Arms sales figures are officially out where in Asia, India becomes one of the biggest importers for arms while the US remains a top exporter. Arms sale also remain stable is what the data shows in the last 5 years.

Arms Sales: US stays top exporter while India amid biggest importers

The leaders of the Quad countries -- India, Australia, Japan and the United States -- have pledged to work with other countries who share the same goals, and to ensure that Covid vaccines are administered throughout the region till 2022. They also reiterated their commitment to a free and secure Indo-Pacific region.

Biden, Modi, Morrison and Suga pen joint op-ed, say Quad offers 'spark of hope'

Quad leaders pen joint Op-Ed, say Quad offers ‘spark of hope'

In light of the worsening relations between the United States and China, Washington has labeled Chinese tech companies, including Huawei, as national security threats.&nbsp;

"The (US) Federal Communications Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau today released a list of communications equipment and services that have been deemed a threat to national security... The list includes five Chinese companies that produce telecommunications equipment and services that have been found to pose an unacceptable risk to US national security or the security and safety of US persons," the FCC said in a statement on Friday.&nbsp;

President Joe Biden may be continuing his predecessor's hardline stance against China's growing technological dominance. The companies include Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, along with ZTE, Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology and Dahua Technology.&nbsp;

"This list is a big step toward renewing trust in our communications networks Americans are relying on our networks more than ever to work, go to school, or access healthcare, and we need to trust that these communications are safe and secure," FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement.&nbsp;

"This list provides meaningful guidance that will ensure that as next-generation networks are built across the country, they do not repeat the mistakes of the past or use equipment or services that will pose a threat to US national security or the security and safety of Americans," she added.&nbsp;

According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), the designation came atop a number of moves Washington made against Huawei during the Trump administration, including banning US firms from using the company's technology to build wireless networks and placing the company on an entity list that prevents it from procuring US technology without government approval.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In light of the worsening relations between the United States and China, Washington has labeled Chinese tech companies, including Huawei, as national security threats.

In light of the worsening relations between the United States and China, Washington has labeled Chinese tech companies, including Huawei, as national security threats. "The (US) Federal Communications Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau today released a list of communications equipment and services that have been deemed a threat to national security... The list includes five Chinese companies that produce telecommunications equipment and services that have been found to pose an unacceptable risk to US national security or the security and safety of US persons," the FCC said in a statement on Friday. President Joe Biden may be continuing his predecessor's hardline stance against China's growing technological dominance. The companies include Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, along with ZTE, Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology and Dahua Technology. "This list is a big step toward renewing trust in our communications networks Americans are relying on our networks more than ever to work, go to school, or access healthcare, and we need to trust that these communications are safe and secure," FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. "This list provides meaningful guidance that will ensure that as next-generation networks are built across the country, they do not repeat the mistakes of the past or use equipment or services that will pose a threat to US national security or the security and safety of Americans," she added. According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), the designation came atop a number of moves Washington made against Huawei during the Trump administration, including banning US firms from using the company's technology to build wireless networks and placing the company on an entity list that prevents it from procuring US technology without government approval. (With inputs from agencies)

US designates five Chinese companies as security threats 

The United States has called on Russia to release about 200 opposition activists, who were detained in Moscow on Saturday. About 200 opposition activists were detained in Moscow on Saturday, according to a statement from Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs. &nbsp;

The detentions are the latest in a series of crackdowns sustained by members of the opposition following Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny's arrest and imprisonment.&nbsp;

Taking to Twitter, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for an end to the 'persecution of independent voices'.&nbsp;

"Today, the Russian government detained almost 200 municipal leaders and politicians, including political activists Vladimir Kara-Murza and Yuliya Galyamina, on dubious grounds. We call for an end to the persecution of independent voices," Blinken wrote in a tweet.&nbsp;

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Today, the Russian government detained almost 200 municipal leaders and politicians, including political activists Vladimir Kara-Murza and Yuliya Galyamina, on dubious grounds. We call for an end to the persecution of independent voices.
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CNN reported that on Saturday, municipal deputies from Russia's regions gathered in the Russian capital to discuss parliamentary and local elections, which are scheduled for September, at a forum held by United Democrats, a project aimed at supporting competitive election, according to their website.&nbsp;

On February 2, a Moscow court substituted Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny's suspended sentence in corruption case with a real prison term of 3.5 years for multiple violations of his probation terms. &nbsp;

A Moscow city court reinstated the ruling but reduced the sentence to 2.5 years. For months, opposition activists have been met with a harsh show of force, demonstrated most clearly on January 31, when over 5,000 people were detained during nationwide protests in 85 cities in support of Navalny. &nbsp;

