Indian defence forces and defence production would be &quot;open to scrutiny&quot; and &quot;control&quot; by the United States, which will make India its &quot;junior ally&quot; following finalisation of the &quot;Major Defense Partner&quot;&nbsp;designation, CPI(M) has alleged.

Noting that the US has placed the details of &quot;Major Defense Partner&quot;&nbsp;designation for Senate approval as part of FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the party said the Narendra Modi government &quot;has not even made a statement in Parliament about such a significant deal&quot;.

&quot;The country can see the US side of the deal by reading the 2017 NDAA, but remains ignorant of the Indian commitment as a &#39;Major Defense Partner&#39; of the United States,&quot; CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, he referred to Paragraph (E) of Section 1292 of 2017 NDAA, &quot;which talks of &#39;mechanisms to verify the security of defense articles, defense services, and related technology, such as appropriate cyber security and end user monitoring agreements&#39; for items and technologies sold to India.

&quot;Paragraph (F) thereafter states that India will align its &#39;export control and procurement regimes with those of the United States&#39;.&quot; 
Yechury further said, &quot;Paragraph(I) of Section 1292, 2017 NDAA makes the facts amply clear. It explicitly highlights enhanced &#39;defense and security cooperation with India in order to advance United States interests in South Asia and greater Indo-Asia-Pacific regions&#39;.&quot;

&quot;This is, sadly, a commitment by your government to become a junior ally of the US in our own neighbourhood. This represents the final nail in the coffin of India&#39;s independent foreign policy,&quot; Yechury said in his letter to Modi. He said, &quot;These are significant concessions made by your government which will make Indian defence forces open to American scrutiny, and Indian defence production under the control of the United States of America.&quot;

&quot;Serious apprehensions arise about your government compromising India&#39;s sovereignty and strategic autonomy,&quot; the CPI(M) leader said, quoting the US statement as saying that the &quot;Major Defense Partner&quot;&nbsp;designation was &quot;a status unique to India&quot; and brings &quot;India to a level at par with that of the United States&#39; closest allies and partners&quot;.

&quot;This is a significant departure from India&#39;s long- standing policy on defence relations and it has been done without taking Parliament into confidence,&quot; Yechury said.

 
The finalisation of the &quot;Major Defense Partner&quot;&nbsp;designation to India by the US had followed the signing of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) between the US and Indian defence ministries earlier this year.

Yechury said, &quot;It is particularly galling that all these commitments, as part of the announcement of the &#39;Major Defense Partner&#39; designation, were made by the Defence Ministry when both Houses of Parliament were, and still are, in session.

&quot;This is in complete contravention of the established norms and practices of our parliamentary system,&quot; he said.

He said he was constrained to state that &quot;your government seems particularly keen on ignoring Parliament, because even the text of LEMOA has so far not been placed before either of the Houses or the Standing Committee on Defence.

&quot;It needs no reminder that Parliament represents the people of this great country and by choosing to willfully ignore Parliament, you are disrespecting 1.3 billion Indians,&quot; he said and demanded that full texts of these documents are tabled in Parliament during the ongoing session and made public immediately.

(PTI)

'This represents the final nail in the coffin of India's independent foreign policy,' CPI(M) general secretary Yechury wrote to PM Modi

Indian defence forces and defence production would be "open to scrutiny" and "control" by the United States, which will make India its "junior ally" following finalisation of the "Major Defense Partner" designation, CPI(M) has alleged. Noting that the US has placed the details of "Major Defense Partner" designation for Senate approval as part of FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the party said the Narendra Modi government "has not even made a statement in Parliament about such a significant deal". "The country can see the US side of the deal by reading the 2017 NDAA, but remains ignorant of the Indian commitment as a 'Major Defense Partner' of the United States," CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said. In a letter to the Prime Minister, he referred to Paragraph (E) of Section 1292 of 2017 NDAA, "which talks of 'mechanisms to verify the security of defense articles, defense services, and related technology, such as appropriate cyber security and end user monitoring agreements' for items and technologies sold to India. "Paragraph (F) thereafter states that India will align its 'export control and procurement regimes with those of the United States'." Yechury further said, "Paragraph(I) of Section 1292, 2017 NDAA makes the facts amply clear. It explicitly highlights enhanced 'defense and security cooperation with India in order to advance United States interests in South Asia and greater Indo-Asia-Pacific regions'." "This is, sadly, a commitment by your government to become a junior ally of the US in our own neighbourhood. This represents the final nail in the coffin of India's independent foreign policy," Yechury said in his letter to Modi. He said, "These are significant concessions made by your government which will make Indian defence forces open to American scrutiny, and Indian defence production under the control of the United States of America." "Serious apprehensions arise about your government compromising India's sovereignty and strategic autonomy," the CPI(M) leader said, quoting the US statement as saying that the "Major Defense Partner" designation was "a status unique to India" and brings "India to a level at par with that of the United States' closest allies and partners". "This is a significant departure from India's long- standing policy on defence relations and it has been done without taking Parliament into confidence," Yechury said. The finalisation of the "Major Defense Partner" designation to India by the US had followed the signing of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) between the US and Indian defence ministries earlier this year. Yechury said, "It is particularly galling that all these commitments, as part of the announcement of the 'Major Defense Partner' designation, were made by the Defence Ministry when both Houses of Parliament were, and still are, in session. "This is in complete contravention of the established norms and practices of our parliamentary system," he said. He said he was constrained to state that "your government seems particularly keen on ignoring Parliament, because even the text of LEMOA has so far not been placed before either of the Houses or the Standing Committee on Defence. "It needs no reminder that Parliament represents the people of this great country and by choosing to willfully ignore Parliament, you are disrespecting 1.3 billion Indians," he said and demanded that full texts of these documents are tabled in Parliament during the ongoing session and made public immediately. (PTI)

Indian defence forces to be 'Junior ally' of US, says Indian left party

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he believes US President-elect Donald Trump will be a good friend to Israel and hopes the two countries can work together to dismantle the international nuclear agreement with Iran.

&quot;I know Donald Trump,&quot; Netanyahu told CBS&#39;s &quot;60 Minutes&quot; in an interview scheduled to air last night. &quot;And I think his attitude, his support for Israel is clear. He feels very warmly about the Jewish state, about the Jewish people. There&#39;s no question about that.&quot;

Netanyahu&#39;s remarks are significant in part because critics have accused Trump of tolerating anti-Semitism among some of his supporters.

While the two countries are close allies, relations were sometimes tense between Netanyahu and President Barack Obama because of their vastly different world views on the Iran deal and other issues. And there is sentiment in the nationalist Israeli right wing that

Trump&#39;s election could usher in a new era of relations with the United States. Netanyahu said in the interview he &quot;had differences of opinion&quot; with Obama and the &quot;most well-known, of course, is Iran&quot;.

The Israeli prime minister has been one of the fiercest critics of the nuclear deal. During the campaign, Trump also spoke harshly about it.

Iran has long backed armed groups committed to Israel&#39;s destruction and its leaders have called for it to be wiped off the map. Israel fears that Iran&#39;s nuclear program is designed to threaten its existence.

Netanyahu said there are &quot;various ways of undoing&quot; the 2015 deal, in which Iran agreed to limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions on its oil industry and finances.

&quot;I have about five things in my mind,&quot; Netanyahu said, declining to go into further detail.

(PTI)

&nbsp;

Netanyahu's remarks are significant in part because critics have accused Trump of tolerating anti-Semitism among some of his supporters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he believes US President-elect Donald Trump will be a good friend to Israel and hopes the two countries can work together to dismantle the international nuclear agreement with Iran. "I know Donald Trump," Netanyahu told CBS's "60 Minutes" in an interview scheduled to air last night. "And I think his attitude, his support for Israel is clear. He feels very warmly about the Jewish state, about the Jewish people. There's no question about that." Netanyahu's remarks are significant in part because critics have accused Trump of tolerating anti-Semitism among some of his supporters. While the two countries are close allies, relations were sometimes tense between Netanyahu and President Barack Obama because of their vastly different world views on the Iran deal and other issues. And there is sentiment in the nationalist Israeli right wing that Trump's election could usher in a new era of relations with the United States. Netanyahu said in the interview he "had differences of opinion" with Obama and the "most well-known, of course, is Iran". The Israeli prime minister has been one of the fiercest critics of the nuclear deal. During the campaign, Trump also spoke harshly about it. Iran has long backed armed groups committed to Israel's destruction and its leaders have called for it to be wiped off the map. Israel fears that Iran's nuclear program is designed to threaten its existence. Netanyahu said there are "various ways of undoing" the 2015 deal, in which Iran agreed to limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions on its oil industry and finances. "I have about five things in my mind," Netanyahu said, declining to go into further detail. (PTI)

Israeli PM says he hopes to work with Trump to undo Iran nuclear deal

Nominations for the Golden Globes will be unveiled&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;with critics expecting musical &quot;La La Land&quot; to lead the pack ahead of &quot;Moonlight,&quot; &quot;Manchester by the Sea&quot; and &quot;Lion.&quot;

In a departure from last year`s awards calendar, the announcements come before the influential Screen Actors Guild nominations, making them the first major bellwether of momentum going into the Oscars race.

The Globe nominations, set to be made at the crack of dawn in Beverly Hills, are decided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), a group of entertainment journalists who are wined and dined by publicists.

There has been controversy in the past over the category placement of films, with last year`s inclusion of &quot;The Martian&quot; and &quot;Joy&quot; in comedy/musical raising eyebrows.

But awards prediction site Gold Derby has Damien Chazelle`s &quot;La La Land&quot; -- uncontroversially both a musical and a romantic comedy -- comfortably in the lead in several races.&nbsp;

&quot;Normally the Globe voters like to spread the wealth among a lot of different films, but I could honestly see it winning the film award and for Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone,&quot; managing director Chris Beachum told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;It`s got a very good shot at `directing` and maybe the score or song categories -- it could do really well.&quot;

Experts say Kenneth Lonergan`s unflinching &quot;Manchester by the Sea,&quot; which has won acclaim for its central performance by Casey Affleck, has been getting the most recent attention on the drama side.

Another frontrunner is Barry Jenkins`s coming-of-age story &quot;Moonlight,&quot; with cast members Naomie Harris and Mahershala Ali in with a shout for acting nominations.

&quot;Lion,&quot; Garth Davis`s drama about a teenager adopted by an Australian family who searches for his long-lost blood relatives using Google Earth, is also expected to earn several nominations, including in acting for Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman.

The Globes will be the year`s first big test of Hollywood`s tolerance of scandal, with Nate Parker`s &quot;The Birth of a Nation&quot; seen as firm awards material until news emerged of a historical acquittal over rape allegations by a woman who ended up committing suicide.

&quot;Will they separate the art from the artist? Will the film be able to stand on its own or will the very mixed reviews of it sink its chances?&quot; writes Eric Anderson of the AwardsWatch.com blog.&nbsp;

Denzel Washington, nominated on seven occasions, looks a good bet to earn a first directing nomination for &quot;Fences&quot; but faces competition from &quot;Silence&quot; director Martin Scorsese who won in 2012 for &quot;Hugo.&quot;

Emily Blunt could get a sixth acting nomination for &quot;The Girl on the Train&quot; while French screen siren Isabelle Huppert has turned heads with her commanding lead in Paul Verhoeven`s &quot;Elle.&quot;&nbsp;

Viola Davis (&quot;Fences&quot;), Ruth Negga (&quot;Loving&quot;) and Natalie Portman (&quot;Jackie&quot;) are all strong contenders for this category, however.

Among the television prizes, FX`s &quot;Atlanta,&quot; about two cousins trying to make it big in hip hop, looks a good bet for best musical/comedy after earning acclaim for its ten-episode debut season in the fall.

HBO black comedy &quot;Divorce,&quot; should also be in the running, as should its star Sarah Jessica Parker, who already has four Golden Globes for &quot;Sex in the City.&quot;

The 74th Golden Globe Awards will air on NBC live coast-to-coast from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills on&nbsp;Sunday, January 8&nbsp;from&nbsp;5:00-8:00 pm PT&nbsp;(0100-0400 GMT&nbsp;Monday), with talk show host Jimmy Fallon presenting.

(AFP)

Films 'Moonlight,' 'Manchester by the Sea' and 'Lion' are also front-runners for the award

Nominations for the Golden Globes will be unveiled Monday with critics expecting musical "La La Land" to lead the pack ahead of "Moonlight," "Manchester by the Sea" and "Lion." In a departure from last year`s awards calendar, the announcements come before the influential Screen Actors Guild nominations, making them the first major bellwether of momentum going into the Oscars race. The Globe nominations, set to be made at the crack of dawn in Beverly Hills, are decided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), a group of entertainment journalists who are wined and dined by publicists. There has been controversy in the past over the category placement of films, with last year`s inclusion of "The Martian" and "Joy" in comedy/musical raising eyebrows. But awards prediction site Gold Derby has Damien Chazelle`s "La La Land" -- uncontroversially both a musical and a romantic comedy -- comfortably in the lead in several races. "Normally the Globe voters like to spread the wealth among a lot of different films, but I could honestly see it winning the film award and for Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone," managing director Chris Beachum told AFP. "It`s got a very good shot at `directing` and maybe the score or song categories -- it could do really well." Experts say Kenneth Lonergan`s unflinching "Manchester by the Sea," which has won acclaim for its central performance by Casey Affleck, has been getting the most recent attention on the drama side. Another frontrunner is Barry Jenkins`s coming-of-age story "Moonlight," with cast members Naomie Harris and Mahershala Ali in with a shout for acting nominations. "Lion," Garth Davis`s drama about a teenager adopted by an Australian family who searches for his long-lost blood relatives using Google Earth, is also expected to earn several nominations, including in acting for Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman. The Globes will be the year`s first big test of Hollywood`s tolerance of scandal, with Nate Parker`s "The Birth of a Nation" seen as firm awards material until news emerged of a historical acquittal over rape allegations by a woman who ended up committing suicide. "Will they separate the art from the artist? Will the film be able to stand on its own or will the very mixed reviews of it sink its chances?" writes Eric Anderson of the AwardsWatch.com blog. Denzel Washington, nominated on seven occasions, looks a good bet to earn a first directing nomination for "Fences" but faces competition from "Silence" director Martin Scorsese who won in 2012 for "Hugo." Emily Blunt could get a sixth acting nomination for "The Girl on the Train" while French screen siren Isabelle Huppert has turned heads with her commanding lead in Paul Verhoeven`s "Elle." Viola Davis ("Fences"), Ruth Negga ("Loving") and Natalie Portman ("Jackie") are all strong contenders for this category, however. Among the television prizes, FX`s "Atlanta," about two cousins trying to make it big in hip hop, looks a good bet for best musical/comedy after earning acclaim for its ten-episode debut season in the fall. HBO black comedy "Divorce," should also be in the running, as should its star Sarah Jessica Parker, who already has four Golden Globes for "Sex in the City." The 74th Golden Globe Awards will air on NBC live coast-to-coast from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills on Sunday, January 8 from 5:00-8:00 pm PT (0100-0400 GMT Monday), with talk show host Jimmy Fallon presenting. (AFP)

'La La Land' expected to lead Golden Globe nominations

President-elect Donald J. Trump on Thursday chose Andrew F. Puzder as the head of the U.S. Department of Labor.

&ldquo;Andy Puzder has created and boosted the careers of thousands of Americans, and his extensive record fighting for workers makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Department of Labor,&rdquo; Mr. Trump said in a statement to New York Times.

Puzder, chief executive of CKE Restaurants Inc, which operates the Carl`s Jr. and Hardee`s fast-food chains, has been a vehement critic of government regulation of the workplace.

He has criticized paid sick leave policies of the sort recently enacted for federal contractors and strongly supports repealing the Affordable Care Act, which he says has created a &ldquo;government-mandated restaurant recession&rdquo; because rising premiums have left people with less money to spend on dining out.

Speaking to Business Insider this year, Mr. Puzder said that increased automation could be a welcome development because machines were &ldquo;always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there&rsquo;s never a slip-and-fall or an age, sex or race discrimination case.&rdquo;

On the political incorrectness front, Mr. Puzder&rsquo;s company, CKE Restaurants, runs advertisements that frequently feature women wearing next to nothing while gesturing suggestively. &ldquo;I like our ads,&rdquo; he told the publication Entrepreneur. &ldquo;I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis. I think it&rsquo;s very American.&rdquo;

Matthew Haller, senior vice president for public affairs and communications at the International Franchise Association, of which Mr. Puzder is a board member, said Mr. Puzder saw &ldquo;a role for government to provide advice to employers, rather than simply deterrence by &lsquo;gotcha&rsquo; enforcement,&rdquo; an allusion to the Obama Labor Department&rsquo;s enforcement of laws and regulations in the fast-food industry.

