North Korea may have produced an additional six or more nuclear weapons over the past 18 months, possibly bringing its total arsenal to more than 21 bombs, US think tank Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) said. 
 
The think tank&nbsp;based the estimates on the amounts of weapons-grade plutonium and highly enriched uranium Pyongyang is believed to have produced at its Yongbyon nuclear complex. 
 
The report came after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano said last week that North Korea might have reactivated a plant at Yongbyon for reprocessing plutonium for use in nuclear weapons. 
 
In late 2014, ISIS estimated the North&#39;s nuclear arsenal at somewhere between 10 and 16 weapons. 
 
Since then, the North has added another four to six weapons to the stockpile for a total of 13 to 21 or more today, ISIS said. 
 
The 13-21 estimate did not take into account the additional contribution of a possible second centrifuge plant the North may have built to produce weapons-grade uranium, it said. 
 
&quot;Nonetheless, this exercise, despite not being comprehensive, shows that North Korea could be significantly increasing its nuclear weapons capabilities&quot;, the Washington-based think tank said. 
 
Most of this increase since 2014 can be attributed to the production of weapons-grade uranium, it added. 
Amano, citing satellite imagery, said last week in Vienna: &quot;The indications that we have obtained... (are of) activities related to the five-megawatt reactor, expansion of enrichment facilities and activities related to (plutonium) reprocessing.&quot; 
 
The type of plutonium suitable for a nuclear bomb typically needs to be extracted from spent nuclear reactor fuel. 
North Korea mothballed the Yongbyon reactor in 2007 under an aid-for-disarmament accord, but began renovating it after its third nuclear test in 2013. It carried out out a fourth test on January 6. 
 
The director of US national intelligence, James Clapper, warned in February that the North could begin recovering plutonium from the reactor&#39;s spent fuel &quot;within a matter of weeks to months&quot;. 
 
IAEA inspectors were kicked out of North Korea in 2009. Amano did not say when the activities spotted by satellite took place.&nbsp; 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The estimate is based on the amounts of weapons-grade plutonium and highly enriched uranium produced at its Yongbyon nuclear complex

North Korea may have produced an additional six or more nuclear weapons over the past 18 months, possibly bringing its total arsenal to more than 21 bombs, US think tank Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) said. The think tank based the estimates on the amounts of weapons-grade plutonium and highly enriched uranium Pyongyang is believed to have produced at its Yongbyon nuclear complex. The report came after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano said last week that North Korea might have reactivated a plant at Yongbyon for reprocessing plutonium for use in nuclear weapons. In late 2014, ISIS estimated the North's nuclear arsenal at somewhere between 10 and 16 weapons. Since then, the North has added another four to six weapons to the stockpile for a total of 13 to 21 or more today, ISIS said. The 13-21 estimate did not take into account the additional contribution of a possible second centrifuge plant the North may have built to produce weapons-grade uranium, it said. "Nonetheless, this exercise, despite not being comprehensive, shows that North Korea could be significantly increasing its nuclear weapons capabilities", the Washington-based think tank said. Most of this increase since 2014 can be attributed to the production of weapons-grade uranium, it added. Amano, citing satellite imagery, said last week in Vienna: "The indications that we have obtained... (are of) activities related to the five-megawatt reactor, expansion of enrichment facilities and activities related to (plutonium) reprocessing." The type of plutonium suitable for a nuclear bomb typically needs to be extracted from spent nuclear reactor fuel. North Korea mothballed the Yongbyon reactor in 2007 under an aid-for-disarmament accord, but began renovating it after its third nuclear test in 2013. It carried out out a fourth test on January 6. The director of US national intelligence, James Clapper, warned in February that the North could begin recovering plutonium from the reactor's spent fuel "within a matter of weeks to months". IAEA inspectors were kicked out of North Korea in 2009. Amano did not say when the activities spotted by satellite took place. (AFP)

North Korea may have 21 nukes or more: US think tank

An armed man was fatally shot by police after holding two people hostage in an Amarillo, Texas, Walmart store on Tuesday in an incident law enforcement described as workplace violence. 
 
The suspect was identified as Mohammad Moghaddam, 54, Amarillo police said, adding he was shot by a police SWAT unit. 
 
The two hostages were unharmed. One was a manager with whom the suspect had a work-related dispute, the department said. 
 
Moghaddam fired a shot when he entered the store and took two people hostage. The three then moved to an office inside the store, said deputy Danny Alexander, a spokesman for the Randall County Sheriff&#39;s Office. 
 
No further details about the suspect were immediately available. There were no reports of anyone else being injured in the incident. 
 
&quot;All customers and our two associates who were held hostage are safe. This was a very difficult situation and we are thankful for the quick response from law enforcement,&quot; said Deisha Barnett, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. 
 
(Reuters )

Both hostages were unharmed. One was a manager with whom the suspect reportedly had a work-related dispute, police said

An armed man was fatally shot by police after holding two people hostage in an Amarillo, Texas, Walmart store on Tuesday in an incident law enforcement described as workplace violence. The suspect was identified as Mohammad Moghaddam, 54, Amarillo police said, adding he was shot by a police SWAT unit. The two hostages were unharmed. One was a manager with whom the suspect had a work-related dispute, the department said. Moghaddam fired a shot when he entered the store and took two people hostage. The three then moved to an office inside the store, said deputy Danny Alexander, a spokesman for the Randall County Sheriff's Office. No further details about the suspect were immediately available. There were no reports of anyone else being injured in the incident. "All customers and our two associates who were held hostage are safe. This was a very difficult situation and we are thankful for the quick response from law enforcement," said Deisha Barnett, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (Reuters )

Police shoot armed hostage-taker at Texas Walmart

US President Barack Obama will meet the Dalai Lama at the White House today, a move certain to anger China which considers the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader a dangerous separatist. 
 
Obama and the Dalai Lama will meet privately at 14:15 GMT, a White House statement said. 
 
Earlier on Tuesday, China warned the United States to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activities. 
 
In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the Dalai Lama had said it was possible he would meet Obama, and on Tuesday Taiwan announced that its new president would make a transit stop in the United States next week. 
 
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said both issues touched on the &quot;one China&quot; policy, a basic diplomatic tenet referring to both Taiwan and Tibet being part of China that Beijing insists foreign governments recognise. 
 
Lu said the United States had said it opposed Taiwan&#39;s independence and recognised that Tibet was an inseparable part of China. 
 
&quot;We demand the US government earnestly stands by its promises, conscientiously handle the relevant issue in accordance with the one China principle and not give any space to any individual or behaviour which tries to create two Chinas, one China one Taiwan, or to split China,&quot; he said. 
 
