Will opposition leader Juan Guaido topple Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro?

American and Taliban officials resumed talks in Qatar to end a 17-year <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-military-stops-tracking-key-metric-on-afghan-war-as-situation-deteriorates-214936">war in Afghanistan</a> on Wednesday while the Afghan government hosted a rare assembly in Kabul to ensure its interests are upheld in any peace deal.

Afghan representatives were not allowed to attend the sixth round of US-Taliban talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, said Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the insurgent group.

"There will be no other side except the US&nbsp;and Taliban representatives in the meeting, but some Qatari officials will remain present as hosts," he told Reuters.

The talks are part of President Donald Trump`s efforts to end America`s longest war, which began when US-backed forces ousted the Taliban weeks after the September&nbsp;11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Since October,<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/opinions/us-taliban-talks-peace-remains-a-distant-dream-for-afghanistan-213647&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjqxryYmfrhAhUc8XMBHUSGCbgQFjACegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1INTrcmp2Rx3qTOPgE-vxr"> US&nbsp;and Taliban officials have held several rounds of talks</a> aimed at ensuring a safe exit for US&nbsp;forces in return for a Taliban guarantee that Afghanistan will not be used by militants to threaten the rest of the world.

In this round, US&nbsp;special envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and his delegation are expected to focus on a declaration of a ceasefire as a first step to end the fighting, said a western diplomat in Kabul.

An official working closely with Khalilzad said he is expected to encourage the insurgent group to engage in Afghan-to-Afghan talks to find a political settlement to end the war.

This week, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani convened a rare grand assembly known as the Loya Jirga to set out Kabul`s conditions for peace talks with the Taliban.

The Jirga has a purely consultative function, but it carries significance in Afghan politics and society.&nbsp;

The Taliban has so far refused to talk to Kabul and have labelled the Afghan government as a "US&nbsp;puppet."

Ghani believes that backing from members of the Loya Jirga will strengthen his bid to be recognised as Afghanistan`s legitimate representative in the peace talks.

The assembly includes 3,200 tribal elders, politicians and community and religious leaders from all 34 provinces.

But opposition politicians and government critics, including former president Hamid Karzai, are boycotting the meeting.

They accuse Ghani of using it as a platform to boost his status as a leader in an election year.

Omar Daudzai, Ghani`s special envoy for peace, said at the assembly he welcomed the US-Taliban talks in Qatar but Afghan voices should be heard at the negotiating table.&nbsp;

"The Loya Jirga is the rational and logical start of the peace talks," he told reporters, adding that the assembly would also examine the role of foreign powers in Afghanistan.

The United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led mission, known as Resolute Support, that is training and assisting the Afghan government`s security forces in their battle against Taliban fighters and extremist groups such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. 
&nbsp;

American and Taliban officials resumed talks in Qatar to end a 17-year war in Afghanistan on Wednesday while the Afghan government hosted a rare assembly in Kabul to ensure its interests are upheld in any peace deal.

American and Taliban officials resumed talks in Qatar to end a 17-year war in Afghanistan on Wednesday while the Afghan government hosted a rare assembly in Kabul to ensure its interests are upheld in any peace deal. Afghan representatives were not allowed to attend the sixth round of US-Taliban talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, said Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the insurgent group. "There will be no other side except the US and Taliban representatives in the meeting, but some Qatari officials will remain present as hosts," he told Reuters. The talks are part of President Donald Trump`s efforts to end America`s longest war, which began when US-backed forces ousted the Taliban weeks after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Since October, US and Taliban officials have held several rounds of talks aimed at ensuring a safe exit for US forces in return for a Taliban guarantee that Afghanistan will not be used by militants to threaten the rest of the world. In this round, US special envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and his delegation are expected to focus on a declaration of a ceasefire as a first step to end the fighting, said a western diplomat in Kabul. An official working closely with Khalilzad said he is expected to encourage the insurgent group to engage in Afghan-to-Afghan talks to find a political settlement to end the war. This week, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani convened a rare grand assembly known as the Loya Jirga to set out Kabul`s conditions for peace talks with the Taliban. The Jirga has a purely consultative function, but it carries significance in Afghan politics and society. The Taliban has so far refused to talk to Kabul and have labelled the Afghan government as a "US puppet." Ghani believes that backing from members of the Loya Jirga will strengthen his bid to be recognised as Afghanistan`s legitimate representative in the peace talks. The assembly includes 3,200 tribal elders, politicians and community and religious leaders from all 34 provinces. But opposition politicians and government critics, including former president Hamid Karzai, are boycotting the meeting. They accuse Ghani of using it as a platform to boost his status as a leader in an election year. Omar Daudzai, Ghani`s special envoy for peace, said at the assembly he welcomed the US-Taliban talks in Qatar but Afghan voices should be heard at the negotiating table. "The Loya Jirga is the rational and logical start of the peace talks," he told reporters, adding that the assembly would also examine the role of foreign powers in Afghanistan. The United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led mission, known as Resolute Support, that is training and assisting the Afghan government`s security forces in their battle against Taliban fighters and extremist groups such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.

US-Taliban resume talks as Afghan government seeks role in peace process

The US has warned that the terrorist threat in Sri Lanka still remains as active members of the group that carried out the massive suicide attacks on Easter Sunday may still be at large, a media report said Tuesday. The US Embassy here has said that at the request of the Sri Lankan Government, US security experts were working closely with their Sri Lankan partners on "fulfilling short term, specific objectives" related to the recent attacks and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

US believes "active planning" of more attacks in Sri Lanka

Russia on Tuesday accused Venezuela's <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/us-says-fully-supports-venezuelan-people-as-juan-guaido-calls-for-uprising-against-nicolas-maduro-214849&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwis1Ju7p_rhAhUBKo8KHdooCVwQFjABegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw22HMuleBrrHA4uSKE6FHoG">US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido</a> of fomenting violence and urged talks after the self-proclaimed leader said troops had joined his campaign to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

The Russian's foreign ministry said it was important to avoid bloodletting as President Vladimir Putin discussed the unfolding crisis with members of his security council at the Kremlin.

"The radical opposition in<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/venezuela-crisis-violence-rocks-nation-venezuelans-take-to-the-streets-for-maduro-uprising-214976&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjD_dbhp_rhAhUIrY8KHXhwBYwQFjACegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3yomi3fetOrqSh3u0Ay8z7"> Venezuela</a> has once again turned to heavy-handed methods of confrontation," the foreign ministry said in a statement, accusing <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/nicolas-maduro-addresses-venezuela-214926&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj28I7Tp_rhAhWLsY8KHdOvABoQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0VV8Gv7lctm3EAs5kg6uMh">Maduro's </a>opponents of "fuelling" conflict.

"It is important to avoid unrest and bloodletting," said the foreign ministry, urging talks between the conflicting sides.

"The problems Venezuela faces should be solved through responsible negotiations without pre-conditions," said the foreign ministry, warning that third countries should not interfere in the crisis.

Last month, Moscow sent troops and equipment to Venezuela, saying they would remain in the country "for as long as needed."

Tensions in crisis-stricken Venezuela have been ratcheted up to a critical level this year, after Guaido, who is head of the opposition-ruled National Assembly, announced in January that he was the acting president under the constitution.&nbsp;

He said Maduro had been fraudulently re-elected last year.

Maduro has presided over economic chaos, with the oil-rich country unable to provide basic medical and food supplies to much of the population.

Earlier Tuesday Guaido said troops had joined his campaign to oust Maduro while the government vowed to put down what it called an attempted coup.

Guaido is recognised by the United States and about 50 other governments but Moscow, along with China, backs Maduro.

Russia has accused Washington of seeking regime change in Venezuela.

Russia on Tuesday accused Venezuela's US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido of fomenting violence and urged talks after the self-proclaimed leader said troops had joined his campaign to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

Russia on Tuesday accused Venezuela's US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido of fomenting violence and urged talks after the self-proclaimed leader said troops had joined his campaign to oust President Nicolas Maduro. The Russian's foreign ministry said it was important to avoid bloodletting as President Vladimir Putin discussed the unfolding crisis with members of his security council at the Kremlin. "The radical opposition in Venezuela has once again turned to heavy-handed methods of confrontation," the foreign ministry said in a statement, accusing Maduro's opponents of "fuelling" conflict. "It is important to avoid unrest and bloodletting," said the foreign ministry, urging talks between the conflicting sides. "The problems Venezuela faces should be solved through responsible negotiations without pre-conditions," said the foreign ministry, warning that third countries should not interfere in the crisis. Last month, Moscow sent troops and equipment to Venezuela, saying they would remain in the country "for as long as needed." Tensions in crisis-stricken Venezuela have been ratcheted up to a critical level this year, after Guaido, who is head of the opposition-ruled National Assembly, announced in January that he was the acting president under the constitution. He said Maduro had been fraudulently re-elected last year. Maduro has presided over economic chaos, with the oil-rich country unable to provide basic medical and food supplies to much of the population. Earlier Tuesday Guaido said troops had joined his campaign to oust Maduro while the government vowed to put down what it called an attempted coup. Guaido is recognised by the United States and about 50 other governments but Moscow, along with China, backs Maduro. Russia has accused Washington of seeking regime change in Venezuela.