The Ministry of Internal Affairs said that 'checks are being conducted' on the activists detained on Saturday, and that 'a decision will be undertaken in compliance with the law'.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The United States has called on Russia to release about 200 opposition activists, who were detained in Moscow on Saturday. About 200 opposition activists were detained in Moscow on Saturday, according to a statement from Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The United States has called on Russia to release about 200 opposition activists, who were detained in Moscow on Saturday. About 200 opposition activists were detained in Moscow on Saturday, according to a statement from Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs. The detentions are the latest in a series of crackdowns sustained by members of the opposition following Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny's arrest and imprisonment. Taking to Twitter, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for an end to the 'persecution of independent voices'. "Today, the Russian government detained almost 200 municipal leaders and politicians, including political activists Vladimir Kara-Murza and Yuliya Galyamina, on dubious grounds. We call for an end to the persecution of independent voices," Blinken wrote in a tweet. Today, the Russian government detained almost 200 municipal leaders and politicians, including political activists Vladimir Kara-Murza and Yuliya Galyamina, on dubious grounds. We call for an end to the persecution of independent voices. — Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 14, 2021 × CNN reported that on Saturday, municipal deputies from Russia's regions gathered in the Russian capital to discuss parliamentary and local elections, which are scheduled for September, at a forum held by United Democrats, a project aimed at supporting competitive election, according to their website. On February 2, a Moscow court substituted Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny's suspended sentence in corruption case with a real prison term of 3.5 years for multiple violations of his probation terms. A Moscow city court reinstated the ruling but reduced the sentence to 2.5 years. For months, opposition activists have been met with a harsh show of force, demonstrated most clearly on January 31, when over 5,000 people were detained during nationwide protests in 85 cities in support of Navalny. The Ministry of Internal Affairs said that 'checks are being conducted' on the activists detained on Saturday, and that 'a decision will be undertaken in compliance with the law'. (With inputs from agencies)

US calls on Russia to end persecution of independent voices  

There are plenty of numbers in the $1.9 trillion relief plan signed into law by President Joe Biden this past week. $1,400 for stimulus checks. $130 billion for schools. $350 billion for state and local governments.

But the most politically significant number might just be zero.

Yes, zero. That is the number of congressional Republicans who supported the legislation.

Looking at the lack of GOP support, you might assume the bill was unpopular, at least with Republican voters. You would be wrong. Americans overwhelmingly support the package, including a significant portion of the Republican base. According to some analysts, the bill is the most popular piece of major legislation in over a decade.

So Republicans will definitely pay a political price for opposing a measure that the country, including a large portion of their base, seems to want, right?

Well, it is complicated.

We are now in the post-passage phase of the American Rescue Plan, a battle likely to last through the midterm elections next year.

During the weeks of negotiations over the legislation, Republicans were unable to coalesce around a comprehensive argument against the bill. Instead, they offered a scattershot list of complaints. After the legislation passed, Sen. Mitch McConnell’s main argument seemed to be that the economic recovery would have happened anyhow.

“We’re about to have a boom,” said McConnell, the minority leader. “And if we do have a boom, it will have absolutely nothing to do with this $1.9 trillion.”

Others seemed far more focused on Dr. Seuss and Mr. Potato Head, culture war bait that fires up their conservative base. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, even took the issue to the House floor.

“First they outlaw Dr. Seuss, and now they want to tell us what to say,” he said during a debate over a Democratic voting rights bill. (It was the company overseeing the author’s estate, not any Democrats, that recently chose to stop publishing several of his works. And Republicans’ focus on Dr. Seuss did deliver some economic benefit: More than 1.2 million copies of stories by the children’s book author sold in the first week of March — more than quadruple from the week before.)

The Republican predicament is simple: People like getting money, especially when they are struggling, and this bill will deliver. Roughly 90% of U.S. households will be eligible for stimulus checks. More than 93% of children — 69 million — will receive what is essentially a guaranteed income for families. Even those who do not receive a payment will benefit from new funding for reopening schools and vaccine distribution.

Former President Donald Trump taught Republican voters to love that kind of government spending by championing stimulus measures that were even larger than this bill. That makes it difficult for GOP lawmakers who backed those measures to argue against the cost of this legislation without facing charges of hypocrisy or possible pushback from portions of their base.

To shift public opinion, Republicans will have to settle on a clear argument against the legislation and find the party discipline to drive it. To that end, they will be keeping a close eye on how the money is distributed, hoping to find examples of waste or fraud that they can highlight to undercut Biden’s policy agenda. One area ripe for discontent is the aid to state and local governments, which polls significantly lower among Republicans than Democrats. But it will not be easy; Republicans are already struggling to overcome deep divides in their ranks.

