls for a multi-layered missile defence,&quot; Trump noted.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia was targetted for waging 'offensive cyber efforts to influence public opinion' in other countries.

US President Donald Trump unveiled 'America First National Strategy' Monday wherein he talked about strengthening ties with ally nations and supporting India in a "leadership" role in the Indo-Pacific region. Trump went on to target Russia in the official statement calling the country to have a meddling stance on global political affairs thereby undermining "the legitimacy of democracies." Russia was also targetted for waging "offensive cyber efforts to influence public opinion" in other countries. "Its (Russia's) influence campaigns blend covert intelligence operations and false online personas with state-funded media, third-party intermediaries, and paid social media users or 'trolls,'" the official statement noted. The document also pointed to Russia's attempts to "interfere" in the 2016 US presidential election. Trump administration aims to keep the global 'status quo' in balance by rolling-out the national security strategy, the statement noted. "We must protect our people, we cannot protect our nation if we do not secure our borders. We will find new ways to counter cyber-threats and people who use social media to attack our nation. Economic security will ensure nation's prosperity," Trump noted in his address. With the strategy that I announced today, we are declaring that AMERICA is in the game and AMERICA is DETERMINED to WIN! OUR FOUR PILLARS OF NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY: pic.twitter.com/B3POaMVID8 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2017 × US president also emphasised the importance of strengthening and growing America's military prowess to counter threats and called for a "total modernisation" of the military. This strategy aims to counter modern threats and electromagnetic attacks. It recognises space as a competitive domain and calls for a multi-layered missile defence," Trump noted. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump's national security strategy statement thrashes Russia

Tom Bossert, homeland security adviser at the White House blamed North Korea for the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/wannacry-security-experts-find-clues-to-ransomware-worms-lingering-risks-15772">WannaCry cyber-attack</a> that crippled the internet world earlier this year.&nbsp;

In an opinion piece published online in Wall Street Journal, Bossert noted, &quot;the attack was widespread and cost billions, and North Korea is directly responsible.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;Anyone who harmed the United States would be held accountable,&quot; Bossert was quoted in a Reuters report.

Bossert did not give out any specific details regarding Washington&#39;s actions against Pyongyang other than saying that it would continue to pursue a &quot;maximum pressure strategy.&quot;

WannaCry ransomware attack was a global cyber-threat triggered by WannaCry crypto-worm earlier in May this year.

The cyber-attack aimed at encrypting data on systems running on Microsoft Windows operating system and demanded ransom in the form Bitcoin currency.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/wannacry-what-is-ransomware-and-how-to-protect-yourself-from-it-15608">The cyber-threat</a> paralysed companies, banks, hospitals and digitised sectors all across the globe.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

'The attack was widespread and cost billions, and North Korea is directly responsible,' Tom Bossert, homeland security adviser at the White House

Tom Bossert, homeland security adviser at the White House blamed North Korea for the WannaCry cyber-attack that crippled the internet world earlier this year. In an opinion piece published online in Wall Street Journal, Bossert noted, "the attack was widespread and cost billions, and North Korea is directly responsible." "Anyone who harmed the United States would be held accountable," Bossert was quoted in a Reuters report. Bossert did not give out any specific details regarding Washington's actions against Pyongyang other than saying that it would continue to pursue a "maximum pressure strategy." WannaCry ransomware attack was a global cyber-threat triggered by WannaCry crypto-worm earlier in May this year. The cyber-attack aimed at encrypting data on systems running on Microsoft Windows operating system and demanded ransom in the form Bitcoin currency. The cyber-threat paralysed companies, banks, hospitals and digitised sectors all across the globe. (With inputs from Reuters)

North Korea 'directly responsible' for WannaCry cyber attack: US homeland security adviser

The United Nations Security Council is considering a draft resolution that would insist any decisions on the status of Jerusalem have no legal effect and must be rescinded after US&nbsp;President Donald Trump recognized the city as Israel&#39;s capital.&nbsp;

The one-page Egyptian-drafted text, which was circulated to the 15-member council on Saturday and seen by Reuters, does not specifically mention the United States or Trump. Diplomats say it has broad support but will likely be vetoed by Washington.

The council could vote early next week, diplomats said. A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China to pass.

Trump abruptly reversed decades of US policy this month when he recognized Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, generating outrage from Palestinians. Trump also plans to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.

After the decision, Arab foreign ministers agreed to seek a UN&nbsp;Security Council resolution. While the draft is unlikely to be adopted, it would further isolate Trump over the Jerusalem issue.&nbsp;

The US&nbsp;mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the draft. US&nbsp;Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has praised Trump&#39;s decision as &quot;the just and right thing to do.&quot;

The draft UN&nbsp;resolution &quot;affirms that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered, the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council.&quot;

It calls upon all countries to refrain establishing diplomatic missions in Jerusalem.

Israel considers the city its eternal and indivisible capital and wants all embassies based there.&nbsp;

&ldquo;No vote or debate will change the clear reality that Jerusalem&rdquo; is the capital of Israel, Israel&#39;s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said in a statement.&nbsp;

Palestinians want the capital of an independent Palestinian state to be in the city&#39;s eastern sector, which Israel captured in a 1967 war and annexed in a move never recognized internationally.&nbsp;

The draft council resolution &quot;demands that all states comply with Security Council resolutions regarding the Holy City of Jerusalem, and not to recognize any actions or measures contrary to those resolutions.&quot;

A UN&nbsp;Security Council resolution adopted in December last year &quot;underlines that it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.&quot;

That resolution was approved with 14 votes in favor and an abstention by former U.S. President Barack Obama&#39;s administration.&nbsp;

The United Nations Security Council is considering a draft resolution that would insist any decisions on the status of Jerusalem have no legal effect and must be rescinded after US?President Donald Trump recognized the city as Israel's capital

The United Nations Security Council is considering a draft resolution that would insist any decisions on the status of Jerusalem have no legal effect and must be rescinded after US President Donald Trump recognized the city as Israel's capital. The one-page Egyptian-drafted text, which was circulated to the 15-member council on Saturday and seen by Reuters, does not specifically mention the United States or Trump. Diplomats say it has broad support but will likely be vetoed by Washington. The council could vote early next week, diplomats said. A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China to pass. Trump abruptly reversed decades of US policy this month when he recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, generating outrage from Palestinians. Trump also plans to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. After the decision, Arab foreign ministers agreed to seek a UN Security Council resolution. While the draft is unlikely to be adopted, it would further isolate Trump over the Jerusalem issue. The US mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the draft. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has praised Trump's decision as "the just and right thing to do." The draft UN resolution "affirms that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered, the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council." It calls upon all countries to refrain establishing diplomatic missions in Jerusalem. Israel considers the city its eternal and indivisible capital and wants all embassies based there. “No vote or debate will change the clear reality that Jerusalem” is the capital of Israel, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said in a statement. Palestinians want the capital of an independent Palestinian state to be in the city's eastern sector, which Israel captured in a 1967 war and annexed in a move never recognized internationally. The draft council resolution "demands that all states comply with Security Council resolutions regarding the Holy City of Jerusalem, and not to recognize any actions or measures contrary to those resolutions." A UN Security Council resolution adopted in December last year "underlines that it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations." That resolution was approved with 14 votes in favor and an abstention by former U.S. President Barack Obama's administration.

UN council mulls call for US Jerusalem decision to be withdrawn

Evacuation orders were issued Saturday for areas in California&#39;s Santa Barbara County as the state battles its third-largest wildfire since 1932, with winds and dry conditions threatening to help the blaze grow.

Santa Barbara&#39;s Office of Emergency Management announced a series of mandatory evacuation orders as well as voluntary evacuation warnings for parts of the county on its Twitter account.

