The United States has asked Pakistan to take sustained, verifiable and irreversible action against the perpetrators of terrorism, while warning the country that another terror attack on India will prove to be "extremely problematic".

"We need to see Pakistan taking concrete and sustained action to reign in the terrorist groups, mainly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-army-says-jaish-e-mohammed-does-not-exist-in-pakistan-contradicts-foreign-minister-qureshi-201624">the Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashkar-e-Taiba</a> in order to ensure that we don't have re-escalation (of tension) in the region," a senior administration official told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

"And, if there's any additional terrorist attack without Pakistan having made a sustained, sincere effort against these groups, it would be extremely problematic for Pakistan and it would cause re-escalation of tensions, which is dangerous for both countries," the official said on the condition of anonymity.

Asked about the steps being taken by Pakistan in the aftermath of the Balakot air strike by Indian fighter jets, the official said the US and the international community needed to see "irreversible and sustained" action against the terror groups.

"It's early to make a full assessment," the official said.&nbsp;

In the recent days, the official said Pakistan has taken some "initial" actions. They have frozen the assets of some terrorist groups and made some arrests. They have taken administrative control of some of the JeM facilities, the official added.&nbsp;

"But we clearly need to see more. We need to see irreversible action because in the past, what we've seen is they made some arrests and then a few months later, they released these individuals. The terrorist leaders are sometimes still allowed to travel around the country, hold rallies," the official said.

Reiterating that the United States is looking for "irreversible action", the official said America is working with its international partners to increase pressure on Pakistan. "Because it has been too long that these groups have been able to operate."

Observing that Pakistan has economic concerns as well, the official said the Financial Action Tasks Force (FATF) is one area which demonstrates the need for them to take these actions against terror groups. "Otherwise, they're at risk within the system and the FATF to be grey-listed," the official said.&nbsp;

Pakistan needs to decide if it wants to be viewed as a responsible international player and have access to all the financial mechanisms that are available or is it going to continue to fail to take the steps necessary against these terrorist groups and see itself further isolated. "The choice is Pakistan's," the senior administration official asserted.

While the situation between the two south Asian neighbours have de-escalated, the two armies are still on high alert and that concerns the US, the official said.

"So, we realize that if there, God forbid, would be another terrorist attack that you could quickly see the escalation in the situation once again. So that's why, we're making clear that any additional military action by either side runs an unacceptably high risk, for both countries and for the region," the official said.

The Trump Administration, the official said, has taken sort of a "zero tolerance policy" on the issue of safe havens to terrorists.&nbsp;

"The terror terrorist attack on February 14th on India was a demonstration that Pakistan's continuing provision of sanctuary for any terrorist group is not acceptable," the official said. 
During the height of the crisis -- February 26-28 -- the United States was in continuous contact with Indian and Pakistani officials, both on the ground in New Delhi and Islamabad.

"They were working the phones continuously and were deeply engaged in seeking to deescalate what was a very dangerous moment in India-Pakistan relations," the official said.

The United States has also reached out to influential countries to have them help deescalate the situation, the senior administration official said.

Some of these countries are China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan and Australia.&nbsp;

The United States has asked Pakistan to take sustained, verifiable and irreversible action against the perpetrators of terrorism, while warning the country that another terror attack on India will prove to be "extremely problematic".

The United States has asked Pakistan to take sustained, verifiable and irreversible action against the perpetrators of terrorism, while warning the country that another terror attack on India will prove to be "extremely problematic". "We need to see Pakistan taking concrete and sustained action to reign in the terrorist groups, mainly the Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashkar-e-Taiba in order to ensure that we don't have re-escalation (of tension) in the region," a senior administration official told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. "And, if there's any additional terrorist attack without Pakistan having made a sustained, sincere effort against these groups, it would be extremely problematic for Pakistan and it would cause re-escalation of tensions, which is dangerous for both countries," the official said on the condition of anonymity. Asked about the steps being taken by Pakistan in the aftermath of the Balakot air strike by Indian fighter jets, the official said the US and the international community needed to see "irreversible and sustained" action against the terror groups. "It's early to make a full assessment," the official said. In the recent days, the official said Pakistan has taken some "initial" actions. They have frozen the assets of some terrorist groups and made some arrests. They have taken administrative control of some of the JeM facilities, the official added. "But we clearly need to see more. We need to see irreversible action because in the past, what we've seen is they made some arrests and then a few months later, they released these individuals. The terrorist leaders are sometimes still allowed to travel around the country, hold rallies," the official said. Reiterating that the United States is looking for "irreversible action", the official said America is working with its international partners to increase pressure on Pakistan. "Because it has been too long that these groups have been able to operate." Observing that Pakistan has economic concerns as well, the official said the Financial Action Tasks Force (FATF) is one area which demonstrates the need for them to take these actions against terror groups. "Otherwise, they're at risk within the system and the FATF to be grey-listed," the official said. Pakistan needs to decide if it wants to be viewed as a responsible international player and have access to all the financial mechanisms that are available or is it going to continue to fail to take the steps necessary against these terrorist groups and see itself further isolated. "The choice is Pakistan's," the senior administration official asserted. While the situation between the two south Asian neighbours have de-escalated, the two armies are still on high alert and that concerns the US, the official said. "So, we realize that if there, God forbid, would be another terrorist attack that you could quickly see the escalation in the situation once again. So that's why, we're making clear that any additional military action by either side runs an unacceptably high risk, for both countries and for the region," the official said. The Trump Administration, the official said, has taken sort of a "zero tolerance policy" on the issue of safe havens to terrorists. "The terror terrorist attack on February 14th on India was a demonstration that Pakistan's continuing provision of sanctuary for any terrorist group is not acceptable," the official said. During the height of the crisis -- February 26-28 -- the United States was in continuous contact with Indian and Pakistani officials, both on the ground in New Delhi and Islamabad. "They were working the phones continuously and were deeply engaged in seeking to deescalate what was a very dangerous moment in India-Pakistan relations," the official said. The United States has also reached out to influential countries to have them help deescalate the situation, the senior administration official said. Some of these countries are China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan and Australia.

Another terror attack in India will be 'extremely problematic': US to Pakistan

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US warns Pakistan on terror

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Russia stated that it is open to discussing solutions aimed at preventing an arms race with the United States, batting for the extension of the new START treaty, due to expire in 2021.

This comes in the wake of both USA and Russia formally suspending their obligations under the Cold War-era <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-accuses-moscow-of-violating-inf-treaty-195498">Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty</a>, which has led to mounting fears of an arms race between the two nations.

"This fully applies to any potential agreements in the nuclear missile sphere," Xinhua quoted the Russian foreign ministry as saying.

The new START or Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was signed between Moscow and Washington in 2010 and came into force in 2011.

It is a nuclear arms reduction treaty, which replaced the Treaty of Moscow.

It established a new inspection and verification regime, replacing the previous mechanism, along with reducing the number of strategic nuclear missile launchers by half in both the United States and Russia.

Moscow outlined that the extension of the treaty would be in the interest of the entire world community and that the nation is interested in avoiding a new missile crisis in Europe and other regions.&nbsp;

Russia stated that it is open to discussing solutions aimed at preventing an arms race with the United States, batting for the extension of the new START treaty, due to expire in 2021.

Russia stated that it is open to discussing solutions aimed at preventing an arms race with the United States, batting for the extension of the new START treaty, due to expire in 2021. This comes in the wake of both USA and Russia formally suspending their obligations under the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which has led to mounting fears of an arms race between the two nations. "This fully applies to any potential agreements in the nuclear missile sphere," Xinhua quoted the Russian foreign ministry as saying. The new START or Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was signed between Moscow and Washington in 2010 and came into force in 2011. It is a nuclear arms reduction treaty, which replaced the Treaty of Moscow. It established a new inspection and verification regime, replacing the previous mechanism, along with reducing the number of strategic nuclear missile launchers by half in both the United States and Russia. Moscow outlined that the extension of the treaty would be in the interest of the entire world community and that the nation is interested in avoiding a new missile crisis in Europe and other regions.

Russia bats for extension of arms reduction treaty with US

Gravitas: Iran, Iraq & Syria asks US to withdraw troops from Syria

US State Secy Mike Pompeo slams Pakistan on terror

Hundreds of youngsters skipped school to rally in Washington on Friday as part of what organisers called an international youth climate strike to seek action on climate change.

Chanting "climate action now!", some 1,500 students joined the event in front of the Capitol Building, where Congress sits, while similar rallies were held in 46 states.

The demonstrations, which demanded politicians take action to combat climate change, backed measures including the Green New Deal, an ambitious Democratic environmental proposal that has become a lightning rod for Republican criticism.