Russia accuses Venezuela's US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido of 'fuelling' conflict

Russia should encourage its Venezuelan ally President<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/nicolas-maduro-addresses-venezuela-214926&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi97M38pPrhAhUMq48KHWEWAeMQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3P3cf_5kSplCYEuDk7HsE5"> Nicolas Maduro</a> to avoid violence amid a street revolt aimed at ousting him, the US representative on the crisis said Tuesday.

"The Russians have been playing a very unhelpful role," envoy Elliott Abrams told reporters.

"It would be helpful if they would make a call for no violence because one of the things we have seen in a few cases today is violence on the part of the Venezuelan security forces against unarmed, innocent civilians," he said.

Russia earlier accused <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/explainer-will-opposition-leader-guaido-topple-venezuelas-president-maduro-215049&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjy5-rfpPrhAhXT7HMBHZZXADQQFjACegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3GKUTFhtxtPhRF7Pi9FyAh">Juan Guaido</a>, recognized by the United States and more than 50 other countries as interim president, of fueling conflict and urged negotiations, an option Washington has rejected.

Abrams said he had exchanged messages with Guaido at around 1800 GMT on Tuesday and that the opposition leader appeared to be "buoyant and determined."

The US envoy also questioned why Maduro had not been seen in public throughout the tumultuous day.

"Normally one would view that as a sign that he is unsure of the support that he has, as he ought to be," Abrams said, while adding that the situation across Venezuela was "confused."

Russia should encourage its Venezuelan ally President Nicolas Maduro to avoid violence amid a street revolt aimed at ousting him, the US representative on the crisis said Tuesday.

Russia should encourage its Venezuelan ally President Nicolas Maduro to avoid violence amid a street revolt aimed at ousting him, the US representative on the crisis said Tuesday. "The Russians have been playing a very unhelpful role," envoy Elliott Abrams told reporters. "It would be helpful if they would make a call for no violence because one of the things we have seen in a few cases today is violence on the part of the Venezuelan security forces against unarmed, innocent civilians," he said. Russia earlier accused Juan Guaido, recognized by the United States and more than 50 other countries as interim president, of fueling conflict and urged negotiations, an option Washington has rejected. Abrams said he had exchanged messages with Guaido at around 1800 GMT on Tuesday and that the opposition leader appeared to be "buoyant and determined." The US envoy also questioned why Maduro had not been seen in public throughout the tumultuous day. "Normally one would view that as a sign that he is unsure of the support that he has, as he ought to be," Abrams said, while adding that the situation across Venezuela was "confused."

Russia should press Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro to avoid violence: US envoy

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-falls-after-trump-urges-greater-opec-output-to-replace-iranian-oil-214283&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjuhuTLoPrhAhXEvo8KHWrMAykQFjACegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ypVMPMRIln_fUjV6oNYIW">US&nbsp;President Donald Trump</a>'s unexpected decision to ban all Iranian oil purchases after May 1 - ending exemptions for eight nations - came after hawkish economic and security advisors allayed the president's fears of an oil price hike, according to three sources familiar with the internal debate.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/will-no-longer-grant-sanctions-exemptions-to-irans-oil-customers-us-212617&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjuhuTLoPrhAhXEvo8KHWrMAykQFjAEegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Z11JT-IhrVOS_P3ToDDem">The unprecedented move to fully sever</a> Tehran’s financial lifeline - finalized just days before the April 22 announcement - underscores the strong influence of hard-liners within Trump’s inner circle.

They had for months argued for tightening the sanctions over the objections of some State Department officials who favoured allowing some partners and allies to keep buying Iranian oil.

"No one's actually tried to take this all the way to zero," a senior administration official told Reuters, adding that forging a consensus among government agencies required "a lot of work."

President Donald Trump has been eager to halt Iran’s oil exports since slapping sanctions on the Islamic Republic last November for the first time since 2015, a move intended as punishment for Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its support of armed militant groups in the Middle East.

Trump initially backed a go-slow approach, providing waivers to allies and trading partners such as China, India and Turkey.

The United States currently removes about 2 million barrels of oil per day from the world's supply through sanctions on the Iran and Venezuela industries.

But Washington hopes that soaring<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/opinions/donald-trumps-crackdown-on-irans-oil-exports-could-backfire-badly-with-serious-risks-to-global-economy-213229&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjuhuTLoPrhAhXEvo8KHWrMAykQFjADegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1XVon65KYvD7oeeJsH1XsY"> US&nbsp;oil production</a> - now at an all-time high of more than 12 million barrel per day - will keep global markets well-supplied and hold prices down.

By the weekend of April 20, with the initial 180-day waivers given to countries due to expire May 1, top economic and security advisors convinced Trump that the time had come to cut off Iranian oil exports completely, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The State Department had been engaged in talks with at least five of the eight economies holding waivers, according to sources - China, India, South Korea, Japan and Turkey.&nbsp;

Trump discussed the matter with National Security Adviser John Bolton, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Energy Secretary Rick Perry as well as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

While Bolton and Perry backed ending the waivers, some in Pompeo's State Department reiterated worries about the potential for rising oil prices, the sources said, but they ultimately dropped their objections and supported the more aggressive policy on Iran.

SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT

The decision caught several US&nbsp;allies and Iranian oil buyers off-guard.

China's Foreign Ministry issued a formal complaint to the United States.

Separately, diplomats interviewed by Reuters from at least two large importers of Iranian oil said discussions about renewing their waivers continued until a few days before the announcement, suggesting the State Department had little time to brief partners on the decision.

Oil prices struck six-month highs after the announcement, but have since eased back.

Trump has long been anxious about rising oil prices impacting the economy and raising retail gasoline prices, and in his last tweet before the waiver decision, he said global oil markets were "fragile".

He has asked members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to increase the flow of oil to compensate for losses from Iran and Venezuela.

"This was clearly what he was balancing in his own mind," the administration official said.

One senior administration official said Trump held conversations recently with the Saudi and Emirati leaders on oil prices and received assurances that the two oil producers will ensure the market is well-supplied.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister responded by saying he saw no need to raise oil output immediately.

OPEC production declined by 1.6 million barrels per day between December and March, according to the organization's figures.

'THE RIGHT TIME'

The Obama administration, which had imposed sanctions on Iran in 2012 to thwart its nuclear ambitions, kept its waivers in place through the duration of its pressure campaign.

Obama’s sanctions program ended with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, an international accord with Tehran reached in 2015 that was meant to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb.

Trump ridiculed the deal and unilaterally abandoned it last year over the objections of the other signatories.

International nuclear inspectors said at the time that Iran was abiding by the deal's terms.

State Department officials said it was the Trump administration's intention from the start to bring Iran's exports to zero.

But the timing had not been right until now.

The National Security Council, according to two sources, played a key role in driving the argument to end the waiver program - especially Richard Goldberg, a new member of the Trump administration and a longtime advocate for confronting Iran.

Goldberg was "instrumental," one of the sources said.

Bolton added Goldberg to the NSC earlier this year.

In 2018, while an adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, Goldberg told Congress that rolling back Iran's activities required a "no-holds-barred, pedal-to-the-metal approach" involving political, economic and ideological warfare, along with overt and covert operations to remove Iranian forces from Syria and Yemen.

White House economic advisors Kevin Hassett and Larry Kudlow had also called for ending the waivers, according to a second senior administration official.

"We are doing this ... in a favourable market condition with full commitment from producing countries," said Frank Fannon, US&nbsp;Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources.

"We think this is the right time", added Fannon.

US President Donald Trump's unexpected decision to ban all Iranian oil purchases after May 1 - ending exemptions for eight nations - came after hawkish economic and security advisors allayed the president's fears of an oil price hike, according to three sources familiar with the internal debate.