The OEM said that &quot;due to extreme traffic on the County Website it has shut down.&quot;

The so-called Thomas fire menacing Santa Barbara has already burned 259,000 acres (105,000 hectares) of land, destroyed over 1,000 structures and cost more than $100 million since it broke out on December 4, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said.

Conditions including winds, dry fuel and low humidity &quot;will continue to support fire growth,&quot; Cal Fire said.

More than 8,000 people are involved in battling the blaze, which is now 40 percent contained.

Cal Fire also warned that conditions were ripe for new wildfires to emerge.

&quot;Over the weekend winds across northern California are expected to reach 30-40 MPH (48-64 kilometers per hour). Wildfires can strike anywhere at any time,&quot; it warned in a Facebook post.

Only two fires have burned more acreage in California so far this century: the Cedar Fire of 2003, and the Rush Fire of 2012, which scorched 273,246 and 271,911, respectively.

Cal Fire&#39;s list of the top 20 largest wildfires in the state dates back to 1932, as earlier records &quot;are less reliable, and this list is meant to give an overview of the large fires in more recent times,&quot; it says.

The Santiago Canyon Fire of 1889 reportedly burned 300,000 acres, which would make it the largest.

A series of fires broke out in California this month, most of which have since been contained.

The Thomas fire is the only one to have resulted in deaths.

San Diego-based Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson died fighting the Thomas fire in Ventura County, while a 70-year-old woman was killed in an accident as she fled in her car.

This year is the worst on record for wildfire devastation in California.

California Governor Jerry Brown has said that the wildfires ravaging his state should serve as a warning to parts of the world threatened by climate change.

&quot;The important fact is that these fires are going to become a very frequent occurrence. That&#39;s what the science is telling us,&quot; Brown said.

&quot;It&#39;s a real indicator of bad things to come, and hopefully will serve to wake up people who right now are too complacent.&quot;

Santa Barbara`s Office of Emergency Management announced a series of mandatory evacuation orders

Evacuation orders were issued Saturday for areas in California's Santa Barbara County as the state battles its third-largest wildfire since 1932, with winds and dry conditions threatening to help the blaze grow. Santa Barbara's Office of Emergency Management announced a series of mandatory evacuation orders as well as voluntary evacuation warnings for parts of the county on its Twitter account. The OEM said that "due to extreme traffic on the County Website it has shut down." The so-called Thomas fire menacing Santa Barbara has already burned 259,000 acres (105,000 hectares) of land, destroyed over 1,000 structures and cost more than $100 million since it broke out on December 4, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said. Conditions including winds, dry fuel and low humidity "will continue to support fire growth," Cal Fire said. More than 8,000 people are involved in battling the blaze, which is now 40 percent contained. Cal Fire also warned that conditions were ripe for new wildfires to emerge. "Over the weekend winds across northern California are expected to reach 30-40 MPH (48-64 kilometers per hour). Wildfires can strike anywhere at any time," it warned in a Facebook post. Only two fires have burned more acreage in California so far this century: the Cedar Fire of 2003, and the Rush Fire of 2012, which scorched 273,246 and 271,911, respectively. Cal Fire's list of the top 20 largest wildfires in the state dates back to 1932, as earlier records "are less reliable, and this list is meant to give an overview of the large fires in more recent times," it says. The Santiago Canyon Fire of 1889 reportedly burned 300,000 acres, which would make it the largest. A series of fires broke out in California this month, most of which have since been contained. The Thomas fire is the only one to have resulted in deaths. San Diego-based Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson died fighting the Thomas fire in Ventura County, while a 70-year-old woman was killed in an accident as she fled in her car. This year is the worst on record for wildfire devastation in California. California Governor Jerry Brown has said that the wildfires ravaging his state should serve as a warning to parts of the world threatened by climate change. "The important fact is that these fires are going to become a very frequent occurrence. That's what the science is telling us," Brown said. "It's a real indicator of bad things to come, and hopefully will serve to wake up people who right now are too complacent."

Evacuations ordered for California's third-largest wildfire since 1932

The US&nbsp;Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines on Thursday to repeal landmark 2015 rules aimed at ensuring a free and open internet, setting up a court fight over a move that could recast the digital landscape.&nbsp;

The approval of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai&#39;s proposal in a 3-2 vote marked a victory for internet service providers such as AT&amp;T Inc, Comcast Corp and Verizon Communications Inc and hands them power over what content consumers can access.

It also is the biggest win for Pai in his sweeping effort to undo many telecommunications regulations since taking over at the agency in January.

Democrats, Hollywood and companies such as Google parent Alphabet Inc and Facebook Inc had urged Pai, a Republican appointed by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, to keep the Obama-era rules barring service providers from blocking, slowing access to or charging more for certain content.

The new rules give internet service providers sweeping powers to change how consumers access the internet but must have new transparency requirements that will require them to disclose any changes to consumers.

The meeting, held amid protests online and in front of the FCC headquarters in Washington, was evacuated before the vote for about 10 minutes due to an unspecified security threat and resumed after law enforcement with sniffer dogs checked the room.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters the administration &quot;supports the FCC&rsquo;s efforts. At the same time, the White House certainly has and always will support a free and fair internet.&quot;

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, said in a statement he will lead a multi-state lawsuit to challenge the reversal.

Shares of Alphabet, Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp moved lower after the vote.&nbsp;

The FCC said the rules would take effect in a few months after the White House Office of Management and Budget formally approves them.

Pai has argued that the 2015 rules were heavy-handed and stifled competition and innovation among service providers.&nbsp;

&quot;The internet wasn&#39;t broken in 2015. We weren`t living in a digital dystopia,&quot; he said on Thursday.&nbsp;

Next steps&nbsp;

Consumers are unlikely to see immediate changes but smaller startups worry the lack of restrictions could drive up costs or lead to their content being blocked.

Internet service providers say they will not block or throttle legal content but may engage in paid prioritisation. They argue that the largely unregulated internet functioned well in the two decades before the 2015 order.

Republican FCC Commissioner Mike O&#39; Rielly noted that self-driving vehicles and remotely monitored medical procedures may require internet service and that their needs could be given priority &quot;over cat videos.&quot;

O&#39;Reilly said it is unlikely any internet provider would voluntarily submit to a &quot;PR nightmare&quot; by &quot;attempting to engage in blocking, throttling or improper discrimination. It is simply not worth the reputation cost.&quot;

Still, Democrats have pointed to polls showing a repeal is deeply unpopular and say they will prevail in protecting the rules, either in the courts or in US&nbsp;Congress.

Immediately after the vote, Senator Edward Markey, a Democrat, said he and 15 other senators planned to introduce a resolution to undo the FCC action and restore the net neutrality rules.&nbsp;

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat, said in a written dissent released on Thursday that the decision grants internet providers &quot;extraordinary new power&quot; from the FCC.

&quot;They have the technical ability and business incentive to discriminate and manipulate your internet traffic,&quot; she said. &quot;And now this agency gives them the legal green light to go ahead.&quot;

Several state attorneys general said before the vote they would oppose the ruling, citing issues with the public comment period. Other critics have said they will consider challenging what they see as weaker enforcement.

The 2015 rules were intended to give consumers equal access to web content and prevent broadband providers from favouring their own content. Those practices are now allowed as long as they are disclosed.

The broadband industry cheered the move. USTelecom, a lobbying group representing internet providers and broadband companies said after the vote they had &quot;renewed confidence&quot; to make network investments, particularly in rural communities.&nbsp;

On the other side, the trade group Internet Association, whose members include content providers Alphabet, Facebook and Pandora Media Inc , said &quot;the fight isn`t over&quot; and that it was weighing legal options in a lawsuit against the FCC order.&nbsp;

A University of Maryland poll had found more than 80 percent of respondents opposed a repeal. The survey of 1,077 registered voters was conducted online by the Program for Public Consultation from Dec. 6-8.

