U.S. job growth likely increased at a strong clip in November and wages rebounded as the distortions from the recent hurricanes faded, creating a portrait of a healthy economy that analysts say does not require the kind of fiscal stimulus that President Donald Trump is proposing.

According to a Reuters survey of economists, the Labor Department&#39;s closely watched employment report on Friday will likely show that nonfarm payrolls rose by 200,000 jobs last month after surging 261,000 in October.&nbsp;Employment gains in October were boosted by the return to work of thousands of employees who had been temporarily dislocated by Hurricanes - Harvey and Irma. November&#39;s report will be the first clean reading since the storms, which also impacted September&#39;s employment data.&nbsp;

The unemployment rate is forecast to be unchanged at a 17-year low of 4.1 percent. Average hourly earnings are expected to have risen 0.3 percent in November after being flat the prior month. That would lift the annual increase in wages to 2.7 percent from 2.4 percent in October.&nbsp;Readings in line with expectations would underscore the economy&#39;s strength and fuel criticism of efforts by Trump and his fellow Republicans in the U.S. Congress to cut the corporate income tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent.

&quot;The labor market is in great shape. Tax cuts should be used when the economy needs tax cuts and it doesn&#39;t need tax cuts right now&quot;, said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pennsylvania. He added, &quot;When politics and economics are mixed in the stew, the policies that are created often have an awful smell&quot;.

Republicans argue that the proposed tax cut package will boost the economy and allow companies to hire more workers. But with the labor market near full employment and companies reporting difficulties finding qualified workers, economists disagree. Job openings are near a record high.&nbsp;

&quot;Companies want workers and do not need tax cuts to give them the financial wherewithal to hire more workers&quot;, said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG in New York. He said, &quot;It&#39;s labor, that the economy is running out of&quot;.

The economy grew at a 3.3 percent annualized rate in the third quarter, the fastest in three years.

Full Employment

While November`s employment report will probably have little impact on expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at its Dec. 12-13 policy meeting, it could help shape the debate on monetary policy next year.&nbsp;The U.S. central bank has increased borrowing costs twice this year. It has forecast three rate hikes in 2018.&nbsp;

Job growth has averaged 168,000 jobs per month this year, down from the average monthly gain of 187,000 in 2016. A slowdown in job growth is normal when the labor market nears full employment.&nbsp;The economy needs to create 75,000 to 100,000 jobs per month to keep up with growth in the working-age population.

The unemployment rate has declined by seven-tenths of a percentage point this year. Economists believe that the tightening labor market will unleash a faster pace of wage growth next year.&nbsp;That, combined with the tax cuts, would help boost inflation. 
&quot;I think that in the next three to six months we will see a broader uptick in wage pressures. Given where we are in the economic cycle, if you throw some gasoline in the fire with fiscal stimulus, that will ultimately spark some higher inflation&quot;, said David Donabedian, chief investment officer of CIBC Atlantic Trust in Baltimore.&nbsp; 
 
Employment gains were likely broad in November. Construction payrolls are expected to show strong growth, thanks in part to rebuilding efforts in the areas devastated by the hurricanes.&nbsp;Another month of steady increases is expected in manufacturing employment while hiring for the holiday season likely boosted retail payrolls.

Retailers, including Macy&#39;s Inc, reported strong Black Friday sales.&nbsp;Macy&#39;s said that this month it would hire an additional 7,000 temporary workers for its stores to deal with heavy customer traffic in the run-up to Christmas.

A growth in United States' job sector is anticipated with hourly earnings going up. The unemployment rate is forecast to remain unchanged

U.S. job growth likely increased at a strong clip in November and wages rebounded as the distortions from the recent hurricanes faded, creating a portrait of a healthy economy that analysts say does not require the kind of fiscal stimulus that President Donald Trump is proposing. According to a Reuters survey of economists, the Labor Department's closely watched employment report on Friday will likely show that nonfarm payrolls rose by 200,000 jobs last month after surging 261,000 in October. Employment gains in October were boosted by the return to work of thousands of employees who had been temporarily dislocated by Hurricanes - Harvey and Irma. November's report will be the first clean reading since the storms, which also impacted September's employment data. The unemployment rate is forecast to be unchanged at a 17-year low of 4.1 percent. Average hourly earnings are expected to have risen 0.3 percent in November after being flat the prior month. That would lift the annual increase in wages to 2.7 percent from 2.4 percent in October. Readings in line with expectations would underscore the economy's strength and fuel criticism of efforts by Trump and his fellow Republicans in the U.S. Congress to cut the corporate income tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent. "The labor market is in great shape. Tax cuts should be used when the economy needs tax cuts and it doesn't need tax cuts right now", said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pennsylvania. He added, "When politics and economics are mixed in the stew, the policies that are created often have an awful smell". Republicans argue that the proposed tax cut package will boost the economy and allow companies to hire more workers. But with the labor market near full employment and companies reporting difficulties finding qualified workers, economists disagree. Job openings are near a record high. "Companies want workers and do not need tax cuts to give them the financial wherewithal to hire more workers", said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG in New York. He said, "It's labor, that the economy is running out of". The economy grew at a 3.3 percent annualized rate in the third quarter, the fastest in three years. Full Employment While November`s employment report will probably have little impact on expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at its Dec. 12-13 policy meeting, it could help shape the debate on monetary policy next year. The U.S. central bank has increased borrowing costs twice this year. It has forecast three rate hikes in 2018. Job growth has averaged 168,000 jobs per month this year, down from the average monthly gain of 187,000 in 2016. A slowdown in job growth is normal when the labor market nears full employment. The economy needs to create 75,000 to 100,000 jobs per month to keep up with growth in the working-age population. The unemployment rate has declined by seven-tenths of a percentage point this year. Economists believe that the tightening labor market will unleash a faster pace of wage growth next year. That, combined with the tax cuts, would help boost inflation. "I think that in the next three to six months we will see a broader uptick in wage pressures. Given where we are in the economic cycle, if you throw some gasoline in the fire with fiscal stimulus, that will ultimately spark some higher inflation", said David Donabedian, chief investment officer of CIBC Atlantic Trust in Baltimore. Employment gains were likely broad in November. Construction payrolls are expected to show strong growth, thanks in part to rebuilding efforts in the areas devastated by the hurricanes. Another month of steady increases is expected in manufacturing employment while hiring for the holiday season likely boosted retail payrolls. Retailers, including Macy's Inc, reported strong Black Friday sales. Macy's said that this month it would hire an additional 7,000 temporary workers for its stores to deal with heavy customer traffic in the run-up to Christmas.

Strong November US job gains anticipated; wages seen rising

Gold edged up in early trade on Friday as investors resorted to bargain hunting after the yellow metal dropped below its recent trading range to hit the lowest in more than four months overnight.&nbsp;

Spot gold was up 0.2 percent at $1,248.86 an ounce, by 0328 GMT, after hitting its lowest since July 26 at $1,243.71 in the previous session.&nbsp;The metal was down for a third straight week, headed for its biggest weekly decline since early May.&nbsp;U.S. gold futures were 0.2 percent lower at $1,250.70.

&quot;Even as the dollar is firmer, there seems to be a bit of bargain hunting around. I do, however, think that the pressure is on the downside and rallies will still be sold&quot;, a Hong Kong-based trader said.&nbsp;The dollar inched higher on Friday, as the passage of a bill to temporarily extend U.S. government funding raised investors&#39; optimism that a tax reform bill would also pass.&nbsp;

The greenback took a brief knock earlier this week on concerns over a government shutdown, and as U.S. President Donald Trump raised tensions in the Middle East after he recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.&nbsp;The Islamist group Hamas urged Palestinians on Thursday to abandon peace efforts and launch a new uprising against Israel in response to Trump&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as its capital.&nbsp;

&quot;Gold might have found some support in that but it seems to be just the dollar strength across the board now heading into the end of the year&quot;, the trader said.&nbsp;The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, suggesting a rapid tightening of the labor market that bolsters expectations the Federal Reserve will raise benchmark interest rates next week.

Higher U.S. interest rates tend to boost the dollar, making greenback-denominated gold more expensive for holders in other currencies.&nbsp;Markets will be eyeing the U.S. non-farm payrolls report due later in the day, which will be last employment report before the Fed meeting next week.&nbsp;

&quot;Market-watchers are likely positioning for an FOMC rate hike next week. Overnight, the improvement in risk appetite considering the postponing of the U.S. partial government shutdown and further progress in Brexit talks should buoy market sentiment into the next week&quot;, said OCBC analyst Barnabas Gan.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Asian shares on Friday rallied for a second session as investors awaited major economic data, and cryptocurrency bitcoin shot above $16,600 to its highest ever.&nbsp;Spot gold may drop more to $1,239 per ounce, according to Reuters technicals analyst Wang Tao.&nbsp;Silver rose 0.3 percent to $15.77 an ounce, after slipping to its lowest since mid-July on Thursday.&nbsp;Platinum climbed 0.3 percent to $894 an ounce, while palladium was 0.1 percent lower at $1,012.25.&nbsp;

Gold, the precious yellow metal dropped to its lowest in last four months. Even the U.S. gold futures were lower than expected

Gold edged up in early trade on Friday as investors resorted to bargain hunting after the yellow metal dropped below its recent trading range to hit the lowest in more than four months overnight. Spot gold was up 0.2 percent at $1,248.86 an ounce, by 0328 GMT, after hitting its lowest since July 26 at $1,243.71 in the previous session. The metal was down for a third straight week, headed for its biggest weekly decline since early May. U.S. gold futures were 0.2 percent lower at $1,250.70. "Even as the dollar is firmer, there seems to be a bit of bargain hunting around. I do, however, think that the pressure is on the downside and rallies will still be sold", a Hong Kong-based trader said. The dollar inched higher on Friday, as the passage of a bill to temporarily extend U.S. government funding raised investors' optimism that a tax reform bill would also pass. The greenback took a brief knock earlier this week on concerns over a government shutdown, and as U.S. President Donald Trump raised tensions in the Middle East after he recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Islamist group Hamas urged Palestinians on Thursday to abandon peace efforts and launch a new uprising against Israel in response to Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as its capital. "Gold might have found some support in that but it seems to be just the dollar strength across the board now heading into the end of the year", the trader said. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, suggesting a rapid tightening of the labor market that bolsters expectations the Federal Reserve will raise benchmark interest rates next week. Higher U.S. interest rates tend to boost the dollar, making greenback-denominated gold more expensive for holders in other currencies. Markets will be eyeing the U.S. non-farm payrolls report due later in the day, which will be last employment report before the Fed meeting next week. "Market-watchers are likely positioning for an FOMC rate hike next week. Overnight, the improvement in risk appetite considering the postponing of the U.S. partial government shutdown and further progress in Brexit talks should buoy market sentiment into the next week", said OCBC analyst Barnabas Gan. Meanwhile, Asian shares on Friday rallied for a second session as investors awaited major economic data, and cryptocurrency bitcoin shot above $16,600 to its highest ever. Spot gold may drop more to $1,239 per ounce, according to Reuters technicals analyst Wang Tao. Silver rose 0.3 percent to $15.77 an ounce, after slipping to its lowest since mid-July on Thursday. Platinum climbed 0.3 percent to $894 an ounce, while palladium was 0.1 percent lower at $1,012.25.

Gold rises on bargain hunting after slumping to over four-month low

Oil prices were stable on Friday, held back by a strengthening U.S. dollar but supported by China&#39;s relentless thirst for crude amid the OPEC-led supply cuts that have already tightened the market this year.

US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $56.68 a barrel at 0535 GMT, virtually unchanged from their last settlement at $56.69.&nbsp;Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, were steady at $62.20 a barrel.&nbsp;

Traders said a stronger dollar, which has gained 0.9 percent this month against a basket of other leading currencies, was weighing on prices.&nbsp;A rising greenback attracts financial traders who switch investments in commodity futures and foreign exchange. A strong dollar is also seen by many as a brake on crude prices, as it makes dollar-denominated oil purchases more expensive in countries that use other currencies.

&quot;A strong U.S. dollar could act as a headwind to commodities&quot;, Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BoAML) said in its 2018 outlook.&nbsp;Despite this, China&#39;s booming oil demand will overtake the United States as the world&#39;s biggest crude importer, this year.

China&#39;s crude oil imports rose to 37.04 million tonnes in November, or 9.01 million barrels per day (bpd), the second highest on record, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Friday.&nbsp;&quot;China&#39;s crude oil imports will continue to rise over the coming years, as output declines from several of its giant onshore fields... This will inevitably see China become more reliant on crude oil imports over our forecast period, with import dependency set to increase from a record 68.0 percent in 2017 to nearly 80 percent by 2021&quot;, BMI Research said.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch, meanwhile, said healthy global demand and tight supplies should see Brent crude oil rise to $70 per barrel by mid-year.&nbsp;U.S. investment bank Jefferies said it expects 2018 global oil demand growth of 1.5 million bpd, driven by near 10 percent demand growth in China.&nbsp;

On the supply side, oil prices have been receiving support from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and a group of non-OPEC producers, most importantly Russia, which has been withholding supplies to tighten the market.&nbsp;Largely because of these voluntary production cuts, oil prices rose sharply between June and October, with Brent gaining around 40 percent in value.

Threatening to undermine OPEC&#39;s goal to tighten markets is U.S. oil production, which has risen by more than 15 percent since mid-2016 to 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd), the highest level since the early 1970s and close to the output of top producers Russia and Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;The EIA monthly data on U.S. crude production published November 30 was also somewhat bearish.

Oil prices in the world were stable on Friday as China's thirst for crude countered continuously strengthening U.S. dollar. It is speculated that China's booming oil demand will result in it becoming the world's biggest crude importer

Oil prices were stable on Friday, held back by a strengthening U.S. dollar but supported by China's relentless thirst for crude amid the OPEC-led supply cuts that have already tightened the market this year. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $56.68 a barrel at 0535 GMT, virtually unchanged from their last settlement at $56.69. Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, were steady at $62.20 a barrel. Traders said a stronger dollar, which has gained 0.9 percent this month against a basket of other leading currencies, was weighing on prices. A rising greenback attracts financial traders who switch investments in commodity futures and foreign exchange. A strong dollar is also seen by many as a brake on crude prices, as it makes dollar-denominated oil purchases more expensive in countries that use other currencies. "A strong U.S. dollar could act as a headwind to commodities", Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BoAML) said in its 2018 outlook. Despite this, China's booming oil demand will overtake the United States as the world's biggest crude importer, this year. China's crude oil imports rose to 37.04 million tonnes in November, or 9.01 million barrels per day (bpd), the second highest on record, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Friday. "China's crude oil imports will continue to rise over the coming years, as output declines from several of its giant onshore fields... This will inevitably see China become more reliant on crude oil imports over our forecast period, with import dependency set to increase from a record 68.0 percent in 2017 to nearly 80 percent by 2021", BMI Research said. Bank of America Merrill Lynch, meanwhile, said healthy global demand and tight supplies should see Brent crude oil rise to $70 per barrel by mid-year. U.S. investment bank Jefferies said it expects 2018 global oil demand growth of 1.5 million bpd, driven by near 10 percent demand growth in China. On the supply side, oil prices have been receiving support from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and a group of non-OPEC producers, most importantly Russia, which has been withholding supplies to tighten the market. Largely because of these voluntary production cuts, oil prices rose sharply between June and October, with Brent gaining around 40 percent in value. Threatening to undermine OPEC's goal to tighten markets is U.S. oil production, which has risen by more than 15 percent since mid-2016 to 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd), the highest level since the early 1970s and close to the output of top producers Russia and Saudi Arabia. The EIA monthly data on U.S. crude production published November 30 was also somewhat bearish.

Oil prices steady as Chinese demand counters stronger dollar

Gold prices steadied on Friday but were on track for their biggest weekly fall since May ahead of US&nbsp;employment data later that could influence the pace of US&nbsp;interest rate rises.

Gold this week broke below a recent trading range and tumbled through technical levels to its lowest since July as progress on US&nbsp;tax reform fuelled optimism about the US&nbsp;economy and boosted the dollar.

&quot;You can put it down to the strength of the dollar and the ebullience of investors regarding equities and all things risk-on,&quot; said ETF Securities analyst Martin Arnold.

&quot;When in such a positive mindset investors don&#39;t look for defensive assets like gold.&quot;

The dollar was given an extra boost on Friday after a funding bill eased fears of a US&nbsp;government shutdown this month. A stronger dollar makes bullion more expensive for holders of other currencies and can dampen demand.

Spot gold was down 0.1 percent at $1,245.66 an ounce at 1109 GMT, close to Thursday&#39;s low of $1243.71, the weakest since July 26. It had fallen 2.7 percent this week, its third consecutive weekly fall and the biggest since early May.

US&nbsp;gold futures were 0.4 percent lower at $1,247.80.

Selling was triggered after gold broke below $1,260, the bottom of its trading range since September, and plunged below its 200-day moving average for the first time since July.

Technical support is now at $1,250 and a Fibonacci level at $1,240.90 but momentum indicators suggest that gold could fall to $1,204.90, the July low, said analysts at ScotiaMocatta.

However, ETF Securities&#39; Arnold said prices were supported by risks including US&nbsp;policy paralysis, tensions in North Korea and the Middle East, and a potential correction in equity valuations. He said gold&#39;s fair value was $1,260-$1,280.

Gold is traditionally seen as a safe investment in times of uncertainty.