In an appearance on Fox Business in May Puzder, he said that he was &ldquo;not opposed to raising the minimum wage rationally; I&rsquo;m opposed to raising it to the point where lower-skilled workers, working-class Americans, young people, minorities, are losing the jobs they need to get on the ladder of success.&rdquo;

CRITICISM

Trump&#39;s this decision of chosing Puzder is drawing criticism from labour advocates worried about his opposition to a higher minimum wage and government regulation of the workplace.

Fast-food workers, who are largely not unionized, are engaged in a multi-year campaign known as the &quot;Fight for $15,&quot; which is supported by labour unions, to raise minimum wages to $15 per hour. They have had state-wide successes in New York and California and in cities and municipalities such as Seattle.

Republican Trump beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in last month&#39;s election by carrying swing states - and some traditionally Democratic states - in the U.S. Rust Belt after promising to create jobs and to review or cancel trade deals that he said were bad for workers.

Labor leaders have been girding for Trump to appoint pro-business regulators at the Labor Department and National Labor Relations Board, and to roll back key regulatory initiatives of the Obama administration such as a Labor Department rule granting overtime pay to more than 4 million salaried workers, both unionized and not unionized.

Economic research suggests that an increase to the vicinity of $10.10 per hour would have little or no effect on employment in much of the country, though the impact could be larger in low-wage, low-cost areas. Mr. Puzder has raised concerns about the effects in those regions.

On other issues, Mr. Puzder has taken hard-line positions that leave less room for negotiation. Perhaps most prominent is the so-called joint employer doctrine that the Obama administration and its agency appointees have put forth in recent years.

Under that doctrine, large companies that have franchises or hire other companies as contractors are more likely to be held liable for violations of employment laws by those contractors or franchisees. Parent companies typically argue that they have no legal responsibility in these cases.

Perhaps the biggest question surrounding Mr. Puzder is how he would be perceived as a wealthy chief executive charged with looking out for workers&rsquo; interests.

According to a 2012 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr. Puzder&rsquo;s base salary that year was more than $1 million and his total compensation over $4 million, down from more than $10 million the year before. &ldquo;Annual base salaries should be competitive and create a measure of financial security for our executive officers,&rdquo; the filing said.

&nbsp; 
(WION, with inputs from New York Times and Reuters)

Puzder, chief executive of CKE Restaurants Inc, has been a vehement critic of govt regulation of the workplace

President-elect Donald J. Trump on Thursday chose Andrew F. Puzder as the head of the U.S. Department of Labor. “Andy Puzder has created and boosted the careers of thousands of Americans, and his extensive record fighting for workers makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Department of Labor,” Mr. Trump said in a statement to New York Times. Puzder, chief executive of CKE Restaurants Inc, which operates the Carl`s Jr. and Hardee`s fast-food chains, has been a vehement critic of government regulation of the workplace. He has criticized paid sick leave policies of the sort recently enacted for federal contractors and strongly supports repealing the Affordable Care Act, which he says has created a “government-mandated restaurant recession” because rising premiums have left people with less money to spend on dining out. Speaking to Business Insider this year, Mr. Puzder said that increased automation could be a welcome development because machines were “always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there’s never a slip-and-fall or an age, sex or race discrimination case.” On the political incorrectness front, Mr. Puzder’s company, CKE Restaurants, runs advertisements that frequently feature women wearing next to nothing while gesturing suggestively. “I like our ads,” he told the publication Entrepreneur. “I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis. I think it’s very American.” Matthew Haller, senior vice president for public affairs and communications at the International Franchise Association, of which Mr. Puzder is a board member, said Mr. Puzder saw “a role for government to provide advice to employers, rather than simply deterrence by ‘gotcha’ enforcement,” an allusion to the Obama Labor Department’s enforcement of laws and regulations in the fast-food industry. In an appearance on Fox Business in May Puzder, he said that he was “not opposed to raising the minimum wage rationally; I’m opposed to raising it to the point where lower-skilled workers, working-class Americans, young people, minorities, are losing the jobs they need to get on the ladder of success.” CRITICISM Trump's this decision of chosing Puzder is drawing criticism from labour advocates worried about his opposition to a higher minimum wage and government regulation of the workplace. Fast-food workers, who are largely not unionized, are engaged in a multi-year campaign known as the "Fight for $15," which is supported by labour unions, to raise minimum wages to $15 per hour. They have had state-wide successes in New York and California and in cities and municipalities such as Seattle. Republican Trump beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in last month's election by carrying swing states - and some traditionally Democratic states - in the U.S. Rust Belt after promising to create jobs and to review or cancel trade deals that he said were bad for workers. Labor leaders have been girding for Trump to appoint pro-business regulators at the Labor Department and National Labor Relations Board, and to roll back key regulatory initiatives of the Obama administration such as a Labor Department rule granting overtime pay to more than 4 million salaried workers, both unionized and not unionized. Economic research suggests that an increase to the vicinity of $10.10 per hour would have little or no effect on employment in much of the country, though the impact could be larger in low-wage, low-cost areas. Mr. Puzder has raised concerns about the effects in those regions. On other issues, Mr. Puzder has taken hard-line positions that leave less room for negotiation. Perhaps most prominent is the so-called joint employer doctrine that the Obama administration and its agency appointees have put forth in recent years. Under that doctrine, large companies that have franchises or hire other companies as contractors are more likely to be held liable for violations of employment laws by those contractors or franchisees. Parent companies typically argue that they have no legal responsibility in these cases. Perhaps the biggest question surrounding Mr. Puzder is how he would be perceived as a wealthy chief executive charged with looking out for workers’ interests. According to a 2012 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr. Puzder’s base salary that year was more than $1 million and his total compensation over $4 million, down from more than $10 million the year before. “Annual base salaries should be competitive and create a measure of financial security for our executive officers,” the filing said. (WION, with inputs from New York Times and Reuters)

Andrew F. Puzder is Trump's Labor pick

US President-elect Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will put forward the name of professional wrestling magnate and former Senate candidate Linda McMahon as his choice to head the Small Business Administration.

Trump also said McMahon would be a crucial player in generation of stronger job growth and roll back federal regulations.

If confirmed by the Senate, McMahon would join Trump&rsquo;s economic team that includes Wall Street executives Steven Mnuchin at the Treasury Department and Wilbur Ross at Commerce.

68-year-old McMahon is a co-founder and former CEO of the professional wrestling franchise WWE.

&quot;Linda has a tremendous background and is widely recognised as one of the country&rsquo;s top female executives advising businesses around the globe,&quot; Trump said in the announcement, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

McMahon, an early supporter of Trump&rsquo;s presidential campaign, said her goal as the SBA chief would be to promote small businesses and help them grow and thrive.

&ldquo;Our small businesses are the largest source of job creation in our country,&rdquo; she said.

Trump, a WWE Hall of Fame member, &nbsp;said McMahon had helped the WWE grow from a 13-person operation to a publicly traded global enterprise with more than 800 employees worldwide.&nbsp;

Trump also picked a fossil fuel industry defender as his top environmental official, another retired general as homeland security chief and Iowa&rsquo;s governor as US ambassador to China in choices at odds with some of his recent pronouncements.

Trump, who is tapping members for his Cabinet as he prepares to take office&nbsp;on January 20, said Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, 48, would be nominated to head the Environmental Protection Agency.&nbsp;

Pruitt had sued the EPA in an attempt &nbsp;to undo a key regulation under outgoing President Barack Obama that would curtail greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from coal-fired power plants.

Pruitt&rsquo;s selection comes despite a softer stance Trump has had &nbsp;on environmental regulation since his election.

Trump has retreated from casting climate change as a hoax, signalled he might be willing to allow the United States to continue participating in the Paris climate change deal aimed at lowering world carbon emissions, and met with former Vice President Al Gore.

Pruitt&rsquo;s selection brought a quick rebuke from Democrats.

&quot;The head of the EPA cannot be a stenographer for the lobbyists of polluters and Big Oil,&quot; House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said of Pruitt.

Trump nominated retired Marine Corps General John Kelly for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which controls immigration.&nbsp;

66-year-old Kelly, the third retired general named by Trump to a senior administration post, last year told Congress that a lack of security on the US-Mexican border is a threat to the United States.

Spokespersons for Trump&rsquo;s transition team said Republican Iowa governor Terry Branstad, who is known for his close ties to Beijing&rsquo;s leaders, was picked as US ambassador to China.&nbsp;

Trump has more key appointments to make in coming days, including the&nbsp;secretary of state.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Republican Iowa governor Terry Branstad, who is known for his close ties to Beijing?s leaders, was picked as US ambassador to China

US President-elect Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will put forward the name of professional wrestling magnate and former Senate candidate Linda McMahon as his choice to head the Small Business Administration. Trump also said McMahon would be a crucial player in generation of stronger job growth and roll back federal regulations. If confirmed by the Senate, McMahon would join Trump’s economic team that includes Wall Street executives Steven Mnuchin at the Treasury Department and Wilbur Ross at Commerce. 68-year-old McMahon is a co-founder and former CEO of the professional wrestling franchise WWE. "Linda has a tremendous background and is widely recognised as one of the country’s top female executives advising businesses around the globe," Trump said in the announcement, Reuters reported. McMahon, an early supporter of Trump’s presidential campaign, said her goal as the SBA chief would be to promote small businesses and help them grow and thrive. “Our small businesses are the largest source of job creation in our country,” she said. Trump, a WWE Hall of Fame member, said McMahon had helped the WWE grow from a 13-person operation to a publicly traded global enterprise with more than 800 employees worldwide. Trump also picked a fossil fuel industry defender as his top environmental official, another retired general as homeland security chief and Iowa’s governor as US ambassador to China in choices at odds with some of his recent pronouncements. Trump, who is tapping members for his Cabinet as he prepares to take office on January 20, said Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, 48, would be nominated to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Pruitt had sued the EPA in an attempt to undo a key regulation under outgoing President Barack Obama that would curtail greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from coal-fired power plants. Pruitt’s selection comes despite a softer stance Trump has had on environmental regulation since his election. Trump has retreated from casting climate change as a hoax, signalled he might be willing to allow the United States to continue participating in the Paris climate change deal aimed at lowering world carbon emissions, and met with former Vice President Al Gore. Pruitt’s selection brought a quick rebuke from Democrats. "The head of the EPA cannot be a stenographer for the lobbyists of polluters and Big Oil," House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said of Pruitt. Trump nominated retired Marine Corps General John Kelly for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which controls immigration. 66-year-old Kelly, the third retired general named by Trump to a senior administration post, last year told Congress that a lack of security on the US-Mexican border is a threat to the United States. Spokespersons for Trump’s transition team said Republican Iowa governor Terry Branstad, who is known for his close ties to Beijing’s leaders, was picked as US ambassador to China. Trump has more key appointments to make in coming days, including the secretary of state. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Trump nominates WWE co-founder, Obama foe and third retired general for his cabinet

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said a victory for his army in Aleppo would be a &quot;huge step&quot; towards ending the country&#39;s five-year civil war, as rebels in Syria&#39;s second city lost more ground.

In an interview with Syrian daily Al-Watan, published Thursday, Assad said defeating the beleaguered rebels in Aleppo would not put an end to Syria&#39;s conflict.

&quot;It&#39;s true that Aleppo will be a win for us, but let&#39;s be realistic -- it won&#39;t mean the end of the war in Syria,&quot; Assad said.

&quot;But it will be a huge step towards this end.&quot;

In a blistering three-week offensive, Syrian government forces have seized about 80 per cent of east Aleppo, a stronghold for rebel groups since 2012.

Increasingly cornered in a pocket of territory in the city&#39;s southeast, opposition factions on Wednesday called for an &quot;immediate five-day humanitarian ceasefire&quot;.

When asked about the possibility of a truce in Aleppo, Assad said, &quot;it&#39;s practically non-existent, of course&quot;.

&quot;The Americans in particular are insisting on demanding a truce, because their terrorist agents are now in a difficult situation,&quot; Assad told Al-Watan.

US secretary of state John Kerry held fresh talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Germany Wednesday but no breakthrough emerged on efforts to halt the fighting in the devastated city.

&quot;We intend to meet again (Thursday) morning,&quot; Kerry said after the meeting.&nbsp;

Asked at the start of the session about Russia&#39;s agreement for an eventual ceasefire, Lavrov said: &quot;I am in agreement, and I confirm support for the American proposal of December 2,&quot; referring to a meeting with Kerry in Rome at which they agreed on a plan to evacuate civilians and rebels from east Aleppo and on on new cease fire.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights 19 civilians were killed in the regime bombardment of east Aleppo on Wednesday.

&nbsp;&#39;Complete elimination of terrorism&#39; &nbsp; 
Save the Children Syria Director Sonia Khush said tens of thousands of children in Aleppo have become &quot;sitting targets&quot;.

&quot;It defies belief that after nearly six years of suffering through this war, the international community is still willing to stand by as civilians are bombed with seeming impunity,&quot; she added.

Assad said a rebel loss in Aleppo &quot;will mean the transformation of the course of the war across Syria&quot; and would leave opposition factions and their backers with &quot;no cards left to play&quot;. &nbsp;

Aleppo was once known as the beating heart of culture and commerce in Syria, but the outbreak of violence there four years ago left it divided between rebels in the east and government forces in the west.

In his wide-ranging interview, Assad pledged to fight rebels even beyond Aleppo, because &quot;the war in Syria will not end until after the complete elimination of terrorism&quot;.

&quot;Terrorists are present elsewhere -- even if we finish with Aleppo, we will continue our war against them,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&#39;Only available solution&#39;&nbsp; 
Assad touted local agreements between his government and rebel groups as the best way to resolve Syria&#39;s complex conflict.

Such deals have seen opposition fighters quit a string of towns around Damascus in recent months, often in exchange for an end to regime bombardment.&nbsp;

&quot;It is the only available solution, in parallel with striking the terrorists. Its success has been proven over the past two to three years, and is now speeding up,&quot; Assad told Al-Watan.

He said these agreements had protected Syrian civilians and infrastructure and allowed former rebels to &quot;return to the bosom of the state. What more could we want?&quot;&nbsp;

Syria&#39;s conflict erupted in March 2011 with widespread demonstrations but has since turned into a brutal multi-front war drawing in world powers.

Many Western countries cut ties with Damascus in 2011 and have imposed crippling economic sanctions, but Assad said he remained open to better relations with them.

&quot;We really do want ties with every country in the world, including the West, despite our previous knowledge of their hypocrisy.&quot;&nbsp;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

In a blistering three-week offensive, Syrian government forces have seized about 80 per cent of formerly rebel-held east Aleppo

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said a victory for his army in Aleppo would be a "huge step" towards ending the country's five-year civil war, as rebels in Syria's second city lost more ground. In an interview with Syrian daily Al-Watan, published Thursday, Assad said defeating the beleaguered rebels in Aleppo would not put an end to Syria's conflict. "It's true that Aleppo will be a win for us, but let's be realistic -- it won't mean the end of the war in Syria," Assad said. "But it will be a huge step towards this end." In a blistering three-week offensive, Syrian government forces have seized about 80 per cent of east Aleppo, a stronghold for rebel groups since 2012. Increasingly cornered in a pocket of territory in the city's southeast, opposition factions on Wednesday called for an "immediate five-day humanitarian ceasefire". When asked about the possibility of a truce in Aleppo, Assad said, "it's practically non-existent, of course". "The Americans in particular are insisting on demanding a truce, because their terrorist agents are now in a difficult situation," Assad told Al-Watan. US secretary of state John Kerry held fresh talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Germany Wednesday but no breakthrough emerged on efforts to halt the fighting in the devastated city. "We intend to meet again (Thursday) morning," Kerry said after the meeting. Asked at the start of the session about Russia's agreement for an eventual ceasefire, Lavrov said: "I am in agreement, and I confirm support for the American proposal of December 2," referring to a meeting with Kerry in Rome at which they agreed on a plan to evacuate civilians and rebels from east Aleppo and on on new cease fire. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights 19 civilians were killed in the regime bombardment of east Aleppo on Wednesday. 'Complete elimination of terrorism' Save the Children Syria Director Sonia Khush said tens of thousands of children in Aleppo have become "sitting targets". "It defies belief that after nearly six years of suffering through this war, the international community is still willing to stand by as civilians are bombed with seeming impunity," she added. Assad said a rebel loss in Aleppo "will mean the transformation of the course of the war across Syria" and would leave opposition factions and their backers with "no cards left to play". Aleppo was once known as the beating heart of culture and commerce in Syria, but the outbreak of violence there four years ago left it divided between rebels in the east and government forces in the west. In his wide-ranging interview, Assad pledged to fight rebels even beyond Aleppo, because "the war in Syria will not end until after the complete elimination of terrorism". "Terrorists are present elsewhere -- even if we finish with Aleppo, we will continue our war against them," he said. 'Only available solution' Assad touted local agreements between his government and rebel groups as the best way to resolve Syria's complex conflict. Such deals have seen opposition fighters quit a string of towns around Damascus in recent months, often in exchange for an end to regime bombardment. "It is the only available solution, in parallel with striking the terrorists. Its success has been proven over the past two to three years, and is now speeding up," Assad told Al-Watan. He said these agreements had protected Syrian civilians and infrastructure and allowed former rebels to "return to the bosom of the state. What more could we want?" Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with widespread demonstrations but has since turned into a brutal multi-front war drawing in world powers. Many Western countries cut ties with Damascus in 2011 and have imposed crippling economic sanctions, but Assad said he remained open to better relations with them. "We really do want ties with every country in the world, including the West, despite our previous knowledge of their hypocrisy." (AFP)

Syria's Assad says no chance of truce in Aleppo

US President-elect Donald Trump called for the cancellation of a multi-billion dollar contract with Boeing to build the next Air Force One, calling the inflating costs &quot;totally out of control&rdquo;.