"This is the only Earth that we have. There is no Planet B. There is no other place we can go so we need to save it," said Elise Haverland, a 16-year-old from Silver Spring, Maryland.

Protesters carried colourful homemade placards bearing slogans such as "Our planet, our future," "Let us Live," and "Don`t frack up our Earth."

The students also held an 11-minute silence, one for each of the years that a United Nations report said the world has remaining to get climate change under control.

School children across the world held demonstrations to demand action on climate change on Friday.

The protests are the offspring of youth strikes in Europe that were inspired by Greta Thunberg, a lone 15-year-old picketer at the Swedish Parliament.

Organisers said they hope staging the event during the school day will signal the importance that students attach to fighting climate change.

"Adults come fight with us!" 12-year-old Haven Coleman of Denver, one of three youth organisers of the protest in the United States, said from the stage. 
The two other leaders of the US movement are Isra Hirsi, the 16-year-old daughter of newly-elected Democratic US Representative Ilhan Omar, of Minneapolis, and Alexandria Villasenor, 13, of New York.&nbsp;

The group is calling for a "national emergency" on climate change and for the United States to stop all greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The scientific community broadly agrees that greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to net-zero by 2050 to halt the catastrophic effects of climate change.&nbsp;

Most of the declared Democratic candidates for the White House have already voiced support for the Green New Deal, a measure proposed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - a sweeping 10-year blueprint for combating climate change that involves reducing carbon emissions and retrofitting infrastructure.

Republicans have dismissed the proposals as unreasonably expensive and disruptive to the US economy. They have tried to use some of the measures to sow discord within the Democratic party, painting their political rivals as shifting to the left and embracing extreme policies.

Hundreds of youngsters skipped school to rally in Washington on Friday as part of what organisers called an international youth climate strike to seek action on climate change.

Hundreds of youngsters skipped school to rally in Washington on Friday as part of what organisers called an international youth climate strike to seek action on climate change. Chanting "climate action now!", some 1,500 students joined the event in front of the Capitol Building, where Congress sits, while similar rallies were held in 46 states. The demonstrations, which demanded politicians take action to combat climate change, backed measures including the Green New Deal, an ambitious Democratic environmental proposal that has become a lightning rod for Republican criticism. "This is the only Earth that we have. There is no Planet B. There is no other place we can go so we need to save it," said Elise Haverland, a 16-year-old from Silver Spring, Maryland. Protesters carried colourful homemade placards bearing slogans such as "Our planet, our future," "Let us Live," and "Don`t frack up our Earth." The students also held an 11-minute silence, one for each of the years that a United Nations report said the world has remaining to get climate change under control. School children across the world held demonstrations to demand action on climate change on Friday. The protests are the offspring of youth strikes in Europe that were inspired by Greta Thunberg, a lone 15-year-old picketer at the Swedish Parliament. Organisers said they hope staging the event during the school day will signal the importance that students attach to fighting climate change. "Adults come fight with us!" 12-year-old Haven Coleman of Denver, one of three youth organisers of the protest in the United States, said from the stage. The two other leaders of the US movement are Isra Hirsi, the 16-year-old daughter of newly-elected Democratic US Representative Ilhan Omar, of Minneapolis, and Alexandria Villasenor, 13, of New York. The group is calling for a "national emergency" on climate change and for the United States to stop all greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The scientific community broadly agrees that greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to net-zero by 2050 to halt the catastrophic effects of climate change. Most of the declared Democratic candidates for the White House have already voiced support for the Green New Deal, a measure proposed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - a sweeping 10-year blueprint for combating climate change that involves reducing carbon emissions and retrofitting infrastructure. Republicans have dismissed the proposals as unreasonably expensive and disruptive to the US economy. They have tried to use some of the measures to sow discord within the Democratic party, painting their political rivals as shifting to the left and embracing extreme policies.

US youth rally in Washington protests climate inaction

The United States will withdraw or deny visas to any International Criminal Court personnel investigating possible war crimes by US forces or allies in Afghanistan, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday.

The court, which sits in The Hague, responded that it was an independent and impartial institution and would continue to do its work "undeterred" by Washington`s actions.

The Trump administration threatened in September to ban ICC judges and prosecutors from entering the United States and sanction funds they have there if the court launched a probe of war crimes in Afghanistan.

Washington took the first step on Friday with Pompeo`s announcement.

"I`m announcing a policy of US visa restrictions on those individuals directly responsible for any ICC investigation of US personnel," Pompeo told a news conference in Washington.

"These visa restrictions may also be used to deter ICC efforts to pursue allied personnel, including Israelis, without allies` consent."&nbsp;

Pompeo said the policy was already being implemented but would not elaborate, citing visa privacy laws.

"These visa restrictions will not be the end of our efforts," he said. "We`re prepared to take additional steps, including economic sanctions, if the ICC does not change its course."

Human Rights Watch called the announcement a "thuggish attempt to penalise investigators" at the court.

"Taking action against those who work for the ICC sends a clear message to torturers and murderers alike: Their crimes may continue unchecked," the group`s Washington director, Andrea Prasow, said, calling on US lawmakers to express support for the court.

In November 2017, the ICC prosecutor requested authorization from judges to initiate an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan since May 1, 2003, including in states where the CIA held prisoners.&nbsp;

Judges are reviewing all material submitted by the prosecutor, and must decide whether or not to authorise an investigation.&nbsp;

With 123 member states, including the entire European Union, the ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, genocide or crimes against humanity when a country is unable or unwilling to prosecute perpetrators. Major powers, including the United States, China and Russia, are not members.

A State Department official said the United States would allow court officials to travel for meetings to the United Nations headquarters in New York. 
"Under these measures, we will not interfere with travel to the UN for official UN purposes," the official said. The ICC is not part of the United Nations.

The United States will withdraw or deny visas to any International Criminal Court personnel investigating possible war crimes by US forces or allies in Afghanistan, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday.

The United States will withdraw or deny visas to any International Criminal Court personnel investigating possible war crimes by US forces or allies in Afghanistan, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday. The court, which sits in The Hague, responded that it was an independent and impartial institution and would continue to do its work "undeterred" by Washington`s actions. The Trump administration threatened in September to ban ICC judges and prosecutors from entering the United States and sanction funds they have there if the court launched a probe of war crimes in Afghanistan. Washington took the first step on Friday with Pompeo`s announcement. "I`m announcing a policy of US visa restrictions on those individuals directly responsible for any ICC investigation of US personnel," Pompeo told a news conference in Washington. "These visa restrictions may also be used to deter ICC efforts to pursue allied personnel, including Israelis, without allies` consent." Pompeo said the policy was already being implemented but would not elaborate, citing visa privacy laws. "These visa restrictions will not be the end of our efforts," he said. "We`re prepared to take additional steps, including economic sanctions, if the ICC does not change its course." Human Rights Watch called the announcement a "thuggish attempt to penalise investigators" at the court. "Taking action against those who work for the ICC sends a clear message to torturers and murderers alike: Their crimes may continue unchecked," the group`s Washington director, Andrea Prasow, said, calling on US lawmakers to express support for the court. In November 2017, the ICC prosecutor requested authorization from judges to initiate an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan since May 1, 2003, including in states where the CIA held prisoners. Judges are reviewing all material submitted by the prosecutor, and must decide whether or not to authorise an investigation. With 123 member states, including the entire European Union, the ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, genocide or crimes against humanity when a country is unable or unwilling to prosecute perpetrators. Major powers, including the United States, China and Russia, are not members. A State Department official said the United States would allow court officials to travel for meetings to the United Nations headquarters in New York. "Under these measures, we will not interfere with travel to the UN for official UN purposes," the official said. The ICC is not part of the United Nations.

US imposes visa bans on International Criminal Court investigators: Pompeo

&nbsp;A former US Defence Intelligence Agency officer pleaded guilty to attempted espionage for China, the Justice Department said on Friday.

The officer, Ron Rockwell Hansen, was accused of trying to transmit classified US national defence information to China and receiving "hundreds of thousands of dollars" while illegally acting as an agent for the Chinese government.&nbsp;

Hansen started working at the DIA, which specialises in military intelligence, in 2006 after his retirement from the US Army, and held a top-secret security clearance for many years, according to the Justice Department.&nbsp;

In 2014, a Chinese intelligence service recruited Hansen, the Justice Department said.

FBI agents took Hansen into custody in June, when he was travelling to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to take a connecting flight to China.

He faces up to 15 years in prison. His sentencing will take place on September 24. It was not immediately clear who was representing Hansen in his case.

A former US Defence Intelligence Agency officer pleaded guilty to attempted espionage for China, the Justice Department said on Friday. The officer, Ron Rockwell Hansen, was accused of trying to transmit classified US national defence information to China and receiving "hundreds of thousands of dollars" while illegally acting as an agent for the Chinese government.