Investors were looking ahead to US&nbsp;non-farm payrolls data at 1330 GMT. The US&nbsp;Federal Reserve is expected next week to announce a rise in interest rates and offer guidance on the pace of further increases. Strong payrolls would support the case for aggressive rate rises.

Gold is sensitive to rising interest rates because they push up bond yields, reducing the appeal of non-yielding gold, and tend to boost the dollar.

Among other precious metals, silver was up 0.4 percent at $15.78 but down 4 percent this week.

Platinum was 0.1 percent lower at $892.20 an ounce and on track to fall nearly 5 percent this week, its biggest weekly loss in nine months.

Palladium was up 0.1 percent at $1,013.75 an ounce.

Gold prices steadied on Friday but were on track for their biggest weekly fall since May ahead of US?employment data later that could influence the pace of US?interest rate rises.

Gold prices steadied on Friday but were on track for their biggest weekly fall since May ahead of US employment data later that could influence the pace of US interest rate rises. Gold this week broke below a recent trading range and tumbled through technical levels to its lowest since July as progress on US tax reform fuelled optimism about the US economy and boosted the dollar. "You can put it down to the strength of the dollar and the ebullience of investors regarding equities and all things risk-on," said ETF Securities analyst Martin Arnold. "When in such a positive mindset investors don't look for defensive assets like gold." The dollar was given an extra boost on Friday after a funding bill eased fears of a US government shutdown this month. A stronger dollar makes bullion more expensive for holders of other currencies and can dampen demand. Spot gold was down 0.1 percent at $1,245.66 an ounce at 1109 GMT, close to Thursday's low of $1243.71, the weakest since July 26. It had fallen 2.7 percent this week, its third consecutive weekly fall and the biggest since early May. US gold futures were 0.4 percent lower at $1,247.80. Selling was triggered after gold broke below $1,260, the bottom of its trading range since September, and plunged below its 200-day moving average for the first time since July. Technical support is now at $1,250 and a Fibonacci level at $1,240.90 but momentum indicators suggest that gold could fall to $1,204.90, the July low, said analysts at ScotiaMocatta. However, ETF Securities' Arnold said prices were supported by risks including US policy paralysis, tensions in North Korea and the Middle East, and a potential correction in equity valuations. He said gold's fair value was $1,260-$1,280. Gold is traditionally seen as a safe investment in times of uncertainty. Investors were looking ahead to US non-farm payrolls data at 1330 GMT. The US Federal Reserve is expected next week to announce a rise in interest rates and offer guidance on the pace of further increases. Strong payrolls would support the case for aggressive rate rises. Gold is sensitive to rising interest rates because they push up bond yields, reducing the appeal of non-yielding gold, and tend to boost the dollar. Among other precious metals, silver was up 0.4 percent at $15.78 but down 4 percent this week. Platinum was 0.1 percent lower at $892.20 an ounce and on track to fall nearly 5 percent this week, its biggest weekly loss in nine months. Palladium was up 0.1 percent at $1,013.75 an ounce.

Dollar rise pushes gold toward biggest weekly fall since May

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday warned regional powers against meddling in Lebanon at an international meeting aimed at fending off pressure on the fragile country from rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson attended the talks in Paris with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, whose shock resignation last month - which he has since rescinded - sparked fears of a new crisis in the Middle East.

Opening the meeting, Macron said it was &quot;essential that all of the parties in Lebanon and regional actors respect the cardinal principle of non-interference&quot; in the affairs of other countries.

Representatives from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with Germany, Italy and Egypt, were present for the show of support for Lebanon, which took place against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East.

Hariri and Macron both emphasised their opposition to US President Donald Trump&#39;s announcement Wednesday that he would move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.

&quot;It complicates the peace process even more (between Israel and the Palestinians) and creates a new challenge to regional security,&quot; Hariri said in opening remarks at the meeting.

Macron added: &quot;None of the region&#39;s problems will be resolved by unilateral decisions or the strongest imposing their will.&quot;&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim country, is suspected of having pressured Hariri, a longtime ally, to resign as part of its attempts to counter the growing influence of Iran, a Shia Muslim power.

The Saudi kingdom and other Arab states accuse Iran of using armed proxies such as Lebanon&#39;s powerful Hezbollah movement to advance its interests, from Lebanon to Yemen to Syria and Iraq.

In a televised resignation statement from Riyadh on November 4, Hariri accused Tehran and Hezbollah - which has ministers in Hariri&#39;s government - of destabilising his country and the region.&nbsp;

A Lebanese source close to Hariri told AFP that the premier travelled to Riyadh believing he was going to discuss economic projects but instead &quot;found himself faced with a list of economic sanctions brandished by the Saudis against Lebanon.&quot;

Hariri remained in Riyadh for two weeks afterwards, fuelling speculation that he was being held hostage.

Macron then intervened, inviting Hariri to Paris for talks, after which he returned home to a hero&#39;s welcome. Two weeks later, he withdrew his resignation.

The meeting ended with plans for three follow-up conferences: one in Paris in early 2018 on boosting investment in Lebanon; another in Rome on building up Lebanon`s regular army; and a third in Brussels on helping the roughly 1.5 million Syrian refugees that have fled there.

&quot;Lebanon&#39;s stability is not only crucial for its inhabitants but for the entire region,&quot; Macron said Friday, demanding that the sovereignty of the small multifaith country, long a proxy battleground between its bigger neighbours, be respected.

Hariri said the fragile stability enjoyed by his country, which neighbours Syria, &quot;appeared like a small miracle&quot; in a region torn by the Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni conflicts.

&quot;The desire of all in Lebanon is to save our democracy,&quot; he said.

Riyadh&#39;s power play in Lebanon backfired, with the various Lebanese factions coming together in order to avoid a political breakdown.

Hariri announced Tuesday that he would stay on as premier after cabinet members - including from Hezbollah - issued a joint statement to reaffirm their commitment to stay out of regional conflicts.

&quot;Lebanon will respect this principle of keeping its distance (from trouble beyond its borders). You will see,&quot; he vowed Friday, insisting there was &quot;no crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia&quot;.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the principle &quot;applied to all, both inside and outside (Lebanon).&quot;

The International Support Group for Lebanon was launched in September 2013 partly in response to the huge influx of refugees from Syria.

Hariri and Macron both emphasised their opposition to US President Donald Trump's announcement on Wednesday that he would move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday warned regional powers against meddling in Lebanon at an international meeting aimed at fending off pressure on the fragile country from rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson attended the talks in Paris with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, whose shock resignation last month - which he has since rescinded - sparked fears of a new crisis in the Middle East. Opening the meeting, Macron said it was "essential that all of the parties in Lebanon and regional actors respect the cardinal principle of non-interference" in the affairs of other countries. Representatives from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with Germany, Italy and Egypt, were present for the show of support for Lebanon, which took place against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East. Hariri and Macron both emphasised their opposition to US President Donald Trump's announcement Wednesday that he would move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. "It complicates the peace process even more (between Israel and the Palestinians) and creates a new challenge to regional security," Hariri said in opening remarks at the meeting. Macron added: "None of the region's problems will be resolved by unilateral decisions or the strongest imposing their will." Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim country, is suspected of having pressured Hariri, a longtime ally, to resign as part of its attempts to counter the growing influence of Iran, a Shia Muslim power. The Saudi kingdom and other Arab states accuse Iran of using armed proxies such as Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement to advance its interests, from Lebanon to Yemen to Syria and Iraq. In a televised resignation statement from Riyadh on November 4, Hariri accused Tehran and Hezbollah - which has ministers in Hariri's government - of destabilising his country and the region. A Lebanese source close to Hariri told AFP that the premier travelled to Riyadh believing he was going to discuss economic projects but instead "found himself faced with a list of economic sanctions brandished by the Saudis against Lebanon." Hariri remained in Riyadh for two weeks afterwards, fuelling speculation that he was being held hostage. Macron then intervened, inviting Hariri to Paris for talks, after which he returned home to a hero's welcome. Two weeks later, he withdrew his resignation. The meeting ended with plans for three follow-up conferences: one in Paris in early 2018 on boosting investment in Lebanon; another in Rome on building up Lebanon`s regular army; and a third in Brussels on helping the roughly 1.5 million Syrian refugees that have fled there. "Lebanon's stability is not only crucial for its inhabitants but for the entire region," Macron said Friday, demanding that the sovereignty of the small multifaith country, long a proxy battleground between its bigger neighbours, be respected. Hariri said the fragile stability enjoyed by his country, which neighbours Syria, "appeared like a small miracle" in a region torn by the Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni conflicts. "The desire of all in Lebanon is to save our democracy," he said. Riyadh's power play in Lebanon backfired, with the various Lebanese factions coming together in order to avoid a political breakdown. Hariri announced Tuesday that he would stay on as premier after cabinet members - including from Hezbollah - issued a joint statement to reaffirm their commitment to stay out of regional conflicts. "Lebanon will respect this principle of keeping its distance (from trouble beyond its borders). You will see," he vowed Friday, insisting there was "no crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia". French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the principle "applied to all, both inside and outside (Lebanon)." The International Support Group for Lebanon was launched in September 2013 partly in response to the huge influx of refugees from Syria.

President Macron warns against Middle East meddling at Lebanon conference

Ralphie May, the comedian who died in October this year has no secrets to tell.

Nevada&#39;s Clark County Coroner&#39;s office tweeted Wednesday that the comedian died of natural causes elaborating that his death was due to &quot;hypertensive cardiovascular disease&quot;.&nbsp;

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Our Coroner/Medical Examiner has determined that Ralph May, 45, of Nashville, Tenn., died on Oct. 6, 2017, from Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease. The manner of his death was natural. We extend our sincere condolences to Mr. May&rsquo;s family and friends. <a href="https://t.co/pLsZmvP8Qw">pic.twitter.com/pLsZmvP8Qw</a>
&mdash; Clark County Nevada (@ClarkCountyNV) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClarkCountyNV/status/938522095817932800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Earlier when reports of his death had been published, it was said that the 45-year-old comedian died after battling with pneumonia.

He is survived by his wife, comedian Lahna Turner, and their children, April June and August James.

&nbsp;

Ralphie May, the comedian who died in October this year has no secrets to tell. Nevada's Clark County Coroner's office tweeted Wednesday that the comedian died of natural causes elaborating that his death was due to "hypertensive cardiovascular disease". Our Coroner/Medical Examiner has determined that Ralph May, 45, of Nashville, Tenn., died on Oct. 6, 2017, from Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease. The manner of his death was natural. We extend our sincere condolences to Mr. May’s family and friends. pic.twitter.com/pLsZmvP8Qw — Clark County Nevada (@ClarkCountyNV) December 6, 2017 × Earlier when reports of his death had been published, it was said that the 45-year-old comedian died after battling with pneumonia. He is survived by his wife, comedian Lahna Turner, and their children, April June and August James.

Comedian Ralphie May's actual cause of death revealed

Germany&#39;s Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday stated that the German government does not support President Donald Trump&#39;s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

&quot;The German Government does not support this position because the status of Jerusalem is to be resolved in the framework of a two-state solution,&quot; Merkel`s spokesperson Steffen Seibert said in a statement on Twitter.

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More fallout from European allies: German Chancellor Angela Merkel says via government spokesman Steffen Seibert that Germany &#39;does not support&#39; position of the Trump administration on Jerusalem, whose &#39;status is to be settled as part of negotiations on a 2-state solution.&#39;
&mdash; Ayman Mohyeldin (@AymanM) <a href="https://twitter.com/AymanM/status/938519021212794887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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US President Donald Trump fulfilled one of its campaign promises and reversed decades-long US policy after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-recognises-jerusalem-as-israels-capital-sparks-firestorm-26072" target="_blank">recognising Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital</a> earlier on Wednesday. The United States of America became the first country in the world to identify Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Official announcements were made with respect to shifting the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Here again, America becomes the first country to establish its embassy in Jerusalem.&nbsp;

Jerusalem is considered a sacred place, home to Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites. However, it is also a disputed territory, contested by both Israel and Palestine, which sees it as a capital of its future state.

(With inputs from Reuters)

US President Donald Trump fulfilled one of its campaign promises and reversed decades-long US policy after recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital earlier on Wednesday

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday stated that the German government does not support President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "The German Government does not support this position because the status of Jerusalem is to be resolved in the framework of a two-state solution," Merkel`s spokesperson Steffen Seibert said in a statement on Twitter. More fallout from European allies: German Chancellor Angela Merkel says via government spokesman Steffen Seibert that Germany 'does not support' position of the Trump administration on Jerusalem, whose 'status is to be settled as part of negotiations on a 2-state solution.' — Ayman Mohyeldin (@AymanM) December 6, 2017 × US President Donald Trump fulfilled one of its campaign promises and reversed decades-long US policy after recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital earlier on Wednesday. The United States of America became the first country in the world to identify Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Official announcements were made with respect to shifting the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Here again, America becomes the first country to establish its embassy in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is considered a sacred place, home to Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites. However, it is also a disputed territory, contested by both Israel and Palestine, which sees it as a capital of its future state. (With inputs from Reuters)

Germany doesn't support Trump on Jerusalem, says Angela Merkel

President Donald Trump told Israeli and Arab leaders on Tuesday that he intends to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a decision that breaks with decades of U.S. policy and risks fuelling violence in the Middle East.

Senior U.S. officials said Trump on Wednesday is expected to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital while delaying relocating the embassy from Tel Aviv for another six months, though he plans to order his aides to immediately begin planning such a move.

U.S. endorsement of Israel&#39;s claim to all of Jerusalem as its capital would reverse long-standing U.S. policy that the city&#39;s status must be decided in negotiations with the Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan&#39;s King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Saudi Arabia&#39;s King Salman, who all received telephone calls from Trump, joined a mounting chorus of voices warning that unilateral U.S. steps on Jerusalem would derail a fledgling U.S.-led peace effort and unleash turmoil in the region.

The White House said that Trump had also spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a longtime proponent of a U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem.&nbsp;

Netanyahu&#39;s office did not respond to a request for comment, but a senior Israeli minister welcomed Trump&#39;s decision while vowing that Israel would be prepared for any outbreak of violence.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said that Trump, who promised during the presidential campaign to move the embassy in Israel, would give a speech on Wednesday about his Jerusalem decision. &quot;The president I would say is pretty solid in his thinking at this point,&quot; she said, declining to provide details.

Trump notified Abbas &quot;of his intention to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,&quot; Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah said.

Abbas, in response, &quot;warned of the dangerous consequences such a decision would have to the peace process and to the peace, security and stability of the region and of the world&quot; and also appealed to the Pope and the leaders of Russia, France and Jordan to intervene.

The Jordanian monarch, whose dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, told Trump that moving the embassy would have &quot;dangerous repercussions&quot; for the region and would obstruct U.S. efforts to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, according to a palace statement.

King Salman stressed to Trump that any U.S. announcement on the status of Jerusalem would &quot;inflame Muslim feelings all over the world,&rdquo; the Saudi Press Agency said.

None of the leaders` statements said whether Trump specified the timing of an embassy move, a notion supported by successive governments in Israel, a close U.S. ally.

But U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump was expected to sign a national security waiver - as have his predecessors - keeping the embassy in Tel Aviv for another six months but would commit to setting the move in motion. However, he was not planning to set a specific timetable, the officials said.

The Trump administration would need time to overcome logistical issues such as lack of a secure embassy building and staff housing in Jerusalem, according to one U.S. official.

Trump appears intent on satisfying the pro-Israel, right-wing base, including evangelical Christians, that helped him win the presidency but was disappointed when he delayed the embassy move in June. No other country has its embassy in Jerusalem.

Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, an action not recognised internationally.

A big mistake 

Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz, who met last week with U.S. officials in Washington, told Israel`s Army Radio: &quot;My impression is that the president will recognise Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years, as the capital of the state of Israel.&rdquo;

Asked whether Israel was preparing for a wave of violence if Trump recognises Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, he said: &quot;We are preparing for every option. Anything like that can always erupt. If Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) will lead it in that direction then he will be making a big mistake.&rdquo;

Islamist militant groups such as al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah have in the past tried to exploit Muslim sensitivities over Jerusalem to stoke anti-Israel and anti-U.S. sentiment.

Asked whether Trump recognised that his Jerusalem decision could spark violence, Sanders said: &quot;A number of things have been looked at that have been weighed into the president`s decision.&quot;

Senior U.S. officials told Reuters some officers in the State Department were also deeply concerned and the European Union, the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia and the Arab League all warned that any such declaration would have repercussions across the region.&nbsp;

Turkey threatened on Tuesday to cut diplomatic ties with Israel if Trump recognises Jerusalem.&nbsp;

Katz took to Twitter to reject Turkey&#39;s threat and reiterate Israel`s position on the city, which is one of a long list of stumbling blocks in years of failed peace talks with the Palestinians.

A U.S. official said the consensus U.S. intelligence estimate on U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital was that it would risk triggering a backlash against Israel, and also potentially against U.S. interests in the Middle East.

It is also likely to upset an Israeli-Palestinian peace push led by Trump`s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, in pursuit of what the U.S. president has called the &quot;ultimate deal.&quot; The initiative has made little progress.

The White House said in a statement that in calls with Israeli and Arab leaders, Trump &quot;reaffirmed his commitment to advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace talks&quot; and &quot;underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation with each partner.&quot;&nbsp;

Arab criticism of Trump&#39;s plan contrasted sharply with the praise Washington`s traditional Arab allies heaped on him at the beginning of his administration. They saw Trump as re-engaging in the region after what they perceived as former President Barack Obama&rsquo;s distancing of himself from them, as well as taking a tougher stand against Iran.