Obama met the Dalai Lama when the latter visited Washington in 2014 and angered China then when he vowed &quot;strong support&quot; for Tibetans&#39; human rights. 
 
The Dalai Lama says he wants genuine autonomy for Tibet rather than independence. 
 
He told Reuters Obama was a &quot;a long-time friend&quot; whom he admired for his work to normalise relations with Cuba, on Iran and for his recent visits to former US foe Vietnam and the site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Japan. 
 
Asked how Beijing (Peking) might respond to a meeting, the Dalai Lama said: &quot;I don&#39;t know - you should ask them. I think in Peking, we cannot as of now.. generalise. In Peking there are different views. Some people there have a more realistic view. Some are more hardline, which is more narrow-minded.&quot; 
 
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will transit in Miami on her way to Panama, one of the island&#39;s few diplomatic allies, and stop over in Los Angeles on her return, Taiwan&#39;s deputy foreign minister, Javier Ching-shan Hou, said. 
 
China is suspicious of Tsai, who assumed office last month, as she is also head of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. 
 
Travel abroad is sensitive for Taiwanese leaders who have angered China as it is seen as exerting sovereignty. Tsai&#39;s trip will run from June 24 to July 2 and include Paraguay. 
(Reuters)

China warned the US to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activity in accordance with its 'one China' policy

US President Barack Obama will meet the Dalai Lama at the White House today, a move certain to anger China which considers the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader a dangerous separatist. Obama and the Dalai Lama will meet privately at 14:15 GMT, a White House statement said. Earlier on Tuesday, China warned the United States to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activities. In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the Dalai Lama had said it was possible he would meet Obama, and on Tuesday Taiwan announced that its new president would make a transit stop in the United States next week. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said both issues touched on the "one China" policy, a basic diplomatic tenet referring to both Taiwan and Tibet being part of China that Beijing insists foreign governments recognise. Lu said the United States had said it opposed Taiwan's independence and recognised that Tibet was an inseparable part of China. "We demand the US government earnestly stands by its promises, conscientiously handle the relevant issue in accordance with the one China principle and not give any space to any individual or behaviour which tries to create two Chinas, one China one Taiwan, or to split China," he said. Obama met the Dalai Lama when the latter visited Washington in 2014 and angered China then when he vowed "strong support" for Tibetans' human rights. The Dalai Lama says he wants genuine autonomy for Tibet rather than independence. He told Reuters Obama was a "a long-time friend" whom he admired for his work to normalise relations with Cuba, on Iran and for his recent visits to former US foe Vietnam and the site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Japan. Asked how Beijing (Peking) might respond to a meeting, the Dalai Lama said: "I don't know - you should ask them. I think in Peking, we cannot as of now.. generalise. In Peking there are different views. Some people there have a more realistic view. Some are more hardline, which is more narrow-minded." Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will transit in Miami on her way to Panama, one of the island's few diplomatic allies, and stop over in Los Angeles on her return, Taiwan's deputy foreign minister, Javier Ching-shan Hou, said. China is suspicious of Tsai, who assumed office last month, as she is also head of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. Travel abroad is sensitive for Taiwanese leaders who have angered China as it is seen as exerting sovereignty. Tsai's trip will run from June 24 to July 2 and include Paraguay. (Reuters)

Obama to meet the Dalai Lama at White House today

Asian stocks slipped on Tuesday ahead of the US Federal Reserve&#39;s two-day meeting that begins later in the day&nbsp;amid growing worries that this month&#39;s referendum in Britain could see it exit the European Union. 
 
The Pound and Euro have suffered in recent sessions as economists fear a so-called Brexit would tip Europe back into recession. Voters appear divided ahead of the June 23-referendum, with the &quot;Out&quot; campaign widening its lead over the &quot;In&quot; camp, according to two opinion polls published by ICM on Monday. 
 
MSCI&#39;s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.6 per cent&nbsp;after Wall Street lost ground for the third straight session. 
 
Japan&#39;s Nikkei stock index skidded 1.5 per cent after tumbling 3.5 per cent on Monday. 
 
&quot;Short-term hedge funds have started betting on Brexit&nbsp;and futures players will likely dominate the market&#39;s move today,&quot; said Norihiro Fujito, senior investment strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities. 
 
The benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yield fell to as low as minus 0.175 per cent, a fresh record, before edging back to minus 0.170 per cent. 
 
Uncertainty over this week&#39;s Federal Reserve policy meeting has weighed on markets, even while the US central bank is widely expected to leave rates unchanged after the much weaker-than-expected May non-farm payrolls report. 
 
&quot;The committee was actively preparing markets for a June-July rate hike until the release of the May employment report and is unlikely to give up its tightening bias absent additional information that labour markets are weakening,&quot; analysts at Barclays wrote. 
 
&quot;Nevertheless, the abrupt slowing in employment and falling long-run inflation expectations should raise alarm bells, and risk management concerns suggest delaying action until after the outcome of the UK referendum,&quot; they said. 
 
The Bank of England, Swiss National Bank and the Bank of Japan will also meet this week, and are similarly expected to stand pat on policy with the Brexit vote looming. 
 
The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six rival currencies, edged up slightly to 94.395, moving back toward the overnight high of 94.750. That was its highest since the downbeat US jobs report toppled the dollar on June 3. 
 
The perceived safe-haven Yen has benefited from investors&#39; risk aversion. The dollar was down 0.2 per cent at 105.99 Yen, moving back toward Monday&#39;s low of 105.735, its weakest level since early May. 
 
Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso issued a fresh warning against renewed strength in the Yen, saying that he would &quot;firmly respond&quot; if rapid and speculative moves persisted in the foreign exchange market. 
 
The Euro was slightly lower at $1.1290. Against the Yen, it skidded 0.3 per cent to 119.69, moving back toward a more than three-year low plumbed in the previous session. 
 
Sterling also notched a three-year low against the Yen on Monday, and was last down 0.8 per cent at 150.35 Yen. Against the Dollar, the Pound dropped 0.6 per cent to $1.4180. 
 
Crude oil prices continued to slip, pressured by the strong US dollar and worrying economic prospects in Europe and Asia, though losses were contained by ongoing supply outages in Nigeria. 
 
Brent was down 1 per cent at $49.84 per barrel, while US crude shed 1.1 per cent to $48.34.

