President Donald Trump reiterated his strong support for NATO on Friday and pressed German Chancellor Angela Merkel to meet NATO&#39;s military spending target, in the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders.

The meeting between the leader of Europe&#39;s largest economy and the US president was billed as one that could help determine the future of the transatlantic alliance and shape their working relationship.

&quot;I reiterated to Chancellor Merkel my strong support for NATO as well as the need for our NATO allies to pay their fair share for the cost of defence,&quot; Trump said at a joint news conference with Merkel.

Merkel said she told Trump Germany needs to meet NATO spending goals. The two also discussed Ukraine and Afghanistan.

Trump said he expected the United States to do &quot;fantastically well&quot; in trade with Germany, while Merkel said she hoped the United States and the European Union could resume discussions on a trade agreement. Trump said he did not believe in isolationism but that trade policy should be fairer.

&quot;We held a conversation where we were trying to address also those areas where we disagree, but we tried to bring people together ... (and) tried to find a compromise that is good for both sides,&quot; Merkel said.

Trump said he &quot;very seldom&quot; regrets anything he tweets, brushing off questions about his claims without evidence that his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, wiretapped him during last year`s presidential campaign.

Trump said, &quot;At least we have something in common,&quot; apparently referring to reports during Obama`s presidency that the United States bugged her phone. Congressional leaders from both political parties say they do not believe Trump was wiretapped.

Earlier, the new US president greeted the long-serving stateswoman at the White House with a handshake before they began talks in the Oval Office. Both leaders described their meeting in brief remarks to reporters as having been very good.&nbsp; 
The meeting is consequential for both sides.&nbsp;

As a presidential candidate, Trump criticized Merkel for allowing hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany. At the news conference, Merkel hinted at differences, saying: &quot;This is obviously something we had an exchange of views about.&quot;

Relationship building is a less overt but important agenda item. Merkel had close relations with Trump&#39;s Democratic and Republican predecessors, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, and she is likely to seek a strong working relationship with Trump despite major policy differences and wariness in Germany about the former New York businessman.

&quot;Those who know the chancellor know that she has a knack for winning over people in personal discussions. I am sure that Donald Trump will not be immune,&quot; said Juergen Hardt, a conservative lawmaker who helps coordinate transatlantic relations for the German government.

(Reuters)

The meeting between Trump and Merkel is seen as important in determining the future of the transatlantic alliance

President Donald Trump reiterated his strong support for NATO on Friday and pressed German Chancellor Angela Merkel to meet NATO's military spending target, in the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders. The meeting between the leader of Europe's largest economy and the US president was billed as one that could help determine the future of the transatlantic alliance and shape their working relationship. "I reiterated to Chancellor Merkel my strong support for NATO as well as the need for our NATO allies to pay their fair share for the cost of defence," Trump said at a joint news conference with Merkel. Merkel said she told Trump Germany needs to meet NATO spending goals. The two also discussed Ukraine and Afghanistan. Trump said he expected the United States to do "fantastically well" in trade with Germany, while Merkel said she hoped the United States and the European Union could resume discussions on a trade agreement. Trump said he did not believe in isolationism but that trade policy should be fairer. "We held a conversation where we were trying to address also those areas where we disagree, but we tried to bring people together ... (and) tried to find a compromise that is good for both sides," Merkel said. Trump said he "very seldom" regrets anything he tweets, brushing off questions about his claims without evidence that his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, wiretapped him during last year`s presidential campaign. Trump said, "At least we have something in common," apparently referring to reports during Obama`s presidency that the United States bugged her phone. Congressional leaders from both political parties say they do not believe Trump was wiretapped. Earlier, the new US president greeted the long-serving stateswoman at the White House with a handshake before they began talks in the Oval Office. Both leaders described their meeting in brief remarks to reporters as having been very good. The meeting is consequential for both sides. As a presidential candidate, Trump criticized Merkel for allowing hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany. At the news conference, Merkel hinted at differences, saying: "This is obviously something we had an exchange of views about." Relationship building is a less overt but important agenda item. Merkel had close relations with Trump's Democratic and Republican predecessors, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, and she is likely to seek a strong working relationship with Trump despite major policy differences and wariness in Germany about the former New York businessman. "Those who know the chancellor know that she has a knack for winning over people in personal discussions. I am sure that Donald Trump will not be immune," said Juergen Hardt, a conservative lawmaker who helps coordinate transatlantic relations for the German government. (Reuters)

US President Trump demands NATO dues in first meeting with Germany's Merkel

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on North Korea on Wednesday to stop nuclear and missile tests and, for the United States and South Korea to stop joint military drills that the isolated North regards as preparation for war.

North Korea launched four ballistic missiles on Monday in response to the military exercises. Wang said those tests and the drills were causing tensions on the Korean Peninsula to increase like two &quot;accelerating trains coming toward each other&quot;.

&quot;China&#39;s suggestion is, as a first step, for North Korea to suspend nuclear activity, and for the US&nbsp;and South Korea to also suspend large-scale military drills,&quot; Wang said at his annual news conference on the sidelines of the meeting of China&#39;s parliament in Beijing.

He said this &quot;dual suspension&quot; would allow all sides to return to the negotiating table.

North Korea fired four missiles into the sea off Japan&#39;s northwest coast on Monday, angering South Korea and Japan with the latest in a series of ballistic missile and nuclear tests in defiance of United Nations resolutions in recent months.

&quot;Holding nuclear weapons won&#39;t bring security, using military force won&#39;t be a way out,&quot; Wang said. &quot;There remains a chance of resuming talks, there is still hope for peace.&quot;

The United States had started to deploy the first elements of its advanced Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea after the North&#39;s latest tests, US&nbsp;Pacific Command said on Tuesday.

The deployment of the anti-missile defence system was likely to deepen a brewing conflict between South Korea and China, which has angrily opposed the THAAD deployment as destroying the regional security balance.

The planned THAAD installation, which South Korea has said would be operational by the end of the year, has led to a diplomatic standoff between China and South Korea.

Chinese authorities have closed nearly two dozen retail stores of South Korea&#39;s Lotte Group, which approved a land swap with the military last week to allow it to install the system.

China objects to the THAAD deployment, saying its territory is the target of the system&#39;s far-reaching radar. South Korea and the United States have said the missile system is aimed only at curbing North Korean provocations.

China is isolated North Korea&#39;s most important supporter, but Beijing has been angered by its repeated missile and nuclear tests and has signed up for increasingly severe UN&nbsp;sanctions against Pyongyang, including suspending coal imports.

China has also rejected accusations from US&nbsp;President Donald Trump that Beijing could be doing more, saying the problem was ultimately between Washington and Pyongyang.

(Reuters)

China is isolated North Korea's most important supporter, but Beijing has been angered by its repeated missile and nuclear tests

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on North Korea on Wednesday to stop nuclear and missile tests and, for the United States and South Korea to stop joint military drills that the isolated North regards as preparation for war. North Korea launched four ballistic missiles on Monday in response to the military exercises. Wang said those tests and the drills were causing tensions on the Korean Peninsula to increase like two "accelerating trains coming toward each other". "China's suggestion is, as a first step, for North Korea to suspend nuclear activity, and for the US and South Korea to also suspend large-scale military drills," Wang said at his annual news conference on the sidelines of the meeting of China's parliament in Beijing. He said this "dual suspension" would allow all sides to return to the negotiating table. North Korea fired four missiles into the sea off Japan's northwest coast on Monday, angering South Korea and Japan with the latest in a series of ballistic missile and nuclear tests in defiance of United Nations resolutions in recent months. "Holding nuclear weapons won't bring security, using military force won't be a way out," Wang said. "There remains a chance of resuming talks, there is still hope for peace." The United States had started to deploy the first elements of its advanced Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea after the North's latest tests, US Pacific Command said on Tuesday. The deployment of the anti-missile defence system was likely to deepen a brewing conflict between South Korea and China, which has angrily opposed the THAAD deployment as destroying the regional security balance. The planned THAAD installation, which South Korea has said would be operational by the end of the year, has led to a diplomatic standoff between China and South Korea. Chinese authorities have closed nearly two dozen retail stores of South Korea's Lotte Group, which approved a land swap with the military last week to allow it to install the system. China objects to the THAAD deployment, saying its territory is the target of the system's far-reaching radar. South Korea and the United States have said the missile system is aimed only at curbing North Korean provocations. China is isolated North Korea's most important supporter, but Beijing has been angered by its repeated missile and nuclear tests and has signed up for increasingly severe UN sanctions against Pyongyang, including suspending coal imports. China has also rejected accusations from US President Donald Trump that Beijing could be doing more, saying the problem was ultimately between Washington and Pyongyang. (Reuters)

China asks North Korea to stop missile tests, tells US and South to seek talks

The United States is considering separating immigrant children from their parents in a bid to deter illegal migration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly said Monday.

Kelly, in an interview with CNN, was asked whether DHS was weighing an initiative that would split children from their parents if they were caught trying to enter the US illegally.

&quot;I would do almost anything to deter the people from Central America to getting on this very, very dangerous network that brings them up through Mexico into the United States,&quot; Kelly said. &quot;We have tremendous experience in dealing with unaccompanied minors,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

He noted the DHS turns them over to the Health and Human Services department, which puts the children in foster care or links them with parents or family members in the United States.

&quot;Yes, I am considering, in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network, I am considering exactly that. They will be well-cared for as we deal with their parents.&quot;

The<a href="http://nypost.com/2017/03/06/homeland-security-chief-considering-separating-illegal-immigrant-kids-from-parents/" target="_blank"> New York Post</a> reports that Homeland Security officials say that people trying to sneak into the US bring along kids to take advantage of the system, which allows adults with children to stay in the country until their case is heard.&nbsp;

The New York Post says that tens of thousands of parents and children mostly fleeing violence in Central American countries have been caught trying to cross into the US illegally in recent years. While the families are usually detained for a few days or week before an immigration judge decides their case. If their case goes to a federal immigration court, it can take years.

One unnamed official told CNN, &quot;We are seeing kids essentially kidnapped and used to get here and stay,&quot; The report said.

The proposal would allow&nbsp;US immigration officials to keep the children separated from the adults who brought them to the US, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/03/politics/dhs-children-adults-border/" target="_blank">CNN </a>reports. The adults could be kept in detention, while the children could be moved elsewhere under protected status, possibly with family already in the US or in state protective custody, such as the child protective services, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/03/politics/dhs-children-adults-border/" target="_blank">CNN reports</a>.

&nbsp;

President Donald Trump ran on a platform arguing that mass immigration by unskilled workers costs US taxpayers billions of dollars and depresses wages and job opportunities.

He vowed to build a wall on the Mexican border to keep out migrants he branded drug-dealers, murderers and rapists.

Federal agents in recent weeks have launched sweeps across the country to round up undocumented immigrants.

Kelly spoke after Trump earlier in the day signed a revised ban on refugees and on travellers from six Muslim-majority nations.

With his first executive order rejected by federal courts, the new, scaled-back order freezes refugee admissions for 120 days and halts new visas for Syrians, Iranians, Libyans, Somalis, Yemenis and Sudanese citizens for 90 days.

The order takes effect March 16.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

'Yes...I am considering exactly that. They will be well-cared for as we deal with their parents,' said Homeland Security chief John Kelly

The United States is considering separating immigrant children from their parents in a bid to deter illegal migration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly said Monday. Kelly, in an interview with CNN, was asked whether DHS was weighing an initiative that would split children from their parents if they were caught trying to enter the US illegally. "I would do almost anything to deter the people from Central America to getting on this very, very dangerous network that brings them up through Mexico into the United States," Kelly said. "We have tremendous experience in dealing with unaccompanied minors," he said. He noted the DHS turns them over to the Health and Human Services department, which puts the children in foster care or links them with parents or family members in the United States. "Yes, I am considering, in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network, I am considering exactly that. They will be well-cared for as we deal with their parents." The New York Post reports that Homeland Security officials say that people trying to sneak into the US bring along kids to take advantage of the system, which allows adults with children to stay in the country until their case is heard. The New York Post says that tens of thousands of parents and children mostly fleeing violence in Central American countries have been caught trying to cross into the US illegally in recent years. While the families are usually detained for a few days or week before an immigration judge decides their case. If their case goes to a federal immigration court, it can take years. One unnamed official told CNN, "We are seeing kids essentially kidnapped and used to get here and stay," The report said. The proposal would allow US immigration officials to keep the children separated from the adults who brought them to the US, CNN reports. The adults could be kept in detention, while the children could be moved elsewhere under protected status, possibly with family already in the US or in state protective custody, such as the child protective services, CNN reports. President Donald Trump ran on a platform arguing that mass immigration by unskilled workers costs US taxpayers billions of dollars and depresses wages and job opportunities. He vowed to build a wall on the Mexican border to keep out migrants he branded drug-dealers, murderers and rapists. Federal agents in recent weeks have launched sweeps across the country to round up undocumented immigrants. Kelly spoke after Trump earlier in the day signed a revised ban on refugees and on travellers from six Muslim-majority nations. With his first executive order rejected by federal courts, the new, scaled-back order freezes refugee admissions for 120 days and halts new visas for Syrians, Iranians, Libyans, Somalis, Yemenis and Sudanese citizens for 90 days. The order takes effect March 16. (WION with inputs from AFP)

US mulls separating children of illegal immigrants from parents caught at Mexico border

A 43-year-old Indian-origin store owner, Harnish Patel, was shot dead outside his home on Thursday night in the US. 
&nbsp;

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Indian-origin businessman shot dead outside his home in South Carolina <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USA?src=hash">#USA</a> <a href="https://t.co/LAYeN3XSCI">pic.twitter.com/LAYeN3XSCI</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/837935333006327808">March 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The incident took place after Harnish Patel closed his store and left for his home, 6 kilometres&nbsp;away in his minivan at 11:24 pm on Thursday, local news channel <a href="http://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/43-year-old-man-shot-killed-in-his-yard-lancaster-coroner-says/499276598">WSOC-TV reported</a>. Investigators believe he was confronted by his killer when he got out of the vehicle.

He had locked up his nearby store less than 10 minutes before he was found dead, police said.

Lancaster County police received calls at 11:33 pm after people called 911 to say that they heard screaming and gunshots on Craig Manor Road where the victim&#39;s house is situated, PTI reported.

Sheriff Barry Faile said the Indian ethnicity of Patel does not immediately appear to be a factor in the crime. &quot;I don&#39;t have any reason to believe that this was racially motivated,&quot; the Sheriff said.

Friends and customers were in shock and were visiting Patel&#39;s home to offer condolences to his family.

&quot;Who would do anything like this to him, as good as he is to everybody,&quot; Nicole Jones, a frequent customer at Patel&#39;s store, told WBTV.

Jones and other friends said Patel was not always worried about the bottom line of his business.

&quot;If you didn&#39;t have the money, he&#39;d let people have food,&quot; Jones said.

Mario Sadler, another customer and friend, said Patel had offered him jobs before, and did anything he could to help out in tough times.

&quot;He&#39;s watched my kids grow up, which is why it&#39;s painful. From day one he&#39;s been amazing, just awesome, and I just don&#39;t understand the sense behind it,&quot; Sadler said.

Dilipkumar Gajjar, a close friend of Patel and the owner the ABC store next to the Speedee Mart, said Patel came over to this country to better his family&#39;s life, and did that.

Harnish Patel&#39;s death comes after 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in Kansas in an apparent incident of hate crime. A 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at Srinivas Kuchibhotla and his friend Alok Madasani at a bar before yelling &quot;get out of my country&quot;.