US President Donald Trump's unexpected decision to ban all Iranian oil purchases after May 1 - ending exemptions for eight nations - came after hawkish economic and security advisors allayed the president's fears of an oil price hike, according to three sources familiar with the internal debate. The unprecedented move to fully sever Tehran’s financial lifeline - finalized just days before the April 22 announcement - underscores the strong influence of hard-liners within Trump’s inner circle. They had for months argued for tightening the sanctions over the objections of some State Department officials who favoured allowing some partners and allies to keep buying Iranian oil. "No one's actually tried to take this all the way to zero," a senior administration official told Reuters, adding that forging a consensus among government agencies required "a lot of work." President Donald Trump has been eager to halt Iran’s oil exports since slapping sanctions on the Islamic Republic last November for the first time since 2015, a move intended as punishment for Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its support of armed militant groups in the Middle East. Trump initially backed a go-slow approach, providing waivers to allies and trading partners such as China, India and Turkey. The United States currently removes about 2 million barrels of oil per day from the world's supply through sanctions on the Iran and Venezuela industries. But Washington hopes that soaring US oil production - now at an all-time high of more than 12 million barrel per day - will keep global markets well-supplied and hold prices down. By the weekend of April 20, with the initial 180-day waivers given to countries due to expire May 1, top economic and security advisors convinced Trump that the time had come to cut off Iranian oil exports completely, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The State Department had been engaged in talks with at least five of the eight economies holding waivers, according to sources - China, India, South Korea, Japan and Turkey. Trump discussed the matter with National Security Adviser John Bolton, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Energy Secretary Rick Perry as well as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. While Bolton and Perry backed ending the waivers, some in Pompeo's State Department reiterated worries about the potential for rising oil prices, the sources said, but they ultimately dropped their objections and supported the more aggressive policy on Iran. SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT The decision caught several US allies and Iranian oil buyers off-guard. China's Foreign Ministry issued a formal complaint to the United States. Separately, diplomats interviewed by Reuters from at least two large importers of Iranian oil said discussions about renewing their waivers continued until a few days before the announcement, suggesting the State Department had little time to brief partners on the decision. Oil prices struck six-month highs after the announcement, but have since eased back. Trump has long been anxious about rising oil prices impacting the economy and raising retail gasoline prices, and in his last tweet before the waiver decision, he said global oil markets were "fragile". He has asked members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to increase the flow of oil to compensate for losses from Iran and Venezuela. "This was clearly what he was balancing in his own mind," the administration official said. One senior administration official said Trump held conversations recently with the Saudi and Emirati leaders on oil prices and received assurances that the two oil producers will ensure the market is well-supplied. Saudi Arabia's energy minister responded by saying he saw no need to raise oil output immediately. OPEC production declined by 1.6 million barrels per day between December and March, according to the organization's figures. 'THE RIGHT TIME' The Obama administration, which had imposed sanctions on Iran in 2012 to thwart its nuclear ambitions, kept its waivers in place through the duration of its pressure campaign. Obama’s sanctions program ended with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, an international accord with Tehran reached in 2015 that was meant to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Trump ridiculed the deal and unilaterally abandoned it last year over the objections of the other signatories. International nuclear inspectors said at the time that Iran was abiding by the deal's terms. State Department officials said it was the Trump administration's intention from the start to bring Iran's exports to zero. But the timing had not been right until now. The National Security Council, according to two sources, played a key role in driving the argument to end the waiver program - especially Richard Goldberg, a new member of the Trump administration and a longtime advocate for confronting Iran. Goldberg was "instrumental," one of the sources said. Bolton added Goldberg to the NSC earlier this year. In 2018, while an adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, Goldberg told Congress that rolling back Iran's activities required a "no-holds-barred, pedal-to-the-metal approach" involving political, economic and ideological warfare, along with overt and covert operations to remove Iranian forces from Syria and Yemen. White House economic advisors Kevin Hassett and Larry Kudlow had also called for ending the waivers, according to a second senior administration official. "We are doing this ... in a favourable market condition with full commitment from producing countries," said Frank Fannon, US Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources. "We think this is the right time", added Fannon.

The debate behind Trump's move to tighten Iran oil sanctions

Israel and the United States are putting the financial squeeze on the Palestinian Authority, where opposition to a long-awaited US&nbsp;peace plan and anger over Israeli sanctions remain strong.

Analysts see steep cuts in US&nbsp;aid to the Palestinians over the past year as an attempt to draw them towards a blueprint that Washington promises will have economic benefits but which the PA predicts will fall short of endorsing Palestinian statehood.

And during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu`s successful re-election campaign, his right-wing government imposed sanctions that have pushed the Authority towards financial crisis.

In February, Israel announced it would cut by 5 percent the approximately $190 million in tax revenues it transfers to the Palestinian Authority each month from imports that reach the occupied West Bank and Hamas-run Gaza Strip via Israeli ports.

The deducted sum represents the amount of money paid by the Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, to families of Palestinians convicted and jailed by Israel for security offences, including lethal attacks on Israelis.

Israel calls the stipends a "pay for slay" policy.

Palestinians hail their jailed brethren as heroes in a struggle for an independent state and their families as deserving of support.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to accept the partial tax remittances from Israel, saying the PA is entitled to all the money under interim peace deals.

Unless the issue is resolved, the World Bank says, the Palestinians` financing gap could exceed $1 billion in 2019, putting further strain on an economy grappling with a 52 percent unemployment rate.

Already facing international donor fatigue, the Palestinians were dealt a heavy blow by the Trump administration`s cut last year of hundreds of millions of dollars of aid.

In February, the US&nbsp;Agency for International Development announced it had ceased all assistance to the West Bank and Gaza.

While the United States and Israel are applying financial pressure to the Palestinian Authority for different reasons, it is happening just as the PA is being leant on to accept the US&nbsp;peace plan.&nbsp;

Palestinian suspicions over the still-secret US&nbsp;proposals, due to be announced in June, and defiance of Israeli sanctions continue to run deep despite the arm-twisting.

SALARY CUTS

Khalid al-Asili, the Authority`s economy minister, told Reuters in an interview last week that it has been struggling to manage on just 36 percent of budgeted revenues.

The Authority slashed the salaries of government employees in February, March and April to whether the budget crisis, with some Palestinian public servants` wages cut in half.

"Unless they find a solution ... it will be a disaster for the Palestinian economy," Asili said.

With Trump`s "deal of the century" about to be unveiled, Tareq Baconi&nbsp;an analyst with the International Crisis Group questioned the wisdom of Washington`s financial pressure on the Palestinians.

Such a strategy, he said, stemmed from the "misguided belief that economic benefits could be sufficiently compelling for Palestinians to relinquish their political demands".

One of the architects of the Trump plan, the president`s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, declined to say in public remarks in Washington last week whether it called for a two-state solution, a goal of past efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

Abbas and his officials have refused to deal at a political level with the Trump administration since the US President`s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel`s capital in 2017 and his move of the US&nbsp;embassy to the holy city last May.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh has rejected out of hand "any political initiative that does not call for ending Israeli occupation and establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital".

The Palestinians have long sought to set up a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, territory Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East War.

Netanyahu further clouded the statehood issue when he said during the election race that he would annex Israeli settlements in the West Bank if he wins, a move that Palestinian leaders said would kill any prospects of peace.

RISKS FOR BOTH SIDES

While both sides await the US&nbsp;proposals, the financial sanctions on the Palestinian Authority could be a double-edged sword, posing risks to its stability and for Israel as well.

"Given that the PA`s main source of legitimacy is its capacity to employ a considerable proportion of the Palestinian workforce, internal discontent could challenge its ability to govern effectively," Baconi said.

For Israel, weakening the Palestinian Authority could have an impact on Palestinian security forces that cooperate with the Israeli military in the West Bank.

"Israel takes it for granted that it&nbsp;has not experienced any major terrorist attack for years now," said Avraham Sela, professor emeritus of international relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

"Coordination with the PA is invaluable for Israel`s security," he said.

Economy Minister Eli Cohen, a member of Netanyahu`s security cabinet, said on Monday that Israel has "no interest" in the Authority`s collapse.

But, he said on Israel`s Reshet TV, withholding tax revenues equivalent to the sums of "stipends and pensions being paid to terrorists" is justifiable.

"CATASTROPHIC CUTS"

In the West Bank city of Ramallah, Kadhim Harb, 50, who works in the economy ministry, said the salary reductions have forced him to delay loan payments.

"We are cutting back on everything. We only buy basic things,” Harb, said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

A police officer in Gaza, who asked to be identified only by his first name, Ahmed, said his wages were slashed by 65 percent in March.

"Salary cuts? Please say: catastrophic cuts. I haven`t been able to pay my son`s university tuition this semester," said Ahmed, 39.

Donor countries and institutions have stepped in to try to plug the growing budget deficit.&nbsp;

At Abbas`s urging, the Arab League at a meeting in Cairo last week promised $100 million per month to the PA.

Those pledges would add to an increase in funds from Gulf Arab states following the US&nbsp;cuts.

Saudi Arabia in 2018 gave $222 million to the Authority, up from $92 million in 2017, the World Bank said. Kuwait contributed $53 million last year.&nbsp;

Still, the PA faced a significant financing gap in 2018 - some $400 million, or roughly 10 percent of its budget - forcing it to accrue arrears on loans from local banks and other private sector financiers.

Israel and the United States are putting the financial squeeze on the Palestinian Authority, where opposition to a long-awaited US peace plan and anger over Israeli sanctions remain strong.

