Breaking News: 129 Indian students detained in US

Afghan peace talks: US agrees to withdraw troops

The US has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems to Air India One for an estimated cost of US $190 million, a move that will enhance the security of planes flying the prime minister and the president.

According to the Pentagon, the sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Trump administrations approved the purchase of the two systems known as Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCAM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS) for an estimated cost of US $190 million, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a notification to the Congress on Wednesday.

The US decision came after the Indian Government recently made a request for LAIRCAM SPS, given the high-level threat to the prime minister and the president.&nbsp;

The defence systems, which would bring security of Air India One at par with that of Air Force One, would be installed in two Boeing 777 Head-of- State aircraft, the Pentagon said.

The Indian Government plans to buy two Bowing 777 from the national carrier Air India for this specific purpose and unlike in the past would not be used for commercial purposes.&nbsp;

The purpose of the LAIRCM programme is to protect large aircraft from man-portable missiles. Once installed, the LAIRCAM system increases crew-warning time, decreases false alarm rates and automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

The missile warning subsystem will use multiple sensors to provide full spatial coverage.&nbsp;

The counter-measures subsystem will use lasers mounted in pointer-tracker turret assemblies. It also automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems with no action required by the crew.&nbsp;

The pilot will simply be informed that a threat missile was detected and jammed.&nbsp;

Observing that it will improve India's capability to deter regional threats, the Congressional notification said SPS will facilitate a more robust capability into areas of increased missile threats.&nbsp;

"India will have no problem absorbing and using this system, it said.&nbsp;

According to the notification, India had requested to buy two SPS consisting of AN/AAQ 24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM), ALQ-211(V)8 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) and AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) to protect two (2) Boeing-777 Head-of-State aircraft.&nbsp;

"This potential sale would include twelve Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (6 installed and 6 spares), eight (8) LAIRCM System Processor Replacements (LSPR) AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (2 installed and 6 spares); twenty-three (23) Missile Warning Sensors (MWS) for AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (12 installed and 11 spares), five (5) AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) (2 installed and 3 spares)," the notification said.

Also included in this sale are Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites (AIDEWS), LAIRCM CIURs, SCAs, HCCs, and UDM cards, initial spares, consumables, repair and return support and support equipment.&nbsp;

The department also assured that the sale will not "alter the basic military balance in the region".

The US is the second-largest arms supplier to India. It has already recognised India as a "major defence partner", a status that which commits the US to facilitate technology sharing with India.

In 2018, the US granted India Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1) status. India is the only South Asian country to get STA1 status and third Asian country after Japan and South Korea. The status eases defence procurement from US.

Last year both New Delhi and Washington signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement).

The US has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems to Air India One for an estimated cost of US $190 million, a move that will enhance the security of planes flying the prime minister and the president.

The US has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems to Air India One for an estimated cost of US $190 million, a move that will enhance the security of planes flying the prime minister and the president. According to the Pentagon, the sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship. The Trump administrations approved the purchase of the two systems known as Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCAM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS) for an estimated cost of US $190 million, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a notification to the Congress on Wednesday. The US decision came after the Indian Government recently made a request for LAIRCAM SPS, given the high-level threat to the prime minister and the president. The defence systems, which would bring security of Air India One at par with that of Air Force One, would be installed in two Boeing 777 Head-of- State aircraft, the Pentagon said. The Indian Government plans to buy two Bowing 777 from the national carrier Air India for this specific purpose and unlike in the past would not be used for commercial purposes. The purpose of the LAIRCM programme is to protect large aircraft from man-portable missiles. Once installed, the LAIRCAM system increases crew-warning time, decreases false alarm rates and automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems, according to the Federation of American Scientists. The missile warning subsystem will use multiple sensors to provide full spatial coverage. The counter-measures subsystem will use lasers mounted in pointer-tracker turret assemblies. It also automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems with no action required by the crew. The pilot will simply be informed that a threat missile was detected and jammed. Observing that it will improve India's capability to deter regional threats, the Congressional notification said SPS will facilitate a more robust capability into areas of increased missile threats. "India will have no problem absorbing and using this system, it said. According to the notification, India had requested to buy two SPS consisting of AN/AAQ 24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM), ALQ-211(V)8 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) and AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) to protect two (2) Boeing-777 Head-of-State aircraft. "This potential sale would include twelve Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (6 installed and 6 spares), eight (8) LAIRCM System Processor Replacements (LSPR) AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (2 installed and 6 spares); twenty-three (23) Missile Warning Sensors (MWS) for AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (12 installed and 11 spares), five (5) AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) (2 installed and 3 spares)," the notification said. Also included in this sale are Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites (AIDEWS), LAIRCM CIURs, SCAs, HCCs, and UDM cards, initial spares, consumables, repair and return support and support equipment. The department also assured that the sale will not "alter the basic military balance in the region". The US is the second-largest arms supplier to India. It has already recognised India as a "major defence partner", a status that which commits the US to facilitate technology sharing with India. In 2018, the US granted India Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1) status. India is the only South Asian country to get STA1 status and third Asian country after Japan and South Korea. The status eases defence procurement from US. Last year both New Delhi and Washington signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement).