&quot;Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!&quot; he tweeted.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/806134244384899072">December 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Trump&#39;s tweet come close on the heels of&nbsp;the aerospace giant&#39;s chief executive&nbsp;Dennis Muilenburg expressing concerns on the anti-trade rehtoric voiced by Trump. Trump has&nbsp;vowed to withdraw fromt the Trans-Pacific Partenrship. He has also slammed the North American Free trade Agreement in the past for draining American jobs.&nbsp;

About 75 percent of the planemaker&rsquo;s near-record order backlog is bound for overseas customers, The Chicago Tribune reported.

When Boeing was first asked to do the job in January 2015, the cost of converting two 747-8 jumbo jets to state-of-the-art luxury command centers by 2024 was estimated $3 billion.

Trump&#39;s tweet caused the shares of Boeing stock to&nbsp;fall nearly $2 a share before markets opened on Tuesday, The Washington Post reported.&nbsp;

The light blue and white liveried jets, with &nbsp;&quot;United States of America&quot; emblazoned on the fuselage and an American flag on the tail, are known to be a powerful symbol of US might.

But the current &nbsp;747-200s, first ordered by Ronald Reagan and put into service in 1990, are reported to be getting old.

The country&rsquo;s Air Force issued the first of a series of contracts for the project to build new ones, beginning this year.

It, however, was a $25.7 million effort to look at ways to cut the costs of fielding the next presidential aircraft, news agency AFP reported.

But the cost projections have reportedly risen.

&quot;I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money,&quot; the president-elect told reporters at Trump Tower, his Manhattan headquarters, AFP reported.

&quot;We are currently under contract for $170 million to help determine the capabilities of these complex military aircraft that serve the unique requirements of the President of the United States,&quot; Boeing said in statement, not referring to Trump&rsquo;s comments directly, AFP reported.

&quot;We look forward to working with the US Air Force on subsequent phases of the program allowing us to deliver the best planes for the president at the best value for the American taxpayer,&quot; Boeing said.

Following Trump&rsquo;s comments, the White House said that it does not know where Trump got his figure of more than $4 billion from.

&quot;Some of the statistics that have been cited, shall we say, don&rsquo;t appear to reflect the nature of the financial arrangement between Boeing and the Department of Defense,&quot; White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

The tweet comes soon after Boeing's CEO Muilenburg expressed concerns on the anti-trade rehtoric voiced by Trump

US President-elect Donald Trump called for the cancellation of a multi-billion dollar contract with Boeing to build the next Air Force One, calling the inflating costs "totally out of control”. "Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!" he tweeted. Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2016 × Trump's tweet come close on the heels of the aerospace giant's chief executive Dennis Muilenburg expressing concerns on the anti-trade rehtoric voiced by Trump. Trump has vowed to withdraw fromt the Trans-Pacific Partenrship. He has also slammed the North American Free trade Agreement in the past for draining American jobs. About 75 percent of the planemaker’s near-record order backlog is bound for overseas customers, The Chicago Tribune reported. When Boeing was first asked to do the job in January 2015, the cost of converting two 747-8 jumbo jets to state-of-the-art luxury command centers by 2024 was estimated $3 billion. Trump's tweet caused the shares of Boeing stock to fall nearly $2 a share before markets opened on Tuesday, The Washington Post reported. The light blue and white liveried jets, with "United States of America" emblazoned on the fuselage and an American flag on the tail, are known to be a powerful symbol of US might. But the current 747-200s, first ordered by Ronald Reagan and put into service in 1990, are reported to be getting old. The country’s Air Force issued the first of a series of contracts for the project to build new ones, beginning this year. It, however, was a $25.7 million effort to look at ways to cut the costs of fielding the next presidential aircraft, news agency AFP reported. But the cost projections have reportedly risen. "I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money," the president-elect told reporters at Trump Tower, his Manhattan headquarters, AFP reported. "We are currently under contract for $170 million to help determine the capabilities of these complex military aircraft that serve the unique requirements of the President of the United States," Boeing said in statement, not referring to Trump’s comments directly, AFP reported. "We look forward to working with the US Air Force on subsequent phases of the program allowing us to deliver the best planes for the president at the best value for the American taxpayer," Boeing said. Following Trump’s comments, the White House said that it does not know where Trump got his figure of more than $4 billion from. "Some of the statistics that have been cited, shall we say, don’t appear to reflect the nature of the financial arrangement between Boeing and the Department of Defense," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters. (WION with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

Trump calls for cancellation of new Air Force One order, says costs 'out of control'

US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday &nbsp;announced a $50 billion Japanese telecoms investment designed to create 50,000 US jobs, claiming another high-stakes personal win for the American economy before kicking off the second leg of a victory tour.

Trump provided no details on the jobs or investment, which he trumpeted following a meeting with Japanese self-made billionaire Masayoshi Son at his headquarters in New York.

The real estate tycoon whose election stunned the world first tweeted the announcement, then strode into the lobby of Trump Tower to brief reporters in&nbsp;person.

&quot;This is Masa of SoftBank from Japan and he&#39;s just agreed to invest $50 billion in the United States and 50,000 jobs,&quot; the president-elect told reporters, standing with his arm around a grinning Son.

&quot;He&#39;s one of the great men of industry, so I just want to thank you very much,&quot; added Trump before turning to shake the Japanese magnate&#39;s hand.

&quot;I just came to celebrate his new job,&quot; said Son, repeating his commitment and saying that SoftBank would be investing in startup companies in America.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Son said the money will be coming from a $100 billion investment fund that he is setting up with Saudi Arabia&#39;s sovereign wealth fund and other potential partners.

Trump, who defeated Hillary Clinton by promising to create jobs and campaigning as a political outsider who could shake up the system, claimed the Japanese investment as a personal coup.

&quot;Masa said he would never do this had we (Trump) not won the election!&quot; the maverick Republican wrote on Twitter.

It marked the second time in a week Trump has claimed to have acted personally to save or create American jobs -- allowing himself to make good on a key campaign promise -- after a deal to keep hundreds of manufacturing jobs in Indiana.

That agreement with air-conditioning plant Carrier was announced ahead of his inaugural victory rally in Ohio, and has raised his stock among Republican and Democrat voters alike, a Politico/Morning Consult poll found Tuesday.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(AFP)

Trump said the Japanese investment will create 50,000 US jobs

US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a $50 billion Japanese telecoms investment designed to create 50,000 US jobs, claiming another high-stakes personal win for the American economy before kicking off the second leg of a victory tour. Trump provided no details on the jobs or investment, which he trumpeted following a meeting with Japanese self-made billionaire Masayoshi Son at his headquarters in New York. The real estate tycoon whose election stunned the world first tweeted the announcement, then strode into the lobby of Trump Tower to brief reporters in person. "This is Masa of SoftBank from Japan and he's just agreed to invest $50 billion in the United States and 50,000 jobs," the president-elect told reporters, standing with his arm around a grinning Son. "He's one of the great men of industry, so I just want to thank you very much," added Trump before turning to shake the Japanese magnate's hand. "I just came to celebrate his new job," said Son, repeating his commitment and saying that SoftBank would be investing in startup companies in America. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Son said the money will be coming from a $100 billion investment fund that he is setting up with Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and other potential partners. Trump, who defeated Hillary Clinton by promising to create jobs and campaigning as a political outsider who could shake up the system, claimed the Japanese investment as a personal coup. "Masa said he would never do this had we (Trump) not won the election!" the maverick Republican wrote on Twitter. It marked the second time in a week Trump has claimed to have acted personally to save or create American jobs -- allowing himself to make good on a key campaign promise -- after a deal to keep hundreds of manufacturing jobs in Indiana. That agreement with air-conditioning plant Carrier was announced ahead of his inaugural victory rally in Ohio, and has raised his stock among Republican and Democrat voters alike, a Politico/Morning Consult poll found Tuesday. (AFP)

Trump trumpets $50bn investment deal with Japan's SoftBank ahead of victory rally

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will become the first sitting Japanese leader to visit Pearl Harbor, as he announced on Monday a symbolic visit this month to the site of the Japanese attack 75 years ago that pulled the United States into World War II.

Abe said in a news conference that he would travel to the American naval base with outgoing US President Barack Obama during a trip to Hawaii on December 26 and 27, reports the New York Times.

By visiting Pearl Harbor, Abe will be reciprocating a trip President Obama made in May to the Japanese city of Hiroshima, where the United States dropped a nuclear bomb at the end of the war with Japan in 1945.

&quot;We must never repeat the horror of war. I want to express that determination as we look to the future, and at the same time send a message about the value of US-Japanese reconciliation,&quot; said Abe.

Abe&#39;s visit will come just a few weeks after the 75th anniversary of the attack, which occurred on December&nbsp;7, 1941.

Carried out by Japanese bombers and fighter planes launched from aircraft carriers that had quietly slipped within striking distance of Hawaii, the attack killed more than 2,000 Americans and sank a number of United States warships, including the battleship Arizona, whose wreck has become a memorial to the battle.

Obama&#39;s trip to Hiroshima this year was also a first by any sitting American president. In a statement, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said that the two leaders would visit the Arizona memorial together to honour those killed at Pearl Harbor.

(ANI)

Abe will be reciprocating a trip President Obama made in May to the Japanese city of Hiroshima

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will become the first sitting Japanese leader to visit Pearl Harbor, as he announced on Monday a symbolic visit this month to the site of the Japanese attack 75 years ago that pulled the United States into World War II. Abe said in a news conference that he would travel to the American naval base with outgoing US President Barack Obama during a trip to Hawaii on December 26 and 27, reports the New York Times. By visiting Pearl Harbor, Abe will be reciprocating a trip President Obama made in May to the Japanese city of Hiroshima, where the United States dropped a nuclear bomb at the end of the war with Japan in 1945. "We must never repeat the horror of war. I want to express that determination as we look to the future, and at the same time send a message about the value of US-Japanese reconciliation," said Abe. Abe's visit will come just a few weeks after the 75th anniversary of the attack, which occurred on December 7, 1941. Carried out by Japanese bombers and fighter planes launched from aircraft carriers that had quietly slipped within striking distance of Hawaii, the attack killed more than 2,000 Americans and sank a number of United States warships, including the battleship Arizona, whose wreck has become a memorial to the battle. Obama's trip to Hiroshima this year was also a first by any sitting American president. In a statement, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said that the two leaders would visit the Arizona memorial together to honour those killed at Pearl Harbor. (ANI)

Shinzo Abe to be first Japanese leader to visit Pearl Harbor

US President-elect Donald Trump fired a Twitter broadside at China on Sunday, accusing the Asian giant of currency manipulation and military expansionism in the South China Sea.

The taunt came two days after Trump risked offending Beijing by accepting a call from the Taiwanese president, and heralded the prospect of a trade battle between the world&rsquo;s largest economies.

China was a frequent target of Trump&rsquo;s during his presidential campaign and, as he prepares to take office next month, every sign points to his taking an aggressive line with Beijing.

&quot;Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into their country (the US doesn&rsquo;t tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea?&quot; he demanded, adding: &quot;I don&rsquo;t think so!&quot;

China is the United States&rsquo; largest trading partner, but America ran a $366 billion deficit with Beijing in goods and services in 2015, up 6.6 per cent on the year before.

US politicians often accuse China of artificially depressing its currency, the renminbi, in order to boost its exports -- its value has fallen by around 15 per cent in the past two-and-half years.

Trump has vowed to formally declare China a &quot;currency manipulator&quot; on the first day of his presidency, which would oblige the US Treasury to open negotiations with Beijing on allowing the renminbi to rise.

With China holding about a trillion dollars in US government debt, Washington would have little leverage in such talks, but the declaration would harm ties and boost the prospect of a trade war.

China charges an average 15.6 per cent tariff on US agricultural imports and nine percent on other goods, according to the World Trade Organization.

Chinese farm products pay 4.4 per cent and other goods 3.6 per cent when coming into the United States. &nbsp;

On Friday, Trump courted Chinese anger by accepting a congratulatory call from Taiwan&#39;s president Tsai Ing-wen.

China regards self-ruling Taiwan as part of its own territory awaiting reunification, and any US move implying support for independence would gravely offend Beijing.

Trump&rsquo;s incoming vice president, Mike Pence, played down the significance of the call, describing it as a courtesy, and said any new policy on China would be decided after his inauguration.

China responded cautiously to the call, with state media putting it down to Trump&#39;s &quot;inexperience.&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(AFP)

Trump accused China of currency manipulation and military expansionism in the South China Sea

US President-elect Donald Trump fired a Twitter broadside at China on Sunday, accusing the Asian giant of currency manipulation and military expansionism in the South China Sea. The taunt came two days after Trump risked offending Beijing by accepting a call from the Taiwanese president, and heralded the prospect of a trade battle between the world’s largest economies. China was a frequent target of Trump’s during his presidential campaign and, as he prepares to take office next month, every sign points to his taking an aggressive line with Beijing. "Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into their country (the US doesn’t tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea?" he demanded, adding: "I don’t think so!" China is the United States’ largest trading partner, but America ran a $366 billion deficit with Beijing in goods and services in 2015, up 6.6 per cent on the year before. US politicians often accuse China of artificially depressing its currency, the renminbi, in order to boost its exports -- its value has fallen by around 15 per cent in the past two-and-half years. Trump has vowed to formally declare China a "currency manipulator" on the first day of his presidency, which would oblige the US Treasury to open negotiations with Beijing on allowing the renminbi to rise. With China holding about a trillion dollars in US government debt, Washington would have little leverage in such talks, but the declaration would harm ties and boost the prospect of a trade war. China charges an average 15.6 per cent tariff on US agricultural imports and nine percent on other goods, according to the World Trade Organization. Chinese farm products pay 4.4 per cent and other goods 3.6 per cent when coming into the United States. On Friday, Trump courted Chinese anger by accepting a congratulatory call from Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen. China regards self-ruling Taiwan as part of its own territory awaiting reunification, and any US move implying support for independence would gravely offend Beijing. Trump’s incoming vice president, Mike Pence, played down the significance of the call, describing it as a courtesy, and said any new policy on China would be decided after his inauguration. China responded cautiously to the call, with state media putting it down to Trump's "inexperience." (AFP)

Trump picks Twitter fight with China

US President-elect Donald Trump&nbsp;on Monday&nbsp;chose Ben Carson, the mild-mannered retired neurosurgeon who challenged him for the Republican nomination, to turn around troubled US inner cities as secretary of housing and urban development.

Carson, an African-American who is a religious conservative, has no background in housing policy but has cited his poor childhood in Detroit as a qualification for the job.

He is the first black selected by Trump for his team.

&quot;Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities,&quot; Trump said in a statement.

&quot;We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities.&quot;

Carson said: &quot;I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly by strengthening communities that are most in need.&nbsp;

&quot;We have much work to do in enhancing every aspect of our nation and ensuring that our nation&rsquo;s housing needs are met.&quot;

&quot;I grew up in the inner city,&quot; Carson told Fox News last month. &quot;And have spent a lot of time there. And have dealt with a lot of patients from that area.&quot;

Carson briefly led the Republican presidential pack during the primaries, offering voters an unruffled, slow-talking persona that contrasted sharply with high-decibel slugfest around him.