Biden, acutely aware of the potential pitfalls, wants to ensure that Americans understand the benefits of this bill — and that they give him credit. His address Thursday evening was the start of an administrationwide push to promote the legislation across the country. It is a strategy to avoid the struggles of former President Barack Obama, who some Democrats believe was not aggressive enough in selling his 2009 stimulus package to voters.

The situation is not exactly the same: Unlike Obama, who faced the challenge of a slow recovery, Biden is likely to benefit from a quickly expanding economy, with forecasters predicting growth to speed up in the coming months as more Americans get vaccinated. He also starts his campaign with more goodwill. Biden’s legislation is roughly 20 percentage points more popular than the 2009 bill was immediately after passage.

Still, the 2009 stimulus package provides an instructive example on how quickly public opinion can change. No House Republicans voted for that $787 billion package, and only three moderate Republicans in the Senate backed it, even as nearly 2 in 3 Americans supported the bill.

Republicans calculated that they could make the bill a centerpiece of their efforts to win control of Congress in the 2010 midterm elections. They began arguing that the legislation was “chock-full of wasteful government spending” and failed to create jobs, even as dozens also trumpeted the federal dollars flowing into their states. Voters conflated the stimulus bill with the bailouts of the banking and auto industries, confusion that helped incite some of the fiercest opposition to Obama in the form of the tea party movement.

By January 2010, about 75% said half or more of the stimulus money had been wasted. Three months later, 62% said the legislation had not created jobs. And in exit polls after the 2010 midterms, only about one-third of voters said the package had actually helped.

White House officials eventually conceded that they had made mistakes in framing the public discussion of the measure. But by then, it was too late: Republicans won control of the House and gained six seats in the Senate.

There are plenty of numbers in the $1.9 trillion relief plan signed into law by President Joe Biden this past week. $1,400 for stimulus checks. $130 billion for schools.

There are plenty of numbers in the $1.9 trillion relief plan signed into law by President Joe Biden this past week. $1,400 for stimulus checks. $130 billion for schools. $350 billion for state and local governments. But the most politically significant number might just be zero. Yes, zero. That is the number of congressional Republicans who supported the legislation. Looking at the lack of GOP support, you might assume the bill was unpopular, at least with Republican voters. You would be wrong. Americans overwhelmingly support the package, including a significant portion of the Republican base. According to some analysts, the bill is the most popular piece of major legislation in over a decade. So Republicans will definitely pay a political price for opposing a measure that the country, including a large portion of their base, seems to want, right? Well, it is complicated. We are now in the post-passage phase of the American Rescue Plan, a battle likely to last through the midterm elections next year. During the weeks of negotiations over the legislation, Republicans were unable to coalesce around a comprehensive argument against the bill. Instead, they offered a scattershot list of complaints. After the legislation passed, Sen. Mitch McConnell’s main argument seemed to be that the economic recovery would have happened anyhow. “We’re about to have a boom,” said McConnell, the minority leader. “And if we do have a boom, it will have absolutely nothing to do with this $1.9 trillion.” Others seemed far more focused on Dr. Seuss and Mr. Potato Head, culture war bait that fires up their conservative base. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, even took the issue to the House floor. “First they outlaw Dr. Seuss, and now they want to tell us what to say,” he said during a debate over a Democratic voting rights bill. (It was the company overseeing the author’s estate, not any Democrats, that recently chose to stop publishing several of his works. And Republicans’ focus on Dr. Seuss did deliver some economic benefit: More than 1.2 million copies of stories by the children’s book author sold in the first week of March — more than quadruple from the week before.) The Republican predicament is simple: People like getting money, especially when they are struggling, and this bill will deliver. Roughly 90% of U.S. households will be eligible for stimulus checks. More than 93% of children — 69 million — will receive what is essentially a guaranteed income for families. Even those who do not receive a payment will benefit from new funding for reopening schools and vaccine distribution. Former President Donald Trump taught Republican voters to love that kind of government spending by championing stimulus measures that were even larger than this bill. That makes it difficult for GOP lawmakers who backed those measures to argue against the cost of this legislation without facing charges of hypocrisy or possible pushback from portions of their base. To shift public opinion, Republicans will have to settle on a clear argument against the legislation and find the party discipline to drive it. To that end, they will be keeping a close eye on how the money is distributed, hoping to find examples of waste or fraud that they can highlight to undercut Biden’s policy agenda. One area ripe for discontent is the aid to state and local governments, which polls significantly lower among Republicans than Democrats. But it will not be easy; Republicans are already struggling to overcome deep divides in their ranks. Biden, acutely aware of the potential pitfalls, wants to ensure that Americans understand the benefits of this bill — and that they give him credit. His address Thursday evening was the start of an administrationwide push to promote the legislation across the country. It is a strategy to avoid the struggles of former President Barack Obama, who some Democrats believe was not aggressive enough in selling his 2009 stimulus package to voters. The situation is not exactly the same: Unlike Obama, who faced the challenge of a slow recovery, Biden is likely to benefit from a quickly expanding economy, with forecasters predicting growth to speed up in the coming months as more Americans get vaccinated. He also starts his campaign with more goodwill. Biden’s legislation is roughly 20 percentage points more popular than the 2009 bill was immediately after passage. Still, the 2009 stimulus package provides an instructive example on how quickly public opinion can change. No House Republicans voted for that $787 billion package, and only three moderate Republicans in the Senate backed it, even as nearly 2 in 3 Americans supported the bill. Republicans calculated that they could make the bill a centerpiece of their efforts to win control of Congress in the 2010 midterm elections. They began arguing that the legislation was “chock-full of wasteful government spending” and failed to create jobs, even as dozens also trumpeted the federal dollars flowing into their states. Voters conflated the stimulus bill with the bailouts of the banking and auto industries, confusion that helped incite some of the fiercest opposition to Obama in the form of the tea party movement. By January 2010, about 75% said half or more of the stimulus money had been wasted. Three months later, 62% said the legislation had not created jobs. And in exit polls after the 2010 midterms, only about one-third of voters said the package had actually helped. White House officials eventually conceded that they had made mistakes in framing the public discussion of the measure. But by then, it was too late: Republicans won control of the House and gained six seats in the Senate.