US approves sale of two missile defence systems for Air India One 

One year on, the legacy of the Parkland shooting

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address on Tuesday to call for a bipartisan commitment to eradicate AIDS in the United States within a decade.

"Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach," Trump said in his annual address to Congress.&nbsp;

"My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years," he said.

"Together, we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond."

Some 38,000 people were infected with HIV in the United States in 2017, according to government statistics.&nbsp;

This number has shrunk over the years, but in some communities, there has been no let-up, especially among gays, blacks and Hispanics.&nbsp;

The Trump administration proposed last year to cut the budget for AIDS prevention, but Congress refused.

"No force in history has done more to advance the human condition than American freedom," Trump said.&nbsp;

"In recent years we have made remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS." &nbsp;

Trump's mastery of the issue has been called into question, however, most notably by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who said last year that at two meetings, Trump needed help distinguishing HIV from HPV, another sexually transmitted disease.

"Both times, he wanted to know if there was a difference between HIV and HPV so I was able to explain that those are rarely confused with each other," Gates said.

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address on Tuesday to call for a bipartisan commitment to eradicate AIDS in the United States within a decade.

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address on Tuesday to call for a bipartisan commitment to eradicate AIDS in the United States within a decade. "Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach," Trump said in his annual address to Congress. "My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years," he said. "Together, we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond." Some 38,000 people were infected with HIV in the United States in 2017, according to government statistics. This number has shrunk over the years, but in some communities, there has been no let-up, especially among gays, blacks and Hispanics. The Trump administration proposed last year to cut the budget for AIDS prevention, but Congress refused. "No force in history has done more to advance the human condition than American freedom," Trump said. "In recent years we have made remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS." Trump's mastery of the issue has been called into question, however, most notably by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who said last year that at two meetings, Trump needed help distinguishing HIV from HPV, another sexually transmitted disease. "Both times, he wanted to know if there was a difference between HIV and HPV so I was able to explain that those are rarely confused with each other," Gates said.

We will defeat AIDS in America and beyond: Trump in State of the Union address

The rupee Wednesday appreciated by 8 paise to 71.49 in early trade on the forex market amid a positive opening in domestic equities and fresh foreign fund inflows.

Forex traders said investors were cautious ahead RBI's Monetary Policy Committee outcome scheduled for February 7.

Moreover, rising crude prices capped the gains for the domestic unit.

At the Interbank Foreign Exchange, the rupee opened higher at 71.56 then gained further ground to touch 71.49 against the US $, showing a gain of 8 paise over its previous closing.

In a very volatile trade, the domestic currency also touched a low of 71.60, showing a loss of 3 paise over its last close.

On Tuesday, the rupee had settled 23 paise higher at 71.57 against the US $.

Foreign funds purchased shares worth Rs 420.65 crore on a net basis, and domestic institutional investors bought shares worth Rs 194.31 crore Tuesday, provisional data showed.

The global benchmark, Brent crude oil was trading at the US $ 62.02 per barrel, higher by 0.06 per cent.

Meanwhile, the domestic equity market opened on a higher note. The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex was trading at 36,833.84, up 217.03 points in early trade. The wide-based Nifty was also trading up by 65 points at 10,999.35.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The rupee Wednesday appreciated by 8 paise to 71.49 in early trade on the forex market amid a positive opening in domestic equities and fresh foreign fund inflows.

The rupee Wednesday appreciated by 8 paise to 71.49 in early trade on the forex market amid a positive opening in domestic equities and fresh foreign fund inflows. Forex traders said investors were cautious ahead RBI's Monetary Policy Committee outcome scheduled for February 7. Moreover, rising crude prices capped the gains for the domestic unit. At the Interbank Foreign Exchange, the rupee opened higher at 71.56 then gained further ground to touch 71.49 against the US $, showing a gain of 8 paise over its previous closing. In a very volatile trade, the domestic currency also touched a low of 71.60, showing a loss of 3 paise over its last close. On Tuesday, the rupee had settled 23 paise higher at 71.57 against the US $. Foreign funds purchased shares worth Rs 420.65 crore on a net basis, and domestic institutional investors bought shares worth Rs 194.31 crore Tuesday, provisional data showed. The global benchmark, Brent crude oil was trading at the US $ 62.02 per barrel, higher by 0.06 per cent. Meanwhile, the domestic equity market opened on a higher note. The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex was trading at 36,833.84, up 217.03 points in early trade. The wide-based Nifty was also trading up by 65 points at 10,999.35.