The Pound and Euro have both suffered over fears that UK leaving the EU will cause another European recession

Asian stocks slipped on Tuesday ahead of the US Federal Reserve's two-day meeting that begins later in the day amid growing worries that this month's referendum in Britain could see it exit the European Union. The Pound and Euro have suffered in recent sessions as economists fear a so-called Brexit would tip Europe back into recession. Voters appear divided ahead of the June 23-referendum, with the "Out" campaign widening its lead over the "In" camp, according to two opinion polls published by ICM on Monday. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.6 per cent after Wall Street lost ground for the third straight session. Japan's Nikkei stock index skidded 1.5 per cent after tumbling 3.5 per cent on Monday. "Short-term hedge funds have started betting on Brexit and futures players will likely dominate the market's move today," said Norihiro Fujito, senior investment strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities. The benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yield fell to as low as minus 0.175 per cent, a fresh record, before edging back to minus 0.170 per cent. Uncertainty over this week's Federal Reserve policy meeting has weighed on markets, even while the US central bank is widely expected to leave rates unchanged after the much weaker-than-expected May non-farm payrolls report. "The committee was actively preparing markets for a June-July rate hike until the release of the May employment report and is unlikely to give up its tightening bias absent additional information that labour markets are weakening," analysts at Barclays wrote. "Nevertheless, the abrupt slowing in employment and falling long-run inflation expectations should raise alarm bells, and risk management concerns suggest delaying action until after the outcome of the UK referendum," they said. The Bank of England, Swiss National Bank and the Bank of Japan will also meet this week, and are similarly expected to stand pat on policy with the Brexit vote looming. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six rival currencies, edged up slightly to 94.395, moving back toward the overnight high of 94.750. That was its highest since the downbeat US jobs report toppled the dollar on June 3. The perceived safe-haven Yen has benefited from investors' risk aversion. The dollar was down 0.2 per cent at 105.99 Yen, moving back toward Monday's low of 105.735, its weakest level since early May. Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso issued a fresh warning against renewed strength in the Yen, saying that he would "firmly respond" if rapid and speculative moves persisted in the foreign exchange market. The Euro was slightly lower at $1.1290. Against the Yen, it skidded 0.3 per cent to 119.69, moving back toward a more than three-year low plumbed in the previous session. Sterling also notched a three-year low against the Yen on Monday, and was last down 0.8 per cent at 150.35 Yen. Against the Dollar, the Pound dropped 0.6 per cent to $1.4180. Crude oil prices continued to slip, pressured by the strong US dollar and worrying economic prospects in Europe and Asia, though losses were contained by ongoing supply outages in Nigeria. Brent was down 1 per cent at $49.84 per barrel, while US crude shed 1.1 per cent to $48.34.

Asian shares slip as Brexit vote looms

Gold inched down on Tuesday as investors waited for cues from a two-day US Federal Reserve meeting beginning later in the day and a June 23-referendum that will decide whether Britain will exit the European Union. 
 
Spot gold was down 0.4 per cent at $1,279.16 an ounce as of 0648 GMT, but has gained more than 5 per cent this month, hitting a peak of $1,287 on Monday, its highest since May 16. 
 
US gold fell 0.4 per cent to $1,282.30. 
 
&quot;I think investors have decided to take profits and some of them are staying on the sidelines before taking a decision on what to do next until the Fed makes an announcement,&quot; said Brian Lan, managing director at Singapore-based gold dealer GoldSilver Central. 
 
Bullion, which is often perceived as a hedge against economic and financial uncertainty, has been driven by rising investor risk aversion before key central bank meetings this week. 
 
Apart from the Fed, the Bank of England, Swiss National Bank and the Bank of Japan will meet this week, and are expected to hold monetary policies steady against a backdrop of caution about the global economic outlook. 
 
The safe-haven appeal of gold, which is near a four-week high hit in the previous session, could get a further boost if a vote by Britain to leave the 28-member group, dubbed &quot;Brexit&quot;, pushes Europe back into a recession. 
 
The British pound remained fragile near a two-month low against the dollar, while Asian stocks slipped on Tuesday on concerns ahead of the referendum. 
 
Britain&#39;s &quot;Out&quot; campaign widened its lead over the &quot;In&quot; camp ahead of the referendum according to two opinion polls published by ICM on Monday. 
 
&quot;We think that the risk of Britain leaving has now increased substantially and the Fed will therefore signal its willingness in no uncertain terms to &#39;stay the course&#39; in light of this potential &#39;Black Swan&#39; event,&quot; INTL FCStone analyst Edward Meir said in a note. 
 
&quot;This will likely enable gold to push even higher over the next few days, at least until the polls start to swing the other way.&quot; 
 
Meanwhile, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd is aiming to launch its planned physically-delivered gold futures contract in September, said&nbsp;its head on Tuesday. 
 
Holdings in SPDR Gold Trust, the world&#39;s largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose 0.27 per cent to 896.30 tonnes on Monday, the highest since October 2013. 
 
Spot silver fell 0.8 percent to $17.29 per ounce, after touching a one-month high of $17.45 on Monday.

Gold is likely to get a further boost if a vote by Britain to leave the 28-member group dubbed "Brexit," pushes Europe back into a recession

Gold inched down on Tuesday as investors waited for cues from a two-day US Federal Reserve meeting beginning later in the day and a June 23-referendum that will decide whether Britain will exit the European Union. Spot gold was down 0.4 per cent at $1,279.16 an ounce as of 0648 GMT, but has gained more than 5 per cent this month, hitting a peak of $1,287 on Monday, its highest since May 16. US gold fell 0.4 per cent to $1,282.30. "I think investors have decided to take profits and some of them are staying on the sidelines before taking a decision on what to do next until the Fed makes an announcement," said Brian Lan, managing director at Singapore-based gold dealer GoldSilver Central. Bullion, which is often perceived as a hedge against economic and financial uncertainty, has been driven by rising investor risk aversion before key central bank meetings this week. Apart from the Fed, the Bank of England, Swiss National Bank and the Bank of Japan will meet this week, and are expected to hold monetary policies steady against a backdrop of caution about the global economic outlook. The safe-haven appeal of gold, which is near a four-week high hit in the previous session, could get a further boost if a vote by Britain to leave the 28-member group, dubbed "Brexit", pushes Europe back into a recession. The British pound remained fragile near a two-month low against the dollar, while Asian stocks slipped on Tuesday on concerns ahead of the referendum. Britain's "Out" campaign widened its lead over the "In" camp ahead of the referendum according to two opinion polls published by ICM on Monday. "We think that the risk of Britain leaving has now increased substantially and the Fed will therefore signal its willingness in no uncertain terms to 'stay the course' in light of this potential 'Black Swan' event," INTL FCStone analyst Edward Meir said in a note. "This will likely enable gold to push even higher over the next few days, at least until the polls start to swing the other way." Meanwhile, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd is aiming to launch its planned physically-delivered gold futures contract in September, said its head on Tuesday. Holdings in SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose 0.27 per cent to 896.30 tonnes on Monday, the highest since October 2013. Spot silver fell 0.8 percent to $17.29 per ounce, after touching a one-month high of $17.45 on Monday.