The approval of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's proposal in a 3-2 vote marked a victory for internet service providers such as AT&T Inc, Comcast Corp and Verizon

The US Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines on Thursday to repeal landmark 2015 rules aimed at ensuring a free and open internet, setting up a court fight over a move that could recast the digital landscape. The approval of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's proposal in a 3-2 vote marked a victory for internet service providers such as AT&T Inc, Comcast Corp and Verizon Communications Inc and hands them power over what content consumers can access. It also is the biggest win for Pai in his sweeping effort to undo many telecommunications regulations since taking over at the agency in January. Democrats, Hollywood and companies such as Google parent Alphabet Inc and Facebook Inc had urged Pai, a Republican appointed by US President Donald Trump, to keep the Obama-era rules barring service providers from blocking, slowing access to or charging more for certain content. The new rules give internet service providers sweeping powers to change how consumers access the internet but must have new transparency requirements that will require them to disclose any changes to consumers. The meeting, held amid protests online and in front of the FCC headquarters in Washington, was evacuated before the vote for about 10 minutes due to an unspecified security threat and resumed after law enforcement with sniffer dogs checked the room. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters the administration "supports the FCC’s efforts. At the same time, the White House certainly has and always will support a free and fair internet." New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, said in a statement he will lead a multi-state lawsuit to challenge the reversal. Shares of Alphabet, Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp moved lower after the vote. The FCC said the rules would take effect in a few months after the White House Office of Management and Budget formally approves them. Pai has argued that the 2015 rules were heavy-handed and stifled competition and innovation among service providers. "The internet wasn't broken in 2015. We weren`t living in a digital dystopia," he said on Thursday. Next steps Consumers are unlikely to see immediate changes but smaller startups worry the lack of restrictions could drive up costs or lead to their content being blocked. Internet service providers say they will not block or throttle legal content but may engage in paid prioritisation. They argue that the largely unregulated internet functioned well in the two decades before the 2015 order. Republican FCC Commissioner Mike O' Rielly noted that self-driving vehicles and remotely monitored medical procedures may require internet service and that their needs could be given priority "over cat videos." O'Reilly said it is unlikely any internet provider would voluntarily submit to a "PR nightmare" by "attempting to engage in blocking, throttling or improper discrimination. It is simply not worth the reputation cost." Still, Democrats have pointed to polls showing a repeal is deeply unpopular and say they will prevail in protecting the rules, either in the courts or in US Congress. Immediately after the vote, Senator Edward Markey, a Democrat, said he and 15 other senators planned to introduce a resolution to undo the FCC action and restore the net neutrality rules. FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat, said in a written dissent released on Thursday that the decision grants internet providers "extraordinary new power" from the FCC. "They have the technical ability and business incentive to discriminate and manipulate your internet traffic," she said. "And now this agency gives them the legal green light to go ahead." Several state attorneys general said before the vote they would oppose the ruling, citing issues with the public comment period. Other critics have said they will consider challenging what they see as weaker enforcement. The 2015 rules were intended to give consumers equal access to web content and prevent broadband providers from favouring their own content. Those practices are now allowed as long as they are disclosed. The broadband industry cheered the move. USTelecom, a lobbying group representing internet providers and broadband companies said after the vote they had "renewed confidence" to make network investments, particularly in rural communities. On the other side, the trade group Internet Association, whose members include content providers Alphabet, Facebook and Pandora Media Inc , said "the fight isn`t over" and that it was weighing legal options in a lawsuit against the FCC order. A University of Maryland poll had found more than 80 percent of respondents opposed a repeal. The survey of 1,077 registered voters was conducted online by the Program for Public Consultation from Dec. 6-8.

US regulators ditch net neutrality rules as legal battles loom

War must not be allowed to break out on the Korean peninsula and the issue must be resolved through talks, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of the danger of &quot;sleepwalking&quot; into conflict.

Xi made his comments to visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in just days after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered to begin direct talks with North Korea without pre-conditions.

But the White House said on Wednesday that no negotiations could be held until North Korea improved its behaviour. The White House has declined to say whether President Donald Trump, who has taken a tougher rhetorical line toward North Korea, approved Tillerson&#39;s overture.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tillerson&#39;s offer of direct contacts with North Korea was &quot;a very good signal&quot;, while warning that a U.S. strike on the North would have catastrophic consequences.

North Korea tested its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile on Nov. 29, which it said could put all of the United States within range, in defiance of international pressure and U.N. sanctions.

The United States has said all options were on the table in dealing with North Korea, including military action.

While South Korea and China share the goal of getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and stop testing increasingly sophisticated long-range missiles, the two have not seen eye-to-eye on how to achieve this.

Meeting in Beijing&#39;s Great Hall of the People, Xi told Moon that the goal of denuclearising the Korean peninsula must be stuck to, and war and chaos cannot be allowed, Chinese state media said.

&quot;The peninsula issue must, in the end, be resolved via dialogue and consultation,&quot; Xi was cited as saying.

China and South Korea have an important shared interest in maintaining peace, and China was willing to work with South Korea to promote talks and support North and South to improve relations, Xi said.

South Korea&#39;s Yonhap news agency said Xi and Moon agreed war on the peninsula would not be tolerated and they would cooperate in applying sanctions and pressure on North Korea.

The apparently warm tone of their talks followed nearly a year of tense relations between the two countries.

&#39;Dramatic circumstances&#39;

China has been furious about the deployment of the U.S.-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea, saying its powerful radar can see far into China and will do nothing to ease tension with North Korea.

China and South Korea agreed in October to normalise exchanges and move past the dispute, which froze trade and business exchanges.

Xi reiterated China&#39;s position on THAAD and said he hoped South Korea would continue to &quot;appropriately handle&quot; the issue.

Guterres, speaking to reporters in Tokyo after meeting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said Security Council resolutions on North Korea&#39;s nuclear and missile programmes must be fully implemented by Pyongyang and other countries.

&quot;Security Council resolutions must be fully implemented, first of all by North Korea, but by all other countries whose role is crucial,&quot; Guterres said.

He said he expected a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Friday would deliver a strong expression of unity and the need for diplomacy to resolve the issue.

&quot;The worst possible thing that could happen is for us all to sleepwalk into a war.&quot;

Japan says now is the time to keep up pressure on North Korea, not start talks on its missile and nuclear programmes.

China and Russia, however, have welcomed Tillerson&#39;s overture.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said a U.S. strike on North Korea by the United States would have catastrophic consequences and he hoped to work with Washington eventually to resolve the crisis on the Korean peninsula.

Russia does not accept North Korea&#39;s nuclear status, Putin told a news conference. But he also said some U.S. actions had provoked North Korea.

&quot;We believe the two sides should now stop aggravating the situation,&quot; Putin said.

North Korea justifies its weapons programmes as necessary defence against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention.

The North&#39;s state news agency KCNA said Trump was taking a big step towards nuclear war in seeking a naval blockade and North Korea would take &quot;merciless self-defence&quot; measures if the United States tried to impose one.

North Korea would regard a naval blockade as &quot;an act of war&quot; and a &quot;wanton violation&quot; of its sovereignty and dignity, the agency cited a foreign ministry spokesman as saying, adding that North Korea was a responsible nuclear power.

