US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday blamed Iran for the level of devastation from major floods, and said Washington was ready to help.

Pompeo issued a statement in implicit response to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who on Twitter blamed "economic terrorism" by the United States whose sanctions have led to a chronic shortage of rescue helicopters.

"These floods once again show the level of Iranian regime mismanagement in urban planning and in emergency preparedness. The regime blames outside entities when, in fact, it is their mismanagement that has led to this disaster," Pompeo said in a statement.

"The United States stands ready to assist and contribute to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which would then direct the money through the Iranian Red Crescent for relief," he said.

Vast stretches of Iran have been inundated since mid-March, killing some 50 people and disrupting major transportation and communications. The Iranian Red Crescent said Tuesday it was preparing to accommodate 100,000 people as rain hits southwestern Khuzestan province.

The disaster struck just as Iran was reeling from the reimposition of sweeping US sanctions with President Donald Trump hoping to curb the clerical regime's influence around the Middle East.

In contrast with earlier disasters such as the 2003 Bam earthquake, foreign assistance has been minimal amid fear of US penalties for dealings with Iran.

Pompeo in his statement also highlighted Iran's targeting of environmentalists "for attempting to help Iran prepare for these very issues."

Eight environmentalists appeared in court earlier this year on charges they were spying on military bases. 
&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday blamed Iran for the level of devastation from major floods, and said Washington was ready to help. Pompeo issued a statement in implicit response to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who on Twitter blamed "economic terrorism" by the United States whose sanctions have led to a chronic shortage of rescue helicopters.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday blamed Iran for the level of devastation from major floods, and said Washington was ready to help. Pompeo issued a statement in implicit response to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who on Twitter blamed "economic terrorism" by the United States whose sanctions have led to a chronic shortage of rescue helicopters. "These floods once again show the level of Iranian regime mismanagement in urban planning and in emergency preparedness. The regime blames outside entities when, in fact, it is their mismanagement that has led to this disaster," Pompeo said in a statement. "The United States stands ready to assist and contribute to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which would then direct the money through the Iranian Red Crescent for relief," he said. Vast stretches of Iran have been inundated since mid-March, killing some 50 people and disrupting major transportation and communications. The Iranian Red Crescent said Tuesday it was preparing to accommodate 100,000 people as rain hits southwestern Khuzestan province. The disaster struck just as Iran was reeling from the reimposition of sweeping US sanctions with President Donald Trump hoping to curb the clerical regime's influence around the Middle East. In contrast with earlier disasters such as the 2003 Bam earthquake, foreign assistance has been minimal amid fear of US penalties for dealings with Iran. Pompeo in his statement also highlighted Iran's targeting of environmentalists "for attempting to help Iran prepare for these very issues." Eight environmentalists appeared in court earlier this year on charges they were spying on military bases.

US blames Iran for flood toll, says ready to help

Arab leaders slam US decision over Golan Heights

China's State Council said on Sunday that the country would continue to suspend additional tariffs on US vehicles and auto parts after April 1, in a goodwill gesture following a US decision to delay tariff hikes on Chinese imports.

In December, China said it would suspend additional 25 percent tariffs on US-made vehicles and auto parts for three months, following a truce in a trade war between the world's two largest economies.

The State Council, or cabinet, said Sunday's move was aimed at "continuing to create a good atmosphere for the ongoing trade negotiations between both sides".

"It is a positive reaction to the US decision to delay tariff hikes and a concrete action adopted (by the Chinese side) to promote bilateral trade negotiations," the State Council said.

"We hope the US can work together with China, accelerate negotiations and make concrete efforts towards the goal of terminating trade tensions."

The government also said it would announce separately when the suspension would end.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that trade talks with China were going very well, but cautioned that he would not accept anything less than a "great deal" after top US and Chinese trade officials wrapped up two days of negotiations in Beijing.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer were in the Chinese capital for the first face-to-face meetings between the two sides since Trump delayed a scheduled March 2 increase in tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.

The talks are set to resume next week in Washington with a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He.

China's State Council said on Sunday that the country would continue to suspend additional tariffs on US vehicles and auto parts after April 1, in a goodwill gesture following a US decision to delay tariff hikes on Chinese imports.

China's State Council said on Sunday that the country would continue to suspend additional tariffs on US vehicles and auto parts after April 1, in a goodwill gesture following a US decision to delay tariff hikes on Chinese imports. In December, China said it would suspend additional 25 percent tariffs on US-made vehicles and auto parts for three months, following a truce in a trade war between the world's two largest economies. The State Council, or cabinet, said Sunday's move was aimed at "continuing to create a good atmosphere for the ongoing trade negotiations between both sides". "It is a positive reaction to the US decision to delay tariff hikes and a concrete action adopted (by the Chinese side) to promote bilateral trade negotiations," the State Council said. "We hope the US can work together with China, accelerate negotiations and make concrete efforts towards the goal of terminating trade tensions." The government also said it would announce separately when the suspension would end. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that trade talks with China were going very well, but cautioned that he would not accept anything less than a "great deal" after top US and Chinese trade officials wrapped up two days of negotiations in Beijing. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer were in the Chinese capital for the first face-to-face meetings between the two sides since Trump delayed a scheduled March 2 increase in tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. The talks are set to resume next week in Washington with a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He.

China says it will continue to suspend additional tariffs on US vehicles, auto parts

Former US&nbsp;Vice President Joe Biden said on Sunday he believed he had never acted inappropriately following allegations by a female activist that he made her feel uncomfortable by kissing her at a campaign event in 2014.

"In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort. And not once - never - did I believe I acted inappropriately. If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention," Biden said.

Biden said he does not recall the 2014 incident.

The allegation was made in an online essay published on Friday by Lucy Flores, a party activist who was running to be Nevada’s lieutenant governor. Flores said Biden also touched her shoulders and smelled her hair when they appeared at an event together, making her feel uncomfortable.

"I may not recall these moments the same way, and I may be surprised at what I hear. But we have arrived at an important time when women feel they can and should relate their experiences, and men should pay attention. And I will," Biden's statement continued.

Biden served eight years as vice president under former President Barack Obama and 36 years in the US&nbsp;Senate. He has not yet said whether he will run for president in 2020, but has been expected to throw his hat into the ring soon. 
&nbsp;

Former US Vice President Joe Biden said on Sunday he believed he had never acted inappropriately following allegations by a female activist that he made her feel uncomfortable by kissing her at a campaign event in 2014.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden said on Sunday he believed he had never acted inappropriately following allegations by a female activist that he made her feel uncomfortable by kissing her at a campaign event in 2014. "In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort. And not once - never - did I believe I acted inappropriately. If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention," Biden said. Biden said he does not recall the 2014 incident. The allegation was made in an online essay published on Friday by Lucy Flores, a party activist who was running to be Nevada’s lieutenant governor. Flores said Biden also touched her shoulders and smelled her hair when they appeared at an event together, making her feel uncomfortable. "I may not recall these moments the same way, and I may be surprised at what I hear. But we have arrived at an important time when women feel they can and should relate their experiences, and men should pay attention. And I will," Biden's statement continued. Biden served eight years as vice president under former President Barack Obama and 36 years in the US Senate. He has not yet said whether he will run for president in 2020, but has been expected to throw his hat into the ring soon.

Ex-US Vice President Biden denies inappropriate conduct over alleged kiss

Trade ministry has proposed that the government delays by a month the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on some US&nbsp;goods that were due to go into effect from April 1, a trade ministry spokeswoman told Reuters on Friday.

Trade friction between India and the United States has escalated after US&nbsp;President Donald Trump announced plans earlier this month to end preferential trade treatment for India that allows duty-free entry for up to $5.6 billion worth of its exports to the United States.

Indian officials believe India could lose its preferential treatment in early May. The government has asked the US&nbsp;administration to review its decision, two government officials with close knowledge of the matter said.

In June last year, India said it would increase import duties varying from 20 per cent to 120 per cent on a slew of US&nbsp;farm, steel and iron products, angered by Washington's refusal to exempt it from new steel and aluminium tariffs.

But since then, New Delhi has repeatedly delayed the implementation of the higher duties.

The trade ministry spokeswoman said the government planned to send a delegation to Washington to address bilateral trade issues, and that the ministry was seeking to hold off imposing retaliatory tariffs until May.

"The Ministry of Commerce has requested the Department of Revenue to extend the deadline for the&nbsp;imposition of tariffs on US&nbsp;goods by another 30 days," the spokeswoman said.

The revenue department falls within the finance ministry, and the two ministries need to consult over any decision to delay the tariffs.

India is the world's largest beneficiary of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which dates from the 1970s.

Ending its participation would be the strongest punitive action the United States has taken against India since Trump took office.

The timing of the US&nbsp;decision to revoke the trade privileges is awkward for India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is heading into a general election from April 11 to May 19, with results due out on May 23.

India and the United States have developed close political and security ties. But bilateral trade, which stood at $126 billion in 2017, is widely seen to be performing at nearly a quarter of its potential.