The shooting last month sent shockwaves across the Indian-American community with people expressing concerns over their safety in an enviornment of xenophobia and racist rhetoric in the country.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

 
&nbsp;

Harnish Patel had closed his shop at night, and within ten minutes was fatally shot outside his house

A 43-year-old Indian-origin store owner, Harnish Patel, was shot dead outside his home on Thursday night in the US. Indian-origin businessman shot dead outside his home in South Carolina #USA pic.twitter.com/LAYeN3XSCI — ANI (@ANI_news) March 4, 2017 × The incident took place after Harnish Patel closed his store and left for his home, 6 kilometres away in his minivan at 11:24 pm on Thursday, local news channel WSOC-TV reported. Investigators believe he was confronted by his killer when he got out of the vehicle. He had locked up his nearby store less than 10 minutes before he was found dead, police said. Lancaster County police received calls at 11:33 pm after people called 911 to say that they heard screaming and gunshots on Craig Manor Road where the victim's house is situated, PTI reported. Sheriff Barry Faile said the Indian ethnicity of Patel does not immediately appear to be a factor in the crime. "I don't have any reason to believe that this was racially motivated," the Sheriff said. Friends and customers were in shock and were visiting Patel's home to offer condolences to his family. "Who would do anything like this to him, as good as he is to everybody," Nicole Jones, a frequent customer at Patel's store, told WBTV. Jones and other friends said Patel was not always worried about the bottom line of his business. "If you didn't have the money, he'd let people have food," Jones said. Mario Sadler, another customer and friend, said Patel had offered him jobs before, and did anything he could to help out in tough times. "He's watched my kids grow up, which is why it's painful. From day one he's been amazing, just awesome, and I just don't understand the sense behind it," Sadler said. Dilipkumar Gajjar, a close friend of Patel and the owner the ABC store next to the Speedee Mart, said Patel came over to this country to better his family's life, and did that. Harnish Patel's death comes after 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in Kansas in an apparent incident of hate crime. A 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at Srinivas Kuchibhotla and his friend Alok Madasani at a bar before yelling "get out of my country". The shooting last month sent shockwaves across the Indian-American community with people expressing concerns over their safety in an enviornment of xenophobia and racist rhetoric in the country. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Indian-origin businessman Harnish Patel shot dead in US

A bipartisan Bill was on Thursday reintroduced in the US Congress to make companies that move call centres overseas ineligible for grants or guaranteed loans from the government, a move aimed at curbing the transfer of jobs to nations like India.

Introduced by Congressmen Gene Green from the Democratic Party and Republican David McKinley, the US Call Center and Consumer Protection Act would deter companies from shipping American jobs overseas and incentivise them to locate in the US by creating a public list of &quot;bad actors&quot;, consisting of those that shipped all or most of their service work overseas.

&quot;Being on the list would make these actors ineligible for federal grants or guaranteed loans, would require overseas call centres to disclose their locations to customers, and would require them to comply with US consumers&#39; request to be transferred to a service agent physically located in the US,&quot; the two lawmakers said.

The legislation is similar to a bill introduced in 2013 that would have required disclosure of a call centre location to consumers, along with the option to transfer to a domestic call centre.

Green said there are 54,000 call centre jobs in the Greater Houston area alone and 2.5 million nationwide. &quot;It is important that American workers continue to have access to good service sector jobs and receive a livable wage,&quot; he said.

&quot;Unfortunately, we have seen call centre jobs moved overseas to India, the Philippines, and other countries. This bipartisan legislation will protect call centre workers in Texas and throughout the country, and American consumers from unfair treatment,&quot; he added.

In the last decade, there has been an increase in companies relocating their call centres overseas where foreign workers are often exposed to dismal labour conditions and paid cheaper wages, the Congressmen said.

At the same time, communities across the country have committed millions in taxpayer dollars to fund incentives for companies to bring jobs to their neighbourhoods, but have been left empty-handed, they observed.

&quot;Our number one priority in Congress is protecting and creating American jobs,&quot; said McKinley.

&quot;Plain and simple, we should not be rewarding companies for moving jobs offshore. This bill does not mandate that companies keep call centres here in America, but simply says if you move call centre jobs offshore, you don&#39;t receive funding from the government. This should be common sense,&quot; he said.

(PTI)

A bipartisan Bill was reintroduced in the US Congress to make companies that move call centres overseas ineligible for grants

A bipartisan Bill was on Thursday reintroduced in the US Congress to make companies that move call centres overseas ineligible for grants or guaranteed loans from the government, a move aimed at curbing the transfer of jobs to nations like India. Introduced by Congressmen Gene Green from the Democratic Party and Republican David McKinley, the US Call Center and Consumer Protection Act would deter companies from shipping American jobs overseas and incentivise them to locate in the US by creating a public list of "bad actors", consisting of those that shipped all or most of their service work overseas. "Being on the list would make these actors ineligible for federal grants or guaranteed loans, would require overseas call centres to disclose their locations to customers, and would require them to comply with US consumers' request to be transferred to a service agent physically located in the US," the two lawmakers said. The legislation is similar to a bill introduced in 2013 that would have required disclosure of a call centre location to consumers, along with the option to transfer to a domestic call centre. Green said there are 54,000 call centre jobs in the Greater Houston area alone and 2.5 million nationwide. "It is important that American workers continue to have access to good service sector jobs and receive a livable wage," he said. "Unfortunately, we have seen call centre jobs moved overseas to India, the Philippines, and other countries. This bipartisan legislation will protect call centre workers in Texas and throughout the country, and American consumers from unfair treatment," he added. In the last decade, there has been an increase in companies relocating their call centres overseas where foreign workers are often exposed to dismal labour conditions and paid cheaper wages, the Congressmen said. At the same time, communities across the country have committed millions in taxpayer dollars to fund incentives for companies to bring jobs to their neighbourhoods, but have been left empty-handed, they observed. "Our number one priority in Congress is protecting and creating American jobs," said McKinley. "Plain and simple, we should not be rewarding companies for moving jobs offshore. This bill does not mandate that companies keep call centres here in America, but simply says if you move call centre jobs offshore, you don't receive funding from the government. This should be common sense," he said. (PTI)

Unfortunately, we have seen call centre jobs moved to India: US Congressman Gene Green

Indian-American Amit Chaudhry&nbsp;has been sentenced to nine years in prison in a multimillion-dollar identity theft and money laundering scam, the<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/indian-immigrant-sentenced-to-9-years-in-federal-prison-for-multimillion-dollar-fraud-scheme/2017/03/02/4d61c618-ff67-11e6-99b4-9e613afeb09f_story.html?utm_term=.2f18204ddc0b"> Washington Post</a> reported today.&nbsp;

Amit Chaudhry, who emigrated to the US in 1992, ran a money laundering network by helping&nbsp;relatives in India through stolen credit cards and making up identities through shell bank accounts, the report said. He also&nbsp;operated cheap travel packages. His network stole money from customers, and their hotel and airfare was paid through stolen credit cards. The Washington Post report said as many as 1,000 people found their trips cancelled after the scam was discovered.

Chaudhry&#39;s network made more than $25 million off fake credit cards, helped by a co-conspirator&nbsp;at American Express in India, the Washington Post revealed.

Amit Chaudhry&#39;s network was detected by the FBI after an agent discovered actress Laura Vandervoort&#39;s picture in a fake passport. Vandervoort, a Canadian, played the part of supergirl in the&nbsp;TV series &ldquo;Smallville&rdquo;, and last year appeared as the character &quot;Indigo&quot; in&nbsp;the &ldquo;Supergirl&rdquo; TV series.

This was all done out of &quot;family loyalty&quot;, Chaudhary&#39;s lawyer Danny Onorato&nbsp;told the Washington Post.

The report stated that Amit Chaudhry is now cooperating with authorities in the US, and that&nbsp;the FBI is trying to find more victims and track&nbsp;down possible co-conspirators in the United States and India. So far, the report says, five co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty in the US, while&nbsp;two others have been arrested in India.

(WION)

Amit Chaudhry, who emigrated to the US in 1992, ran a money laundering network by helping?relatives in India through stolen credit cards

Indian-American Amit Chaudhry has been sentenced to nine years in prison in a multimillion-dollar identity theft and money laundering scam, the Washington Post reported today. Amit Chaudhry, who emigrated to the US in 1992, ran a money laundering network by helping relatives in India through stolen credit cards and making up identities through shell bank accounts, the report said. He also operated cheap travel packages. His network stole money from customers, and their hotel and airfare was paid through stolen credit cards. The Washington Post report said as many as 1,000 people found their trips cancelled after the scam was discovered. Chaudhry's network made more than $25 million off fake credit cards, helped by a co-conspirator at American Express in India, the Washington Post revealed. Amit Chaudhry's network was detected by the FBI after an agent discovered actress Laura Vandervoort's picture in a fake passport. Vandervoort, a Canadian, played the part of supergirl in the TV series “Smallville”, and last year appeared as the character "Indigo" in the “Supergirl” TV series. This was all done out of "family loyalty", Chaudhary's lawyer Danny Onorato told the Washington Post. The report stated that Amit Chaudhry is now cooperating with authorities in the US, and that the FBI is trying to find more victims and track down possible co-conspirators in the United States and India. So far, the report says, five co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty in the US, while two others have been arrested in India. (WION)

Indian-American found guilty in identity theft scam

A Syrian cinematographer, who worked on this year&#39;s Academy Award nominee for best documentary short subject &quot;The White Helmets&quot;, has been barred by the US immigration authorities from entering the country.

The 21-year-old cinematographer Khaled Khateeb, who was planning to join Raed Saleh, leader of the White Helmets Syrian rescue group and subject of Netflix&#39;s Oscar-nominated documentary, was expected to arrive here a day before the ceremony, reported Deadline.

The Department of Homeland Security has decided to block Khateeb from the country after they obtained some alleged &quot;derogatory&quot; information about him.

However, a spokesperson for the film said that the filmmakers will have no comment on the situation or do &quot;any interviews until the red carpet event at the Oscars.&quot;

The 40-minute documentary, produced by Joanna Natasegara and directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, focuses on the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated warriors, who have saved more than 60,000 civilian lives in war-torn Syria.

(PTI)

Khaled Khateeb?worked on this year's Academy Award nominee for best documentary short subject 'The White Helmets'

A Syrian cinematographer, who worked on this year's Academy Award nominee for best documentary short subject "The White Helmets", has been barred by the US immigration authorities from entering the country. The 21-year-old cinematographer Khaled Khateeb, who was planning to join Raed Saleh, leader of the White Helmets Syrian rescue group and subject of Netflix's Oscar-nominated documentary, was expected to arrive here a day before the ceremony, reported Deadline. The Department of Homeland Security has decided to block Khateeb from the country after they obtained some alleged "derogatory" information about him. However, a spokesperson for the film said that the filmmakers will have no comment on the situation or do "any interviews until the red carpet event at the Oscars." The 40-minute documentary, produced by Joanna Natasegara and directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, focuses on the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated warriors, who have saved more than 60,000 civilian lives in war-torn Syria. (PTI)

Syrian cinematographer denied entry into US to attend Oscars

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President Donald Trump&#39;s administration on Thursday reinstated the use of private prisons for federal inmates, saying commercial prison operators are needed for the correctional system&#39;s &quot;future needs&quot; (WION)
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President Donald Trump&#39;s administration on Thursday reinstated the use of private prisons for federal inmates, saying commercial prison operators are needed for the correctional system&#39;s &quot;future needs&quot;.

Trump&#39;s new attorney general, Jeff Sessions, officially rescinded the Barack Obama administration&#39;s move last August to phase out the management of prisons by private companies, which Obama&#39;s justice department had said proved to be inadequate, more dangerous and not cheaper than government-run prisons.

Sessions said in an order that the move last year had reversed a longstanding policy at the Federal Bureau of Prisons to have private companies involved, &quot;and impaired the bureau&#39;s ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional system&quot;.

The Obama move had only affected a small portion of the US prison system: 13 privately run prisons housing just over 22,000 people, or about 11 per cent of the federal prison population. Most are foreign nationals, mainly Mexicans incarcerated for immigration violations.

The Trump government has promised a crackdown on crime and illegal immigration, suggesting the prisons bureau could require greater holding capacity in a short time.

The 13 prisons are run by three companies: CoreCivic (known until recently as Corrections Corporation of America), GEO Group and Management and Training Corporation.

According to the International Business Times, <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/trump-private-prisons-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-overturns-obama-administration-2497015" target="_blank">GEO Group</a>, one of the largest companies behind for-profit prisons, donated at least $100,000 to a Super PAC in support of Donald Trump, who appointed Sessions. More, GEO Group faced a complain frmo the Campaign Legal Center back in November over allegedly violating a Federal Election Commission rule which prevents government contractors from contributing to politicial campaigns.&nbsp;

The announcement gave a strong after-hours boost to the stock of the two listed firms. Core Civic jumped 3.2 per cent, while GEO Group added 1.0 per cent.

The move was expected and both companies&#39;&nbsp;stocks had already risen sharply after Trump&#39;s election victory on November 8.

(With inputs from AFP)

Jeff Sessions said commercial prison operators are needed for the correctional system's 'future needs'

President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday reinstated the use of private prisons for federal inmates, saying commercial prison operators are needed for the correctional system's "future needs" (WION) × President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday reinstated the use of private prisons for federal inmates, saying commercial prison operators are needed for the correctional system's "future needs". Trump's new attorney general, Jeff Sessions, officially rescinded the Barack Obama administration's move last August to phase out the management of prisons by private companies, which Obama's justice department had said proved to be inadequate, more dangerous and not cheaper than government-run prisons. Sessions said in an order that the move last year had reversed a longstanding policy at the Federal Bureau of Prisons to have private companies involved, "and impaired the bureau's ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional system". The Obama move had only affected a small portion of the US prison system: 13 privately run prisons housing just over 22,000 people, or about 11 per cent of the federal prison population. Most are foreign nationals, mainly Mexicans incarcerated for immigration violations. The Trump government has promised a crackdown on crime and illegal immigration, suggesting the prisons bureau could require greater holding capacity in a short time. The 13 prisons are run by three companies: CoreCivic (known until recently as Corrections Corporation of America), GEO Group and Management and Training Corporation. According to the International Business Times, GEO Group, one of the largest companies behind for-profit prisons, donated at least $100,000 to a Super PAC in support of Donald Trump, who appointed Sessions. More, GEO Group faced a complain frmo the Campaign Legal Center back in November over allegedly violating a Federal Election Commission rule which prevents government contractors from contributing to politicial campaigns. The announcement gave a strong after-hours boost to the stock of the two listed firms. Core Civic jumped 3.2 per cent, while GEO Group added 1.0 per cent. The move was expected and both companies' stocks had already risen sharply after Trump's election victory on November 8. (With inputs from AFP)

Trump rescinds Obama ban on private prisons

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under increasing pressure on Thursday to deal with asylum seekers illegally crossing into Canada from the United States to avoid a crackdown by the administration of President Donald Trump.

Trudeau, who stresses that Canada welcomes refugees, has so far avoided political fallout with Trump. The two talked on the phone about the border and other issues on Thursday but neither government gave many details of the conversation.

Allies and opponents alike say they want a strategy to cope with the dozens of people, mainly from Burundi, Eritrea, Syria, Ghana and Sudan - walking across the border every day.

The number of asylum seekers crossing into Canada at isolated and unguarded border crossings has increased in recent weeks amid fears that Trump will start expelling illegal immigrants, and photos of smiling Canadian police greeting the migrants have gone viral.

The premier of the western province of Manitoba, where many of the refugees end up, on Thursday asked Ottawa for more resources to deal with the new arrivals, some of whom have lost fingers to frostbite in the dangerous crossing.

While Brian Pallister said his province will welcome those in need with &quot;open arms and open hearts,&quot; his call for a national strategy to deal with the arrivals adds to opposition criticism that Trudeau has put national security at risk by embracing asylum seekers.

As of February&nbsp;13, some 3,800 people had made an asylum claim in 2017, up from the same period last year and on track to approach the 2008 peak of 36,867, said Scott Bardsley, spokesman for Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale.

Bardsley said comparable data for the January&nbsp;1 to February13 period in 2016 was not available.

The asylum seekers are breaking the law because Canada&#39;s policy under a Canada-US&nbsp;Safe Third Country Agreement is to turn back refugees if they make claims at border crossings.

Trudeau and Trump discussed border cooperation in their phone call on Thursday.

The White House said Trump emphasised the importance of working closely with Canada on cross-border issues, &quot;including implementation of his administration&#39;s actions to protect America from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals and others.&quot;

Officials say Trump will soon issue a new executive order to replace the administration&#39;s directive suspending travel to the United States by citizens of seven mostly Muslim countries.