White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said in September that even military options short of a preventative strike, such as a naval blockade meant to enforce sanctions, carried risks of military escalation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Thursday of the danger of 'sleepwalking' into conflict

War must not be allowed to break out on the Korean peninsula and the issue must be resolved through talks, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of the danger of "sleepwalking" into conflict. Xi made his comments to visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in just days after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered to begin direct talks with North Korea without pre-conditions. But the White House said on Wednesday that no negotiations could be held until North Korea improved its behaviour. The White House has declined to say whether President Donald Trump, who has taken a tougher rhetorical line toward North Korea, approved Tillerson's overture. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tillerson's offer of direct contacts with North Korea was "a very good signal", while warning that a U.S. strike on the North would have catastrophic consequences. North Korea tested its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile on Nov. 29, which it said could put all of the United States within range, in defiance of international pressure and U.N. sanctions. The United States has said all options were on the table in dealing with North Korea, including military action. While South Korea and China share the goal of getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and stop testing increasingly sophisticated long-range missiles, the two have not seen eye-to-eye on how to achieve this. Meeting in Beijing's Great Hall of the People, Xi told Moon that the goal of denuclearising the Korean peninsula must be stuck to, and war and chaos cannot be allowed, Chinese state media said. "The peninsula issue must, in the end, be resolved via dialogue and consultation," Xi was cited as saying. China and South Korea have an important shared interest in maintaining peace, and China was willing to work with South Korea to promote talks and support North and South to improve relations, Xi said. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said Xi and Moon agreed war on the peninsula would not be tolerated and they would cooperate in applying sanctions and pressure on North Korea. The apparently warm tone of their talks followed nearly a year of tense relations between the two countries. 'Dramatic circumstances' China has been furious about the deployment of the U.S.-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea, saying its powerful radar can see far into China and will do nothing to ease tension with North Korea. China and South Korea agreed in October to normalise exchanges and move past the dispute, which froze trade and business exchanges. Xi reiterated China's position on THAAD and said he hoped South Korea would continue to "appropriately handle" the issue. Guterres, speaking to reporters in Tokyo after meeting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said Security Council resolutions on North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes must be fully implemented by Pyongyang and other countries. "Security Council resolutions must be fully implemented, first of all by North Korea, but by all other countries whose role is crucial," Guterres said. He said he expected a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Friday would deliver a strong expression of unity and the need for diplomacy to resolve the issue. "The worst possible thing that could happen is for us all to sleepwalk into a war." Japan says now is the time to keep up pressure on North Korea, not start talks on its missile and nuclear programmes. China and Russia, however, have welcomed Tillerson's overture. Russian President Vladimir Putin said a U.S. strike on North Korea by the United States would have catastrophic consequences and he hoped to work with Washington eventually to resolve the crisis on the Korean peninsula. Russia does not accept North Korea's nuclear status, Putin told a news conference. But he also said some U.S. actions had provoked North Korea. "We believe the two sides should now stop aggravating the situation," Putin said. North Korea justifies its weapons programmes as necessary defence against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention. The North's state news agency KCNA said Trump was taking a big step towards nuclear war in seeking a naval blockade and North Korea would take "merciless self-defence" measures if the United States tried to impose one. North Korea would regard a naval blockade as "an act of war" and a "wanton violation" of its sovereignty and dignity, the agency cited a foreign ministry spokesman as saying, adding that North Korea was a responsible nuclear power. White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said in September that even military options short of a preventative strike, such as a naval blockade meant to enforce sanctions, carried risks of military escalation.

China's Xi says war must not be allowed to break out on Korean peninsula

A window from a US military helicopter fell onto a school sports ground in southern Japan Wednesday, the marines said, apologising for a &quot;regrettable&quot; incident likely to fuel opposition to their presence.&nbsp;There were no immediate reports of injuries from the accident that took place at 10:09 am (0109 GMT) local time at an elementary school near the Futenma marine airbase.

The US military said it was taking the incident &quot;extremely seriously&quot; and was opening an investigation.&nbsp;&quot;This is a regrettable incident and we apologise for any anxiety it has caused the community&quot;, the military added in a statement, urging local residents to stay clear from where the object landed &quot;for safety purposes&quot;.

The incident comes just two months after an American military chopper burst into flames after landing in an empty field in Okinawa.&nbsp;Such accidents have sparked opposition to the US bases on the strategic island, which would be a launchpad for any American military activity in Asia.

&quot;This kind of incident causes worries among not only people at the school but all the people in Okinawa and should never happen&quot;, said chief Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga.&nbsp;The Futenma airbase is already a major source of mistrust between Japan&#39;s central government and Okinawa over a wider US military relocation programme signed between Tokyo and Washington in 1996.

Residents want Futenma to be closed and a replacement built elsewhere in another part of Japan or overseas, saying they can no longer live with the noise pollution, accidents and occasional crimes committed by US service members.&nbsp;

A local official in the city of Ginowan in Okinawa told AFP that officials were trying to confirm a report that a school child was somehow lightly injured due to the incident.

An investigation has been opened as a window from a US military helicopter fell down on a sports ground of an elementary school in Japan

A window from a US military helicopter fell onto a school sports ground in southern Japan Wednesday, the marines said, apologising for a "regrettable" incident likely to fuel opposition to their presence. There were no immediate reports of injuries from the accident that took place at 10:09 am (0109 GMT) local time at an elementary school near the Futenma marine airbase. The US military said it was taking the incident "extremely seriously" and was opening an investigation. "This is a regrettable incident and we apologise for any anxiety it has caused the community", the military added in a statement, urging local residents to stay clear from where the object landed "for safety purposes". The incident comes just two months after an American military chopper burst into flames after landing in an empty field in Okinawa. Such accidents have sparked opposition to the US bases on the strategic island, which would be a launchpad for any American military activity in Asia. "This kind of incident causes worries among not only people at the school but all the people in Okinawa and should never happen", said chief Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga. The Futenma airbase is already a major source of mistrust between Japan's central government and Okinawa over a wider US military relocation programme signed between Tokyo and Washington in 1996. Residents want Futenma to be closed and a replacement built elsewhere in another part of Japan or overseas, saying they can no longer live with the noise pollution, accidents and occasional crimes committed by US service members. A local official in the city of Ginowan in Okinawa told AFP that officials were trying to confirm a report that a school child was somehow lightly injured due to the incident.

US military chopper window falls on Japan school: Military

Muslim leaders condemned US&nbsp;President Donald Trump&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday and called on the world to respond by recognising East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who hosted the summit of more than 50 Muslim countries in Istanbul, said the US&nbsp;move meant Washington had forfeited its role as broker in efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.&nbsp;

&quot;From now on, it is out of the question for a biased United States to be a mediator between Israel and Palestine, that period is over,&quot; Erdogan said at the end of the meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states.

&quot;We need to discuss who will be a mediator from now on. This needs to be tackled in the UN too,&quot; Erdogan said.

A communique posted on the Turkish Foreign Ministry website said the emirs, presidents and ministers gathered in Istanbul regarded Trump&#39;s move &quot;as an announcement of the US&nbsp;Administration`s withdrawal from its role as sponsor of peace&quot;.

It described the decision as &quot;a deliberate undermining of all peace efforts, an impetus (for) extremism and terrorism, and a threat to international peace and security&quot;.

Leaders including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Iran&#39;s President Hassan Rouhani and Jordan`s King Abdullah, a close US&nbsp;ally, all criticised Washington&#39;s move.

&quot;Jerusalem is and always will be the capital of Palestine,&quot; Abbas said, adding Trump&#39;s decision was &quot;the greatest crime&quot; and a violation of international law.

The Trump administration says it remains committed to reaching peace between Israel and the Palestinians and its decision does not affect Jerusalem&#39;s future borders or status.

It says any credible future peace deal will place the Israeli capital in Jerusalem, and ditching old policies is needed to revive a peace process frozen since 2014. But Abbas told the leaders in Istanbul that Washington had shown it could no longer be an honest broker.&nbsp;

&quot;It will be unacceptable for it to have a role in the political process any longer since it is biased in favour of Israel,&quot; he said. &quot;This is our position and we hope you support us in this.&quot;

Palestinian capital 

Jerusalem, revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, is home to Islam&#39;s third holiest site and has been at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades. Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it in an action not recognised internationally.