The European Union&#39;s top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, said on Tuesday that &quot;any action that would undermine&quot; peace efforts to create two separate states for the Israelis and the Palestinians &quot;must absolutely be avoided.&quot;

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has &ldquo;consistently warned against any unilateral action that would have the potential to undermine the two-state solution,&rdquo;

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.

The decision breaks with decades of US policy and risks fuelling violence in the Middle East

President Donald Trump told Israeli and Arab leaders on Tuesday that he intends to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a decision that breaks with decades of U.S. policy and risks fuelling violence in the Middle East. Senior U.S. officials said Trump on Wednesday is expected to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital while delaying relocating the embassy from Tel Aviv for another six months, though he plans to order his aides to immediately begin planning such a move. U.S. endorsement of Israel's claim to all of Jerusalem as its capital would reverse long-standing U.S. policy that the city's status must be decided in negotiations with the Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan's King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Saudi Arabia's King Salman, who all received telephone calls from Trump, joined a mounting chorus of voices warning that unilateral U.S. steps on Jerusalem would derail a fledgling U.S.-led peace effort and unleash turmoil in the region. The White House said that Trump had also spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a longtime proponent of a U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem. Netanyahu's office did not respond to a request for comment, but a senior Israeli minister welcomed Trump's decision while vowing that Israel would be prepared for any outbreak of violence. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said that Trump, who promised during the presidential campaign to move the embassy in Israel, would give a speech on Wednesday about his Jerusalem decision. "The president I would say is pretty solid in his thinking at this point," she said, declining to provide details. Trump notified Abbas "of his intention to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem," Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah said. Abbas, in response, "warned of the dangerous consequences such a decision would have to the peace process and to the peace, security and stability of the region and of the world" and also appealed to the Pope and the leaders of Russia, France and Jordan to intervene. The Jordanian monarch, whose dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, told Trump that moving the embassy would have "dangerous repercussions" for the region and would obstruct U.S. efforts to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, according to a palace statement. King Salman stressed to Trump that any U.S. announcement on the status of Jerusalem would "inflame Muslim feelings all over the world,” the Saudi Press Agency said. None of the leaders` statements said whether Trump specified the timing of an embassy move, a notion supported by successive governments in Israel, a close U.S. ally. But U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump was expected to sign a national security waiver - as have his predecessors - keeping the embassy in Tel Aviv for another six months but would commit to setting the move in motion. However, he was not planning to set a specific timetable, the officials said. The Trump administration would need time to overcome logistical issues such as lack of a secure embassy building and staff housing in Jerusalem, according to one U.S. official. Trump appears intent on satisfying the pro-Israel, right-wing base, including evangelical Christians, that helped him win the presidency but was disappointed when he delayed the embassy move in June. No other country has its embassy in Jerusalem. Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, an action not recognised internationally. A big mistake Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz, who met last week with U.S. officials in Washington, told Israel`s Army Radio: "My impression is that the president will recognise Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years, as the capital of the state of Israel.” Asked whether Israel was preparing for a wave of violence if Trump recognises Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, he said: "We are preparing for every option. Anything like that can always erupt. If Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) will lead it in that direction then he will be making a big mistake.” Islamist militant groups such as al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah have in the past tried to exploit Muslim sensitivities over Jerusalem to stoke anti-Israel and anti-U.S. sentiment. Asked whether Trump recognised that his Jerusalem decision could spark violence, Sanders said: "A number of things have been looked at that have been weighed into the president`s decision." Senior U.S. officials told Reuters some officers in the State Department were also deeply concerned and the European Union, the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia and the Arab League all warned that any such declaration would have repercussions across the region. Turkey threatened on Tuesday to cut diplomatic ties with Israel if Trump recognises Jerusalem. Katz took to Twitter to reject Turkey's threat and reiterate Israel`s position on the city, which is one of a long list of stumbling blocks in years of failed peace talks with the Palestinians. A U.S. official said the consensus U.S. intelligence estimate on U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital was that it would risk triggering a backlash against Israel, and also potentially against U.S. interests in the Middle East. It is also likely to upset an Israeli-Palestinian peace push led by Trump`s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, in pursuit of what the U.S. president has called the "ultimate deal." The initiative has made little progress. The White House said in a statement that in calls with Israeli and Arab leaders, Trump "reaffirmed his commitment to advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace talks" and "underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation with each partner." Arab criticism of Trump's plan contrasted sharply with the praise Washington`s traditional Arab allies heaped on him at the beginning of his administration. They saw Trump as re-engaging in the region after what they perceived as former President Barack Obama’s distancing of himself from them, as well as taking a tougher stand against Iran. The European Union's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, said on Tuesday that "any action that would undermine" peace efforts to create two separate states for the Israelis and the Palestinians "must absolutely be avoided." U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has “consistently warned against any unilateral action that would have the potential to undermine the two-state solution,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.

Trump tells Arab, Israeli leaders he plans to move embassy to Jerusalem

Russia&#39;s justice ministry on Tuesday named nine US media outlets including Voice of America as &quot;foreign agents&quot; after President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing international media to be slapped with the controversial label.

The ministry said that US-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and seven of their media affiliates had been recognised as &quot;carrying out the functions of a foreign agent&quot;, in a statement posted on its website.

Putin last month signed into law hastily issued legislation allowing the measure to target media.

Russia said this was a retaliatory move after Kremlin-funded RT television registered as a &quot;foreign agent&quot; in the United States under official pressure.

Rights groups fear the law could have a chilling effect on the ability of outlets to carry out independent reporting.

Voice of America and Radio Free Europe began broadcasting to the Soviet Union in the 1950s, playing a key role in providing its citizens with uncensored news.

Both broadcasters had already been formally warned by the justice ministry that they risked recognition as &quot;foreign agents.&quot;

The justice ministry has now formalised the move, naming them and their affiliates, including Radio Free Europe&#39;s news outlets dedicated to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine, and the Caucasus.&nbsp;

They also include a television channel run jointly by Radio Free Europe and Voice of America called Current Time TV.

Speaking on Current Time TV in Russian, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty&#39;s president Thomas Kent said that &quot;as a result, the activities of our organisation can face even greater restrictions&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;So far we have no concrete information on these restrictions,&quot; the head of the US Congress-funded corporation said.

He stressed: &quot;We remain committed to continuing our work in journalism in the interests of providing precise and objective information to our Russian-language audience.&quot;

&nbsp;&#39;Threat to free media&#39;&nbsp;

The 2012 law previously applied only to non-governmental organisations that had international funding.&nbsp;

Those branded &quot;foreign agents&quot; have to present themselves as such on all paperwork and submit to intensive scrutiny of their staffing and financing.

Many NGOs have closed down as a result, saying the measure made it too difficult for them to operate.

The US State Department said last month that the new law &quot;presents yet another threat to free media in Russia&quot;.

It said it was &quot;disingenuous&quot; of Moscow to equate the move to RT&#39;s listing as a foreign agent in the US since Washington&#39;s measure &quot;does not restrict an organisation&#39;s ability to operate&quot;.

The head of the Russian upper house&#39;s commission for the protection of state sovereignty, Andrei Klimov, said the measure would be strictly enforced but could be reversed.

&quot;If (foreign media) try to get out of it, we will catch up with them anyway, we will force them to obey Russian law,&quot; Klimov told Interfax news agency.

&quot;If Washington comes to its senses and ceases pressure on Russian media, however, in that case we will also consider correcting our decisions.&quot;

Russian MPs are set to vote Wednesday on whether to ban journalists from outlets labelled as &quot;foreign agents&quot; from entering the State Duma lower house of parliament.

The ministry said that US-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and seven of their media affiliates had been recognised as 'carrying out the functions of a foreign agent', in a statement posted on its website

Russia's justice ministry on Tuesday named nine US media outlets including Voice of America as "foreign agents" after President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing international media to be slapped with the controversial label. The ministry said that US-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and seven of their media affiliates had been recognised as "carrying out the functions of a foreign agent", in a statement posted on its website. Putin last month signed into law hastily issued legislation allowing the measure to target media. Russia said this was a retaliatory move after Kremlin-funded RT television registered as a "foreign agent" in the United States under official pressure. Rights groups fear the law could have a chilling effect on the ability of outlets to carry out independent reporting. Voice of America and Radio Free Europe began broadcasting to the Soviet Union in the 1950s, playing a key role in providing its citizens with uncensored news. Both broadcasters had already been formally warned by the justice ministry that they risked recognition as "foreign agents." The justice ministry has now formalised the move, naming them and their affiliates, including Radio Free Europe's news outlets dedicated to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine, and the Caucasus. They also include a television channel run jointly by Radio Free Europe and Voice of America called Current Time TV. Speaking on Current Time TV in Russian, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's president Thomas Kent said that "as a result, the activities of our organisation can face even greater restrictions". "So far we have no concrete information on these restrictions," the head of the US Congress-funded corporation said. He stressed: "We remain committed to continuing our work in journalism in the interests of providing precise and objective information to our Russian-language audience." 'Threat to free media' The 2012 law previously applied only to non-governmental organisations that had international funding. Those branded "foreign agents" have to present themselves as such on all paperwork and submit to intensive scrutiny of their staffing and financing. Many NGOs have closed down as a result, saying the measure made it too difficult for them to operate. The US State Department said last month that the new law "presents yet another threat to free media in Russia". It said it was "disingenuous" of Moscow to equate the move to RT's listing as a foreign agent in the US since Washington's measure "does not restrict an organisation's ability to operate". The head of the Russian upper house's commission for the protection of state sovereignty, Andrei Klimov, said the measure would be strictly enforced but could be reversed. "If (foreign media) try to get out of it, we will catch up with them anyway, we will force them to obey Russian law," Klimov told Interfax news agency. "If Washington comes to its senses and ceases pressure on Russian media, however, in that case we will also consider correcting our decisions." Russian MPs are set to vote Wednesday on whether to ban journalists from outlets labelled as "foreign agents" from entering the State Duma lower house of parliament.

Russia declares 9 US media outlets as 'foreign agents'

An Al Qaeda&nbsp;leader, as well as over 80 other militants, have been killed in a joint operation by Afghan and US officials in Afghanistan, reports say.

The leader, Omar Khetab, famously known as&nbsp;Omar Mansoon was gunned down during the attack, Afghan&#39;s Intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) was reported saying.&nbsp;

As per reports, the death of famous Al&nbsp;Qaeda leader Qari Yasin, who was earlier killed in a US counter-terrorism airstrike, was the man being the 2009 bus attack carrying the Sri Lankan team in Lahore - comes in the backdrop of United States Department of Defense underscoring in a statement, issued in March.&nbsp;

The attack had caused the death of six Pakistani police forces, two civilians and also caused injury to six members of the cricket team.

Previously, Qari Noor Aqa, Taliban&#39;s military commission chief as well as seven other representatives were killed by the Afghan security and in central Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan.

The leader, Omar Khetab, famously known ass Omar Mansoon was gunned down during the attack

An Al Qaeda leader, as well as over 80 other militants, have been killed in a joint operation by Afghan and US officials in Afghanistan, reports say. The leader, Omar Khetab, famously known as Omar Mansoon was gunned down during the attack, Afghan's Intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) was reported saying. As per reports, the death of famous Al Qaeda leader Qari Yasin, who was earlier killed in a US counter-terrorism airstrike, was the man being the 2009 bus attack carrying the Sri Lankan team in Lahore - comes in the backdrop of United States Department of Defense underscoring in a statement, issued in March. The attack had caused the death of six Pakistani police forces, two civilians and also caused injury to six members of the cricket team. Previously, Qari Noor Aqa, Taliban's military commission chief as well as seven other representatives were killed by the Afghan security and in central Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan.

Top al Qaeda leader Omar Mansoon killed in US-Afghan joint operation

U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday met Pakistan`s civilian and military leaders and urged them &quot;redouble&quot; their efforts to rein in militants accused of using the country as a base to carry out attacks in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Mattis, on a one-day visit to Pakistan, said the South Asian nation had made progress in the fight against militancy inside its borders but needed to make more.

More than 100 days since President Donald Trump announced a South Asia strategy that calls for a firmer line towards Islamabad, U.S. officials and analysts say there has been only limited success and it is not clear how progress will be made.

U.S. officials have long been frustrated by what they see as Pakistan&rsquo;s reluctance to act against groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network that they believe exploit safe haven on Pakistani soil to launch attacks in Afghanistan.

&quot;The Secretary reiterated that Pakistan must redouble its efforts to confront militants and terrorists operating within the country,&quot; the Pentagon said in a statement.

Mattis, who visited Pakistan for the first time as defence secretary, said before the trip that the goal for his meetings with Pakistani officials would be to find &quot;common ground&quot;.

In his discussion with Mattis, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the two allies shared objectives.

&quot;We`re committed (to) the war against terror,&quot; he said. &quot;Nobody wants peace in Afghanistan more than Pakistan.&quot;

Mattis also met with high-ranking officials from Pakistan`s powerful military, including army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Lieutenant-General Naveed Mukhtar, the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency that U.S. officials say has links with Haqqani and Taliban militants.

In August, Trump outlined a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, chastising Pakistan over its alleged support for Afghan militants. But beyond that, the Trump administration has done little to articulate its strategy, experts say.&nbsp;

U.S. officials say they have not seen a change in Pakistan`s support for militants, despite visits by senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. &quot;We have been very direct and very clear with the Pakistanis ... we have not seen those changes implemented yet,&quot; General John Nicholson, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, said this week. Pakistani officials have pushed back on the U.S. accusations and say they have done a great deal to help the United States in tracking down militants.

Limited leverage

U.S. official expressed hope relations could improve after a U.S.-Canadian couple kidnapped in Afghanistan were freed in Pakistan in October with their three children.

However, while the Trump administration has used tougher words with Pakistan, it is has yet to change Islamabad`s calculus. Some experts say the United States loses clout in Pakistan when it is seen as bullying.

While Mattis travelled to the region earlier this year, he did not stop in Pakistan, but visited its arch rival, India, a relationship that has grown under the Trump administration.

&quot;There is not an effective stick anymore because Pakistan doesn`t really care about U.S aid, it has been dwindling anyway and it is getting the money it needs elsewhere ... treat it with respect and actually reward it when it does do something good,&quot; said Madiha Afzal, with the Brookings Institution.

Mattis`s brief visit to Islamabad comes a week after a hardline Pakistani Islamist group called off nationwide protests after the government met its demand that a minister accused of blasphemy resign.

Separately, a Pakistani Islamist accused of masterminding a bloody 2008 assault in the Indian city of Mumbai was freed from house arrest. The White House said the release could have repercussions for U.S.-Pakistan relations.

&quot;I think for Pakistan, the timing is very bad. There is talk about progress being made against extremists and here you have a situation where religious hardliners have basically been handed everything they wanted on a silver platter,&quot; said Michael Kugelman, with the Woodrow Wilson think-tank in Washington.

Mattis, on a one-day visit to Pakistan, said the South Asian nation had made progress in the fight against militancy inside its borders but needed to make more

U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday met Pakistan`s civilian and military leaders and urged them "redouble" their efforts to rein in militants accused of using the country as a base to carry out attacks in neighbouring Afghanistan. Mattis, on a one-day visit to Pakistan, said the South Asian nation had made progress in the fight against militancy inside its borders but needed to make more. More than 100 days since President Donald Trump announced a South Asia strategy that calls for a firmer line towards Islamabad, U.S. officials and analysts say there has been only limited success and it is not clear how progress will be made. U.S. officials have long been frustrated by what they see as Pakistan’s reluctance to act against groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network that they believe exploit safe haven on Pakistani soil to launch attacks in Afghanistan. "The Secretary reiterated that Pakistan must redouble its efforts to confront militants and terrorists operating within the country," the Pentagon said in a statement. Mattis, who visited Pakistan for the first time as defence secretary, said before the trip that the goal for his meetings with Pakistani officials would be to find "common ground". In his discussion with Mattis, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the two allies shared objectives. "We`re committed (to) the war against terror," he said. "Nobody wants peace in Afghanistan more than Pakistan." Mattis also met with high-ranking officials from Pakistan`s powerful military, including army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Lieutenant-General Naveed Mukhtar, the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency that U.S. officials say has links with Haqqani and Taliban militants. In August, Trump outlined a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, chastising Pakistan over its alleged support for Afghan militants. But beyond that, the Trump administration has done little to articulate its strategy, experts say. U.S. officials say they have not seen a change in Pakistan`s support for militants, despite visits by senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. "We have been very direct and very clear with the Pakistanis ... we have not seen those changes implemented yet," General John Nicholson, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, said this week. Pakistani officials have pushed back on the U.S. accusations and say they have done a great deal to help the United States in tracking down militants. Limited leverage U.S. official expressed hope relations could improve after a U.S.-Canadian couple kidnapped in Afghanistan were freed in Pakistan in October with their three children. However, while the Trump administration has used tougher words with Pakistan, it is has yet to change Islamabad`s calculus. Some experts say the United States loses clout in Pakistan when it is seen as bullying. While Mattis travelled to the region earlier this year, he did not stop in Pakistan, but visited its arch rival, India, a relationship that has grown under the Trump administration. "There is not an effective stick anymore because Pakistan doesn`t really care about U.S aid, it has been dwindling anyway and it is getting the money it needs elsewhere ... treat it with respect and actually reward it when it does do something good," said Madiha Afzal, with the Brookings Institution. Mattis`s brief visit to Islamabad comes a week after a hardline Pakistani Islamist group called off nationwide protests after the government met its demand that a minister accused of blasphemy resign. Separately, a Pakistani Islamist accused of masterminding a bloody 2008 assault in the Indian city of Mumbai was freed from house arrest. The White House said the release could have repercussions for U.S.-Pakistan relations. "I think for Pakistan, the timing is very bad. There is talk about progress being made against extremists and here you have a situation where religious hardliners have basically been handed everything they wanted on a silver platter," said Michael Kugelman, with the Woodrow Wilson think-tank in Washington.