Will Republicans pay a price for opposing the stimulus?

U.S. President Joe Biden met leaders of Australia, India and Japan on Friday (March 12), a group central to his efforts to counter China's growing military and economic power, and said a free and open Indo-Pacific region was essential to all of their futures.

Quad summit in the face of growing competition from China

A first-ever leaders' meeting of the Quad group of countries announced financing agreements to support an increase in manufacturing capacity for coronavirus vaccines in India.

Quad nations to expand COVID-19 vaccine production

The Afghan government said on Saturday it would participate in two separate US- and Russian-backed peace conferences in the coming weeks.&nbsp;

The Russian-backed conference is scheduled for March 18, while the US-sponsored one will take place in Turkey next month, officials said.&nbsp;

Peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the insurgent Taliban in Qatar's capital Doha have largely stalled.&nbsp;

"The Afghan government will take part in both the Moscow and Turkey conferences," Hamdullah Mohib, the country's national security council advisor told reporters in Kabul.&nbsp;

Mohammed Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban, said it had received an invitation from Moscow, but had not yet decided whether to attend or not. The Taliban has not made any comment about the proposed meeting in Turkey.&nbsp;

It comes at a crunch time for the peace process as a May 1 deadline for foreign troops to withdraw from Afghanistan looms and the United States reviews its military commitments.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a letter to President Ashraf Ghani earlier this month made a new urgent push for a United Nations-led peace effort and asked Turkey to host a senior-level meeting of 'both sides in the coming weeks to finalise a peace agreement'.&nbsp;

Blinken wrote to Afghan leaders that the United States is 'considering the full withdrawal of forces by May 1 as we consider other options'.&nbsp;

Russia plans to hold a conference on Afghanistan in Moscow on March 18 and has invited several regional players, including Afghan government and politicians to jumpstart the peace process as Washington's diplomacy ramps up.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Afghan government said on Saturday it would participate in two separate US- and Russian-backed peace conferences in the coming weeks. The Russian-backed conference is scheduled for March 18, while the US-sponsored one will take place in Turkey next month, officials said.

The Afghan government said on Saturday it would participate in two separate US- and Russian-backed peace conferences in the coming weeks. The Russian-backed conference is scheduled for March 18, while the US-sponsored one will take place in Turkey next month, officials said. Peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the insurgent Taliban in Qatar's capital Doha have largely stalled. "The Afghan government will take part in both the Moscow and Turkey conferences," Hamdullah Mohib, the country's national security council advisor told reporters in Kabul. Mohammed Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban, said it had received an invitation from Moscow, but had not yet decided whether to attend or not. The Taliban has not made any comment about the proposed meeting in Turkey. It comes at a crunch time for the peace process as a May 1 deadline for foreign troops to withdraw from Afghanistan looms and the United States reviews its military commitments. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a letter to President Ashraf Ghani earlier this month made a new urgent push for a United Nations-led peace effort and asked Turkey to host a senior-level meeting of 'both sides in the coming weeks to finalise a peace agreement'. Blinken wrote to Afghan leaders that the United States is 'considering the full withdrawal of forces by May 1 as we consider other options'. Russia plans to hold a conference on Afghanistan in Moscow on March 18 and has invited several regional players, including Afghan government and politicians to jumpstart the peace process as Washington's diplomacy ramps up. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan government to attend both US, Russia-backed peace conferences 