His bid, which initially gained support among Christian conservatives, ultimately fizzled as he stumbled presenting concrete policies and answering questions about key issues.

The Seventh Day Adventist had presented himself as an alternative to the bombastic Trump, preaching tolerance and compromise but sometimes unleashing blunt rhetoric. These included many references to Nazi Germany, such as his suggestion that Jews would have fared better in the Holocaust had they been armed.

Trump mercilessly mocked him on the campaign trail, accusing Carson of having a &quot;pathological&quot; temper.

Carson nevertheless endorsed the real estate billionaire after withdrawing from the race in March, describing his former rival as &quot;a very intelligent man who cares deeply about America.&quot;

He took Trump on a neighborhood tour of his Detroit hometown in September at a time when the nominee was looking to boost his image with African-American voters.

And he came to Trump&#39;s defence following the release of a 2005 audiotape in which he bragged about groping women.

American Dream

Carson&#39;s history is the epitome of the American dream. The 65-year-old grew up poor, raised by an illiterate mother who married at age 13 but left her bigamist husband.

He developed into a model student, earning a scholarship to Yale University and attending the University of Michigan medical school.

At 33, he became the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University, earning global acclaim in 1987 by performing the first successful separation of twins conjoined at the head.

He retired in 2013 to hit the conservative talk circuit, describing how faith and family values had helped him as a drifting teenager to realize his dream.

He routinely promotes a return to individual responsibility -- a value that led him to denounce the welfare state, which he has warned only traps people in poverty.

&quot;If we continually keep people in a dependent position,&quot; he told conservatives in 2013, &quot;then they&#39;re soon going to lose the drive that is necessary to achieve in our society.&quot;

(Agency)

Ben Carson is the first African-American selected by Trump for his team

US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday chose Ben Carson, the mild-mannered retired neurosurgeon who challenged him for the Republican nomination, to turn around troubled US inner cities as secretary of housing and urban development. Carson, an African-American who is a religious conservative, has no background in housing policy but has cited his poor childhood in Detroit as a qualification for the job. He is the first black selected by Trump for his team. "Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities," Trump said in a statement. "We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities." Carson said: "I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly by strengthening communities that are most in need. "We have much work to do in enhancing every aspect of our nation and ensuring that our nation’s housing needs are met." "I grew up in the inner city," Carson told Fox News last month. "And have spent a lot of time there. And have dealt with a lot of patients from that area." Carson briefly led the Republican presidential pack during the primaries, offering voters an unruffled, slow-talking persona that contrasted sharply with high-decibel slugfest around him. His bid, which initially gained support among Christian conservatives, ultimately fizzled as he stumbled presenting concrete policies and answering questions about key issues. The Seventh Day Adventist had presented himself as an alternative to the bombastic Trump, preaching tolerance and compromise but sometimes unleashing blunt rhetoric. These included many references to Nazi Germany, such as his suggestion that Jews would have fared better in the Holocaust had they been armed. Trump mercilessly mocked him on the campaign trail, accusing Carson of having a "pathological" temper. Carson nevertheless endorsed the real estate billionaire after withdrawing from the race in March, describing his former rival as "a very intelligent man who cares deeply about America." He took Trump on a neighborhood tour of his Detroit hometown in September at a time when the nominee was looking to boost his image with African-American voters. And he came to Trump's defence following the release of a 2005 audiotape in which he bragged about groping women. American Dream Carson's history is the epitome of the American dream. The 65-year-old grew up poor, raised by an illiterate mother who married at age 13 but left her bigamist husband. He developed into a model student, earning a scholarship to Yale University and attending the University of Michigan medical school. At 33, he became the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University, earning global acclaim in 1987 by performing the first successful separation of twins conjoined at the head. He retired in 2013 to hit the conservative talk circuit, describing how faith and family values had helped him as a drifting teenager to realize his dream. He routinely promotes a return to individual responsibility -- a value that led him to denounce the welfare state, which he has warned only traps people in poverty. "If we continually keep people in a dependent position," he told conservatives in 2013, "then they're soon going to lose the drive that is necessary to achieve in our society." (Agency)

Donald Trump picks Ben Carson for housing secretary

Up to 40 people are feared dead in a huge fire that tore through&nbsp;a party in a warehouse near San Francisco, authorities said. The toll rose to 24 on Sunday, AFP quoted police as saying.

Oakland fire chief Teresa Deloach Reed told reporters that most of those who died in the blaze, that started about 11:30 pm local time on Friday, were thought to have died on the upper floor of the two-storey warehouse known as Oakland Ghostship.

&quot;It must have been a very fast-moving fire,&quot; she said.

An estimated 50 to 100 people were in the building attending an electronic dance music party. The cause of the fire is not yet known.

Fire crews had not been able to fully sweep the scene by mid-Saturday and officials were bracing for more casualties once rescuers entered the building.

&quot;We are prepared for several dozen fatalities,&quot; Sergeant Ray Kelly, of the Alameda County Sheriff&rsquo;s department, told reporters. &quot;We are prepared to deal with 30, 40 deceased people.&quot;

According to Kelly, some of the missing are from overseas, making it difficult to identify the victims. Most of the people attending the party were in their 20s and 30s.

The warehouse housed an artist collective with numerous partitions that were added and a makeshift stairwell built from pallets.

Some of the structural changes made it extremely difficult for people to escape, Reed said.

&quot;There wasn&rsquo;t a real entry or exit path,&quot; she said. &quot;I don&rsquo;t know where the fire started, but I do know that the way the building was situated made it difficult for people to escape.&quot;

Firefighters were hampered in their efforts to put out the blaze by clutter, news agency AFP reports.

&quot;It was filled end to end with furniture, whatnot, collections,&quot; Reed said. &quot;It was like a maze almost.&quot;

She said that it apparently no smoke detectors were activated in the building, which had no sprinkler system. The inferno raced through the structure quickly and got out of control at one point, forcing firefighters to pull back.

&quot;I literally felt my skin peeling and my lungs being suffocated by smoke,&quot; Bob Mule, a photographer who lives in the building, told Fox television affiliate KTVU. &quot;I couldn&rsquo;t get the fire extinguisher to work.&quot;

Video footage posted by the fire department overnight showed orange flames shooting into the sky from the roof and flaring out of the large windows.

Drones equipped with thermal imaging capabilities would be flown at the scene to detect &quot;hot spots&quot; that might still be burning inside the building.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

An estimated 50 to 100 people were in the building attending an electronic dance music party. At least 24 deaths have been confirmed

Up to 40 people are feared dead in a huge fire that tore through a party in a warehouse near San Francisco, authorities said. The toll rose to 24 on Sunday, AFP quoted police as saying. Oakland fire chief Teresa Deloach Reed told reporters that most of those who died in the blaze, that started about 11:30 pm local time on Friday, were thought to have died on the upper floor of the two-storey warehouse known as Oakland Ghostship. "It must have been a very fast-moving fire," she said. An estimated 50 to 100 people were in the building attending an electronic dance music party. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Fire crews had not been able to fully sweep the scene by mid-Saturday and officials were bracing for more casualties once rescuers entered the building. "We are prepared for several dozen fatalities," Sergeant Ray Kelly, of the Alameda County Sheriff’s department, told reporters. "We are prepared to deal with 30, 40 deceased people." According to Kelly, some of the missing are from overseas, making it difficult to identify the victims. Most of the people attending the party were in their 20s and 30s. The warehouse housed an artist collective with numerous partitions that were added and a makeshift stairwell built from pallets. Some of the structural changes made it extremely difficult for people to escape, Reed said. "There wasn’t a real entry or exit path," she said. "I don’t know where the fire started, but I do know that the way the building was situated made it difficult for people to escape." Firefighters were hampered in their efforts to put out the blaze by clutter, news agency AFP reports. "It was filled end to end with furniture, whatnot, collections," Reed said. "It was like a maze almost." She said that it apparently no smoke detectors were activated in the building, which had no sprinkler system. The inferno raced through the structure quickly and got out of control at one point, forcing firefighters to pull back. "I literally felt my skin peeling and my lungs being suffocated by smoke," Bob Mule, a photographer who lives in the building, told Fox television affiliate KTVU. "I couldn’t get the fire extinguisher to work." Video footage posted by the fire department overnight showed orange flames shooting into the sky from the roof and flaring out of the large windows. Drones equipped with thermal imaging capabilities would be flown at the scene to detect "hot spots" that might still be burning inside the building. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Oakland fire: Up to 40 feared dead as fire tears through warehouse party

Donald Trump has spoken to the President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, over the phone in what is considered a major break from normal US policy regarding China that is sure to anger Beijing.

Ever since 1978, the US under President Carter&#39;s administration&nbsp;has&nbsp;followed a &quot;One China&quot; policy, which recognises Beijing as the only government of both mainland China and Taiwan. Washington closed its Taiwan embassy in 1979.

The&nbsp;New York Times reported that this phone call is believed to be the first contact between a US president or president-elect since 1979.

The Washington Post quoted a former top China adviser to President Obama, Evan Medeiros,&nbsp;who now advises the Eurasia Group, as saying, &quot;This phone call calls into question whether or not Trump adheres to the basic foundation of the US-China relationship...this action guarantees that US-China relations under Trump will get off to a very rock start&quot;.

The Washington Post reports that as Taiwan&#39;s economic power and international recognition as a&nbsp;state independent from mainland China has decreased in recent years, Taiwan has put together a renewed and expensive&nbsp;diplomatic effort aimed at winning over Washington officials and journalists.

The Washington Post also reports that Trump had apparently considered investing in hotels in Taiwan earlier this year:&nbsp;citing a China Times report, the mayor of Taoyuan in November said that a Trump Organization representative had visited and showed interest in constructing hotels. Mr Trump has said that he will separate himself from&nbsp;his businesses before he is officially made president on January 20.

The Washington Post reports that most of the 50 phone calls made since the November 8 US election between state leaders and&nbsp;president-elect Donald Trump or vice president-elect Mike Pence have come without the knowledge or guidance of the State Department.

&nbsp;

Taiwan&#39;s response

An official statement put out by Taiwan said: &quot;The (Taiwanese) president is looking forward to strengthening bilateral interactions and contacts as well as setting up closer co-operative relations.&quot;

Tsai&#39;s office further told the Associated Press, &quot;The president also told US President-elect Trump that she hopes the US will continue to support Taiwan&#39;s effort in having more opportunities to participate in and contribute to international affairs in the future.&nbsp;

The statement also said the two nations &quot;shared ideas and concepts&quot; on &quot;promoting domestic economic development and strengthening national defence&quot; to improve the lives of ordinary people.

&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s reaction

Trump&#39;s transition team released a statement saying he spoke with Tsai Ing-wen, who congratulated Mr Trump. &quot;During the discussion, they noted the close economic, political, and security ties...between Taiwan and the United States. President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming President of Taiwan earlier this year.&quot;

On Friday night, President-elect&nbsp;Trump took to the social media site Twitter to defend his actions.&nbsp;

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The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/804848711599882240">December 3, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/804863098138005504">December 3, 2016</a></blockquote>
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(WION)

The US broke diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979. No president or president-elect has had contact with a Taiwanese leader since

Donald Trump has spoken to the President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, over the phone in what is considered a major break from normal US policy regarding China that is sure to anger Beijing. Ever since 1978, the US under President Carter's administration has followed a "One China" policy, which recognises Beijing as the only government of both mainland China and Taiwan. Washington closed its Taiwan embassy in 1979. The New York Times reported that this phone call is believed to be the first contact between a US president or president-elect since 1979. The Washington Post quoted a former top China adviser to President Obama, Evan Medeiros, who now advises the Eurasia Group, as saying, "This phone call calls into question whether or not Trump adheres to the basic foundation of the US-China relationship...this action guarantees that US-China relations under Trump will get off to a very rock start". The Washington Post reports that as Taiwan's economic power and international recognition as a state independent from mainland China has decreased in recent years, Taiwan has put together a renewed and expensive diplomatic effort aimed at winning over Washington officials and journalists. The Washington Post also reports that Trump had apparently considered investing in hotels in Taiwan earlier this year: citing a China Times report, the mayor of Taoyuan in November said that a Trump Organization representative had visited and showed interest in constructing hotels. Mr Trump has said that he will separate himself from his businesses before he is officially made president on January 20. The Washington Post reports that most of the 50 phone calls made since the November 8 US election between state leaders and president-elect Donald Trump or vice president-elect Mike Pence have come without the knowledge or guidance of the State Department. Taiwan's response An official statement put out by Taiwan said: "The (Taiwanese) president is looking forward to strengthening bilateral interactions and contacts as well as setting up closer co-operative relations." Tsai's office further told the Associated Press, "The president also told US President-elect Trump that she hopes the US will continue to support Taiwan's effort in having more opportunities to participate in and contribute to international affairs in the future. The statement also said the two nations "shared ideas and concepts" on "promoting domestic economic development and strengthening national defence" to improve the lives of ordinary people. Trump's reaction Trump's transition team released a statement saying he spoke with Tsai Ing-wen, who congratulated Mr Trump. "During the discussion, they noted the close economic, political, and security ties...between Taiwan and the United States. President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming President of Taiwan earlier this year." On Friday night, President-elect Trump took to the social media site Twitter to defend his actions. The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2016 × Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2016 × (WION)

Trump speaks to Taiwan President over phone in major departure from US policy on China

Authorities in Los Angeles said Monday they were actively seeking the authors of a series of threatening letters sent to area mosques and urged anyone who had received similar messages to come forward.

The letters, which were addressed to the &quot;Children of Satan,&quot; called Muslims &quot;vile and filthy people&quot; while praising President-elect Donald Trump and vowing that was &quot;going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews.&quot;

They were sent to three mosques in California and one in Georgia.

&quot;Your day of reckoning has arrived,&quot; the Council on American-Islamic Relations, an advocacy organisation for Muslims in the US, quoted the letter as saying. &quot;There&#39;s a new sheriff in town -- President Donald Trump. He&#39;s going to cleanse America and make it shine again. And, he&#39;s going to start with you Muslims.&quot;

The author or authors signed the letter &quot;Americans for a Better Way.&quot;

While the handwritten messages contained &quot;awful, awful language,&quot; the messages did not contain a specific threat and as such did not constitute a hate crime, said Stephen Woolery, head of the FBI&#39;s counterterrorism division in Los Angeles.

&quot;I would encourage you, the community, that if you receive letters like this, please report them,&quot; Woolery, said at a press conference at the Islamic Center of Southern California alongside police officials and faith leaders.&nbsp;

&quot;We know that there is under-reporting in a number of crimes that occur.&quot;

Los Angeles deputy police chief Michael Downing said two of the letters sent to mosques in California were postmarked November 19.

The FBI earlier this month reported that hate crimes against Muslims in the United States surged 67 per cent this year -- the highest level since the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

The bureau&#39;s Uniform Crime Report documented 257 anti-Muslim hate crimes, up from 154 in 2014.

Trump railed against Muslims and immigrants during the presidential campaign and since his election on November 8, more than 100 anti-Muslim incidents have been reported across the country, CAIR said.

It quoted the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate crimes, as saying that more than 700 incidents targeting different minority groups had been documented since Election Day.

(AFP)

The letter referred to Muslims as 'vile and filthy people' and stated 'going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews'

Authorities in Los Angeles said Monday they were actively seeking the authors of a series of threatening letters sent to area mosques and urged anyone who had received similar messages to come forward. The letters, which were addressed to the "Children of Satan," called Muslims "vile and filthy people" while praising President-elect Donald Trump and vowing that was "going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews." They were sent to three mosques in California and one in Georgia. "Your day of reckoning has arrived," the Council on American-Islamic Relations, an advocacy organisation for Muslims in the US, quoted the letter as saying. "There's a new sheriff in town -- President Donald Trump. He's going to cleanse America and make it shine again. And, he's going to start with you Muslims." The author or authors signed the letter "Americans for a Better Way." While the handwritten messages contained "awful, awful language," the messages did not contain a specific threat and as such did not constitute a hate crime, said Stephen Woolery, head of the FBI's counterterrorism division in Los Angeles. "I would encourage you, the community, that if you receive letters like this, please report them," Woolery, said at a press conference at the Islamic Center of Southern California alongside police officials and faith leaders. "We know that there is under-reporting in a number of crimes that occur." Los Angeles deputy police chief Michael Downing said two of the letters sent to mosques in California were postmarked November 19. The FBI earlier this month reported that hate crimes against Muslims in the United States surged 67 per cent this year -- the highest level since the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. The bureau's Uniform Crime Report documented 257 anti-Muslim hate crimes, up from 154 in 2014. Trump railed against Muslims and immigrants during the presidential campaign and since his election on November 8, more than 100 anti-Muslim incidents have been reported across the country, CAIR said. It quoted the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate crimes, as saying that more than 700 incidents targeting different minority groups had been documented since Election Day. (AFP)

US authorities seek authors of hateful letters to mosques

The American shopping fest known as Black Friday lured more buyers this year but they spent less per person thanks to great bargains, an industry group said Sunday.