U.S. defence chief urges Pakistan to redouble efforts against militants

A senior Turkish government official on Monday warned of a &quot;major catastrophe&quot; if the United States recognizes Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital despite a flood of warnings from the Arab world.

&quot;If the (current) status of Jerusalem is changed and another step is taken ... that would be a major catastrophe,&quot; Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said during a televised press conference.

&quot;It would completely destroy the fragile peace process in the region, and lead to new conflicts, new disputes and new unrest.&quot;

The status of Jerusalem is one of the most contentious issues of the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

President Donald Trump faces a key decision this week on whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, potentially reversing years of United States policy and drawing a furious response from the Palestinian leadership and the Arab world.

Most of the international community, including the US as well as Turkey, does not formally recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, insisting the issue can only be resolved through final status negotiations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a champion of the Palestinian cause, often criticises Israel over its actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, despite a 2016 reconciliation deal after years of severed ties following Israel&#39;s deadly raid on a Gaza-bound ship.&nbsp;

Bozdag, also government spokesman, on Monday said a US step to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital would benefit &quot;neither Israel ... nor the region.&quot;

&quot;It would not benefit anything. Rather than open new doors, it would drag the region into a new disaster.&quot;

President Donald Trump faces a key decision this week on whether to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, potentially reversing years of United States policy and drawing a furious response from the Palestinian leadership and the Arab world

A senior Turkish government official on Monday warned of a "major catastrophe" if the United States recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital despite a flood of warnings from the Arab world. "If the (current) status of Jerusalem is changed and another step is taken ... that would be a major catastrophe," Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said during a televised press conference. "It would completely destroy the fragile peace process in the region, and lead to new conflicts, new disputes and new unrest." The status of Jerusalem is one of the most contentious issues of the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict. President Donald Trump faces a key decision this week on whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, potentially reversing years of United States policy and drawing a furious response from the Palestinian leadership and the Arab world. Most of the international community, including the US as well as Turkey, does not formally recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, insisting the issue can only be resolved through final status negotiations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a champion of the Palestinian cause, often criticises Israel over its actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, despite a 2016 reconciliation deal after years of severed ties following Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound ship. Bozdag, also government spokesman, on Monday said a US step to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital would benefit "neither Israel ... nor the region." "It would not benefit anything. Rather than open new doors, it would drag the region into a new disaster."

Turkey warns of 'catastrophe' if US recognises Jerusalem as Israel capital

South Korea and the United States launched their largest-ever joint aerial drills on Monday, officials said, a week after North Korea said it had tested its most advanced missile as part of a weapons program that has raised global tensions.

The annual U.S.-South Korean drill, called Vigilant Ace, will run until Friday, with six F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to be deployed among the more than 230 aircraft taking part. The exercises have been condemned as a provocation by the isolated North.

F-35 fighters will also join the drill, which will also include the largest number of 5th generation fighters to take part, according to a South Korea-based U.S. Air Force spokesman.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-warns-north-korean-leadership-will-be-utterly-destroyed-in-case-of-war-25470" target="_blank">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-warns-north-korean-leadership-will-be-utterly-destroyed-in-case-of-war-25470" target="_blank"> warns North Korean leadership will be &#39;utterly destroyed&#39; if war breaks out</a>

Around 12,000 U.S. service members, including from the Marines and Navy, will join South Korean troops. Aircraft taking part will be flown from eight U.S. and South Korean military installations.

South Korean media reports said B-1B Lancer bombers could join the exercise this week. The U.S. Air Force spokesman could not confirm the reports.

The joint exercise is designed to enhance readiness and operational capability and to ensure peace and security on the Korean peninsula, the U.S. military had said before the drills began.

The drills come a week after North Korea said it had tested its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile ever in defiance of international sanctions and condemnation.

Pyongyang blamed U.S. President Donald Trump for raising tensions and warned at the weekend the Vigilant Ace exercise was pushing tensions on the Korean peninsula towards &ldquo;a flare-up&rdquo;, according to North Korean state media.

North Korea&rsquo;s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country called Trump &ldquo;insane&rdquo; on Sunday and said the drill would &ldquo;push the already acute situation on the Korean peninsula to the brink of nuclear war&rdquo;.

The North&rsquo;s KCNA state news agency, citing a foreign ministry spokesman, also said on Saturday the Trump administration was &ldquo;begging for nuclear war by staging an extremely dangerous nuclear gamble on the Korean peninsula&rdquo;.

North Korea regularly uses its state media to threaten the United States and its allies.

South Korea and the United States launched their largest-ever joint aerial drills on Monday, officials said, a week after North Korea said it had tested its most advanced missile as part of a weapons program that has raised global tensions. The annual U.S.-South Korean drill, called Vigilant Ace, will run until Friday, with six F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to be deployed among the more than 230 aircraft taking part. The exercises have been condemned as a provocation by the isolated North. F-35 fighters will also join the drill, which will also include the largest number of 5th generation fighters to take part, according to a South Korea-based U.S. Air Force spokesman. Also read: US warns North Korean leadership will be 'utterly destroyed' if war breaks out Around 12,000 U.S. service members, including from the Marines and Navy, will join South Korean troops. Aircraft taking part will be flown from eight U.S. and South Korean military installations. South Korean media reports said B-1B Lancer bombers could join the exercise this week. The U.S. Air Force spokesman could not confirm the reports. The joint exercise is designed to enhance readiness and operational capability and to ensure peace and security on the Korean peninsula, the U.S. military had said before the drills began. The drills come a week after North Korea said it had tested its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile ever in defiance of international sanctions and condemnation. Pyongyang blamed U.S. President Donald Trump for raising tensions and warned at the weekend the Vigilant Ace exercise was pushing tensions on the Korean peninsula towards “a flare-up”, according to North Korean state media. North Korea’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country called Trump “insane” on Sunday and said the drill would “push the already acute situation on the Korean peninsula to the brink of nuclear war”. The North’s KCNA state news agency, citing a foreign ministry spokesman, also said on Saturday the Trump administration was “begging for nuclear war by staging an extremely dangerous nuclear gamble on the Korean peninsula”. North Korea regularly uses its state media to threaten the United States and its allies.

Week after North Korea missile test, US & South Korea kick off largest air exercise

The United States has announced that it will not participate in the United Nations&#39;&nbsp;Global Compact on Migration as it does not meet the policies and principles of the Trump administration.

The US participation in the Compact process began in 2016, following the Obama Administration&#39;s decision to join the UN&#39;s New York Declaration on migration.

The New York Declaration contains numerous provisions that are inconsistent with U.S. immigration and refugee policies and the Trump administration&#39;s immigration principles.

As a result, President Donald Trump determined that the United States would end its participation in the Compact process that aims to reach international consensus at the UN in 2018.

&quot;America is proud of our immigrant heritage and our long-standing moral leadership in providing support to migrant and refugee populations across the globe. No country has done more than the United States, and our generosity will continue. But our decisions on immigration policies must always be made by Americans and Americans alone,&quot; said Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

&quot;We will decide how best to control our borders and who will be allowed to enter our country. The global approach in the New York Declaration is simply not compatible with U.S. sovereignty,&quot; she added.

On September 19, 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a set of commitments to enhance the protection of refugees and migrants. These commitments are known as the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants.

The New York Declaration reaffirms the importance of the international refugee regime and represents a commitment by member states to strengthen and enhance mechanisms to protect people on the move. It paves the way for the adoption of two new global compacts in 2018: a global compact on refugees and a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration.

The US had earlier this year also announced to withdraw from the Paris agreement which aims at responding to the global climate change threat by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The US said the compact contains numerous provisions that are inconsistent with US immigration and refugee policies and the Trump administration's immigration principles

The United States has announced that it will not participate in the United Nations' Global Compact on Migration as it does not meet the policies and principles of the Trump administration. The US participation in the Compact process began in 2016, following the Obama Administration's decision to join the UN's New York Declaration on migration. The New York Declaration contains numerous provisions that are inconsistent with U.S. immigration and refugee policies and the Trump administration's immigration principles. As a result, President Donald Trump determined that the United States would end its participation in the Compact process that aims to reach international consensus at the UN in 2018. "America is proud of our immigrant heritage and our long-standing moral leadership in providing support to migrant and refugee populations across the globe. No country has done more than the United States, and our generosity will continue. But our decisions on immigration policies must always be made by Americans and Americans alone," said Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations. "We will decide how best to control our borders and who will be allowed to enter our country. The global approach in the New York Declaration is simply not compatible with U.S. sovereignty," she added. On September 19, 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a set of commitments to enhance the protection of refugees and migrants. These commitments are known as the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants. The New York Declaration reaffirms the importance of the international refugee regime and represents a commitment by member states to strengthen and enhance mechanisms to protect people on the move. It paves the way for the adoption of two new global compacts in 2018: a global compact on refugees and a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration. The US had earlier this year also announced to withdraw from the Paris agreement which aims at responding to the global climate change threat by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

US ends participation in UN's Global Compact on Migration

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-council-to-meet-on-north-korea-rights-abuses-nuclear-programme-in-december-25674">North Korea</a> Sunday blasted the United States and South Korea as &quot;warmongers&quot; on the eve of their largest-ever joint air exercise, saying it could trigger a nuclear war.

The comments came as White House National Security Advisor H.R McMaster warned of the &quot;increasing&quot; possibility of war with the impoverished but nuclear-armed North.&nbsp;

The five-day Vigilant Ace drill -- involving some 230 aircraft including F-22 Raptor stealth jet fighters -- begins Monday, five days after the&nbsp; North test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile believed capable of hitting the US mainland in a fresh challenge to&nbsp; President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

The North&#39;s ruling party Rodong newspaper slammed the upcoming drill.

&quot;It is an open, all-out provocation against the DPRK, which may lead to a nuclear war any moment,&quot; it said in an editorial Sunday, using the North&#39;s official name.&nbsp;

&quot;The US and South Korean puppet warmongers would be well advised to bear in mind that their DPRK-targeted military drill will be as foolish as an act precipitating their self-destruction,&quot; it said.&nbsp;

The commentary was published a day after Pyongyang&#39;s foreign ministry&nbsp; accused the Trump administration of &quot;begging for nuclear war&quot; by staging what it called the reckless air drills.

McMaster said the possibility of war with the North was &quot;increasing every day&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;I think it&#39;s increasing every day, which means that...we are in a race to be able to solve this problem,&quot; he said at a forum on Saturday.&nbsp;

&quot;There are ways to address this problem short of armed conflict, but it is a race because he&#39;s getting closer and closer, and there&#39;s not much time left,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-images-suggest-missile-capable-of-hitting-all-america-us-experts-25573">The North says the Hwasong-15 missile fired Wednesday</a> can be tipped with a &quot;super-large heavy warhead&quot; capable of striking the whole US mainland.&nbsp;

But analysts remain unconvinced that it has mastered the advanced technology to allow the rocket to survive re-entry to the Earth&#39;s atmosphere.&nbsp;

The months-long nuclear standoff between Kim and Trump has fuelled concerns of another conflict, after the 1950-53 Korean War left much of the peninsula in ruin.&nbsp;

But even some Trump advisers say US military options are limited when Pyongyang could launch an artillery barrage on the South Korean capital Seoul -- only around 50 kilometres from the border and home to 10 million people.

The comments came as White House National Security Advisor H.R McMaster warned of the "increasing" possibility of war with the impoverished but nuclear-armed North

North Korea Sunday blasted the United States and South Korea as "warmongers" on the eve of their largest-ever joint air exercise, saying it could trigger a nuclear war. The comments came as White House National Security Advisor H.R McMaster warned of the "increasing" possibility of war with the impoverished but nuclear-armed North. The five-day Vigilant Ace drill -- involving some 230 aircraft including F-22 Raptor stealth jet fighters -- begins Monday, five days after the North test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile believed capable of hitting the US mainland in a fresh challenge to President Donald Trump. The North's ruling party Rodong newspaper slammed the upcoming drill. "It is an open, all-out provocation against the DPRK, which may lead to a nuclear war any moment," it said in an editorial Sunday, using the North's official name. "The US and South Korean puppet warmongers would be well advised to bear in mind that their DPRK-targeted military drill will be as foolish as an act precipitating their self-destruction," it said. The commentary was published a day after Pyongyang's foreign ministry accused the Trump administration of "begging for nuclear war" by staging what it called the reckless air drills. McMaster said the possibility of war with the North was "increasing every day". "I think it's increasing every day, which means that...we are in a race to be able to solve this problem," he said at a forum on Saturday. "There are ways to address this problem short of armed conflict, but it is a race because he's getting closer and closer, and there's not much time left," he said. The North says the Hwasong-15 missile fired Wednesday can be tipped with a "super-large heavy warhead" capable of striking the whole US mainland. But analysts remain unconvinced that it has mastered the advanced technology to allow the rocket to survive re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere. The months-long nuclear standoff between Kim and Trump has fuelled concerns of another conflict, after the 1950-53 Korean War left much of the peninsula in ruin. But even some Trump advisers say US military options are limited when Pyongyang could launch an artillery barrage on the South Korean capital Seoul -- only around 50 kilometres from the border and home to 10 million people.

North Korea today blasted US and South Korea as 'warmongers'

The US is not satisfied with Pakistan&#39;s cooperation in the war against terror as it has not done &quot;anything significant&quot; to rein-in the Taliban and the Haqqani network and destroy their sanctuary on its territory as part of its promise, a senior White House official has said.

He also termed the release of Mumbai-terror attack accused Hafiz Saeed as &quot;a step backward&quot; in that direction.

The official said that the release of the Coleman family, held captive for five years by the Haqqani network, from inside Pakistan was &quot;not an indication&quot; of Islamabad&#39;s cooperation with the US in the war against terrorism.

Based on the intelligence shared by the US, in October, the Pakistan Army rescued Caitlan Coleman, her husband Joshua Boyle and their three children after five years of their abduction by terrorists having ties to the Afghan Taliban from the mountainous Kurram Valley region, bordering Afghanistan.

&quot;Our diplomatic pressure, as well as our own intelligence agencies diligent work led to the release of the Coleman family. So, I am not sure if that qualifies as step forward (by Pakistan as part of the South Asia Strategy announced by President Donald Trump in August),&quot; the official told PTI.

&quot;We are happy that the Colemans are free and that they have been released. But we are still waiting to see Pakistan take steps to rein in the Taliban and the Haqqani network. We are not satisfied that they have done anything significant on this front,&quot; he said.

The US, the official said, has now a different approach to Pakistan. &quot;We expect, Pakistan to take steps against terror sanctuary on its territory&quot;.

Acknowledging that Pakistan has not taken steps it promised after the announcement of the South Asia Strategy, the senior administration official said that the White House is still hopeful that Pakistan sees that it is in its interest to co-operate on the US strategy in Afghanistan.

&quot;But we have not yet seen any significant changes. We still remain hopeful. And we recognise that some of these changes take a bit of time and wouldn&#39;t necessarily occur overnight.

&quot;But we will expect to see these changes within a certain time-frame. Our patience is not unlimited when it comes to the steps that we expect them to take,&quot; he said.

The Trump Administration has been very specific with Pakistan on the steps that it needs to take, we have laid out very specific steps that they need to take to degrade these groups activities and to facilitate a genuine dialogue, the official said.

&quot;But, I don&#39;t think we have seen any significant steps in that direction. So, we are still waiting and watching and monitoring (Pakistan) very closely. And we&#39;re still hopeful that we will see Pakistan take some of those steps to crack down on the Taliban, the Haqqani network, and ensure that there are no safe havens, for these groups to continue operating inside Pakistan,&quot; he added.

The US, the official said, would be looking for very specific action from Pakistan within coming weeks and months.

He said that by spring, the Trump Administration would hope to see some real efforts on &quot;genuine&quot; peace process, as it is not interested in talks for talk&#39;s sake.

&quot;We would like to see a genuine peace dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban. We know that the Taliban has made gains for the last several years. So until they are convinced that they are not going to have sanctuary in Pakistan, we don&#39;t believe they&#39;ll be ready for talks.

&quot;They will continue to believe that they can advance on the battlefield rather than on the negotiating table,&quot; he said, adding &quot;so, we need to see Pakistan ensures that they don&#39;t have a sanctuary within Pakistan. And only at that time we assess that they&#39;ll really be ready for genuine negotiations with the Afghan government&quot;.

The White House official, however, refused to give any timeline for actions on Pakistan, saying he thinks that it would not be helpful.

&quot;But I just want to assure you that that we are thinking in terms of timelines and we are monitoring the progress and we do expect meaningful actions in a certain time-frame and we are prepared to implement new policies and take different steps if we don&#39;t see some progress,&quot; he said.