Gold dips, but lingers near four-week high ahead of Fed meeting

The United States is pleased to see progress has been made with China on information sharing about cyber threats, said a senior US official on Tuesday during the latest round of cyber security talks between the two countries. 
 
Cyber security has long been an irritant in relations between China and the United States, the world&#39;s two largest economies. 
 
China and the US signed an anti-hacking accord in September last year, brokered during Chinese President Xi Jinping&#39;s state visit to Washington, including a pledge that neither country would knowingly carry out hacking for commercial advantages. 
 
The agreement marked an ongoing effort to repair relations after China withdrew from a working group in 2014 in response to the US indictment of five members of its military on charges it hacked six US companies. 
 
Meeting in Beijing, US Department of Homeland Security Under secretary Suzanne Spaulding said the focus on the talks was to make sure both sides fulfilled commitments made by the two presidents. 
 
&quot;We look forward to discussing the commitments we made with regards to not engaging in IP theft of trade secrets and confidential business information,&quot; she told reporters. 
 
A key element of the agreement is information sharing and establishing mechanisms. 
 
She said the two sides had been setting up email addresses to share information. 
 
&quot;We are very pleased to have temporary email addresses and very much appreciate&quot; working to set up permanent addresses, said Spaulding. 
 
Chinese Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun said that China highly valued the talk. 
 
&quot;We want to bring the discussions from policies on paper to actual implementation,&quot; said&nbsp;Guo. 
 
&quot;Both sides will continue to cooperate on cyber cases. I believe the leadership on both sides places emphasis on the issue and values participation. Xi Jinping has personally been involved,&quot; he further added. 
 
China, Russia and Iran are among what the United States believes are its most prolific and sophisticated hacking adversaries. 
 
US officials have privately blamed Beijing for a massive hack on federal employee records last year, which exposed sensitive personal information of more than 22 million current and former government workers.

Washington and Beijing pledge to keep refraining from political hacking and corporate espionage

The United States is pleased to see progress has been made with China on information sharing about cyber threats, said a senior US official on Tuesday during the latest round of cyber security talks between the two countries. Cyber security has long been an irritant in relations between China and the United States, the world's two largest economies. China and the US signed an anti-hacking accord in September last year, brokered during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington, including a pledge that neither country would knowingly carry out hacking for commercial advantages. The agreement marked an ongoing effort to repair relations after China withdrew from a working group in 2014 in response to the US indictment of five members of its military on charges it hacked six US companies. Meeting in Beijing, US Department of Homeland Security Under secretary Suzanne Spaulding said the focus on the talks was to make sure both sides fulfilled commitments made by the two presidents. "We look forward to discussing the commitments we made with regards to not engaging in IP theft of trade secrets and confidential business information," she told reporters. A key element of the agreement is information sharing and establishing mechanisms. She said the two sides had been setting up email addresses to share information. "We are very pleased to have temporary email addresses and very much appreciate" working to set up permanent addresses, said Spaulding. Chinese Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun said that China highly valued the talk. "We want to bring the discussions from policies on paper to actual implementation," said Guo. "Both sides will continue to cooperate on cyber cases. I believe the leadership on both sides places emphasis on the issue and values participation. Xi Jinping has personally been involved," he further added. China, Russia and Iran are among what the United States believes are its most prolific and sophisticated hacking adversaries. US officials have privately blamed Beijing for a massive hack on federal employee records last year, which exposed sensitive personal information of more than 22 million current and former government workers.

US sees progress in latest cyber talks with China

Saudi Arabia&#39;s deputy crown prince flew to the United States today for meetings with US President Barack Obama and UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, Saudi media reported. 
 
The visit of Mohammed bin Salman, whose powers include his role as defence minister, comes amid a diplomatic row with the United Nations and policy differences with the United States over the war in Syria and relations with Iran. 
 
Prince Mohammed, spearheading an ambitious plan to revamp the economy of the world&#39;s top oil exporter, will also travel to California where he is expected to meet company executives in Silicon Valley, the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper said. 
 
The royal court said in a statement late on Sunday that the prince would discuss ways of strengthening relations with the United States, which have cooled under Obama&#39;s presidency. 
 
Saudi Arabia, a leading supporter of Syrian rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad, has been critical of what it sees as foot-dragging by Washington over efforts to end the conflict. 
 
It has also urged Obama to take a tougher stand on what Riyadh sees as Iranian meddling in the affairs of Arab states. Iran denies such interference. 
 
Asharq al-Awsat quoted Saudi sources as saying that Prince Mohammed, a son of King Salman, would start his visit in New York where he was expected to meet the UN chief today. 
 
Ban said last week that Saudi Arabia had exerted &quot;unacceptable&quot; pressure on the world body after a UN report blacklisted a Saudi-led military coalition for killing children in Yemen, a charge denied by the kingdom. 
 
The United Nations removed the coalition from the list after Riyadh threatened to cut its funding of UN programs, diplomatic sources said. 
 
The prince would then meet Obama as well as secretary of state John Kerry and defence secretary Ash Carter in Washington, the newspaper said. 
 
State news agency (SPA) said that a number of senior officials, including finance minister Ibrahim Alassaf and commerce and investment minister Majid al-Qusaibi were part of a delegation accompanying Prince Mohammed, but it did not specify who he would meet during the three-day visit. 
 