More than 154 million people made purchases during the four-day retail extravaganza that began Thursday on Thanksgiving, compared to 151 million last year, the National Retail Federation said.

Shoppers spent an average of $289.19, compared to $299.60 in 2015.

Sales over the Thanksgiving holiday, which extends into so-called Cyber Monday, are a good indicator of the health of US consumer spending.

Online sales dominated. A total of 44 per cent of those who took part in the NRF survey said they had bought via the internet while 40 per cent went to a brick-and-mortar store.

&quot;It was a strong weekend for retailers, but an even better weekend for consumers, who took advantage of some really incredible deals,&quot; NRF president Matthew Shay said.

The most popular day to shop online was Black Friday itself, the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Of those who purchased online over the four-day period, 74 per cent did so on Friday, up 1.3 per cent from last year.

And of the people who went to actual stores over this shopping period, 75 per cent did so on Black Friday, up 3.4 per cent from last year, the NRF said.

Millennials, aged 18-34, drove the increase in shopping, with eight out of ten buying something over the long weekend.

Around 56 per cent of smartphone owners and 53 per cent of tablet owners used these devices to assist with their shopping.

The study was carried out by Prosper Insights &amp; Analytics with a sample of 4,330 people on November 25-26 and has a margin of error of 1.5 percentage points.

(AFP)

More than 154 million people made purchases during the four-day retail extravaganza that began Thursday on Thanksgiving

The American shopping fest known as Black Friday lured more buyers this year but they spent less per person thanks to great bargains, an industry group said Sunday. More than 154 million people made purchases during the four-day retail extravaganza that began Thursday on Thanksgiving, compared to 151 million last year, the National Retail Federation said. Shoppers spent an average of $289.19, compared to $299.60 in 2015. Sales over the Thanksgiving holiday, which extends into so-called Cyber Monday, are a good indicator of the health of US consumer spending. Online sales dominated. A total of 44 per cent of those who took part in the NRF survey said they had bought via the internet while 40 per cent went to a brick-and-mortar store. "It was a strong weekend for retailers, but an even better weekend for consumers, who took advantage of some really incredible deals," NRF president Matthew Shay said. The most popular day to shop online was Black Friday itself, the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Of those who purchased online over the four-day period, 74 per cent did so on Friday, up 1.3 per cent from last year. And of the people who went to actual stores over this shopping period, 75 per cent did so on Black Friday, up 3.4 per cent from last year, the NRF said. Millennials, aged 18-34, drove the increase in shopping, with eight out of ten buying something over the long weekend. Around 56 per cent of smartphone owners and 53 per cent of tablet owners used these devices to assist with their shopping. The study was carried out by Prosper Insights & Analytics with a sample of 4,330 people on November 25-26 and has a margin of error of 1.5 percentage points. (AFP)

US Black Friday: More shoppers this year but less spent per head

Donald Trump might be threatening to build a wall all along it but on Saturday -- Sunday is UN Children&#39;s Day -- the US-Mexico border &quot;opened&quot; for just a little bit. Three minutes to be exact.

Migrant advocacy group Border Angels got six Mexican-American families to meet their long-separated relatives from across the border as part of its &quot;Opening the Door of Hope&quot; event.

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Border Patrol agents patrol the United States-Mexico Border wall during the &#39;Opening the Door Of Hope&#39; event. (AFP)
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One by one, each family was escorted to the opening in the steel fence separating the San Diego suburb of San Ysidro from Tijuana in Mexico, and for three minutes -- under the watchful eye of border agents&nbsp;-- hugged and kissed their loved ones who had waited on the other side.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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For 20 years, Laura Avila (in picture)&nbsp;had yearned to hug her mother again. On Saturday, tears streaming down her face, the 35-year-old had her wish finally come true. (AFP)
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&quot;I last saw my mother when she was 50 and next week she turns 71,&quot; Avila, who lives in the Los Angeles area, told AFP after the emotional reunion. &quot;It was an early Christmas present for the two of us, and a birthday present for her.&quot;

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Laura Avila hugs her daughter Laura Vera Martinez after seeing her own mother. (AFP)
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&quot;She had to take a four-hour flight from Puebla (in east-central Mexico) to see us,&quot; Avila said of her mother who had been deported after illegally entering the US.&nbsp;Most of the six families had had parents deported back to Mexico.&nbsp;

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Luis Hernandez hugs his Father Eduardo. (AFP)
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Many like Luis Hernandez were allowed to stay in the US because of President Barack Obama&#39;s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme which allows immigrants who arrived in the US as children to work and study in the country on a temporary basis, while the parents are deported.

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Adrian Gonalez Morales consoles his daughter Aileen after seeing, and hugging, her grandparents. (AFP)
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These so-called &quot;Dreamers&quot; &nbsp;are now worried that Trump will repeal the action, leading to tragic consequences for&nbsp;some 750,000 people. &#39;I am terrified,&#39;&nbsp;said Luis Hernandez, 25, who hadn&#39;t seen his father in five years.

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Fears over Trump pushing ahead with his harsh immigration proposals were on everyone&#39;s mind. (AFP)
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&#39;What Trump has proposed is so scary for a lot of minorities, myself included,&#39;&nbsp;said Hernandez, who runs a television and Internet service in Los Angeles. &#39;He has said he plans to undo the law that protects me.&#39;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Briefly on Saturday, 6 Mexican-American families got to meet long-separated parents who'd been deported back to Mexico from the States

Donald Trump might be threatening to build a wall all along it but on Saturday -- Sunday is UN Children's Day -- the US-Mexico border "opened" for just a little bit. Three minutes to be exact. Migrant advocacy group Border Angels got six Mexican-American families to meet their long-separated relatives from across the border as part of its "Opening the Door of Hope" event. Border Patrol agents patrol the United States-Mexico Border wall during the 'Opening the Door Of Hope' event. (AFP) × One by one, each family was escorted to the opening in the steel fence separating the San Diego suburb of San Ysidro from Tijuana in Mexico, and for three minutes -- under the watchful eye of border agents -- hugged and kissed their loved ones who had waited on the other side. For 20 years, Laura Avila (in picture) had yearned to hug her mother again. On Saturday, tears streaming down her face, the 35-year-old had her wish finally come true. (AFP) × "I last saw my mother when she was 50 and next week she turns 71," Avila, who lives in the Los Angeles area, told AFP after the emotional reunion. "It was an early Christmas present for the two of us, and a birthday present for her." Laura Avila hugs her daughter Laura Vera Martinez after seeing her own mother. (AFP) × "She had to take a four-hour flight from Puebla (in east-central Mexico) to see us," Avila said of her mother who had been deported after illegally entering the US. Most of the six families had had parents deported back to Mexico. Luis Hernandez hugs his Father Eduardo. (AFP) × Many like Luis Hernandez were allowed to stay in the US because of President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme which allows immigrants who arrived in the US as children to work and study in the country on a temporary basis, while the parents are deported. Adrian Gonalez Morales consoles his daughter Aileen after seeing, and hugging, her grandparents. (AFP) × These so-called "Dreamers" are now worried that Trump will repeal the action, leading to tragic consequences for some 750,000 people. 'I am terrified,' said Luis Hernandez, 25, who hadn't seen his father in five years. Fears over Trump pushing ahead with his harsh immigration proposals were on everyone's mind. (AFP) × 'What Trump has proposed is so scary for a lot of minorities, myself included,' said Hernandez, who runs a television and Internet service in Los Angeles. 'He has said he plans to undo the law that protects me.' (WION with inputs from AFP)

In pictures: After 20 years, 3 minutes to embrace on US-Mexico border

US slammed Iran for overstepping of the limit on its stock of sensitive material for the second time this year at UN&#39;s International Atomic Energy (IAEA) on Thursday.&nbsp;

The IAEA which is regulating the deal said Iran violating the terms of the deal could undermine US support for the nuclear agreement, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between the countries last year.&nbsp;

US ambassador to the IAEA, Laura Holgate, said &quot;Iran must strictly adhere to all commitments and technical measures for their duration.&quot;

The clause limits Iran&#39;s stock of heavy water which is used as a mdoerator in reactors. The clause stipulates more than 130 tonnes of heavy water should not be used.&nbsp;

&quot;We note with concern Iran&#39;s accumulation of heavy water in excess of the limit set forth in the JCPOA of 130 metric tonnes,&quot; Holgate said.&nbsp;

Iran&#39;s envoy to the IAEA, Reza Najafi said the country is planning to export more than five tonnes of heavy water to come back under the 130 tonne limit. Iran had notified the IAEA about its plans to excceed the original limit.&nbsp;

However, Holgate said Iran will violate the deal until the heavy water was delivered to a foreign buyer as per the deal&#39;s requirement.&nbsp;

&quot;Simply notifying states that this heavy water is for sale without removing it from Iran does not fulfil this JCPOA commitment,&quot; she said.

Iran said the issue was not that clear-cut.

&nbsp;Najafi responded with &quot;Where is (the) limit?&quot;

&quot;The JCPOA is very clear,&quot; he added. &quot;It says that the needs of Iran are estimated (to be) 130 tonnes. Who is the native English speaker to tell me what estimated means?&quot;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The clause limits Iran's stock of heavy water which is used as a moderator in reactors and the estimated requirement is set for 130 tonnes

US slammed Iran for overstepping of the limit on its stock of sensitive material for the second time this year at UN's International Atomic Energy (IAEA) on Thursday. The IAEA which is regulating the deal said Iran violating the terms of the deal could undermine US support for the nuclear agreement, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between the countries last year. US ambassador to the IAEA, Laura Holgate, said "Iran must strictly adhere to all commitments and technical measures for their duration." The clause limits Iran's stock of heavy water which is used as a mdoerator in reactors. The clause stipulates more than 130 tonnes of heavy water should not be used. "We note with concern Iran's accumulation of heavy water in excess of the limit set forth in the JCPOA of 130 metric tonnes," Holgate said. Iran's envoy to the IAEA, Reza Najafi said the country is planning to export more than five tonnes of heavy water to come back under the 130 tonne limit. Iran had notified the IAEA about its plans to excceed the original limit. However, Holgate said Iran will violate the deal until the heavy water was delivered to a foreign buyer as per the deal's requirement. "Simply notifying states that this heavy water is for sale without removing it from Iran does not fulfil this JCPOA commitment," she said. Iran said the issue was not that clear-cut. Najafi responded with "Where is (the) limit?" "The JCPOA is very clear," he added. "It says that the needs of Iran are estimated (to be) 130 tonnes. Who is the native English speaker to tell me what estimated means?" (WION with inputs from Reuters)

US, Iran clash over Tehran's testing of limit in nuclear deal

US President-elect Donald Trump, with vice-president elect Mike Pence, is&nbsp;readying&nbsp;to appoint candidates to his transition team on Tuesday.&nbsp;Trump, a political novice, is looking to fill&nbsp;his team with&nbsp;loyalists,&nbsp;top contenders being former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and former UN ambassador John Bolton.

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Very organized process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions. I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/798721142525665280">November 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Mike Rogers, a former US congressman was suggested as possible candidate for the post of CIA director, but was rejected because Trump&#39;s advisers believed he did not pressure rival Hillary Clinton when he was the head of the House of Representatives intelligence committee.&nbsp;

Trump also dropped New Jersey governor Chris Christie last week to lead his transition team and replaced him with Mike Pence. Pence, along with Trump&#39;s three older children, will be overseeing the process. But with only&nbsp;weeks left until Trump takes office, Pence has not filled out the necessary legal paperwork&nbsp;with President Barack Obama&#39;s team.&nbsp;

Christie had already negotiated and signed this paperwork while leading Trump&#39;s transition, but since he was replaced Friday, the Trump team has refused to sign the paperwork again. As the New York Times reported, the team is trying to alter and update the initial agreement Christie signed.

The paperwork, a standard arrangement between the president-elect and the standing president, guarantees that the Obama and Trump administration will not publicly share information about each other. It is known as a memorandum of understanding, or MOU.

The Washington Examiner&nbsp;reports that Trump&#39;s transition team failed to appear at the Pentagon. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-transition-team_us_582b9516e4b0aa8910bd97a5?">The Huffington Post</a> reports that officials waited in vain for&nbsp;Trump&#39;s transition team to appear at the Department of Energy, who keep the nuclear weapons safe,&nbsp;at&nbsp;the Department of Transportation, and at the Justice Department. This confusion makes it impossible for the agencies to communicate with the staff who will be replacing them.

Giuliani and Bolton are the top contenders for secretary of state.&nbsp;Both are considered hardliners in their approach towards national security.&nbsp;

Mike Flynn, a retired Lieutenant General is a top candidate as national security adviser, while Jeff Sessions, Alabama senator is being considered for secretary or defence or attorney general.&nbsp;Steve Mnuchin, a Wall Street executive, might serve as treasury secretary.&nbsp;

The Huffington Post characterises the transition problem&nbsp;as &quot;twofold&quot;. On the one hand, Trump&#39;s anti-establishment inner circle are reluctant to work with experienced Republicans. Meanwhile&nbsp;GOP members who were eager for political control are unwilling to work under Trump and members of his team.&nbsp;

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After exchange w Trump transition team, changed my recommendation: stay away. They&#39;re angry, arrogant, screaming &quot;you LOST!&quot; Will be ugly.
&mdash; Eliot A Cohen (@EliotACohen) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliotACohen/status/798512852931788800">November 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and former UN ambassador John Bolton are being considered for secretary of state

US President-elect Donald Trump, with vice-president elect Mike Pence, is readying to appoint candidates to his transition team on Tuesday. Trump, a political novice, is looking to fill his team with loyalists, top contenders being former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and former UN ambassador John Bolton. Very organized process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions. I am the only one who knows who the finalists are! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2016 × Mike Rogers, a former US congressman was suggested as possible candidate for the post of CIA director, but was rejected because Trump's advisers believed he did not pressure rival Hillary Clinton when he was the head of the House of Representatives intelligence committee. Trump also dropped New Jersey governor Chris Christie last week to lead his transition team and replaced him with Mike Pence. Pence, along with Trump's three older children, will be overseeing the process. But with only weeks left until Trump takes office, Pence has not filled out the necessary legal paperwork with President Barack Obama's team. Christie had already negotiated and signed this paperwork while leading Trump's transition, but since he was replaced Friday, the Trump team has refused to sign the paperwork again. As the New York Times reported, the team is trying to alter and update the initial agreement Christie signed. The paperwork, a standard arrangement between the president-elect and the standing president, guarantees that the Obama and Trump administration will not publicly share information about each other. It is known as a memorandum of understanding, or MOU. The Washington Examiner reports that Trump's transition team failed to appear at the Pentagon. The Huffington Post reports that officials waited in vain for Trump's transition team to appear at the Department of Energy, who keep the nuclear weapons safe, at the Department of Transportation, and at the Justice Department. This confusion makes it impossible for the agencies to communicate with the staff who will be replacing them. Giuliani and Bolton are the top contenders for secretary of state. Both are considered hardliners in their approach towards national security. Mike Flynn, a retired Lieutenant General is a top candidate as national security adviser, while Jeff Sessions, Alabama senator is being considered for secretary or defence or attorney general. Steve Mnuchin, a Wall Street executive, might serve as treasury secretary. The Huffington Post characterises the transition problem as "twofold". On the one hand, Trump's anti-establishment inner circle are reluctant to work with experienced Republicans. Meanwhile GOP members who were eager for political control are unwilling to work under Trump and members of his team. After exchange w Trump transition team, changed my recommendation: stay away. They're angry, arrogant, screaming "you LOST!" Will be ugly. — Eliot A Cohen (@EliotACohen) November 15, 2016 × (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Trump leans toward loyalists as he mulls US Cabinet picks

Republican members of the US house of representatives on Tuesday unanimously chose Paul Ryan to keep his job as Speaker, following the party&#39;s victory at the polls last week, the House GOP conference announced.

&quot;It is a tremendous honor to be nominated by my colleagues to serve as Speaker of the House. Now it&#39;s time to go big,&quot; Ryan, a 46-year-old lawmaker from Wisconsin, tweeted after the closed-doors vote at the Capitol.