Warmer weather could spur more arrivals of asylum-seekers in Canada.

&quot;They know they are in a pickle. If people are coming over in February, what&#39;s it going to be like in June and July?&quot; said University of Toronto political science professor Nelson Wiseman.

Polls show Canadians are split over whether Canada should be accepting more or fewer refugees.

But even Liberal legislators are starting to hear from constituents concerned about the arrivals.

&quot;One or two people have raised the issue with me ... and I expect I&#39;ll have a few more&quot; conversations with constituents about the arrivals, said Kevin Lamoureux, member of parliament for Winnipeg North, where many asylum seekers settle awaiting their refugee hearing.

(Reuters)

Trudeau and US President Donald Trump spoke over the phone on Thursday and reportedly discussed border cooperation

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under increasing pressure on Thursday to deal with asylum seekers illegally crossing into Canada from the United States to avoid a crackdown by the administration of President Donald Trump. Trudeau, who stresses that Canada welcomes refugees, has so far avoided political fallout with Trump. The two talked on the phone about the border and other issues on Thursday but neither government gave many details of the conversation. Allies and opponents alike say they want a strategy to cope with the dozens of people, mainly from Burundi, Eritrea, Syria, Ghana and Sudan - walking across the border every day. The number of asylum seekers crossing into Canada at isolated and unguarded border crossings has increased in recent weeks amid fears that Trump will start expelling illegal immigrants, and photos of smiling Canadian police greeting the migrants have gone viral. The premier of the western province of Manitoba, where many of the refugees end up, on Thursday asked Ottawa for more resources to deal with the new arrivals, some of whom have lost fingers to frostbite in the dangerous crossing. While Brian Pallister said his province will welcome those in need with "open arms and open hearts," his call for a national strategy to deal with the arrivals adds to opposition criticism that Trudeau has put national security at risk by embracing asylum seekers. As of February 13, some 3,800 people had made an asylum claim in 2017, up from the same period last year and on track to approach the 2008 peak of 36,867, said Scott Bardsley, spokesman for Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale. Bardsley said comparable data for the January 1 to February13 period in 2016 was not available. The asylum seekers are breaking the law because Canada's policy under a Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement is to turn back refugees if they make claims at border crossings. Trudeau and Trump discussed border cooperation in their phone call on Thursday. The White House said Trump emphasised the importance of working closely with Canada on cross-border issues, "including implementation of his administration's actions to protect America from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals and others." Officials say Trump will soon issue a new executive order to replace the administration's directive suspending travel to the United States by citizens of seven mostly Muslim countries. Warmer weather could spur more arrivals of asylum-seekers in Canada. "They know they are in a pickle. If people are coming over in February, what's it going to be like in June and July?" said University of Toronto political science professor Nelson Wiseman. Polls show Canadians are split over whether Canada should be accepting more or fewer refugees. But even Liberal legislators are starting to hear from constituents concerned about the arrivals. "One or two people have raised the issue with me ... and I expect I'll have a few more" conversations with constituents about the arrivals, said Kevin Lamoureux, member of parliament for Winnipeg North, where many asylum seekers settle awaiting their refugee hearing. (Reuters)

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau under pressure to deal with asylum-seekers crossing over from US

Law enforcement with armored vehicles and bulldozers entered a North Dakota campsite on Thursday, clearing out dozens of people who had refused to vacate the oil pipeline protest. 
 
State officials said they arrested at least 39 people, and had officially cleared the camp of demonstrators by mid-afternoon, making way for a cleanup operation.&nbsp; 
 
Native Americans and supporters camped out for&nbsp;nearly a year near the Dakota Access pipeline route, physically blocking construction. Many of those who had stayed&nbsp;through the winter left&nbsp;peacefully on Wednesday, facing an afternoon evacuation deadline set by North Dakota state authorities.&nbsp; 
 
But officials said some campers&nbsp;had refused to leave, and had remained overnight.&nbsp; 
 
Law enforcement entered the camp heavily armed, with bulldozers clearing paths Thursday morning. Police officers could be seen checking white&nbsp;teepees for holdouts, and then spray-painting an X on those that were clear.&nbsp; 
 
During warmer months, the camp had at times swelled to thousands of demonstrators, bringing the opposition campaign international attention.&nbsp; 
 
State officials and the Standing Rock Sioux tribe -- which says the pipeline threatens the Missouri River and the Lake Oahe reservoir,&nbsp;a key drinking water source --&nbsp;had asked campers to leave in order to clean up the site before snow melts.&nbsp; 
 
Otherwise, man-made pollutants from the campsite could contaminate the river, they say, since it was located on a flood plain and warming spring&nbsp;temperatures could&nbsp;cause runoff as snow melts.&nbsp; 
 
- &#39;Beautiful North Dakota prairie&#39; - 
 
&quot;This was beautiful North&nbsp;Dakota prairie, in a sensitive watershed area,&quot; said North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.&nbsp; 
 
The Republican said that driving and ruts, as well as accumulated garbage, have substantially damaged the soil. Batteries from hundreds of&nbsp;abandoned cars that may have frozen over the winter&nbsp;could be leaking, posing an additional contamination threat, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
The US Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the federal land on which the protesters camped, said it will spend between $800,000 and $1.2 million to clean up the area.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are asking for cooperation from the protesters,&quot; Republican North Dakota Senator John Hoeven said Wednesday. &quot;We&#39;ve got a limited amount of time.&quot; 
 
The camp first sprung up in April when Native Americans and their supporters began rallying against the Dakota Access pipeline, which has an underground route that intersects the Missouri River.&nbsp; 
 
Late last year, president Barack Obama&#39;s administration halted the project and called for a full environmental impact review. But President Donald Trump signed an executive order to revive the pipeline, and a&nbsp;final permit was issued earlier this month.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Construction resumed almost immediately, and the pipeline is expected to be operational in a matter of months.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Its operator, Energy Transfer Partners,&nbsp;insists the pipeline is safe, with high-tech systems in place to prevent environmental catastrophe.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
But the Standing Rock Sioux say a more comprehensive environmental review should have been conducted before the federal government issued permits, and the tribe should have been consulted more thoroughly about the potential destruction of nearby sacred lands. &nbsp;

(AFP)

State officials said they arrested at least 39 people, and had officially cleared the camp of demonstrators by mid-afternoon

Law enforcement with armored vehicles and bulldozers entered a North Dakota campsite on Thursday, clearing out dozens of people who had refused to vacate the oil pipeline protest. State officials said they arrested at least 39 people, and had officially cleared the camp of demonstrators by mid-afternoon, making way for a cleanup operation. Native Americans and supporters camped out for nearly a year near the Dakota Access pipeline route, physically blocking construction. Many of those who had stayed through the winter left peacefully on Wednesday, facing an afternoon evacuation deadline set by North Dakota state authorities. But officials said some campers had refused to leave, and had remained overnight. Law enforcement entered the camp heavily armed, with bulldozers clearing paths Thursday morning. Police officers could be seen checking white teepees for holdouts, and then spray-painting an X on those that were clear. During warmer months, the camp had at times swelled to thousands of demonstrators, bringing the opposition campaign international attention. State officials and the Standing Rock Sioux tribe -- which says the pipeline threatens the Missouri River and the Lake Oahe reservoir, a key drinking water source -- had asked campers to leave in order to clean up the site before snow melts. Otherwise, man-made pollutants from the campsite could contaminate the river, they say, since it was located on a flood plain and warming spring temperatures could cause runoff as snow melts. - 'Beautiful North Dakota prairie' - "This was beautiful North Dakota prairie, in a sensitive watershed area," said North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. The Republican said that driving and ruts, as well as accumulated garbage, have substantially damaged the soil. Batteries from hundreds of abandoned cars that may have frozen over the winter could be leaking, posing an additional contamination threat, he said. The US Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the federal land on which the protesters camped, said it will spend between $800,000 and $1.2 million to clean up the area. "We are asking for cooperation from the protesters," Republican North Dakota Senator John Hoeven said Wednesday. "We've got a limited amount of time." The camp first sprung up in April when Native Americans and their supporters began rallying against the Dakota Access pipeline, which has an underground route that intersects the Missouri River. Late last year, president Barack Obama's administration halted the project and called for a full environmental impact review. But President Donald Trump signed an executive order to revive the pipeline, and a final permit was issued earlier this month. Construction resumed almost immediately, and the pipeline is expected to be operational in a matter of months. Its operator, Energy Transfer Partners, insists the pipeline is safe, with high-tech systems in place to prevent environmental catastrophe. But the Standing Rock Sioux say a more comprehensive environmental review should have been conducted before the federal government issued permits, and the tribe should have been consulted more thoroughly about the potential destruction of nearby sacred lands. (AFP)

North Dakota: Authorities clear pipeline protest camp

China&nbsp;has nearly finished building almost two dozen structures on artificial islands in the South China Sea that appear designed to house long-range surface-to-air missiles, two US&nbsp;officials have said.

The development is likely to raise questions about whether and how the United States will respond, given its vows to take a tough line on China in the South China Sea.

China claims almost all the waters, which carry a third of the world&#39;s maritime traffic. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims&nbsp;over the islands. Trump&#39;s administration has called China&#39;s island building in the South China Sea &quot;illegal&quot;.

Building the concrete structures with retractable roofs on Subi, Mischief and Fiery Cross reefs, part of the Spratly Islands chain where China already has built military-length airstrips, could be considered a military escalation, the US&nbsp;officials said in recent days, speaking on condition of anonymity.

&nbsp;

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The United States has called for a halt to China&#39;s artificial island building, and has tried to signal its determination to challenge Beijing over the disputed sea by sending military ships and planes near the islands. Here&#39;s more to this story. (WION)
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&quot;It is not like the Chinese to build anything in the South China Sea just to build it, and these structures resemble others that house SAM batteries, so the logical conclusion is that&#39;s what they are for,&quot; said a US&nbsp;intelligence official, referring to surface-to-air missiles.

Another official said the structures appeared to be 20 meters (66 feet) long and 10 meters (33 feet) high.&nbsp;A Pentagon spokesman said the United States remained committed to &quot;non-militarization in the South China Sea&quot; and urged all claimants to take actions consistent with international law.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday he was aware of the report, though did not say if China was planning on placing missiles on the reefs.

&quot;China carrying out normal construction activities on its own territory, including deploying necessary and appropriate territorial defence facilities, is a normal right under international law for sovereign nations,&quot; he told reporters.

Greg Poling, a South China Sea expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, had said in a December report that China apparently had installed weapons, including anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems, on all seven of the islands it has built in the South China Sea.

The officials said the new structures were likely to house surface-to-air missiles that would expand China&#39;s air defence umbrella over the islands. They did not give a timeline on when they believed China would deploy missiles on the islands.

&quot;It certainly raises the tension,&quot; Poling said. &quot;The Chinese have gotten good at these steady increases in their capabilities.&quot;

On Tuesday, the Philippines said South-east Asian countries saw China&#39;s installation of weapons in the South China Sea as &quot;very unsettling&quot; and have urged dialogue to stop an escalation of &quot;recent developments.&quot;

Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay did not say what provoked the concern but said the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations, or ASEAN, hoped China and the United States would ensure peace and stability.

(Reuters)

The development is likely to raise questions about how the US will respond given its tough line on China in the South China Sea

China has nearly finished building almost two dozen structures on artificial islands in the South China Sea that appear designed to house long-range surface-to-air missiles, two US officials have said. The development is likely to raise questions about whether and how the United States will respond, given its vows to take a tough line on China in the South China Sea. China claims almost all the waters, which carry a third of the world's maritime traffic. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims over the islands. Trump's administration has called China's island building in the South China Sea "illegal". Building the concrete structures with retractable roofs on Subi, Mischief and Fiery Cross reefs, part of the Spratly Islands chain where China already has built military-length airstrips, could be considered a military escalation, the US officials said in recent days, speaking on condition of anonymity. The United States has called for a halt to China's artificial island building, and has tried to signal its determination to challenge Beijing over the disputed sea by sending military ships and planes near the islands. Here's more to this story. (WION) × "It is not like the Chinese to build anything in the South China Sea just to build it, and these structures resemble others that house SAM batteries, so the logical conclusion is that's what they are for," said a US intelligence official, referring to surface-to-air missiles. Another official said the structures appeared to be 20 meters (66 feet) long and 10 meters (33 feet) high. A Pentagon spokesman said the United States remained committed to "non-militarization in the South China Sea" and urged all claimants to take actions consistent with international law. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday he was aware of the report, though did not say if China was planning on placing missiles on the reefs. "China carrying out normal construction activities on its own territory, including deploying necessary and appropriate territorial defence facilities, is a normal right under international law for sovereign nations," he told reporters. Greg Poling, a South China Sea expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, had said in a December report that China apparently had installed weapons, including anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems, on all seven of the islands it has built in the South China Sea. The officials said the new structures were likely to house surface-to-air missiles that would expand China's air defence umbrella over the islands. They did not give a timeline on when they believed China would deploy missiles on the islands. "It certainly raises the tension," Poling said. "The Chinese have gotten good at these steady increases in their capabilities." On Tuesday, the Philippines said South-east Asian countries saw China's installation of weapons in the South China Sea as "very unsettling" and have urged dialogue to stop an escalation of "recent developments." Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay did not say what provoked the concern but said the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations, or ASEAN, hoped China and the United States would ensure peace and stability. (Reuters)

China has built structures to house missiles in the South China Sea: US intelligence

China said it opposed action by other countries under the pretext of freedom of navigation that undermined its sovereignty&nbsp;after a US aircraft carrier strike group began patrols in the contested South China Sea.

The US navy said the strike group, including the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson, began &quot;routine operations&quot; in the South China Sea on Saturday amid growing tension with China over control of the disputed waterway.

&quot;China always respects the freedom of navigation and overflight all countries enjoy under international law,&quot; Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a daily news briefing.

&quot;But we are consistently opposed to relevant countries threatening and damaging the sovereignty and security of littoral countries under the flag of freedom of navigation and overflight,&quot; Geng said in China&#39;s first official comment on the latest US patrol since it began.

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The United States has called for a halt to China&#39;s artificial island building, and has tried to signal its determination to challenge Beijing over the disputed sea by sending military ships and planes near the islands. Here&#39;s more to this story. (WION)
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&nbsp;

&quot;We hope relevant countries can do more to safeguard regional peace and stability,&quot; he said.&nbsp;The US carrier strike group has not referred to its recent operations in the South China Sea as &quot;freedom of navigation&quot; patrols.

US ships last year conducted several such patrols to counter any efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters.

Friction between the United States and China over trade and territory under US President Donald Trump has increased concern that the South China Sea could become a flashpoint.

China wrapped up its own naval exercises in the South China Sea on Friday. War games involving its own aircraft carrier have unnerved neighbours with which it has long-running territorial disputes.

Beijing last week warned Washington against challenging its sovereignty in the South China Sea. It claims almost all of the resource-rich waters, through which about $5 trillion worth of trade passes each year.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also claim parts of the South China Sea that command strategic sea lanes and have rich fishing grounds, along with oil and gas deposits.

The United States has criticised China&#39;s construction of man-made islands and build-up of military facilities in the sea and expressed concern they could be used to restrict free movement.

Foreign ministers of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday expressed concern over what they see as militarisation in the South China Sea, Philippines Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said after meeting with his ASEAN counterparts.