Ethiopia on Saturday rejected US allegations that there has been ethnic cleansing in Tigray, pushing back against the latest criticism of its military operation in its northern region by the new administration in Washington.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, he wanted to see Eritrean forces and those from the Amhara region replaced in Tigray by security forces that will respect human rights and not 'commit acts of ethnic cleansing'.&nbsp;

"(The accusation) is a completely unfounded and spurious verdict against the Ethiopian government," the ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement on Saturday.&nbsp;

"Nothing during or after the end of the main law enforcement operation in Tigray can be identified or defined by any standards as a targeted, intentional ethnic cleansing against anyone in the region," it said. "The Ethiopian government vehemently opposes such accusations."&nbsp;

Ethiopia's federal army ousted the former regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), from the capital Mekelle in November, after what it said was a surprise assault on its forces in the region bordering Eritrea.&nbsp;

The government has said that most fighting has ceased but has acknowledged, there are still isolated incidents of shooting.&nbsp;

Ethiopia and Eritrea have denied the involvement of Eritrean troops in the fighting alongside Ethiopian forces, although dozens of witnesses, diplomats and an Ethiopian general have reported their presence.&nbsp;

Thousands of people have died following the fighting, hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes and there are shortages of food, water and medicine in Tigray, a region of more than five million people.&nbsp;

Ethiopia's foreign ministry said it was ready to work with international human rights experts to conduct investigations on allegations of abuses.&nbsp;

"The Ethiopian government has demonstrated its readiness to engage positively and constructively with all the relevant regional and international stakeholders in responding to the serious allegations of human rights abuses and crimes," it said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Ethiopia on Saturday rejected US allegations that there has been ethnic cleansing in Tigray, pushing back against the latest criticism of its military operation in its northern region by the new administration in Washington.

Ethiopia on Saturday rejected US allegations that there has been ethnic cleansing in Tigray, pushing back against the latest criticism of its military operation in its northern region by the new administration in Washington. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, he wanted to see Eritrean forces and those from the Amhara region replaced in Tigray by security forces that will respect human rights and not 'commit acts of ethnic cleansing'. "(The accusation) is a completely unfounded and spurious verdict against the Ethiopian government," the ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement on Saturday. "Nothing during or after the end of the main law enforcement operation in Tigray can be identified or defined by any standards as a targeted, intentional ethnic cleansing against anyone in the region," it said. "The Ethiopian government vehemently opposes such accusations." Ethiopia's federal army ousted the former regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), from the capital Mekelle in November, after what it said was a surprise assault on its forces in the region bordering Eritrea. The government has said that most fighting has ceased but has acknowledged, there are still isolated incidents of shooting. Ethiopia and Eritrea have denied the involvement of Eritrean troops in the fighting alongside Ethiopian forces, although dozens of witnesses, diplomats and an Ethiopian general have reported their presence. Thousands of people have died following the fighting, hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes and there are shortages of food, water and medicine in Tigray, a region of more than five million people. Ethiopia's foreign ministry said it was ready to work with international human rights experts to conduct investigations on allegations of abuses. "The Ethiopian government has demonstrated its readiness to engage positively and constructively with all the relevant regional and international stakeholders in responding to the serious allegations of human rights abuses and crimes," it said. (With inputs from agencies)

Ethiopia rejects US allegations of ethnic cleansing in Tigray 

For the first time since President Joe Biden took office, US State Secretary Antony Blinken will hold high-level, in-person talks with Chinese representatives next week in Alaska.

US, China to hold first high-level meet under Biden in Alaska

The United States is pursuing its allies for pushback against China and India will have a key role in anti-China allies. Senior US officials have filled their mid-March calendars with a slew of visits and discussions with their Asian allies.

US pursuing allies for anti-China pushback

Former US President Donald Trump has requested a mail-in ballot ahead of a local Municipal Election in Florida. The request has been made nearly a week after the deadline.

After crying 'fraud' for months, Trump requests mail-in ballot in Florida

The United States House of Representative passed President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion relief bill which will help Americans to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden's $1.9 tn COVID-19 relief bill cleared, Prez to sign law on Friday

Another woman has accused New York City Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment. The unknown staffer is the sixth women to accuse Cuomo of the wrongdoing.