A former US Defence Intelligence Agency officer pleaded guilty to attempted espionage for China, the Justice Department said on Friday. The officer, Ron Rockwell Hansen, was accused of trying to transmit classified US national defence information to China and receiving "hundreds of thousands of dollars" while illegally acting as an agent for the Chinese government. Hansen started working at the DIA, which specialises in military intelligence, in 2006 after his retirement from the US Army, and held a top-secret security clearance for many years, according to the Justice Department. In 2014, a Chinese intelligence service recruited Hansen, the Justice Department said. FBI agents took Hansen into custody in June, when he was travelling to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to take a connecting flight to China. He faces up to 15 years in prison. His sentencing will take place on September 24. It was not immediately clear who was representing Hansen in his case.

Ex-US intelligence officer pleads guilty to attempted espionage for China

The United States announced on Friday it would replace a five-year, multiple-entry tourist visa offered to Cubans with a single-entry visa valid for just three months, to match the island nation's own visa rules for US visitors.

The move marks the latest deterioration in relations between Washington and Havana since US President Donald Trump entered office in 2017.

Washington's Deputy Chief of Mission at its embassy in Havana, Mara Tekach, said in a video published on social media that the measure was taken because "US immigration law requires that US visa fees and validity periods be reciprocal."

She said Cuba allows US tourists a single entry visa valid for up to three months.

The new US rules apply to Cubans seeking to visit the US for family visits and medical treatment as well as vacations.

The measure comes into effect on March 18 but won't affect existing visas, a Department of State official said.

Under Obama, US-Cuba relations thawed after decades of tension, with the two countries reopening embassies in each other's capitals.

But under Trump, Washington has ramped up sanctions, first applied in 1962, against Cuba's communist regime.

Trump has hit out at Cuba over its support for its socialist ally, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, while he also claimed last month that leftist ideologies in the region were "dying."

The US evacuated diplomatic staff and their families in 2017 after at least two dozen people suffered brain injuries that resembled concussion, but with no exterior signs of trauma.

The US accused Cuba of carrying out "health attacks" using some sort of acoustic or microwave device, a charge Havana angrily rejected.

Cuba insisted the move was "politically motivated."

Friday's announcement will make it even harder for Cubans to gain US visas: they already have to travel abroad to apply due to the lack of US consular services on the island nation.

Even so, of the two million Cubans living outside the country, most reside in the US.

The US government does not allow its citizens to travel to Cuba as tourists, likewise meaning that travelers must leave the country before applying for a visa to visit the Caribbean island.

The United States announced on Friday it would replace a five-year, multiple-entry tourist visa offered to Cubans with a single-entry visa valid for just three months, to match the island nation's own visa rules for US visitors.

The United States announced on Friday it would replace a five-year, multiple-entry tourist visa offered to Cubans with a single-entry visa valid for just three months, to match the island nation's own visa rules for US visitors. The move marks the latest deterioration in relations between Washington and Havana since US President Donald Trump entered office in 2017. Washington's Deputy Chief of Mission at its embassy in Havana, Mara Tekach, said in a video published on social media that the measure was taken because "US immigration law requires that US visa fees and validity periods be reciprocal." She said Cuba allows US tourists a single entry visa valid for up to three months. The new US rules apply to Cubans seeking to visit the US for family visits and medical treatment as well as vacations. The measure comes into effect on March 18 but won't affect existing visas, a Department of State official said. Under Obama, US-Cuba relations thawed after decades of tension, with the two countries reopening embassies in each other's capitals. But under Trump, Washington has ramped up sanctions, first applied in 1962, against Cuba's communist regime. Trump has hit out at Cuba over its support for its socialist ally, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, while he also claimed last month that leftist ideologies in the region were "dying." The US evacuated diplomatic staff and their families in 2017 after at least two dozen people suffered brain injuries that resembled concussion, but with no exterior signs of trauma. The US accused Cuba of carrying out "health attacks" using some sort of acoustic or microwave device, a charge Havana angrily rejected. Cuba insisted the move was "politically motivated." Friday's announcement will make it even harder for Cubans to gain US visas: they already have to travel abroad to apply due to the lack of US consular services on the island nation. Even so, of the two million Cubans living outside the country, most reside in the US. The US government does not allow its citizens to travel to Cuba as tourists, likewise meaning that travelers must leave the country before applying for a visa to visit the Caribbean island.

US slashes visa duration for Cubans in 'reciprocal' move

North Korea is considering suspending nuclear talks with the United States, Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said on Friday, according to Russia's TASS news agency.

North Korea has no intention to yield to US demands or engage in negotiations of this kind, Choe told a press conference in the North Korean capital Pyongyang, TASS reported.

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un is set to make an official announcement soon on his position regarding talks with United States, TASS reported, citing Choe.

North Korea is considering suspending nuclear talks with the United States, Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said on Friday, according to Russia's TASS news agency.

North Korea is considering suspending nuclear talks with the United States, Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said on Friday, according to Russia's TASS news agency. North Korea has no intention to yield to US demands or engage in negotiations of this kind, Choe told a press conference in the North Korean capital Pyongyang, TASS reported. North Korea leader Kim Jong Un is set to make an official announcement soon on his position regarding talks with United States, TASS reported, citing Choe.

North Korea considering to suspend nuclear talks with US: Report

New Zealand police were hunting "an active shooter" in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/christchurch-mosque-attack-bangladesh-cricket-team-was-about-to-go-inside-safe-but-mentally-shocked-203418">centre of Christchurch city on Friday </a>after a gunman opened fire at a mosque inflicting several casualties.

"A serious and evolving situation is occurring in Christchurch with an active shooter," New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said.

"Police are responding with its full capability to manage the situation, but the risk environment remains extremely high."

The Bangladesh cricket team was in the vicinity of the shooting but all members were safe, a team coach told media.

Media reported that a gunman opened fire inside mosque in Christchurch's Hagley Park. There were reports of armed police at a second mosque in the suburb of Linwood.

People in centre of the city should stay indoors, police said. All Christchurch schools and council buildings have been placed into lockdown.

Police did not immediately comment on whether the incident took place in the mosque or nearby. There is no official confirmation on casualties.

Media said shots had been fired near a mosque and a witness told broadcaster One News that he had seen three people lying on the ground, bleeding outside the building.

Radio New Zealand quoted a witness inside the mosque saying he heard shots fired and at least four people were lying on the ground and "there was blood everywhere".

"Horrified to hear of Christchurch mosque shootings. There is never a justification for that sort of hatred," said Amy Adams, a member of parliament from Christchurch.

The Bangladesh cricket team is in Christchurch to play New Zealand in a third cricket test starting on Saturday.

Mario Villavarayen, strength and conditioning coach of the Bangladesh cricket team said the team was close to where the shooting occurred, but was safe.

He said the players were shaken up but fine.

New Zealand police were hunting "an active shooter" in the centre of Christchurch city on Friday after a gunman opened fire at a mosque inflicting several casualties.

New Zealand police were hunting "an active shooter" in the centre of Christchurch city on Friday after a gunman opened fire at a mosque inflicting several casualties. "A serious and evolving situation is occurring in Christchurch with an active shooter," New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said. "Police are responding with its full capability to manage the situation, but the risk environment remains extremely high." The Bangladesh cricket team was in the vicinity of the shooting but all members were safe, a team coach told media. Media reported that a gunman opened fire inside mosque in Christchurch's Hagley Park. There were reports of armed police at a second mosque in the suburb of Linwood. People in centre of the city should stay indoors, police said. All Christchurch schools and council buildings have been placed into lockdown. Police did not immediately comment on whether the incident took place in the mosque or nearby. There is no official confirmation on casualties. Media said shots had been fired near a mosque and a witness told broadcaster One News that he had seen three people lying on the ground, bleeding outside the building. Radio New Zealand quoted a witness inside the mosque saying he heard shots fired and at least four people were lying on the ground and "there was blood everywhere". "Horrified to hear of Christchurch mosque shootings. There is never a justification for that sort of hatred," said Amy Adams, a member of parliament from Christchurch. The Bangladesh cricket team is in Christchurch to play New Zealand in a third cricket test starting on Saturday. Mario Villavarayen, strength and conditioning coach of the Bangladesh cricket team said the team was close to where the shooting occurred, but was safe. He said the players were shaken up but fine.

New Zealand police hunt 'active shooter' after gunman opens fire at mosque

All <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-military-not-involved-in-withdrawing-diplomats-from-venezuela-202985">US diplomats </a>remaining in Venezuela left the country on Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, amid a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-calls-public-sector-back-to-work-as-blackout-recedes-203321">political crisis</a> over the legitimacy of President Nicolas Maduro's 2018 re-election.