Trump has criticised India for its high tariffs, and the dispute has widened over investment policies such as new rules on the e-commerce sector that led to the US&nbsp;pulling the plug on India's vital trade concessions.

India, however, does not want to escalate the trade fight, two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

"India is obviously upset. But what can we do? Can we stop trade? You are importing oil, gas, defence equipment and aircraft&nbsp;and nuclear energy. The stakes are much larger," one of the officials said.

The USTR did not answer questions emailed to them about any ongoing trade discussions.

If the United States eliminates duty-free access for about 2,000 Indian product lines, it will mostly hurt small and medium businesses, such as engineering goods. The number of items qualifying for preferential treatment could be reduced, or the whole programme could be withdrawn.

A leading Indian trade body official said both the US&nbsp;customers and domestic suppliers could be hit in some categories of engineering products where clients typically enter into long-term contracts.

However, China could benefit on exports of products made from iron and steel and low-end engineering goods, said Suranjan Gupta, executive director, EEPC India, a government-affiliated engineering exports trade body.

"Some of the low-value exports of engineering goods are likely to face competitive pressure from other suppliers, with China being one of the major ones," Gupta said.

Trade ministry has proposed that the government delays by a month the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on some US goods that were due to go into effect from April 1, a trade ministry spokeswoman told Reuters on Friday.

Trade ministry has proposed that the government delays by a month the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on some US goods that were due to go into effect from April 1, a trade ministry spokeswoman told Reuters on Friday. Trade friction between India and the United States has escalated after US President Donald Trump announced plans earlier this month to end preferential trade treatment for India that allows duty-free entry for up to $5.6 billion worth of its exports to the United States. Indian officials believe India could lose its preferential treatment in early May. The government has asked the US administration to review its decision, two government officials with close knowledge of the matter said. In June last year, India said it would increase import duties varying from 20 per cent to 120 per cent on a slew of US farm, steel and iron products, angered by Washington's refusal to exempt it from new steel and aluminium tariffs. But since then, New Delhi has repeatedly delayed the implementation of the higher duties. The trade ministry spokeswoman said the government planned to send a delegation to Washington to address bilateral trade issues, and that the ministry was seeking to hold off imposing retaliatory tariffs until May. "The Ministry of Commerce has requested the Department of Revenue to extend the deadline for the imposition of tariffs on US goods by another 30 days," the spokeswoman said. The revenue department falls within the finance ministry, and the two ministries need to consult over any decision to delay the tariffs. India is the world's largest beneficiary of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which dates from the 1970s. Ending its participation would be the strongest punitive action the United States has taken against India since Trump took office. The timing of the US decision to revoke the trade privileges is awkward for India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is heading into a general election from April 11 to May 19, with results due out on May 23. India and the United States have developed close political and security ties. But bilateral trade, which stood at $126 billion in 2017, is widely seen to be performing at nearly a quarter of its potential. Trump has criticised India for its high tariffs, and the dispute has widened over investment policies such as new rules on the e-commerce sector that led to the US pulling the plug on India's vital trade concessions. India, however, does not want to escalate the trade fight, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. "India is obviously upset. But what can we do? Can we stop trade? You are importing oil, gas, defence equipment and aircraft and nuclear energy. The stakes are much larger," one of the officials said. The USTR did not answer questions emailed to them about any ongoing trade discussions. If the United States eliminates duty-free access for about 2,000 Indian product lines, it will mostly hurt small and medium businesses, such as engineering goods. The number of items qualifying for preferential treatment could be reduced, or the whole programme could be withdrawn. A leading Indian trade body official said both the US customers and domestic suppliers could be hit in some categories of engineering products where clients typically enter into long-term contracts. However, China could benefit on exports of products made from iron and steel and low-end engineering goods, said Suranjan Gupta, executive director, EEPC India, a government-affiliated engineering exports trade body. "Some of the low-value exports of engineering goods are likely to face competitive pressure from other suppliers, with China being one of the major ones," Gupta said.

Trade ministry proposes delaying retaliatory tariffs on US goods

The United States and China said they made progress in trade talks that concluded on Friday in Beijing that Washington called "candid and constructive" as the world`s two largest economies try to resolve a bitter, nearly nine-month trade war.

"The two parties continued to make progress during candid and constructive discussions on the negotiations and important next steps," the White House said in a statement, adding that it looked forward to the visit to Washington next week by a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He.

The statement gave no other details on the nature of the progress.&nbsp;

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer were in the Chinese capital for the first face-to-face meetings between the two sides since President Donald Trump delayed a scheduled March 2 hike in tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, citing progress in negotiations.&nbsp;

China`s state news agency Xinhua said the two sides discussed "relevant agreement documents" and made new progress in their talks, but did not elaborate in a brief report.

"@USTradeRep and I concluded constructive trade talks in Beijing," Mnuchin said on social media network Twitter.

Earlier, Mnuchin told reporters that US officials had a "very productive working dinner" on Thursday. He did not elaborate and it was not immediately clear with whom he had dined.

Trump imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese imports beginning last July in a move to force China to change the way it does business with the rest of the world and to pry open more of its economy to US companies.

Though his blunt-force use of tariffs has angered many, his push to change what are widely viewed as China`s market-distorting trade and subsidy practices has drawn broad support.&nbsp;

Lobbyists, company executives and US lawmakers from both parties have urged Trump not to settle simply for Beijing`s offers to make big-ticket purchases from the United States to help reduce a record trade gap.

LOST IN TRANSLATION?&nbsp;

Details of where the two sides made progress were not immediately clear. Going into the talks, people familiar with the negotiations had said there were still significant differences on an enforcement mechanism and the sequence of when and how US tariffs on Chinese products would be lifted.

Mnuchin and Lighthizer greeted a waiting Liu at the Diaoyutai State Guest House just before 9 a.m. (0100 GMT), and in two brief appearances before journalists, the three mingled and joked with members of the opposite teams.&nbsp;

Observers had anticipated the scope of this round of talks, which wrapped up about 24 hours after the US delegation arrived, to be quite narrow, but that both countries hoped to signal they were working hard toward a resolution.&nbsp;

Reuters reported previously that the two sides were negotiating written pacts in six areas: forced technology transfer and cyber theft, intellectual property rights, services, currency, agriculture and non-tariff barriers to trade.&nbsp;

A US administration official told Reuters earlier this week that Lighthizer and Mnuchin were "literally sitting there going through the texts", a task typically delegated to lower-level deputies.

One person with knowledge of the talks said "translation is definitely an issue", referring to discrepancies between the Chinese and English-language versions.

On Thursday, Premier Li Keqiang said Beijing would sharply expand market access for foreign banks and securities and insurance companies, fuelling speculation that China may soon announce new rules allowing foreign financial firms to increase their presence.&nbsp;

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the United States may drop some tariffs if a trade deal is reached, while keeping others in place to ensure Beijing`s compliance.

"We`re not going to give up our leverage," he told reporters in Washington on Thursday.

`THERE ARE GOING TO BE PROBLEMS`

Many have expressed scepticism that any deal can permanently resolve US-China trade tensions.

"Whatever implementation mechanism China agrees to, whether it is monthly or quarterly meetings or other check-ins, there are going to be problems," James Green, a senior advisor at McLarty Associates who until August was the top USTR official at the embassy in Beijing, told Reuters.

"Either the purchases are going to be off, or the market access is not going to be there. And then the question is, `When do you consider putting tariffs back on?`" he added. "The trade issue is not going to be put to bed."

Trump`s demands include an end to Beijing`s practices that Washington says result in the systematic theft of US intellectual property and the forced transfer of American technology to Chinese companies.

US companies say they are often pressured into handing over technological know-how to Chinese joint venture partners, local officials or regulators as a condition for doing business in China.&nbsp;

The US government says technology is often subsequently transferred to, and used by, Chinese competitors.

The issue has proved tough for negotiators as US officials say China has previously refused to acknowledge the problem exists to the extent alleged by the United States, making it hard to discuss resolution.

China says its laws enshrine no requirements on technology transfers that are a result of legitimate transactions.

The United States and China said they made progress in trade talks that concluded on Friday in Beijing that Washington called "candid and constructive" as the world`s two largest economies try to resolve a bitter, nearly nine-month trade war.