Under broad economic reforms announced last week, which aim to free Saudi Arabia of its dependence on oil exports, the kingdom is seeking a big increase in foreign investment and tie-ups with foreign companies in non-oil industries including the technology sector.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil importer, is seeking tie-ups with foreign companies in non-oil industries, like the technology sector

Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince flew to the United States today for meetings with US President Barack Obama and UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, Saudi media reported. The visit of Mohammed bin Salman, whose powers include his role as defence minister, comes amid a diplomatic row with the United Nations and policy differences with the United States over the war in Syria and relations with Iran. Prince Mohammed, spearheading an ambitious plan to revamp the economy of the world's top oil exporter, will also travel to California where he is expected to meet company executives in Silicon Valley, the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper said. The royal court said in a statement late on Sunday that the prince would discuss ways of strengthening relations with the United States, which have cooled under Obama's presidency. Saudi Arabia, a leading supporter of Syrian rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad, has been critical of what it sees as foot-dragging by Washington over efforts to end the conflict. It has also urged Obama to take a tougher stand on what Riyadh sees as Iranian meddling in the affairs of Arab states. Iran denies such interference. Asharq al-Awsat quoted Saudi sources as saying that Prince Mohammed, a son of King Salman, would start his visit in New York where he was expected to meet the UN chief today. Ban said last week that Saudi Arabia had exerted "unacceptable" pressure on the world body after a UN report blacklisted a Saudi-led military coalition for killing children in Yemen, a charge denied by the kingdom. The United Nations removed the coalition from the list after Riyadh threatened to cut its funding of UN programs, diplomatic sources said. The prince would then meet Obama as well as secretary of state John Kerry and defence secretary Ash Carter in Washington, the newspaper said. State news agency (SPA) said that a number of senior officials, including finance minister Ibrahim Alassaf and commerce and investment minister Majid al-Qusaibi were part of a delegation accompanying Prince Mohammed, but it did not specify who he would meet during the three-day visit. Under broad economic reforms announced last week, which aim to free Saudi Arabia of its dependence on oil exports, the kingdom is seeking a big increase in foreign investment and tie-ups with foreign companies in non-oil industries including the technology sector.

Saudi Prince to meet Obama to strengthen diplomatic ties

A solar-powered airplane finished crossing the United States on Saturday, landing in New York City after flying over the Statue of Liberty during its historic bid to circle the globe, the project team said. 
 
The spindly, single-seat experimental aircraft, dubbed Solar Impulse 2, arrived at New York&#39;s John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 4 a.m. local time after it took off about five hours beforehand at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania, the team reported on the airplane&#39;s website. 
 
&quot;Such a pleasure to land in #NYC! For the 14th time we celebrate sustainability,&quot; said the project&#39;s co-founder Andre Borschberg on Twitter after flying over the city and the Statue of Liberty during the 14th leg of the trip around the globe. 
 
The Swiss team flying the aircraft in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies hopes eventually to complete its circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began in March 2015. 
 
The solar craft&#39;s cruising speed, akin to that of a car, required pilots to take up meditation and hypnosis in training to stay alert for long periods. 
 
Borschberg alternates with fellow pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls for each segment of what they hope will be the first round-the-world solar-powered flight. 
 
On April 24, Piccard landed in San Francisco, completing a trans-Pacific crossing after a nearly three-day trip that began in Hawaii. The flight took more than three times the 18 hours Amelia Earhart took to fly solo from Hawaii to California in the 1930s. 
 
The propeller-driven Solar Impulse flies without a drop of fuel and its four engines are powered solely by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. 
 
Surplus power is stored in four batteries during the day, to keep the plane aloft on extreme long-distance flights. 
 
The carbon-fiber plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car, is unlikely to set speed or altitude records. It can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 m), and cruise at 34 to 62 mph (55 to 100 kph). 
 
In a precursor of their globe-circling quest, the two men completed a multi-flight crossing of the United States with an earlier version of the solar plane in 2013.

The plane collects energy from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. It can climb to 28,000 feet and cruise at 34 to 62 mph

A solar-powered airplane finished crossing the United States on Saturday, landing in New York City after flying over the Statue of Liberty during its historic bid to circle the globe, the project team said. The spindly, single-seat experimental aircraft, dubbed Solar Impulse 2, arrived at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 4 a.m. local time after it took off about five hours beforehand at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania, the team reported on the airplane's website. "Such a pleasure to land in #NYC! For the 14th time we celebrate sustainability," said the project's co-founder Andre Borschberg on Twitter after flying over the city and the Statue of Liberty during the 14th leg of the trip around the globe. The Swiss team flying the aircraft in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies hopes eventually to complete its circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began in March 2015. The solar craft's cruising speed, akin to that of a car, required pilots to take up meditation and hypnosis in training to stay alert for long periods. Borschberg alternates with fellow pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls for each segment of what they hope will be the first round-the-world solar-powered flight. On April 24, Piccard landed in San Francisco, completing a trans-Pacific crossing after a nearly three-day trip that began in Hawaii. The flight took more than three times the 18 hours Amelia Earhart took to fly solo from Hawaii to California in the 1930s. The propeller-driven Solar Impulse flies without a drop of fuel and its four engines are powered solely by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. Surplus power is stored in four batteries during the day, to keep the plane aloft on extreme long-distance flights. The carbon-fiber plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car, is unlikely to set speed or altitude records. It can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 m), and cruise at 34 to 62 mph (55 to 100 kph). In a precursor of their globe-circling quest, the two men completed a multi-flight crossing of the United States with an earlier version of the solar plane in 2013.

Solar plane lands in New York City during bid to circle the globe

Speaker of the US House of Representatives,&nbsp;Paul Ryan, has said that the Indian government is going to be America&#39;s &quot;great ally&quot;, and there is a need to nurture this relationship.
In a major foreign policy speech in which he was highly critical of President Barack Obama&#39;s policies, the US-India relationship was the only aspect of it which was appreciated by Ryan.
&quot;I think you need, in particular, specifically under Modi&#39;s leadership, and he and I have discussed this at great length yesterday, (US-India) have a great potential for the future. Particularly with the seas, in the Pacific and in the Indian Ocean, making sure that we help police the global commons and international order. Namely China building, you know, runways on islands in contested areas,&quot; Ryan said.

He said this in the speech at the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress at his invitation.
Modi was the first foreign leader to be invited to address a joint sitting of the Congress under Ryan&#39;s speakership.&nbsp;On Wednesday, Modi and Ryan had a one-on-one interaction before the Prime Minister&#39;s address. Ryan also hosted a lunch for the visiting leader.

A day later, Ryan was all in praise for Modi.&nbsp;&quot;I think the Indian (government), the new Indian government, is going to be a great ally of ours and we have better security cooperation with them. That&#39;s one thing that we need to nurture and grow,&quot; Ryan told the audience at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think tank.

&quot;And those of us who are fans of Modi, you know, he&#39;s a conservative who wants, who embraces, free enterprise. He&#39;s bringing needed reform to the country,&quot; Ryan said, according to the remarks released by his office.

&quot;That&#39;s the kind of an alliance that we need to forge and build upon. That stands in stark contrast, I would argue, to the Obama foreign policy of the last eight years where we have neglected our allies and we have basically rewarded our enemies, our adversaries,&quot; said the Speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Except for his comments on India, Ryan slammed Obama&#39;s foreign policy.&nbsp;&quot;We know that this new Obama foreign policy concept, leading from behind, can now be declared an unambiguous failure. It is making us unprepared. It is reducing our military capability and strength,&quot; he alleged.