"US diplomats will now continue that mission from other locations where they will continue to help manage the flow of humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people and support the democratic actors bravely resisting tyranny," Pompeo said in a statement.

A US official said the diplomats were flown out in a civilian charter aircraft.

The State Department had already announced that it would withdraw its remaining diplomatic staff from Venezuela this week.

Washington has taken the lead in recognizing Juan Guaido, the 35-year-old Congress chief who declared himself interim president in January, calling Maduro’s 2018 re-election a fraud. Most countries in Europe and Latin America have followed suit.

All US diplomats remaining in Venezuela left the country on Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, amid a political crisis over the legitimacy of President Nicolas Maduro's 2018 re-election.

All US diplomats remaining in Venezuela left the country on Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, amid a political crisis over the legitimacy of President Nicolas Maduro's 2018 re-election. "US diplomats will now continue that mission from other locations where they will continue to help manage the flow of humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people and support the democratic actors bravely resisting tyranny," Pompeo said in a statement. A US official said the diplomats were flown out in a civilian charter aircraft. The State Department had already announced that it would withdraw its remaining diplomatic staff from Venezuela this week. Washington has taken the lead in recognizing Juan Guaido, the 35-year-old Congress chief who declared himself interim president in January, calling Maduro’s 2018 re-election a fraud. Most countries in Europe and Latin America have followed suit.

All US diplomats have left Venezuela: Pompeo

Progress in U.S -Taliban peace talks

The US State Department on Wednesday slammed human rights violations in China, saying the sort of abuses it had inflicted on its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-official-rejects-criticism-over-xinjiang-muslim-camps-says-it-will-gradually-disappear-202913">Muslim minorities</a> had not been seen "since the 1930s."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo highlighted abuses in Iran, South Sudan, Nicaragua and China in the department`s annual "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices," but told reporters that China was "in a league of its own when it comes to human rights violations."&nbsp;

"For me, you haven’t seen things like this since the 1930s," Michael Kozak, the head of the State Department`s human rights and democracy bureau told the same briefing, referring to abuses of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ready-to-allow-un-officials-in-xinjiang-if-they-follow-proper-procedure-china-188790">China`s Muslim minority in the Xinjiang </a>region.

"Rounding up, in some estimations ... in the millions of people, putting them into camps, and torturing them, abusing them, and trying to basically erase their culture and their religion and so on from their DNA. It’s just remarkably awful."

"It is one of the most serious human rights violations in the world today," he said.

While Kozak did not elaborate on his comment about the 1930s, he was apparently referring to the policies of persecution of Hitler`s Germany and Stalin`s Soviet Union.&nbsp;

China had initially denied there even were camps, Kozak said, adding its explanation now that they were for voluntary labour training "does not match the facts."

"But at least we`re starting to make them realize there is a lot of international scrutiny on this," he said.

China`s Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment on the report, which comes at a time of closely-watched trade negotiations between the United States and China aimed at resolving a tit-for-tat tariffs dispute.

Xinjiang Governor Shohrat Zakir said on Tuesday that China was running boarding schools, not concentration camps, in the country`s far western region as the US ambassador for religious freedom called the situation there "completely unacceptable," and said sanctions against Chinese officials under the Global Magnitsky Act remained a "possibility."

The administration of President Donald Trump has weighed sanctions against senior Chinese officials in Xinjiang, including the Communist Party boss there, Chen Quanguo, who as a member of the powerful politburo is in the upper echelons of China`s leadership. Beijing has warned of retaliation if Washington were to target Chen and the administration has yet to act despite complaints from US lawmakers.

The State Department report said Chen had replicated in Xinjiang policies similar to those credited with reducing opposition to Communist Party rule in Tibet, where he was previously stationed.

INTENSIFIED DETENTION CAMPAIGN&nbsp;

The report said that in the past year, China had significantly intensified its campaign of mass detention of members of Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang.

It said authorities there were reported to have arbitrarily detained from 800,000 to possibly more than two million Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs and other Muslims in camps with the aim of erasing religious and ethnic identities.

Pompeo said the Iranian government had killed more than 20 people and arrested thousands without due process for protesting for their rights "continuing a pattern of cruelty the regime has inflicted on the Iranian people for the last four decades."

In South Sudan, he said, military forces had inflicted sexual violence against civilians based on their political allegiances and ethnicity, while in Nicaragua, peaceful protesters had faced sniper fire and government critics had "faced a policy of exile, jail or death."

The report also revised its usual description of the Golan Heights from "Israeli-occupied" to "Israeli-controlled."

A separate section on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, areas that Israel captured along with the Golan Heights in a 1967 war in the Middle East, also did not refer to those territories as being "occupied," or under "occupation."

In Myanmar, the report said press freedom had declined and journalists had reported that self-censorship had became more pronounced because of the trial and conviction of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were jailed for seven years after being convicted in September of breaking a colonial-era official secrets law.

The reporters had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in Myanmar`s Rakhine State.

Responding to the US report, Amnesty International criticized the Trump administration for engaging with governments, including that of Saudi Arabia, "regardless of their human rights record, if doing so will advance US interests."&nbsp;

The State Department report highlighted Saudi Arabia`s killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and said it had not provided a detailed explanation of the direction or progress of the investigation.

A CIA assessment and a Senate resolution have blamed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for ordering the killing, something Saudi officials deny, but President Donald Trump has said Washington will remain a "steadfast partner" of Saudi Arabia even though the prince may have known about the plan.

Republican and Democratic US senators said this month they were frustrated with the Trump administration`s failure to provide more information about the case and vowed to push for a stronger response.

The US State Department on Wednesday slammed human rights violations in China, saying the sort of abuses it had inflicted on its Muslim minorities had not been seen "since the 1930s.

The US State Department on Wednesday slammed human rights violations in China, saying the sort of abuses it had inflicted on its Muslim minorities had not been seen "since the 1930s." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo highlighted abuses in Iran, South Sudan, Nicaragua and China in the department`s annual "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices," but told reporters that China was "in a league of its own when it comes to human rights violations." "For me, you haven’t seen things like this since the 1930s," Michael Kozak, the head of the State Department`s human rights and democracy bureau told the same briefing, referring to abuses of China`s Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region. "Rounding up, in some estimations ... in the millions of people, putting them into camps, and torturing them, abusing them, and trying to basically erase their culture and their religion and so on from their DNA. It’s just remarkably awful." "It is one of the most serious human rights violations in the world today," he said. While Kozak did not elaborate on his comment about the 1930s, he was apparently referring to the policies of persecution of Hitler`s Germany and Stalin`s Soviet Union. China had initially denied there even were camps, Kozak said, adding its explanation now that they were for voluntary labour training "does not match the facts." "But at least we`re starting to make them realize there is a lot of international scrutiny on this," he said. China`s Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment on the report, which comes at a time of closely-watched trade negotiations between the United States and China aimed at resolving a tit-for-tat tariffs dispute. Xinjiang Governor Shohrat Zakir said on Tuesday that China was running boarding schools, not concentration camps, in the country`s far western region as the US ambassador for religious freedom called the situation there "completely unacceptable," and said sanctions against Chinese officials under the Global Magnitsky Act remained a "possibility." The administration of President Donald Trump has weighed sanctions against senior Chinese officials in Xinjiang, including the Communist Party boss there, Chen Quanguo, who as a member of the powerful politburo is in the upper echelons of China`s leadership. Beijing has warned of retaliation if Washington were to target Chen and the administration has yet to act despite complaints from US lawmakers. The State Department report said Chen had replicated in Xinjiang policies similar to those credited with reducing opposition to Communist Party rule in Tibet, where he was previously stationed. INTENSIFIED DETENTION CAMPAIGN The report said that in the past year, China had significantly intensified its campaign of mass detention of members of Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang. It said authorities there were reported to have arbitrarily detained from 800,000 to possibly more than two million Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs and other Muslims in camps with the aim of erasing religious and ethnic identities. Pompeo said the Iranian government had killed more than 20 people and arrested thousands without due process for protesting for their rights "continuing a pattern of cruelty the regime has inflicted on the Iranian people for the last four decades." In South Sudan, he said, military forces had inflicted sexual violence against civilians based on their political allegiances and ethnicity, while in Nicaragua, peaceful protesters had faced sniper fire and government critics had "faced a policy of exile, jail or death." The report also revised its usual description of the Golan Heights from "Israeli-occupied" to "Israeli-controlled." A separate section on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, areas that Israel captured along with the Golan Heights in a 1967 war in the Middle East, also did not refer to those territories as being "occupied," or under "occupation." In Myanmar, the report said press freedom had declined and journalists had reported that self-censorship had became more pronounced because of the trial and conviction of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were jailed for seven years after being convicted in September of breaking a colonial-era official secrets law. The reporters had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in Myanmar`s Rakhine State. Responding to the US report, Amnesty International criticized the Trump administration for engaging with governments, including that of Saudi Arabia, "regardless of their human rights record, if doing so will advance US interests." The State Department report highlighted Saudi Arabia`s killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and said it had not provided a detailed explanation of the direction or progress of the investigation. A CIA assessment and a Senate resolution have blamed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for ordering the killing, something Saudi officials deny, but President Donald Trump has said Washington will remain a "steadfast partner" of Saudi Arabia even though the prince may have known about the plan. Republican and Democratic US senators said this month they were frustrated with the Trump administration`s failure to provide more information about the case and vowed to push for a stronger response.