The United States and China said they made progress in trade talks that concluded on Friday in Beijing that Washington called "candid and constructive" as the world`s two largest economies try to resolve a bitter, nearly nine-month trade war. "The two parties continued to make progress during candid and constructive discussions on the negotiations and important next steps," the White House said in a statement, adding that it looked forward to the visit to Washington next week by a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He. The statement gave no other details on the nature of the progress. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer were in the Chinese capital for the first face-to-face meetings between the two sides since President Donald Trump delayed a scheduled March 2 hike in tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, citing progress in negotiations. China`s state news agency Xinhua said the two sides discussed "relevant agreement documents" and made new progress in their talks, but did not elaborate in a brief report. "@USTradeRep and I concluded constructive trade talks in Beijing," Mnuchin said on social media network Twitter. Earlier, Mnuchin told reporters that US officials had a "very productive working dinner" on Thursday. He did not elaborate and it was not immediately clear with whom he had dined. Trump imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese imports beginning last July in a move to force China to change the way it does business with the rest of the world and to pry open more of its economy to US companies. Though his blunt-force use of tariffs has angered many, his push to change what are widely viewed as China`s market-distorting trade and subsidy practices has drawn broad support. Lobbyists, company executives and US lawmakers from both parties have urged Trump not to settle simply for Beijing`s offers to make big-ticket purchases from the United States to help reduce a record trade gap. LOST IN TRANSLATION? Details of where the two sides made progress were not immediately clear. Going into the talks, people familiar with the negotiations had said there were still significant differences on an enforcement mechanism and the sequence of when and how US tariffs on Chinese products would be lifted. Mnuchin and Lighthizer greeted a waiting Liu at the Diaoyutai State Guest House just before 9 a.m. (0100 GMT), and in two brief appearances before journalists, the three mingled and joked with members of the opposite teams. Observers had anticipated the scope of this round of talks, which wrapped up about 24 hours after the US delegation arrived, to be quite narrow, but that both countries hoped to signal they were working hard toward a resolution. Reuters reported previously that the two sides were negotiating written pacts in six areas: forced technology transfer and cyber theft, intellectual property rights, services, currency, agriculture and non-tariff barriers to trade. A US administration official told Reuters earlier this week that Lighthizer and Mnuchin were "literally sitting there going through the texts", a task typically delegated to lower-level deputies. One person with knowledge of the talks said "translation is definitely an issue", referring to discrepancies between the Chinese and English-language versions. On Thursday, Premier Li Keqiang said Beijing would sharply expand market access for foreign banks and securities and insurance companies, fuelling speculation that China may soon announce new rules allowing foreign financial firms to increase their presence. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the United States may drop some tariffs if a trade deal is reached, while keeping others in place to ensure Beijing`s compliance. "We`re not going to give up our leverage," he told reporters in Washington on Thursday. `THERE ARE GOING TO BE PROBLEMS` Many have expressed scepticism that any deal can permanently resolve US-China trade tensions. "Whatever implementation mechanism China agrees to, whether it is monthly or quarterly meetings or other check-ins, there are going to be problems," James Green, a senior advisor at McLarty Associates who until August was the top USTR official at the embassy in Beijing, told Reuters. "Either the purchases are going to be off, or the market access is not going to be there. And then the question is, `When do you consider putting tariffs back on?`" he added. "The trade issue is not going to be put to bed." Trump`s demands include an end to Beijing`s practices that Washington says result in the systematic theft of US intellectual property and the forced transfer of American technology to Chinese companies. US companies say they are often pressured into handing over technological know-how to Chinese joint venture partners, local officials or regulators as a condition for doing business in China. The US government says technology is often subsequently transferred to, and used by, Chinese competitors. The issue has proved tough for negotiators as US officials say China has previously refused to acknowledge the problem exists to the extent alleged by the United States, making it hard to discuss resolution. China says its laws enshrine no requirements on technology transfers that are a result of legitimate transactions.

US, China hold 'candid and constructive' trade talks in Beijing

Gravitas: US identifies Pakistan as a security threat

Gravitas: Trump says 'Russia has to get out' of Venezuela

US and European regulators knew at least two years before a Lion Air crash that the usual method for controlling the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/lawsuit-filed-against-boeing-over-ethiopian-plane-crash-206465">Boeing 737 MAX</a>'s nose angle might not work in conditions similar to those in two recent disasters, a document shows.

The European Aviation and Space Agency (EASA) certified the plane as safe in part because it said additional procedures and training would "clearly explain" to pilots the "unusual" situations in which they would need to manipulate a rarely used manual wheel to control, or "trim," the plane's angle.

Those situations, however, were not listed in the flight manual, according to a copy from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-regulators-under-fire-boeing-launches-charm-offensive-206100">American Airlines</a> seen by Reuters.

The undated EASA certification document, available online, was issued in February 2016, an agency spokesman said.

It specifically noted that at speeds greater than 230 knots (265mph, 425kph) with flaps retracted, pilots might have to use the wheel in the cockpit's centre console rather than an electric thumb switch on the control yoke.

EASA and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ultimately determined that set-up was safe enough for the plane to be certified, with the European agency citing training plans and the relative rarity of conditions requiring the trim wheel.

In the deadly Lion Air crash in October, the pilots lost control after initially countering the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), a new automated anti-stall feature that was pushing the nose down based on data from a faulty sensor, according to a preliminary report from Indonesian investigators released in November.

The flight conditions were similar to those described in the EASA document, a source at Lion Air said. The source said that training materials before the crash did not say the wheel could be required under those conditions but that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/boeing-unveils-737-max-software-fix-after-fatal-crashes-206305">Boeing </a>advised the airline about it after the crash.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-confirms-it-will-make-safety-feature-standard-on-737-max-206107">Boeing</a> declined to comment on the EASA document or its advice to Lion Air, citing the ongoing investigation into the crash.

Ethiopia's Transport Ministry, France's BEA air accident authority and the FAA have all pointed to similarities between the Lion Air crash and an Ethiopian Airlines disaster this month. But safety officials stress that the Ethiopian investigation is at an early stage.

'Not physically easy'

The crashes have also heightened scrutiny of the certification and pilot training for the latest model of Boeing Co's best-selling workhorse narrowbody, now grounded globally.

In the EASA document, the regulator said simulations showed the electric thumb switches could not keep the 737 MAX properly trimmed under certain conditions, including those of the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, according to the Indonesian preliminary report and a source with knowledge of the Ethiopian air traffic control recordings.

The trim system adjusts the angle of the nose. If the nose is too far up, the jet risks entering a stall.

Additional procedures and training needed to "clearly explain" when the manual wheel might be needed, according to the document. The EASA spokesman said that was a reference to the Boeing flight crew operations manual.

An American Airlines Group Inc flight manual for 737 MAX pilots dated October 2017 said the thumb switches had less ability to move the nose than the manual wheel.

The manual, which is 1,400 pages long, did not specify the flight conditions in which the wheel might be needed.

The trim wheel is a relic of the Boeing 737's 1960s origins and does not appear in more modern planes like the 787 and Airbus SE A350. It is not often used, several current and former 737 pilots told Reuters.

"It would be very unusual to use the trim wheel in flight. I have only used manual trim once in the simulator," said a 737 pilot. "It is not physically easy to make large trim changes to correct, say, an MCAS input. You - or more than likely the other pilot - have to flip out a little handle and wind, much like a boat winch."

The EASA document said that after flight testing, the FAA's Transport Airplane Directorate, which oversees design approvals and modifications, was concerned about whether the 737 MAX system complied with regulations because the thumb switches could not control trim on their own in all conditions.

FAA declined to comment on the European document. A trim-related "equivalent level of safety" (ELOS) memorandum listed in its 737 MAX certification document is not available on the FAA website. The agency declined to provide it to Reuters.

Confusing signals

The night before the Lion Air crash, different pilots on the same plane faced a similar problem with MCAS and tried to use electric trim to counteract it, according to the preliminary report from Indonesian investigators.

After the third time MCAS forced the nose down, the first officer commented that the control column was "too heavy to hold back" to counter the automated movements, the preliminary report said.

Former FAA accident investigator Mike Daniel said that to prevent stalls, the control column was designed to require more force for a pilot to pull back than to push forward.

Boeing on Wednesday said software changes to MCAS would provide additional layers of protection, including making it impossible for the system to keep the flight crew from counteracting it.

On the 737 MAX, Boeing removed the "yoke jerk" function that enabled pilots to disable the automated trim system with a hard pull on the control column rather than hitting two cut-out switches on the centre console.

In a blog post on his personal website, former Boeing engineer Peter Lemme said that could make things harder for a pilot in a crisis.

"In the scenario where the stabiliser is running away nose down, the pilot may only fixate on pulling the column back in response," he said. "They may not be mentally capable to trim back or cutout the trim - instead they just keep pulling."

Ultimately the crew the evening before the Lion Air crash stopped the automated nose-down movement with the cut-out switches and used the wheel to control trim for the remainder of the flight, the preliminary report said.

That was the proper procedure to deal with a runaway stabiliser, according to Boeing.

However, current and former pilots told Reuters that the way the trim wheel and other controls behaved in practice compared with in training may have confused the Lion Air crews, who were also dealing with warnings about unreliable airspeed and altitude.

"MCAS activation produces conditions similar to a runaway trim, but the training is not done with a stick shaker active and multiple other failures, which make the diagnosis much more difficult," said John Cox, an aviation safety consultant and former commercial pilot. The stick shaker alerts pilots to a potential stall by vibrating the control column.