The communique on the Turkish ministry website and a separate &quot;Istanbul Declaration&quot; distributed to journalists after the meeting said the leaders called on all countries to recognise East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

&quot;We invite the Trump Administration to reconsider its unlawful decision that might trigger...chaos in the region, and to rescind its mistaken step,&quot; the declaration said.

Iran, locked in a regional rivalry with Saudi Arabia, said the Muslim world should overcome internal problems through dialogue so it could unite against Israel.

Tehran has repeatedly called for the destruction of the Israeli state and backs several militant groups in their fight against it.&nbsp;

&quot;America is only seeking to secure the maximum interests of the Zionists and it has no respect for the legitimate rights of Palestinians,&quot; Rouhani told the summit.&nbsp;

King Abdullah, whose country signed a peace treaty with Israel more than 20 years ago, said he rejected any attempt to alter the status quo of Jerusalem and its holy sites.&nbsp;

Abdullah&#39;s Hashemite dynasty is custodian of Jerusalem`s Muslim sites, making Amman sensitive to any changes in the city.

Not all countries were represented by heads of government. Some sent ministers and Saudi Arabia, another close ally of Washington&#39;s, sent a junior foreign minister.

Summit host Turkey has warned that Trump&#39;s decision would plunge the world into &quot;a fire with no end in sight&quot;.

Erdogan described it as reward for Israeli actions including occupation, settlement construction, land seizure and &quot;disproportionate violence and murder&quot;.

&quot;Israel is an occupying state (and) Israel is a terror state,&quot; he told the summit.&nbsp;

&quot;I invite all countries supporting international law to recognise Jerusalem as the occupied capital of Palestine. We cannot be late any more,&quot; Erdogan told leaders and ministers from more than 50 Muslim countries.

Trump&#39;s declaration has been applauded by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said Washington had an irreplaceable part to play in the region.

&quot;There is no substitute to the role that the United States plays in leading the peace process,&quot; he said at a Hanukkah holiday candle lighting ceremony on Tuesday.&nbsp;

A communique posted on the Turkish Foreign Ministry website said the emirs, presidents and ministers gathered in Istanbul regarded Trump's move "as an announcement of the US

Muslim leaders condemned US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday and called on the world to respond by recognising East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who hosted the summit of more than 50 Muslim countries in Istanbul, said the US move meant Washington had forfeited its role as broker in efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "From now on, it is out of the question for a biased United States to be a mediator between Israel and Palestine, that period is over," Erdogan said at the end of the meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states. "We need to discuss who will be a mediator from now on. This needs to be tackled in the UN too," Erdogan said. A communique posted on the Turkish Foreign Ministry website said the emirs, presidents and ministers gathered in Istanbul regarded Trump's move "as an announcement of the US Administration`s withdrawal from its role as sponsor of peace". It described the decision as "a deliberate undermining of all peace efforts, an impetus (for) extremism and terrorism, and a threat to international peace and security". Leaders including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Jordan`s King Abdullah, a close US ally, all criticised Washington's move. "Jerusalem is and always will be the capital of Palestine," Abbas said, adding Trump's decision was "the greatest crime" and a violation of international law. The Trump administration says it remains committed to reaching peace between Israel and the Palestinians and its decision does not affect Jerusalem's future borders or status. It says any credible future peace deal will place the Israeli capital in Jerusalem, and ditching old policies is needed to revive a peace process frozen since 2014. But Abbas told the leaders in Istanbul that Washington had shown it could no longer be an honest broker. "It will be unacceptable for it to have a role in the political process any longer since it is biased in favour of Israel," he said. "This is our position and we hope you support us in this." Palestinian capital Jerusalem, revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, is home to Islam's third holiest site and has been at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades. Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it in an action not recognised internationally. The communique on the Turkish ministry website and a separate "Istanbul Declaration" distributed to journalists after the meeting said the leaders called on all countries to recognise East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. "We invite the Trump Administration to reconsider its unlawful decision that might trigger...chaos in the region, and to rescind its mistaken step," the declaration said. Iran, locked in a regional rivalry with Saudi Arabia, said the Muslim world should overcome internal problems through dialogue so it could unite against Israel. Tehran has repeatedly called for the destruction of the Israeli state and backs several militant groups in their fight against it. "America is only seeking to secure the maximum interests of the Zionists and it has no respect for the legitimate rights of Palestinians," Rouhani told the summit. King Abdullah, whose country signed a peace treaty with Israel more than 20 years ago, said he rejected any attempt to alter the status quo of Jerusalem and its holy sites. Abdullah's Hashemite dynasty is custodian of Jerusalem`s Muslim sites, making Amman sensitive to any changes in the city. Not all countries were represented by heads of government. Some sent ministers and Saudi Arabia, another close ally of Washington's, sent a junior foreign minister. Summit host Turkey has warned that Trump's decision would plunge the world into "a fire with no end in sight". Erdogan described it as reward for Israeli actions including occupation, settlement construction, land seizure and "disproportionate violence and murder". "Israel is an occupying state (and) Israel is a terror state," he told the summit. "I invite all countries supporting international law to recognise Jerusalem as the occupied capital of Palestine. We cannot be late any more," Erdogan told leaders and ministers from more than 50 Muslim countries. Trump's declaration has been applauded by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said Washington had an irreplaceable part to play in the region. "There is no substitute to the role that the United States plays in leading the peace process," he said at a Hanukkah holiday candle lighting ceremony on Tuesday.

Muslim leaders call on world to recognise East Jerusalem as Palestinian capital

A Russian accused of laundering $4 billion using Bitcoin digital currency has been ordered to be extradited to the United States by Greece&#39;s Supreme Court.

Alexander Vinnik owned an exchange for cyber currency and was accused of money laundering using cryptocurrency.&nbsp;

Vinnik was first indicted in July by an American court for charges involving money laundering, identity theft and facilitating drug trafficking.

He has been held in a Greek jail since his arrest on July 25 in the northern Greek tourist resort of Halkidiki.&nbsp;

Vinnik was also charged with receiving funds from the infamous hack of Mt. Gox -- an earlier digital currency exchange that eventually failed, in part due to losses attributable to hacking.

Although Vinnik denies the accusations, he has said he would accept extradition to his home country. Russia has also filed a demand to extradite Vinnik so he can stand trial on separate fraud charges while two Greek courts separately approved both extradition requests in October.

In Russia, Vinnik is wanted on separate fraud charges totalling 9,500 euros.

The final say on Vinnik&#39;s extradition now rests with Greece&#39;s justice minister.&nbsp;

Alexander Vinnik&#39;s BTC-e was founded in 2011 and became one of the world&#39;s largest and most widely used digital currency exchanges.

In addition, BTC-e &quot;was noted for its role in numerous ransomware and other cyber-criminal activity&quot;. It allegedly received more than $4 billion (3.4 billion euros) worth of Bitcoin over the course of its operation, AFP reported.&nbsp;

BTC-e was slapped with a whopping $110 million fine for &quot;willfully violating&quot; US anti-money laundering laws.

Vinnik has been ordered to pay $12 million by the US Treasury Department.