The US is not satisfied with Pakistan's cooperation in the war against terror as it has not done "anything significant" to rein-in the Taliban and the Haqqani network and destroy their sanctuary on its territory as part of its promise, a senior White House official has said

The US is not satisfied with Pakistan's cooperation in the war against terror as it has not done "anything significant" to rein-in the Taliban and the Haqqani network and destroy their sanctuary on its territory as part of its promise, a senior White House official has said. He also termed the release of Mumbai-terror attack accused Hafiz Saeed as "a step backward" in that direction. The official said that the release of the Coleman family, held captive for five years by the Haqqani network, from inside Pakistan was "not an indication" of Islamabad's cooperation with the US in the war against terrorism. Based on the intelligence shared by the US, in October, the Pakistan Army rescued Caitlan Coleman, her husband Joshua Boyle and their three children after five years of their abduction by terrorists having ties to the Afghan Taliban from the mountainous Kurram Valley region, bordering Afghanistan. "Our diplomatic pressure, as well as our own intelligence agencies diligent work led to the release of the Coleman family. So, I am not sure if that qualifies as step forward (by Pakistan as part of the South Asia Strategy announced by President Donald Trump in August)," the official told PTI. "We are happy that the Colemans are free and that they have been released. But we are still waiting to see Pakistan take steps to rein in the Taliban and the Haqqani network. We are not satisfied that they have done anything significant on this front," he said. The US, the official said, has now a different approach to Pakistan. "We expect, Pakistan to take steps against terror sanctuary on its territory". Acknowledging that Pakistan has not taken steps it promised after the announcement of the South Asia Strategy, the senior administration official said that the White House is still hopeful that Pakistan sees that it is in its interest to co-operate on the US strategy in Afghanistan. "But we have not yet seen any significant changes. We still remain hopeful. And we recognise that some of these changes take a bit of time and wouldn't necessarily occur overnight. "But we will expect to see these changes within a certain time-frame. Our patience is not unlimited when it comes to the steps that we expect them to take," he said. The Trump Administration has been very specific with Pakistan on the steps that it needs to take, we have laid out very specific steps that they need to take to degrade these groups activities and to facilitate a genuine dialogue, the official said. "But, I don't think we have seen any significant steps in that direction. So, we are still waiting and watching and monitoring (Pakistan) very closely. And we're still hopeful that we will see Pakistan take some of those steps to crack down on the Taliban, the Haqqani network, and ensure that there are no safe havens, for these groups to continue operating inside Pakistan," he added. The US, the official said, would be looking for very specific action from Pakistan within coming weeks and months. He said that by spring, the Trump Administration would hope to see some real efforts on "genuine" peace process, as it is not interested in talks for talk's sake. "We would like to see a genuine peace dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban. We know that the Taliban has made gains for the last several years. So until they are convinced that they are not going to have sanctuary in Pakistan, we don't believe they'll be ready for talks. "They will continue to believe that they can advance on the battlefield rather than on the negotiating table," he said, adding "so, we need to see Pakistan ensures that they don't have a sanctuary within Pakistan. And only at that time we assess that they'll really be ready for genuine negotiations with the Afghan government". The White House official, however, refused to give any timeline for actions on Pakistan, saying he thinks that it would not be helpful. "But I just want to assure you that that we are thinking in terms of timelines and we are monitoring the progress and we do expect meaningful actions in a certain time-frame and we are prepared to implement new policies and take different steps if we don't see some progress," he said.

Pakistan hasn't done anything significant in war against terror: US

A former Islamic State fighter suspected of masterminding a deadly attack on Istanbul airport in 2016 was killed during a special operation in ex-Soviet Georgia last week, a spokeswoman for Georgia&#39;s state security service said on Friday.

Akhmed Chatayev was named by Turkish media and a US&nbsp;congressman as the mastermind of the suicide bombing of Istanbul airport in 2016 which killed 45 people. His involvement has not been corroborated by Turkish officials.

&quot;It&#39;s confirmed that one of those killed during the operation is Akhmed Chatayev,&quot; Nino Giorgobiani, a spokeswoman for Georgia&#39;s state security service, told a news briefing. Giorgobiani said that Chatayev blew himself up.&nbsp;

One Georgian special forces serviceman and two other members of the armed group, which was suspected of terrorism, were killed in the same operation. Four police officers were wounded and one member of the group was also arrested.

The 20-hour operation took place at an apartment block on the outskirts of the Georgian capital Tbilisi last week.

Giorgobiani declined to name the two other armed men killed or disclose the identity of the member of the group who was arrested, the group&#39;s motives, or how they got to Georgia.

&quot;The investigation is ongoing ... We continue to work with our international partners to identify the other two (armed men),&quot; Giorgobiani said.

She said that experts from the United States had been participating in the investigation.

A United Nations sanctions list describes Chatayev as a senior figure in Islamic State responsible for training Russian-speaking militants.&nbsp;

A veteran of Chechnya&#39;s conflict with Moscow during which he lost an arm, he lived in Georgia&#39;s Pankisi Gorge, a remote area populated largely by people from the Kist community, ethnic Chechens whose ancestors came to mainly Christian Georgia in the 1800s.

When, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Chechnya rose up in an armed rebellion against Moscow&#39;s rule, the Kist community were drawn to the fight. Thousands of refugees arrived from Chechnya, and some insurgents used the gorge to regroup and prepare new attacks.

Chatayev was wounded and arrested in Georgia in August 2012 following a clash between the Georgian police and a group of militants, who were allegedly trying to cross the Georgian-Russian border and move to Dagestan.

'It's confirmed that one of those killed during the operation is Akhmed Chatayev,' said Nino Giorgobiani, a spokeswoman for Georgia's state security service

A former Islamic State fighter suspected of masterminding a deadly attack on Istanbul airport in 2016 was killed during a special operation in ex-Soviet Georgia last week, a spokeswoman for Georgia's state security service said on Friday. Akhmed Chatayev was named by Turkish media and a US congressman as the mastermind of the suicide bombing of Istanbul airport in 2016 which killed 45 people. His involvement has not been corroborated by Turkish officials. "It's confirmed that one of those killed during the operation is Akhmed Chatayev," Nino Giorgobiani, a spokeswoman for Georgia's state security service, told a news briefing. Giorgobiani said that Chatayev blew himself up. One Georgian special forces serviceman and two other members of the armed group, which was suspected of terrorism, were killed in the same operation. Four police officers were wounded and one member of the group was also arrested. The 20-hour operation took place at an apartment block on the outskirts of the Georgian capital Tbilisi last week. Giorgobiani declined to name the two other armed men killed or disclose the identity of the member of the group who was arrested, the group's motives, or how they got to Georgia. "The investigation is ongoing ... We continue to work with our international partners to identify the other two (armed men)," Giorgobiani said. She said that experts from the United States had been participating in the investigation. A United Nations sanctions list describes Chatayev as a senior figure in Islamic State responsible for training Russian-speaking militants. A veteran of Chechnya's conflict with Moscow during which he lost an arm, he lived in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge, a remote area populated largely by people from the Kist community, ethnic Chechens whose ancestors came to mainly Christian Georgia in the 1800s. When, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Chechnya rose up in an armed rebellion against Moscow's rule, the Kist community were drawn to the fight. Thousands of refugees arrived from Chechnya, and some insurgents used the gorge to regroup and prepare new attacks. Chatayev was wounded and arrested in Georgia in August 2012 following a clash between the Georgian police and a group of militants, who were allegedly trying to cross the Georgian-Russian border and move to Dagestan.

Suspect in Istanbul airport bombing killed last week: Georgia

The US feels that the civilian government in Pakistan is &quot;weak&quot; and the Army&#39;s role in ending the recent protests by hardline religious parties in the country has &quot;emboldened&quot; the extremists, a senior Trump administration official has said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/islamist-leader-calls-off-pakistan-protests-after-minister-resigns-25286">Pakistan last month witnessed countrywide protests by hardline religious groups </a>after a reference to the Prophet Muhammad was left out of a revised version of the electoral oath.

The protesters called off the demonstrations after Law Minister Zahid Hamid resigned, meeting one of their key demands. A top Pakistani court had criticised the Army&#39;s role to mediate the agreement to end the protests that claimed the lives of six people and injured over 100 others.

&quot;We have seen unhelpful relationships between the military and some of the hardline Islamist parties. We are observing...What happened and what role was played by the military. There is concern that the way these protests ended in a way has emboldened extremism and extremists in Pakistan,&quot; the official told PTI.

Observing that the &quot;civil-military tension&quot; in the country is &quot;not helpful&quot;, the official speaking on condition of anonymity said: &quot;The government, right now, is pretty weak. This was shown by the recent protest.&quot;

The official ruled that the handling of protests had made it easier in Pakistan for people to levy blasphemy charges which are very unhelpful.

There are dozens of Pakistanis on death row for alleged blasphemy in public.

&quot;They feel they can take the law into their own hands and continue to levy blasphemy charges, which is unhelpful,&quot; said the official.

The freedom of speech, religion, and human rights inside Pakistan is getting worse, the official added.

The White House official further warned that there would be &quot;repercussions&quot; for any military coup in Pakistan, which has a history of such dictatorship at frequent intervals.

&quot;I think the repercussions of military coup would be very great,&quot; the official said.

Not only the US-Pakistan relationship would be disrupted, all kinds of sanctions would come into play in case of a military coup.

&quot;It would be very unhelpful,&quot; the official said, but quickly added &quot;at this point of time I&#39;m not convinced that the military is seeking to overturn the government.&quot;

But, the military certainly seeks to retain the power that they have within the Pakistani system.

&quot;It would just be extremely unhelpful to see the military try and form the government again,&quot; the official said, hoping the upcoming general elections in Pakistan would be held on schedule next year.

The relations between Pakistan&#39;s civilian government and the powerful Army have long been fraught, with the military ruling the country for nearly half of its 70-year history.

&quot;We&#39;re hopeful that there will be election in Pakistan as scheduled to be. And we recognise there may be some political uncertainties leading up to that election. But I think it&#39;s very important that that election is held and that Pakistan demonstrates to the world and to its own people that it continues to be a functioning democracy,&quot; the official said.

Pakistan last month witnessed countrywide protests by hardline religious groups after a reference to the Prophet Muhammad was left out of a revised version of the electoral oath

The US feels that the civilian government in Pakistan is "weak" and the Army's role in ending the recent protests by hardline religious parties in the country has "emboldened" the extremists, a senior Trump administration official has said. Pakistan last month witnessed countrywide protests by hardline religious groups after a reference to the Prophet Muhammad was left out of a revised version of the electoral oath. The protesters called off the demonstrations after Law Minister Zahid Hamid resigned, meeting one of their key demands. A top Pakistani court had criticised the Army's role to mediate the agreement to end the protests that claimed the lives of six people and injured over 100 others. "We have seen unhelpful relationships between the military and some of the hardline Islamist parties. We are observing...What happened and what role was played by the military. There is concern that the way these protests ended in a way has emboldened extremism and extremists in Pakistan," the official told PTI. Observing that the "civil-military tension" in the country is "not helpful", the official speaking on condition of anonymity said: "The government, right now, is pretty weak. This was shown by the recent protest." The official ruled that the handling of protests had made it easier in Pakistan for people to levy blasphemy charges which are very unhelpful. There are dozens of Pakistanis on death row for alleged blasphemy in public. "They feel they can take the law into their own hands and continue to levy blasphemy charges, which is unhelpful," said the official. The freedom of speech, religion, and human rights inside Pakistan is getting worse, the official added. The White House official further warned that there would be "repercussions" for any military coup in Pakistan, which has a history of such dictatorship at frequent intervals. "I think the repercussions of military coup would be very great," the official said. Not only the US-Pakistan relationship would be disrupted, all kinds of sanctions would come into play in case of a military coup. "It would be very unhelpful," the official said, but quickly added "at this point of time I'm not convinced that the military is seeking to overturn the government." But, the military certainly seeks to retain the power that they have within the Pakistani system. "It would just be extremely unhelpful to see the military try and form the government again," the official said, hoping the upcoming general elections in Pakistan would be held on schedule next year. The relations between Pakistan's civilian government and the powerful Army have long been fraught, with the military ruling the country for nearly half of its 70-year history. "We're hopeful that there will be election in Pakistan as scheduled to be. And we recognise there may be some political uncertainties leading up to that election. But I think it's very important that that election is held and that Pakistan demonstrates to the world and to its own people that it continues to be a functioning democracy," the official said.

Pakistan government weak; recent protests have emboldened extremists: US

Images&nbsp;released by&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;on Thursday appeared to show it has succeeded in developing a&nbsp;missile&nbsp;capable&nbsp;of delivering a nuclear weapon anywhere in the United States and it could be only two or three tests away from being declared combat ready, US-based&nbsp;experts&nbsp;said on Thursday.

North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;released dozens of photos and a video after Wednesday&#39;s launch of the new Hwasong-15&nbsp;missile, and leader Kim Jong Un declared the country had &quot;finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force&quot;.

US-based&nbsp;experts, some of whom have been sceptical about past&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean claims to have put&nbsp;all&nbsp;of the United States in range, said data from the latest test and the photos appeared to confirm&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;has a&nbsp;missile&nbsp;of sufficient power to deliver a nuclear warhead anywhere in America.

Experts&nbsp;and US&nbsp;officials say questions remain about whether it has a re-entry vehicle&nbsp;capable&nbsp;of protecting a nuclear warhead as it speeds toward its target and about the accuracy of its guidance systems.

In an analysis for the Washington-based 38&nbsp;North&nbsp;think tank,&nbsp;missile&nbsp;expert Michael Elleman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said the&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean photos showed a&nbsp;missile considerably larger than its predecessor.

&quot;Initial calculations indicate the new&nbsp;missile&nbsp;could deliver a moderately sized nuclear weapon to any city on the US&nbsp;mainland,&quot; Elleman said.

Elleman said the&nbsp;missile&nbsp;was large and powerful enough to carry simple decoys or other countermeasures to challenge US&nbsp;missile&nbsp;defences.

&quot;A handful of additional flight tests are needed to validate the Hwasong-15&#39;s performance and reliability, and likely establish the efficacy of a protection system needed to ensure the warhead survives the rigours of atmospheric re-entry,&quot; Elleman wrote.

Only two or three more tests might be needed if&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;could accept low confidence in the missile&#39;s reliability.

Another&nbsp;missile&nbsp;expert, whose employer does not&nbsp;allow him to speak publicly to the media, agreed with Elleman&#39;s assessment.

&quot;If&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;does not make high demands on the reliability or accuracy of the&nbsp;missile&nbsp;... two or three more tests would suffice.

&quot;So long as&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;can hit US&nbsp;cities with thermonuclear warheads, they probably don&#39;t need the ability hit every city they target or target specific aim points within those cities to convince the U.S. leadership that war with&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;would be too expensive to contemplate.&quot;

In a call&nbsp;with US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Thursday, South&nbsp;Korean President Moon Jae-in said the&nbsp;missile&nbsp;was&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&#39;s most advanced so far. But it was unclear if Pyongyang had the technology to miniaturise a nuclear warhead, and it still needed to prove other things, including re-entry technology.

US-based&nbsp;experts&nbsp;said&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;had almost certainly developed a warhead light enough to be carried by the Hwasong- 15, which Elleman said should be&nbsp;capable&nbsp;of delivering a 1,000 kg payload.

Larger, more powerful

Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies said on Twitter the Hwasong-15 was &quot;so big that the warhead wouldn&rsquo;t need to be miniaturised.&quot;

On Wednesday, US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis acknowledged the&nbsp;missile&nbsp;went higher than any previous&nbsp;test and was part of a&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean effort &quot;to continue building ballistic&nbsp;missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically.&quot;

North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;said the&nbsp;missile&nbsp;soared to an altitude of about 4,475 km (2,780 miles), more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station, and flew 950 km (590 miles) during its 53-minute flight before landing in the sea near Japan.

The&nbsp;missile&#39;s large size was immediately apparent in the photos, which analysts said&nbsp;allowed for a more powerful propulsion system.

&quot;This is a very big&nbsp;missile,&quot; said Michael Duitsman, a research associate at the Centre for Nonproliferation Studies. &quot;And I don&#39;t mean &#39;big for&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea.&#39; Only a few countries can produce&nbsp;missiles of this size, and&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;just joined the club.&quot;

US&nbsp;experts&nbsp;and officials said the&nbsp;missile&nbsp;still appeared to be powered by liquid fuel, something that made it vulnerable as it could take to up to two hours to fuel on-site before launching.

Earlier, one US&nbsp;official told Reuters the&nbsp;missile&nbsp;could have been powered by solid fuel, but experts&nbsp;said&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;could still be a few years away from being able to field a more versatile solid-fuelled ICBM.

The photos appeared to show the&nbsp;missile&nbsp;with at least two large nozzles on its first stage, instead of the one large and several smaller nozzles on the Hwasong-14.

&quot;The first stage seems to&nbsp;use essentially the same case (as the Hwasong-14) but has two engines,&quot; said David Wright, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a US-based nonprofit science advocacy group. &quot;The second stage looks like it can carry more than twice as much propellant. The combination of those two things means it really is a new, more&nbsp;capable&nbsp;missile.&quot;

While the photos show a mobile erector vehicle being&nbsp;used to position the&nbsp;missile&nbsp;upright, it is not seen in photos of the launch itself. US&nbsp;intelligence analysts have concluded that the test&nbsp;missile was fired from a fixed position, not a mobile launcher, three US&nbsp;officials said.