Rupee gains 8 paise to 71.49 vs US dollar

President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday that the United States would outspend Russia on missiles without a fresh international accord after he ditched a landmark <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-withdraw-from-inf-missile-treaty-unless-russia-complies-trump-194448">Cold War treaty</a>.

Trump's warning during his annual State of the Union address cemented fears of an emerging arms race, with Russia hours earlier pledging to design new missiles over the next two years.

The United States last week started the process of exiting the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/inf-treaty-with-russia-has-been-invalidated-germany-194404"> Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty</a>, saying that Russia has been violating the pact through a new missile system and ignored repeated complaints.

"Under my administration, we will never apologize for advancing America's interests," Trump told US lawmakers assembled in the House chamber.

"Perhaps we can negotiate a different agreement, adding China and others. Or perhaps we can't -&nbsp;in which case, we will outspend and out-innovate all others by far," Trump said.

While pointing the finger at <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-says-range-of-disputed-missile-is-allowed-under-inf-treaty-192316">Russia</a>, US officials have voiced concern that the 1987 treaty does not constrain China, whose rapidly growing military relies on medium-range missiles as a core part of its defence strategy.

The INF treaty banned all missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres (310 to 3,400 miles), a legacy of the end of the Cold War as last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US president Ronald Reagan sought to ease European fears of an arms race that would destroy their cities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin -&nbsp;who has sought a warm relationship with Trump but is widely reviled by the US establishment -- responded Saturday by saying Moscow would also leave the INF treaty.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier Tuesday that Putin had approved plans for new missiles.

"During 2019-2020 we have to develop a land-based version of the seaborne Kalibr system equipped with a long range cruise missile which showed good results in Syria," Shoigu told defence officials.

"Over the same period we will also have to create a land-based missile system with a long-range hypersonic missile," he said.

Latvia urges international pact

Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics of Latvia -&nbsp;for which former ruler Russia looms large as a threat - voiced hope that Washington and Moscow would work with other powers on a new agreement.

"I would advocate -&nbsp;even if it is going to take a very long period of time, even if it may be a very, sometimes, complex and disappointing, from time to time, process - it would be good to try to find a way forward on a multilateral arms control agreement in this area," Rinkevics told AFP.

"It needs to be more than the United States and Russia because there are more countries that can produce such weapons than 30 years ago," he said in an interview in Washington, where he is taking part in a 79-member conference Wednesday on the fight against the Islamic State group.

Latvia, like other members of the NATO alliance, has backed the United States which has charged since the administration of former president Barack Obama that Russia is infringing on the INF treaty with the range of its new 9M729 missile system.

But Rinkevics played down the immediate impact of the INF treaty's demise, saying that Russia had already been stepping up military movements since Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea.

He acknowledged that a future pact was unlikely to be as sweeping as the INF treaty. 
&nbsp;

President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday that the United States would outspend Russia on missiles without a fresh international accord after he ditched a landmark Cold War treaty.

President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday that the United States would outspend Russia on missiles without a fresh international accord after he ditched a landmark Cold War treaty. Trump's warning during his annual State of the Union address cemented fears of an emerging arms race, with Russia hours earlier pledging to design new missiles over the next two years. The United States last week started the process of exiting the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, saying that Russia has been violating the pact through a new missile system and ignored repeated complaints. "Under my administration, we will never apologize for advancing America's interests," Trump told US lawmakers assembled in the House chamber. "Perhaps we can negotiate a different agreement, adding China and others. Or perhaps we can't - in which case, we will outspend and out-innovate all others by far," Trump said. While pointing the finger at Russia, US officials have voiced concern that the 1987 treaty does not constrain China, whose rapidly growing military relies on medium-range missiles as a core part of its defence strategy. The INF treaty banned all missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres (310 to 3,400 miles), a legacy of the end of the Cold War as last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US president Ronald Reagan sought to ease European fears of an arms race that would destroy their cities. Russian President Vladimir Putin - who has sought a warm relationship with Trump but is widely reviled by the US establishment -- responded Saturday by saying Moscow would also leave the INF treaty. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier Tuesday that Putin had approved plans for new missiles. "During 2019-2020 we have to develop a land-based version of the seaborne Kalibr system equipped with a long range cruise missile which showed good results in Syria," Shoigu told defence officials. "Over the same period we will also have to create a land-based missile system with a long-range hypersonic missile," he said. Latvia urges international pact Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics of Latvia - for which former ruler Russia looms large as a threat - voiced hope that Washington and Moscow would work with other powers on a new agreement. "I would advocate - even if it is going to take a very long period of time, even if it may be a very, sometimes, complex and disappointing, from time to time, process - it would be good to try to find a way forward on a multilateral arms control agreement in this area," Rinkevics told AFP. "It needs to be more than the United States and Russia because there are more countries that can produce such weapons than 30 years ago," he said in an interview in Washington, where he is taking part in a 79-member conference Wednesday on the fight against the Islamic State group. Latvia, like other members of the NATO alliance, has backed the United States which has charged since the administration of former president Barack Obama that Russia is infringing on the INF treaty with the range of its new 9M729 missile system. But Rinkevics played down the immediate impact of the INF treaty's demise, saying that Russia had already been stepping up military movements since Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea. He acknowledged that a future pact was unlikely to be as sweeping as the INF treaty.