(With inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

Vinnik was first indicted in July by an American court for charges involving money laundering

A Russian accused of laundering $4 billion using Bitcoin digital currency has been ordered to be extradited to the United States by Greece's Supreme Court. Alexander Vinnik owned an exchange for cyber currency and was accused of money laundering using cryptocurrency. Vinnik was first indicted in July by an American court for charges involving money laundering, identity theft and facilitating drug trafficking. He has been held in a Greek jail since his arrest on July 25 in the northern Greek tourist resort of Halkidiki. Vinnik was also charged with receiving funds from the infamous hack of Mt. Gox -- an earlier digital currency exchange that eventually failed, in part due to losses attributable to hacking. Although Vinnik denies the accusations, he has said he would accept extradition to his home country. Russia has also filed a demand to extradite Vinnik so he can stand trial on separate fraud charges while two Greek courts separately approved both extradition requests in October. In Russia, Vinnik is wanted on separate fraud charges totalling 9,500 euros. The final say on Vinnik's extradition now rests with Greece's justice minister. Alexander Vinnik's BTC-e was founded in 2011 and became one of the world's largest and most widely used digital currency exchanges. In addition, BTC-e "was noted for its role in numerous ransomware and other cyber-criminal activity". It allegedly received more than $4 billion (3.4 billion euros) worth of Bitcoin over the course of its operation, AFP reported. BTC-e was slapped with a whopping $110 million fine for "willfully violating" US anti-money laundering laws. Vinnik has been ordered to pay $12 million by the US Treasury Department. (With inputs from AFP)

Greece SC orders extradition of Russian accused of laundering $4 billion using Bitcoin

At a time when China is working on an ambitious lunar programme, President Donald Trump vowed on Monday that the United States will remain the leader in space exploration as he began a process to return Americans to the moon.&nbsp;

&quot;We are the leader and we&#39;re going to stay the leader, and we&#39;re going to increase it manifold&quot;, Trump said in signing &quot;Space Policy Directive 1&quot; that establishes a foundation for a mission to the moon with an eye on going to Mars.&nbsp;

&quot;This time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint, we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars,&quot; Trump said. &quot;And perhaps, someday, to many worlds beyond&quot;.&nbsp;

Back in June, China&#39;s space official said the country was making &ldquo;preliminary&rdquo; preparations to send a man to the moon, the latest goal in China&#39;s ambitious lunar exploration programme.&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s signing ceremony for the directive included former lunar astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Harrison Schmitt and current astronaut Peggy Whitson, whose 665 days in orbit is more time in space than any other American and any other woman worldwide.

The ceremony also featured a moon rock 3.8 billion years old collected by Schmitt&#39;s Apollo 17 mission in 1972.&nbsp;Trump said he was taking a giant step toward &quot;reclaiming America&#39;s proud destiny in space&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;And space has so much to do with so many other applications, including a military application&quot;, he said without elaboration.&nbsp;In approving the new policy, Trump abandoned what had been a goal of his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, who in 2010 backed a plan to send humans to a near-earth asteroid.&nbsp;

NASA said initial funding for the new policy would be included in its budget request for the fiscal year 2019.&nbsp;

&ldquo;NASA looks forward to supporting the president&#39;s directive strategically aligning our work to return humans to the moon, travel to Mars and opening the deeper solar system beyond&rdquo;, said acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot in a statement.

Trump signs "Space Policy Directive 1" which he claims will ascertain that the United States remains the leader of the space exploration

At a time when China is working on an ambitious lunar programme, President Donald Trump vowed on Monday that the United States will remain the leader in space exploration as he began a process to return Americans to the moon. "We are the leader and we're going to stay the leader, and we're going to increase it manifold", Trump said in signing "Space Policy Directive 1" that establishes a foundation for a mission to the moon with an eye on going to Mars. "This time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint, we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars," Trump said. "And perhaps, someday, to many worlds beyond". Back in June, China's space official said the country was making “preliminary” preparations to send a man to the moon, the latest goal in China's ambitious lunar exploration programme. Trump's signing ceremony for the directive included former lunar astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Harrison Schmitt and current astronaut Peggy Whitson, whose 665 days in orbit is more time in space than any other American and any other woman worldwide. The ceremony also featured a moon rock 3.8 billion years old collected by Schmitt's Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Trump said he was taking a giant step toward "reclaiming America's proud destiny in space". "And space has so much to do with so many other applications, including a military application", he said without elaboration. In approving the new policy, Trump abandoned what had been a goal of his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, who in 2010 backed a plan to send humans to a near-earth asteroid. NASA said initial funding for the new policy would be included in its budget request for the fiscal year 2019. “NASA looks forward to supporting the president's directive strategically aligning our work to return humans to the moon, travel to Mars and opening the deeper solar system beyond”, said acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot in a statement.

Want flag and footprint on Moon, eventual mission to Mars: Trump

Talks at the 11th ministerial of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) here is set to collapse with the US refusing to engage in the effort to find a permanent solution to the public stockholding issue, official sources said.

Assistant US Trade Representative Sharon Bomer Lauritsen in a small group meeting said that permanent solution to the food stockholding issue was not acceptable to America, they said.

With US refusing to engage in negotiation on the crucial issue, which the 11th ministerial is mandated to deliver, would lead to collapse&nbsp;of the talks, one of the officials said.

India has been maintaining that permanent solution to food stockpile issue was a &quot;must have&quot; at the ongoing ministerial.

New Delhi has toughened its stand on the need for a permanent solution to the public stock holding of food, saying that failing to achieve it at the WTO&#39;s ongoing 11th ministerial meeting here would impact the credibility of the multilateral institution.

Assistant US Trade Representative Sharon Bomer Lauritsen said that permanent solution to the food stockholding issue was not acceptable to America

Talks at the 11th ministerial of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) here is set to collapse with the US refusing to engage in the effort to find a permanent solution to the public stockholding issue, official sources said. Assistant US Trade Representative Sharon Bomer Lauritsen in a small group meeting said that permanent solution to the food stockholding issue was not acceptable to America, they said. With US refusing to engage in negotiation on the crucial issue, which the 11th ministerial is mandated to deliver, would lead to collapse of the talks, one of the officials said. India has been maintaining that permanent solution to food stockpile issue was a "must have" at the ongoing ministerial. New Delhi has toughened its stand on the need for a permanent solution to the public stock holding of food, saying that failing to achieve it at the WTO's ongoing 11th ministerial meeting here would impact the credibility of the multilateral institution.

WTO talks set to collapse as US refuses to engage on food security issue

Oil prices fell on Monday as last week&#39;s rise in the US rig count pointed to a further increase in American production that could undermine OPEC-led efforts to tighten markets.&nbsp;A statement by Kuwait&#39;s oil minister that OPEC and other oil producers will study before June next year the possibility of exiting their global oil supply-cut agreement also weighed on prices, traders said.&nbsp;

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $57.14 a barrel at 0418 GMT, down 22 cents, or 0.4 per cent, from their last settlement.&nbsp;Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, were down 25 cents, or 0.4 percent, at $63.15 a barrel.