Israel and the United States are putting the financial squeeze on the Palestinian Authority, where opposition to a long-awaited US peace plan and anger over Israeli sanctions remain strong. Analysts see steep cuts in US aid to the Palestinians over the past year as an attempt to draw them towards a blueprint that Washington promises will have economic benefits but which the PA predicts will fall short of endorsing Palestinian statehood. And during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu`s successful re-election campaign, his right-wing government imposed sanctions that have pushed the Authority towards financial crisis. In February, Israel announced it would cut by 5 percent the approximately $190 million in tax revenues it transfers to the Palestinian Authority each month from imports that reach the occupied West Bank and Hamas-run Gaza Strip via Israeli ports. The deducted sum represents the amount of money paid by the Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, to families of Palestinians convicted and jailed by Israel for security offences, including lethal attacks on Israelis. Israel calls the stipends a "pay for slay" policy. Palestinians hail their jailed brethren as heroes in a struggle for an independent state and their families as deserving of support. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to accept the partial tax remittances from Israel, saying the PA is entitled to all the money under interim peace deals. Unless the issue is resolved, the World Bank says, the Palestinians` financing gap could exceed $1 billion in 2019, putting further strain on an economy grappling with a 52 percent unemployment rate. Already facing international donor fatigue, the Palestinians were dealt a heavy blow by the Trump administration`s cut last year of hundreds of millions of dollars of aid. In February, the US Agency for International Development announced it had ceased all assistance to the West Bank and Gaza. While the United States and Israel are applying financial pressure to the Palestinian Authority for different reasons, it is happening just as the PA is being leant on to accept the US peace plan. Palestinian suspicions over the still-secret US proposals, due to be announced in June, and defiance of Israeli sanctions continue to run deep despite the arm-twisting. SALARY CUTS Khalid al-Asili, the Authority`s economy minister, told Reuters in an interview last week that it has been struggling to manage on just 36 percent of budgeted revenues. The Authority slashed the salaries of government employees in February, March and April to whether the budget crisis, with some Palestinian public servants` wages cut in half. "Unless they find a solution ... it will be a disaster for the Palestinian economy," Asili said. With Trump`s "deal of the century" about to be unveiled, Tareq Baconi an analyst with the International Crisis Group questioned the wisdom of Washington`s financial pressure on the Palestinians. Such a strategy, he said, stemmed from the "misguided belief that economic benefits could be sufficiently compelling for Palestinians to relinquish their political demands". One of the architects of the Trump plan, the president`s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, declined to say in public remarks in Washington last week whether it called for a two-state solution, a goal of past efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Abbas and his officials have refused to deal at a political level with the Trump administration since the US President`s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel`s capital in 2017 and his move of the US embassy to the holy city last May. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh has rejected out of hand "any political initiative that does not call for ending Israeli occupation and establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital". The Palestinians have long sought to set up a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, territory Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East War. Netanyahu further clouded the statehood issue when he said during the election race that he would annex Israeli settlements in the West Bank if he wins, a move that Palestinian leaders said would kill any prospects of peace. RISKS FOR BOTH SIDES While both sides await the US proposals, the financial sanctions on the Palestinian Authority could be a double-edged sword, posing risks to its stability and for Israel as well. "Given that the PA`s main source of legitimacy is its capacity to employ a considerable proportion of the Palestinian workforce, internal discontent could challenge its ability to govern effectively," Baconi said. For Israel, weakening the Palestinian Authority could have an impact on Palestinian security forces that cooperate with the Israeli military in the West Bank. "Israel takes it for granted that it has not experienced any major terrorist attack for years now," said Avraham Sela, professor emeritus of international relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "Coordination with the PA is invaluable for Israel`s security," he said. Economy Minister Eli Cohen, a member of Netanyahu`s security cabinet, said on Monday that Israel has "no interest" in the Authority`s collapse. But, he said on Israel`s Reshet TV, withholding tax revenues equivalent to the sums of "stipends and pensions being paid to terrorists" is justifiable. "CATASTROPHIC CUTS" In the West Bank city of Ramallah, Kadhim Harb, 50, who works in the economy ministry, said the salary reductions have forced him to delay loan payments. "We are cutting back on everything. We only buy basic things,” Harb, said. A police officer in Gaza, who asked to be identified only by his first name, Ahmed, said his wages were slashed by 65 percent in March. "Salary cuts? Please say: catastrophic cuts. I haven`t been able to pay my son`s university tuition this semester," said Ahmed, 39. Donor countries and institutions have stepped in to try to plug the growing budget deficit. At Abbas`s urging, the Arab League at a meeting in Cairo last week promised $100 million per month to the PA. Those pledges would add to an increase in funds from Gulf Arab states following the US cuts. Saudi Arabia in 2018 gave $222 million to the Authority, up from $92 million in 2017, the World Bank said. Kuwait contributed $53 million last year. Still, the PA faced a significant financing gap in 2018 - some $400 million, or roughly 10 percent of its budget - forcing it to accrue arrears on loans from local banks and other private sector financiers.

As Trump team prepares Mideast plan, Palestinians face financial crisis

President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to impose a "full and complete embargo" and further sanctions on Cuba if its Communist leadership does not immediately end its military support for Venezuela`s socialist president, Nicolas Maduro.

Trump issued his ultimatum to Havana in a message on Twitter as his administration threw its support behind opposition leader Juan Guaido`s strongest call yet for the military to help him oust Maduro during a day of upheaval in the South American country.

Also on Tuesday, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Maduro had been prepared to leave the country on Tuesday morning, headed for Havana in the face of anti-government protests, but reversed his plan after Russia intervened.

"They had an airplane on the tarmac. He was ready to leave this morning, as we understand it. Russians indicated he should stay," Pompeo said in an interview with CNN.

Several dozen armed troops accompanying Guaido clashed with soldiers supporting Maduro at a rally outside the La Carlota air base in Caracas early on Tuesday, but the incident fizzled out and did not appear to be part of an immediate attempt by the opposition to take power through military force.

Trump`s threat against Cuba marked an intensification of a US&nbsp;campaign in recent weeks to pressure Cuba over its role in Venezuela, although some experts and former US&nbsp;officials say Trump and his aides have overstated Cuban involvement in the Venezuelan crisis.

"If Cuban Troops and Militia do not immediately CEASE military and other operations for the purpose of causing death and destruction to the Constitution of Venezuela, a full and complete embargo, together with highest-level sanctions, will be placed on the island of Cuba," Trump said on Twitter.

"Hopefully, all Cuban soldiers will promptly and peacefully return to their island!", Trump&nbsp;wrote.

Cuba has stood by its ally Maduro and has denied US&nbsp;accusations that it has military and intelligence operatives, which Washington estimates at 20,000 to 25,000 personnel in Venezuela propping him up.

Trump has rolled back parts of predecessor Barack Obama`s historic rapprochement with Cuba and returned to Cold War-style rhetoric.

But he has not broken off diplomatic relations, which Obama restored in 2015 after decades of enmity.

A six-decade US&nbsp;economic embargo on Cuba has also remained officially intact, even though Obama chipped away at many of the US&nbsp;trade and travel restrictions.

President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to impose a "full and complete embargo" and further sanctions on Cuba if its Communist leadership does not immediately end its military support for Venezuela`s socialist president, Nicolas Maduro.

President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to impose a "full and complete embargo" and further sanctions on Cuba if its Communist leadership does not immediately end its military support for Venezuela`s socialist president, Nicolas Maduro. Trump issued his ultimatum to Havana in a message on Twitter as his administration threw its support behind opposition leader Juan Guaido`s strongest call yet for the military to help him oust Maduro during a day of upheaval in the South American country. Also on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Maduro had been prepared to leave the country on Tuesday morning, headed for Havana in the face of anti-government protests, but reversed his plan after Russia intervened. "They had an airplane on the tarmac. He was ready to leave this morning, as we understand it. Russians indicated he should stay," Pompeo said in an interview with CNN. Several dozen armed troops accompanying Guaido clashed with soldiers supporting Maduro at a rally outside the La Carlota air base in Caracas early on Tuesday, but the incident fizzled out and did not appear to be part of an immediate attempt by the opposition to take power through military force. Trump`s threat against Cuba marked an intensification of a US campaign in recent weeks to pressure Cuba over its role in Venezuela, although some experts and former US officials say Trump and his aides have overstated Cuban involvement in the Venezuelan crisis. "If Cuban Troops and Militia do not immediately CEASE military and other operations for the purpose of causing death and destruction to the Constitution of Venezuela, a full and complete embargo, together with highest-level sanctions, will be placed on the island of Cuba," Trump said on Twitter. "Hopefully, all Cuban soldiers will promptly and peacefully return to their island!", Trump wrote. Cuba has stood by its ally Maduro and has denied US accusations that it has military and intelligence operatives, which Washington estimates at 20,000 to 25,000 personnel in Venezuela propping him up. Trump has rolled back parts of predecessor Barack Obama`s historic rapprochement with Cuba and returned to Cold War-style rhetoric. But he has not broken off diplomatic relations, which Obama restored in 2015 after decades of enmity. A six-decade US economic embargo on Cuba has also remained officially intact, even though Obama chipped away at many of the US trade and travel restrictions.