Another women accuses Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment, sixth woman to come forward

Russia has called on the United States and Iran to take mutual steps and coordinate efforts to rejoin the nuclear deal. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that to resolve the issue Iranians and the US must take synchronous steps.

Russia urges US, Iran to step up efforts on nuke deal

The Republican National Committee is defending its right to use former US President Donald Trump’s name in fundraising appeals after he demanded they put an end to the practice.

RNC defends right to use Donald Trump's name in fundraisers

An Israeli-Canadian lobbyist hired by Myanmar's junta will be paid $2 million to 'assist in explaining the real situation' of the army's coup to the United States and other countries, documents filed with the US Justice Department show.&nbsp;

More than 60 protesters have been killed and 1,900 people have been arrested since February 1, when Myanmar's generals seized power and detained civilian leaders including State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi.&nbsp;

Ari Ben-Menashe and his firm, Dickens &amp; Madson Canada, will represent Myanmar's military government in Washington, as well as lobby Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Russia, and international bodies like the United Nations, according to a consultancy agreement.&nbsp;

The Montreal-based firm will 'assist the devising and execution of policies for the beneficial development of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and also to assist in explaining the real situation in the Country,' read the agreement, submitted on Monday to the Justice Department as part of compliance with the US Foreign Agents Registration Act and published online.&nbsp;

A spokesman for the Myanmar military government did not answer telephone calls seeking comment.&nbsp;

In a pitch that has been met with widespread scepticism, Ben-Menashe said he had been tasked with convincing the United States that Myanmar's generals wanted to move closer to the West and away from China. He said the generals wanted to resettle Rohingya Muslims, who fled a 2017 military assault for which the United Nations has accused those same generals of overseeing a genocide.&nbsp;

"It is highly implausible that he could convince the United States of the narrative he’s proposing," said John Sifton, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch.&nbsp;

Other documents submitted by Ben-Menashe showed the agreement was reached with the junta's defence minister, General Mya Tun Oo and that the government would pay the firm $2 million.&nbsp;

Mya Tun Oo and other top generals have been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department and the Canadian government, so the paperwork says the payment will be made 'when legally permissible'.&nbsp;

Lawyers said that Ben-Menashe could be in breach of sanctions.&nbsp;

“To the extent that he is providing services to sanctioned parties from the United States without authorisation, that would appear to be a violation of US law,” said Peter Kucik, a former senior sanctions adviser at the US Treasury.&nbsp;

The US Treasury Department declined to comment.&nbsp;

Ben-Menashe said he had received legal advice that he would need licenses from the Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Controls (OFAC) and the Canadian government to accept the payment, but that he would not be breaking the law by lobbying for the junta.&nbsp;

"There's technicalities here but we'll leave it to the lawyers and OFAC to deal with it," he said, adding his lawyers were in touch with Treasury officials.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

An Israeli-Canadian lobbyist hired by Myanmar's junta will be paid $2 million to 'assist in explaining the real situation' of the army's coup to the United States and other countries, documents filed with the US Justice Department show.

An Israeli-Canadian lobbyist hired by Myanmar's junta will be paid $2 million to 'assist in explaining the real situation' of the army's coup to the United States and other countries, documents filed with the US Justice Department show. More than 60 protesters have been killed and 1,900 people have been arrested since February 1, when Myanmar's generals seized power and detained civilian leaders including State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi. Ari Ben-Menashe and his firm, Dickens & Madson Canada, will represent Myanmar's military government in Washington, as well as lobby Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Russia, and international bodies like the United Nations, according to a consultancy agreement. The Montreal-based firm will 'assist the devising and execution of policies for the beneficial development of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and also to assist in explaining the real situation in the Country,' read the agreement, submitted on Monday to the Justice Department as part of compliance with the US Foreign Agents Registration Act and published online. A spokesman for the Myanmar military government did not answer telephone calls seeking comment. In a pitch that has been met with widespread scepticism, Ben-Menashe said he had been tasked with convincing the United States that Myanmar's generals wanted to move closer to the West and away from China. He said the generals wanted to resettle Rohingya Muslims, who fled a 2017 military assault for which the United Nations has accused those same generals of overseeing a genocide. "It is highly implausible that he could convince the United States of the narrative he’s proposing," said John Sifton, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. Other documents submitted by Ben-Menashe showed the agreement was reached with the junta's defence minister, General Mya Tun Oo and that the government would pay the firm $2 million. Mya Tun Oo and other top generals have been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department and the Canadian government, so the paperwork says the payment will be made 'when legally permissible'. Lawyers said that Ben-Menashe could be in breach of sanctions. “To the extent that he is providing services to sanctioned parties from the United States without authorisation, that would appear to be a violation of US law,” said Peter Kucik, a former senior sanctions adviser at the US Treasury. The US Treasury Department declined to comment. Ben-Menashe said he had received legal advice that he would need licenses from the Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Controls (OFAC) and the Canadian government to accept the payment, but that he would not be breaking the law by lobbying for the junta. "There's technicalities here but we'll leave it to the lawyers and OFAC to deal with it," he said, adding his lawyers were in touch with Treasury officials. (With inputs from agencies)