The massive vehicle was &quot;100 percent&quot; a domestic product of&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea, state media quoted Kim Jong Un as saying.

Western analysts said it is more likely the truck was one of about half a dozen vehicles obtained years ago from China, which&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;has modified since then.

North?Korea?said the the new Hwasong-15?missile?soared to an altitude of about 4,475 km (2,780 miles), more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station, and flew 950 km (590 miles) during its 53-minute flight before landing in the sea near Japan

Images released by North Korea on Thursday appeared to show it has succeeded in developing a missile capable of delivering a nuclear weapon anywhere in the United States and it could be only two or three tests away from being declared combat ready, US-based experts said on Thursday. North Korea released dozens of photos and a video after Wednesday's launch of the new Hwasong-15 missile, and leader Kim Jong Un declared the country had "finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force". US-based experts, some of whom have been sceptical about past North Korean claims to have put all of the United States in range, said data from the latest test and the photos appeared to confirm North Korea has a missile of sufficient power to deliver a nuclear warhead anywhere in America. Experts and US officials say questions remain about whether it has a re-entry vehicle capable of protecting a nuclear warhead as it speeds toward its target and about the accuracy of its guidance systems. In an analysis for the Washington-based 38 North think tank, missile expert Michael Elleman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said the North Korean photos showed a missile considerably larger than its predecessor. "Initial calculations indicate the new missile could deliver a moderately sized nuclear weapon to any city on the US mainland," Elleman said. Elleman said the missile was large and powerful enough to carry simple decoys or other countermeasures to challenge US missile defences. "A handful of additional flight tests are needed to validate the Hwasong-15's performance and reliability, and likely establish the efficacy of a protection system needed to ensure the warhead survives the rigours of atmospheric re-entry," Elleman wrote. Only two or three more tests might be needed if North Korea could accept low confidence in the missile's reliability. Another missile expert, whose employer does not allow him to speak publicly to the media, agreed with Elleman's assessment. "If North Korea does not make high demands on the reliability or accuracy of the missile ... two or three more tests would suffice. "So long as North Korea can hit US cities with thermonuclear warheads, they probably don't need the ability hit every city they target or target specific aim points within those cities to convince the U.S. leadership that war with North Korea would be too expensive to contemplate." In a call with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the missile was North Korea's most advanced so far. But it was unclear if Pyongyang had the technology to miniaturise a nuclear warhead, and it still needed to prove other things, including re-entry technology. US-based experts said North Korea had almost certainly developed a warhead light enough to be carried by the Hwasong- 15, which Elleman said should be capable of delivering a 1,000 kg payload. Larger, more powerful Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies said on Twitter the Hwasong-15 was "so big that the warhead wouldn’t need to be miniaturised." On Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis acknowledged the missile went higher than any previous test and was part of a North Korean effort "to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically." North Korea said the missile soared to an altitude of about 4,475 km (2,780 miles), more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station, and flew 950 km (590 miles) during its 53-minute flight before landing in the sea near Japan. The missile's large size was immediately apparent in the photos, which analysts said allowed for a more powerful propulsion system. "This is a very big missile," said Michael Duitsman, a research associate at the Centre for Nonproliferation Studies. "And I don't mean 'big for North Korea.' Only a few countries can produce missiles of this size, and North Korea just joined the club." US experts and officials said the missile still appeared to be powered by liquid fuel, something that made it vulnerable as it could take to up to two hours to fuel on-site before launching. Earlier, one US official told Reuters the missile could have been powered by solid fuel, but experts said North Korea could still be a few years away from being able to field a more versatile solid-fuelled ICBM. The photos appeared to show the missile with at least two large nozzles on its first stage, instead of the one large and several smaller nozzles on the Hwasong-14. "The first stage seems to use essentially the same case (as the Hwasong-14) but has two engines," said David Wright, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a US-based nonprofit science advocacy group. "The second stage looks like it can carry more than twice as much propellant. The combination of those two things means it really is a new, more capable missile." While the photos show a mobile erector vehicle being used to position the missile upright, it is not seen in photos of the launch itself. US intelligence analysts have concluded that the test missile was fired from a fixed position, not a mobile launcher, three US officials said. The massive vehicle was "100 percent" a domestic product of North Korea, state media quoted Kim Jong Un as saying. Western analysts said it is more likely the truck was one of about half a dozen vehicles obtained years ago from China, which North Korea has modified since then.

North Korea images suggest missile capable of hitting all America: US experts

Wipro, India&#39;s third largest software services firm, today said it will contest the lawsuit filed by National Grid US seeking damages of over USD 140 million for a project that began in 2009.

In a filing to the stock exchanges, Wipro said the company has become a subject of litigation with a long-time customer, National Grid US.

&quot;The lawsuit relates to an ERP implementation project which began in 2009 and was undertaken by National Grid US... The lawsuit in US District Court for the Eastern District of New York seeks damages amounting to USD 140 million plus additional costs related to the project,&quot; Wipro said.

It added that the financial implications for Wipro, if any, will depend on the final judgement in the matter.

Wipro said it had joined the project in 2010, and the post-Go-live process was completed in 2014.

&quot;Wipro strongly believes that the allegations misstate facts and the claims are baseless. Wipro will vigorously contest the allegations in court,&quot; it said.

The Bengaluru-based company said it had provided &quot;valuable services with skill and care&quot; and during the course of the ERP implementation project, National Grid had given Wipro many positive evaluations.

Wipro also received an award from National Grid US with respect to this project in 2014, it noted.

In a filing to the stock exchanges, Wipro said the company has become a subject of litigation with a long-time customer, National Grid US

Wipro, India's third largest software services firm, today said it will contest the lawsuit filed by National Grid US seeking damages of over USD 140 million for a project that began in 2009. In a filing to the stock exchanges, Wipro said the company has become a subject of litigation with a long-time customer, National Grid US. "The lawsuit relates to an ERP implementation project which began in 2009 and was undertaken by National Grid US... The lawsuit in US District Court for the Eastern District of New York seeks damages amounting to USD 140 million plus additional costs related to the project," Wipro said. It added that the financial implications for Wipro, if any, will depend on the final judgement in the matter. Wipro said it had joined the project in 2010, and the post-Go-live process was completed in 2014. "Wipro strongly believes that the allegations misstate facts and the claims are baseless. Wipro will vigorously contest the allegations in court," it said. The Bengaluru-based company said it had provided "valuable services with skill and care" and during the course of the ERP implementation project, National Grid had given Wipro many positive evaluations. Wipro also received an award from National Grid US with respect to this project in 2014, it noted.

Wipro refutes National Grid's claims, to contest in US court

Russian lawmakers will vote next week on measures banning all US media from the lower house of parliament, a deputy said Friday, in response to the US Congress stripping state channel RT of its credentials.

A senior United Russia party lawmaker Olga Savastyanova said the Russian Duma will vote on the ban on December 6. It is unlikely that the proposal would be rejected by the overwhelmingly pro-Kremlin assembly.

&quot;The ban will impact all American media,&quot; she said, according to the Duma&#39;s official website.&nbsp;

There are 21 American media outlets accredited to work in Russia, according to the website of the foreign ministry which keeps the register and issues documents to journalists.

&quot;After the decree regarding closing access for American journalists to the Duma building is passed, we will work out all organisational and technical issues with the foreign ministry,&quot; Savastyanova said.

The ban would apply to US media rather than journalists from other foreign countries, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.&nbsp;

&quot;Such outrageous attacks on foreign media, in particular Russian media, go against the international practice of freedom of speech and unfortunately flourish in full Technicolor in the US,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

The ban would be the latest development in tit-for-tat fallout from Washington&#39;s forced registration of RT as a &quot;foreign agent&quot; in the US.&nbsp;

Washington views the channel as a propaganda arm of the Kremlin, which is accused of interfering in the presidential elections last year.

The congressional committee of journalists which regulates who is accredited to cover the legislature said Thursday they voted unanimously to withdraw RT&#39;s press pass.

The ban would be the latest development in tit-for-tat fallout from Washington's forced registration of RT as a 'foreign agent' in the US

Russian lawmakers will vote next week on measures banning all US media from the lower house of parliament, a deputy said Friday, in response to the US Congress stripping state channel RT of its credentials. A senior United Russia party lawmaker Olga Savastyanova said the Russian Duma will vote on the ban on December 6. It is unlikely that the proposal would be rejected by the overwhelmingly pro-Kremlin assembly. "The ban will impact all American media," she said, according to the Duma's official website. There are 21 American media outlets accredited to work in Russia, according to the website of the foreign ministry which keeps the register and issues documents to journalists. "After the decree regarding closing access for American journalists to the Duma building is passed, we will work out all organisational and technical issues with the foreign ministry," Savastyanova said. The ban would apply to US media rather than journalists from other foreign countries, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "Such outrageous attacks on foreign media, in particular Russian media, go against the international practice of freedom of speech and unfortunately flourish in full Technicolor in the US," he said. The ban would be the latest development in tit-for-tat fallout from Washington's forced registration of RT as a "foreign agent" in the US. Washington views the channel as a propaganda arm of the Kremlin, which is accused of interfering in the presidential elections last year. The congressional committee of journalists which regulates who is accredited to cover the legislature said Thursday they voted unanimously to withdraw RT's press pass.

Russian MPs to vote on banning US media from parliament on December 6

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-warns-north-korean-leadership-will-be-utterly-destroyed-in-case-of-war-25470" target="_blank">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-warns-north-korean-leadership-will-be-utterly-destroyed-in-case-of-war-25470" target="_blank"> warns North Korean leadership will be &#39;utterly destroyed&#39; if war breaks out</a>

The United States warned the North Korean leadership that it would be &quot;utterly destroyed&quot; if war were to break out, after Pyongyang test-fired its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, putting the US mainland within range.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/now-assams-brahmaputra-river-also-turns-black-report-25476" target="_blank">Now, Assam&#39;s Brahmaputra river also turns black: Report</a>

After reports that the colour of the water of the river Siang in Arunachal Pradesh turned black, comes a report that the water downstream of the river Brahmaputra in Assam has changed to black as well.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-attacks-british-pm-may-after-she-criticises-his-retweeting-of-anti-islam-videos-25473" target="_blank">Trump attacks British PM May after she criticises his retweeting of anti-Islam videos</a>

Donald Trump hit back publicly at British Prime Minister Theresa May after she criticised his retweeting of anti-Islam videos.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/bosnian-croat-war-crimes-convict-dies-after-taking-poison-in-court-report-25472" target="_blank">Bosnian-Croat war crimes convict dies after taking &#39;poison&#39; in court: Report</a>

A Bosnian Croat wartime commander died after swallowing what he said was poison in a UN war crimes courtroom on Wednesday after losing an appeal against a 20-year prison sentence, Croatian state TV said.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/epl-league-leaders-manchester-city-win-chasers-keep-chasing-25474" target="_blank">EPL: League leaders Manchester City win, chasers keep chasing</a>

With Manchester United having cut the gap with league leaders Manchester City to five points and Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool winning, any City stutter would have been cause for celebration. But Pep Guardiola&#39;s side thundered on with a club record 12th successive league victory.

US warns North Korean leadership will be 'utterly destroyed' if war breaks out The United States warned the North Korean leadership that it would be "utterly destroyed" if war were to break out, after Pyongyang test-fired its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, putting the US mainland within range. Now, Assam's Brahmaputra river also turns black: Report After reports that the colour of the water of the river Siang in Arunachal Pradesh turned black, comes a report that the water downstream of the river Brahmaputra in Assam has changed to black as well. Trump attacks British PM May after she criticises his retweeting of anti-Islam videos Donald Trump hit back publicly at British Prime Minister Theresa May after she criticised his retweeting of anti-Islam videos. Bosnian-Croat war crimes convict dies after taking 'poison' in court: Report A Bosnian Croat wartime commander died after swallowing what he said was poison in a UN war crimes courtroom on Wednesday after losing an appeal against a 20-year prison sentence, Croatian state TV said. EPL: League leaders Manchester City win, chasers keep chasing With Manchester United having cut the gap with league leaders Manchester City to five points and Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool winning, any City stutter would have been cause for celebration. But Pep Guardiola's side thundered on with a club record 12th successive league victory.

WION morning news brief, November 30, 2017

President Donald Trump on Wednesday retweeted three anti-Muslim videos posted by the deputy head of a British far-right group who has been convicted of a hate crime, Jayda Fransen.

The first one shows&nbsp;a Muslim hitting a boy on crutches. The second one is seen as an Islamist mob pushing a teenager of a rooftop.

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Video 1 (Twitter)
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The third allegedly shows a Muslim throwing down and smashing a statue of the Virgin Mary.

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The video of the Virgin Mary statue being destroyed has been on YouTube for a long time.

Fransen was declared guilty last year with a hate crime after abusing a Muslim woman wearing a hijab.

Brendan Cox, the widower of MP Jo Cox who was killed by a right-wing extremist last year, said: &quot;Trump has legitimised the far right in his own country, now he&#39;s trying to do it in ours.&quot;

&quot;Spreading hatred has consequences &amp; the President should be ashamed of himself,&quot; he said.

David Lammy, an MP for the opposition Labour Party, said: &quot;The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted.

&quot;He is no ally or friend of ours,&quot; he said.

Stephen Doughty, another Labour MP, said the videos were &quot;highly inflammatory&quot; and his colleague Yvette Cooper said Trump had given Fransen a &quot;huge platform&quot;.

Fransen appeared to celebrate the retweets saying: &quot;THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, HAS RETWEETED THREE OF DEPUTY LEADER JAYDA FRANSEN&#39;S TWITTER VIDEOS! DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF HAS RETWEETED THESE VIDEOS AND HAS AROUND 44 MILLION FOLLOWERS! GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP! GOD BLESS AMERICA!&quot;

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THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, HAS RETWEETED THREE OF DEPUTY LEADER JAYDA FRANSEN&#39;S TWITTER VIDEOS! DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF HAS RETWEETED THESE VIDEOS AND HAS AROUND 44 MILLION FOLLOWERS! GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP! GOD BLESS AMERICA! OCS <a href="https://twitter.com/JaydaBF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaydaBF</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://t.co/BiQfQkTra9">pic.twitter.com/BiQfQkTra9</a>
&mdash; Jayda Fransen (@JaydaBF) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaydaBF/status/935842051991711745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Trump&#39;s pokes&nbsp;in British politics and controversial foreign policy have weakened the so-called &quot;special relationship&quot;.

He has infuriated British authorities with his tweets on terrorism in Britain, including highly publicised run-ins with London mayor Sadiq Khan.

Wednesday&#39;s retweets were part of an early morning burst in which Trump again dismissed CNN as &quot;Fake News&quot; and insisted the US economy was in &quot;record territory&quot; by many measures.

US President Donald Trump was &quot;wrong&quot; to retweet three anti-Muslim videos posted by the deputy head of British far-right group Britain First, Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s spokesman said.

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I hope our Government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society.
&mdash; Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/status/935867651859079168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions. They cause anxiety to law abiding people,&quot; he said.

&quot;British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right, which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents -- decency, tolerance and respect. It is wrong for the president to have done this.&quot;

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour party, had tweeted earlier: &quot;I hope our government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society.&quot;

Trump's pokes?in British politics and controversial foreign policy have weakened the so-called "special relationship"

President Donald Trump on Wednesday retweeted three anti-Muslim videos posted by the deputy head of a British far-right group who has been convicted of a hate crime, Jayda Fransen. The first one shows a Muslim hitting a boy on crutches. The second one is seen as an Islamist mob pushing a teenager of a rooftop. Video 1 (Twitter) × Video 2 (Twitter) × The third allegedly shows a Muslim throwing down and smashing a statue of the Virgin Mary. Video 3 (Twitter) × The video of the Virgin Mary statue being destroyed has been on YouTube for a long time. Fransen was declared guilty last year with a hate crime after abusing a Muslim woman wearing a hijab. Brendan Cox, the widower of MP Jo Cox who was killed by a right-wing extremist last year, said: "Trump has legitimised the far right in his own country, now he's trying to do it in ours." "Spreading hatred has consequences & the President should be ashamed of himself," he said. David Lammy, an MP for the opposition Labour Party, said: "The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted. "He is no ally or friend of ours," he said. Stephen Doughty, another Labour MP, said the videos were "highly inflammatory" and his colleague Yvette Cooper said Trump had given Fransen a "huge platform". Fransen appeared to celebrate the retweets saying: "THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, HAS RETWEETED THREE OF DEPUTY LEADER JAYDA FRANSEN'S TWITTER VIDEOS! DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF HAS RETWEETED THESE VIDEOS AND HAS AROUND 44 MILLION FOLLOWERS! GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP! GOD BLESS AMERICA!" THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, HAS RETWEETED THREE OF DEPUTY LEADER JAYDA FRANSEN'S TWITTER VIDEOS! DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF HAS RETWEETED THESE VIDEOS AND HAS AROUND 44 MILLION FOLLOWERS! GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP! GOD BLESS AMERICA! OCS @JaydaBF @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/BiQfQkTra9 — Jayda Fransen (@JaydaBF) November 29, 2017 × Trump's pokes in British politics and controversial foreign policy have weakened the so-called "special relationship". He has infuriated British authorities with his tweets on terrorism in Britain, including highly publicised run-ins with London mayor Sadiq Khan. Wednesday's retweets were part of an early morning burst in which Trump again dismissed CNN as "Fake News" and insisted the US economy was in "record territory" by many measures. US President Donald Trump was "wrong" to retweet three anti-Muslim videos posted by the deputy head of British far-right group Britain First, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said. I hope our Government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society. — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) November 29, 2017 × "Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions. They cause anxiety to law abiding people," he said. "British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right, which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents -- decency, tolerance and respect. It is wrong for the president to have done this." Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour party, had tweeted earlier: "I hope our government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society."