Trump threatens 'full' embargo on Cuba over Venezuela security support

Over 600 "illegal" migrants were apprehended from Sunland Park and Antelope Wells here in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Around 424 migrants were detained after midnight in Sunland Park, while 230 refugees were arrested from Antelope Wells here at around 2 am, as per Sputnik.

"This is an ongoing situation that<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/will-be-sending-armed-soldiers-to-mexico-border-trump-213252&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiBmJvtjPrhAhXFto8KHWwRDiUQFjAGegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2oJfEDkqcE_WN4vVUBZT8q"> US Border Patrol </a>agents are facing in southern New Mexico: hundreds of parents and children being encountered by agents after having faced a dangerous journey in the hands of unscrupulous smugglers", CBP said in a statement.

The agency further accused criminal organisations of continuing "to exploit innocent human lives in order to enhance their illicit activities without due regard to the risks of human life".

"In most cases, these smugglers never cross the border themselves in order to avoid apprehension," CBP said.

US President Donald Trump has often voiced his disdain regarding the influx of migrants from the US-Mexico border, calling for the construction of a wall on the border.

The Democrats have repeatedly objected to this proposal, slamming Trump`s demand for funds towards the barrier`s construction.

In fact, an impasse between the US lawmakers and Trump regarding funding for the wall led to the country experiencing its longest-ever shutdown recently.

Over 600 "illegal" migrants were apprehended from Sunland Park and Antelope Wells here in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Over 600 "illegal" migrants were apprehended from Sunland Park and Antelope Wells here in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Around 424 migrants were detained after midnight in Sunland Park, while 230 refugees were arrested from Antelope Wells here at around 2 am, as per Sputnik. "This is an ongoing situation that US Border Patrol agents are facing in southern New Mexico: hundreds of parents and children being encountered by agents after having faced a dangerous journey in the hands of unscrupulous smugglers", CBP said in a statement. The agency further accused criminal organisations of continuing "to exploit innocent human lives in order to enhance their illicit activities without due regard to the risks of human life". "In most cases, these smugglers never cross the border themselves in order to avoid apprehension," CBP said. US President Donald Trump has often voiced his disdain regarding the influx of migrants from the US-Mexico border, calling for the construction of a wall on the border. The Democrats have repeatedly objected to this proposal, slamming Trump`s demand for funds towards the barrier`s construction. In fact, an impasse between the US lawmakers and Trump regarding funding for the wall led to the country experiencing its longest-ever shutdown recently.

US authorities detain over 600 migrants near the US border

US special envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad on Sunday (April 28) said the possibility of a peace agreement with the Taliban depends on the declaration of a permanent ceasefire and a commitment to end the ongoing war.

Afghan peace deal hinges on ceasefire by Taliban: US peace envoy

The United States has confirmed 695 measles cases so far this year, the highest level since the country declared it had eliminated the virus in 2000, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday.

US measles cases hit highest level since eradication in 2000

Russia has asked The United States to halt its politics of blackmail amid new sanctions. Watch full video to know more.

Russia asks US to stop blackmail after new sanctions

Russia will not immediately raise oil output after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/donald-trumps-crackdown-on-irans-oil-exports-could-backfire-badly-with-serious-risks-to-global-economy-213229">United States ends sanctions waivers for buyers of Iranian crude</a> in May, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday.

The United States announced this week that, in a bid to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero, it would from May 2 end US waivers that countries such as India, China, South Korea and Turkey currently have on buying Iranian crude.

"We have an agreement with OPEC to maintain production at a certain level and this agreement is in force until July," Putin told reporters on the sidelines of a summit in Beijing.

"I can't imagine how the world energy market will react" after the waivers end in May, Putin said.

But, he added, "none of our partners, including Saudi Arabia, is withdrawing from our agreements within OPEC."

Saudi Arabia, the world's top crude exporter, has also said it had no immediate plans to raise oil output after the sanctions waivers end.

There had been speculation that Riyadh could step in to plug the gap left by the removal of Iranian crude.

Eight countries including China, India and Turkey had been given temporary waivers by the US when it reimposed sanctions on Iran last year.

The end of the exemptions sparked fears of supply shortages, pushing prices to near six-month highs.

Russia will not immediately raise oil output after the United States ends sanctions waivers for buyers of Iranian crude in May, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday.

Russia will not immediately raise oil output after the United States ends sanctions waivers for buyers of Iranian crude in May, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday. The United States announced this week that, in a bid to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero, it would from May 2 end US waivers that countries such as India, China, South Korea and Turkey currently have on buying Iranian crude. "We have an agreement with OPEC to maintain production at a certain level and this agreement is in force until July," Putin told reporters on the sidelines of a summit in Beijing. "I can't imagine how the world energy market will react" after the waivers end in May, Putin said. But, he added, "none of our partners, including Saudi Arabia, is withdrawing from our agreements within OPEC." Saudi Arabia, the world's top crude exporter, has also said it had no immediate plans to raise oil output after the sanctions waivers end. There had been speculation that Riyadh could step in to plug the gap left by the removal of Iranian crude. Eight countries including China, India and Turkey had been given temporary waivers by the US when it reimposed sanctions on Iran last year. The end of the exemptions sparked fears of supply shortages, pushing prices to near six-month highs.

Russia won't immediately raise oil output after Iran waivers end: Vladimir Putin

The "i word" - impeachment - is swirling around the US Congress since the release of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-mueller-report-everything-you-need-to-know-about-it-211667">Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s redacted Russia report</a>, which painted a picture of lies, threats and confusion in Donald Trump`s White House.

Some Democrats say trying to remove Trump from office would be a waste of time because his fellow Republicans still have majority control of the Senate. Other Democrats argue they have a moral obligation at least to try to impeach, even though Mueller did not charge Trump with conspiring with Russia in the 2016 US&nbsp;election or with obstruction of justice.

Whether or not the Democrats decide to go down this risky path, here is how the impeachment process works.&nbsp;

WHAT ARE GROUNDS FOR IMPEACHMENT?

The US&nbsp;Constitution says the president can be removed from office by Congress for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." Exactly what that means is unclear.

Before he became president in 1974, replacing Republican Richard Nixon who resigned over the Watergate scandal, Gerald Ford said: “An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history.”

Frank Bowman, a University of Missouri law professor and author of a forthcoming book on the history of impeachment, said Congress could look beyond criminal laws in defining "high crimes and misdemeanors."

Historically, it can encompass corruption and other abuses, including trying to obstruct judicial proceedings.

HOW DOES IMPEACHMENT PLAY OUT?

The term impeachment is often interpreted as simply removing a president from office, but that is not strictly accurate.&nbsp;

Impeachment technically refers to the 435-member House of Representatives approving formal charges against a president.&nbsp;

The House effectively acts as accuser - voting on whether to bring specific charges. An impeachment resolution, known as "articles of impeachment," is like an indictment in a criminal case. A simple majority vote is needed in the House to impeach.&nbsp;

The Senate then conducts a trial. House members act as the prosecutors, with senators as the jurors. The chief justice of the US&nbsp;Supreme Court presides over the trial. A two-thirds majority vote is required in the 100-member Senate to convict and remove a president from office.

No president has ever been removed from office as a direct result of an impeachment and conviction by Congress. 
Nixon quit in 1974 rather than face impeachment. Presidents Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998 were impeached by the House, but both stayed in office after the Senate acquitted them.

Obstruction of justice was one charge against Clinton, who faced allegations of lying under oath about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Obstruction was also included in the articles of impeachment against Nixon.

CAN THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURN?&nbsp;

No.

Trump said on Twitter on Wednesday that he would ask the Supreme Court to intervene if Democrats tried to impeach him. But America`s founders explicitly rejected making a Senate conviction appealable to the federal judiciary, Bowman said.

"They quite plainly decided this is a political process and it is ultimately a political judgment," Bowman said.

"So when Trump suggests there is any judicial remedy for impeachment, he is just wrong."

PROOF OF WRONGDOING?

In a typical criminal court case, jurors are told to convict only if there is "proof beyond a reasonable doubt," a fairly stringent standard.

Impeachment proceedings are different. The House and Senate "can decide on whatever burden of proof they want," Bowman said. "There is no agreement on what the burden should be."

PARTY BREAKDOWN IN CONGRESS?