(Reuters)

China had warned the US last week against challenging its sovereignty in the South China Sea

China said it opposed action by other countries under the pretext of freedom of navigation that undermined its sovereignty after a US aircraft carrier strike group began patrols in the contested South China Sea. The US navy said the strike group, including the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson, began "routine operations" in the South China Sea on Saturday amid growing tension with China over control of the disputed waterway. "China always respects the freedom of navigation and overflight all countries enjoy under international law," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a daily news briefing. "But we are consistently opposed to relevant countries threatening and damaging the sovereignty and security of littoral countries under the flag of freedom of navigation and overflight," Geng said in China's first official comment on the latest US patrol since it began. The United States has called for a halt to China's artificial island building, and has tried to signal its determination to challenge Beijing over the disputed sea by sending military ships and planes near the islands. Here's more to this story. (WION) × "We hope relevant countries can do more to safeguard regional peace and stability," he said. The US carrier strike group has not referred to its recent operations in the South China Sea as "freedom of navigation" patrols. US ships last year conducted several such patrols to counter any efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters. Friction between the United States and China over trade and territory under US President Donald Trump has increased concern that the South China Sea could become a flashpoint. China wrapped up its own naval exercises in the South China Sea on Friday. War games involving its own aircraft carrier have unnerved neighbours with which it has long-running territorial disputes. Beijing last week warned Washington against challenging its sovereignty in the South China Sea. It claims almost all of the resource-rich waters, through which about $5 trillion worth of trade passes each year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also claim parts of the South China Sea that command strategic sea lanes and have rich fishing grounds, along with oil and gas deposits. The United States has criticised China's construction of man-made islands and build-up of military facilities in the sea and expressed concern they could be used to restrict free movement. Foreign ministers of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday expressed concern over what they see as militarisation in the South China Sea, Philippines Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said after meeting with his ASEAN counterparts. (Reuters)

US 'naval operation' in South China Sea angers China

Will Pattiz &amp; Jim Pattiz are two brothers on a mission to document and film every National Park in United States. Their initiative called More Than Just Parks, is born out of their love for &lsquo;protected land meant to conserve wild nature&rsquo;, with a motive to&nbsp;create&nbsp;engaging multimedia stories to ensure their continued protection and enjoyment for&nbsp;future generations.

The Pattiz brothers, filmmakers and founders of Sea Raven Media, conceptualised More Than Just Parks, after visiting a national park five years ago. Using a mix of time-lapse photography, virtual reality and real-time videos, they started a project to film all 59 national parks in the States. They have filmed a journey into the landscape of 10 national parks so far.&nbsp;

<cite>According to the official website, the founder brothers usually take around two to four weeks to film one national park. Last year December, they filmed Hawai&rsquo;i Volcanoes. The video captures natural activities including some of the best features of the park like lava flowing into the ocean.&nbsp;While&nbsp;filming in extreme and remote locations, they&nbsp;travel light without sacrificing their ability to capture great content.</cite>

Will told Digital Trends that, &ldquo;We were lucky enough to be there when the lava was actually hitting the water &mdash; and it ended up being quite dangerous, too.&rdquo;&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/202078733" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="970"></iframe>

<a href="https://vimeo.com/202078733">HAWAI&#39;I VOLCANOES 8K</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/morethanjustparks">More Than Just Parks</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>. It takes the&nbsp;viewer into the volcanic landscapes of Hawai&rsquo;i Volcanoes National Park, situated on the island of Hawaii.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/174538286" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="970"></iframe>

<a href="https://vimeo.com/174538286">GRAND TETON 8K</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/morethanjustparks">More Than Just Parks</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>. It&nbsp;took almost a month to complete. It covers Jackson Hole Valley and the Teton Mountain Range spread over 500 square miles.&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/166374476" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="970"></iframe>

<a href="https://vimeo.com/166374476">BADLANDS 8K</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/morethanjustparks">More Than Just Parks</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.&nbsp;

Every time a new administration takes over, there are several challenges that nature conservationists face due to a modification in measures governing the natural habitats. What adds to the pressure is a fleet of other threats like climate change, ecological disturbance and human interference.&nbsp;

While in the process of capturing one park, Jim told Digital Trends, &ldquo;The places that we were filming from are totally gone. The landscape is constantly evolving. New landscape is forming every day.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The filmmakers&nbsp;are hoping to raise money towards reaching a dream of capturing all 59 national parks and making people aware of its relevance. It&#39;s a cycle of conserving the natural habitat for varied flora and fauna, eventually leading to maintaining an ecosystem favourable for the human race. The official website has various modes of payment options and allows people to experience an entry into the national parks. Follow their <a href="http://www.morethanjustparks.com">journey here</a>.&nbsp;

(WION)

Will Pattiz & Jim Pattiz started this as a passion project and have built it as a self-sustaining business

Will Pattiz & Jim Pattiz are two brothers on a mission to document and film every National Park in United States. Their initiative called More Than Just Parks, is born out of their love for ‘protected land meant to conserve wild nature’, with a motive to create engaging multimedia stories to ensure their continued protection and enjoyment for future generations. The Pattiz brothers, filmmakers and founders of Sea Raven Media, conceptualised More Than Just Parks, after visiting a national park five years ago. Using a mix of time-lapse photography, virtual reality and real-time videos, they started a project to film all 59 national parks in the States. They have filmed a journey into the landscape of 10 national parks so far. According to the official website, the founder brothers usually take around two to four weeks to film one national park. Last year December, they filmed Hawai’i Volcanoes. The video captures natural activities including some of the best features of the park like lava flowing into the ocean. While filming in extreme and remote locations, they travel light without sacrificing their ability to capture great content. Will told Digital Trends that, “We were lucky enough to be there when the lava was actually hitting the water — and it ended up being quite dangerous, too.” HAWAI'I VOLCANOES 8K from More Than Just Parks on Vimeo. It takes the viewer into the volcanic landscapes of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, situated on the island of Hawaii. GRAND TETON 8K from More Than Just Parks on Vimeo. It took almost a month to complete. It covers Jackson Hole Valley and the Teton Mountain Range spread over 500 square miles. BADLANDS 8K from More Than Just Parks on Vimeo. Every time a new administration takes over, there are several challenges that nature conservationists face due to a modification in measures governing the natural habitats. What adds to the pressure is a fleet of other threats like climate change, ecological disturbance and human interference. While in the process of capturing one park, Jim told Digital Trends, “The places that we were filming from are totally gone. The landscape is constantly evolving. New landscape is forming every day.” The filmmakers are hoping to raise money towards reaching a dream of capturing all 59 national parks and making people aware of its relevance. It's a cycle of conserving the natural habitat for varied flora and fauna, eventually leading to maintaining an ecosystem favourable for the human race. The official website has various modes of payment options and allows people to experience an entry into the national parks. Follow their journey here. (WION)

How two brothers are documenting National Parks in United States

President Donald Trump&#39;s next pick for national security adviser will have autonomy over staffing and key decisions, the White House said on Sunday as it scrambles to fill the post following the turbulent departure of Michael Flynn.

Trump fired Flynn, a retired US&nbsp;Army general, on Monday after it was revealed that he discussed US&nbsp;sanctions against Russia with the Russian ambassador in Washington ahead of Trump&#39;s inauguration and later misled vice president Mike Pence about the conversations.

His first choice to fill the job, Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned it down citing family and financial reasons. Another potential choice, David Petraeus, a retired general and former CIA chief who resigned in 2012 over an extramarital affair, is also no longer on the president&#39;s short list.

Sources familiar with the candidates&#39;&nbsp;thinking said they both wanted control over staffing of their team, and Trump was reluctant to grant that authority.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus denied the reports that Harward and Petraeus wanted more control than Trump was prepared to give, and said in an interview on `Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace` that the new adviser &quot;can do whatever he or she wants to do with the staffing&quot;.

He said the issue never came up in discussions with Harward and they &quot;hadn&#39;t really gone down the road&quot; with Petraeus.

The national security adviser is an independent aide to the president and does not require confirmation by the US&nbsp;Senate. The role has varied from administration to administration but the adviser attends National Security Council meetings along with the heads of the State Department, the Department of Defense and key security agencies.&nbsp;

Trump has added Steve Bannon, his chief White House strategist, as a regular attendee of NSC meetings. Political strategists have not typically been among NSC participants and Bannon`s addition has drawn sharp criticism due his previous role heading right-wing website Breitbart News.

Trump is set to interview four national security adviser candidates on Sunday from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Acting adviser Keith Kellogg, former US&nbsp;ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, Lieutenant General HR&nbsp;McMaster and Lieutenant General Robert Caslen are currently on the president`s list.

McMaster holds a senior post with the US&nbsp;Army Training and Doctrine Command. Caslen is superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

&quot;I&#39;ll make a decision over the next couple of days,&quot; Trump told reporters Saturday on Air Force One.

&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Trump is set to interview four national security adviser candidates on Sunday from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida

President Donald Trump's next pick for national security adviser will have autonomy over staffing and key decisions, the White House said on Sunday as it scrambles to fill the post following the turbulent departure of Michael Flynn. Trump fired Flynn, a retired US Army general, on Monday after it was revealed that he discussed US sanctions against Russia with the Russian ambassador in Washington ahead of Trump's inauguration and later misled vice president Mike Pence about the conversations. His first choice to fill the job, Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned it down citing family and financial reasons. Another potential choice, David Petraeus, a retired general and former CIA chief who resigned in 2012 over an extramarital affair, is also no longer on the president's short list. Sources familiar with the candidates' thinking said they both wanted control over staffing of their team, and Trump was reluctant to grant that authority. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus denied the reports that Harward and Petraeus wanted more control than Trump was prepared to give, and said in an interview on `Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace` that the new adviser "can do whatever he or she wants to do with the staffing". He said the issue never came up in discussions with Harward and they "hadn't really gone down the road" with Petraeus. The national security adviser is an independent aide to the president and does not require confirmation by the US Senate. The role has varied from administration to administration but the adviser attends National Security Council meetings along with the heads of the State Department, the Department of Defense and key security agencies. Trump has added Steve Bannon, his chief White House strategist, as a regular attendee of NSC meetings. Political strategists have not typically been among NSC participants and Bannon`s addition has drawn sharp criticism due his previous role heading right-wing website Breitbart News. Trump is set to interview four national security adviser candidates on Sunday from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Acting adviser Keith Kellogg, former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, Lieutenant General HR McMaster and Lieutenant General Robert Caslen are currently on the president`s list. McMaster holds a senior post with the US Army Training and Doctrine Command. Caslen is superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. "I'll make a decision over the next couple of days," Trump told reporters Saturday on Air Force One. (Reuters)

Trump's national security candidates promised autonomy as hunt continues

Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in the case that led to the Supreme Court&#39;s controversial Roe v. Wade ruling that legalised abortion in the United States in 1973, died Saturday. She was 69.

She died of heart failure in a Texas assisted-living facility, said Joshua Prager, a New York journalist who has written about her in Vanity Fair magazine.

McCorvey was known as &quot;Jane Roe&quot; in the case as she fought for the constitutional right to an abortion, a hot-button social issue that has divided the American public roughly in half for decades.

She became a hero to abortion rights supporters but a villain to those seeking to outlaw abortion. Years later in 1995, she announced she had switched her allegiance to the anti-abortion movement.

The Roe v. Wade decision was handed down on January 22, 1973 with seven justices backing it and two dissenting.

In the four decades since the Supreme Court ruling, tens of millions of legal abortions have been performed in the country.&nbsp;

The ruling ended a lengthy legal drama that had begun in the state of Texas three years earlier, where abortions were permitted only in cases in which pregnancies endangered the mothers or children.

A single mother who had had a rough childhood, McCorvey was pregnant for a third time and wanted an abortion.

Encouraged by two feminist lawyers, she filed suit against Dallas district attorney Henry Wade over the Texas law under the pseudonym Jane Roe.

Although her child was born, the case took on a life of its own, becoming one of the most important and best-known decisions ever made by the Supreme Court.

McCorvey later became a fervent abortion opponent, converting to evangelical Protestantism and then Catholicism. She also declared herself a lesbian.

(AFP)

Norma McCorvey died of heart failure in a Texas assisted-living facility

Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in the case that led to the Supreme Court's controversial Roe v. Wade ruling that legalised abortion in the United States in 1973, died Saturday. She was 69. She died of heart failure in a Texas assisted-living facility, said Joshua Prager, a New York journalist who has written about her in Vanity Fair magazine. McCorvey was known as "Jane Roe" in the case as she fought for the constitutional right to an abortion, a hot-button social issue that has divided the American public roughly in half for decades. She became a hero to abortion rights supporters but a villain to those seeking to outlaw abortion. Years later in 1995, she announced she had switched her allegiance to the anti-abortion movement. The Roe v. Wade decision was handed down on January 22, 1973 with seven justices backing it and two dissenting. In the four decades since the Supreme Court ruling, tens of millions of legal abortions have been performed in the country. The ruling ended a lengthy legal drama that had begun in the state of Texas three years earlier, where abortions were permitted only in cases in which pregnancies endangered the mothers or children. A single mother who had had a rough childhood, McCorvey was pregnant for a third time and wanted an abortion. Encouraged by two feminist lawyers, she filed suit against Dallas district attorney Henry Wade over the Texas law under the pseudonym Jane Roe. Although her child was born, the case took on a life of its own, becoming one of the most important and best-known decisions ever made by the Supreme Court. McCorvey later became a fervent abortion opponent, converting to evangelical Protestantism and then Catholicism. She also declared herself a lesbian. (AFP)

Plaintiff in landmark US abortion case Roe v. Wade dies

Omar Abdel Rahman, the Egyptian jihadist spiritual leader linked to the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing, died serving a life sentence in the United States on Saturday, his son told AFP.

Abdel Rahman, who led the militant Al-Gamaa al-Islamiya group in Egypt before immigrating to the United States, had been sentenced in 1996 for conspiring to bomb civilian targets in the country.

Seen as a jihadist spiritual leader, he had also been seen as inspiring the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Centre that killed six people. 
&quot;We have contacted the American and Egyptian authorities to repatriate&quot; his body, his son Mohamed Omar told AFP.

Abdel Rahman, born in 1938, had become a cause celebre for jihadists and Islamists who demanded the blind and ailing militant&#39;s freedom. 
Following his election victory in 2012, Egypt`s Islamist president Mohamed Morsi demanded at a rally the cleric&#39;s release.

Morsi was toppled by the military a year later.

(AFP)

Omar Abdel Rahman had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996 for conspiring to bomb civilian targets

Omar Abdel Rahman, the Egyptian jihadist spiritual leader linked to the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing, died serving a life sentence in the United States on Saturday, his son told AFP. Abdel Rahman, who led the militant Al-Gamaa al-Islamiya group in Egypt before immigrating to the United States, had been sentenced in 1996 for conspiring to bomb civilian targets in the country. Seen as a jihadist spiritual leader, he had also been seen as inspiring the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Centre that killed six people. "We have contacted the American and Egyptian authorities to repatriate" his body, his son Mohamed Omar told AFP. Abdel Rahman, born in 1938, had become a cause celebre for jihadists and Islamists who demanded the blind and ailing militant's freedom. Following his election victory in 2012, Egypt`s Islamist president Mohamed Morsi demanded at a rally the cleric's release. Morsi was toppled by the military a year later. (AFP)

Mastermind of 1993 World Trade Centre bombing dies in detention, says son

The White House signalled a sharp break with decades of support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Tuesday, on the eve of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s visit to the White House.

A senior White House official said the United States would no longer seek to dictate the terms of any eventual peace settlement&nbsp;but would support what the two sides agree to together.

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<h5>Trump hosts Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday and is expected to express his desire to help broker a solution to the conflict</h5>
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&quot;A two-state solution that doesn&#39;t bring peace is not a goal that anybody wants to achieve,&quot; the official said on condition of anonymity.

&quot;Peace is the goal, whether that comes in the form of a two-state solution if that&#39;s what the parties want, or something else if that&#39;s what the parties want.&quot;

&quot;That&#39;s going to be up to them, we are not going to dictate what the terms of peace are going to be,&quot; said the official.

President Trump hosts Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday and is expected to express his desire to help broker a solution to the conflict.

He has already tapped son-in-law Jared Kushner and lawyer Jason Greenblatt to lead his peace drive.

But major questions remain about how Trump will achieve that goal.

For the better part of half a century, successive US governments -- both Republican and Democrat -- have backed a two-state solution. It was the basis of peace talks at Oslo and Camp David.

But since coming to office in late January, Trump has sought to show that the United States is an unwavering ally of Israel and tried to draw a contrast with the policies of President Barack Obama.

Netanyahu won re-election in 2015 by insisting he would not accept the creation of a Palestinian state, a vow that considerably soured relations with the Obama White House. &nbsp;

Obama often warned that Israeli settlement construction could make a two-state solution impossible&nbsp;and that a one state solution would put the future of the Jewish state in question.