Though Ryan, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, criticised most of Obama's policies, he appreciated the US-India relationship

Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, has said that the Indian government is going to be America's "great ally", and there is a need to nurture this relationship. In a major foreign policy speech in which he was highly critical of President Barack Obama's policies, the US-India relationship was the only aspect of it which was appreciated by Ryan. "I think you need, in particular, specifically under Modi's leadership, and he and I have discussed this at great length yesterday, (US-India) have a great potential for the future. Particularly with the seas, in the Pacific and in the Indian Ocean, making sure that we help police the global commons and international order. Namely China building, you know, runways on islands in contested areas," Ryan said. He said this in the speech at the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress at his invitation. Modi was the first foreign leader to be invited to address a joint sitting of the Congress under Ryan's speakership. On Wednesday, Modi and Ryan had a one-on-one interaction before the Prime Minister's address. Ryan also hosted a lunch for the visiting leader. A day later, Ryan was all in praise for Modi. "I think the Indian (government), the new Indian government, is going to be a great ally of ours and we have better security cooperation with them. That's one thing that we need to nurture and grow," Ryan told the audience at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think tank. "And those of us who are fans of Modi, you know, he's a conservative who wants, who embraces, free enterprise. He's bringing needed reform to the country," Ryan said, according to the remarks released by his office. "That's the kind of an alliance that we need to forge and build upon. That stands in stark contrast, I would argue, to the Obama foreign policy of the last eight years where we have neglected our allies and we have basically rewarded our enemies, our adversaries," said the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. Except for his comments on India, Ryan slammed Obama's foreign policy. "We know that this new Obama foreign policy concept, leading from behind, can now be declared an unambiguous failure. It is making us unprepared. It is reducing our military capability and strength," he alleged.

Paul Ryan believes Indian government is going to be America's 'great ally'

Donald Trump offered a message of ethnic harmony yesterday at a Christian evangelical conference. He was trying to calm concern about his criticism of a Mexican-American judge. 
 
In a departure from his usual freewheeling style, Trump read a carefully scripted speech from a teleprompter as part of a new push by his campaign to tone down the outspoken New Yorker&#39;s harsh rhetoric. 
 
Trump&#39;s remarks included a wide-ranging attack on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. The 69-year-old said that money aimed at resettling Syrian refugees in the United States should instead be spent on tackling poverty in US cities. 
 
Speaking to the annual conference of the conservative Faith &amp; Freedom Coalition, Trump did not mention the controversy over his charge that US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel cannot treat him fairly because of his Mexican heritage. However, he did make a point of saying that he would represent all Americans if elected president on November 8. 
 
&quot;Freedom of any kind means no one should be judged by their race or their colour and the tone of his hue,&quot; Trump said. &quot;Right now, we have a very divided nation. We&#39;re going to bring our nation together.&quot; 
 
Paul Ryan, the top elected US Republican, had criticised Trump for what he called a &quot;textbook definition of a racist comment&quot; for his remarks about the judge. Other Republican leaders warned Trump to change his tone or risk losing their support. 
 
Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee who led a movement to derail Trump&#39;s nomination, told CNN he would not consider running for the White House. 
 
Romney blasted Trump for comments that he said denigrated Mexicans, women and religion. 
 
&quot;Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation and trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry and trickle-down misogyny - all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America,&quot; he said. 
 
Romney said he expects Trump to get the Republican nomination but added that he will not vote for either Trump or Clinton. He left open the possibility of casting a ballot for the Libertarian Party candidate, former New Mexico Governor, Gary Johnson. 
 
As Trump sought to rally more Republicans behind him, Clinton met with US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to try and shore up support from the left wing of the Democratic Party. 
 
Clinton later addressed the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the non-partisan arm of the women&#39;s health group, and had Trump trained in her sights. 
 
&ldquo;This is a man who has called women pigs, dogs and disgusting animals, it&rsquo;s kind of hard to imagine counting on him to respect our fundamental rights,&rdquo; said Clinton, the first woman to become the presumptive presidential nominee of a major party. 
 
Clinton leads Trump by 11 percentage points, nearly the same as a week ago, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday. 
 
The real estate mogul&#39;s struggle to unify Republicans behind his insurgent candidacy was apparent at the evangelical Faith &amp; Freedom conference where several speakers studiously avoided speaking his name. 
 
Former campaign rival Carly Fiorina steered clear of Trump, speaking instead of the need to prevent liberal policies taking hold. 
 
US Representative Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican, said a Republican president is needed, without mentioning Trump. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t want this contest this fall to just be a contest of personalities,&quot; she said. 
 
But conference organiser Ralph Reed was adamant in his support for Trump, saying the New Yorker has energised the evangelical vote in a way that past Republican presidential nominees failed to do. 
 
&quot;We understand that perfection is not the measure that should be applied,&quot; Reed told the crowd. 
 
 
SYRIAN REFUGEES 
 
Trump yesterday criticised Clinton&#39;s willingness to accept thousands of Syrian refugees into the United States and challenged her to &quot;replace her support for increased refugee admission&quot; in favour of a new jobs program for inner cities. 
 
He stopped short of repeating his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, a proposal that has drawn heavy fire from Republicans and Democrats. 
 
&quot;We have to temporarily stop this whole thing with what&rsquo;s going on with refugees where we don&rsquo;t know where they&rsquo;re coming from,&quot; Trump said. &quot;We have to use the money to take care of our poorest Americans so they can come out of this horrible situation that they&#39;re in.&quot; 
 
Yesterday at the funeral of boxing champion Muhammad Ali, a convert to Islam, one speaker, a rabbi, inveighed against politicians promoting intolerance of Muslims. 
 
&quot;We will not tolerate politicians or anyone else putting down Muslims and blaming Muslims for a few people,&quot; said Rabbi Michael Lerner, the editor of Tikkun magazine, who said he attended the ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, as a representative of American Jews. 
 
Trump said Clinton&#39;s refusal to use the phrase &quot;radical Islamic terrorism&quot;, favoured by Republicans to describe violent Islamist militants, makes her unfit to be president.