Right now, there are 235 Democrats, 197 Republicans and three vacancies in the House. As a result, the Democratic majority could vote to impeach Trump without any Republican votes.

In 1998, when Republicans had a House majority, the chamber voted largely along party lines to impeach Clinton, a Democrat.

The Senate now has 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents who usually vote with Democrats.

Conviction and removal of a president would requires 67 votes. So that means for Trump to be impeached, at least 20 Republicans and all the Democrats and independents would have to vote against him.

WHO BECOMES PRESIDENT IF TRUMP IS REMOVED?

A Senate conviction removing Trump from office would elevate Vice President Mike Pence to the presidency to fill out Trump’s term, which ends on Jan. 20, 2021.

The "i word" - impeachment - is swirling around the US Congress since the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s redacted Russia report, which painted a picture of lies, threats and confusion in Donald Trump`s White House.

The "i word" - impeachment - is swirling around the US Congress since the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s redacted Russia report, which painted a picture of lies, threats and confusion in Donald Trump`s White House. Some Democrats say trying to remove Trump from office would be a waste of time because his fellow Republicans still have majority control of the Senate. Other Democrats argue they have a moral obligation at least to try to impeach, even though Mueller did not charge Trump with conspiring with Russia in the 2016 US election or with obstruction of justice. Whether or not the Democrats decide to go down this risky path, here is how the impeachment process works. WHAT ARE GROUNDS FOR IMPEACHMENT? The US Constitution says the president can be removed from office by Congress for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." Exactly what that means is unclear. Before he became president in 1974, replacing Republican Richard Nixon who resigned over the Watergate scandal, Gerald Ford said: “An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history.” Frank Bowman, a University of Missouri law professor and author of a forthcoming book on the history of impeachment, said Congress could look beyond criminal laws in defining "high crimes and misdemeanors." Historically, it can encompass corruption and other abuses, including trying to obstruct judicial proceedings. HOW DOES IMPEACHMENT PLAY OUT? The term impeachment is often interpreted as simply removing a president from office, but that is not strictly accurate. Impeachment technically refers to the 435-member House of Representatives approving formal charges against a president. The House effectively acts as accuser - voting on whether to bring specific charges. An impeachment resolution, known as "articles of impeachment," is like an indictment in a criminal case. A simple majority vote is needed in the House to impeach. The Senate then conducts a trial. House members act as the prosecutors, with senators as the jurors. The chief justice of the US Supreme Court presides over the trial. A two-thirds majority vote is required in the 100-member Senate to convict and remove a president from office. No president has ever been removed from office as a direct result of an impeachment and conviction by Congress. Nixon quit in 1974 rather than face impeachment. Presidents Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998 were impeached by the House, but both stayed in office after the Senate acquitted them. Obstruction of justice was one charge against Clinton, who faced allegations of lying under oath about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Obstruction was also included in the articles of impeachment against Nixon. CAN THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURN? No. Trump said on Twitter on Wednesday that he would ask the Supreme Court to intervene if Democrats tried to impeach him. But America`s founders explicitly rejected making a Senate conviction appealable to the federal judiciary, Bowman said. "They quite plainly decided this is a political process and it is ultimately a political judgment," Bowman said. "So when Trump suggests there is any judicial remedy for impeachment, he is just wrong." PROOF OF WRONGDOING? In a typical criminal court case, jurors are told to convict only if there is "proof beyond a reasonable doubt," a fairly stringent standard. Impeachment proceedings are different. The House and Senate "can decide on whatever burden of proof they want," Bowman said. "There is no agreement on what the burden should be." PARTY BREAKDOWN IN CONGRESS? Right now, there are 235 Democrats, 197 Republicans and three vacancies in the House. As a result, the Democratic majority could vote to impeach Trump without any Republican votes. In 1998, when Republicans had a House majority, the chamber voted largely along party lines to impeach Clinton, a Democrat. The Senate now has 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents who usually vote with Democrats. Conviction and removal of a president would requires 67 votes. So that means for Trump to be impeached, at least 20 Republicans and all the Democrats and independents would have to vote against him. WHO BECOMES PRESIDENT IF TRUMP IS REMOVED? A Senate conviction removing Trump from office would elevate Vice President Mike Pence to the presidency to fill out Trump’s term, which ends on Jan. 20, 2021.

Explainer: What does it take to remove a US president from office?

US President Donald Trump on Friday said that no money was paid to North Korea for the release of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-student-otto-warmbier-dies-week-after-being-released-from-north-korean-jail-17029">US student Otto Warmbier</a>, who was detained by the reclusive state while on a college trip there in 2016.

"No money was paid to North Korea for Otto Warmbier, not two million dollars, not anything else. This is not the Obama administration that paid 1.8 billion dollars for four hostages or gave five terrorist hostages plus, who soon went back to the battle, for traitor Sgt. Bergdahl!" Trump tweeted.

Quoting a 'Chief Hostage Negotiator, USA,'&nbsp;Trump added,"President Donald J. Trump is the greatest hostage negotiator that I know of in the history of the United States. 20 hostages, many in impossible circumstances, have been released in the last two years. No money was paid."

This comes after reports of North Korea slapping a US dollar&nbsp;two million medical bill on the United States for Warmbier emerged in American news outlets on Thursday.

The Washington Post alleged that the US had signed a pledge to pay the bill before releasing the US student in 2017, after holding him captive for almost a year.

Warmbier, who was in a vegetative state, died just six days after returning home to the US.

After the second summit with the North Korean leader in Vietnam in February, Trump said that he does not hold Kim responsible for Warmbier`s death.

The American student suffered severe brain damage during his captivity.

The Trump administration placed intense pressure on Pyongyang to release Warmbier when they learned of his condition.

US President Donald Trump on Friday said that no money was paid to North Korea for the release of US student Otto Warmbier, who was detained by the reclusive state while on a college trip there in 2016.

US President Donald Trump on Friday said that no money was paid to North Korea for the release of US student Otto Warmbier, who was detained by the reclusive state while on a college trip there in 2016. "No money was paid to North Korea for Otto Warmbier, not two million dollars, not anything else. This is not the Obama administration that paid 1.8 billion dollars for four hostages or gave five terrorist hostages plus, who soon went back to the battle, for traitor Sgt. Bergdahl!" Trump tweeted. Quoting a 'Chief Hostage Negotiator, USA,' Trump added,"President Donald J. Trump is the greatest hostage negotiator that I know of in the history of the United States. 20 hostages, many in impossible circumstances, have been released in the last two years. No money was paid." This comes after reports of North Korea slapping a US dollar two million medical bill on the United States for Warmbier emerged in American news outlets on Thursday. The Washington Post alleged that the US had signed a pledge to pay the bill before releasing the US student in 2017, after holding him captive for almost a year. Warmbier, who was in a vegetative state, died just six days after returning home to the US. After the second summit with the North Korean leader in Vietnam in February, Trump said that he does not hold Kim responsible for Warmbier`s death. The American student suffered severe brain damage during his captivity. The Trump administration placed intense pressure on Pyongyang to release Warmbier when they learned of his condition.

No money paid to North Korea for US student Otto Warmbier: Trump

A former US diplomat pleaded guilty Wednesday to lying to investigators about money she received from Chinese intelligence agents in exchange for US documents, the Justice Department said.

Candace Marie Claiborne, 63, was a Department of State office management specialist based in Beijing and Shanghai who became involved beginning in 2007 with two men the Justice Department said she knew were agents of China's Ministry of State Security.

They gave her "tens of thousands" of dollars in cash and gifts in exchange for documents and information on State Department activities, it said.

Claiborne was arrested two years ago following an investigation but was not charged with espionage.

She admitted conspiracy to defraud the United States, lying to investigators and, as a government official with a high-security clearance, illegally hiding her contacts with foreign agents.

The conspiracy charge could carry up to five years in prison.

"Candace Marie Claiborne traded her integrity and non-public information of the United States government in exchange for cash and other gifts from foreign agents she knew worked for the Chinese intelligence service," said Assistant Attorney General John Demers.&nbsp;

A former US diplomat pleaded guilty Wednesday to lying to investigators about money she received from Chinese intelligence agents in exchange for US documents, the Justice Department said.

A former US diplomat pleaded guilty Wednesday to lying to investigators about money she received from Chinese intelligence agents in exchange for US documents, the Justice Department said. Candace Marie Claiborne, 63, was a Department of State office management specialist based in Beijing and Shanghai who became involved beginning in 2007 with two men the Justice Department said she knew were agents of China's Ministry of State Security. They gave her "tens of thousands" of dollars in cash and gifts in exchange for documents and information on State Department activities, it said. Claiborne was arrested two years ago following an investigation but was not charged with espionage. She admitted conspiracy to defraud the United States, lying to investigators and, as a government official with a high-security clearance, illegally hiding her contacts with foreign agents. The conspiracy charge could carry up to five years in prison. "Candace Marie Claiborne traded her integrity and non-public information of the United States government in exchange for cash and other gifts from foreign agents she knew worked for the Chinese intelligence service," said Assistant Attorney General John Demers.