US says China's treatment of Muslim minority worst abuses 'since the 1930s'

The United States aims to test a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of about 1,000 km (620 miles) in August, a Pentagon official said on Wednesday, after Washington announced last month it plans to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

Last month, the United States said it would withdraw from the INF treaty in six months unless Moscow ends what Washington says are violations of the 1987 pact.

Russia announced it was suspending the treaty. Moscow denies flouting the accord and has accused Washington of breaking the accord itself, allegations rejected by the United States.

"We`re going to test a ground-launched cruise missile in August," said a senior defence official, who declined to be named.&nbsp;

If the testing is successful, the missile could be deployed in about 18 months.

The official said the United States was also looking to test an intermediate-range ballistic missile in November, adding that both would be conventional and not nuclear.

The INF treaty, negotiated by then-President Ronald Reagan and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and ratified by the US Senate, eliminated the medium-range missile arsenals of the world’s two biggest nuclear powers and reduced their ability to launch a nuclear strike at short notice.

The INF treaty required the parties to destroy ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of between 500 and 5,500 km (310 to 3,420 miles).

The United Nations has urged the United States and Russia to preserve the treaty, saying its loss would make the world more insecure and unstable.

Kingston Reif, an analyst with the Arms Control Association, a non-profit group that seeks to promote public understanding of and support for arms control, said the US move could be "a signal" to nudge Russia to return to compliance with the treaty.&nbsp;

But he thought it was more likely that the Trump administration was simply planning for the treaty’s demise.

"I think this particular White House and this particular national security adviser (John Bolton) are intent on the treaty coming to an end, so they have designs on a post-INF world in which the fielding of these capabilities is no longer prohibited either in Europe or in the Asia-Pacific," Reif said.

Last month Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is militarily ready for a Cuban Missile-style crisis if the United States wanted one and threatened to place hypersonic nuclear missiles on ships or submarines near US territorial waters.

The Cuban Missile Crisis erupted in 1962 when Moscow responded to a US missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba, sparking a standoff that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

More than five decades on, tensions are rising again over Russian fears that the United States might deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe.

"We haven`t engaged any of our allies about forward deployment," the US defence official said. "Honestly, we haven`t been thinking about this because we have been scrupulously abiding by the treaty."

The United States aims to test a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of about 1,000 km (620 miles) in August, a Pentagon official said on Wednesday, after Washington announced last month it plans to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

The United States aims to test a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of about 1,000 km (620 miles) in August, a Pentagon official said on Wednesday, after Washington announced last month it plans to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Last month, the United States said it would withdraw from the INF treaty in six months unless Moscow ends what Washington says are violations of the 1987 pact. Russia announced it was suspending the treaty. Moscow denies flouting the accord and has accused Washington of breaking the accord itself, allegations rejected by the United States. "We`re going to test a ground-launched cruise missile in August," said a senior defence official, who declined to be named. If the testing is successful, the missile could be deployed in about 18 months. The official said the United States was also looking to test an intermediate-range ballistic missile in November, adding that both would be conventional and not nuclear. The INF treaty, negotiated by then-President Ronald Reagan and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and ratified by the US Senate, eliminated the medium-range missile arsenals of the world’s two biggest nuclear powers and reduced their ability to launch a nuclear strike at short notice. The INF treaty required the parties to destroy ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of between 500 and 5,500 km (310 to 3,420 miles). The United Nations has urged the United States and Russia to preserve the treaty, saying its loss would make the world more insecure and unstable. Kingston Reif, an analyst with the Arms Control Association, a non-profit group that seeks to promote public understanding of and support for arms control, said the US move could be "a signal" to nudge Russia to return to compliance with the treaty. But he thought it was more likely that the Trump administration was simply planning for the treaty’s demise. "I think this particular White House and this particular national security adviser (John Bolton) are intent on the treaty coming to an end, so they have designs on a post-INF world in which the fielding of these capabilities is no longer prohibited either in Europe or in the Asia-Pacific," Reif said. Last month Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is militarily ready for a Cuban Missile-style crisis if the United States wanted one and threatened to place hypersonic nuclear missiles on ships or submarines near US territorial waters. The Cuban Missile Crisis erupted in 1962 when Moscow responded to a US missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba, sparking a standoff that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. More than five decades on, tensions are rising again over Russian fears that the United States might deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe. "We haven`t engaged any of our allies about forward deployment," the US defence official said. "Honestly, we haven`t been thinking about this because we have been scrupulously abiding by the treaty."

US looks to test ground-launched cruise missile in August

Indian American Neomi Rao, who was under scrutiny for her previous writings on sexual assault will now be judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, US Senate confirmed on Wednesday.

Rao is set to take over the chair vacated by US Supreme Court Justice <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/top-us-democrat-demands-delay-kavanaugh-vote-amid-new-allegations-167857">Brett Kavanaugh</a> following his<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-picks-conservative-judge-brett-kavanaugh-for-us-supreme-court-150328"> nomination by President Donald Trump</a> for the top post in the country`s highest judicial body, CNN reported.

The Senate voted 53-46, with all the Republicans backing Rao`s nomination and the Democrats opposing her confirmation.

The 45-year-old Indian-American, who serves as Trump`s "czar" overseeing regulatory rollbacks, was quizzed not only about her work in the Trump administration, but for her commentary she wrote in the past few years as a student at Yale University, when she opined that women should change their behaviour in order to avoid date rape.

While some Republicans had expressed apprehensions about her nomination, Rao apologised for her past writing last month.

"Sexual assault in all forms, including date rape, is abhorrent. Responsibility for the rape is with the rapist. I believed that as a college student and continue to believe that today. As a society, we should create an environment where survivors feel empowered and comfortable coming forward. I am sorry for anything in my college writings to the contrary," she wrote in a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Republicans expressed their gratitude to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for leading Rao`s confirmation process.

"Rao`s experience and intellect make her uniquely qualified to fill Justice Kavanaugh`s shoes on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Rao will fairly apply the law and honour the Constitution; she`ll be a phenomenal judge serving on one of our nation`s highest courts," said Judicial Crisis Network chief counsel and policy director Carrie Severino.

Born in 1973 in Detroit, Michigan to Indian immigrant parents - Zerin Rao and father Jehangir Narioshang Rao both Parsi physicians from India, Rao earned a one-year clerkship with Justice Clarence Thomas on the US Supreme Court.

She currently serves as the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the Office of Management and Budget.

She has worked for the US government during the latter half of George W. Bush`s presidency and became a professor of law at George Mason University`s Antonin Scalia Law School.

Rao`s research and teaching focused on constitutional and administrative law, and she founded the school`s Center for the Study of the Administrative State.&nbsp;

Indian American Neomi Rao, who was under scrutiny for her previous writings on sexual assault will now be judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, US Senate confirmed on Wednesday.

Indian American Neomi Rao, who was under scrutiny for her previous writings on sexual assault will now be judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, US Senate confirmed on Wednesday. Rao is set to take over the chair vacated by US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh following his nomination by President Donald Trump for the top post in the country`s highest judicial body, CNN reported. The Senate voted 53-46, with all the Republicans backing Rao`s nomination and the Democrats opposing her confirmation. The 45-year-old Indian-American, who serves as Trump`s "czar" overseeing regulatory rollbacks, was quizzed not only about her work in the Trump administration, but for her commentary she wrote in the past few years as a student at Yale University, when she opined that women should change their behaviour in order to avoid date rape. While some Republicans had expressed apprehensions about her nomination, Rao apologised for her past writing last month. "Sexual assault in all forms, including date rape, is abhorrent. Responsibility for the rape is with the rapist. I believed that as a college student and continue to believe that today. As a society, we should create an environment where survivors feel empowered and comfortable coming forward. I am sorry for anything in my college writings to the contrary," she wrote in a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Republicans expressed their gratitude to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for leading Rao`s confirmation process. "Rao`s experience and intellect make her uniquely qualified to fill Justice Kavanaugh`s shoes on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Rao will fairly apply the law and honour the Constitution; she`ll be a phenomenal judge serving on one of our nation`s highest courts," said Judicial Crisis Network chief counsel and policy director Carrie Severino. Born in 1973 in Detroit, Michigan to Indian immigrant parents - Zerin Rao and father Jehangir Narioshang Rao both Parsi physicians from India, Rao earned a one-year clerkship with Justice Clarence Thomas on the US Supreme Court. She currently serves as the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the Office of Management and Budget. She has worked for the US government during the latter half of George W. Bush`s presidency and became a professor of law at George Mason University`s Antonin Scalia Law School. Rao`s research and teaching focused on constitutional and administrative law, and she founded the school`s Center for the Study of the Administrative State.