Lobbyist to get $2 million to 'explain' Myanmar's coup for junta 

Joe Biden’s dogs have reportedly been returned to the family home in Delaware after showing aggressive behaviour towards White House staff.

Joe Biden's dogs have been returned to the family home

The House of Representatives plans to pass US President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill this week. This bill will offer a lifeline for millions of American families and businesses.

Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill on the brink of becoming law

The US unemployment rate is 6.3% but as the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, noted last month the real unemployment rate in the US is closer to 10%.

US: 75% households don't have enough food

Myanmar security forces fired tear gas and surrounded hundreds of anti-junta protesters at two places in Yangon on Wednesday, witnesses said, prompting the US Embassy to call for their withdrawal.&nbsp;

In New York, the UN Security Council failed to agree on a statement that would have condemned the coup in Myanmar, called for restraint by the military and threatened to consider 'further measures'.&nbsp;

Talks on the statement would likely continue, diplomats said, after China, Russia, India and Vietnam all suggested amendments late on Tuesday to a British draft, including removal of the reference to a coup and the threat to consider further action.&nbsp;

More than 60 protesters have been killed and 1,900 people have been arrested in the turmoil in Myanmar since the February 1 coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an advocacy group, has said.&nbsp;

The military has brushed off condemnation of its actions, as it has in past periods of army rule when outbreaks of protest were forcibly repressed.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, police stormed a compound in Yangon housing railway staff and surrounded hundreds of protesters in North Okkalapa district, in another part of the city. More than 100 people were arrested at the two sites, witnesses said.&nbsp;

Many of the railway staff are part of a civil disobedience movement that has crippled government business and included strikes at banks, factories and shops since the army ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government.&nbsp;

"We are seeing reports of innocent students and civilians surrounded by security forces in North Okkalapa, as well as arrests," the US Embassy said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We call on those security forces to withdraw from the area, release those detained, and allow people to depart safely."&nbsp;

Police and army officials did not respond to requests for comment.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, Zaw Myat Linn, an official from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), died in custody after he was arrested, the second party figure to die in detention in two days.&nbsp;

"He's been participating continuously in the protests," said Ba Myo Thein, a member of the dissolved upper house of parliament. The cause of death was not clear.&nbsp;

In a Facebook live broadcast before he was detained, Zaw Myat Linn urged people to continue fighting the army, 'even if it costs our lives'.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Myanmar security forces fired tear gas and surrounded hundreds of anti-junta protesters at two places in Yangon on Wednesday, witnesses said, prompting the US Embassy to call for their withdrawal.

Myanmar security forces fired tear gas and surrounded hundreds of anti-junta protesters at two places in Yangon on Wednesday, witnesses said, prompting the US Embassy to call for their withdrawal. In New York, the UN Security Council failed to agree on a statement that would have condemned the coup in Myanmar, called for restraint by the military and threatened to consider 'further measures'. Talks on the statement would likely continue, diplomats said, after China, Russia, India and Vietnam all suggested amendments late on Tuesday to a British draft, including removal of the reference to a coup and the threat to consider further action. More than 60 protesters have been killed and 1,900 people have been arrested in the turmoil in Myanmar since the February 1 coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an advocacy group, has said. The military has brushed off condemnation of its actions, as it has in past periods of army rule when outbreaks of protest were forcibly repressed. On Wednesday, police stormed a compound in Yangon housing railway staff and surrounded hundreds of protesters in North Okkalapa district, in another part of the city. More than 100 people were arrested at the two sites, witnesses said. Many of the railway staff are part of a civil disobedience movement that has crippled government business and included strikes at banks, factories and shops since the army ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government. "We are seeing reports of innocent students and civilians surrounded by security forces in North Okkalapa, as well as arrests," the US Embassy said in a statement. "We call on those security forces to withdraw from the area, release those detained, and allow people to depart safely." Police and army officials did not respond to requests for comment. On Tuesday, Zaw Myat Linn, an official from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), died in custody after he was arrested, the second party figure to die in detention in two days. "He's been participating continuously in the protests," said Ba Myo Thein, a member of the dissolved upper house of parliament. The cause of death was not clear. In a Facebook live broadcast before he was detained, Zaw Myat Linn urged people to continue fighting the army, 'even if it costs our lives'. (With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar security forces surround, arrest protesters as US calls for withdrawal 

Indian Ministry of External Affairs has announced that the first-ever summit of the leaders of ‘Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’, also known as the Quad leaders' will take place virtually on March 12.