Trump has shied away from criticising Netanyahu&#39;s settlement policies as an impediment to peace, instead offering Israel some scope to build on land already under development.

&quot;The construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal,&quot; the White House said in a statement earlier this month.

Saeb Erakat, a senior Palestinian official, said it was not enough for Trump to say settlements were &quot;unhelpful&quot; but he must order an end to new building.

Friendly visit

Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Monday, dined with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday and after his White House talks with Trump on Wednesday will meet lawmakers.

Aside from winning support for policies that will help him at home, the Israeli leader will also want to get the measure of Trump&#39;s appetite for better relations with Russia.

Trump has signalled his willingness to work with Russia to defeat the Islamic State group in Syria.

That could de facto mean furthering the goals of Russian allies Bashar al-Assad and Iran.

Israel sees Iran and its Lebanese ally the Hezbollah militia as its greatest existential threat, a view shared by the leaders of the main Sunni Arab states of the region.

Dennis Ross, a US diplomat who worked on Middle East policy under both Republican and Democratic administrations, said Netanyahu&#39;s diplomatic goals would at first be modest.

Israel wouldn&#39;t oppose a rapprochement with Moscow in itself&nbsp;but would urge Washington to use this as leverage to push Russia away from Iran.

&quot;What he&#39;d like to see is a distancing of Russia from Iran within Syria, maybe more of a move towards Turkey and less towards Iran in Syria,&quot; Ross told reporters on Monday.

Trump appears to have back-pedaled on a campaign threat to tear up Obama&#39;s Iran nuclear deal, which Israel bitterly opposed, but his administration has &quot;put Iran on notice.&quot;

This appears to mean a more robust stance against military provocations and a determination to impose tough sanctions on Iran&#39;s missile program and covert support for militants.&nbsp;

Observers expect Trump and Netanyahu to get on well in public. Both have much to gain politically from marking a clean break from the Obama years.

But, personal chemistry aside, the pair will only make the relationship a success if it overcomes the disagreement that poisoned ties under Obama.

(AFP)

A senior White House official said the United States would no longer seek to dictate the terms of any eventual peace settlement

The White House signalled a sharp break with decades of support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Tuesday, on the eve of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House. A senior White House official said the United States would no longer seek to dictate the terms of any eventual peace settlement but would support what the two sides agree to together. Trump hosts Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday and is expected to express his desire to help broker a solution to the conflict × "A two-state solution that doesn't bring peace is not a goal that anybody wants to achieve," the official said on condition of anonymity. "Peace is the goal, whether that comes in the form of a two-state solution if that's what the parties want, or something else if that's what the parties want." "That's going to be up to them, we are not going to dictate what the terms of peace are going to be," said the official. President Trump hosts Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday and is expected to express his desire to help broker a solution to the conflict. He has already tapped son-in-law Jared Kushner and lawyer Jason Greenblatt to lead his peace drive. But major questions remain about how Trump will achieve that goal. For the better part of half a century, successive US governments -- both Republican and Democrat -- have backed a two-state solution. It was the basis of peace talks at Oslo and Camp David. But since coming to office in late January, Trump has sought to show that the United States is an unwavering ally of Israel and tried to draw a contrast with the policies of President Barack Obama. Netanyahu won re-election in 2015 by insisting he would not accept the creation of a Palestinian state, a vow that considerably soured relations with the Obama White House. Obama often warned that Israeli settlement construction could make a two-state solution impossible and that a one state solution would put the future of the Jewish state in question. Trump has shied away from criticising Netanyahu's settlement policies as an impediment to peace, instead offering Israel some scope to build on land already under development. "The construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal," the White House said in a statement earlier this month. Saeb Erakat, a senior Palestinian official, said it was not enough for Trump to say settlements were "unhelpful" but he must order an end to new building. Friendly visit Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Monday, dined with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday and after his White House talks with Trump on Wednesday will meet lawmakers. Aside from winning support for policies that will help him at home, the Israeli leader will also want to get the measure of Trump's appetite for better relations with Russia. Trump has signalled his willingness to work with Russia to defeat the Islamic State group in Syria. That could de facto mean furthering the goals of Russian allies Bashar al-Assad and Iran. Israel sees Iran and its Lebanese ally the Hezbollah militia as its greatest existential threat, a view shared by the leaders of the main Sunni Arab states of the region. Dennis Ross, a US diplomat who worked on Middle East policy under both Republican and Democratic administrations, said Netanyahu's diplomatic goals would at first be modest. Israel wouldn't oppose a rapprochement with Moscow in itself but would urge Washington to use this as leverage to push Russia away from Iran. "What he'd like to see is a distancing of Russia from Iran within Syria, maybe more of a move towards Turkey and less towards Iran in Syria," Ross told reporters on Monday. Trump appears to have back-pedaled on a campaign threat to tear up Obama's Iran nuclear deal, which Israel bitterly opposed, but his administration has "put Iran on notice." This appears to mean a more robust stance against military provocations and a determination to impose tough sanctions on Iran's missile program and covert support for militants. Observers expect Trump and Netanyahu to get on well in public. Both have much to gain politically from marking a clean break from the Obama years. But, personal chemistry aside, the pair will only make the relationship a success if it overcomes the disagreement that poisoned ties under Obama. (AFP)

US will no longer insist on two-state solution in Middle East

Russia has deployed a new cruise missile despite complaints by US&nbsp;officials that it violates an arms control treaty banning ground-based US&nbsp;and Russian intermediate-range missiles, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday.

Russia had secretly deployed the ground-launched SSC-8 cruise missile that Moscow has been developing and testing for several years, despite US&nbsp;complaints that it violated sections of the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, the official said, confirming a story first reported by the New York Times.

&ldquo;We know that this is an old issue. The Russians have been building and testing these things in violation of the INF treaty going back to the Obama administration,&rdquo; the official told Reuters, asking to remain anonymous to speak freely.

&quot;The issue now is the things are deployed and it&rsquo;s an even greater violation of the INF treaty,&rdquo; the official added.

The Russian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Times story.

The US State Department concluded in a July 2014 arms control report that &quot;the Russian Federation is in violation of its obligations under the INF Treaty not to possess, produce, or flight test a ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) with a range capability of 500 km to 5,500 km (310 miles to 3,420 miles), or to possess or produce launchers of such missiles.&quot;

Russia accused Washington of conducting &quot;megaphone diplomacy&quot; after the accusation was repeated by the State Department in 2015. Moscow also denied it had violated the INF treaty, which helped end the Cold War between the two countries.

The previous US&nbsp;administration of President Barack Obama had protested in an attempt to persuade Moscow to correct the violation while the missile was still in the testing phase, the Trump administration official said.

Based on open-source information such as Russian bloggers, they were deployed in the central military district, the administration official said, adding: &ldquo;We are reviewing it.&rdquo;

Russia now has two battalions of the cruise missile, the Times report quoted administration officials as saying. One is located at Russia&#39;s missile test site at Kapustin Yar in the country&#39;s south-east.

The other cruise missile battalion has been located at an operational base elsewhere in Russia, the Times quoted one unidentified official as saying.

(Reuters)

Russia had secretly deployed the ground-launched SSC-8 cruise missile, despite US complaints that it violated sections of the INF treaty

Russia has deployed a new cruise missile despite complaints by US officials that it violates an arms control treaty banning ground-based US and Russian intermediate-range missiles, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday. Russia had secretly deployed the ground-launched SSC-8 cruise missile that Moscow has been developing and testing for several years, despite US complaints that it violated sections of the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, the official said, confirming a story first reported by the New York Times. “We know that this is an old issue. The Russians have been building and testing these things in violation of the INF treaty going back to the Obama administration,” the official told Reuters, asking to remain anonymous to speak freely. "The issue now is the things are deployed and it’s an even greater violation of the INF treaty,” the official added. The Russian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Times story. The US State Department concluded in a July 2014 arms control report that "the Russian Federation is in violation of its obligations under the INF Treaty not to possess, produce, or flight test a ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) with a range capability of 500 km to 5,500 km (310 miles to 3,420 miles), or to possess or produce launchers of such missiles." Russia accused Washington of conducting "megaphone diplomacy" after the accusation was repeated by the State Department in 2015. Moscow also denied it had violated the INF treaty, which helped end the Cold War between the two countries. The previous US administration of President Barack Obama had protested in an attempt to persuade Moscow to correct the violation while the missile was still in the testing phase, the Trump administration official said. Based on open-source information such as Russian bloggers, they were deployed in the central military district, the administration official said, adding: “We are reviewing it.” Russia now has two battalions of the cruise missile, the Times report quoted administration officials as saying. One is located at Russia's missile test site at Kapustin Yar in the country's south-east. The other cruise missile battalion has been located at an operational base elsewhere in Russia, the Times quoted one unidentified official as saying. (Reuters)

US believes Russia deployed new missile in treaty violation

Two years have passed since the signing of a deal aimed at ending the war in Ukraine but the bloody conflict has rumbled on, at the cost of another 5,000 lives.

The Minsk II accord saw Kremlin-backed rebels agree with Kiev and Moscow on a halt to the fighting and outlined a complex roadmap for securing peace.

It was hammered out by the presidents of Ukraine and Russia with the help of their French and German counterparts and signed on February 11 two years ago.

The deal was inked during a period of intense combat and rising fears of an open war between the two neighbours. Kiev was accusing the Kremlin of covertly sending in thousands of troops -- putting huge pressure on Moscow&#39;s ties with the West.

What Minsk II did was rein in worries of a broader war. But it never eliminated the violence and deep mistrust blocking progress toward a political solution.&nbsp;

Today&#39;s death toll stands at more than 10,000 and swathes of Ukraine&#39;s coal-and-steel-producing east are still controlled by the self-proclaimed &quot;people&#39;s republics&quot; of Lugansk and Donetsk.&nbsp;

And damaging Western sanctions against Moscow remain in place.

So where did Minsk II go wrong?&nbsp;

&quot;It is everyone&#39;s fault and there is no political will,&quot; one Western diplomat in Kiev told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The West is convinced that Russia sparked the conflict and is continuing to stoke it.

But it also believes Kiev must now share the burden over its refusal to handsome autonomy to the rebel fiefdoms in line with the terms of the deal.&nbsp;

13-point plan

Minsk II followed on from the collapse of a September 2014 agreement that triggered some of the heaviest fighting of the entire war.

The deal emerged from 18 hours of talks between Russia&#39;s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine&#39;s Petro Poroshenko. Their French and German counterparts acted as mediators between the two sworn foes.

But the real meat of Minsk II was a separate 13-point plan that called for an &quot;immediate and comprehensive ceasefire&quot; and the quick withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front.

It granted Kiev control over all of its border with Russia on condition that Ukraine change its constitution to grant the separatist regions near Russia &quot;special status&quot; and &quot;interim local self-government&quot; by the end of 2015.

But none of these conditions was met and the agreements have been repeatedly extended as international powers cling on to them as the only hope of ending the 33-month war.

One key factor is the refusal of the dominant nationalist and populist forces in Ukraine&#39;s parliament to grant extra powers to the rebels for fear they would hand the regions over to Russia.

The insurgents themselves have never held OSCE-monitored elections under Ukrainian law, &nbsp;as stipulated in the deal, and instead pushed ahead with their own local council votes that infuriated Kiev.

And the Russian-Ukrainian border remains open wide enough for the Kremlin to send in tanks and other weapons to assist the separatists.

Frozen conflict

The deal has succeeded in limiting the scope of clashes to specific hotspots. Flare-ups like this month&#39;s battle in Avdiivka that killed dozens are increasingly rare.

What Ukraine fears most is that the war will turn into a &quot;frozen conflict&quot;, like the situation in two Georgian regions seized by Russia and declared independent in 2008.&nbsp;

Georgia still considers them its own territory and had previously vowed to win them back through a new military offensive.&nbsp;

Kiev is also concerned that Western sanctions may be eased with the arrival of Donald Trump.

The new White House chief has taken a more conciliatory tone toward Moscow and Ukraine fears that this may result in US concessions over its future.

It is also frustrated that Western powers, fearful of inciting Putin, have refused to provide Ukrainian troops with the modern weaponry that could make Moscow&#39;s intervention more costly.

The past two years have seen every truce collapse and have left Poroshenko at a loss about what to do.

For now, all eyes are on Washington.

&quot;I think that inside the US administration, they are still looking for their Russian strategy,&quot; German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on February 4.

&quot;We all hope that (possible deals) between Russia and the US will not be made at the expense of Ukraine or Europe, and will lead to a detente between both global powers,&quot; he said.

(AFP)

The past two years have seen every truce collapse and have left Poroshenko at a loss about what to do

Two years have passed since the signing of a deal aimed at ending the war in Ukraine but the bloody conflict has rumbled on, at the cost of another 5,000 lives. The Minsk II accord saw Kremlin-backed rebels agree with Kiev and Moscow on a halt to the fighting and outlined a complex roadmap for securing peace. It was hammered out by the presidents of Ukraine and Russia with the help of their French and German counterparts and signed on February 11 two years ago. The deal was inked during a period of intense combat and rising fears of an open war between the two neighbours. Kiev was accusing the Kremlin of covertly sending in thousands of troops -- putting huge pressure on Moscow's ties with the West. What Minsk II did was rein in worries of a broader war. But it never eliminated the violence and deep mistrust blocking progress toward a political solution. Today's death toll stands at more than 10,000 and swathes of Ukraine's coal-and-steel-producing east are still controlled by the self-proclaimed "people's republics" of Lugansk and Donetsk. And damaging Western sanctions against Moscow remain in place. So where did Minsk II go wrong? "It is everyone's fault and there is no political will," one Western diplomat in Kiev told AFP on condition of anonymity. The West is convinced that Russia sparked the conflict and is continuing to stoke it. But it also believes Kiev must now share the burden over its refusal to handsome autonomy to the rebel fiefdoms in line with the terms of the deal. 13-point plan Minsk II followed on from the collapse of a September 2014 agreement that triggered some of the heaviest fighting of the entire war. The deal emerged from 18 hours of talks between Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Petro Poroshenko. Their French and German counterparts acted as mediators between the two sworn foes. But the real meat of Minsk II was a separate 13-point plan that called for an "immediate and comprehensive ceasefire" and the quick withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front. It granted Kiev control over all of its border with Russia on condition that Ukraine change its constitution to grant the separatist regions near Russia "special status" and "interim local self-government" by the end of 2015. But none of these conditions was met and the agreements have been repeatedly extended as international powers cling on to them as the only hope of ending the 33-month war. One key factor is the refusal of the dominant nationalist and populist forces in Ukraine's parliament to grant extra powers to the rebels for fear they would hand the regions over to Russia. The insurgents themselves have never held OSCE-monitored elections under Ukrainian law, as stipulated in the deal, and instead pushed ahead with their own local council votes that infuriated Kiev. And the Russian-Ukrainian border remains open wide enough for the Kremlin to send in tanks and other weapons to assist the separatists. Frozen conflict The deal has succeeded in limiting the scope of clashes to specific hotspots. Flare-ups like this month's battle in Avdiivka that killed dozens are increasingly rare. What Ukraine fears most is that the war will turn into a "frozen conflict", like the situation in two Georgian regions seized by Russia and declared independent in 2008. Georgia still considers them its own territory and had previously vowed to win them back through a new military offensive. Kiev is also concerned that Western sanctions may be eased with the arrival of Donald Trump. The new White House chief has taken a more conciliatory tone toward Moscow and Ukraine fears that this may result in US concessions over its future. It is also frustrated that Western powers, fearful of inciting Putin, have refused to provide Ukrainian troops with the modern weaponry that could make Moscow's intervention more costly. The past two years have seen every truce collapse and have left Poroshenko at a loss about what to do. For now, all eyes are on Washington. "I think that inside the US administration, they are still looking for their Russian strategy," German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on February 4. "We all hope that (possible deals) between Russia and the US will not be made at the expense of Ukraine or Europe, and will lead to a detente between both global powers," he said. (AFP)

Two years on since peace deal, war simmers in Ukraine

President Donald Trump insisted on Saturday that he would bring the price of his planned Mexican border wall &quot;way down,&quot; in a tweet after US media circulated a government report estimating it would cost $21.6 billion.