Democrats and Republicans will formally vote to elect the chamber&#39;s speaker after newly-elected lawmakers take up their seats on January 3.

Given that the Republicans maintain their majority in the House, Ryan&#39;s re-election as speaker is essentially a foregone conclusion -- unless another Republican decides to mount a surprise challenge between now and then.

On the Democratic side, internal divisions have delayed the election of a party leader in the House until November 30.

The role is currently held by Nancy Pelosi, 76, but she may face a challenge from the party&#39;s young guard, in the person of 43-year-old Ohio lawmaker Tim Ryan.

The Republican majority in both the House and Senate is expected to clear the way for President-elect Donald Trump to roll out much of his conservative agenda unfettered.

In a sign that the party leadership&#39;s resistance to the maverick billionaire has all but disappeared, House Republicans assembling for the internal vote were each given one of Trump&#39;s trademark red &quot;Make America Great Again&quot; baseball caps.

Ryan himself -- who kept his distance and on several occasions criticised Trump during the White House campaign -- has swung firmly behind the 45th US president, who will take office on January 20.

&quot;Seventy perc ent of the people in this nation think America is going down the wrong path,&quot; Ryan told a news conference on Tuesday morning.&nbsp;

&quot;They now just said, get on a better way, a better path. That&#39;s our job. Not to look backwards but to look forward.&quot;

Trump and the Republicans appear to be in broad agreement on a roadmap that includes replacing President Barack Obama&#39;s trademark health care law, building a wall -- or fence -- on the Mexican border, and slashing taxes.

&quot;We&#39;re on the same page with our president-elect,&quot; Ryan said. &quot;I talked with Donald Trump virtually every single day.&quot;

Definitive results from last Tuesday&#39;s election have yet to come in, but Republicans are assured of holding at least 239 seats in the House of Representatives, against 193 for Democrats, and at least 51 of 100 seats in the Senate.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Despite the unanimous decision, a formal vote will be cast to elect Speaker by the new-elected lawmakers on January 3

Republican members of the US house of representatives on Tuesday unanimously chose Paul Ryan to keep his job as Speaker, following the party's victory at the polls last week, the House GOP conference announced. "It is a tremendous honor to be nominated by my colleagues to serve as Speaker of the House. Now it's time to go big," Ryan, a 46-year-old lawmaker from Wisconsin, tweeted after the closed-doors vote at the Capitol. Democrats and Republicans will formally vote to elect the chamber's speaker after newly-elected lawmakers take up their seats on January 3. Given that the Republicans maintain their majority in the House, Ryan's re-election as speaker is essentially a foregone conclusion -- unless another Republican decides to mount a surprise challenge between now and then. On the Democratic side, internal divisions have delayed the election of a party leader in the House until November 30. The role is currently held by Nancy Pelosi, 76, but she may face a challenge from the party's young guard, in the person of 43-year-old Ohio lawmaker Tim Ryan. The Republican majority in both the House and Senate is expected to clear the way for President-elect Donald Trump to roll out much of his conservative agenda unfettered. In a sign that the party leadership's resistance to the maverick billionaire has all but disappeared, House Republicans assembling for the internal vote were each given one of Trump's trademark red "Make America Great Again" baseball caps. Ryan himself -- who kept his distance and on several occasions criticised Trump during the White House campaign -- has swung firmly behind the 45th US president, who will take office on January 20. "Seventy perc ent of the people in this nation think America is going down the wrong path," Ryan told a news conference on Tuesday morning. "They now just said, get on a better way, a better path. That's our job. Not to look backwards but to look forward." Trump and the Republicans appear to be in broad agreement on a roadmap that includes replacing President Barack Obama's trademark health care law, building a wall -- or fence -- on the Mexican border, and slashing taxes. "We're on the same page with our president-elect," Ryan said. "I talked with Donald Trump virtually every single day." Definitive results from last Tuesday's election have yet to come in, but Republicans are assured of holding at least 239 seats in the House of Representatives, against 193 for Democrats, and at least 51 of 100 seats in the Senate. (AFP)

Republicans re-elect Paul Ryan as House speaker

In the wake of Republican nominee Donald Trump winning the US presidential elections, a number of Americans are gathering&nbsp;in the streets to express either shock or jubiliation.

Live from Manhattan, this is a compilation of some tweets that show the deep divisions that exist in America today:

Some folks on Twitter resorted to&nbsp;humour:&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Is it too soon to tell my Mexican boyfriend I&#39;m just not ready to be in a long distance relationship??? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElectionNight?src=hash">#ElectionNight</a>
&mdash; Bree Essrig (@BreeEssrig) <a href="https://twitter.com/BreeEssrig/status/796260999045136384">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

While there is chaos at many places:&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
BREAKING: Chaos outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan saying &quot;America united, we will never be divided&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews">@WIONews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElectionNight?src=hash">#ElectionNight</a> <a href="https://t.co/yoTyXuptAC">pic.twitter.com/yoTyXuptAC</a>
&mdash; Archith Seshadri (@ArchithNEWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArchithNEWS/status/796244588889600000">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
NYC Trump Protesters ?? 
 
This Has Soros Written All Over It 
 
Civil Unrest Is The Lefts Goal 
 
Stay Vigilant<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpProtest?src=hash">#TrumpProtest</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpPresident?src=hash">#TrumpPresident</a> <a href="https://t.co/B7g7Tvtych">pic.twitter.com/B7g7Tvtych</a>
&mdash; #MAGA ?? Colleen (@col_nj) <a href="https://twitter.com/col_nj/status/796566998780100608">November 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Student walkout at Central Academy in Des Moines -- with &quot;Dump Trump&quot; signs up. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpPresident?src=hash">#TrumpPresident</a> <a href="https://t.co/tg3xfPFdYc">pic.twitter.com/tg3xfPFdYc</a>
&mdash; ANTONIO ARELLANO (@AntonioArellano) <a href="https://twitter.com/AntonioArellano/status/796415982277427201">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

People also started suggesting that the elections are rigged:&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
People are protesting outside the Hilton hotel Midtown saying &quot;one person one vote&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews">@WIONews</a> <a href="https://t.co/3tt0bNoMok">pic.twitter.com/3tt0bNoMok</a>
&mdash; Archith Seshadri (@ArchithNEWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArchithNEWS/status/796243099433533441">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

On the other hand, there&#39;s red everywhere:&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
A man is selling &quot;Make America Great Again&quot; caps outside of the Hilton hotel in Midtown <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews">@WIONews</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZO7a91Et3l">pic.twitter.com/ZO7a91Et3l</a>
&mdash; Archith Seshadri (@ArchithNEWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArchithNEWS/status/796248791976476672">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Amidst the celebrations and protests on the streets, many are even contemplating leaving for greener pastures:&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Emigrate?src=hash">#Emigrate</a> crashes Canada&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/immigration?src=hash">#immigration</a> website<a href="https://t.co/LxS575qLSo">https://t.co/LxS575qLSo</a>
&mdash; Puneet Pandeya (@puneetpandeya) <a href="https://twitter.com/puneetpandeya/status/796261321561935872">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

(Contributed By: Zeba Khan)

Currently, there are reports of massive protests and chaos in several states

In the wake of Republican nominee Donald Trump winning the US presidential elections, a number of Americans are gathering in the streets to express either shock or jubiliation. Live from Manhattan, this is a compilation of some tweets that show the deep divisions that exist in America today: Some folks on Twitter resorted to humour: Is it too soon to tell my Mexican boyfriend I'm just not ready to be in a long distance relationship??? #ElectionNight — Bree Essrig (@BreeEssrig) November 9, 2016 While there is chaos at many places: BREAKING: Chaos outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan saying "America united, we will never be divided" @WIONews #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/yoTyXuptAC — Archith Seshadri (@ArchithNEWS) November 9, 2016 NYC Trump Protesters ?? This Has Soros Written All Over It Civil Unrest Is The Lefts Goal Stay Vigilant#TrumpProtest #TrumpPresident pic.twitter.com/B7g7Tvtych — #MAGA ?? Colleen (@col_nj) November 10, 2016 Student walkout at Central Academy in Des Moines -- with "Dump Trump" signs up. #TrumpPresident pic.twitter.com/tg3xfPFdYc — ANTONIO ARELLANO (@AntonioArellano) November 9, 2016 People also started suggesting that the elections are rigged: People are protesting outside the Hilton hotel Midtown saying "one person one vote" @WIONews pic.twitter.com/3tt0bNoMok — Archith Seshadri (@ArchithNEWS) November 9, 2016 On the other hand, there's red everywhere: A man is selling "Make America Great Again" caps outside of the Hilton hotel in Midtown @WIONews pic.twitter.com/ZO7a91Et3l — Archith Seshadri (@ArchithNEWS) November 9, 2016 Amidst the celebrations and protests on the streets, many are even contemplating leaving for greener pastures: #Emigrate crashes Canada's #immigration websitehttps://t.co/LxS575qLSo — Puneet Pandeya (@puneetpandeya) November 9, 2016 (Contributed By: Zeba Khan)

Americans can't decide how to react to Donald Trump's win

Chelsea Manning, a former US Army soldier convicted for espionage tried to commit suicide for the second time, her lawyer said on Friday.&nbsp;

Manning is serving a 35 year sentence for passing classified information to WikiLeaks came out as a transgender after she was convicted.&nbsp;

She tried to kill herself on October 4, before being placed in solitary confinement for a previous suicide attempt in July, her lawyer Chase Strangio said.&nbsp;

Manning is held at Fort Leavenworth, a military prison in Kansas. She was charged with espionage for giving more 700,000 documents, videos, diplomatic cables and battlefield information to WikiLeaks.&nbsp;

Strangio, a lawyer from the American Civil Liberties Union blamed the officials for refusing to &quot;adequately treat her gender dysphoria&quot; and for isolating her for trying to take her life.&nbsp;

&quot;She has repeatedly been punished for trying to survive and now is being repeatedly punished for trying to die,&quot; Strangio added.&nbsp;

After her attempt, Manning was sent back to the general section of the jail.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

US Army soldier Manning is serving 35 years in prison for passing classified files to WikiLeaks

Chelsea Manning, a former US Army soldier convicted for espionage tried to commit suicide for the second time, her lawyer said on Friday. Manning is serving a 35 year sentence for passing classified information to WikiLeaks came out as a transgender after she was convicted. She tried to kill herself on October 4, before being placed in solitary confinement for a previous suicide attempt in July, her lawyer Chase Strangio said. Manning is held at Fort Leavenworth, a military prison in Kansas. She was charged with espionage for giving more 700,000 documents, videos, diplomatic cables and battlefield information to WikiLeaks. Strangio, a lawyer from the American Civil Liberties Union blamed the officials for refusing to "adequately treat her gender dysphoria" and for isolating her for trying to take her life. "She has repeatedly been punished for trying to survive and now is being repeatedly punished for trying to die," Strangio added. After her attempt, Manning was sent back to the general section of the jail. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Chelsea Manning attempted suicide second time: Lawyer

Support for the legalisation of marijuana has risen to nearly 60 per cent among US&nbsp;adults, marking a near reversal of attitudes held only a decade ago. More relaxed views about marijuana have led around two dozen states to allow legal access of some type of the drug and more US&nbsp;states are set to vote on marijuana related measures on Tuesday (November 8).

Polls indicate voters in California, the most populous US&nbsp;state, are likely to legalise marijuana on November&nbsp;8, instantly creating a massive marketplace for marijuana and making California the fifth US&nbsp;state to permit recreational pot use.

On Venice Beach, one of the few spots in car-choked Los Angeles with a vibrant street life, support for Proposition 64, the referendum on California&#39;s November ballot that would legalize the cultivation, sale and recreational use of marijuana, is particularly high.

&quot;People smoke everywhere so it&#39;s basically legal and people or the police turn a blind eye or really don&#39;t care if people are smoking so why are we going to be against a proposition that will, you know, generate billions of dollars in taxes?&quot; said Laurie Martin, a Los Angeles resident from San Francisco.

&quot;I think it should be legalised because why should people go to jail for something so minimal,&quot; added Robert Brown, a tourist from Indiana.

Others said marijuana should be legalised because of its medicinal qualities.

&quot;I think it&#39;s good because I think that a lot of people actually benefit from it. I&#39;m not saying it is for everybody, I don&#39;t think it`s for everybody, I don`t think that everybody should smoke it, just like not everybody should have certain medications. But certain people I think benefit from it, and if it comes from a doctor and it&#39;s a legit doctor that kind of does a good evaluation, then why not,&quot; said a pregnant LA&nbsp;resident, Maria Martin.

&quot;Well I think it is a good idea because a lot of people suffer from a lot of different pain that doctors can&#39;t treat, and I think marijuana would be a good option,&quot; added Antonio Franco, an LA resident.

With marijuana legalisation measures on the ballot in nine states Tuesday, investment opportunities are attracting money from Wall Street, Silicon Valley and publicly traded companies with investors new to the sector eager for a piece of a market that, by some estimates, will reach $50 billion over the next decade. Proposition 64 has created divisions in law enforcement with some for the referendum and others against it.

Kristi Sandoval Eckard, the Director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League which is against Proposition 64, warned of the dangers of marijuana legalisation to public safety

&quot;Undoubtedly more people will die on the roadways. Like I said that&#39;s already been shown in Washington and Colorado and California should pay attention to that. That&#39;s one of the reasons that the California Highway Patrol and the Auto Club of Southern California have opposed Prop&nbsp;64, because they expect that deaths behind the wheel of a car or resulting from people who use marijuana will increase and that&#39;s a problem,&quot; said Eckard.

&quot;The financial gain for the state of California should not be the priority. Public safety should be the priority, the safety of our children that this will be marketed to should be the priority of the voters on the 8th and so we&#39;re encouraging people to vote `no` on Prop&nbsp;64,&quot; she added.

However, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, which is a coalition of retired policemen, judges and other law enforcement officials, argue that Proposition 64 would free up law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes.

&quot;It&#39;s going to free up law enforcement for public safety to spend more time paying attention to crimes against people, to crimes against property. It&#39;s going to take up less room in our jails. It&#39;s going to take up less time in our courtrooms. It&#39;s&nbsp;going to become another regulated private product that the police do not have to deal with. It&#39;s going to put thousands and thousands and thousands of police man hours back to being attentive to crimes against people and property,&quot; said retired LAPD Deputy Police Chief Stephen Downing.

&quot;The layer of use is already there and it&#39;s quite a large layer that we are not collecting taxes on, and that layer is being run by the black market. And so there is no protections in what you&#39;re buying what the strength is, what the purity is. So from a health and safety standpoint, people are going to know what they&#39;re buying. It`s going to be regulated just like alcohol, a person has to show an identification to do it and I can&#39;t see where crime would increase. Charlie Beck, the chief in LAPD, did a survey of crime around dispensaries and he found that they had more crime around banks than they did around dispensaries,&quot; he added.