Trump retweets anti-Muslim videos posted by British far-right group head Jayda Fransen

Cyber Monday was on track to become the biggest-ever internet shopping day in the United States as people snapped up bargains on toys and electronics, with many more buying from their phones.

The shopping event is expected to generate $6.6 billion in sales, up from $5.6 billion a year ago, according to Adobe Analytics, which measured 80 per cent of all online transactions from the top 100 US&nbsp;web retailers. As of 10:00 pm&nbsp;EST (03:00 GMT), revenue from smartphones was $1.12 billion.

The buying frenzy has gone on for the better part of a week. Amazon.com Inc said it broke sales records this weekend and was on pace to do so on Cyber Monday. Thanksgiving and Black Friday, during which shoppers spent $7.9 billion, according to Adobe, had also generated record online sales.

The world&#39;s biggest shopping event was China&#39;s Singles&#39; Day earlier this month, in which Alibaba Group Holding Ltd reported sales of $25.4 billion.

Online sales have brightened the overall outlook for traditional US&nbsp;retailers that have expanded beyond brick-and-mortar. However, the availability of deals and promotions for weeks hurt foot traffic at stores.

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The lengthening of the holiday shopping season has had another effect, too: many Cyber Monday promotions were run of the mill.

&quot;It&#39;s not as exciting as what the marketing makes it out to be,&quot; said Guru Hariharan, CEO of e-commerce software firm Boomerang Commerce, in Mountain View, California. &quot;The majority of these &#39;deals&#39; have been around since early November or late October.&quot;

Amazon came under criticism this year for marketing discounts off list prices it infrequently charges, so shoppers perceive their purchases to be bargains - an allegation it has denied.

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The lengthening of the holiday shopping season has had another effect, too: many Cyber Monday promotions were run of the mill (Reuters)
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According to an analysis by Boomerang Commerce, online retailers including Amazon were offering bigger savings for more of their most popular toys this year than last. Amazon said it sold 3 million toys halfway through Cyber Monday.

Top rival Wal-Mart Stores Inc is within striking distance of matching Amazon&#39;s online prices for the first time, a key milestone in its effort to regain the &quot;low price leader&quot; title, data gathered for Reuters show.

Amazon shares closed up 0.8 per cent, while Wal-Mart and Target Corp shares were about flat. JC&nbsp;Penney Company Inc closed up three&nbsp;per cent, and Macy&#39;s Inc closed up 0.7 per cent.

Online sales have brightened the overall outlook for traditional US?retailers that have expanded beyond brick-and-mortar

Cyber Monday was on track to become the biggest-ever internet shopping day in the United States as people snapped up bargains on toys and electronics, with many more buying from their phones. The shopping event is expected to generate $6.6 billion in sales, up from $5.6 billion a year ago, according to Adobe Analytics, which measured 80 per cent of all online transactions from the top 100 US web retailers. As of 10:00 pm EST (03:00 GMT), revenue from smartphones was $1.12 billion. The buying frenzy has gone on for the better part of a week. Amazon.com Inc said it broke sales records this weekend and was on pace to do so on Cyber Monday. Thanksgiving and Black Friday, during which shoppers spent $7.9 billion, according to Adobe, had also generated record online sales. The world's biggest shopping event was China's Singles' Day earlier this month, in which Alibaba Group Holding Ltd reported sales of $25.4 billion. Online sales have brightened the overall outlook for traditional US retailers that have expanded beyond brick-and-mortar. However, the availability of deals and promotions for weeks hurt foot traffic at stores. A worker uses a forklift to retrieve products stored inside of a large Amazon fulfillment center (Reuters) × The lengthening of the holiday shopping season has had another effect, too: many Cyber Monday promotions were run of the mill. "It's not as exciting as what the marketing makes it out to be," said Guru Hariharan, CEO of e-commerce software firm Boomerang Commerce, in Mountain View, California. "The majority of these 'deals' have been around since early November or late October." Amazon came under criticism this year for marketing discounts off list prices it infrequently charges, so shoppers perceive their purchases to be bargains - an allegation it has denied. The lengthening of the holiday shopping season has had another effect, too: many Cyber Monday promotions were run of the mill (Reuters) × According to an analysis by Boomerang Commerce, online retailers including Amazon were offering bigger savings for more of their most popular toys this year than last. Amazon said it sold 3 million toys halfway through Cyber Monday. Top rival Wal-Mart Stores Inc is within striking distance of matching Amazon's online prices for the first time, a key milestone in its effort to regain the "low price leader" title, data gathered for Reuters show. Amazon shares closed up 0.8 per cent, while Wal-Mart and Target Corp shares were about flat. JC Penney Company Inc closed up three per cent, and Macy's Inc closed up 0.7 per cent.

US Cyber Monday sales jump 17 per cent, on pace for record

A drone strike has killed seven suspected members of Al-Qaeda in southern Yemen, a security official said on Sunday.

The United States is the only force known to operate armed drones over Yemen.

&quot;A drone likely to be American&quot; killed all seven overnight as they were aboard three vehicles on the road from the southern province of Shabwa to the central province of Bayda, the official said.

Washington considers the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to be the radical group&#39;s most dangerous branch.

A long-running drone war against AQAP has intensified since US President Donald Trump took office in January.

AQAP has flourished in the chaos of the country&#39;s civil war, which pits the Saudi-backed government against the Huthi rebels.

More than 8,700 people have been killed in the conflict since a Saudi-led military coalition intervened on the government&#39;s side in March 2015.

Al-Qaeda&#39;s jihadist rivals, the Islamic State group, have also carried out several deadly attacks in the country.

Last month, the United States said it had killed dozens of Islamic State fighters at training camps in Bayda.

The United States is the only force known to operate armed drones over Yemen

A drone strike has killed seven suspected members of Al-Qaeda in southern Yemen, a security official said on Sunday. The United States is the only force known to operate armed drones over Yemen. "A drone likely to be American" killed all seven overnight as they were aboard three vehicles on the road from the southern province of Shabwa to the central province of Bayda, the official said. Washington considers the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to be the radical group's most dangerous branch. A long-running drone war against AQAP has intensified since US President Donald Trump took office in January. AQAP has flourished in the chaos of the country's civil war, which pits the Saudi-backed government against the Huthi rebels. More than 8,700 people have been killed in the conflict since a Saudi-led military coalition intervened on the government's side in March 2015. Al-Qaeda's jihadist rivals, the Islamic State group, have also carried out several deadly attacks in the country. Last month, the United States said it had killed dozens of Islamic State fighters at training camps in Bayda.

Drone kills 7 Qaeda suspects in Yemen

Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed has &quot;blood on his hands&quot;, and wants to bring extremism into the mainstream politics of Pakistan, a former top American spymaster said on Saturday.

The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head and LeT founder, who has a $10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, was freed by Pakistan yesterday.

&quot;Saeed is a terrorist. Worked with the LeT, a Kashmiri militant group, and al-Qaida on attacks,&quot; Michael Morell, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) deputy director, who has also served twice as its acting director, said in a tweet.

Saeed, in his late 60s, was under house arrest for 297 days since January.

The fire-brand cleric&#39;s release after&nbsp;midnight&nbsp;came ahead of the 9th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people, including six Americans, were killed.

A deeply concerned US has asked the Pakistan government to re-arrest and charge Saeed for his crimes. It also asked Pakistan to ensure that the LeT leader is behind bars.

&quot;NO! JuD is NOT tied to Islamic State. What a rookie... Seriously. Hafiz Saeed&#39;s Release Completes the Political Mainstreaming of Jihadists in Pakistan,&quot; tweeted Christine Fair, a well-known South Asian expert on terrorist groups.

NBC news said Saeed&#39;s release could once again sour US relations with Pakistan.

The New York Times said, for decades, Pakistan has cast a benign eye on groups like LeT which is perceived as an asset because its attacks target Indian soldiers in Kashmir even as the government battles jihadist groups like the Pakistan Taliban that directly threatens the country.

&quot;But despite its pressure on Pakistan to move against militants like Saeed, the United States has also sent mixed messages. Just a month ago, the United States Senate struck down a provision tying American government funding to Pakistan to the country&#39;s efforts to curb Lashkar-e-Taiba&#39;s operations.

&quot;The provision, part of a broader Pentagon-funding legislation that Congress introduced this past summer, would have forced the secretary of defence to certify that Islamabad was thwarting Lashkar-e-Taiba&#39;s activities inside Pakistan or risk $350 million in American assistance,&quot; the Times wrote.

Meanwhile, in an op-ed, The Washington Examiner said the Trump administration &quot;should work with India&quot; to &quot;capture or kill&quot; Saeed.

&quot;Trump should call Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and offer to work with him to capture or kill Saeed,&quot; the daily said, adding that Saeed intends to lead a new Muslim theocratic political bloc in next year&#39;s parliamentary polls.

&quot;Although Pakistan&#39;s electoral commission has refused to certify the bloc, Saeed&#39;s populist power should not be understated. Charismatic and determined, if left unchecked in his political party or terrorist activities, Saeed could destabilise the region,&quot; the daily added.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack.

Additionally, an expert on terrorist group, said, 'Hafiz Saeed's release completes the political mainstreaming of jihadists in Pakistan'

Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed has "blood on his hands", and wants to bring extremism into the mainstream politics of Pakistan, a former top American spymaster said on Saturday. The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head and LeT founder, who has a $10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, was freed by Pakistan yesterday. "Saeed is a terrorist. Worked with the LeT, a Kashmiri militant group, and al-Qaida on attacks," Michael Morell, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) deputy director, who has also served twice as its acting director, said in a tweet. Saeed, in his late 60s, was under house arrest for 297 days since January. The fire-brand cleric's release after midnight came ahead of the 9th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people, including six Americans, were killed. A deeply concerned US has asked the Pakistan government to re-arrest and charge Saeed for his crimes. It also asked Pakistan to ensure that the LeT leader is behind bars. "NO! JuD is NOT tied to Islamic State. What a rookie... Seriously. Hafiz Saeed's Release Completes the Political Mainstreaming of Jihadists in Pakistan," tweeted Christine Fair, a well-known South Asian expert on terrorist groups. NBC news said Saeed's release could once again sour US relations with Pakistan. The New York Times said, for decades, Pakistan has cast a benign eye on groups like LeT which is perceived as an asset because its attacks target Indian soldiers in Kashmir even as the government battles jihadist groups like the Pakistan Taliban that directly threatens the country. "But despite its pressure on Pakistan to move against militants like Saeed, the United States has also sent mixed messages. Just a month ago, the United States Senate struck down a provision tying American government funding to Pakistan to the country's efforts to curb Lashkar-e-Taiba's operations. "The provision, part of a broader Pentagon-funding legislation that Congress introduced this past summer, would have forced the secretary of defence to certify that Islamabad was thwarting Lashkar-e-Taiba's activities inside Pakistan or risk $350 million in American assistance," the Times wrote. Meanwhile, in an op-ed, The Washington Examiner said the Trump administration "should work with India" to "capture or kill" Saeed. "Trump should call Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and offer to work with him to capture or kill Saeed," the daily said, adding that Saeed intends to lead a new Muslim theocratic political bloc in next year's parliamentary polls. "Although Pakistan's electoral commission has refused to certify the bloc, Saeed's populist power should not be understated. Charismatic and determined, if left unchecked in his political party or terrorist activities, Saeed could destabilise the region," the daily added. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack.

Hafiz Saeed a terrorist, Trump should work with Modi to kill him: US media

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&#39;s powerful&nbsp;Crown&nbsp;Prince&nbsp;called the Supreme&nbsp;Leader&nbsp;of&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;&quot;the new Hitler of the Middle East&quot; in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, sharply escalating the war of words between the arch-rivals.

The Sunni Muslim kingdom of&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia and Shi&#39;ite&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;back rival sides in wars and political crises throughout the region.

Mohammed bin Salman, who is also&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;defence minister in the US-allied oil giant kingdom, suggested the Islamic Republic&#39;s alleged expansion under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei needed to be confronted.

&quot;But we learned from Europe that appeasement doesn&#39;t work. We don&#39;t want the new Hitler in&nbsp;Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East,&quot; the paper quoted him as saying.

Tensions soared this month when Lebanon&#39;s&nbsp;Saudi-allied Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned in a television broadcast from Riyadh, citing the influence of&nbsp;Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and risks to his life.

Hezbollah called the move an act of war engineered by&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;authorities, an accusation they denied.

Hariri has since suspended his resignation.

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia has launched thousands of air strikes in a 2-1/2-year-old war in neighbouring Yemen to defeat the&nbsp;Iranian-aligned Houthi movement that seized broad swaths of the country.

Salman told the Times that the war was going in its favour and that its allies controlled 85 percent of Yemen&#39;s territory.

The Houthis, however, still retain the main population centres despite the war effort by a&nbsp;Saudi-led military coalition which receives intelligence and refuelling for its warplanes by the United States. Some 10,000 people have died in the conflict.

The group launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh&#39;s main airport on Nov. 4, which&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabis decried as an act of war by Tehran.

Bin Salman said in May that the kingdom would make sure any future struggle between the two countries &quot;is waged in&nbsp;Iran&quot;.

For his part, Khamenei has referred to the House of Saud as an &quot;accursed tree&quot;, and&nbsp;Iranian officials have accused the kingdom of spreading terrorism.

Saudi?Arabia's powerful?Crown?Prince?called the Supreme?Leader?of?Iran?"the new Hitler of the Middle East" in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, sharply escalating the war of words between the arch-rivals

Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince called the Supreme Leader of Iran "the new Hitler of the Middle East" in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, sharply escalating the war of words between the arch-rivals. The Sunni Muslim kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran back rival sides in wars and political crises throughout the region. Mohammed bin Salman, who is also Saudi defence minister in the US-allied oil giant kingdom, suggested the Islamic Republic's alleged expansion under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei needed to be confronted. "But we learned from Europe that appeasement doesn't work. We don't want the new Hitler in Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East," the paper quoted him as saying. Tensions soared this month when Lebanon's Saudi-allied Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned in a television broadcast from Riyadh, citing the influence of Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and risks to his life. Hezbollah called the move an act of war engineered by Saudi authorities, an accusation they denied. Hariri has since suspended his resignation. Saudi Arabia has launched thousands of air strikes in a 2-1/2-year-old war in neighbouring Yemen to defeat the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement that seized broad swaths of the country. Salman told the Times that the war was going in its favour and that its allies controlled 85 percent of Yemen's territory. The Houthis, however, still retain the main population centres despite the war effort by a Saudi-led military coalition which receives intelligence and refuelling for its warplanes by the United States. Some 10,000 people have died in the conflict. The group launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh's main airport on Nov. 4, which Saudi Arabis decried as an act of war by Tehran. Bin Salman said in May that the kingdom would make sure any future struggle between the two countries "is waged in Iran". For his part, Khamenei has referred to the House of Saud as an "accursed tree", and Iranian officials have accused the kingdom of spreading terrorism.

'New Hitler' in Iran should not repeat what happened in Europe: Saudi?Crown?Prince Salman

An ultra-violent Latino street gang that President Donald Trump has vowed to wipe out beheaded a man and cut out his heart before burying him in a park near the US capital, reports said Wednesday.

The victim, who has not yet been identified, was stabbed more than 100 times in the attack in Wheaton, Maryland just outside Washington DC, according to a statement by the Montgomery County Police Department.

Authorities have so far arrested Miguel Angel Lopez-Abrego, 19 and an alleged member of the MS-13 gang, on first-degree murder charges. Other suspects are being sought.

Charging documents obtained by Montgomery Community Media and WBALTV11 added the victim was decapitated and had his heart removed from his chest, in an attack planned for weeks and involving up to 10 people.

Detectives began investigating in September thanks to a tip from an informant who said he knew of a murder committed in the spring in a Wheaton park, the Washington Post reported, quoting court records. The informant led police to the gravesite deep side the park.

The grave was prepared before the attack, the paper said. It added that gang members lured the victim to the park and spoke to each other on walkie-talkies as he arrived, the paper added.

The charging documents do not cite a motive for the slaying, which investigators believe the attackers had been preparing for about two weeks, the Post said.

Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, is estimated to have 10,000 members in the United States.

The gang works as an umbrella grouping of units known in Spanish as &quot;clicks,&quot; some of which are larger and more violent than others.

It has become a focus of Trump&#39;s crackdown on crime, which he claims has surged as a result of borders easily crossed by gang members.

Most members trace their heritage to El Salvador, Honduras or Guatemala, and among the members, there are as many immigrants as there are US citizens. Many were born in the United States.

Authorities last week announced they had netted 214 members of the gang in a month-long nationwide sweep.

More than half of those picked up in the action which was led by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency were arrested on immigration violations. But 93 were dealt federal criminal charges including murder, robbery, drugs, and racketeering.