In the internal government study, the US Department of Homeland Security said the contentious border barrier would take more than three years to build and the price could soar much higher than the $12-15 billion figure cited by Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan last month.

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I am reading that the great border WALL will cost more than the government originally thought, but I have not gotten involved in the.....
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/830405706255912960">February 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;I am reading that the great border WALL will cost more than the government originally thought, but I have not gotten involved in the design or negotiations yet&quot; Trump posted in a series of tweets.&nbsp;

&quot;When I do, just like with the F-35 FighterJet or the Air Force One Program, price will come WAY DOWN!&quot; the president promised.

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...design or negotiations yet. When I do, just like with the F-35 FighterJet or the Air Force One Program, price will come WAY DOWN!
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As he transitioned into the presidency prior to his swearing-in, Trump - a real estate mogul who prides himself on his deal-making skills -- blasted what he called &quot;out of control&quot; costs of Lockheed Martin&#39;s F-35 stealth fighters.

The company said afterwards it would trim costs for the next batch of planes, announcing $728 million in savings, although most of the price cuts were already planned ahead of Trump&#39;s involvement during a months-long contract negotiation.&nbsp;The US president has also pushed for reducing the cost of the next generation Air Force One presidential jet, which is built by Boeing.&nbsp;The MIT Technology Review estimated in October that the border wall bill could skyrocket to around $40 billion.

US-Mexican relations have plunged since Trump&#39;s pronouncements on the border wall, prompting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to cancel a scheduled meeting with the new US leader.&nbsp;

The issue has infuriated Mexico, whose president has vowed his country will not pay for a wall, which Trump insists the country will fund.&nbsp;Trump&#39;s Twitter missives came as he and his wife Melania are hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie at the US president&#39;s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

(AFP)

In a series of tweets, Trump said he will bring down the cost of the Mexican wall just like the F-35 FighterJet and Air Force One

President Donald Trump insisted on Saturday that he would bring the price of his planned Mexican border wall "way down," in a tweet after US media circulated a government report estimating it would cost $21.6 billion. In the internal government study, the US Department of Homeland Security said the contentious border barrier would take more than three years to build and the price could soar much higher than the $12-15 billion figure cited by Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan last month. I am reading that the great border WALL will cost more than the government originally thought, but I have not gotten involved in the..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2017 × "I am reading that the great border WALL will cost more than the government originally thought, but I have not gotten involved in the design or negotiations yet" Trump posted in a series of tweets. "When I do, just like with the F-35 FighterJet or the Air Force One Program, price will come WAY DOWN!" the president promised. ...design or negotiations yet. When I do, just like with the F-35 FighterJet or the Air Force One Program, price will come WAY DOWN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2017 × As he transitioned into the presidency prior to his swearing-in, Trump - a real estate mogul who prides himself on his deal-making skills -- blasted what he called "out of control" costs of Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighters. The company said afterwards it would trim costs for the next batch of planes, announcing $728 million in savings, although most of the price cuts were already planned ahead of Trump's involvement during a months-long contract negotiation. The US president has also pushed for reducing the cost of the next generation Air Force One presidential jet, which is built by Boeing. The MIT Technology Review estimated in October that the border wall bill could skyrocket to around $40 billion. US-Mexican relations have plunged since Trump's pronouncements on the border wall, prompting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to cancel a scheduled meeting with the new US leader. The issue has infuriated Mexico, whose president has vowed his country will not pay for a wall, which Trump insists the country will fund. Trump's Twitter missives came as he and his wife Melania are hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie at the US president's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. (AFP)

I will bring down the cost of border wall with Mexico, says Trump

&nbsp;

Pakistan is committed to countering &quot;all militant groups&quot; operating within its territory, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has assured US Defence Secretary James Mattis during their first telephonic conversation. 
Gen (retd) Mattis reaffirmed the importance of bilateral military relationship during his conversation with Pakistan&#39;s Chief of Army Staff, the Pentagon said.

 
&quot;Gen Bajwa reiterated Pakistan&#39;s commitment to counter all militant groups operating in its territory,&quot; Pentagon Spokesman Capt Jeff Davis said.

 
&quot;Mattis recognised the significant sacrifices the Pakistan military has made in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and expressed appreciation for the Pakistan military&#39;s recent support for efforts to defeat ISIS-Khorasan Province,&quot; he said.

 
&quot;Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral military-to-military relationship, and highlighted the importance of continuing to work together on counter-terrorism and regional stability,&quot; Davis said. 
Pakistan Army spokesman Major Gen Asif Ghafoor said in a statement that General Bajwa and Secretary Mattis &quot;had a twenty minutes telephone conversation&quot;.

 
He said they reaffirmed the commitment towards the common goal of peace and stability in the region and discussed measures towards that end. Bajwa and Mattis also agreed on continued engagement at multiple levels. 
&quot;Secretary Mattis commended the sacrifices and resilience of the people and armed forces of Pakistan and appreciated the role Pakistan Army has played in battling the scourge of terrorism,&quot; Ghafoor said.

 
The army chief also congratulated the Secretary on his assumption of new responsibility and expressed the hope that his vast experience in the field will be of great value to the region, Ghafoor said. 
Pakistan has been trying to establish a rapport with the new administration but so far without much success.

 
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif&#39;s close foreign policy aide Tariq Fatemi had visited Washington in December but could not meet any top official of then president-designate.

 
The only high-level contact so far between the two sides was a brief telephonic talk between Trump and Sharif, who had called the former to congratulate him after his electoral triumph.

 
The call became controversial after its transcript was issued by Pakistan.&nbsp;It is believed that Mattis knows Pakistan well as he served as head of the US Central Command and has been to the country many times. 
In his confirmation hearing before the Senate, Mattis had emphasised on remaining engaged with Pakistan.

&nbsp; 
General John Nicholson, who leads the US and international forces in Afghanistan, has called for a &quot;holistic review&quot; of the relationship with Islamabad.&nbsp;

(PTI)

Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has assured US Defence Secretary James Mattis of all help to countering "all militant groups"

Pakistan is committed to countering "all militant groups" operating within its territory, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has assured US Defence Secretary James Mattis during their first telephonic conversation. Gen (retd) Mattis reaffirmed the importance of bilateral military relationship during his conversation with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, the Pentagon said. "Gen Bajwa reiterated Pakistan's commitment to counter all militant groups operating in its territory," Pentagon Spokesman Capt Jeff Davis said. "Mattis recognised the significant sacrifices the Pakistan military has made in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and expressed appreciation for the Pakistan military's recent support for efforts to defeat ISIS-Khorasan Province," he said. "Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral military-to-military relationship, and highlighted the importance of continuing to work together on counter-terrorism and regional stability," Davis said. Pakistan Army spokesman Major Gen Asif Ghafoor said in a statement that General Bajwa and Secretary Mattis "had a twenty minutes telephone conversation". He said they reaffirmed the commitment towards the common goal of peace and stability in the region and discussed measures towards that end. Bajwa and Mattis also agreed on continued engagement at multiple levels. "Secretary Mattis commended the sacrifices and resilience of the people and armed forces of Pakistan and appreciated the role Pakistan Army has played in battling the scourge of terrorism," Ghafoor said. The army chief also congratulated the Secretary on his assumption of new responsibility and expressed the hope that his vast experience in the field will be of great value to the region, Ghafoor said. Pakistan has been trying to establish a rapport with the new administration but so far without much success. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's close foreign policy aide Tariq Fatemi had visited Washington in December but could not meet any top official of then president-designate. The only high-level contact so far between the two sides was a brief telephonic talk between Trump and Sharif, who had called the former to congratulate him after his electoral triumph. The call became controversial after its transcript was issued by Pakistan. It is believed that Mattis knows Pakistan well as he served as head of the US Central Command and has been to the country many times. In his confirmation hearing before the Senate, Mattis had emphasised on remaining engaged with Pakistan. General John Nicholson, who leads the US and international forces in Afghanistan, has called for a "holistic review" of the relationship with Islamabad. (PTI)

Terror talk on agenda: Pakistan army chief calls up US Defence Secretary

US President Donald Trump called on &quot;Israel to be reasonable with respect to peace&quot;, spelling out in his own words his administration&#39;s stance that new settlements on Palestinian land may not be helpful in an interview to an Israeli newspaper.

Trump&#39;s comments to newspaper Israel Today come as he tones down his pro-Israel bravado ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s trip to the White House on February 15.&nbsp;

&quot;I want Israel to be reasonable with respect to peace. I want to see peace happen,&quot; Trump said in the interview published on Friday. &quot;I would like to see a level of reasonableness of both parties, and I think we have a good chance of doing that.&quot;

During his 2016 election campaign, Trump signalled his presidency would be a boon for Israel and tough on Palestinians. He talked of moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, naming an ambassador who backs Israel&#39;s settlement programme and exerting no pressure on Israel for peace talks.

Now Trump is adopting a more measured stance. Even though the White House did not join the widespread criticism this week of a new Israeli law which retroactively legalises about 4,000 existing settler homes, its pro-Israel approach shows signs of being more nuanced.

&quot;They [settlements] don&#39;t help the process. I can say that,&quot; Trump told the Israeli daily owned by US casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, a Netanyahu supporter and Republican party donor.

&quot;Every time you take land for settlements, there is less land left,&quot; Trump said. &quot;I am not somebody that believes that going forward with these settlements is a good thing for peace.&quot;

The president said his administration was &quot;looking at some other options&quot; regarding the settlements.

He also said he was still studying the case for relocating the US embassy to Jerusalem, a move that could anger the Arab world.

&quot;The embassy is not an easy decision. It has obviously been out there for many, many years, and nobody has wanted to make that decision. I&#39;m thinking about it very seriously, and we will see what happens,&quot; Trump said.

Meanwhile, Trump continued his tirade to bring back the travel ban denouncing&nbsp;as &quot;disgraceful&quot; an appellate court&#39;s decision blocking his controversial ban on refugees and nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries.&nbsp;

Referring to a portion of an article written on the national security blog Lawfare, which highlights a statute that the author says the judges failed to cite, Trump tweeted: &quot;LAWFARE: &#39;Remarkably, in the entire opinion, the panel did not bother even to cite this (the) statute.&#39; A disgraceful decision!&quot;

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LAWFARE: &quot;Remarkably, in the entire opinion, the panel did not bother even to cite this (the) statute.&quot; A disgraceful decision!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/830042498806460417">February 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Lawfare is a legal blog that covers the intersection of national security and the legal world. Its website reads that it is published in cooperation with the Brookings Institution, a well-known Washington think tank, Politico reported. 
The post Trump referred to breaks down the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals&#39; ruling upholding a stay on the president&#39;s executive order temporarily banning individuals from certain majority-Muslim nations from entering the US.

The White House has vowed to continue to fight for the orders and has expressed confidence that they will ultimately be upheld in court.

(WION with Reuters, PTI inputs)

President Trump has adopted a more measured stance towards the contentious Israeli settlement on Palestinian land

US President Donald Trump called on "Israel to be reasonable with respect to peace", spelling out in his own words his administration's stance that new settlements on Palestinian land may not be helpful in an interview to an Israeli newspaper. Trump's comments to newspaper Israel Today come as he tones down his pro-Israel bravado ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trip to the White House on February 15. "I want Israel to be reasonable with respect to peace. I want to see peace happen," Trump said in the interview published on Friday. "I would like to see a level of reasonableness of both parties, and I think we have a good chance of doing that." During his 2016 election campaign, Trump signalled his presidency would be a boon for Israel and tough on Palestinians. He talked of moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, naming an ambassador who backs Israel's settlement programme and exerting no pressure on Israel for peace talks. Now Trump is adopting a more measured stance. Even though the White House did not join the widespread criticism this week of a new Israeli law which retroactively legalises about 4,000 existing settler homes, its pro-Israel approach shows signs of being more nuanced. "They [settlements] don't help the process. I can say that," Trump told the Israeli daily owned by US casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, a Netanyahu supporter and Republican party donor. "Every time you take land for settlements, there is less land left," Trump said. "I am not somebody that believes that going forward with these settlements is a good thing for peace." The president said his administration was "looking at some other options" regarding the settlements. He also said he was still studying the case for relocating the US embassy to Jerusalem, a move that could anger the Arab world. "The embassy is not an easy decision. It has obviously been out there for many, many years, and nobody has wanted to make that decision. I'm thinking about it very seriously, and we will see what happens," Trump said. Meanwhile, Trump continued his tirade to bring back the travel ban denouncing as "disgraceful" an appellate court's decision blocking his controversial ban on refugees and nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries. Referring to a portion of an article written on the national security blog Lawfare, which highlights a statute that the author says the judges failed to cite, Trump tweeted: "LAWFARE: 'Remarkably, in the entire opinion, the panel did not bother even to cite this (the) statute.' A disgraceful decision!" LAWFARE: "Remarkably, in the entire opinion, the panel did not bother even to cite this (the) statute." A disgraceful decision! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2017 × Lawfare is a legal blog that covers the intersection of national security and the legal world. Its website reads that it is published in cooperation with the Brookings Institution, a well-known Washington think tank, Politico reported. The post Trump referred to breaks down the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling upholding a stay on the president's executive order temporarily banning individuals from certain majority-Muslim nations from entering the US. The White House has vowed to continue to fight for the orders and has expressed confidence that they will ultimately be upheld in court. (WION with Reuters, PTI inputs)

Israeli settlements does not help the peace process: Trump

The US military said Wednesday that it had killed eleven Al-Qaeda operatives, including a veteran leader and suicide bombing pioneer, in a bombing raid in Syria.

The Pentagon said Abu Hani al-Masri, the Qaeda veteran, was one of those killed in the precision airstrikes near Idlib carried out on February 3-4.

Al-Masri was an early official in al-Qaeda, overseeing the group&#39;s training camps in Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s as he worked with Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden and current leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

There &quot;he recruited, indoctrinated, trained and equipped thousands of terrorists who subsequently spread throughout the region and the world,&quot; the Pentagon said in a statement.

They said he also helped found Egyptian Islamic Jihad &quot;he first Sunni group to use suicide bombers in their terror attacks.&quot;

&quot;These strikes disrupt al-Qaeda`s ability to plot and direct external attacks targeting the US and our interests worldwide,&quot; said Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis.

The US has mostly focused its attacks in Syria on the Islamic State group. But in recent months, US forces have also launched several attacks against its al-Qaeda rivals.

Idlib province is largely occupied by the former Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, Fateh al-Sham, which has been allied to several Syrian rebel groups fighting the government.

(AFP)

Abu Hani al-Masri, an ally of Osama bin Laden,?was among the 11 Al Qaeda operatives killed in airstrikes near Idlib

The US military said Wednesday that it had killed eleven Al-Qaeda operatives, including a veteran leader and suicide bombing pioneer, in a bombing raid in Syria. The Pentagon said Abu Hani al-Masri, the Qaeda veteran, was one of those killed in the precision airstrikes near Idlib carried out on February 3-4. Al-Masri was an early official in al-Qaeda, overseeing the group's training camps in Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s as he worked with Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden and current leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. There "he recruited, indoctrinated, trained and equipped thousands of terrorists who subsequently spread throughout the region and the world," the Pentagon said in a statement. They said he also helped found Egyptian Islamic Jihad "he first Sunni group to use suicide bombers in their terror attacks." "These strikes disrupt al-Qaeda`s ability to plot and direct external attacks targeting the US and our interests worldwide," said Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis. The US has mostly focused its attacks in Syria on the Islamic State group. But in recent months, US forces have also launched several attacks against its al-Qaeda rivals. Idlib province is largely occupied by the former Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, Fateh al-Sham, which has been allied to several Syrian rebel groups fighting the government. (AFP)

US forces kill Al Qaeda veteran in Syria: Pentagon

US Vice President Mike Pence has&nbsp;called the federal judge&#39;s ruling suspending the travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority nations a &quot;wrong decision&quot; and vowed the Trump administration will take &quot;all legal means&quot; to protect the country.