The US Republican presidential candidate says freedom means nobody should be judged based on their race or skin colour

Donald Trump offered a message of ethnic harmony yesterday at a Christian evangelical conference. He was trying to calm concern about his criticism of a Mexican-American judge. In a departure from his usual freewheeling style, Trump read a carefully scripted speech from a teleprompter as part of a new push by his campaign to tone down the outspoken New Yorker's harsh rhetoric. Trump's remarks included a wide-ranging attack on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. The 69-year-old said that money aimed at resettling Syrian refugees in the United States should instead be spent on tackling poverty in US cities. Speaking to the annual conference of the conservative Faith & Freedom Coalition, Trump did not mention the controversy over his charge that US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel cannot treat him fairly because of his Mexican heritage. However, he did make a point of saying that he would represent all Americans if elected president on November 8. "Freedom of any kind means no one should be judged by their race or their colour and the tone of his hue," Trump said. "Right now, we have a very divided nation. We're going to bring our nation together." Paul Ryan, the top elected US Republican, had criticised Trump for what he called a "textbook definition of a racist comment" for his remarks about the judge. Other Republican leaders warned Trump to change his tone or risk losing their support. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee who led a movement to derail Trump's nomination, told CNN he would not consider running for the White House. Romney blasted Trump for comments that he said denigrated Mexicans, women and religion. "Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation and trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry and trickle-down misogyny - all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America," he said. Romney said he expects Trump to get the Republican nomination but added that he will not vote for either Trump or Clinton. He left open the possibility of casting a ballot for the Libertarian Party candidate, former New Mexico Governor, Gary Johnson. As Trump sought to rally more Republicans behind him, Clinton met with US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to try and shore up support from the left wing of the Democratic Party. Clinton later addressed the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the non-partisan arm of the women's health group, and had Trump trained in her sights. “This is a man who has called women pigs, dogs and disgusting animals, it’s kind of hard to imagine counting on him to respect our fundamental rights,” said Clinton, the first woman to become the presumptive presidential nominee of a major party. Clinton leads Trump by 11 percentage points, nearly the same as a week ago, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday. The real estate mogul's struggle to unify Republicans behind his insurgent candidacy was apparent at the evangelical Faith & Freedom conference where several speakers studiously avoided speaking his name. Former campaign rival Carly Fiorina steered clear of Trump, speaking instead of the need to prevent liberal policies taking hold. US Representative Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican, said a Republican president is needed, without mentioning Trump. "We don't want this contest this fall to just be a contest of personalities," she said. But conference organiser Ralph Reed was adamant in his support for Trump, saying the New Yorker has energised the evangelical vote in a way that past Republican presidential nominees failed to do. "We understand that perfection is not the measure that should be applied," Reed told the crowd. SYRIAN REFUGEES Trump yesterday criticised Clinton's willingness to accept thousands of Syrian refugees into the United States and challenged her to "replace her support for increased refugee admission" in favour of a new jobs program for inner cities. He stopped short of repeating his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, a proposal that has drawn heavy fire from Republicans and Democrats. "We have to temporarily stop this whole thing with what’s going on with refugees where we don’t know where they’re coming from," Trump said. "We have to use the money to take care of our poorest Americans so they can come out of this horrible situation that they're in." Yesterday at the funeral of boxing champion Muhammad Ali, a convert to Islam, one speaker, a rabbi, inveighed against politicians promoting intolerance of Muslims. "We will not tolerate politicians or anyone else putting down Muslims and blaming Muslims for a few people," said Rabbi Michael Lerner, the editor of Tikkun magazine, who said he attended the ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, as a representative of American Jews. Trump said Clinton's refusal to use the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism", favoured by Republicans to describe violent Islamist militants, makes her unfit to be president.

Stung by criticism, Donald Trump vows to work for ethnic harmony

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Congressional Reception jointly hosted by Foreign Relations Committees and India Caucus in Washington DC on Wednesday. 
 
Addressing the gathering, Modi called for India-US collaboration to solve issues like global warming and climate change. 
 
&quot;Be it global problems like climate change, global warming, poverty or heath concerns, we can together find solutions for the world. We must use our skills, our intelligence, our resources and commit ourselves to move forward. I think my journey this time, my two-day visit to the United States has only reinforced this commitment,&quot; said Modi. 
 
Earlier in the day, Modi became the fifth Indian to address the joint session of US Congress. 
 
Modi called for a closer security relationship between his country and the United States as he stressed on the importance of warming ties between the two countries. 
 
He dedicated much of the speech to the importance of fighting militancy, thanking Congress for US support after a Pakistan-based military group&#39;s rampage in Mumbai killed 166 people in 2008. 
 
He leavened the speech to lawmakers, the first such address by an international leader since Pope Francis&#39; in September, with jokes about Congress&#39; bitter partisan divide and yoga. But Modi used it to make serious points about India&#39;s neighbour and arch-rival Pakistan and regional concerns about Chinese expansionism. 
 
In a 45-minute speech interrupted by cheers and at least eight standing ovations, the 65-year-old Indian leader said deeper US-Indian security cooperation should isolate anyone who harbours, supports or sponsors terrorists. 
 
Modi is on the US leg of an international tour. On Tuesday, he met with President Barack Obama at the White House, where the two leaders said India has agreed to work toward joining the Paris Agreement on climate change this year and discussed security and cyber-security issues. 
 
The visit, two years after Modi became prime minister, capped an improving relationship between New Delhi and the United States. Before he was elected, Modi was barred from even entering the country because of concerns about his handling of 2002 riots that killed at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. 
 
After the Congressional reception, Modi left for a day-long visit to Mexico. He will arrive in New Delhi this Friday.

Modi said that US and India should deepen their security cooperation and isolate anyone who harbours, supports or sponsors terrorists

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Congressional Reception jointly hosted by Foreign Relations Committees and India Caucus in Washington DC on Wednesday. Addressing the gathering, Modi called for India-US collaboration to solve issues like global warming and climate change. "Be it global problems like climate change, global warming, poverty or heath concerns, we can together find solutions for the world. We must use our skills, our intelligence, our resources and commit ourselves to move forward. I think my journey this time, my two-day visit to the United States has only reinforced this commitment," said Modi. Earlier in the day, Modi became the fifth Indian to address the joint session of US Congress. Modi called for a closer security relationship between his country and the United States as he stressed on the importance of warming ties between the two countries. He dedicated much of the speech to the importance of fighting militancy, thanking Congress for US support after a Pakistan-based military group's rampage in Mumbai killed 166 people in 2008. He leavened the speech to lawmakers, the first such address by an international leader since Pope Francis' in September, with jokes about Congress' bitter partisan divide and yoga. But Modi used it to make serious points about India's neighbour and arch-rival Pakistan and regional concerns about Chinese expansionism. In a 45-minute speech interrupted by cheers and at least eight standing ovations, the 65-year-old Indian leader said deeper US-Indian security cooperation should isolate anyone who harbours, supports or sponsors terrorists. Modi is on the US leg of an international tour. On Tuesday, he met with President Barack Obama at the White House, where the two leaders said India has agreed to work toward joining the Paris Agreement on climate change this year and discussed security and cyber-security issues. The visit, two years after Modi became prime minister, capped an improving relationship between New Delhi and the United States. Before he was elected, Modi was barred from even entering the country because of concerns about his handling of 2002 riots that killed at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. After the Congressional reception, Modi left for a day-long visit to Mexico. He will arrive in New Delhi this Friday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends Congressional Reception in Washington DC

Serena Williams may have been second best at the French Open on Saturday but the American has moved ahead of fellow tennis player Maria Sharapova to top the women&#39;s earnings list in sports, according to Forbes Magazine. 
 