Russia on mind: Will develop long range cruise missile, says Trump

A <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/us-peace-talks-the-tensions-within-the-taliban-195361">Taliban</a> official said on Wednesday that the United States had promised to withdraw half of its troops from Afghanistan by the end of April during talks last month, RIA news agency reported, more than past estimates of the planned pull-out.

There was no immediate reaction from the Pentagon or the US Department of State to the comments from a member of a Taliban delegation visiting Moscow.

But they came a day after President Donald Trump told Americans his administration had accelerated talks for a political settlement in Afghanistan and would be able to reduce US troops there as negotiations advance to end America’s longest war.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghans-hope-for-peace-but-fear-bloodshed-as-us-taliban-talk-193222">US and Taliban delegations </a>met in Qatar in January and are due to meet again in February.

A US official at last month's meeting said significant progress was made, though more talks were needed on US demands for a Taliban ceasefire before any withdrawal and other issues.

"Yes, the Americans told us (last month) that they would withdraw half of their troops from the beginning of February to the end of April," Abdul Salam Hanafi was quoted as saying by Russian news agency RIA.

Hanafi said Washington and the Taliban had also agreed that all foreign troops would eventually leave and that Afghanistan would never be used as a base for attacks on the United States.

"The timeline (of the withdrawal) will be discussed at future meetings," Hanafi said.

The Taliban militants are in Moscow for talks with Afghan opposition politicians, including former President Hamid Karzai - discussions that the current Afghan government has said is not in the country's best interests.

A US official said in December that Trump was planning to withdraw more than 5,000, or more than a third, of the 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan.

A Taliban official said on Wednesday that the United States had promised to withdraw half of its troops from Afghanistan by the end of April during talks last month, RIA news agency reported, more than past estimates of the planned pull-out.

A Taliban official said on Wednesday that the United States had promised to withdraw half of its troops from Afghanistan by the end of April during talks last month, RIA news agency reported, more than past estimates of the planned pull-out. There was no immediate reaction from the Pentagon or the US Department of State to the comments from a member of a Taliban delegation visiting Moscow. But they came a day after President Donald Trump told Americans his administration had accelerated talks for a political settlement in Afghanistan and would be able to reduce US troops there as negotiations advance to end America’s longest war. US and Taliban delegations met in Qatar in January and are due to meet again in February. A US official at last month's meeting said significant progress was made, though more talks were needed on US demands for a Taliban ceasefire before any withdrawal and other issues. "Yes, the Americans told us (last month) that they would withdraw half of their troops from the beginning of February to the end of April," Abdul Salam Hanafi was quoted as saying by Russian news agency RIA. Hanafi said Washington and the Taliban had also agreed that all foreign troops would eventually leave and that Afghanistan would never be used as a base for attacks on the United States. "The timeline (of the withdrawal) will be discussed at future meetings," Hanafi said. The Taliban militants are in Moscow for talks with Afghan opposition politicians, including former President Hamid Karzai - discussions that the current Afghan government has said is not in the country's best interests. A US official said in December that Trump was planning to withdraw more than 5,000, or more than a third, of the 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan.

Taliban says US promised to halve its troops in Afghanistan by April: Report

Oil prices edged higher for the first time in three sessions on Wednesday, although concerns over the outlook for the global economy capped gains.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $53.74 per barrel at 0153 GMT, up 8 cents from their last settlement. They closed down 1.7 per cent on Tuesday.

International Brent crude oil futures were at $62.05 per barrel, up 7 cents, after closing down 0.8 per cent in the previous session.

Global economic worries have weighed on market sentiment in recent days, offsetting support from signs that global supplies are tightening.

With a nervous market, traders are focused on the US State of the Union address by President Donald Trump.