&quot;The largest concern for investors currently remains the rise in the US rig count, which could potentially jeopardise the OPEC and Russian agreement when they meet for a review in June 2018&quot;, said Shane Chanel, equities and derivatives adviser at ASR Wealth Advisers.&nbsp;

The number of rigs drilling for new oil output in the United States rose by two in the week to December 8, to 751, the highest level since September, General Electric Co&#39;s Baker Hughes energy services firm said on Friday.&nbsp;A higher rig count points to a further rise in US crude production, which is already up by more than 15 percent since mid-2016 to 9.71 million barrels per day (bpd).&nbsp;

That&#39;s the highest level since the early 1970s, and close to levels from top producers Russia and Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;Rising US output threatens to undermine efforts led by the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-prices-slip-as-us-drilling-undermines-opec-led-production-cut-16196">Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries</a> (OPEC) and a group of non-OPEC producers, including Russia, to support prices by withholding supplies.&nbsp;

OPEC and its allies started withholding supplies last January and currently plan to continue doing so throughout 2018.&nbsp;Kuwait&#39;s oil minister Essam al-Marzouq said on Sunday, however, OPEC and other oil producers will study before June possibly ending the global oil supply cuts earlier.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-prices-dive-after-britain-votes-to-leave-eu-1097">Oil prices dive after Britain votes to leave EU</a>

United State's rig count rose to 751 with 2 more adding in last week alone. The number points to rise in crude production in U.S. leading to price drops of crude oil

Oil prices fell on Monday as last week's rise in the US rig count pointed to a further increase in American production that could undermine OPEC-led efforts to tighten markets. A statement by Kuwait's oil minister that OPEC and other oil producers will study before June next year the possibility of exiting their global oil supply-cut agreement also weighed on prices, traders said. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $57.14 a barrel at 0418 GMT, down 22 cents, or 0.4 per cent, from their last settlement. Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, were down 25 cents, or 0.4 percent, at $63.15 a barrel. "The largest concern for investors currently remains the rise in the US rig count, which could potentially jeopardise the OPEC and Russian agreement when they meet for a review in June 2018", said Shane Chanel, equities and derivatives adviser at ASR Wealth Advisers. The number of rigs drilling for new oil output in the United States rose by two in the week to December 8, to 751, the highest level since September, General Electric Co's Baker Hughes energy services firm said on Friday. A higher rig count points to a further rise in US crude production, which is already up by more than 15 percent since mid-2016 to 9.71 million barrels per day (bpd). That's the highest level since the early 1970s, and close to levels from top producers Russia and Saudi Arabia. Rising US output threatens to undermine efforts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and a group of non-OPEC producers, including Russia, to support prices by withholding supplies. OPEC and its allies started withholding supplies last January and currently plan to continue doing so throughout 2018. Kuwait's oil minister Essam al-Marzouq said on Sunday, however, OPEC and other oil producers will study before June possibly ending the global oil supply cuts earlier. Also Read: Oil prices dive after Britain votes to leave EU

Oil prices drop on increased US drilling activity

A previously undetected group of Russian-language hackers silently stole nearly $10 million from at least 18 mostly US&nbsp;and Russian banks in recent years by targeting interbank transfer systems, a Moscow-based security firm said on Monday.

Group-IB warned that the attacks, which began 18 months ago and allow money to be robbed from bank automated teller machines (ATMs), appear to be ongoing and that banks in Latin America could be targeted next.

The first attack occurred in the spring of 2016 against First Data&#39;s &quot;STAR&quot; network, the largest US&nbsp;bank transfer messaging system connecting ATMs at more than 5,000 organisations, Group-IB researchers said in a 36-page report.

The firm said it was continuing to investigate a number of incidents where hackers studied how to make money transfers through the SWIFT banking system while stopping short of saying whether any such attacks had been carried out successfully.

SWIFT said in October that hackers were still targeting its interbank messaging system, but security controls instituted after last year&rsquo;s $81 million heist at Bangladesh&rsquo;s central bank had thwarted many of those attempts.&nbsp;

Group-IB has dubbed the hacker group &quot;MoneyTaker&quot; after the name of software it used to hijack payment orders to then cash out funds through a network of low-level &quot;money mules&quot; who were hired to pick up money from automated teller machines.

The security researchers said they had identified 18 banks who were hit including 15 across 10 states in the United States, two in Russia and one in Britain. Beside banks, financial software firms and one law firm were targeted.

The average amount of money stolen in each of 14 US&nbsp;ATM heists was $500,000 per incident. Losses in Russia averaged $1.2 million per incident, but one bank there managed to catch the attack and return some of the stolen funds, Group-IB said.

Hackers also stole documentation for OceanSystems&rsquo; Fed Link transfer system used by 200 banks in Latin America and the United States, it said. In addition, they successfully attacked the Russian interbank messaging system known as AW CRB.

Once hackers penetrated targeted banks and financial organisations, they stole internal bank documentation in order to mount future ATM attacks, Group-IB said. In Russia, the hackers continued to spy on bank networks after break-ins, while at least one US&nbsp;bank had documents robbed twice, it said.

Group-IB said it had notified Interpol and Europol in order to assist in law enforcement investigations.

The unidentified hackers used a mix of constantly changing tools and tactics to bypass anti-virus and other traditional security software while being careful to eliminate traces of their operations, helping them to go largely unnoticed. To disguise their moves, hackers used security certificates from brands such as Bank of America, the Fed, Microsoft, and Yahoo.

They stole nearly $10 million from at least 18 mostly US?and Russian banks in recent years by targeting interbank transfer systems, a Moscow-based security firm said on Monday

A previously undetected group of Russian-language hackers silently stole nearly $10 million from at least 18 mostly US and Russian banks in recent years by targeting interbank transfer systems, a Moscow-based security firm said on Monday. Group-IB warned that the attacks, which began 18 months ago and allow money to be robbed from bank automated teller machines (ATMs), appear to be ongoing and that banks in Latin America could be targeted next. The first attack occurred in the spring of 2016 against First Data's "STAR" network, the largest US bank transfer messaging system connecting ATMs at more than 5,000 organisations, Group-IB researchers said in a 36-page report. The firm said it was continuing to investigate a number of incidents where hackers studied how to make money transfers through the SWIFT banking system while stopping short of saying whether any such attacks had been carried out successfully. SWIFT said in October that hackers were still targeting its interbank messaging system, but security controls instituted after last year’s $81 million heist at Bangladesh’s central bank had thwarted many of those attempts. Group-IB has dubbed the hacker group "MoneyTaker" after the name of software it used to hijack payment orders to then cash out funds through a network of low-level "money mules" who were hired to pick up money from automated teller machines. The security researchers said they had identified 18 banks who were hit including 15 across 10 states in the United States, two in Russia and one in Britain. Beside banks, financial software firms and one law firm were targeted. The average amount of money stolen in each of 14 US ATM heists was $500,000 per incident. Losses in Russia averaged $1.2 million per incident, but one bank there managed to catch the attack and return some of the stolen funds, Group-IB said. Hackers also stole documentation for OceanSystems’ Fed Link transfer system used by 200 banks in Latin America and the United States, it said. In addition, they successfully attacked the Russian interbank messaging system known as AW CRB. Once hackers penetrated targeted banks and financial organisations, they stole internal bank documentation in order to mount future ATM attacks, Group-IB said. In Russia, the hackers continued to spy on bank networks after break-ins, while at least one US bank had documents robbed twice, it said. Group-IB said it had notified Interpol and Europol in order to assist in law enforcement investigations. The unidentified hackers used a mix of constantly changing tools and tactics to bypass anti-virus and other traditional security software while being careful to eliminate traces of their operations, helping them to go largely unnoticed. To disguise their moves, hackers used security certificates from brands such as Bank of America, the Fed, Microsoft, and Yahoo.

Hackers hit major ATM network after US, Russian bank breaches: Report

The top US&nbsp;intelligence official has ordered tighter restrictions on how the names of Americans kept secret in intelligence reports can be revealed during presidential transitions, according to documents seen by Reuters.

The move follows unsubstantiated charges by President Donald Trump and his allies that his predecessor&#39;s administration spied on Trump and improperly &quot;unmasked&quot; the identities of his associates during the 2016 presidential campaign and transition.

Current and former senior US Intelligence officials who have reviewed the documentation dispute those claims by the president.&nbsp;

In September, the US&nbsp;Justice Department said in a court filing that it had no evidence to support the president&#39;s claim that President Barack Obama ordered surveillance of his Trump Tower campaign headquarters.&nbsp;

In a November 30 letter sent to Representative Devin Nunes, Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and other top lawmakers, the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said the new unmasking policy is due by January 15.