Reuters this month reported that an off-duty pilot in the cockpit on the night before the Lion Air crash spotted the runaway stabiliser problem, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

US and European regulators knew at least two years before a Lion Air crash that the usual method for controlling the Boeing 737 MAX's nose angle might not work in conditions similar to those in two recent disasters, a document shows.

US and European regulators knew at least two years before a Lion Air crash that the usual method for controlling the Boeing 737 MAX's nose angle might not work in conditions similar to those in two recent disasters, a document shows. The European Aviation and Space Agency (EASA) certified the plane as safe in part because it said additional procedures and training would "clearly explain" to pilots the "unusual" situations in which they would need to manipulate a rarely used manual wheel to control, or "trim," the plane's angle. Those situations, however, were not listed in the flight manual, according to a copy from American Airlines seen by Reuters. The undated EASA certification document, available online, was issued in February 2016, an agency spokesman said. It specifically noted that at speeds greater than 230 knots (265mph, 425kph) with flaps retracted, pilots might have to use the wheel in the cockpit's centre console rather than an electric thumb switch on the control yoke. EASA and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ultimately determined that set-up was safe enough for the plane to be certified, with the European agency citing training plans and the relative rarity of conditions requiring the trim wheel. In the deadly Lion Air crash in October, the pilots lost control after initially countering the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), a new automated anti-stall feature that was pushing the nose down based on data from a faulty sensor, according to a preliminary report from Indonesian investigators released in November. The flight conditions were similar to those described in the EASA document, a source at Lion Air said. The source said that training materials before the crash did not say the wheel could be required under those conditions but that Boeing advised the airline about it after the crash. Boeing declined to comment on the EASA document or its advice to Lion Air, citing the ongoing investigation into the crash. Ethiopia's Transport Ministry, France's BEA air accident authority and the FAA have all pointed to similarities between the Lion Air crash and an Ethiopian Airlines disaster this month. But safety officials stress that the Ethiopian investigation is at an early stage. 'Not physically easy' The crashes have also heightened scrutiny of the certification and pilot training for the latest model of Boeing Co's best-selling workhorse narrowbody, now grounded globally. In the EASA document, the regulator said simulations showed the electric thumb switches could not keep the 737 MAX properly trimmed under certain conditions, including those of the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, according to the Indonesian preliminary report and a source with knowledge of the Ethiopian air traffic control recordings. The trim system adjusts the angle of the nose. If the nose is too far up, the jet risks entering a stall. Additional procedures and training needed to "clearly explain" when the manual wheel might be needed, according to the document. The EASA spokesman said that was a reference to the Boeing flight crew operations manual. An American Airlines Group Inc flight manual for 737 MAX pilots dated October 2017 said the thumb switches had less ability to move the nose than the manual wheel. The manual, which is 1,400 pages long, did not specify the flight conditions in which the wheel might be needed. The trim wheel is a relic of the Boeing 737's 1960s origins and does not appear in more modern planes like the 787 and Airbus SE A350. It is not often used, several current and former 737 pilots told Reuters. "It would be very unusual to use the trim wheel in flight. I have only used manual trim once in the simulator," said a 737 pilot. "It is not physically easy to make large trim changes to correct, say, an MCAS input. You - or more than likely the other pilot - have to flip out a little handle and wind, much like a boat winch." The EASA document said that after flight testing, the FAA's Transport Airplane Directorate, which oversees design approvals and modifications, was concerned about whether the 737 MAX system complied with regulations because the thumb switches could not control trim on their own in all conditions. FAA declined to comment on the European document. A trim-related "equivalent level of safety" (ELOS) memorandum listed in its 737 MAX certification document is not available on the FAA website. The agency declined to provide it to Reuters. Confusing signals The night before the Lion Air crash, different pilots on the same plane faced a similar problem with MCAS and tried to use electric trim to counteract it, according to the preliminary report from Indonesian investigators. After the third time MCAS forced the nose down, the first officer commented that the control column was "too heavy to hold back" to counter the automated movements, the preliminary report said. Former FAA accident investigator Mike Daniel said that to prevent stalls, the control column was designed to require more force for a pilot to pull back than to push forward. Boeing on Wednesday said software changes to MCAS would provide additional layers of protection, including making it impossible for the system to keep the flight crew from counteracting it. On the 737 MAX, Boeing removed the "yoke jerk" function that enabled pilots to disable the automated trim system with a hard pull on the control column rather than hitting two cut-out switches on the centre console. In a blog post on his personal website, former Boeing engineer Peter Lemme said that could make things harder for a pilot in a crisis. "In the scenario where the stabiliser is running away nose down, the pilot may only fixate on pulling the column back in response," he said. "They may not be mentally capable to trim back or cutout the trim - instead they just keep pulling." Ultimately the crew the evening before the Lion Air crash stopped the automated nose-down movement with the cut-out switches and used the wheel to control trim for the remainder of the flight, the preliminary report said. That was the proper procedure to deal with a runaway stabiliser, according to Boeing. However, current and former pilots told Reuters that the way the trim wheel and other controls behaved in practice compared with in training may have confused the Lion Air crews, who were also dealing with warnings about unreliable airspeed and altitude. "MCAS activation produces conditions similar to a runaway trim, but the training is not done with a stick shaker active and multiple other failures, which make the diagnosis much more difficult," said John Cox, an aviation safety consultant and former commercial pilot. The stick shaker alerts pilots to a potential stall by vibrating the control column. Reuters this month reported that an off-duty pilot in the cockpit on the night before the Lion Air crash spotted the runaway stabiliser problem, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Regulators knew before crashes that 737 MAX trim control was confusing in some conditions: Document

US Democratic presidential contender Amy Klobuchar presented a trillion-dollar plan on Thursday to fix the country`s roads, bridges and other public works that she said would be her top budget priority if elected.

The US senator`s plan would include the repair and replacement of roads and bridges, modernisation of flood protection and airports, expansion of public transportation and the increase of rural access to broadband internet, among other policies.

Klobuchar often refers to one of the worst bridge collapses in US history, in her home state of Minnesota, repeating her admonition at the time that "A bridge in America just shouldn`t fall down." An interstate highway bridge spanning the Mississippi River collapsed in 2007, killing 13 people and injuring more than 100 others.

Republicans and Democrats in Congress have long called for fixes to the United States` infrastructure, including aging schools and water systems, but plans have foundered over disputes over how to fund the projects.

To pay for the investments, Klobuchar said she would commit more than $650 billion in federal funding for infrastructure, partly by changing parts of the tax overhaul legislation passed in 2017 to adjust the corporate tax rate to 25 per cent.

She would establish an Infrastructure Financing Authority to help states better leverage private funds for projects and steer money to rural areas, as well as bring back a bond program to give a 35 per cent subsidy to state and local governments for public projects.

In President Donald Trump`s annual State of the Union address to Congress in February, he once again called on lawmakers to pass legislation to aid the country`s infrastructure.&nbsp;

An infrastructure plan Trump asked lawmakers to support in February 2018 was roundly criticised and never received a vote in Congress, which was then controlled by his Republican Party.

Klobuchar, who is in her third term in the US Senate, is one of more than a dozen Democrats running for their party`s 2020 presidential nomination.&nbsp;

US Democratic presidential contender Amy Klobuchar presented a trillion-dollar plan on Thursday to fix the country`s roads, bridges and other public works that she said would be her top budget priority if elected.

US Democratic presidential contender Amy Klobuchar presented a trillion-dollar plan on Thursday to fix the country`s roads, bridges and other public works that she said would be her top budget priority if elected. The US senator`s plan would include the repair and replacement of roads and bridges, modernisation of flood protection and airports, expansion of public transportation and the increase of rural access to broadband internet, among other policies. Klobuchar often refers to one of the worst bridge collapses in US history, in her home state of Minnesota, repeating her admonition at the time that "A bridge in America just shouldn`t fall down." An interstate highway bridge spanning the Mississippi River collapsed in 2007, killing 13 people and injuring more than 100 others. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have long called for fixes to the United States` infrastructure, including aging schools and water systems, but plans have foundered over disputes over how to fund the projects. To pay for the investments, Klobuchar said she would commit more than $650 billion in federal funding for infrastructure, partly by changing parts of the tax overhaul legislation passed in 2017 to adjust the corporate tax rate to 25 per cent. She would establish an Infrastructure Financing Authority to help states better leverage private funds for projects and steer money to rural areas, as well as bring back a bond program to give a 35 per cent subsidy to state and local governments for public projects. In President Donald Trump`s annual State of the Union address to Congress in February, he once again called on lawmakers to pass legislation to aid the country`s infrastructure. An infrastructure plan Trump asked lawmakers to support in February 2018 was roundly criticised and never received a vote in Congress, which was then controlled by his Republican Party. Klobuchar, who is in her third term in the US Senate, is one of more than a dozen Democrats running for their party`s 2020 presidential nomination.