US Senate confirms Indian-American Neomi Rao as judge of appeals court

US federal prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation into data deals<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-instagram-down-in-large-parts-of-the-the-world-203174"> Facebook Inc </a>struck with some of the world's largest technology companies, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.

A grand jury in New York has subpoenaed records from at least two prominent makers of smartphones and other devices, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the requests and without naming the companies.

Both companies are among the more than 150, including Amazon.com Inc, Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp, that have entered into partnerships with Facebook for access to the personal information of hundreds of millions of its users, according to the report.

Facebook is facing a slew of lawsuits and regulatory inquiries over its privacy practices, including ongoing investigations by the US Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and two state agencies in New York.

In addition to looking at the data deals, the probes focus on disclosures that the company shared the user data of 87 million people with Cambridge Analytica, a British consulting firm that worked with US President Donald Trump's campaign.

Facebook said it was cooperating with investigators in multiple federal probes, without addressing the grand jury inquiry specifically.

"We've provided public testimony, answered questions, and pledged that we will continue to do so," Facebook said in a statement.

Facebook has defended the data-sharing deals, first reported in December, saying none of the partnerships gave companies access to information without people's permission.

A spokesman for the United States attorney's office for the Eastern District of New York, which The New York Times reported is overseeing the inquiry, said he could not confirm or deny the probe.

US federal prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation into data deals Facebook Inc struck with some of the world's largest technology companies, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.

US federal prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation into data deals Facebook Inc struck with some of the world's largest technology companies, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. A grand jury in New York has subpoenaed records from at least two prominent makers of smartphones and other devices, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the requests and without naming the companies. Both companies are among the more than 150, including Amazon.com Inc, Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp, that have entered into partnerships with Facebook for access to the personal information of hundreds of millions of its users, according to the report. Facebook is facing a slew of lawsuits and regulatory inquiries over its privacy practices, including ongoing investigations by the US Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and two state agencies in New York. In addition to looking at the data deals, the probes focus on disclosures that the company shared the user data of 87 million people with Cambridge Analytica, a British consulting firm that worked with US President Donald Trump's campaign. Facebook said it was cooperating with investigators in multiple federal probes, without addressing the grand jury inquiry specifically. "We've provided public testimony, answered questions, and pledged that we will continue to do so," Facebook said in a statement. Facebook has defended the data-sharing deals, first reported in December, saying none of the partnerships gave companies access to information without people's permission. A spokesman for the United States attorney's office for the Eastern District of New York, which The New York Times reported is overseeing the inquiry, said he could not confirm or deny the probe.

US prosecutors probing Facebook's data deals: Report

The United States on Wednesday joined Europe, China and other countries in grounding <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/full-confidence-in-safety-of-737-max-plane-boeing-203079">Boeing Co's 737 MAX jets</a>, because of safety concerns after an Ethiopian Airlines plane crash that killed 157 people, the second disaster involving the 737 in less than five months.&nbsp;

The world's biggest planemaker is facing its most serious crisis in years, as the decades-old 737 programme, one of its most reliable sources of cash and profits, takes a severe blow to its prestige.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-not-to-suspend-boeing-737-max-plane-federal-aviation-administration-202979">US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) </a>cited new satellite data and evidence from the scene of Sunday`s crash near Addis Ababa for its decision to ground the planes.&nbsp;

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It was the second time the FAA has halted flights of a Boeing plane in six years. It had grounded the 787 Dreamliner in 2013 because of problems with smoking batteries.

Shares of the Seattle-based company ended up 0.5 per cent at $377.14, recovering from a more than 3 per cent fall in the afternoon when the FAA announcement was made.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-all-boeing-737-max-planes-now-grounded-government-warns-tomorrow-will-be-real-challenging-day-203110">All Boeing 737 Max planes now grounded in India</a>

Tim Ghriskey, chief investment strategist at Inverness Counsel in New York, said the grounding gives <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/a-look-at-how-boeing-could-lose-billions-of-dollars-post-the-ethiopian-airlines-crash-203172">Boeing</a> time to address any problems and not face another potential disaster.

US airlines that operate the 737 MAX, Southwest Airlines Co, American Airlines Group Inc and United Airlines, said they were working to re-book passengers.

Southwest is the world`s largest operator of the 737 MAX 8 with 34 jets, while American flies 24 MAX 8s and United 14 MAX 9s.&nbsp;

Shares of Southwest fell 0.4 per cent.&nbsp;

"The agency made this decision as a result of the data gathering process and new evidence collected at the site and analysed today," the FAA said in a statement, shortly after US President Donald Trump announced the planes would be grounded.&nbsp;

"This evidence, together with newly refined satellite data available to FAA this morning, led to this decision."

The grounding will remain in effect as the FAA investigates.

Boeing, which maintained that its planes were safe to fly, said in a statement that it supported the move to temporarily ground 737 MAX flights.

"Boeing has determined - out of an abundance of caution and in order to reassure the flying public of the aircraft’s safety - to recommend to the FAA the temporary suspension of operations of the entire global fleet of 371 737 MAX aircraft."

The still-unexplained crash followed another involving a Boeing 737 MAX in Indonesia five months ago that killed 189 people. Although there is no proof of any link, the twin disasters have spooked passengers.

France`s air accident investigation agency BEA will analyse black-box cockpit voice and data recorders from the crashed plane, a spokesman said.

The French announcement resolved uncertainty over the fate of the two recorders after Germany`s BFU said it had declined a request to handle them because it could not process the new type of recorder used on the 737 MAX jets, in service since 2017.

Travel website Kayak was making changes to let customers exclude specific aircraft types from searches, and booking sites were looking to reroute passengers.

The grounding was welcomed by air workers in the United States. John Samuelsen, international president of the Transport Workers Union of America, which represents aviation workers and flight attendants, said the grounding of the fleet was right "both for air travellers and aviation workers."

Canada also grounded 737 MAX jets on Wednesday, saying satellite data suggested similarities to the previous crash involving the same plane model in October.

US-based aircraft-tracking firm Aireon provided the satellite data to the FAA, Transport Canada and several other authorities, company spokeswoman Jessie Hillenbrand said.&nbsp;

Aireon`s space-based system can monitor data from aircraft equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transponders. The data is considered less detailed than that in black boxes, which look at systems running inside the plane.

Ethiopian Airlines spokesman Asrat Begashaw said it was still unclear what happened on Sunday, but its pilot had reported control issues as opposed to external factors such as birds.

"The pilot reported flight control problems and requested to turn back. In fact he was allowed to turn back," he said.&nbsp;

The chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Democrat Peter DeFazio, called for a probe into why the 737 MAX received certification to fly.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

"There must be a rigorous investigation into why the aircraft, which has critical safety systems that did not exist on prior models, was certified without requiring additional pilot training," he said.

Panama`s Copa Holdings said it would also suspend operations of its six Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, but Latin America has largely left it up to carriers to make their own decisions. As of Wednesday night, regulators in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, the largest air travel markets in the region, had not forced the grounding of planes.

The United States on Wednesday joined Europe, China and other countries in grounding Boeing Co's 737 MAX jets, because of safety concerns after an Ethiopian Airlines plane crash that killed 157 people, the second disaster involving the 737 in less than five months.