Williams ended the Russian&#39;s 11-year reign as the world number one women&#39;s money earner in sports by hauling in $28.9 million in combined prize money and off-field earnings over the past 12 months, the magazine said yesterday. 
 
Sharapova, who lost some sponsorship money after announcing she had tested positive for the recently banned substance meldonium at the Australian Open in January and is provisionally suspended, holds second spot at $21.9 million. 
 
American mixed martial arts standout Ronda Rousey shot up to third on the list at $14 million from eighth place and $6.5 million, just ahead of compatriot and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, who earned $13.9 million, according to www.forbes.com. 
 
The rest of the women&#39;s top 10 were also tennis players. 
 
Poland&#39;s Agnieszka Radwanska ranked fifth at $10.2 million followed by Dane Caroline Wozniacki ($8 million), Spain&#39;s newly-crowned French Open champion Garbine Muguruza ($7.6 million), Serb Ana Ivanovic ($7.4 million), Victoria Azarenka of Belarus ($6.6) and Canada&#39;s Eugenie Bouchard ($6.2 million).

The US tennis star has earned $28.9 million in the last 12 months while Maria Sharapova has earned $21.9 million in this time period

Serena Williams may have been second best at the French Open on Saturday but the American has moved ahead of fellow tennis player Maria Sharapova to top the women's earnings list in sports, according to Forbes Magazine. Williams ended the Russian's 11-year reign as the world number one women's money earner in sports by hauling in $28.9 million in combined prize money and off-field earnings over the past 12 months, the magazine said yesterday. Sharapova, who lost some sponsorship money after announcing she had tested positive for the recently banned substance meldonium at the Australian Open in January and is provisionally suspended, holds second spot at $21.9 million. American mixed martial arts standout Ronda Rousey shot up to third on the list at $14 million from eighth place and $6.5 million, just ahead of compatriot and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, who earned $13.9 million, according to www.forbes.com. The rest of the women's top 10 were also tennis players. Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska ranked fifth at $10.2 million followed by Dane Caroline Wozniacki ($8 million), Spain's newly-crowned French Open champion Garbine Muguruza ($7.6 million), Serb Ana Ivanovic ($7.4 million), Victoria Azarenka of Belarus ($6.6) and Canada's Eugenie Bouchard ($6.2 million).

Serena passes suspended Sharapova as top sportswoman earner

The United States should not decide its policy on the South China Sea based on what its allies think&nbsp;and should stick to its promises not to take sides in the dispute, a senior Chinese minister said today&nbsp;ahead of Sino-US&nbsp;security talks.

China has been angered by what it views as provocative U.S. military patrols close to islands China controls in the South China Sea. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims, as well as close military ties with Washington.

Speaking at a forum ahead of next week&#39;s high-level meetings with US&nbsp;officials in Beijing, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang said his country had every right to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea.

&quot;In fact the United States is not a claimant in the South China Sea dispute, and it takes no position on territorial disputes,&quot; Zheng said.

&quot;So we hope the US&nbsp;can stick to its promises and not choose sides, but can set its position based on the rights and wrongs of the case rather than whether somebody is an ally,&quot; he added.

&quot;I think if they can do this, and if they can stop provocative acts targeted at China&#39;s sovereignty and security interests, then the US&nbsp;can play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and promote a lowering of the temperature on this issue.&quot;

China&#39;s top diplomat, state councillor Yang Jiechi, will take this up with US&nbsp;secretary of state John Kerry at their talks, Zheng added.

The South China Sea is also expected to loom large at Asia&#39;s biggest security summit starting in Singapore on Friday, attended by a senior Chinese admiral.

Last month, Beijing demanded an end to US&nbsp;surveillance near China after two Chinese fighter jets carried out what the Pentagon said was an &quot;unsafe&quot; intercept of a US&nbsp;military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea.

Denouncing people in the United States who viewed China as a threat, which he believed was not a mainstream US&nbsp;view, Zheng said the two countries had proved they can cooperate well on joint issues of global concern, like North Korea and Syria.

&quot;China&#39;s development won&#39;t threaten any country,&quot; Zheng said. &quot;I hope certain people in the United States set themselves straight and spurn Cold War thinking.&quot; 
 
 
&nbsp;

A senior Chinese minister cautions Washington to not take sides in territorial disputes in the region

The United States should not decide its policy on the South China Sea based on what its allies think and should stick to its promises not to take sides in the dispute, a senior Chinese minister said today ahead of Sino-US security talks. China has been angered by what it views as provocative U.S. military patrols close to islands China controls in the South China Sea. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims, as well as close military ties with Washington. Speaking at a forum ahead of next week's high-level meetings with US officials in Beijing, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang said his country had every right to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea. "In fact the United States is not a claimant in the South China Sea dispute, and it takes no position on territorial disputes," Zheng said. "So we hope the US can stick to its promises and not choose sides, but can set its position based on the rights and wrongs of the case rather than whether somebody is an ally," he added. "I think if they can do this, and if they can stop provocative acts targeted at China's sovereignty and security interests, then the US can play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and promote a lowering of the temperature on this issue." China's top diplomat, state councillor Yang Jiechi, will take this up with US secretary of state John Kerry at their talks, Zheng added. The South China Sea is also expected to loom large at Asia's biggest security summit starting in Singapore on Friday, attended by a senior Chinese admiral. Last month, Beijing demanded an end to US surveillance near China after two Chinese fighter jets carried out what the Pentagon said was an "unsafe" intercept of a US military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea. Denouncing people in the United States who viewed China as a threat, which he believed was not a mainstream US view, Zheng said the two countries had proved they can cooperate well on joint issues of global concern, like North Korea and Syria. "China's development won't threaten any country," Zheng said. "I hope certain people in the United States set themselves straight and spurn Cold War thinking."

China to US: Do not let your allies decide South China Sea policy

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