US presidential candidate Klobuchar calls for trillion-dollar infrastructure plan

US: UPS launches drone service to transport medical samples

"Act Cautiously," China Tells US After Its Move On Masood Azhar At UN

US steps up push for UN to blacklist JeM leader Masood Azhar

US economic growth was revised sharply lower for the final three months of 2018, with data showing GDP expanded 2.2 per cent rather than the 2.6 per cent originally reported, the government said Thursday.

The Commerce Department said the revision came after more complete data were used in the calculations.

However, that did not change the growth rate for the full year, which remains at 2.9 per cent compared to 2.2 per cent in 2017. 
&nbsp;

US economic growth was revised sharply lower for the final three months of 2018, with data showing GDP expanded 2.2 per cent rather than the 2.6 per cent originally reported, the government said Thursday.

US economic growth was revised sharply lower for the final three months of 2018, with data showing GDP expanded 2.2 per cent rather than the 2.6 per cent originally reported, the government said Thursday. The Commerce Department said the revision came after more complete data were used in the calculations. However, that did not change the growth rate for the full year, which remains at 2.9 per cent compared to 2.2 per cent in 2017.

US GDP growth revised down sharply to 2.2% in Q4

US President Donald Trump announced early on Thursday that the US would be grounding the Boeing 737 Max plane. Canada had done the same a little earlier.&nbsp;

"As a result of new data that we received this morning, and had the chance to analyze, and on the advice of my experts and as a precautionary measure, I issued a safety notice," Candian Transport Minister Marc Garneau told reporters.

"This safety notice restricts commercial passenger flights from any operator of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 or MAX 9 variant aircraft, whether domestic or foreign, from arriving, departing or overflying Canadian air space.&nbsp;

"This safety notice is effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice."

Trump meanwhile told reporters at the White House that&nbsp;"the planes are grounded effective immediately."

As a result, virtually every single Boeing Max plane around the world — there were about 370 of them in service — now stands grounded. (The US and Canada were the last holdouts.)&nbsp;

The economic backlash was swift.&nbsp;

Boeing shares tumbled 2%. The aviation company's shares have fallen about 13% &nbsp;since last Sunday's crash of an Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737 Max 8 plane. &nbsp;

That crash, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-indians-among-those-dead-in-ethiopian-airlines-plane-crash-202378">which killed all 157 people on board</a>, was the second of a Boeing 737 Max plane in less than 5 months.&nbsp;

On October 29 last year, a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max plane had crashed into the Java Sea shortly after taking off, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-east-asia/lion-air-plane-crash-body-parts-found-as-rescue-agency-says-likely-all-189-aboard-crashed-jet-dead-174197">killing all 189 people on board</a>.&nbsp;

The two crashes were eerily similar.&nbsp;

The Lion Air plane crashed 12 minutes after taking off.&nbsp;

The Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed six minutes after taking off. (The pilot had asked for permission to return and had been given it but he was unable to make it back to Addis Ababa.)&nbsp;

The nose of the Lion Air plane — <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-boy-bhavye-suneja-was-reportedly-flying-lion-air-plane-that-crashed-with-189-on-board-174149">one of its pilots was a Delhi boy</a> — had after takeoff suddenly begun to pitch downwards. The pilots would pull up, but the nose would pitch down again...&nbsp;

The cause is thought to be the plane's stabilisation system, which pulls the nose down to prevent the aircraft from stalling.&nbsp;

The cause of the Ethiopian Airlines crash is still not known, but reports have now begun to appear of other pilots saying the nose of the Boeing 737 Max can tend to suddenly pitch downwards.&nbsp;

Boeing has continued to say the 737 Max is safe. On Thursday, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said he supported the US decision to ground the 737 Max but that he continues to have "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-provide-answers-after-investigation-into-lion-air-crash-is-over-boeing-to-wion-185379">full confidence</a>" in the plane.

That said, it is safe to say the economic costs Boeing will have to pay will be large.&nbsp;

The 737 Max was Boeing's most popular mid-haul jet — apart from the ones in service, the company had orders for 3.500 more.&nbsp;

India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation for one however has said it will not be accepting any more of the jets until the investigations into the crashes are complete.&nbsp;

It is expected a number of other countries will follow suit.&nbsp;

And Norway's low-cost carrier Norwegian Air has said it will ask Boeing to pay for the losses it has had to incur as a result of having to ground its eighteen 737 Max aircraft.&nbsp;

Other airlines may follow suit.&nbsp;

It is important to note however that Norwegian has a total fleet of 163 aircraft, and so far the company says it is maintaining its order for 50 more Boeing 737 Max aircraft which the airline expects to take delivery of by end-2021.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Donald Trump announced early on Thursday that the US would be grounding the Boeing 737 Max plane. Canada had done the same a little earlier. "As a result of new data that we received this morning, and had the chance to analyze, and on the advice of my experts and as a precautionary measure, I issued a safety notice," Candian Transport Minister Marc Garneau told reporters.

US President Donald Trump announced early on Thursday that the US would be grounding the Boeing 737 Max plane. Canada had done the same a little earlier. "As a result of new data that we received this morning, and had the chance to analyze, and on the advice of my experts and as a precautionary measure, I issued a safety notice," Candian Transport Minister Marc Garneau told reporters. "This safety notice restricts commercial passenger flights from any operator of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 or MAX 9 variant aircraft, whether domestic or foreign, from arriving, departing or overflying Canadian air space. "This safety notice is effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice." Trump meanwhile told reporters at the White House that "the planes are grounded effective immediately." As a result, virtually every single Boeing Max plane around the world — there were about 370 of them in service — now stands grounded. (The US and Canada were the last holdouts.) The economic backlash was swift. Boeing shares tumbled 2%. The aviation company's shares have fallen about 13% since last Sunday's crash of an Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737 Max 8 plane. That crash, which killed all 157 people on board, was the second of a Boeing 737 Max plane in less than 5 months. On October 29 last year, a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max plane had crashed into the Java Sea shortly after taking off, killing all 189 people on board. The two crashes were eerily similar. The Lion Air plane crashed 12 minutes after taking off. The Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed six minutes after taking off. (The pilot had asked for permission to return and had been given it but he was unable to make it back to Addis Ababa.) The nose of the Lion Air plane — one of its pilots was a Delhi boy — had after takeoff suddenly begun to pitch downwards. The pilots would pull up, but the nose would pitch down again... The cause is thought to be the plane's stabilisation system, which pulls the nose down to prevent the aircraft from stalling. The cause of the Ethiopian Airlines crash is still not known, but reports have now begun to appear of other pilots saying the nose of the Boeing 737 Max can tend to suddenly pitch downwards. Boeing has continued to say the 737 Max is safe. On Thursday, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said he supported the US decision to ground the 737 Max but that he continues to have "full confidence" in the plane. That said, it is safe to say the economic costs Boeing will have to pay will be large. The 737 Max was Boeing's most popular mid-haul jet — apart from the ones in service, the company had orders for 3.500 more. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation for one however has said it will not be accepting any more of the jets until the investigations into the crashes are complete. It is expected a number of other countries will follow suit. And Norway's low-cost carrier Norwegian Air has said it will ask Boeing to pay for the losses it has had to incur as a result of having to ground its eighteen 737 Max aircraft. Other airlines may follow suit. It is important to note however that Norwegian has a total fleet of 163 aircraft, and so far the company says it is maintaining its order for 50 more Boeing 737 Max aircraft which the airline expects to take delivery of by end-2021. (With inputs from agencies)

Every single Boeing 737 Max plane around the world now stands grounded

The US trade deficit dropped nearly 15 per cent in January compared to December, largely due to declining imports from China, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

Economists say the decline could help support growth in the first three months of the year, which would be a welcome development amid signs the world's largest economy has peaked.

The drop reversed most of the expansion in the trade gap posted in the final month of 2018, a year that saw the deficit surge to a 10-year record, despite President Donald Trump's aggressive tariff policies.

The trade gap in December surged nearly 19 per cent to $59.9 billion but fell back to $51.1 billion in January, the report said.

Analysts had been expecting a much more modest narrowing of the January deficit, which also was 3.7 per cent smaller than it was a year earlier.

US imports fell 2.6 per cent to $258.5 billion while exports rose just under 1 per cent to $207.3 billion, according to the data.

And the deficit in goods alone with China -- the primary foe in Trump's trade wars -- fell by $5.5 billion in the month to $33.2 billion, according to the report, almost entirely due to declining American purchases of Chinese goods.

The falling average price for oil, which hit the lowest point in three years, also helped narrow the trade gap by $1.4 billion.

In addition to the impact of tariffs on trade with China, the stronger-than-expected decline in the trade deficit could reflect the slowing in the US and global economies.

However, some economists say the smaller trade gap should add to first quarter growth.

Subdued exports

"The data look consistent with net exports adding at least a few tenths to the growth rate in Q1," said Jim O'Sullivan of High Frequency Economics.

Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics said it is too early to tell the exact impact, but "we’re penciling-in a 0.3 percentage point contribution to GDP growth."