&quot;We believe the judge made the wrong decision, the Boston court made the right decision. We&#39;re going to continue to use all legal means at our disposal to stay that order and move forward to take the steps necessary to protect our country,&quot; Pence told Fox News.

Pence said from the very outset of his campaign for the president and the outset of this administration, President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is going to put the safety and security of the American people first.

The executive order he signed suspending travel from seven mainly Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - that have been compromised by terror is consistent with that objective, and it&#39;s consistent with his powers as president of the United States of America - both under the Constitution and under statutory law, he asserted.

&quot;It&#39;s quite clear that the president has the ability to determine who has access to this country when it comes to national security,&quot; Pence said as he expressed his frustration over the judge&#39;s decision in the Washington court.

&quot;We don&#39;t appoint judges to our district courts to conduct foreign policy or to make decisions about the national security. Under statutory law and under the Constitution, that authority belongs to the president of the United States,&quot; he said.

&quot;While the court did not impose a stay of that order at this point, we&#39;re going to move very quickly into the merits of this argument. As the President said, we are going to in the arguments because we&#39;re going to take the steps necessary to protect the country, which the president of the United States has the authority to do,&quot; Pence said.

When asked about Trump slamming the judge which is quite unusual in the US, Pence told ABC News in another interview that American people are very accustomed to this president speaking his mind and speaking very straight with them.

&quot;There&#39;s simply no question under &#39;The Constitution,&#39; and, frankly, under federal law, that the president of the US has the authority, in the interest of national security, to determine who has the right to come into this country,&quot; he said.

&quot;And we&#39;re going to challenge the judge&#39;s order on that basis, because the reality is, we face a dangerous enemy and the president is determined to use the authority that he has under &#39;The Constitution&#39; and under the law,&quot; Pence said.

&quot;The administration is complying with that order as we speak. We will go through the process in the courts to get a stay of that order, so that again, we can implement this action that is entirely focused on the safety and security of the American people,&quot; he said.

&quot;We have got to do things differently. The Obama administration and the last Congress identified these seven countries repeatedly as seven countries that have been compromised by terrorism,&quot; he added.

As the ban lifted, refugees and thousands of travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen who had been stopped in their tracks last weekend by Trump&#39;s executive order scrambled to get flights to quickly enter the United States.

The sudden reversal of the ban catapulted would-be immigrants back to airports, with uncertainty over how long the window to enter the United States will remain open.

(WION with agency inputs) 
&nbsp;

US Vice President Mike Pence said the Trump administration will take 'all legal means' to protect the country

US Vice President Mike Pence has called the federal judge's ruling suspending the travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority nations a "wrong decision" and vowed the Trump administration will take "all legal means" to protect the country. "We believe the judge made the wrong decision, the Boston court made the right decision. We're going to continue to use all legal means at our disposal to stay that order and move forward to take the steps necessary to protect our country," Pence told Fox News. Pence said from the very outset of his campaign for the president and the outset of this administration, President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is going to put the safety and security of the American people first. The executive order he signed suspending travel from seven mainly Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - that have been compromised by terror is consistent with that objective, and it's consistent with his powers as president of the United States of America - both under the Constitution and under statutory law, he asserted. "It's quite clear that the president has the ability to determine who has access to this country when it comes to national security," Pence said as he expressed his frustration over the judge's decision in the Washington court. "We don't appoint judges to our district courts to conduct foreign policy or to make decisions about the national security. Under statutory law and under the Constitution, that authority belongs to the president of the United States," he said. "While the court did not impose a stay of that order at this point, we're going to move very quickly into the merits of this argument. As the President said, we are going to in the arguments because we're going to take the steps necessary to protect the country, which the president of the United States has the authority to do," Pence said. When asked about Trump slamming the judge which is quite unusual in the US, Pence told ABC News in another interview that American people are very accustomed to this president speaking his mind and speaking very straight with them. "There's simply no question under 'The Constitution,' and, frankly, under federal law, that the president of the US has the authority, in the interest of national security, to determine who has the right to come into this country," he said. "And we're going to challenge the judge's order on that basis, because the reality is, we face a dangerous enemy and the president is determined to use the authority that he has under 'The Constitution' and under the law," Pence said. "The administration is complying with that order as we speak. We will go through the process in the courts to get a stay of that order, so that again, we can implement this action that is entirely focused on the safety and security of the American people," he said. "We have got to do things differently. The Obama administration and the last Congress identified these seven countries repeatedly as seven countries that have been compromised by terrorism," he added. As the ban lifted, refugees and thousands of travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen who had been stopped in their tracks last weekend by Trump's executive order scrambled to get flights to quickly enter the United States. The sudden reversal of the ban catapulted would-be immigrants back to airports, with uncertainty over how long the window to enter the United States will remain open. (WION with agency inputs)

Judge's ruling on travel ban a 'wrong decision', says US Vice President

German weekly magazine Der Spiegel sparked controversy at home and abroad on Saturday with a front cover illustration of US President Donald Trump beheading the Statue of Liberty.

The cover depicted a cartoon figure of Trump with a bloodied knife in one hand and the statue&#39;s head, dripping with blood, in the other with a caption: &quot;America First&quot;.

The artist who designed the cover, Edel Rodriguez, a Cuban who came to the United States in 1980 as a political refugee, told The Washington Post: &quot;It&#39;s a beheading of democracy, a beheading of a sacred symbol.&quot;

The cover set off a debate on Twitter and in German and international media, with Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, a member of Germany&#39;s Free Democrats (FDP) and vice-president of the European Parliament, describing it as &quot;tasteless&quot;.

However, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, Klaus Brinkbaeumer stood by the cover saying, &quot;Der Spiegel does not want to provoke anybody. We want to show what this is about, it&#39;s about democracy, it&#39;s about freedom, it&#39;s about freedom of press, freedom of justice and all that is seriously endangered.&quot; &quot;So we are defending democracy, we are defending international organisations and contracts. Are these serious times? Yes, they are,&quot; he added.

&quot;The impact actually surprised me, that this cover was held high at demonstrations, that many in the American media put it on the front page or the first place of their website. This impact surprised me. That it would get attention, I expected,&quot; the editor-in-chief observed.

The cover follows a series of attacks on Berlin&#39;s policies by Trump and his aides, marking a rapid deterioration in German relations with the United States. Chancellor Angela Merkel was the go-to European ally for former US President Barack Obama, who praised her as &quot;an outstanding partner&quot;. However, a lot has changed since then. Last month, Trump said Merkel had made a &quot;catastrophic mistake&quot; with her open-door migration policy, and this week his top trade adviser said Germany was using a &quot;grossly undervalued&quot; Euro to gain advantage over the United States and its European partners.

Meanwhile, Trump&#39;s policies, especially the travel ban imposed on seven mainly Muslim countries sparked protests across Europe including in New York and Washington&nbsp;even as the appeal was rejected by a federal judge. In London an estimated 10,000 people turned out, chanting &quot;Theresa May: Shame on You&quot; to denounce the British prime minister&#39;s support for the American president.

Trump&#39;s executive order last week put a 120-day halt on the US&nbsp;refugee programme, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and imposed a 90-day suspension on people from seven majority Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. But a US court in a ruling denied a request from the US Department of Justice to immediately restore Trump&#39;s order. In Iraq, a government spokesperson said, &quot;It is a move in the right direction to solve the problems that it caused.&quot;

(WION with Reuters input)

Der Spiegel's cover follows a series of attacks on Berlin's policies by Trump marking a rapid deterioration in German relations with the US

German weekly magazine Der Spiegel sparked controversy at home and abroad on Saturday with a front cover illustration of US President Donald Trump beheading the Statue of Liberty. The cover depicted a cartoon figure of Trump with a bloodied knife in one hand and the statue's head, dripping with blood, in the other with a caption: "America First". The artist who designed the cover, Edel Rodriguez, a Cuban who came to the United States in 1980 as a political refugee, told The Washington Post: "It's a beheading of democracy, a beheading of a sacred symbol." The cover set off a debate on Twitter and in German and international media, with Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, a member of Germany's Free Democrats (FDP) and vice-president of the European Parliament, describing it as "tasteless". However, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, Klaus Brinkbaeumer stood by the cover saying, "Der Spiegel does not want to provoke anybody. We want to show what this is about, it's about democracy, it's about freedom, it's about freedom of press, freedom of justice and all that is seriously endangered." "So we are defending democracy, we are defending international organisations and contracts. Are these serious times? Yes, they are," he added. "The impact actually surprised me, that this cover was held high at demonstrations, that many in the American media put it on the front page or the first place of their website. This impact surprised me. That it would get attention, I expected," the editor-in-chief observed. The cover follows a series of attacks on Berlin's policies by Trump and his aides, marking a rapid deterioration in German relations with the United States. Chancellor Angela Merkel was the go-to European ally for former US President Barack Obama, who praised her as "an outstanding partner". However, a lot has changed since then. Last month, Trump said Merkel had made a "catastrophic mistake" with her open-door migration policy, and this week his top trade adviser said Germany was using a "grossly undervalued" Euro to gain advantage over the United States and its European partners. Meanwhile, Trump's policies, especially the travel ban imposed on seven mainly Muslim countries sparked protests across Europe including in New York and Washington even as the appeal was rejected by a federal judge. In London an estimated 10,000 people turned out, chanting "Theresa May: Shame on You" to denounce the British prime minister's support for the American president. Trump's executive order last week put a 120-day halt on the US refugee programme, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and imposed a 90-day suspension on people from seven majority Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. But a US court in a ruling denied a request from the US Department of Justice to immediately restore Trump's order. In Iraq, a government spokesperson said, "It is a move in the right direction to solve the problems that it caused." (WION with Reuters input)

German magazine depicts Trump beheading Statue of Liberty, chief editor defends decision

James Robart?ordered a temporary, nationwide halt to President Trump's ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries

US President Donald Trump lashed out Saturday at a court ruling suspending his controversial ban on travellers from seven Muslim countries, dismissing it as "ridiculous" and vowing to get it overturned. The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2017 × A US federal judge on Friday ordered a temporary, nationwide halt to President Donald Trump's ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, in the most severe legal blow to the controversial measure. The restraining order issued by Seattle US District Judge James Robart is valid nationwide pending a full review of a complaint filed by Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson. "The constitution prevailed today," Ferguson said, describing the judge's decision as historic. "No one is above the law — not even the president." "It is not the loudest voice that prevails in a courtroom, it's the constitution," he added, pointing out that Robart was appointed by Republican president George W. Bush. But the White House quickly hit back, making clear it was ready for a drawn-out battle. It initially denounced the decision as "outrageous" but later removed the word from its statement. "At the earliest possible time, the Department of Justice intends to file (for) an emergency stay of this order and defend the executive order of the president, which we believe is lawful and appropriate," a statement said. "The president's order is intended to protect the homeland and he has the constitutional authority and responsibility to protect the American people."Friday's ruling was not the first to challenge the travel ban, but it was the most sweeping as it effectively vacated the main tenets of the order. Ferguson said the order technically means that anyone with a valid visa must be allowed entry into the country by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). But it was unclear whether the Trump administration would succeed in challenging it, leaving travellers in limbo over their legal status. Ferguson had filed a suit to invalidate key provisions of Trump's executive order which bars Syrian refugees indefinitely and blocks citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entry into the US for 90 days. Refugees from countries other than Syria are barred from entry for 120 days. The State Department said Friday that up to 60,000 people from the seven targeted countries had their visas cancelled as a result of the order. A Justice Department attorney, however, told a court hearing in Virginia that about 100,000 visas had been revoked. The State Department was still studying the federal judge's order as of late Friday. "We are working closely with the Department of Homeland Security and our legal teams to determine how this affects our operations. We will announce any changes affecting travellers to the United States as soon as that information is available," the department said in a statement.Trump's executive order created chaos at airports across the United States and beyond as some travellers were detained or deported, prompting an uproar by rights groups and immigration attorneys. Several hundred people of all ages and backgrounds demonstrated in New York for a second consecutive evening on Friday, denouncing Trump's travel ban. They staged their rally in Queens, the New York borough where the president was born. Washington Governor Jay Inslee welcomed Friday's ruling by Robart as a "tremendous victory" but warned that the battle to overturn Trump's order was far from over. "There is still more to do," he said in a statement. "The fight isn't yet won. But we should feel heartened by today's victory and more resolute than ever that we are fighting on the right side of history." Senator Chuck Schumer, the leader of the minority Democrats in the upper house of Congress, urged Trump to repeal his order "once and for all." "This ruling is a victory for the constitution and for all of us who believe this un-American executive order will not make us safer," he said in a statement. In his suit — which the state of Minnesota joined — Ferguson said the president's ban violated the constitutional rights of immigrants and their families and specifically targeted Muslims. However federal attorneys representing the Trump administration argued that as president, he had broad powers and was within his right to issue an order that protects Americans. The White House argues the ban is aimed at preventing terror attacks such as those in San Bernardino and Orlando. Critics, however, say Trump's immigration freeze is arbitrary and point out it doesn't include any countries — such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt or Pakistan — whose nationals have been involved in deadly terror attacks against Americans. "The Department of Justice has taken the position that the president has unfettered discretion as to determine who comes in and does not come into the United States and that's not the law, thankfully," said Gadeir Abbas, an attorney for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which has filed its own lawsuit challenging Trump's travel ban. (AFP)

Trump vows to overturn Seattle judge ruling on travel ban

While the world waits to understand President Trump&#39;s strategy on Syria -- and pretty much everything else -- the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has decided to supply armoured vehicles to the Arab/Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).&nbsp;

The SDF has been the boots-on-the-ground against the IS for the past two years and is the main American ally in the Syrian conflict. The organisation is currently conducting an offensive which aims at taking control of the many villages surrounding Raqqa, the Islamic State&#39;s capital city in Syria. &nbsp;

There are no official figures, but it is believed that more than 40,000 men and women are involved in the offensive.&nbsp;

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SDF spokesperson Talal Silo told Reuters that the US decision marks an improvement in the support they receive. &quot;Previously we didn&#39;t get support in this form, we would get light weapons and ammunition,&quot; said Talal Silo. &quot;There are signs of full support from the new American leadership - more than before - for our forces.&quot;&nbsp;

The SDF&#39;s enthusiasm is understandable.

Armoured vehicles make a big difference in a war, they provide shelter to at least four soldiers and protection to the man shooting from the turret. It is however too early to say if this is a sign of increasing support. &nbsp;

American sources downplayed the matter, saying that it was just an ordinary move connected with military contingencies.

&quot;The department of defense only provides training and material support to the Syrian Arab Coalition (part of the SDF),&quot; Major Adrian JT&nbsp;Rankine-Galloway said in a statement.

A pentagon spokesperson told Reuters the armoured vehicles would help the SDF face down the threat of the many improvised explosive devices that the Islamic States leaves in its wake while retreating.&nbsp;

A plan for Syria, in 30 days

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump signed an executive order demanding the Pentagon, the joint chiefs of staff, and other agencies submit, within 30 days, a preliminary plan for Syria.&nbsp;

If the new US administration wants to keep fighting the Islamic State in Syria, they will have to, soon, take a decision on the SDF&#39;s role.&nbsp;

Turkey, the second-largest NATO member, considers the SDF a threat to its national security.