"Anything out of the State of the Union that hints at the US-China deal not working out, or more anti-trade rhetoric would be a negative for energy prices as demand would be lower if global growth keeps being downgraded," said Alfonso Esparza senior market analyst, OANDA.

US sanctions on Venezuela have been viewed as supportive for prices by helping tighten global supplies. A flotilla loaded with Venezuelan oil has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, some holding cargoes bought ahead of the latest US sanctions on Venezuela and others whose buyers are weighing who to pay.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, including Russia, agreed to production cuts effective from last month to beat back supply growth.

However, US crude stocks rose last week even as refineries boosted output, while gasoline and distillate stocks increased, data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed on Tuesday.

Crude inventories rose by 2.5 million barrels in the week ended February 1 to 448.2 million, compared with analysts' expectations for an increase of 2.2 million barrels. Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 889,000 barrels, API said.

Oil prices edged higher for the first time in three sessions on Wednesday, although concerns over the outlook for the global economy capped gains. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $53.

Oil prices edged higher for the first time in three sessions on Wednesday, although concerns over the outlook for the global economy capped gains. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $53.74 per barrel at 0153 GMT, up 8 cents from their last settlement. They closed down 1.7 per cent on Tuesday. International Brent crude oil futures were at $62.05 per barrel, up 7 cents, after closing down 0.8 per cent in the previous session. Global economic worries have weighed on market sentiment in recent days, offsetting support from signs that global supplies are tightening. With a nervous market, traders are focused on the US State of the Union address by President Donald Trump. "Anything out of the State of the Union that hints at the US-China deal not working out, or more anti-trade rhetoric would be a negative for energy prices as demand would be lower if global growth keeps being downgraded," said Alfonso Esparza senior market analyst, OANDA. US sanctions on Venezuela have been viewed as supportive for prices by helping tighten global supplies. A flotilla loaded with Venezuelan oil has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, some holding cargoes bought ahead of the latest US sanctions on Venezuela and others whose buyers are weighing who to pay. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, including Russia, agreed to production cuts effective from last month to beat back supply growth. However, US crude stocks rose last week even as refineries boosted output, while gasoline and distillate stocks increased, data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed on Tuesday. Crude inventories rose by 2.5 million barrels in the week ended February 1 to 448.2 million, compared with analysts' expectations for an increase of 2.2 million barrels. Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 889,000 barrels, API said.

Oil prices edge higher amid  concerns over global economy

Facebook has banned four insurgent groups fighting against Myanmar's military from its social network, the company said on Tuesday, saying it wanted to prevent offline harm by removing groups it branded "dangerous organisations".

The US-based social media giant says it has removed hundreds of accounts, pages and groups for links to Myanmar's military, or misrepresentation, since last August.

The action came after Facebook was criticized for not doing enough to prevent violent and hate-filled content spreading on its platform, which grew hugely popular in Myanmar just as conflicts in the country escalated.

The Arakan Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Kachin Independence Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army were banned, Facebook said in a statement on Tuesday, adding it would remove "praise, support and representation" of the groups.

"In an effort to prevent and disrupt offline harm, we do not allow organizations or individuals that proclaim a violent mission or engage in violence to have a presence on Facebook," the company said.

The bans targeted only some of the ethnic minority insurgent groups in Myanmar that have battled for autonomy in conflicts that have raged on and off since shortly after Myanmar's independence from Britain in 1948.

The four groups named by Facebook have not signed a government-led ceasefire agreement and have frequently clashed with the armed forces in recent years.

One group, the Kachin Independence Army, is one the strongest of the country's insurgent groups and occupies territory in the north.

Another, the Arakan Army, has been engaged in fighting in the west since December that has displaced more than 5,000. It launched attacks last month that killed 13 Myanmar border police.

ATTACKING CIVILIANS?

Facebook said there was "clear evidence that these organizations have been responsible for attacks against civilians and have engaged in violence in Myanmar, and we want to prevent them from using our services to further inflame tensions on the ground".

Khine Thu Kha, an Arakan Army spokesman based outside Myanmar, said his group "never attacked civilians".

Speaking via a messaging service, he questioned whether Facebook was siding with Myanmar's government rather than "standing on the side of minorities".

Mong Aik Kyaw, a spokesman for the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, confirmed the group's page was down, but declined to comment on Facebook's reasoning.

The removal would restrict the group's ability to "inform the public" about its activities, he said.

The other two groups were not immediately available for comment.

Some accounts related to Myanmar's armed forces were first removed last August after a UN fact-finding mission called for top Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for what it said was a campaign of mass killings and gang rape against the Rohingya Muslim minority carried out with "genocidal intent".

In 2017, the military led a crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents, pushing more than 730,000 Rohingya to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to UN agencies.