"The record December deficit always looked like an outlier, and data on container movements at major ports pointed clearly to a reversal in January," said Shepherdson, who unlike his counterparts correctly forecast the trade gap.

However, others caution that a cooling global economy means export momentum likely will be subdued, which could lead to a continued rise in the deficit, especially as a strong US dollar makes imports cheaper, despite the impact of tariffs.

US goods exports to China fell to just $7.1 billion, not adjusted for seasonal factors, the lowest since September 2010.

The goods balance with Canada shifted to a surplus of $1.4 billion, while the deficit with Mexico narrowed more than $1.5 billion to $7.2 billion, and with the European Union fell more than $2.5 billion to $13.1 billion.

But in services, where the US is a dominant force, exports were the highest on record at $70 billion, according to the report.

The US trade deficit dropped nearly 15 per cent in January compared to December, largely due to declining imports from China, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

The US trade deficit dropped nearly 15 per cent in January compared to December, largely due to declining imports from China, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. Economists say the decline could help support growth in the first three months of the year, which would be a welcome development amid signs the world's largest economy has peaked. The drop reversed most of the expansion in the trade gap posted in the final month of 2018, a year that saw the deficit surge to a 10-year record, despite President Donald Trump's aggressive tariff policies. The trade gap in December surged nearly 19 per cent to $59.9 billion but fell back to $51.1 billion in January, the report said. Analysts had been expecting a much more modest narrowing of the January deficit, which also was 3.7 per cent smaller than it was a year earlier. US imports fell 2.6 per cent to $258.5 billion while exports rose just under 1 per cent to $207.3 billion, according to the data. And the deficit in goods alone with China -- the primary foe in Trump's trade wars -- fell by $5.5 billion in the month to $33.2 billion, according to the report, almost entirely due to declining American purchases of Chinese goods. The falling average price for oil, which hit the lowest point in three years, also helped narrow the trade gap by $1.4 billion. In addition to the impact of tariffs on trade with China, the stronger-than-expected decline in the trade deficit could reflect the slowing in the US and global economies. However, some economists say the smaller trade gap should add to first quarter growth. Subdued exports "The data look consistent with net exports adding at least a few tenths to the growth rate in Q1," said Jim O'Sullivan of High Frequency Economics. Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics said it is too early to tell the exact impact, but "we’re penciling-in a 0.3 percentage point contribution to GDP growth." "The record December deficit always looked like an outlier, and data on container movements at major ports pointed clearly to a reversal in January," said Shepherdson, who unlike his counterparts correctly forecast the trade gap. However, others caution that a cooling global economy means export momentum likely will be subdued, which could lead to a continued rise in the deficit, especially as a strong US dollar makes imports cheaper, despite the impact of tariffs. US goods exports to China fell to just $7.1 billion, not adjusted for seasonal factors, the lowest since September 2010. The goods balance with Canada shifted to a surplus of $1.4 billion, while the deficit with Mexico narrowed more than $1.5 billion to $7.2 billion, and with the European Union fell more than $2.5 billion to $13.1 billion. But in services, where the US is a dominant force, exports were the highest on record at $70 billion, according to the report.

US trade deficit drops in January as imports from China fall

US will lead world in space exploration: Mike Pence

The prestigious Yale University has expelled a student whose parents paid more than a million dollars in bribes to get her in, the first such move since a huge admissions scandal erupted earlier this month.

Some 50 people have been indicted so far in a scam to help children of the American elite gain entry into top US colleges.

They include sports coaches who provided bogus recommendations, university administrators who manipulated test scores, and 33 parents accused of paying bribes totaling some $6.5 million to guarantee admission for their children.

In a statement published on its website on Tuesday, Yale said it had first learnt about the scheme in mid-November, when it was approached by the Boston US Attorney's Office requesting information about head women's soccer coach Rudy Meredith.&nbsp;

According to the university, Meredith, who left Yale just before it was approached by authorities, provided fraudulent athletic recommendations to "two applicants only."

One of the two was accepted into Yale in January 2018, after her relatives paid $1.2 million in bribes according to the charge sheet against Meredith.

The coach also received $400,000 from a go-between who organized the arrangement though it is not clear whether the student's family contributed to that sum and if so how much.

"Yale investigated the allegations, and the admission of the student who received a fraudulent endorsement has been rescinded," the university said.

The university said federal privacy law and Yale policy prevented it from naming the students, who were identified as "Applicant 1" and "Applicant 2" on the indictment.

Yale added it was conducting its own review to learn whether others had been involved and will retain external advisors to recommend changes to prevent efforts to defraud the admissions process in future.

Meredith is set to appear before a federal court in Boston on Thursday where he faces two counts of fraud.

Sports coaches from other high-ranking public and private colleges, including UCLA, the University of Southern California and Georgetown have also been implicated in the affair.

The scandal has ensnared celebrities including actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin as well as top industry CEOs, casting a light on the ultra-competitive college admissions process, in which the haves hold a massive advantage over the have-nots.

The prestigious Yale University has expelled a student whose parents paid more than a million dollars in bribes to get her in, the first such move since a huge admissions scandal erupted earlier this month.

The prestigious Yale University has expelled a student whose parents paid more than a million dollars in bribes to get her in, the first such move since a huge admissions scandal erupted earlier this month. Some 50 people have been indicted so far in a scam to help children of the American elite gain entry into top US colleges. They include sports coaches who provided bogus recommendations, university administrators who manipulated test scores, and 33 parents accused of paying bribes totaling some $6.5 million to guarantee admission for their children. In a statement published on its website on Tuesday, Yale said it had first learnt about the scheme in mid-November, when it was approached by the Boston US Attorney's Office requesting information about head women's soccer coach Rudy Meredith. According to the university, Meredith, who left Yale just before it was approached by authorities, provided fraudulent athletic recommendations to "two applicants only." One of the two was accepted into Yale in January 2018, after her relatives paid $1.2 million in bribes according to the charge sheet against Meredith. The coach also received $400,000 from a go-between who organized the arrangement though it is not clear whether the student's family contributed to that sum and if so how much. "Yale investigated the allegations, and the admission of the student who received a fraudulent endorsement has been rescinded," the university said. The university said federal privacy law and Yale policy prevented it from naming the students, who were identified as "Applicant 1" and "Applicant 2" on the indictment. Yale added it was conducting its own review to learn whether others had been involved and will retain external advisors to recommend changes to prevent efforts to defraud the admissions process in future. Meredith is set to appear before a federal court in Boston on Thursday where he faces two counts of fraud. Sports coaches from other high-ranking public and private colleges, including UCLA, the University of Southern California and Georgetown have also been implicated in the affair. The scandal has ensnared celebrities including actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin as well as top industry CEOs, casting a light on the ultra-competitive college admissions process, in which the haves hold a massive advantage over the have-nots.

Yale expels student implicated in US college admissions scam

PTI: Virtual SIM Cards were used in Pulwama attack by JeM

A request would be sent to the US to seek details from a service provider of “virtual SIMs”, which were used by the JeM suicide bomber behind the Pulwama attack and his Pakistan and Kashmir-based handlers, officials said.

Piecing together probe from the site of the terror strike, searches carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir police and central security agencies at an encounter site in Tral as well as other locations, it was found that the bomber, Adil Dar, was in constant touch with the JeM across the border, they said.

The main mastermind of the audacious attack, Mudassir Khan, was killed in the encounter in Tral.

Forty CRPF personnel were killed on February 14 when Dar rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a paramilitary force bus at Pulwama in South Kashmir. India retaliated after the strike by bombing the Jaish terror group’s hideout in Balakot in Pakistan.

It was a fairly new modus operandi where terrorists across the border were using a “virtual SIM”, generated by a service provider in the United States. In this technology, the computer generates a telephone number and the user downloads an application of the service provider on their smartphone.

The number is linked to social networking sites like WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram or Twitter. The verification code generated by these networking sites is received on the smartphone and the user is ready.

In case of Pulwama, Dar was in constant touch with the Jaish handler as well as Mudassir Khan using the same technology, the officials said.

They said the numbers used were pre-fixed with “+1”, the Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) number used for the United States.

The request to the US will include details of phone numbers that got in touch with the “Virtual SIM” and who had activated it, they said, adding that Internet Protocol addresses would also be sought.

While the security agencies would attempt to find who had paid for the virtual SIM, they were also aware that the terror groups used forged identities, as was done during the Mumbai 26/11 terror strikes.

During an investigation of the 26/11 attacks, it was found that an amount of USD 229 was wired to Callphonex, via Western Union Money Transfer receipt number 8364307716-0, for activating the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) used during the strikes.

The money was received from ‘Madina Trading’ located in Brescia in Italy and sender was claimed to be Javed Iqbal, a resident of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

However, after Italian police arrested two Pakistani nationals in 2009, it was alleged that the firm had made nearly 300 transfers in the name of Iqbal, who probably had never set his foot in Italy.