Nunes was among the first to charge that US&nbsp;intelligence agencies collected information on Americans involved in Trump&#39;s transition team. A Nunes spokesman declined comment.

Coats wrote that the new policy will reinforce existing procedures that &quot;make clear that IC (intelligence community) elements may not engage in political activity, including dissemination of US&nbsp;person identities to the White House, for the purpose of affecting the political process of the United States.&quot;

&quot;In addition, this policy will require heightened levels of approval for requests made during a Presidential transition when those requests relate to known members of a President-elect&#39;s transition team,&quot; Coats wrote in the letter, which was sent to the top Republicans and Democrats on the Intelligence and Judiciary committees in both the House and Senate.

A spokesman for Coats had no comment.&nbsp;

Reuters has also reviewed a draft presidential order that, if enacted, would make similar changes to unmasking procedures that relate to presidential transitions.

A White House spokesman declined to comment on the four-page draft presidential order, which is undated. It is unclear if Trump will sign the document in addition to the new policies Coats has ordered.&nbsp;

US&nbsp;intelligence agencies are barred from eavesdropping on Americans&#39;&nbsp;communications without warrants. However, information involving US&nbsp;citizens sometimes is incidentally collected in the monitoring of foreign intelligence targets. In such cases, the Americans&#39;&nbsp;identities are anonymized with labels such as &quot;U.S. Person No. 1.&quot;

&quot;Unmasking&quot; occurs when an authorized US&nbsp;policymaker requests the name of an American to help understand the value of the foreign intelligence. A policymaker also can request an unmasking when the information concerns a crime.

Unmasking requests already are subjected to extensive reviews by multiple officials before they are approved.

For unmasking requests made between a US&nbsp;presidential election and Inauguration Day, the draft presidential order states, the request now would have to say whether the official making it believed or knew it involved a member of the president-elect&#39;s transition team.

Moreover, if the request is approved, the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees would have to be informed.

A request also would have to be approved by the top lawyer of the US&nbsp;intelligence agency that disseminated the original intelligence report.

While Coats, in his letter, said the new policies are intended to keep politics out of intelligence issues, some current and former officials said the draft presidential order could do the opposite.

&quot;If this executive order is implemented as written, or worse if it&#39;s written into law, it is not only an infringement on the political independence of the intelligence community, but it will endanger our ability to work with our allies, who may fear we&#39;ve been drafted into a political party,&quot; said one US&nbsp;official familiar with the issue, speaking on condition of anonymity.

It appears that the Trump administration is trying to streamline, systematize, and memorialize the unmasking process, said Christopher Swift, a Georgetown University law professor and partner at Foley &amp; Lardner LLP.

&quot;But these same procedures might also be used to identify pending national security investigations and insert the White House into these decisions,&quot; Swift said via email.

The top US intelligence official has ordered tighter restrictions on how the names of Americans kept secret in intelligence reports can be revealed during presidential transitions, according to documents seen by Reuters

The top US intelligence official has ordered tighter restrictions on how the names of Americans kept secret in intelligence reports can be revealed during presidential transitions, according to documents seen by Reuters. The move follows unsubstantiated charges by President Donald Trump and his allies that his predecessor's administration spied on Trump and improperly "unmasked" the identities of his associates during the 2016 presidential campaign and transition. Current and former senior US Intelligence officials who have reviewed the documentation dispute those claims by the president. In September, the US Justice Department said in a court filing that it had no evidence to support the president's claim that President Barack Obama ordered surveillance of his Trump Tower campaign headquarters. In a November 30 letter sent to Representative Devin Nunes, Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and other top lawmakers, the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said the new unmasking policy is due by January 15. Nunes was among the first to charge that US intelligence agencies collected information on Americans involved in Trump's transition team. A Nunes spokesman declined comment. Coats wrote that the new policy will reinforce existing procedures that "make clear that IC (intelligence community) elements may not engage in political activity, including dissemination of US person identities to the White House, for the purpose of affecting the political process of the United States." "In addition, this policy will require heightened levels of approval for requests made during a Presidential transition when those requests relate to known members of a President-elect's transition team," Coats wrote in the letter, which was sent to the top Republicans and Democrats on the Intelligence and Judiciary committees in both the House and Senate. A spokesman for Coats had no comment. Reuters has also reviewed a draft presidential order that, if enacted, would make similar changes to unmasking procedures that relate to presidential transitions. A White House spokesman declined to comment on the four-page draft presidential order, which is undated. It is unclear if Trump will sign the document in addition to the new policies Coats has ordered. US intelligence agencies are barred from eavesdropping on Americans' communications without warrants. However, information involving US citizens sometimes is incidentally collected in the monitoring of foreign intelligence targets. In such cases, the Americans' identities are anonymized with labels such as "U.S. Person No. 1." "Unmasking" occurs when an authorized US policymaker requests the name of an American to help understand the value of the foreign intelligence. A policymaker also can request an unmasking when the information concerns a crime. Unmasking requests already are subjected to extensive reviews by multiple officials before they are approved. For unmasking requests made between a US presidential election and Inauguration Day, the draft presidential order states, the request now would have to say whether the official making it believed or knew it involved a member of the president-elect's transition team. Moreover, if the request is approved, the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees would have to be informed. A request also would have to be approved by the top lawyer of the US intelligence agency that disseminated the original intelligence report. While Coats, in his letter, said the new policies are intended to keep politics out of intelligence issues, some current and former officials said the draft presidential order could do the opposite. "If this executive order is implemented as written, or worse if it's written into law, it is not only an infringement on the political independence of the intelligence community, but it will endanger our ability to work with our allies, who may fear we've been drafted into a political party," said one US official familiar with the issue, speaking on condition of anonymity. It appears that the Trump administration is trying to streamline, systematize, and memorialize the unmasking process, said Christopher Swift, a Georgetown University law professor and partner at Foley & Lardner LLP. "But these same procedures might also be used to identify pending national security investigations and insert the White House into these decisions," Swift said via email.

US spy chief orders changes in 'unmasking' policy

A Zimbabwean court has postponed to Jan. 4 the trial of a US&nbsp;citizen accused of attempting to undermine the authority of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe&#39;s government.

Martha O&#39;Donovan, 25, who is currently free on bail, denies the charges which centre on a Twitter post the state says she wrote in October calling 93-year-old Mugabe a &quot;selfish and sick man&quot;.

Mugabe resigned a few weeks later in the wake of a de facto military coup and was succeeded by Emmerson Mnangagwa, who Mugabe had sacked as his deputy only a week before.

The state said it needed more time to complete its investigations into the allegations against O&#39;Donovan, who works for Magamba TV, which describes itself as Zimbabwe&#39;s leading producer of political satire. When he released her on bail last month, High Court Judge Clement Phiri said there was &quot;patent absence of facts&quot; in the state&#39;s case against her.

Martha O'Donovan, 25, who is currently free on bail, denies the charges which centre on a Twitter post the state says she wrote in October calling 93-year-old Mugabe a 'selfish and sick man'

A Zimbabwean court has postponed to Jan. 4 the trial of a US citizen accused of attempting to undermine the authority of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe's government. Martha O'Donovan, 25, who is currently free on bail, denies the charges which centre on a Twitter post the state says she wrote in October calling 93-year-old Mugabe a "selfish and sick man". Mugabe resigned a few weeks later in the wake of a de facto military coup and was succeeded by Emmerson Mnangagwa, who Mugabe had sacked as his deputy only a week before. The state said it needed more time to complete its investigations into the allegations against O'Donovan, who works for Magamba TV, which describes itself as Zimbabwe's leading producer of political satire. When he released her on bail last month, High Court Judge Clement Phiri said there was "patent absence of facts" in the state's case against her.

Zimbabwe court postpones US citizen's subversion case to January

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