The victim, who has not yet been identified, was stabbed more than 100 times in the attack in Wheaton, Maryland just outside Washington DC, said the Montgomery County Police Department

An ultra-violent Latino street gang that President Donald Trump has vowed to wipe out beheaded a man and cut out his heart before burying him in a park near the US capital, reports said Wednesday. The victim, who has not yet been identified, was stabbed more than 100 times in the attack in Wheaton, Maryland just outside Washington DC, according to a statement by the Montgomery County Police Department. Authorities have so far arrested Miguel Angel Lopez-Abrego, 19 and an alleged member of the MS-13 gang, on first-degree murder charges. Other suspects are being sought. Charging documents obtained by Montgomery Community Media and WBALTV11 added the victim was decapitated and had his heart removed from his chest, in an attack planned for weeks and involving up to 10 people. Detectives began investigating in September thanks to a tip from an informant who said he knew of a murder committed in the spring in a Wheaton park, the Washington Post reported, quoting court records. The informant led police to the gravesite deep side the park. The grave was prepared before the attack, the paper said. It added that gang members lured the victim to the park and spoke to each other on walkie-talkies as he arrived, the paper added. The charging documents do not cite a motive for the slaying, which investigators believe the attackers had been preparing for about two weeks, the Post said. Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, is estimated to have 10,000 members in the United States. The gang works as an umbrella grouping of units known in Spanish as "clicks," some of which are larger and more violent than others. It has become a focus of Trump's crackdown on crime, which he claims has surged as a result of borders easily crossed by gang members. Most members trace their heritage to El Salvador, Honduras or Guatemala, and among the members, there are as many immigrants as there are US citizens. Many were born in the United States. Authorities last week announced they had netted 214 members of the gang in a month-long nationwide sweep. More than half of those picked up in the action which was led by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency were arrested on immigration violations. But 93 were dealt federal criminal charges including murder, robbery, drugs, and racketeering.

Notorious gang 'behead man' near Washington

The US&nbsp;labeling of a Myanmar army crackdown on Rohingya Muslims as &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; is unhelpful and could aggravate the situation, Russia&#39;s ambassador to the southeast Asian nation said on Thursday, criticising &quot;excessive external intervention&quot;.

Rights groups have accused the military in mostly Buddhist Myanmar of carrying out mass rape and other atrocities during a ferocious military sweep launched in late August in retaliation for attacks by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fires-rage-in-rakhine-as-myanmar-army-blames-rohingya-for-mosque-blast-20550">Rohingya Muslim militants in Rakhine State</a>.

That drove 620,000 Rohingya refugees, many traumatized with gunshot wounds and burns, to flee to Bangladesh, joining hundreds of thousands who have sheltered there for years after previous spasms of violence in the former Burma.

The military operation amounted to &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot;, the United States said on Wednesday, echoing an accusation first made by top UN&nbsp;officials in the early days of the humanitarian crisis.

&quot;I don&#39;t think that it will help to solve this problem,&quot; Russian ambassador Nikolay Listopadov told Reuters in an interview in Yangon, when asked about the US&nbsp;move.

&quot;On the contrary, it can aggravate the situation, throw more fuel,&quot; he said in English, citing concern over how the Buddhist community in Rakhine would react to such a designation.

This month, Russia and China agreed to a UN&nbsp;Security Council statement urging Myanmar to &quot;ensure no further excessive use of military force&quot; and expressing &quot;grave concern over reports of human rights violations&quot;, but they have opposed tougher steps and further pressure on Myanmar.

&quot;We are against excessive external intervention, because it won&#39;t lead to any constructive results,&quot; Listopadov said. &quot;Just pressure and blaming and accusing - it simply won&#39;t work.&quot;

On a visit to Myanmar last week, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged the government of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi to lead a credible and impartial inquiry, saying those who committed abuses should be held responsible.

But prospects for such an inquiry remain dim and Suu Kyi&#39;s government refused to cooperate with a mission launched by the United Nations Human Rights Council in March after a less intense bout of violence in Rakhine.

The &quot;so-called independent investigation&quot; demanded by Tillerson was &quot;absolutely&quot; out of the question for Myanmar, Listopadov said.

&quot;It&#39;s absolutely not acceptable for the Myanmar side - it will never accept it...it won&#39;t work - it&#39;s counterproductive,&quot; said Listopadov. &quot;Independent investigation means international (investigation) - no, it&#39;s not acceptable.&quot;

Moscow&#39;s approach was for the Rakhine issue to be solved by &quot;political means, political dialogue,&quot; he added, without elaborating.

He welcomed talks being held in Myanmar&#39;s capital of Naypyitaw between Myanmar and Bangladesh on the repatriation of Rohingya refugees, stressing it was &quot;important to start this process.&quot;

&quot;We wish them success,&quot; said Listopadov, &quot;this complicated Rakhine issue can be solved mostly only by negotiations and agreements between the two sides, because they&#39;re the most involved,&quot; he said, referring to Bangladesh and Myanmar.

China wants closer ties with Myanmar&#39;s military to help protect regional peace and security, a senior Chinese general told the visiting head of the southeast Asian country&#39;s army this week.

The accusation had also been made by the United Nations

The US labeling of a Myanmar army crackdown on Rohingya Muslims as "ethnic cleansing" is unhelpful and could aggravate the situation, Russia's ambassador to the southeast Asian nation said on Thursday, criticising "excessive external intervention". Rights groups have accused the military in mostly Buddhist Myanmar of carrying out mass rape and other atrocities during a ferocious military sweep launched in late August in retaliation for attacks by Rohingya Muslim militants in Rakhine State. That drove 620,000 Rohingya refugees, many traumatized with gunshot wounds and burns, to flee to Bangladesh, joining hundreds of thousands who have sheltered there for years after previous spasms of violence in the former Burma. The military operation amounted to "ethnic cleansing", the United States said on Wednesday, echoing an accusation first made by top UN officials in the early days of the humanitarian crisis. "I don't think that it will help to solve this problem," Russian ambassador Nikolay Listopadov told Reuters in an interview in Yangon, when asked about the US move. "On the contrary, it can aggravate the situation, throw more fuel," he said in English, citing concern over how the Buddhist community in Rakhine would react to such a designation. This month, Russia and China agreed to a UN Security Council statement urging Myanmar to "ensure no further excessive use of military force" and expressing "grave concern over reports of human rights violations", but they have opposed tougher steps and further pressure on Myanmar. "We are against excessive external intervention, because it won't lead to any constructive results," Listopadov said. "Just pressure and blaming and accusing - it simply won't work." On a visit to Myanmar last week, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged the government of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi to lead a credible and impartial inquiry, saying those who committed abuses should be held responsible. But prospects for such an inquiry remain dim and Suu Kyi's government refused to cooperate with a mission launched by the United Nations Human Rights Council in March after a less intense bout of violence in Rakhine. The "so-called independent investigation" demanded by Tillerson was "absolutely" out of the question for Myanmar, Listopadov said. "It's absolutely not acceptable for the Myanmar side - it will never accept it...it won't work - it's counterproductive," said Listopadov. "Independent investigation means international (investigation) - no, it's not acceptable." Moscow's approach was for the Rakhine issue to be solved by "political means, political dialogue," he added, without elaborating. He welcomed talks being held in Myanmar's capital of Naypyitaw between Myanmar and Bangladesh on the repatriation of Rohingya refugees, stressing it was "important to start this process." "We wish them success," said Listopadov, "this complicated Rakhine issue can be solved mostly only by negotiations and agreements between the two sides, because they're the most involved," he said, referring to Bangladesh and Myanmar. China wants closer ties with Myanmar's military to help protect regional peace and security, a senior Chinese general told the visiting head of the southeast Asian country's army this week.

US calling Rohingya operation 'ethnic cleansing' unhelpful: Russian envoy

Russia said Thursday that the US decision to add North Korea to its terror blacklist was a &quot;PR move&quot; that could allow the situation on the peninsula to escalate into a global &quot;catastrophe&quot;.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called US President Donald Trump&#39;s move to place North Korea on the list of state sponsors of terrorism &quot;another scaremongering act and PR move&quot; that would not reduce tensions on the ground. &nbsp;

&quot;The answer to the question whether such actions help in lessening the tensions is clear: no, they do not.&quot;

&quot;These sorts of actions push the situation (around North Korea) to the extreme, this can end with a big catastrophe not only of a regional but also of global scale,&quot; Zakharova told journalists in Moscow.&nbsp;

Russia&#39;s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the North Korea crisis with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono during his visit to Russia on Friday, Zakharova said.&nbsp;

&quot;They will concentrate on bilateral relations but the international situation will be discussed, including the situation in the Korean peninsula as well as the Syrian question,&quot; Zakharova said.&nbsp;

Russia said the US decision to add North Korea to its terror blacklist was a 'PR move'

Russia said Thursday that the US decision to add North Korea to its terror blacklist was a "PR move" that could allow the situation on the peninsula to escalate into a global "catastrophe". Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called US President Donald Trump's move to place North Korea on the list of state sponsors of terrorism "another scaremongering act and PR move" that would not reduce tensions on the ground. "The answer to the question whether such actions help in lessening the tensions is clear: no, they do not." "These sorts of actions push the situation (around North Korea) to the extreme, this can end with a big catastrophe not only of a regional but also of global scale," Zakharova told journalists in Moscow. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the North Korea crisis with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono during his visit to Russia on Friday, Zakharova said. "They will concentrate on bilateral relations but the international situation will be discussed, including the situation in the Korean peninsula as well as the Syrian question," Zakharova said.

Russia says US terror listing of North Korea could lead to 'catastrophe'

&ldquo;Nine years after 26/11, its mastermind still eludes justice. It is time to rescind Pakistan&rsquo;s status as a major non-NATO ally,&rdquo; Bruce Riedel, a top US&nbsp;expert on security, South Asia and counter-terrorism told PTI.

A top American counter-terrorism expert has urged the Trump administration to &ldquo;rescind&rdquo; the major non-NATO ally status given to Pakistan after a court in Lahore ordered to free Mumbai terror attack mastermind and banned JuD chief Hafiz Saeed from detention.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, carrying a bounty of $10 million announced by the US&nbsp;for his role in terror activities, has been under detention since January this year.

The Trump administration on Wednesday said that Saeed is a terrorist leader designated by both the United Nations and the United States, hours after a Pakistani court ordered his release from detention.

&ldquo;Nine years after 26/11, its mastermind still eludes justice. It is time to rescind Pakistan&rsquo;s status as a major non-NATO ally,&rdquo; Bruce Riedel, a top US&nbsp;expert on security, South Asia and counter-terrorism told PTI.

&ldquo;In a word, the release is an outrage. Before long we will read news reports of Hafiz Saeed leading more rallies with thousands of people,&rdquo; Alyssa Ayres, former State Department official who is currently with the Council on Foreign Relations, said after the Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered the Pakistani government to free Saeed.

Saeed is a UN-sanctioned individual terrorist who leads a UN-sanctioned terrorist organisation, Ms. Ayres said, alleging that Pakistan does not see fit to follow through on its obligations to uphold UN Security Council (UNSC) terrorist designations.

&ldquo;Pakistan cannot credibly claim to be fighting terrorism while failing its most basic security obligation to UNSC designations,&rdquo; Ms. Ayres said.

According to Michael Kugelman of the Woodrow Wilson Center, one should not be surprised by this announcement.

&ldquo;Pakistani legal authorities have frequently hinted they have insufficient evidence to justify his continued detention, so it was just a matter of time before this militant, who happens to be a critical Pakistani state asset, walks free.

&ldquo;This news will certainly rankle US&nbsp;officials, who often point out that the dozens of casualties in the Mumbai terror attack included several Americans,&rdquo; Mr. Kugelman said.

Saeed&rsquo;s release will reinforce Washington&rsquo;s longstanding belief that Pakistan embraces a selective policy toward terrorism that entails coddling militants that help serve Pakistani interests, he said.

&ldquo;All this said, we should not overstate the impact this move will have on U.S.-Pakistan relations,&rdquo; Mr. Kugelman said.

For the Trump administration, whose policy towards Pakistan revolves above all around protecting American lives, the terror group of greatest concern in Pakistan is the Haqqani Network, which the U.S. blames for various attacks on American and Western targets in Afghanistan.

&ldquo;The LeT is certainly important for Washington, but compared to the Haqqani network it is presently a relative sideshow in U.S. policy considerations,&rdquo; Mr. Kugelman added.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack.

Husain Haqqani, Pakistan&rsquo;s former Ambassador to the US, attributed this to the mixed messaging coming from the Trump administration in the last few weeks.

US officials were trying to signal to Pakistan that if it takes action against the Haqqani terror network, that could be seen as a positive move and &ldquo;may thwart&rdquo; tougher actions against Islamabad, as promised by President Donald Trump in his new South Asia policy, he said.

&ldquo;In the process they [the US] may have inadvertently made the Pakistani think that the US only wants action against the Haqqani network and not against groups like the LeT that are acting against India.

&ldquo;My fear is that mixed signals will lead to a situation in which Pakistan fails to take decisive action against Afghan-oriented and India-oriented terrorist groups,&rdquo; he said.

The United States, a State Department official said, is aware of media reports regarding Pakistan&rsquo;s ordered release of Saeed from the house arrest. In May 2008, the United States Department of the Treasury designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224.

Saeed was also individually designated by the United Nations under UNSCR 1267 (UN Security Council Resolution) in December 2008 following the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The LeT and several of its front organisations, leaders, and operatives remain under both State Department and Treasury Department sanctions, the State Department has said.

&ldquo;The United States reiterates its stance that LeT is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent civilians in terrorist attacks, including a number of American citizens,&rdquo; a State Department Spokesperson said.

'Nine years after 26/11, its mastermind still eludes justice. It is time to rescind Pakistan?s status as a major non-NATO ally,' Bruce Riedel said

“Nine years after 26/11, its mastermind still eludes justice. It is time to rescind Pakistan’s status as a major non-NATO ally,” Bruce Riedel, a top US expert on security, South Asia and counter-terrorism told PTI. A top American counter-terrorism expert has urged the Trump administration to “rescind” the major non-NATO ally status given to Pakistan after a court in Lahore ordered to free Mumbai terror attack mastermind and banned JuD chief Hafiz Saeed from detention. The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, carrying a bounty of $10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities, has been under detention since January this year. The Trump administration on Wednesday said that Saeed is a terrorist leader designated by both the United Nations and the United States, hours after a Pakistani court ordered his release from detention. “Nine years after 26/11, its mastermind still eludes justice. It is time to rescind Pakistan’s status as a major non-NATO ally,” Bruce Riedel, a top US expert on security, South Asia and counter-terrorism told PTI. “In a word, the release is an outrage. Before long we will read news reports of Hafiz Saeed leading more rallies with thousands of people,” Alyssa Ayres, former State Department official who is currently with the Council on Foreign Relations, said after the Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered the Pakistani government to free Saeed. Saeed is a UN-sanctioned individual terrorist who leads a UN-sanctioned terrorist organisation, Ms. Ayres said, alleging that Pakistan does not see fit to follow through on its obligations to uphold UN Security Council (UNSC) terrorist designations. “Pakistan cannot credibly claim to be fighting terrorism while failing its most basic security obligation to UNSC designations,” Ms. Ayres said. According to Michael Kugelman of the Woodrow Wilson Center, one should not be surprised by this announcement. “Pakistani legal authorities have frequently hinted they have insufficient evidence to justify his continued detention, so it was just a matter of time before this militant, who happens to be a critical Pakistani state asset, walks free. “This news will certainly rankle US officials, who often point out that the dozens of casualties in the Mumbai terror attack included several Americans,” Mr. Kugelman said. Saeed’s release will reinforce Washington’s longstanding belief that Pakistan embraces a selective policy toward terrorism that entails coddling militants that help serve Pakistani interests, he said. “All this said, we should not overstate the impact this move will have on U.S.-Pakistan relations,” Mr. Kugelman said. For the Trump administration, whose policy towards Pakistan revolves above all around protecting American lives, the terror group of greatest concern in Pakistan is the Haqqani Network, which the U.S. blames for various attacks on American and Western targets in Afghanistan. “The LeT is certainly important for Washington, but compared to the Haqqani network it is presently a relative sideshow in U.S. policy considerations,” Mr. Kugelman added. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack. Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s former Ambassador to the US, attributed this to the mixed messaging coming from the Trump administration in the last few weeks. US officials were trying to signal to Pakistan that if it takes action against the Haqqani terror network, that could be seen as a positive move and “may thwart” tougher actions against Islamabad, as promised by President Donald Trump in his new South Asia policy, he said. “In the process they [the US] may have inadvertently made the Pakistani think that the US only wants action against the Haqqani network and not against groups like the LeT that are acting against India. “My fear is that mixed signals will lead to a situation in which Pakistan fails to take decisive action against Afghan-oriented and India-oriented terrorist groups,” he said. The United States, a State Department official said, is aware of media reports regarding Pakistan’s ordered release of Saeed from the house arrest. In May 2008, the United States Department of the Treasury designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224. Saeed was also individually designated by the United Nations under UNSCR 1267 (UN Security Council Resolution) in December 2008 following the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. The LeT and several of its front organisations, leaders, and operatives remain under both State Department and Treasury Department sanctions, the State Department has said. “The United States reiterates its stance that LeT is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent civilians in terrorist attacks, including a number of American citizens,” a State Department Spokesperson said.

Time to 'rescind' Pakistan's major non-NATO ally status: US expert

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