The Italian police, while concluding the probe, had said the Brescia-based company made several transfers using the identity of innocent, unsuspecting persons, whose identity cards or passports might have been stolen.

A request would be sent to the US to seek details from a service provider of “virtual SIMs”, which were used by the JeM suicide bomber behind the Pulwama attack and his Pakistan and Kashmir-based handlers, officials said.

A request would be sent to the US to seek details from a service provider of “virtual SIMs”, which were used by the JeM suicide bomber behind the Pulwama attack and his Pakistan and Kashmir-based handlers, officials said. Piecing together probe from the site of the terror strike, searches carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir police and central security agencies at an encounter site in Tral as well as other locations, it was found that the bomber, Adil Dar, was in constant touch with the JeM across the border, they said. The main mastermind of the audacious attack, Mudassir Khan, was killed in the encounter in Tral. Forty CRPF personnel were killed on February 14 when Dar rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a paramilitary force bus at Pulwama in South Kashmir. India retaliated after the strike by bombing the Jaish terror group’s hideout in Balakot in Pakistan. It was a fairly new modus operandi where terrorists across the border were using a “virtual SIM”, generated by a service provider in the United States. In this technology, the computer generates a telephone number and the user downloads an application of the service provider on their smartphone. The number is linked to social networking sites like WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram or Twitter. The verification code generated by these networking sites is received on the smartphone and the user is ready. In case of Pulwama, Dar was in constant touch with the Jaish handler as well as Mudassir Khan using the same technology, the officials said. They said the numbers used were pre-fixed with “+1”, the Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) number used for the United States. The request to the US will include details of phone numbers that got in touch with the “Virtual SIM” and who had activated it, they said, adding that Internet Protocol addresses would also be sought. While the security agencies would attempt to find who had paid for the virtual SIM, they were also aware that the terror groups used forged identities, as was done during the Mumbai 26/11 terror strikes. During an investigation of the 26/11 attacks, it was found that an amount of USD 229 was wired to Callphonex, via Western Union Money Transfer receipt number 8364307716-0, for activating the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) used during the strikes. The money was received from ‘Madina Trading’ located in Brescia in Italy and sender was claimed to be Javed Iqbal, a resident of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). However, after Italian police arrested two Pakistani nationals in 2009, it was alleged that the firm had made nearly 300 transfers in the name of Iqbal, who probably had never set his foot in Italy. The Italian police, while concluding the probe, had said the Brescia-based company made several transfers using the identity of innocent, unsuspecting persons, whose identity cards or passports might have been stolen.

Virtual SIMs used in Pulwama terror attack; India to approach US for help

Islamic State has been defeated at its final shred of territory of Baghouz in Syria, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-backed-syrian-forces-fight-last-islamic-state-jihadists-204983">US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces</a> (SDF) said on Saturday, announcing the end of its self-declared "caliphate" that once spanned a third of Iraq and Syria.

The SDF declared the "total elimination of (the) so-called caliphate", Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF media office, wrote on Twitter.

"Baghouz has been liberated. The military victory against Daesh has been accomplished," he wrote.

The SDF has been battling to capture Baghouz at the Iraqi border for weeks.

Daesh is an Arabic acronym for Islamic State. "We renew our pledge to continue the war and to pursue their remnants until their complete elimination," he wrote.

Though the defeat of Islamic State at Baghouz ends the group's grip over the jihadist quasi-state straddling Syria and Iraq that it declared in 2014, it remains a threat.

Some of its fighters still hold out in Syria's remote central desert and in Iraqi cities they have slipped into the shadows, staging sudden shootings or kidnappings and awaiting a chance to rise again.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syria-slams-trump-vows-to-recover-israeli-occupied-golan-204839">The United States</a> believes the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is in Iraq. He stood at the pulpit of the great medieval mosque in Mosul in 2014 to declare himself caliph, sovereign over all Muslims.

Further afield, jihadists in Afghanistan, Nigeria and elsewhere have shown no sign of recanting their allegiance to Islamic State, and intelligence services say its devotees in the West might plot new attacks.

The Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Ja'afari, said on Friday Islamic State was not yet finished in Syria, adding that it was the Damascus government backed by Russia and Iran that was genuinely battling it, not the United States.

Still, the fall of Baghouz is a big milestone in a fight against the jihadist group waged by numerous local and global forces - some of them sworn enemies - over more than four years.

It also marks a big moment in Syria's eight-year war, wiping out the territory of one of the main contestants, with the rest split between President Bashar al-Assad, Turkey-backed rebels and the Kurdish-led SDF.

Assad and his Iranian allies have sworn to recapture all Syria, and Turkey has threatened to drive out the SDF, which it sees as a terrorist group, by force. The continued presence of US troops in northeast Syria might avert this.

Grisly rule

Islamic State originated as an al Qaeda faction in Iraq, but it took advantage of Syria's civil war to seize land there and split from the global jihadist organisation.

In 2014, it suddenly grabbed Iraq's Mosul, one of the region's great historic cities, as well as Syria's Raqqa, and swathes of land each side of the border.

It declared an end to modern countries and called on supporters to leave their homes and join the jihadist utopia it claimed to be erecting, trumpeting its currency, flag, passports and military parades.

Oil production, extortion and antiquities smuggling financed its agenda, which included the slaughter of some minorities, public slave auctions of captured women, grotesque punishments for minor crimes and the choreographed killing of hostages.

Those excesses brought an array of forces against it, forcing it from Mosul and Raqqa in a year of heavy defeats in 2017 and driving it, eventually, down the Euphrates to Baghouz.

Over the past two months some 60,000 people poured out of that dwindling enclave, fleeing SDF bombardment and a shortage of food so severe that some said they were reduced to cooking grass.

A mass grave the SDF discovered there last month showed there were other dangers in the enclave, though it has released no details on the identities of the victims or how they died.

Civilians made up more than half the people leaving Baghouz, the SDF said, including Islamic State victims such as women from the Iraqi Yazidi sect whom the jihadists had sexually enslaved.

Thousands of the group's unbending supporters also abandoned the enclave while still vowing their allegiance to a ruined caliphate and showing no remorse for its victims.

At displacement camps in northeast Syria where they were sent by the SDF, the hardliners, including many foreign women who came to Syria and Iraq to marry jihadists, had to be kept away from other, often traumatized, residents.

Their fate has befuddled foreign governments, who see them as a security threat and are loath to accede to SDF entreaties to take them back home.

Defeat

As the fighting progressed in recent weeks, the convoys of trucks from Baghouz started to include hundreds, and then thousands, of surrendering jihadist fighters, many hobbling from their wounds.

The SDF said it captured hundreds more in recent weeks who tried to slip through its cordon and escape into Iraq or across the Euphrates and into the Syrian desert.

At the end, they were besieged in a tiny camp full of rusting vehicles and makeshift shelters, pinned against the Euphrates and overlooked by hills held by the SDF.

Islamic State released video from inside that miserable, shell-pounded enclave, showing its last fighters still shooting at the SDF as smoke billowed overhead.

It was an attempt to shape the narrative of its defeat, portraying it as a heroic last stand against overwhelming odds and a call to arms for future jihadists.

But the footage shown by the SDF in recent weeks was of long lines of abject, surrendering fighters, sitting or squatting in a desolate landscape, their dreams dashed.

Islamic State has been defeated at its final shred of territory of Baghouz in Syria, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Saturday, announcing the end of its self-declared "caliphate" that once spanned a third of Iraq and Syria.