If California&#39;s Proposition 64 passes on Tuesday it could be a tipping point for the rest of the country.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

(Reuters)

If California's Proposition 64 passes on Tuesday, it could be a tipping point for the rest of the country

Support for the legalisation of marijuana has risen to nearly 60 per cent among US adults, marking a near reversal of attitudes held only a decade ago. More relaxed views about marijuana have led around two dozen states to allow legal access of some type of the drug and more US states are set to vote on marijuana related measures on Tuesday (November 8). Polls indicate voters in California, the most populous US state, are likely to legalise marijuana on November 8, instantly creating a massive marketplace for marijuana and making California the fifth US state to permit recreational pot use. On Venice Beach, one of the few spots in car-choked Los Angeles with a vibrant street life, support for Proposition 64, the referendum on California's November ballot that would legalize the cultivation, sale and recreational use of marijuana, is particularly high. "People smoke everywhere so it's basically legal and people or the police turn a blind eye or really don't care if people are smoking so why are we going to be against a proposition that will, you know, generate billions of dollars in taxes?" said Laurie Martin, a Los Angeles resident from San Francisco. "I think it should be legalised because why should people go to jail for something so minimal," added Robert Brown, a tourist from Indiana. Others said marijuana should be legalised because of its medicinal qualities. "I think it's good because I think that a lot of people actually benefit from it. I'm not saying it is for everybody, I don't think it`s for everybody, I don`t think that everybody should smoke it, just like not everybody should have certain medications. But certain people I think benefit from it, and if it comes from a doctor and it's a legit doctor that kind of does a good evaluation, then why not," said a pregnant LA resident, Maria Martin. "Well I think it is a good idea because a lot of people suffer from a lot of different pain that doctors can't treat, and I think marijuana would be a good option," added Antonio Franco, an LA resident. With marijuana legalisation measures on the ballot in nine states Tuesday, investment opportunities are attracting money from Wall Street, Silicon Valley and publicly traded companies with investors new to the sector eager for a piece of a market that, by some estimates, will reach $50 billion over the next decade. Proposition 64 has created divisions in law enforcement with some for the referendum and others against it. Kristi Sandoval Eckard, the Director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League which is against Proposition 64, warned of the dangers of marijuana legalisation to public safety "Undoubtedly more people will die on the roadways. Like I said that's already been shown in Washington and Colorado and California should pay attention to that. That's one of the reasons that the California Highway Patrol and the Auto Club of Southern California have opposed Prop 64, because they expect that deaths behind the wheel of a car or resulting from people who use marijuana will increase and that's a problem," said Eckard. "The financial gain for the state of California should not be the priority. Public safety should be the priority, the safety of our children that this will be marketed to should be the priority of the voters on the 8th and so we're encouraging people to vote `no` on Prop 64," she added. However, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, which is a coalition of retired policemen, judges and other law enforcement officials, argue that Proposition 64 would free up law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes. "It's going to free up law enforcement for public safety to spend more time paying attention to crimes against people, to crimes against property. It's going to take up less room in our jails. It's going to take up less time in our courtrooms. It's going to become another regulated private product that the police do not have to deal with. It's going to put thousands and thousands and thousands of police man hours back to being attentive to crimes against people and property," said retired LAPD Deputy Police Chief Stephen Downing. "The layer of use is already there and it's quite a large layer that we are not collecting taxes on, and that layer is being run by the black market. And so there is no protections in what you're buying what the strength is, what the purity is. So from a health and safety standpoint, people are going to know what they're buying. It`s going to be regulated just like alcohol, a person has to show an identification to do it and I can't see where crime would increase. Charlie Beck, the chief in LAPD, did a survey of crime around dispensaries and he found that they had more crime around banks than they did around dispensaries," he added. If California's Proposition 64 passes on Tuesday it could be a tipping point for the rest of the country. (Reuters)

Polls show California to legalise recreational marijuana use Nov 8

The US embassy in New Delhi has issued a travel advisory to its nationals warning of an increased threat of an attack by Islamic State on foreign travellers. The advisory, issued on Tuesday, has warned Americans to be vigilant while travelling to religious sites, markets and festival venues.

Although the IS itself has no presence in India, security agencies have detained more than 50 suspects with alleged connections to IS-inspired terror modules in the country.

The US advisory comes close on the heels of reports that militants are planning to attack foreign nationals on behalf of the IS. In at least two such cases involving suspects arrested recently in Kolkata and Kerala, police officials said the suspects were looking for foreign nationals to target.

Police said the suspects were told to decapitate foreigners, film the act, and send videos to their handlers so that the attacks could later by claimed by the IS.

(This report first appeared in DNA)&nbsp;

The US advisory comes close on the heels of reports that militants are planning to attack foreign nationals on behalf of the IS

The US embassy in New Delhi has issued a travel advisory to its nationals warning of an increased threat of an attack by Islamic State on foreign travellers. The advisory, issued on Tuesday, has warned Americans to be vigilant while travelling to religious sites, markets and festival venues. Although the IS itself has no presence in India, security agencies have detained more than 50 suspects with alleged connections to IS-inspired terror modules in the country. The US advisory comes close on the heels of reports that militants are planning to attack foreign nationals on behalf of the IS. In at least two such cases involving suspects arrested recently in Kolkata and Kerala, police officials said the suspects were looking for foreign nationals to target. Police said the suspects were told to decapitate foreigners, film the act, and send videos to their handlers so that the attacks could later by claimed by the IS. (This report first appeared in DNA)

US embassy in New Delhi warns of possible IS attacks in India

Brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy and five others were acquitted by the jury of Portland district court on Thursday for their 41-day armed siege in January this year of the Malheur national wildlife refuge in Oregon.&nbsp;

The brothers had led the takeover of the obscure bird sanctuary after two ranchers were imprisoned for arson.&nbsp;

The verdict was pronounced after a five-week trial, after which all seven anti-government militants walked free from charges of conspiracy to impede federal officers through intimidation and force as well as gun possession.

Just the charge of impeding federal officers through intimidation would have led to six years in prison.&nbsp;

During the standoff and the trial, the militants insisted they acted in support of the two Oregon ranchers whom they felt were unfairly treated and to protest against federal ownership of public lands, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

The ruling came as a surprise with defense attorney Lisa Ludwig calling it &quot;stunning&quot;. Social media users however reacted to the verdict as &quot;unreal&quot; and &quot;a sad day for America&quot;.&nbsp;

Oregon governor Kat Brown also tweeted her disappointment, saying, &quot;The occupation of the Malheur Refuge by outsiders did not reflect the Oregon way of respectfully working together to resolve differences,&quot; AFP reported.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Statement regarding the Malheur Refuge Occupation trial: <a href="https://t.co/4vViyzrLD7">pic.twitter.com/4vViyzrLD7</a>
&mdash; Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) <a href="https://twitter.com/OregonGovBrown/status/791787654798979072">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Neil Wampler, one of the defendants, told The Oregonian newspaper, &quot;It&#39;s a tremendous victory for rural America &ndash; a disastrous, humiliating defeat for the corrupt federal government.&quot;

There was some added drama in the courtroom when Ammon Bundy&#39;s lawyer, Marcus Mumford, was tackled by marshals after an argument with the judge who refused to let Bundy walk free due to an earlier case pending against him in Nevada.&nbsp;

The Bundys&#39; father, Cliven Bundy, was involved in a similar standoff in 2014 over grazing cattle in public lands in Nevada.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The 7 anti-government militants had taken over the Malheur national wildlife refuge in January this year

Brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy and five others were acquitted by the jury of Portland district court on Thursday for their 41-day armed siege in January this year of the Malheur national wildlife refuge in Oregon. The brothers had led the takeover of the obscure bird sanctuary after two ranchers were imprisoned for arson. The verdict was pronounced after a five-week trial, after which all seven anti-government militants walked free from charges of conspiracy to impede federal officers through intimidation and force as well as gun possession. Just the charge of impeding federal officers through intimidation would have led to six years in prison. During the standoff and the trial, the militants insisted they acted in support of the two Oregon ranchers whom they felt were unfairly treated and to protest against federal ownership of public lands, Reuters reported. The ruling came as a surprise with defense attorney Lisa Ludwig calling it "stunning". Social media users however reacted to the verdict as "unreal" and "a sad day for America". Oregon governor Kat Brown also tweeted her disappointment, saying, "The occupation of the Malheur Refuge by outsiders did not reflect the Oregon way of respectfully working together to resolve differences," AFP reported. Statement regarding the Malheur Refuge Occupation trial: pic.twitter.com/4vViyzrLD7 — Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) October 27, 2016 × Neil Wampler, one of the defendants, told The Oregonian newspaper, "It's a tremendous victory for rural America – a disastrous, humiliating defeat for the corrupt federal government." There was some added drama in the courtroom when Ammon Bundy's lawyer, Marcus Mumford, was tackled by marshals after an argument with the judge who refused to let Bundy walk free due to an earlier case pending against him in Nevada. The Bundys' father, Cliven Bundy, was involved in a similar standoff in 2014 over grazing cattle in public lands in Nevada. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Armed protesters who occupied Oregon wildlife refuge acquitted

China and the United States are in &quot;advanced negotiations&quot; over returning five of China&#39;s corruption suspects who have fled to the United States, a Chinese state-run newspaper reported on Wednesday.

China has undertaken &#39;Operation Fox Hunt&#39; in its search for corrupt officials and business executives who have fled abroad as part of President Xi Jinping&#39;s war against corruption, Reuters reported.

The English-language Chinese daily quoted a senior unidentified official at the ruling Communist Party&#39;s anti-graft watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, saying that China and the United States had speeded up talks on the return of the five.

&quot;We will offer relevant evidence to our US&nbsp;counterparts in a timely manner and leave for the US&nbsp;at a proper time to conduct a joint investigation with our counterparts,&quot; Reuters quoted the official as saying.

The five included Yang Xiuzhu, a former deputy mayor of Wenzhou in the eastern province of Zhejiang, and Xu Chaofan, a former Bank of China regional director in the southern province of Guangdong.

The graft suspects have fled to the United States, Canada and Australia among other places and the governments of these countries have insisted that China undertakes a legal process to get back its suspects.

A spokeswoman for the US&nbsp;State Department told Reuters that the US had a proven commitment to prosecute fugitives after China had provided sufficient evidence.

Fugitives could be returned to other countries &quot;within the bounds and protections afforded by our Constitution and laws&quot;, she said.

&quot;It is necessary to offer solid evidence to US&nbsp;judicial officials and to make sure Chinese law enforcement officials are well-versed in US&nbsp;and international law,&quot; justice ministry official Zhang Xiaoming told the China Daily.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The newspaper reported that the two countries had speeded up talks on return of the five corruption suspects who had fled to the US

China and the United States are in "advanced negotiations" over returning five of China's corruption suspects who have fled to the United States, a Chinese state-run newspaper reported on Wednesday. China has undertaken 'Operation Fox Hunt' in its search for corrupt officials and business executives who have fled abroad as part of President Xi Jinping's war against corruption, Reuters reported. The English-language Chinese daily quoted a senior unidentified official at the ruling Communist Party's anti-graft watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, saying that China and the United States had speeded up talks on the return of the five. "We will offer relevant evidence to our US counterparts in a timely manner and leave for the US at a proper time to conduct a joint investigation with our counterparts," Reuters quoted the official as saying. The five included Yang Xiuzhu, a former deputy mayor of Wenzhou in the eastern province of Zhejiang, and Xu Chaofan, a former Bank of China regional director in the southern province of Guangdong. The graft suspects have fled to the United States, Canada and Australia among other places and the governments of these countries have insisted that China undertakes a legal process to get back its suspects. A spokeswoman for the US State Department told Reuters that the US had a proven commitment to prosecute fugitives after China had provided sufficient evidence. Fugitives could be returned to other countries "within the bounds and protections afforded by our Constitution and laws", she said. "It is necessary to offer solid evidence to US judicial officials and to make sure Chinese law enforcement officials are well-versed in US and international law," justice ministry official Zhang Xiaoming told the China Daily. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

China, US to step up anti-graft cooperation: Chinese media

&nbsp;Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte softened his remarks about a &quot;separation&quot; from long-time ally the United States on the eve of a visit to Japan, a country worried about Manila`s apparent pivot away from Washington and towards China.

&quot;The alliances are alive,&quot; Duterte told Japanese media in Manila on Monday, Kyodo News reported. &quot;There should be no worry about changes of alliances. I do not need to have alliances with other nations.&quot;

 
The remarks will be welcomed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who wants to keep ties with the Philippines tight during Duterte`s visit to Japan, starting on Tuesday.

 
Duterte jolted the region last week on a trip to China when he announced a realignment towards Beijing, the latest in a series of outbursts against the United States.

 
Duterte and his aides later tried to clarify that he did not mean he was cutting ties with the United States and his remarks on Monday were the most conciliatory yet.

Duterte told Japanese media he had been expressing a personal opinion, not speaking for the government when he mentioned separating from Washington, the Nikkei newspaper said.&nbsp;

He said he only plans to have an &quot;alliance of trade and commerce&quot; with China, Kyodo reported.

The Yomiuri newspaper, however, said Duterte had repeated he wants to halt joint military exercises with the United States and end a military cooperation pact seen as crucial to projecting US power in Asia in the face of a fast-rising China.

 
Worried Japan 
Abe has sought to strengthen ties with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries as a counter-balance to Beijing.

 
&quot;It&#39;s certainly unfortunate and we are worried, but such things will not change Japan&#39;s commitment to the Philippines,&quot; said Narushige Michishita, a professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and former defence official, referring to Duterte&#39;s comments.

 
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry, after talking to his Philippine counterpart on Sunday, is confident the two countries can &quot;work through&quot; a period of confusion caused by Duterte`s remarks the State Department said.&nbsp;

 
Duterte has railed against U.S. expressions of concerns about the high loss of life in his campaign against drugs and Washington&#39;s calls for due process.

 
Japanese officials said Abe would not overtly try to mediate between Tokyo and Washington but would probably explain the importance of the U.S. role in the region.

 
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will meet Duterte on Tuesday for a low-key dinner, and Abe will hold rare one-on-one talks with Duterte at his residence in Tokyo the next evening following a larger, more formal meeting with senior officials.

 
&quot;I believe ties between Japan and the Philippines are very important and that seeking to stabilise bilateral ties will lead straight to peace, stability and prosperity of the region as well as of the international community,&quot; Kishida told reporters.

 
He added he wanted to listen carefully to Duterte&#39;s views.

 
Duterte&#39;s predecessor Benigno Aquino angered China by lodging a case with an arbitration court in the Hague challenging the legitimacy of Beijing&#39;s maritime claims in the resource-rich South China Sea.

 
A ruling earlier this year emphatically favoured Manila but was rejected by China, which has repeatedly warned the United States and Japan to stay out of the dispute.

 
Duterte said the two countries had agreed not to discuss the international court`s ruling on his initial visit, but would have to talk about it at some point, the Nikkei reported.&nbsp;

 
(Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

Duterte jolted the region last week on a trip to China when he announced a realignment towards Beijing

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte softened his remarks about a "separation" from long-time ally the United States on the eve of a visit to Japan, a country worried about Manila`s apparent pivot away from Washington and towards China. "The alliances are alive," Duterte told Japanese media in Manila on Monday, Kyodo News reported. "There should be no worry about changes of alliances. I do not need to have alliances with other nations." The remarks will be welcomed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who wants to keep ties with the Philippines tight during Duterte`s visit to Japan, starting on Tuesday. Duterte jolted the region last week on a trip to China when he announced a realignment towards Beijing, the latest in a series of outbursts against the United States. Duterte and his aides later tried to clarify that he did not mean he was cutting ties with the United States and his remarks on Monday were the most conciliatory yet. Duterte told Japanese media he had been expressing a personal opinion, not speaking for the government when he mentioned separating from Washington, the Nikkei newspaper said. He said he only plans to have an "alliance of trade and commerce" with China, Kyodo reported. The Yomiuri newspaper, however, said Duterte had repeated he wants to halt joint military exercises with the United States and end a military cooperation pact seen as crucial to projecting US power in Asia in the face of a fast-rising China. Worried Japan Abe has sought to strengthen ties with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries as a counter-balance to Beijing. "It's certainly unfortunate and we are worried, but such things will not change Japan's commitment to the Philippines," said Narushige Michishita, a professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and former defence official, referring to Duterte's comments. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry, after talking to his Philippine counterpart on Sunday, is confident the two countries can "work through" a period of confusion caused by Duterte`s remarks the State Department said. Duterte has railed against U.S. expressions of concerns about the high loss of life in his campaign against drugs and Washington's calls for due process. Japanese officials said Abe would not overtly try to mediate between Tokyo and Washington but would probably explain the importance of the U.S. role in the region. Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will meet Duterte on Tuesday for a low-key dinner, and Abe will hold rare one-on-one talks with Duterte at his residence in Tokyo the next evening following a larger, more formal meeting with senior officials. "I believe ties between Japan and the Philippines are very important and that seeking to stabilise bilateral ties will lead straight to peace, stability and prosperity of the region as well as of the international community," Kishida told reporters. He added he wanted to listen carefully to Duterte's views. Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino angered China by lodging a case with an arbitration court in the Hague challenging the legitimacy of Beijing's maritime claims in the resource-rich South China Sea. A ruling earlier this year emphatically favoured Manila but was rejected by China, which has repeatedly warned the United States and Japan to stay out of the dispute. Duterte said the two countries had agreed not to discuss the international court`s ruling on his initial visit, but would have to talk about it at some point, the Nikkei reported. (Reuters)

Philippines:  Duterte eases stance towards US. before Japan visit

Asserting that he was not severing ties with long-time ally the United States, &nbsp;Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte &nbsp;on Friday said that he was merely pursuing a more independent foreign policy by strengthening relations with China.