US diplomat pleads guilty in China spying case

After US, China's embassy in Sri Lanka on Tuesday warned Chinese nationals against traveling to Sri Lanka in the near term, after bomb blasts ripped through churches and luxury hotels across the island nation on Easter Sunday.

Sri Lanka Blasts: After US, China also issues travel advisory for visitors to SL

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday (April 22) called for those behind the deadly attacks in Sri Lanka to be brought to justice, saying "this is America's fight too,"

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks on Sri Lanka massacre

The US on Monday is set to ask five nations, including India and China, to completely end their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-may-renew-waivers-to-countries-importing-iranian-oil-including-india-207805">imports of Iranian oil</a> or be subject to US sanctions, a media report said, a decision that comes about a year after America quit the Iran nuclear deal and imposed toughest ever sanctions on the Persian Gulf nation.

The move which is seen as an escalation of the US President Donald Trump administration's "maximum pressure" on Iran comes after it last year gave temporary 180-days waiver to eight countries, including India, China and Japan among others.&nbsp;

The decision allowed them to continue buying Iranian oil as they showed "significant reduction" in oil purchase from Tehran, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

"On Monday morning, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will announce to the media that, as of May 2, the State Department will no longer grant sanctions waivers to any country that is currently importing Iranian crude or condensate," two State Department officials were quoted as saying to the paper.

The waiver to India was also seen as a recognition by Washington of New Delhi's role in the development of the port on the Gulf of Oman, which is of immense strategic importance for the development of war-torn Afghanistan.

In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan had inked a pact which entailed the establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations.

China and India are currently the largest importers of Iranian oil. If they don't go along with Trump's demands, that could cause tensions in both bilateral relationships and spill over into other issues, like trade, the report said.

Iran is India's third-largest oil supplier behind Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Iran supplied 18.4 million tonnes of crude oil during April 2017 and January 2018 (first 10 months of 2017-18 fiscal).

The report also said that South Korea and Japan are relatively less dependent on Iranian oil and have already been treading lightly.&nbsp;

A Turkish official has said the country is expecting&nbsp;another waiver, but it isn't getting one, the report said.

The decision to end the waivers has implications for world oil markets, which have been eagerly anticipating Trump's decision on whether to extend waivers, the paper reported.&nbsp;

The officials said market disruption should be minimal for two reasons - supply is now greater than demand and Pompeo is also set to announce offsets through commitments from other suppliers such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.&nbsp;

The US on Monday is set to ask five nations, including India and China, to completely end their imports of Iranian oil or be subject to US sanctions, a media report said, a decision that comes about a year after America quit the Iran nuclear deal and imposed toughest ever sanctions on the Persian Gulf nation.

The US on Monday is set to ask five nations, including India and China, to completely end their imports of Iranian oil or be subject to US sanctions, a media report said, a decision that comes about a year after America quit the Iran nuclear deal and imposed toughest ever sanctions on the Persian Gulf nation. The move which is seen as an escalation of the US President Donald Trump administration's "maximum pressure" on Iran comes after it last year gave temporary 180-days waiver to eight countries, including India, China and Japan among others. The decision allowed them to continue buying Iranian oil as they showed "significant reduction" in oil purchase from Tehran, the Washington Post reported on Sunday. "On Monday morning, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will announce to the media that, as of May 2, the State Department will no longer grant sanctions waivers to any country that is currently importing Iranian crude or condensate," two State Department officials were quoted as saying to the paper. The waiver to India was also seen as a recognition by Washington of New Delhi's role in the development of the port on the Gulf of Oman, which is of immense strategic importance for the development of war-torn Afghanistan. In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan had inked a pact which entailed the establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations. China and India are currently the largest importers of Iranian oil. If they don't go along with Trump's demands, that could cause tensions in both bilateral relationships and spill over into other issues, like trade, the report said. Iran is India's third-largest oil supplier behind Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Iran supplied 18.4 million tonnes of crude oil during April 2017 and January 2018 (first 10 months of 2017-18 fiscal). The report also said that South Korea and Japan are relatively less dependent on Iranian oil and have already been treading lightly. A Turkish official has said the country is expecting another waiver, but it isn't getting one, the report said. The decision to end the waivers has implications for world oil markets, which have been eagerly anticipating Trump's decision on whether to extend waivers, the paper reported. The officials said market disruption should be minimal for two reasons - supply is now greater than demand and Pompeo is also set to announce offsets through commitments from other suppliers such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

US to ask India, four other nations to completely end Iranian oil imports: Report

The FBI on Saturday said it had arrested Larry Hopkins, a member of an armed group of US citizens who have been stopping migrants illegally crossing the US-Mexico border in New Mexico.

Hopkins, 69, also known as Johnny Horton, was arrested in Sunland Park, New Mexico, on a federal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.

Hopkins had represented himself as the commander of the United Constitutional Patriots (UCP), a volunteer group camped out near Sunland Park since late February. The UCP has posted videos showing their members holding migrants, many of them Central American families with children seeking asylum, until US&nbsp;Border Patrol arrives to arrest them.

The group drew a complaint from the American Civil Liberties Union, and widespread media attention, after an April 16 video showed a group of around 300 migrants surrendering to the UCP at their camp.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday said citizens had no authority to arrest or detain anyone and police and justice officials were looking into the UCP’s activities.

Hector Balderas, New Mexico’s attorney general, described Hopkins as “a dangerous felon who should not have weapons around children and families.”

“Today’s arrest by the FBI indicates clearly that the rule of law should be in the hands of trained law enforcement officials, not armed vigilantes,” Balderas said in a statement.

Hopkins, of Flora Vista, New Mexico, is expected to have an initial appearance in US District Court in Las Cruces, N.M., on Monday, April 22, at 10:30 a.m. (1230 ET), the FBI said.

The FBI on Saturday said it had arrested Larry Hopkins, a member of an armed group of US citizens who have been stopping migrants illegally crossing the US-Mexico border in New Mexico.

The FBI on Saturday said it had arrested Larry Hopkins, a member of an armed group of US citizens who have been stopping migrants illegally crossing the US-Mexico border in New Mexico. Hopkins, 69, also known as Johnny Horton, was arrested in Sunland Park, New Mexico, on a federal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. Hopkins had represented himself as the commander of the United Constitutional Patriots (UCP), a volunteer group camped out near Sunland Park since late February. The UCP has posted videos showing their members holding migrants, many of them Central American families with children seeking asylum, until US Border Patrol arrives to arrest them. The group drew a complaint from the American Civil Liberties Union, and widespread media attention, after an April 16 video showed a group of around 300 migrants surrendering to the UCP at their camp. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday said citizens had no authority to arrest or detain anyone and police and justice officials were looking into the UCP’s activities. Hector Balderas, New Mexico’s attorney general, described Hopkins as “a dangerous felon who should not have weapons around children and families.” “Today’s arrest by the FBI indicates clearly that the rule of law should be in the hands of trained law enforcement officials, not armed vigilantes,” Balderas said in a statement. Hopkins, of Flora Vista, New Mexico, is expected to have an initial appearance in US District Court in Las Cruces, N.M., on Monday, April 22, at 10:30 a.m. (1230 ET), the FBI said.

FBI arrests member of armed group stopping migrants US-Mexico border

A California couple who for years starved their 12 children and kept some shackled to beds were sentenced Friday to life in prison. Watch full video to know more.

California parents sentenced to life in prison for torturing, abusing 12 children

As part of a shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region, the US and Japan have agreed to grow ties with India, along with countries like Australia and South Korea.

Speaking at the US-Japan <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/22-meeting-india-us-discuss-indo-pacific-afghanistan-peace-reconciliation-189807">2+2 dialogue</a> in Washington, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/still-in-charge-of-north-korea-negotiations-pompeo-211898">US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo</a> said, "The United States and Japan will continue to advance trilateral and multilateral cooperation with other regional partners, notably with the Republic of Korea, Australia, India, and Southeast Asian countries."

The US-Japan 2+2 dialogue includes&nbsp;US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, and Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya.

The focus of the statements was to increase engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

While Japanese Defence minister Iwaya said his country will "make efforts to realize free and open Indo-Pacific", Japanese foreign minister said, "will make efforts to realize free and open Indo-Pacific". Acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said the 2+2 dialogue is a "testament to our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

India, Japan, Australia, the US have been engaging in dialogues over the Indo-Pacific region. The US last year changed the name of its largest naval commands - the Pacific command - to the Indo-Pacific Command to give a boost to the growing concept while India has set up a separate Indo-Pacific desk in the Ministry of External Affairs. Washington, along with Canberra has announced a number of infrastructure projects in the region.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing India's vision for Indo-Pacific at the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore last year said, for New Delhi, the concept stands for "Inclusiveness, openness and ASEAN centrality".