Islamic State has been defeated at its final shred of territory of Baghouz in Syria, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Saturday, announcing the end of its self-declared "caliphate" that once spanned a third of Iraq and Syria. The SDF declared the "total elimination of (the) so-called caliphate", Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF media office, wrote on Twitter. "Baghouz has been liberated. The military victory against Daesh has been accomplished," he wrote. The SDF has been battling to capture Baghouz at the Iraqi border for weeks. Daesh is an Arabic acronym for Islamic State. "We renew our pledge to continue the war and to pursue their remnants until their complete elimination," he wrote. Though the defeat of Islamic State at Baghouz ends the group's grip over the jihadist quasi-state straddling Syria and Iraq that it declared in 2014, it remains a threat. Some of its fighters still hold out in Syria's remote central desert and in Iraqi cities they have slipped into the shadows, staging sudden shootings or kidnappings and awaiting a chance to rise again. The United States believes the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is in Iraq. He stood at the pulpit of the great medieval mosque in Mosul in 2014 to declare himself caliph, sovereign over all Muslims. Further afield, jihadists in Afghanistan, Nigeria and elsewhere have shown no sign of recanting their allegiance to Islamic State, and intelligence services say its devotees in the West might plot new attacks. The Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Ja'afari, said on Friday Islamic State was not yet finished in Syria, adding that it was the Damascus government backed by Russia and Iran that was genuinely battling it, not the United States. Still, the fall of Baghouz is a big milestone in a fight against the jihadist group waged by numerous local and global forces - some of them sworn enemies - over more than four years. It also marks a big moment in Syria's eight-year war, wiping out the territory of one of the main contestants, with the rest split between President Bashar al-Assad, Turkey-backed rebels and the Kurdish-led SDF. Assad and his Iranian allies have sworn to recapture all Syria, and Turkey has threatened to drive out the SDF, which it sees as a terrorist group, by force. The continued presence of US troops in northeast Syria might avert this. Grisly rule Islamic State originated as an al Qaeda faction in Iraq, but it took advantage of Syria's civil war to seize land there and split from the global jihadist organisation. In 2014, it suddenly grabbed Iraq's Mosul, one of the region's great historic cities, as well as Syria's Raqqa, and swathes of land each side of the border. It declared an end to modern countries and called on supporters to leave their homes and join the jihadist utopia it claimed to be erecting, trumpeting its currency, flag, passports and military parades. Oil production, extortion and antiquities smuggling financed its agenda, which included the slaughter of some minorities, public slave auctions of captured women, grotesque punishments for minor crimes and the choreographed killing of hostages. Those excesses brought an array of forces against it, forcing it from Mosul and Raqqa in a year of heavy defeats in 2017 and driving it, eventually, down the Euphrates to Baghouz. Over the past two months some 60,000 people poured out of that dwindling enclave, fleeing SDF bombardment and a shortage of food so severe that some said they were reduced to cooking grass. A mass grave the SDF discovered there last month showed there were other dangers in the enclave, though it has released no details on the identities of the victims or how they died. Civilians made up more than half the people leaving Baghouz, the SDF said, including Islamic State victims such as women from the Iraqi Yazidi sect whom the jihadists had sexually enslaved. Thousands of the group's unbending supporters also abandoned the enclave while still vowing their allegiance to a ruined caliphate and showing no remorse for its victims. At displacement camps in northeast Syria where they were sent by the SDF, the hardliners, including many foreign women who came to Syria and Iraq to marry jihadists, had to be kept away from other, often traumatized, residents. Their fate has befuddled foreign governments, who see them as a security threat and are loath to accede to SDF entreaties to take them back home. Defeat As the fighting progressed in recent weeks, the convoys of trucks from Baghouz started to include hundreds, and then thousands, of surrendering jihadist fighters, many hobbling from their wounds. The SDF said it captured hundreds more in recent weeks who tried to slip through its cordon and escape into Iraq or across the Euphrates and into the Syrian desert. At the end, they were besieged in a tiny camp full of rusting vehicles and makeshift shelters, pinned against the Euphrates and overlooked by hills held by the SDF. Islamic State released video from inside that miserable, shell-pounded enclave, showing its last fighters still shooting at the SDF as smoke billowed overhead. It was an attempt to shape the narrative of its defeat, portraying it as a heroic last stand against overwhelming odds and a call to arms for future jihadists. But the footage shown by the SDF in recent weeks was of long lines of abject, surrendering fighters, sitting or squatting in a desolate landscape, their dreams dashed.

Syrian Democratic Forces claims Islamic State defeated

There is convergence of views between India and the US not only on international issues but also in their economic vision as the two countries are natural allies and partners in progress, according to India's envoy here.

Noting that the relationship between the two countries has evolved into a truly comprehensive partnership of mutual trust and confidence over the years, Indian Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday told a business audience that the visits by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington in 2016 and 2017 highlighted the huge bipartisan support for this relationship.

He received an overwhelming welcome from the US Congress and the business community and during his meeting with President Donald Trump, both leaders spoke about convergence in values, priorities, concerns, and interests, Shringla said in his address to the Business Seminar in the London House in Chicago.

"Both leaders committed to further expand the trade relationship with focus on job creation and to develop an understanding of each other's priorities.&nbsp;Government of India is committed to building on this relationship with the US. There is a convergence of views of the two countries not only on international issues but also in the economic vision,"&nbsp;he said.

Shringla said the most recent political level engagement held at the bilateral Commercial Dialogue in Delhi last month also took note that annual bilateral trade in goods and services between the US and India more than doubled over the last decade, from US $58 billion in 2007 to US $126 billion in 2017.

"Both sides resolved to remain engaged and take measures for further enhancement of bilateral trade. The sides agreed to continue to find ways to improve bilateral trade and increase market access in our countries as was agreed upon in the United States and India: Prosperity Through Partnership joint statement of June 2017 and the Commercial Dialogue Joint Statement of October 2017,"&nbsp;he said.

Asserting that trade and commercial ties between the two countries are strong, he said the two-way trade has grown exponentially and was worth US$ 126 billion in goods and services in 2017. In 2018, it is expected to cross US $140 billion more than 11 per cent increase over 2017.

Total bilateral merchandise trade in 2018 was more than US $87.5 billion. US exports to India in 2018 have grown at nearly 30 per cent to over US $33 billion while Indian exports have grown at about 12 per cent to over US $54 billion. This growth has ensured that bilateral trade deficit has reduced by over seven per cent in 2018 alone, he said.

Shringla expressed hope that the inclusion of India in the License Exception Strategic Trade Authorization (STA-1) will further give a fillip to the defence trade between the two countries and integrate India into the international supply chains.&nbsp;

High-level engagement like the 2+2 dialogue between the two countries has once again thrown focus on the importance that both sides attach to the relationship.

"It has brought into light the shared commitment to a forward-looking vision for the India-US strategic partnership which is putting our relations on an upward trajectory,"&nbsp;he said.

Noting that people to people relations form the bedrock of the bilateral relations between the two countries, he said the presence of a large and vibrant Indian American community is a bonding factor between the two countries.

More than 227,000 Indian students are studying in the US who contribute over US $6.5 billion to the US education sector each year. US has continued to be among the largest tourist generating market for India during the last few years with over 1.3 million tourists visiting India in 2017, he said.

A similar number of Indian nationals also visited the US. India is the sixth largest market for international visitor spending in America. Both countries look forward to further enhancing potential of the sector to support economic growth, create jobs and foster closer relationships between our people, he said.

There is convergence of views between India and the US not only on international issues but also in their economic vision as the two countries are natural allies and partners in progress, according to India's envoy here.

There is convergence of views between India and the US not only on international issues but also in their economic vision as the two countries are natural allies and partners in progress, according to India's envoy here. Noting that the relationship between the two countries has evolved into a truly comprehensive partnership of mutual trust and confidence over the years, Indian Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday told a business audience that the visits by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington in 2016 and 2017 highlighted the huge bipartisan support for this relationship. He received an overwhelming welcome from the US Congress and the business community and during his meeting with President Donald Trump, both leaders spoke about convergence in values, priorities, concerns, and interests, Shringla said in his address to the Business Seminar in the London House in Chicago. "Both leaders committed to further expand the trade relationship with focus on job creation and to develop an understanding of each other's priorities. Government of India is committed to building on this relationship with the US. There is a convergence of views of the two countries not only on international issues but also in the economic vision," he said. Shringla said the most recent political level engagement held at the bilateral Commercial Dialogue in Delhi last month also took note that annual bilateral trade in goods and services between the US and India more than doubled over the last decade, from US $58 billion in 2007 to US $126 billion in 2017. "Both sides resolved to remain engaged and take measures for further enhancement of bilateral trade. The sides agreed to continue to find ways to improve bilateral trade and increase market access in our countries as was agreed upon in the United States and India: Prosperity Through Partnership joint statement of June 2017 and the Commercial Dialogue Joint Statement of October 2017," he said. Asserting that trade and commercial ties between the two countries are strong, he said the two-way trade has grown exponentially and was worth US$ 126 billion in goods and services in 2017. In 2018, it is expected to cross US $140 billion more than 11 per cent increase over 2017. Total bilateral merchandise trade in 2018 was more than US $87.5 billion. US exports to India in 2018 have grown at nearly 30 per cent to over US $33 billion while Indian exports have grown at about 12 per cent to over US $54 billion. This growth has ensured that bilateral trade deficit has reduced by over seven per cent in 2018 alone, he said. Shringla expressed hope that the inclusion of India in the License Exception Strategic Trade Authorization (STA-1) will further give a fillip to the defence trade between the two countries and integrate India into the international supply chains. High-level engagement like the 2+2 dialogue between the two countries has once again thrown focus on the importance that both sides attach to the relationship. "It has brought into light the shared commitment to a forward-looking vision for the India-US strategic partnership which is putting our relations on an upward trajectory," he said. Noting that people to people relations form the bedrock of the bilateral relations between the two countries, he said the presence of a large and vibrant Indian American community is a bonding factor between the two countries. More than 227,000 Indian students are studying in the US who contribute over US $6.5 billion to the US education sector each year. US has continued to be among the largest tourist generating market for India during the last few years with over 1.3 million tourists visiting India in 2017, he said. A similar number of Indian nationals also visited the US. India is the sixth largest market for international visitor spending in America. Both countries look forward to further enhancing potential of the sector to support economic growth, create jobs and foster closer relationships between our people, he said.

India-US are natural allies and partners in progress: Indian envoy

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