A Reuters special report in August found that Facebook failed to promptly heed numerous warnings from organizations in Myanmar about social media posts fuelling attacks on minority groups such as the Rohingya.

Facebook has banned four insurgent groups fighting against Myanmar's military from its social network, the company said on Tuesday, saying it wanted to prevent offline harm by removing groups it branded "dangerous organisations".

Facebook has banned four insurgent groups fighting against Myanmar's military from its social network, the company said on Tuesday, saying it wanted to prevent offline harm by removing groups it branded "dangerous organisations". The US-based social media giant says it has removed hundreds of accounts, pages and groups for links to Myanmar's military, or misrepresentation, since last August. The action came after Facebook was criticized for not doing enough to prevent violent and hate-filled content spreading on its platform, which grew hugely popular in Myanmar just as conflicts in the country escalated. The Arakan Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Kachin Independence Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army were banned, Facebook said in a statement on Tuesday, adding it would remove "praise, support and representation" of the groups. "In an effort to prevent and disrupt offline harm, we do not allow organizations or individuals that proclaim a violent mission or engage in violence to have a presence on Facebook," the company said. The bans targeted only some of the ethnic minority insurgent groups in Myanmar that have battled for autonomy in conflicts that have raged on and off since shortly after Myanmar's independence from Britain in 1948. The four groups named by Facebook have not signed a government-led ceasefire agreement and have frequently clashed with the armed forces in recent years. One group, the Kachin Independence Army, is one the strongest of the country's insurgent groups and occupies territory in the north. Another, the Arakan Army, has been engaged in fighting in the west since December that has displaced more than 5,000. It launched attacks last month that killed 13 Myanmar border police. ATTACKING CIVILIANS? Facebook said there was "clear evidence that these organizations have been responsible for attacks against civilians and have engaged in violence in Myanmar, and we want to prevent them from using our services to further inflame tensions on the ground". Khine Thu Kha, an Arakan Army spokesman based outside Myanmar, said his group "never attacked civilians". Speaking via a messaging service, he questioned whether Facebook was siding with Myanmar's government rather than "standing on the side of minorities". Mong Aik Kyaw, a spokesman for the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, confirmed the group's page was down, but declined to comment on Facebook's reasoning. The removal would restrict the group's ability to "inform the public" about its activities, he said. The other two groups were not immediately available for comment. Some accounts related to Myanmar's armed forces were first removed last August after a UN fact-finding mission called for top Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for what it said was a campaign of mass killings and gang rape against the Rohingya Muslim minority carried out with "genocidal intent". In 2017, the military led a crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents, pushing more than 730,000 Rohingya to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to UN agencies. A Reuters special report in August found that Facebook failed to promptly heed numerous warnings from organizations in Myanmar about social media posts fuelling attacks on minority groups such as the Rohingya.

Facebook targets 'dangerous' armed groups in latest Myanmar bans

President Ashraf Ghani is being pushed to the sidelines as the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-taliban-cancel-peace-talks-with-us-citing-agenda-disagreement-189134"> Taliban ignores</a> his overtures for peace and negotiates instead with his friends, and enemies, over the future of Afghanistan.

From Doha to Moscow, the insurgents are meeting an array of envoys with competing interests in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-taliban-reject-talks-with-us-in-pakistan-191358">Afghanistan</a>, from the United States eager to withdraw their troops to political leaders in Kabul jostling for power.

Experts say regional powers — including US foes Iran and Russia — are angling for an audience with the Taliban, who are already outlining their vision for Islamic rule once foreign troops leave.

The elephant in the room is Ghani, whose US-backed administration has not been invited to the table, despite a failed year-long effort to spark a dialogue with the Taliban.

"The sad irony is that Afghanistan's government is in danger of getting written out of the script of its own peace process," analyst Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center in Washington, DC, told AFP.

Ghani's allies in Washington insist Afghans should lead the peace process, and ostensibly the months-long push by the US to engage the Taliban has been aimed at convincing them to negotiate with the government in Kabul.

Those efforts culminated in an unprecedented six days of talks between the US and the Taliban in Doha in January.

The marathon negotiations ended with both sides touting "progress" — spurring Afghan fears the US could cut a deal with the militants to withdraw its forces before a lasting peace with Kabul is reached.

"It's a major snub because, without the Americans, the government in Kabul cannot survive," said Gilles Dorronsoro, a French researcher specialising in Afghanistan.

A week later, the Taliban agreed to a rare sit-down in Russia with some of Ghani's biggest political rivals.

The talks in Moscow hosted by an Afghan diaspora group in Russia — which are separate from the US negotiations — start Tuesday and would canvass the "end of occupation, enduring peace in homeland and establishment of an intra-Afghan Islamic system of governance", the Taliban said.