Top leaders of Quad nations to participate virtually on March 12

The United States has prevented Turkey from supplying 30 locally made attack helicopters to Pakistan, Turkish Presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said.&nbsp;

During a briefing on Monday, Kalin noted that the US blocked Turkey's helicopter sale to Pakistan, which will likely lead to Islamabad buying it from China and cause more detriment to Washington down the line, Daily Sabah reported. &nbsp;

The ATAK-12 is a twin-engine, tandem seat, multi-role, all-weather attack helicopter based on the Agusta A129 Mangusta platform and is equipped with American engines, according to Dawn. &nbsp;

The US is holding up export clearance for the LHTEC engine. Turkey and Pakistan signed a USD 1.5 billion deal for the Turkish-made helicopter gunships in July 2018. But the delivery date was pushed back after the Pentagon refused to issue the Turkish company an export license for the engines, Dawn reported.&nbsp;

United States' blockade comes as the impact of US sanctions on Turkey, triggered by Ankara's decision to buy S-400 missiles from Russia. The United States announced the first blockade in July 2019, days before a meeting between the former US president, Donald Trump, and Prime Minister Imran Khan in Washington.&nbsp;

In January 2020, the head of Turkey's Defence Industries (SSB) said that Ankara and Islamabad had extended the delivery deal by another year to ensure a smooth delivery. The agreement gives Pakistan the option to buy the Chinese Z-10 helicopters should the Turkish deal not materialise.&nbsp;

Reports in the Turkish media said that the Turkish-built T-129 ATAK helicopter was still on the Pakistan Army shopping list.&nbsp;

In August 2020, Turkey hired a Washington law firm to lobby with the US administration and Congress for securing an export licence, which will help complete its biggest-ever defence deal with Pakistan.&nbsp;

The latest blockade, however, is likely to force the two allies to cancel the deal, persuading Islamabad to look for other options. US officials in Washington were contacted for comments on the announcement made in Ankara but did not respond, Dawn reported.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The United States has prevented Turkey from supplying 30 locally made attack helicopters to Pakistan, Turkish Presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said. During a briefing on Monday, Kalin noted that the US blocked Turkey's helicopter sale to Pakistan, which will likely lead to Islamabad buying it from China and cause more detriment to Washington down the line, Daily Sabah reported.

The United States has prevented Turkey from supplying 30 locally made attack helicopters to Pakistan, Turkish Presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said. During a briefing on Monday, Kalin noted that the US blocked Turkey's helicopter sale to Pakistan, which will likely lead to Islamabad buying it from China and cause more detriment to Washington down the line, Daily Sabah reported. The ATAK-12 is a twin-engine, tandem seat, multi-role, all-weather attack helicopter based on the Agusta A129 Mangusta platform and is equipped with American engines, according to Dawn. The US is holding up export clearance for the LHTEC engine. Turkey and Pakistan signed a USD 1.5 billion deal for the Turkish-made helicopter gunships in July 2018. But the delivery date was pushed back after the Pentagon refused to issue the Turkish company an export license for the engines, Dawn reported. United States' blockade comes as the impact of US sanctions on Turkey, triggered by Ankara's decision to buy S-400 missiles from Russia. The United States announced the first blockade in July 2019, days before a meeting between the former US president, Donald Trump, and Prime Minister Imran Khan in Washington. In January 2020, the head of Turkey's Defence Industries (SSB) said that Ankara and Islamabad had extended the delivery deal by another year to ensure a smooth delivery. The agreement gives Pakistan the option to buy the Chinese Z-10 helicopters should the Turkish deal not materialise. Reports in the Turkish media said that the Turkish-built T-129 ATAK helicopter was still on the Pakistan Army shopping list. In August 2020, Turkey hired a Washington law firm to lobby with the US administration and Congress for securing an export licence, which will help complete its biggest-ever defence deal with Pakistan. The latest blockade, however, is likely to force the two allies to cancel the deal, persuading Islamabad to look for other options. US officials in Washington were contacted for comments on the announcement made in Ankara but did not respond, Dawn reported. (With inputs from agencies)

US blocks Turkey's 30 locally-made attack helicopter sale to Pakistan 

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