&quot;It is not severance of ties. When you say severance of ties, you cut diplomatic relations. I cannot do that,&quot; the Philippine leader told reporters at a midnight news conference in his southern home city of Davao, AFP reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Duterte&#39;s remark came a day after he provoked fresh diplomatic alarm by announcing his &quot;separation&quot; from Washington. &nbsp;As &nbsp;he arrived back in the Philippines after a four-day visit to Beijing , the President struck a more conciliatory tone.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s in the best interest of my countrymen to maintain that relationship.&quot;

&nbsp;

During his four-day visit to Beijing, the firebrand leader on Thursday told a group of Chinese businessmen: &quot;I announce my separation from the United States.&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He said that he intended to end the Philippines&#39; 70-year alliance with US as he sought what he calls a new commercial alliance with China. &nbsp;He also said that he would seek closer ties with Russia.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Clarifying his comments on Friday, he said that what he meant was that Manila&#39;s foreign policy need not always &quot;dovetail&quot; with Washington.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;As in separation, what I was really saying was separation of foreign policy,&quot; he was quoted as saying by Reuters.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;In the past, and until I became president, we always follow what the United States would give the cue.&quot;

&nbsp;

The White House, was quick to welcome the apparent shift in tone after responding to the &quot;separation&quot; speech by saying there had been &quot;too many&quot; troubling statements from Duterte recently, was quick to welcome the apparent shift in tone.

&nbsp;

&quot;Based on his extensive, colourful previous comments, there is greater clarity that we would like to get about the intent of President Duterte and his government,&quot; White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a daily news briefing.

&nbsp;

&quot;But based on what you&#39;ve read me that seems to be a change in tone that is more consistent with the seven-decade-long alliance between the United States and the Philippines.&quot;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP, Reuters)&nbsp;

It is not severance of ties. When you say severance of ties, you cut diplomatic relations. I cannot do that: Duterte

Asserting that he was not severing ties with long-time ally the United States, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said that he was merely pursuing a more independent foreign policy by strengthening relations with China. "It is not severance of ties. When you say severance of ties, you cut diplomatic relations. I cannot do that," the Philippine leader told reporters at a midnight news conference in his southern home city of Davao, AFP reported. Duterte's remark came a day after he provoked fresh diplomatic alarm by announcing his "separation" from Washington. As he arrived back in the Philippines after a four-day visit to Beijing , the President struck a more conciliatory tone. "It's in the best interest of my countrymen to maintain that relationship." During his four-day visit to Beijing, the firebrand leader on Thursday told a group of Chinese businessmen: "I announce my separation from the United States." He said that he intended to end the Philippines' 70-year alliance with US as he sought what he calls a new commercial alliance with China. He also said that he would seek closer ties with Russia. Clarifying his comments on Friday, he said that what he meant was that Manila's foreign policy need not always "dovetail" with Washington. "As in separation, what I was really saying was separation of foreign policy," he was quoted as saying by Reuters. "In the past, and until I became president, we always follow what the United States would give the cue." The White House, was quick to welcome the apparent shift in tone after responding to the "separation" speech by saying there had been "too many" troubling statements from Duterte recently, was quick to welcome the apparent shift in tone. "Based on his extensive, colourful previous comments, there is greater clarity that we would like to get about the intent of President Duterte and his government," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a daily news briefing. "But based on what you've read me that seems to be a change in tone that is more consistent with the seven-decade-long alliance between the United States and the Philippines." (WION with inputs from AFP, Reuters)

After announcing 'separation' from US, Duterte says will not sever ties

The Philippines will maintain its trade and economic ties with the United States, trade minister Ramon Lopez said on Friday, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte announced its &quot;separation&quot; from Washington.

Duterte made his comments in Beijing, where he was visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally Washington deteriorate.

&quot;In this venue, your honours, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States,&quot; Duterte told Chinese and Philippine business people to applause at a forum in the Great Hall of the People attended by Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli.

&quot;Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also. America has lost.&quot;

Duterte&#39;s efforts to engage China, months after a tribunal in the Hague ruled that Beijing did not have historic rights to the South China Sea in a case brought by the previous administration in Manila, marks a reversal in foreign policy since the 71-year-old former mayor took office on June 30.

Lopez on Friday sought to explain Duterte&#39;s comments.

&quot;Let me clarify. The president did not talk about separation,&quot; Lopez told CNN Philippines in Beijing.

&quot;In terms of economic (ties), we are not stopping trade, investment with America. The president specifically mentioned his desire to strengthen further the ties with China and the ASEAN region which we have been trading with for centuries.&quot;

He said the Philippines was &quot;breaking being too much dependent on one side&quot;.

&quot;But we definitely won&#39;t stop the trade and investment activities with the West, specifically the US.&quot;

Maria Banaag, assistant secretary at the Philippine presidential communications office, urged the public to wait for guidelines before interpreting Duterte&#39;s announcement.

&quot;There is no rush for us to interpret the speech of the President as we have to wait for guidelines that would be coming from him, from the department of foreign affairs, as soon as they come back,&quot; she said.

Duterte said in Beijing that he had &quot;realigned (himself) in your ideological flow&quot;.

&quot;Maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to (President Vladimir) Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, Philippines and Russia,&quot; he said. &quot;It&#39;s the only way.&quot;

Duterte&#39;s remarks will prompt fresh concern in the United States, where the Obama administration has seen Manila as an important ally in its &quot;rebalance&quot; of resources to Asia in the face of a rising China.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

Ramon Lopez said trade is not being stopped with America, but Duterte wishes to strengthen ties with China and the ASEAN countries

The Philippines will maintain its trade and economic ties with the United States, trade minister Ramon Lopez said on Friday, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte announced its "separation" from Washington. Duterte made his comments in Beijing, where he was visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally Washington deteriorate. "In this venue, your honours, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States," Duterte told Chinese and Philippine business people to applause at a forum in the Great Hall of the People attended by Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli. "Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also. America has lost." Duterte's efforts to engage China, months after a tribunal in the Hague ruled that Beijing did not have historic rights to the South China Sea in a case brought by the previous administration in Manila, marks a reversal in foreign policy since the 71-year-old former mayor took office on June 30. Lopez on Friday sought to explain Duterte's comments. "Let me clarify. The president did not talk about separation," Lopez told CNN Philippines in Beijing. "In terms of economic (ties), we are not stopping trade, investment with America. The president specifically mentioned his desire to strengthen further the ties with China and the ASEAN region which we have been trading with for centuries." He said the Philippines was "breaking being too much dependent on one side". "But we definitely won't stop the trade and investment activities with the West, specifically the US." Maria Banaag, assistant secretary at the Philippine presidential communications office, urged the public to wait for guidelines before interpreting Duterte's announcement. "There is no rush for us to interpret the speech of the President as we have to wait for guidelines that would be coming from him, from the department of foreign affairs, as soon as they come back," she said. Duterte said in Beijing that he had "realigned (himself) in your ideological flow". "Maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to (President Vladimir) Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, Philippines and Russia," he said. "It's the only way." Duterte's remarks will prompt fresh concern in the United States, where the Obama administration has seen Manila as an important ally in its "rebalance" of resources to Asia in the face of a rising China. (Reuters)

Philippines: Minister says US trade relations will continue, despite President's announcement

US Olympic sprinter&nbsp;Tyson Gay&rsquo;s 15-year-old daughter died on Sunday after being caught in an exchange of gunfire between two vehicles outside a restaurant is Kentucky.&nbsp;

After the shooting in Lexington at about 4 am EDT (0800 GMT), Trinity Gay was taken in a private vehicle to a local&nbsp;hospital where she was pronounced dead, the Lexington Police Department said in a statement, Reuters reported.

&quot;She didn&#39;t make it. I am so confused,&quot; Gay told the sports editor with NBC-affiliate Lex 18 television. &quot;She was just here last week for fall break. It&#39;s so crazy.&quot;

Police said they have detained two people for questioning in connection with the incident and a homicide investigation is underway, Reuters reported.

In 2007, Tyson&nbsp;Gay won three gold medals at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan. He set the US record in the 100-meter sprint two years later.

Gay, who made his Olympic debut in 2008, won a silver medal with the 4x100 meters relay team at the 2012 Games in London but lost the medal after testing positive for a banned substance in 2013.

Condolences from the track and field world poured in on social media.

&quot;Sending our thoughts and prayers to (Tyson Gay) and his loved ones as they mourn the tragic &amp; senseless loss of his daughter, Trinity,&quot; USA Track and&nbsp;Field, the sport&#39;s national governing body, wrote on Twitter.

Trinity was a rising star on the track team at Lafayette High School in Lexington, her father&#39;s alma mater, Sports Illustrated reported.&nbsp;

&quot;Our hearts are broken this morning over the loss of Trinity to this tragic and senseless act of violence,&quot; Fayette County Public Schools, which runs the high school, wrote on Twitter.

 
(WION with inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

15-year-old Trinity Gay was caught in an exchange of fire between two vehicles on Sunday and was pronounced dead in the hospital

US Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay’s 15-year-old daughter died on Sunday after being caught in an exchange of gunfire between two vehicles outside a restaurant is Kentucky. After the shooting in Lexington at about 4 am EDT (0800 GMT), Trinity Gay was taken in a private vehicle to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead, the Lexington Police Department said in a statement, Reuters reported. "She didn't make it. I am so confused," Gay told the sports editor with NBC-affiliate Lex 18 television. "She was just here last week for fall break. It's so crazy." Police said they have detained two people for questioning in connection with the incident and a homicide investigation is underway, Reuters reported. In 2007, Tyson Gay won three gold medals at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan. He set the US record in the 100-meter sprint two years later. Gay, who made his Olympic debut in 2008, won a silver medal with the 4x100 meters relay team at the 2012 Games in London but lost the medal after testing positive for a banned substance in 2013. Condolences from the track and field world poured in on social media. "Sending our thoughts and prayers to (Tyson Gay) and his loved ones as they mourn the tragic & senseless loss of his daughter, Trinity," USA Track and Field, the sport's national governing body, wrote on Twitter. Trinity was a rising star on the track team at Lafayette High School in Lexington, her father's alma mater, Sports Illustrated reported. "Our hearts are broken this morning over the loss of Trinity to this tragic and senseless act of violence," Fayette County Public Schools, which runs the high school, wrote on Twitter. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay's daughter killed in Kentucky crossfire

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pledged on Saturday that the United States and India would be &quot;best friends&quot; if he is elected as president. Calling India a &quot;key strategic ally&quot;, Trump said the two countries will have a phenomenal future together.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He will give a boost to &quot;intelligence sharing with India in the battle against Islamic militants&quot;, international agency Reuters quoted him as saying.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Amid contoversy over sexual harassment charges following his sexist remarks, Trump was speaking at an event sponsored by the Republican Hindu Coalition to raise money for &quot;victims of terrorism&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The event featured Bollywood-style performers who danced in colourful, traditional costumes, Reuters reported. This was for the first time that a US presidential nominee attended an Indian-American event.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;If I&#39;m elected president, the Indian and Hindu community will have a true friend in the White House, that I can guarantee you,&quot; Trump said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism when I&#39;m president. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with India in sharing intelligence and keeping our people safe mutually.&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The real estate tycoon, who has two large development projects in India, further added saying: &nbsp;&quot;We are for free trade. We will have good trade deals with other countries. We are going to do a lot of business with India.&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Republican nominee also showered praises on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking &quot;India on a fast track growth with a series of economic reforms and reforming bureaucracy&quot;, saying it was required in the US too, PTI reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;I look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi who has been very energetic in reforming the economy and bureaucracy. Great man. I applaud him,&quot; Trump said.

&nbsp;

&quot;I am a big fan of Hindu and I am a big fan of India. If elected, the Indian and Hindu community would have a true friend at the White House,&quot; Trump said at the event organised for the Kashmiri Pundits and Bangladeshi Hindu terrorist victims.

&nbsp;

&quot;I have two massive developments in India, very successful, wonderful, wonderful partners, very beautiful, I must say. I have great friends and great confidence in India. Incredible people and an incredible country. I was there 19 months ago and look forward to going there many many times,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters, PTI)&nbsp;

Speaking at the Republican Hindu Coalition, Trump said he will share intelligence with India to eradicate Islamic radicalism together

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pledged on Saturday that the United States and India would be "best friends" if he is elected as president. Calling India a "key strategic ally", Trump said the two countries will have a phenomenal future together. He will give a boost to "intelligence sharing with India in the battle against Islamic militants", international agency Reuters quoted him as saying. Amid contoversy over sexual harassment charges following his sexist remarks, Trump was speaking at an event sponsored by the Republican Hindu Coalition to raise money for "victims of terrorism". The event featured Bollywood-style performers who danced in colourful, traditional costumes, Reuters reported. This was for the first time that a US presidential nominee attended an Indian-American event. "If I'm elected president, the Indian and Hindu community will have a true friend in the White House, that I can guarantee you," Trump said. "We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism when I'm president. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with India in sharing intelligence and keeping our people safe mutually." The real estate tycoon, who has two large development projects in India, further added saying: "We are for free trade. We will have good trade deals with other countries. We are going to do a lot of business with India." The Republican nominee also showered praises on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking "India on a fast track growth with a series of economic reforms and reforming bureaucracy", saying it was required in the US too, PTI reported. "I look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi who has been very energetic in reforming the economy and bureaucracy. Great man. I applaud him," Trump said. "I am a big fan of Hindu and I am a big fan of India. If elected, the Indian and Hindu community would have a true friend at the White House," Trump said at the event organised for the Kashmiri Pundits and Bangladeshi Hindu terrorist victims. "I have two massive developments in India, very successful, wonderful, wonderful partners, very beautiful, I must say. I have great friends and great confidence in India. Incredible people and an incredible country. I was there 19 months ago and look forward to going there many many times," he said. (WION with inputs from Reuters, PTI)

US and India will be best friends, if I am elected: Trump

Talks to end the Syrian conflict resumed in Switzerland on Saturday since the last meeting failed to strike a deal between Washington and Moscow.&nbsp;

US secretary of state John Kerry will be meeting his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and other top UN diplomats in Lausanne, AFP reported.&nbsp;

Russian news agencies on Friday quoted Lavrov as saying he had no &quot;special expectations&quot; regarding the latest attempt to resume talks.&nbsp;

&quot;When you see the results from the previous efforts, quite frankly I&#39;m a bit sceptical about the next ones,&quot;&nbsp;a French diplomatic source told AFP.&nbsp;

However a senior US official, part of Kerry&#39;s entourage told reporters, &quot;I think we need to see what happens in the room to determine whether this is the beginning of a new process that continues in this format or not.&quot;

Even as talks resume, Aleppo continues to suffer under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s offence, which the West labelled as &quot;war crimes&quot;.&nbsp;

Humanitarian organisations in the besieged city of Aleppo appealed for a truce on Saturday to establish a temporary ceasefire for at least 72 hours.&nbsp;

Lavrov also said Russia will call for &quot;concrete steps&quot; to implement the previous resolutions.&nbsp;

Russia &#39;playing for time&#39;&nbsp;

Experts feel that Russia is just buying time to strengthen its position before the US elections.&nbsp;

Karim Bitar, a researcher at the Institute for International and Strategic Affairs think tank in Paris&nbsp;said, &quot;the Russians are seeking to maximise their advantage before (President Barack) Obama&#39;s successor,&nbsp;probably (Hillary) Clinton&nbsp;steps in with a likely firmer approach to Syria.&quot;

On Sunday, Kerry will be travelling to London where he will likely meet up with his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

US secretary of state John Kerry will meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and other top UN diplomats in Lausanne on Sunday

Talks to end the Syrian conflict resumed in Switzerland on Saturday since the last meeting failed to strike a deal between Washington and Moscow. US secretary of state John Kerry will be meeting his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and other top UN diplomats in Lausanne, AFP reported. Russian news agencies on Friday quoted Lavrov as saying he had no "special expectations" regarding the latest attempt to resume talks. "When you see the results from the previous efforts, quite frankly I'm a bit sceptical about the next ones," a French diplomatic source told AFP. However a senior US official, part of Kerry's entourage told reporters, "I think we need to see what happens in the room to determine whether this is the beginning of a new process that continues in this format or not." Even as talks resume, Aleppo continues to suffer under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's offence, which the West labelled as "war crimes". Humanitarian organisations in the besieged city of Aleppo appealed for a truce on Saturday to establish a temporary ceasefire for at least 72 hours. Lavrov also said Russia will call for "concrete steps" to implement the previous resolutions. Russia 'playing for time' Experts feel that Russia is just buying time to strengthen its position before the US elections. Karim Bitar, a researcher at the Institute for International and Strategic Affairs think tank in Paris said, "the Russians are seeking to maximise their advantage before (President Barack) Obama's successor, probably (Hillary) Clinton steps in with a likely firmer approach to Syria." On Sunday, Kerry will be travelling to London where he will likely meet up with his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany. (WION with inputs from AFP)

US, Russia resume talks in fresh bid to halt Syrian bloodshed

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