Frozen out for a second time, a furious Ghani vowed he would not be an idle spectator as his country's future was debated abroad.

"Even if I have one drop of blood in my body, I am not going to surrender to a temporary peace deal," he railed in a speech Sunday, as details of the Moscow conference broke.

The frustration and sense of betrayal in Kabul is palpable.

Amrullah Saleh, a Ghani ally, accused those Afghan leaders travelling to Moscow for the Taliban talks — including former president Hamid Karzai — of "begging to terrorists".

"A smile to the enemy is a blow to the national spirit," Saleh said.

"We appreciate the efforts, but any peace talks about Afghanistan should be under the umbrella of the Afghan government," Afghanistan's de facto prime minister Abdullah Abdullah said after the Doha talks.

'A new war'

The Taliban, who brutally ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, has always refused to break bread with Ghani and Kabul, who they view as US stooges.

Instead, the insurgents are marching ahead with their diplomatic agenda.&nbsp;

The talks in Moscow would see an "opening of channels to reaching an understanding" with Afghan leaders outside government, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

Such a meeting between the Taliban and Afghan politicians — including Karzai, who was appointed by the US — is almost unheard of.

Ghani's rivals could see an opportunity in these various Taliban talks to undermine his leadership, analysts say, ahead of presidential elections slated for July.

The Taliban outreach is also drawing a host of rival powers into its orbit, all keen that any finale to the war suits their strategic ambitions.

Many of these present "a fundamental clash of vision and interests" for Afghanistan, said Davood Moradian, director of the Kabul-based Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies.

The US, Afghanistan, and India seek a stable democracy and a bulwark against terrorism, he said. The Taliban and Pakistan, conversely, seek an Islamic authority in Kabul.

A broader second group of "legitimate stakeholders and opportunistic spoilers" — including regional powers like Russia, China, and Iran — have their eyes keenly on waning US influence in the region, Moradian added.

Dorronsoro said the US-Taliban talks, which continue later this month, were an "acknowledgement of defeat" by Washington of its military campaign in the country that would not be missed by rivals Russia and Iran, who have also engaged with the insurgents.

The departure of US forces — if achieved under a deal with the Taliban — could draw the region into a "new war" for dominance in Afghanistan.

"India, Pakistan, Iran... everyone will choose sides. Today, nothing is clear. Everyone is in the process of positioning themselves," Dorronsoro said.

President Ashraf Ghani is being pushed to the sidelines as the Taliban ignores his overtures for peace and negotiates instead with his friends, and enemies, over the future of Afghanistan.

President Ashraf Ghani is being pushed to the sidelines as the Taliban ignores his overtures for peace and negotiates instead with his friends, and enemies, over the future of Afghanistan. From Doha to Moscow, the insurgents are meeting an array of envoys with competing interests in Afghanistan, from the United States eager to withdraw their troops to political leaders in Kabul jostling for power. Experts say regional powers — including US foes Iran and Russia — are angling for an audience with the Taliban, who are already outlining their vision for Islamic rule once foreign troops leave. The elephant in the room is Ghani, whose US-backed administration has not been invited to the table, despite a failed year-long effort to spark a dialogue with the Taliban. "The sad irony is that Afghanistan's government is in danger of getting written out of the script of its own peace process," analyst Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center in Washington, DC, told AFP. Ghani's allies in Washington insist Afghans should lead the peace process, and ostensibly the months-long push by the US to engage the Taliban has been aimed at convincing them to negotiate with the government in Kabul. Those efforts culminated in an unprecedented six days of talks between the US and the Taliban in Doha in January. The marathon negotiations ended with both sides touting "progress" — spurring Afghan fears the US could cut a deal with the militants to withdraw its forces before a lasting peace with Kabul is reached. "It's a major snub because, without the Americans, the government in Kabul cannot survive," said Gilles Dorronsoro, a French researcher specialising in Afghanistan. A week later, the Taliban agreed to a rare sit-down in Russia with some of Ghani's biggest political rivals. The talks in Moscow hosted by an Afghan diaspora group in Russia — which are separate from the US negotiations — start Tuesday and would canvass the "end of occupation, enduring peace in homeland and establishment of an intra-Afghan Islamic system of governance", the Taliban said. Frozen out for a second time, a furious Ghani vowed he would not be an idle spectator as his country's future was debated abroad. "Even if I have one drop of blood in my body, I am not going to surrender to a temporary peace deal," he railed in a speech Sunday, as details of the Moscow conference broke. The frustration and sense of betrayal in Kabul is palpable. Amrullah Saleh, a Ghani ally, accused those Afghan leaders travelling to Moscow for the Taliban talks — including former president Hamid Karzai — of "begging to terrorists". "A smile to the enemy is a blow to the national spirit," Saleh said. "We appreciate the efforts, but any peace talks about Afghanistan should be under the umbrella of the Afghan government," Afghanistan's de facto prime minister Abdullah Abdullah said after the Doha talks. 'A new war' The Taliban, who brutally ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, has always refused to break bread with Ghani and Kabul, who they view as US stooges. Instead, the insurgents are marching ahead with their diplomatic agenda. The talks in Moscow would see an "opening of channels to reaching an understanding" with Afghan leaders outside government, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. Such a meeting between the Taliban and Afghan politicians — including Karzai, who was appointed by the US — is almost unheard of. Ghani's rivals could see an opportunity in these various Taliban talks to undermine his leadership, analysts say, ahead of presidential elections slated for July. The Taliban outreach is also drawing a host of rival powers into its orbit, all keen that any finale to the war suits their strategic ambitions. Many of these present "a fundamental clash of vision and interests" for Afghanistan, said Davood Moradian, director of the Kabul-based Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies. The US, Afghanistan, and India seek a stable democracy and a bulwark against terrorism, he said. The Taliban and Pakistan, conversely, seek an Islamic authority in Kabul. A broader second group of "legitimate stakeholders and opportunistic spoilers" — including regional powers like Russia, China, and Iran — have their eyes keenly on waning US influence in the region, Moradian added. Dorronsoro said the US-Taliban talks, which continue later this month, were an "acknowledgement of defeat" by Washington of its military campaign in the country that would not be missed by rivals Russia and Iran, who have also engaged with the insurgents. The departure of US forces — if achieved under a deal with the Taliban — could draw the region into a "new war" for dominance in Afghanistan. "India, Pakistan, Iran... everyone will choose sides. Today, nothing is clear. Everyone is in the process of positioning themselves," Dorronsoro said.