The United States on Wednesday joined Europe, China and other countries in grounding Boeing Co's 737 MAX jets, because of safety concerns after an Ethiopian Airlines plane crash that killed 157 people, the second disaster involving the 737 in less than five months. The world's biggest planemaker is facing its most serious crisis in years, as the decades-old 737 programme, one of its most reliable sources of cash and profits, takes a severe blow to its prestige. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cited new satellite data and evidence from the scene of Sunday`s crash near Addis Ababa for its decision to ground the planes. × It was the second time the FAA has halted flights of a Boeing plane in six years. It had grounded the 787 Dreamliner in 2013 because of problems with smoking batteries. Shares of the Seattle-based company ended up 0.5 per cent at $377.14, recovering from a more than 3 per cent fall in the afternoon when the FAA announcement was made. Also read: All Boeing 737 Max planes now grounded in India Tim Ghriskey, chief investment strategist at Inverness Counsel in New York, said the grounding gives Boeing time to address any problems and not face another potential disaster. US airlines that operate the 737 MAX, Southwest Airlines Co, American Airlines Group Inc and United Airlines, said they were working to re-book passengers. Southwest is the world`s largest operator of the 737 MAX 8 with 34 jets, while American flies 24 MAX 8s and United 14 MAX 9s. Shares of Southwest fell 0.4 per cent. "The agency made this decision as a result of the data gathering process and new evidence collected at the site and analysed today," the FAA said in a statement, shortly after US President Donald Trump announced the planes would be grounded. "This evidence, together with newly refined satellite data available to FAA this morning, led to this decision." The grounding will remain in effect as the FAA investigates. Boeing, which maintained that its planes were safe to fly, said in a statement that it supported the move to temporarily ground 737 MAX flights. "Boeing has determined - out of an abundance of caution and in order to reassure the flying public of the aircraft’s safety - to recommend to the FAA the temporary suspension of operations of the entire global fleet of 371 737 MAX aircraft." The still-unexplained crash followed another involving a Boeing 737 MAX in Indonesia five months ago that killed 189 people. Although there is no proof of any link, the twin disasters have spooked passengers. France`s air accident investigation agency BEA will analyse black-box cockpit voice and data recorders from the crashed plane, a spokesman said. The French announcement resolved uncertainty over the fate of the two recorders after Germany`s BFU said it had declined a request to handle them because it could not process the new type of recorder used on the 737 MAX jets, in service since 2017. Travel website Kayak was making changes to let customers exclude specific aircraft types from searches, and booking sites were looking to reroute passengers. The grounding was welcomed by air workers in the United States. John Samuelsen, international president of the Transport Workers Union of America, which represents aviation workers and flight attendants, said the grounding of the fleet was right "both for air travellers and aviation workers." Canada also grounded 737 MAX jets on Wednesday, saying satellite data suggested similarities to the previous crash involving the same plane model in October. US-based aircraft-tracking firm Aireon provided the satellite data to the FAA, Transport Canada and several other authorities, company spokeswoman Jessie Hillenbrand said. Aireon`s space-based system can monitor data from aircraft equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transponders. The data is considered less detailed than that in black boxes, which look at systems running inside the plane. Ethiopian Airlines spokesman Asrat Begashaw said it was still unclear what happened on Sunday, but its pilot had reported control issues as opposed to external factors such as birds. "The pilot reported flight control problems and requested to turn back. In fact he was allowed to turn back," he said. The chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Democrat Peter DeFazio, called for a probe into why the 737 MAX received certification to fly. "There must be a rigorous investigation into why the aircraft, which has critical safety systems that did not exist on prior models, was certified without requiring additional pilot training," he said. Panama`s Copa Holdings said it would also suspend operations of its six Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, but Latin America has largely left it up to carriers to make their own decisions. As of Wednesday night, regulators in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, the largest air travel markets in the region, had not forced the grounding of planes.

US joins other nations in grounding 737 MAX jets after Ethiopian Airlines plane

Just when it looks like North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may restart his ballistic missile testing program, US President Donald Trump has proposed trimming the missile defense budget, as one set of deterrents is delayed by two years.&nbsp;

The US Missile Defense Agency - charged with developing, testing and fielding a ballistic missile defense system - will delay the expansion of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system by two years because of a delay in the redesign of the Raytheon Co-made "kill vehicle" the system uses.

A "kill vehicle" pops off the top of the defending missile above the Earth`s atmosphere and seeks out and destroys the attacking missile`s warhead.

The GMD is a network of radars, anti-ballistic missiles based in Alaska and California, and other equipment designed to protect the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMS.

The expansion of the field of interceptors in Alaska from 44 ground-based interceptors, or GBIs, to 64 had been slated for completion in 2023. But the delay, due to technical issues and not connected to the cut in the agency`s budget, now means that the placement of the additional 20 interceptors will not be operational until 2025, the MDA said on Tuesday.

"The important thing is to get it right, and if we`re going to build more GBI`s, we want to put the best kill vehicle on the top of it," said Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

At the same time, North Korea has been pushing ahead with its nuclear weapons program after a summit meeting between Kim and Trump in Hanoi ended abruptly on February 28 without an agreement on denuclearisation.

New activity has been detected at a North Korean ICBM plant, South Korean media said on Thursday, as Trump said he would be "very disappointed" if Pyongyang rebuilt a rocket site.

In the budget, the Missile Defense Agency, or MDA, saw its appropriation cut by $1 billion to $9.4 billion.

Michelle Atkinson, chief financial officer of the MDA, told reporters, "What you are seeing in `20 actually looks like a decrease, but it`s really just the declining funding," as the agency comes off recent financial injections.

Trump`s smaller request comes on the heels of a significant budget boost last year after several North Korean missile tests.

The MDA projected a budget of $9.2 billion in 2021, and $9.1 billion in 2022, continuing the trend of declining funding.

One Pentagon-wide effort in lasers that could be used to defeat missiles saw investment slow dramatically. After nearly doubling just the MDA`s budget for directed energy from $109 million in 2018 to $224 million in 2019, the Pentagon as a whole plans to invest only $235 million in the technology in fiscal 2020.

Among other proposals included in a recently published Missile Defense Review is one involving lasers mounted on drones - aimed at stopping missiles just after takeoff in what is called the boost phase.

During this portion of the flight the missile is most vulnerable, flying at its slowest speed, easily detected by the heat from its engines and incapable of evading interceptors as it accelerates to break out of the Earth`s atmosphere.

Just when it looks like North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may restart his ballistic missile testing program, US President Donald Trump has proposed trimming the missile defense budget, as one set of deterrents is delayed by two years.

Just when it looks like North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may restart his ballistic missile testing program, US President Donald Trump has proposed trimming the missile defense budget, as one set of deterrents is delayed by two years. The US Missile Defense Agency - charged with developing, testing and fielding a ballistic missile defense system - will delay the expansion of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system by two years because of a delay in the redesign of the Raytheon Co-made "kill vehicle" the system uses. A "kill vehicle" pops off the top of the defending missile above the Earth`s atmosphere and seeks out and destroys the attacking missile`s warhead. The GMD is a network of radars, anti-ballistic missiles based in Alaska and California, and other equipment designed to protect the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMS. The expansion of the field of interceptors in Alaska from 44 ground-based interceptors, or GBIs, to 64 had been slated for completion in 2023. But the delay, due to technical issues and not connected to the cut in the agency`s budget, now means that the placement of the additional 20 interceptors will not be operational until 2025, the MDA said on Tuesday. "The important thing is to get it right, and if we`re going to build more GBI`s, we want to put the best kill vehicle on the top of it," said Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. At the same time, North Korea has been pushing ahead with its nuclear weapons program after a summit meeting between Kim and Trump in Hanoi ended abruptly on February 28 without an agreement on denuclearisation. New activity has been detected at a North Korean ICBM plant, South Korean media said on Thursday, as Trump said he would be "very disappointed" if Pyongyang rebuilt a rocket site. In the budget, the Missile Defense Agency, or MDA, saw its appropriation cut by $1 billion to $9.4 billion. Michelle Atkinson, chief financial officer of the MDA, told reporters, "What you are seeing in `20 actually looks like a decrease, but it`s really just the declining funding," as the agency comes off recent financial injections. Trump`s smaller request comes on the heels of a significant budget boost last year after several North Korean missile tests. The MDA projected a budget of $9.2 billion in 2021, and $9.1 billion in 2022, continuing the trend of declining funding. One Pentagon-wide effort in lasers that could be used to defeat missiles saw investment slow dramatically. After nearly doubling just the MDA`s budget for directed energy from $109 million in 2018 to $224 million in 2019, the Pentagon as a whole plans to invest only $235 million in the technology in fiscal 2020. Among other proposals included in a recently published Missile Defense Review is one involving lasers mounted on drones - aimed at stopping missiles just after takeoff in what is called the boost phase. During this portion of the flight the missile is most vulnerable, flying at its slowest speed, easily detected by the heat from its engines and incapable of evading interceptors as it accelerates to break out of the Earth`s atmosphere.

US missile defense budget cut as North Korea pushes ahead

The US military has not been asked to assist with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-says-to-withdraw-all-remaining-diplomatic-personnel-from-venezuela-202779">removal of American diplomatic personnel from Venezuela</a>, the top US military commander for the region told Reuters, adding they were expected to depart the country by commercial means.