ASEAN, the IORA groupings are currently discussing the concept.

As part of a shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region, the US and Japan have agreed to grow ties with India, along with countries like Australia and South Korea.

As part of a shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region, the US and Japan have agreed to grow ties with India, along with countries like Australia and South Korea. Speaking at the US-Japan 2+2 dialogue in Washington, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "The United States and Japan will continue to advance trilateral and multilateral cooperation with other regional partners, notably with the Republic of Korea, Australia, India, and Southeast Asian countries." The US-Japan 2+2 dialogue includes US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, and Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya. The focus of the statements was to increase engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. While Japanese Defence minister Iwaya said his country will "make efforts to realize free and open Indo-Pacific", Japanese foreign minister said, "will make efforts to realize free and open Indo-Pacific". Acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said the 2+2 dialogue is a "testament to our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific." India, Japan, Australia, the US have been engaging in dialogues over the Indo-Pacific region. The US last year changed the name of its largest naval commands - the Pacific command - to the Indo-Pacific Command to give a boost to the growing concept while India has set up a separate Indo-Pacific desk in the Ministry of External Affairs. Washington, along with Canberra has announced a number of infrastructure projects in the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing India's vision for Indo-Pacific at the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore last year said, for New Delhi, the concept stands for "Inclusiveness, openness and ASEAN centrality". ASEAN, the IORA groupings are currently discussing the concept.

In 2+2 dialogue, US-Japan discuss enhancing ties with India

President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that Iranian armed forces were not a threat against any regional country, as Tehran held an Army Day military parade to unveil its latest military equipment amid rising tensions with the United States.

In a ceremony in Tehran, broadcast live on state television, marching soldiers passed a podium where Rouhani and top military commanders were standing, and locally-designed and produced fighter jets took part for the first time in an air display.

Iran also unveiled missiles, submarines, armoured vehicles, radars and electronic warfare systems. It also showed off its Russian S-300 missile defence system.

"I want to tell the regional countries that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are not against you and your national interests. They stand against invaders... The roots of our problems are the Zionist regime and American imperialism," Rouhani said.

Iranian armed forces were more powerful than ever, said Rouhani. "We seek regional security and stability, countries' sovereignty and end of terrorism and their activities in this region," he said.

Iran has two armies, a regular one which operates as a national defensive force, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that was created after the 1979 revolution to protect the Islamic Republic against both internal and external adversaries.

The United States officially designated the Revolutionary Guards as a foreign terrorist organization on Monday, an unprecedented move which was condemned by Iran and created concerns about reprisal attacks on US&nbsp;forces.

Rouhani called the US&nbsp;move against the Guards "abhorrent" and said "Insulting the Revolutionary Guards is an insult to all (Iranian) armed forces, and an insult to Iranian great nation.”

Iran's army has the biggest ground force in Iran and Revolutionary Guards is in control of a growing arsenal of ballistic missiles.

The parade was cancelled in a few provinces where the armed forces were deployed to help flood-affected people. The flooding, which began on March 19, has killed 76 people, forced more than 220,000 people into emergency shelters, and left aid agencies struggling to cope.

Rouhani said: "I doubt we can find this level of unity between people and armed forces in any other country."

Separately, Iran and Oman held a joint naval exercise and performed maritime rescue operations in the Gulf, Fars news agency reported on Thursday.

President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that Iranian armed forces were not a threat against any regional country, as Tehran held an Army Day military parade to unveil its latest military equipment amid rising tensions with the United States.

President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that Iranian armed forces were not a threat against any regional country, as Tehran held an Army Day military parade to unveil its latest military equipment amid rising tensions with the United States. In a ceremony in Tehran, broadcast live on state television, marching soldiers passed a podium where Rouhani and top military commanders were standing, and locally-designed and produced fighter jets took part for the first time in an air display. Iran also unveiled missiles, submarines, armoured vehicles, radars and electronic warfare systems. It also showed off its Russian S-300 missile defence system. "I want to tell the regional countries that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are not against you and your national interests. They stand against invaders... The roots of our problems are the Zionist regime and American imperialism," Rouhani said. Iranian armed forces were more powerful than ever, said Rouhani. "We seek regional security and stability, countries' sovereignty and end of terrorism and their activities in this region," he said. Iran has two armies, a regular one which operates as a national defensive force, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that was created after the 1979 revolution to protect the Islamic Republic against both internal and external adversaries. The United States officially designated the Revolutionary Guards as a foreign terrorist organization on Monday, an unprecedented move which was condemned by Iran and created concerns about reprisal attacks on US forces. Rouhani called the US move against the Guards "abhorrent" and said "Insulting the Revolutionary Guards is an insult to all (Iranian) armed forces, and an insult to Iranian great nation.” Iran's army has the biggest ground force in Iran and Revolutionary Guards is in control of a growing arsenal of ballistic missiles. The parade was cancelled in a few provinces where the armed forces were deployed to help flood-affected people. The flooding, which began on March 19, has killed 76 people, forced more than 220,000 people into emergency shelters, and left aid agencies struggling to cope. Rouhani said: "I doubt we can find this level of unity between people and armed forces in any other country." Separately, Iran and Oman held a joint naval exercise and performed maritime rescue operations in the Gulf, Fars news agency reported on Thursday.

Iran says its armed forces are not a regional threat, calls for unity against US

Nepal Thursday successfully launched its first satellite NepaliSat-1 into space from America, evoking unbridled excitement among the people and scientists.

The satellite developed by the Nepalese scientists was launched at 2:31 am (Nepal time) from Virginia in United States, according to Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

Two Nepali scientists, Aabhas Maskey and Hariram Shrestha who are currently studying at Japanese Kyushu Institute of Technology, developed the satellite under the BIRDS project of their institute.

Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli congratulated all the scientists and institutions involved in the development of the satellite. He said it was a matter of prestige for the country to have its own satellite.

Spokesperson for NAST Suresh Kumar Dhungel said they invested in the satellite in a bid to open new paths for space engineering in the country.

He said with the help of NepaliSat-1, ground station located at NAST office will communicate and gather images of the geographical area of the country.

NepaliSat-1 is a low orbit satellite which will be in the 400-km distance from the Earth's surface. It will be stationed at the International Space Station for a month and then it will be sent to orbit the earth, according to NAST.

The satellite will take photographs on a regular basis to gather geographical information of the country.

The satellite has a Nepali flag and the NAST logo. It also has the name of the scientists involved in the making of the satellite.

Nepal Academy of Science and Technology has invested nearly Rs 20 million for the satellite that weighs 1.3 kilograms, a small satellite with limited capability.

Nepal's first entry into space has brought huge excitement among people and scientists.

NAST initiated the launch of the country's own satellite under the BIRDS project of the Japanese Kyushu Institute of Technology.

The BIRDS project has been designed in association with the United Nations and aims at helping countries launch their first satellite.

Nepal Thursday successfully launched its first satellite NepaliSat-1 into space from America, evoking unbridled excitement among the people and scientists. The satellite developed by the Nepalese scientists was launched at 2:31 am (Nepal time) from Virginia in United States, according to Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

Nepal Thursday successfully launched its first satellite NepaliSat-1 into space from America, evoking unbridled excitement among the people and scientists. The satellite developed by the Nepalese scientists was launched at 2:31 am (Nepal time) from Virginia in United States, according to Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). Two Nepali scientists, Aabhas Maskey and Hariram Shrestha who are currently studying at Japanese Kyushu Institute of Technology, developed the satellite under the BIRDS project of their institute. Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli congratulated all the scientists and institutions involved in the development of the satellite. He said it was a matter of prestige for the country to have its own satellite. Spokesperson for NAST Suresh Kumar Dhungel said they invested in the satellite in a bid to open new paths for space engineering in the country. He said with the help of NepaliSat-1, ground station located at NAST office will communicate and gather images of the geographical area of the country. NepaliSat-1 is a low orbit satellite which will be in the 400-km distance from the Earth's surface. It will be stationed at the International Space Station for a month and then it will be sent to orbit the earth, according to NAST. The satellite will take photographs on a regular basis to gather geographical information of the country. The satellite has a Nepali flag and the NAST logo. It also has the name of the scientists involved in the making of the satellite. Nepal Academy of Science and Technology has invested nearly Rs 20 million for the satellite that weighs 1.3 kilograms, a small satellite with limited capability. Nepal's first entry into space has brought huge excitement among people and scientists. NAST initiated the launch of the country's own satellite under the BIRDS project of the Japanese Kyushu Institute of Technology. The BIRDS project has been designed in association with the United Nations and aims at helping countries launch their first satellite.

Nepal launches its first satellite from US

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