The Turkish government claims the SDF is composed mostly of the left-wing People&#39;s Protection Unit (YPG), an organisation Ankara labels as &quot;terrorist&quot;. In his rallies, President Erdogan has repeatedly said that Turkey will fight both the YPG and the Islamic state.&nbsp;

Turkish soldiers are currently fighting on Syrian soil alongside local rebel groups in the area surrounding Al-Bab, ninety kilometres from Aleppo.&nbsp;

The Syrian Democratic Forces proved to be successful in the war against the Islamic State and have taken control of a large region of northern Syria, which they will most likely not be willing to leave if and when the war gets over.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has clearly said he will not allow an autonomous Kurdish region within his country.&nbsp;

Continuous &ndash; and more vigorous &ndash; &nbsp;US support to the SDF could translate into a further worsening of the US&#39;s political relations with Ankara, already close to their minimum. On the other hand, if the US stops supporting the SDF, they will be left virtually without an ally in Syria, and Russia, Iran, and Lebanon will take the lead &ndash; and the credit&nbsp;&ndash; of the so-called &quot;war on terror&quot;. The three countries support President Bashar al-Assad, a man whom Washington considers an enemy.&nbsp;

Whatever decision will come from the White House, it will not be free of consequences and it will significantly impact the US role in West Asia. &nbsp;

(WION woth inputs from Reuters)

The SDF has been the boots-on-the-ground against the IS for the past two years and is the main American ally in the Syrian conflict

While the world waits to understand President Trump's strategy on Syria -- and pretty much everything else -- the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has decided to supply armoured vehicles to the Arab/Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF has been the boots-on-the-ground against the IS for the past two years and is the main American ally in the Syrian conflict. The organisation is currently conducting an offensive which aims at taking control of the many villages surrounding Raqqa, the Islamic State's capital city in Syria. There are no official figures, but it is believed that more than 40,000 men and women are involved in the offensive. The SDF's enthusiasm is understandable. Armoured vehicles make a big difference in a war × SDF spokesperson Talal Silo told Reuters that the US decision marks an improvement in the support they receive. "Previously we didn't get support in this form, we would get light weapons and ammunition," said Talal Silo. "There are signs of full support from the new American leadership - more than before - for our forces." The SDF's enthusiasm is understandable. Armoured vehicles make a big difference in a war, they provide shelter to at least four soldiers and protection to the man shooting from the turret. It is however too early to say if this is a sign of increasing support. American sources downplayed the matter, saying that it was just an ordinary move connected with military contingencies. "The department of defense only provides training and material support to the Syrian Arab Coalition (part of the SDF)," Major Adrian JT Rankine-Galloway said in a statement. A pentagon spokesperson told Reuters the armoured vehicles would help the SDF face down the threat of the many improvised explosive devices that the Islamic States leaves in its wake while retreating. A plan for Syria, in 30 days Meanwhile, President Donald Trump signed an executive order demanding the Pentagon, the joint chiefs of staff, and other agencies submit, within 30 days, a preliminary plan for Syria. If the new US administration wants to keep fighting the Islamic State in Syria, they will have to, soon, take a decision on the SDF's role. Turkey, the second-largest NATO member, considers the SDF a threat to its national security. The Turkish government claims the SDF is composed mostly of the left-wing People's Protection Unit (YPG), an organisation Ankara labels as "terrorist". In his rallies, President Erdogan has repeatedly said that Turkey will fight both the YPG and the Islamic state. Turkish soldiers are currently fighting on Syrian soil alongside local rebel groups in the area surrounding Al-Bab, ninety kilometres from Aleppo. The Syrian Democratic Forces proved to be successful in the war against the Islamic State and have taken control of a large region of northern Syria, which they will most likely not be willing to leave if and when the war gets over. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has clearly said he will not allow an autonomous Kurdish region within his country. Continuous – and more vigorous – US support to the SDF could translate into a further worsening of the US's political relations with Ankara, already close to their minimum. On the other hand, if the US stops supporting the SDF, they will be left virtually without an ally in Syria, and Russia, Iran, and Lebanon will take the lead – and the credit – of the so-called "war on terror". The three countries support President Bashar al-Assad, a man whom Washington considers an enemy. Whatever decision will come from the White House, it will not be free of consequences and it will significantly impact the US role in West Asia. (WION woth inputs from Reuters)

US to give Syrian Democratic Forces armoured vehicles

Shares of IT companies plunged as much as 9 per cent today amid concerns that the new bill in the US that aims to rework the H1-B visa programme will adversely impact the hiring plans of Indian technology firms.

Shares of TCS plunged by 5.46 per cent to touch an intra-day low of Rs 2,206.55 on BSE.&nbsp;Infosys lost 4.57 per cent to Rs 905 and Wipro went down by 4.11 per cent to Rs 445.55.

Tech Mahindra tumbled as much as 9.68 per cent to Rs 426 and HCL Technologies declined by 6.25 per cent to Rs 787.20.

The BSE IT index fell by 4.83 per cent to touch an intra-day low of 9401.85. It is currently trading at 9547.53.

According to market experts, US President Donald Trump plans to overhaul work-visa programmes that dampened investors&#39; sentiment.&nbsp;Trump is set to sign a new executive order aimed at overhauling work visa programmes like the H-1-B and L-1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in the US.

A legislation has been introduced in the US House of Representatives which among other things calls for more than doubling the minimum salary of H1-B visa holders to $130,000, making it difficult for firms to use the programme to replace American employees with foreign workers, including from India.

The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year.

(PTI)&nbsp;

Shares of TCS plunged by 5.46 per cent and Infosys lost 4.57 per cent amid Trump's plan to rework the H1-B visa programme

Shares of IT companies plunged as much as 9 per cent today amid concerns that the new bill in the US that aims to rework the H1-B visa programme will adversely impact the hiring plans of Indian technology firms. Shares of TCS plunged by 5.46 per cent to touch an intra-day low of Rs 2,206.55 on BSE. Infosys lost 4.57 per cent to Rs 905 and Wipro went down by 4.11 per cent to Rs 445.55. Tech Mahindra tumbled as much as 9.68 per cent to Rs 426 and HCL Technologies declined by 6.25 per cent to Rs 787.20. The BSE IT index fell by 4.83 per cent to touch an intra-day low of 9401.85. It is currently trading at 9547.53. According to market experts, US President Donald Trump plans to overhaul work-visa programmes that dampened investors' sentiment. Trump is set to sign a new executive order aimed at overhauling work visa programmes like the H-1-B and L-1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in the US. A legislation has been introduced in the US House of Representatives which among other things calls for more than doubling the minimum salary of H1-B visa holders to $130,000, making it difficult for firms to use the programme to replace American employees with foreign workers, including from India. The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year. (PTI)

IT stocks crash 9% over H1-B visa overhaul

Iraqi lawmakers voted Monday to call on the government to enact a reciprocal travel ban on Americans if Washington does not withdraw its decision to ban bar Iraqis, officials said.

The call is a response to President Donald Trump&#39;s executive order barring citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen from entering the US for at least 90 days, a move he billed as an effort to make America safe from &quot;radical Islamic terrorists&quot;.

Parliament called on the Iraqi government to &quot;respond in kind to the American decision in the event that the American side does not withdraw its decision&quot;, a parliamentary official who was present for the vote told AFP.

&quot;Parliament voted by majority on calling on the Iraqi government and the foreign ministry to respond in kind,&quot; MP Hakim al-Zamili said.

Sadiq al-Laban, another lawmaker, confirmed that &quot;the vote was for a call on the government&quot; to enact reciprocal measures.

&quot;We are against this stance from the new administration,&quot; Laban said, adding: &quot;We hope that the American administration will rethink... this decision.&quot;

Trump&#39;s decision led to the detention of incoming refugees at US airports, sparking protests, legal challenges and widespread condemnation from rights groups.

The travel restrictions, which come on the heels of repeated assertions by Trump that the US should have stolen Iraq&#39;s oil before leaving in 2011, risk alienating the citizens and government of a country fighting against militants the president has cast as a major threat to America.

(AFP)

The call is a response to Trump's move of barring citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen from entering the US

Iraqi lawmakers voted Monday to call on the government to enact a reciprocal travel ban on Americans if Washington does not withdraw its decision to ban bar Iraqis, officials said. The call is a response to President Donald Trump's executive order barring citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen from entering the US for at least 90 days, a move he billed as an effort to make America safe from "radical Islamic terrorists". Parliament called on the Iraqi government to "respond in kind to the American decision in the event that the American side does not withdraw its decision", a parliamentary official who was present for the vote told AFP. "Parliament voted by majority on calling on the Iraqi government and the foreign ministry to respond in kind," MP Hakim al-Zamili said. Sadiq al-Laban, another lawmaker, confirmed that "the vote was for a call on the government" to enact reciprocal measures. "We are against this stance from the new administration," Laban said, adding: "We hope that the American administration will rethink... this decision." Trump's decision led to the detention of incoming refugees at US airports, sparking protests, legal challenges and widespread condemnation from rights groups. The travel restrictions, which come on the heels of repeated assertions by Trump that the US should have stolen Iraq's oil before leaving in 2011, risk alienating the citizens and government of a country fighting against militants the president has cast as a major threat to America. (AFP)

Iraq parliament votes on reciprocal travel ban on Americans

The US embassy in Berlin said on its Facebook page on Monday that visa issuance had been suspended to nationals, or dual nationals, of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

 
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&quot;As per US presidential executive order signed on January 27, 2017, visa issuance to aliens from the countries of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been suspended effective immediately until further notification,&quot; it said.

&quot;If you are a national, or dual national, of one of these countries, please do not schedule a visa appointment or pay any visa fees at this time,&quot; the embassy added.

President Trump got on the act and tweeted on the status of people detained or held for questioning as US authorities continued their clampdown on visitors setting foot on American soil.

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Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning. Big problems at airports were caused by Delta computer outage,.....
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/826041397232943104">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country. This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/826044059647107073">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, the head of the 54-member African Union said that a US travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries including three in Africa heralded &quot;turbulent times&quot; for the continent.

AU commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma made the remarks in a speech to open an AU summit, after President Donald Trump&#39;s executive order halted travel by people with passports from Libya, Somalia, Sudan and four other Middle East nations for 90 days, and stopped refugee resettlement for 120 days.

&quot;We are entering very turbulent times. The very country to which many of our people were taken as slaves during the transatlantic slave trade has now decided to ban refugees from some of our countries. What do we do about this? Indeed, this is one of the greatest challenges to our unity and solidarity,&quot; she told African leaders in the Ethiopian capital.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also criticised President Trump&#39;s visa ban saying asserting it harmed the common struggle against radicalism.

&quot;Such selective and discriminatory acts will only serve to embolden the radical narratives of extremists,&quot; the group said in a statement on its website.

&quot;(The move) will provide further fuel to the advocates of violence and terrorism at a critical time when the OIC has been engaged with all partners, including the US, to combat extremism and terrorism in all their forms and manifestations.&quot;

(Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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US embassy's Berlin Facebook page said that visa issuance had been suspended to nationals of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Syria

The US embassy in Berlin said on its Facebook page on Monday that visa issuance had been suspended to nationals, or dual nationals, of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. "As per US presidential executive order signed on January 27, 2017, visa issuance to aliens from the countries of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been suspended effective immediately until further notification," it said. "If you are a national, or dual national, of one of these countries, please do not schedule a visa appointment or pay any visa fees at this time," the embassy added. President Trump got on the act and tweeted on the status of people detained or held for questioning as US authorities continued their clampdown on visitors setting foot on American soil. Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning. Big problems at airports were caused by Delta computer outage,..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 × There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country. This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 × Meanwhile, the head of the 54-member African Union said that a US travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries including three in Africa heralded "turbulent times" for the continent. AU commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma made the remarks in a speech to open an AU summit, after President Donald Trump's executive order halted travel by people with passports from Libya, Somalia, Sudan and four other Middle East nations for 90 days, and stopped refugee resettlement for 120 days. "We are entering very turbulent times. The very country to which many of our people were taken as slaves during the transatlantic slave trade has now decided to ban refugees from some of our countries. What do we do about this? Indeed, this is one of the greatest challenges to our unity and solidarity," she told African leaders in the Ethiopian capital. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also criticised President Trump's visa ban saying asserting it harmed the common struggle against radicalism. "Such selective and discriminatory acts will only serve to embolden the radical narratives of extremists," the group said in a statement on its website. "(The move) will provide further fuel to the advocates of violence and terrorism at a critical time when the OIC has been engaged with all partners, including the US, to combat extremism and terrorism in all their forms and manifestations." (Reuters)

US embassy in Berlin suspends visas for nationals on Trump's travel ban list

US President Donald Trump has said that he had an hour-long phone conversation with his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto on bilateral trade and the contentious wall issue, a day after the two had a blowup over who would foot the&nbsp;bill for the proposed border.

&quot;I will say that we had a very good call. I have been very strong on Mexico. I have great respect for Mexico. I love the Mexican people. I work with the Mexican people all the time. Great relationships. But Mexico has out negotiated us and beat us to a pulp through our past leaders,&quot; Trump told reporters at a joint news conference with visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May.

&quot;They&#39;ve made us look foolish. We have a trade deficit of $60 billion with Mexico. On top of that, the border is soft and weak, drugs are pouring in, and I&#39;m not going to let that happen,&quot; he said, adding that he talked with his Mexican counterpart for about an hour this morning.

&quot;We are going to be working on a fair relationship and a new relationship. But the United States cannot continue to lose vast amounts of business, vast amounts of companies, and millions and millions of people losing their jobs. That won&#39;t happen with me. We&#39;re no longer going to be the country that doesn&#39;t know what it&#39;s doing,&quot; Trump said in response to a question.

&quot;We are going to renegotiate our trade deals and we are going to renegotiate other aspects of our relationship with Mexico, and in the end, I think it&#39;ll be good for both countries,&quot; he asserted. 
Trump described the call as &quot;very, very friendly&quot;, and said he looks forward to the negotiations over the coming months.

&quot;But I&#39;m representing the people of the United States and I&#39;m going to represent them as somebody should represent them, not how they&#39;ve been represented in the past where we lose to every single country,&quot; Trump said. Meanwhile, the Mexican government said that President Pena Nieto and Trump had agreed to stop making public statements about the US leader&#39;s border wall plan and will seek to resolve differences as part of bilateral talks.

&quot;With regard to the payment of the border wall, both presidents acknowledged their clear and very public differences in position on this sensitive issue,&quot; the Mexican statement said.

&quot;The presidents also agreed at this point not to speak publicly about this controversial issue,&quot; it added.

The White House statement included near identical language on the border wall, but didn&#39;t mention a pledge not to speak publicly about the issue. On Thursday, Trump had tweeted that If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed&nbsp; 
wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting between him and Pena Nieto.

The Mexican President reacted, saying, &quot;I&#39;ve said time and again: Mexico won&#39;t pay for any wall.&quot; He later cancelled his trip to Washington planned for January 31.

(PTI)

President Trump said that he had an hour-long phone conversation with his Mexican President Nieto on the contentious wall issue

US President Donald Trump has said that he had an hour-long phone conversation with his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto on bilateral trade and the contentious wall issue, a day after the two had a blowup over who would foot the bill for the proposed border. "I will say that we had a very good call. I have been very strong on Mexico. I have great respect for Mexico. I love the Mexican people. I work with the Mexican people all the time. Great relationships. But Mexico has out negotiated us and beat us to a pulp through our past leaders," Trump told reporters at a joint news conference with visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May. "They've made us look foolish. We have a trade deficit of $60 billion with Mexico. On top of that, the border is soft and weak, drugs are pouring in, and I'm not going to let that happen," he said, adding that he talked with his Mexican counterpart for about an hour this morning. "We are going to be working on a fair relationship and a new relationship. But the United States cannot continue to lose vast amounts of business, vast amounts of companies, and millions and millions of people losing their jobs. That won't happen with me. We're no longer going to be the country that doesn't know what it's doing," Trump said in response to a question. "We are going to renegotiate our trade deals and we are going to renegotiate other aspects of our relationship with Mexico, and in the end, I think it'll be good for both countries," he asserted. Trump described the call as "very, very friendly", and said he looks forward to the negotiations over the coming months. "But I'm representing the people of the United States and I'm going to represent them as somebody should represent them, not how they've been represented in the past where we lose to every single country," Trump said. Meanwhile, the Mexican government said that President Pena Nieto and Trump had agreed to stop making public statements about the US leader's border wall plan and will seek to resolve differences as part of bilateral talks. "With regard to the payment of the border wall, both presidents acknowledged their clear and very public differences in position on this sensitive issue," the Mexican statement said. "The presidents also agreed at this point not to speak publicly about this controversial issue," it added. The White House statement included near identical language on the border wall, but didn't mention a pledge not to speak publicly about the issue. On Thursday, Trump had tweeted that If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting between him and Pena Nieto. The Mexican President reacted, saying, "I've said time and again: Mexico won't pay for any wall." He later cancelled his trip to Washington planned for January 31. (PTI)

Trump, Mexican president engage in ' friendly talk' over phone to end wall row

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