"Right now, we`ve not been asked to support that evacuation," Admiral Craig Faller, head of the US military`s Southern Command, said in an interview on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Venezuela ordered US diplomats on Tuesday to leave within 72 hours. Washington said it had decided to withdraw the remaining diplomats because of deteriorating conditions in Venezuela, which has been plunged into its worst blackout on record.

US special envoy Elliott Abrams, speaking earlier on Tuesday to reporters at the State Department, said the withdrawal of diplomats was not a change in US policy or a reduction in the US commitment to the Venezuelan people.

Washington has taken the lead in recognising opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's rightful president after the 35-year-old Congress chief declared President Nicolas Maduro`s 2018 re-election a fraud and announced an interim presidency in January. Most countries in Europe and Latin America have followed suit.

The US military has not been asked to assist with the removal of American diplomatic personnel from Venezuela, the top US military commander for the region told Reuters, adding they were expected to depart the country by commercial means.

The US military has not been asked to assist with the removal of American diplomatic personnel from Venezuela, the top US military commander for the region told Reuters, adding they were expected to depart the country by commercial means. "Right now, we`ve not been asked to support that evacuation," Admiral Craig Faller, head of the US military`s Southern Command, said in an interview on Tuesday. Venezuela ordered US diplomats on Tuesday to leave within 72 hours. Washington said it had decided to withdraw the remaining diplomats because of deteriorating conditions in Venezuela, which has been plunged into its worst blackout on record. US special envoy Elliott Abrams, speaking earlier on Tuesday to reporters at the State Department, said the withdrawal of diplomats was not a change in US policy or a reduction in the US commitment to the Venezuelan people. Washington has taken the lead in recognising opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's rightful president after the 35-year-old Congress chief declared President Nicolas Maduro`s 2018 re-election a fraud and announced an interim presidency in January. Most countries in Europe and Latin America have followed suit.

US military not involved in withdrawing diplomats from Venezuela

US and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their longest round of peace talks on Tuesday with progress made but no agreement on when foreign troops might withdraw, officials from both sides said.

The 16 days of talks, in which the United States also sought assurances that the Taliban would not allow militant groups to use Afghanistan to stage attacks, are expected to resume in late March.

The negotiations in Doha, Qatar included the Taliban's political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and a US team led by special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

Khalilzad, an Afghan-born veteran US diplomat, said the sides made progress on discussions about counter-terrorism assurances and a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The conditions for peace have improved. It`s clear all sides want to end the war. Despite ups and downs, we kept things on track and made real strides," Khalilzad said on Twitter.

The Taliban have held multiple rounds of peace talks with the American team led by Khalilzad but have so far refused to talk to the Afghan government.

"When the agreement in draft about a withdrawal timeline and effective counter-terrorism measures is finalised, the Taliban and other Afghans, including the government, will begin intra-Afghan negotiations on a political settlement and comprehensive ceasefire," Khalilzad said.

SOME PROGRESS

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the sides made progress on the issues of withdrawing foreign forces and preventing future attacks on other countries from Afghanistan.

But, in a statement, he stressed that no agreement was reached on a ceasefire or talks with the Afghan government.

A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani tweeted that he hoped to see a long-term ceasefire agreement and the start of direct talks between the government and Taliban soon.

The talks were held in a closed-off banquet hall at the five-star Ritz-Carlton seaside hotel on the southern end of Doha.

Qatar has hosted the Taliban`s political office since 2013 and has looked to position itself as an important regional player for conflict resolution.

"We appreciate how difficult it is to end 18 years of war. Qatar looks forward to resumption of the talks in the coming weeks," said Qatar`s lead mediator Mutlaq Bin Majid Al-Qahtani.

No date has been set for the next round.

Khalilzad said he would return to Washington to brief US and international officials.&nbsp;

Talks ended on a day in which Taliban insurgents stepped up pressure on the battlefield, killing 20 Afghan soldiers and capturing another 20 in western Afghanistan. In another province, officials said an airstrike killed both Taliban fighters and civilians.&nbsp;

About 14,000 US troops are based in Afghanistan as part of a US-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces. Some US forces carry out counter-terrorism operations.

The United States has been pushing the Taliban to agree to a ceasefire and to talk with Afghanistan`s government, which the militant group considers a US puppet regime.&nbsp;

"The US officials were pressing the Taliban to declare a ceasefire, but our leaders were clear that a ceasefire can only be announced after the foreign force withdrawal announcement (is) made," said a senior Taliban commander privy to the talks.

Another Taliban source said on condition of anonymity there was frustration on some issues during the peace talks and that a senior member of the Islamist group told US officials at one point that the Taliban are "not their servants" and need no US approval for any future decisions.

Washington intervened in Afghanistan in 2001 to help overthrow a Taliban government that had sheltered Osama bin Laden`s al Qaeda group, responsible for the September 11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States.

A US-led international force has fought since then against a Taliban insurgency. The foreign presence peaked in 2010 at more than 130,000 troops including 100,000 Americans but was sharply cut back after 2014.

Nearly 3,500 foreign troops including 2,300 Americans have died in Afghanistan. The United Nations has tallied the deaths of more than 30,000 Afghan civilians since 2009, most killed by insurgent attacks. Tens of thousands of members of the Afghan security forces and an unknown number of insurgents have also been killed.

US and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their longest round of peace talks on Tuesday with progress made but no agreement on when foreign troops might withdraw, officials from both sides said.

US and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their longest round of peace talks on Tuesday with progress made but no agreement on when foreign troops might withdraw, officials from both sides said. The 16 days of talks, in which the United States also sought assurances that the Taliban would not allow militant groups to use Afghanistan to stage attacks, are expected to resume in late March. The negotiations in Doha, Qatar included the Taliban's political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and a US team led by special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad. Khalilzad, an Afghan-born veteran US diplomat, said the sides made progress on discussions about counter-terrorism assurances and a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. "The conditions for peace have improved. It`s clear all sides want to end the war. Despite ups and downs, we kept things on track and made real strides," Khalilzad said on Twitter. The Taliban have held multiple rounds of peace talks with the American team led by Khalilzad but have so far refused to talk to the Afghan government. "When the agreement in draft about a withdrawal timeline and effective counter-terrorism measures is finalised, the Taliban and other Afghans, including the government, will begin intra-Afghan negotiations on a political settlement and comprehensive ceasefire," Khalilzad said. SOME PROGRESS Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the sides made progress on the issues of withdrawing foreign forces and preventing future attacks on other countries from Afghanistan. But, in a statement, he stressed that no agreement was reached on a ceasefire or talks with the Afghan government. A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani tweeted that he hoped to see a long-term ceasefire agreement and the start of direct talks between the government and Taliban soon. The talks were held in a closed-off banquet hall at the five-star Ritz-Carlton seaside hotel on the southern end of Doha. Qatar has hosted the Taliban`s political office since 2013 and has looked to position itself as an important regional player for conflict resolution. "We appreciate how difficult it is to end 18 years of war. Qatar looks forward to resumption of the talks in the coming weeks," said Qatar`s lead mediator Mutlaq Bin Majid Al-Qahtani. No date has been set for the next round. Khalilzad said he would return to Washington to brief US and international officials. Talks ended on a day in which Taliban insurgents stepped up pressure on the battlefield, killing 20 Afghan soldiers and capturing another 20 in western Afghanistan. In another province, officials said an airstrike killed both Taliban fighters and civilians. About 14,000 US troops are based in Afghanistan as part of a US-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces. Some US forces carry out counter-terrorism operations. The United States has been pushing the Taliban to agree to a ceasefire and to talk with Afghanistan`s government, which the militant group considers a US puppet regime. "The US officials were pressing the Taliban to declare a ceasefire, but our leaders were clear that a ceasefire can only be announced after the foreign force withdrawal announcement (is) made," said a senior Taliban commander privy to the talks. Another Taliban source said on condition of anonymity there was frustration on some issues during the peace talks and that a senior member of the Islamist group told US officials at one point that the Taliban are "not their servants" and need no US approval for any future decisions. Washington intervened in Afghanistan in 2001 to help overthrow a Taliban government that had sheltered Osama bin Laden`s al Qaeda group, responsible for the September 11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States. A US-led international force has fought since then against a Taliban insurgency. The foreign presence peaked in 2010 at more than 130,000 troops including 100,000 Americans but was sharply cut back after 2014. Nearly 3,500 foreign troops including 2,300 Americans have died in Afghanistan. The United Nations has tallied the deaths of more than 30,000 Afghan civilians since 2009, most killed by insurgent attacks. Tens of thousands of members of the Afghan security forces and an unknown number of insurgents have also been killed.

US, Taliban talks end for now with no Afghan peace deal

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