Taliban takes centre stage as Kabul cut out of peace talks

There is still time to find a solution to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-brexit-minister-no-deal-eu-exit-far-more-likely-if-parliament-rejects-pm-mays-deal-188021">Britain's exit from the EU</a>, German Chancellor<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/japanese-pm-voices-hope-britain-can-avoid-no-deal-brexit-189485"> Angela Merkel </a>said Tuesday, voicing optimism on a political deal over the tricky "backstop" that has stymied progress.

Speaking to Japanese and German business leaders in Tokyo, Merkel stressed that "on the one hand, time is pressing" and businesses using "just-in-time" delivery processes could not afford lengthy customs procedures.

However, she added, "From a political point of view, there is still time. Two months is not a long time but there is still time, and this should be used by all sides."

Britain is poised to leave the EU at the end of March following a 2016 referendum.

Merkel acknowledged the issue of the unpopular Northern Ireland backstop provision was "complicating"<a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/why-a-no-deal-brexit-would-be-less-costly-for-the-eu-than-the-uk-192654"> Brexit </a>talks.

The backstop is intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with Ireland, but Brexit supporters fear it will keep Britain tied to EU customs rules.

She said the issue with the backstop was a "problem that is precisely defined and therefore one should be able to find a precisely defined solution".

"But this solution depends on the question of what the future relationship between Britain and the EU will be like and what type of trade deal we sign with each other," added the chancellor.

Throwing the ball into London's court, she stressed, "It will be very important for us to know what exactly the British side sees as its future relationship with the EU."

After meeting Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe Monday, she urged "creativity" and "goodwill" to find a solution.&nbsp;

However, she was clear that any solution could only come via the political declaration attached to the withdrawal agreement — rather than re-opening talks on the actual exit deal.

There are concerns in London that any tweaks to the political declaration will not be legally binding.

Her Monday comments were seen as conciliatory and boosted the pound as British Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to engage in further talks with EU officials to break the Brexit deadlock as the exit date approaches.

A top EU official, however, sounded the alarm bell after talks with British MPs.

Martin Selmayr, the right-hand man of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, said the meeting had confirmed the view that the EU was right to start in December 2017 preparations for a "no-deal" Brexit.

Merkel said relations between Britain and the EU bloc were currently strong and would remain that way.&nbsp;

"Over the last two years during which we have been dealing with Britain's exit, we have worked more closely together than during several years when Britain was a member of the European Union," she quipped to laughter. 
&nbsp;

There is still time to find a solution to Britain's exit from the EU, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday, voicing optimism on a political deal over the tricky "backstop" that has stymied progress.

There is still time to find a solution to Britain's exit from the EU, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday, voicing optimism on a political deal over the tricky "backstop" that has stymied progress. Speaking to Japanese and German business leaders in Tokyo, Merkel stressed that "on the one hand, time is pressing" and businesses using "just-in-time" delivery processes could not afford lengthy customs procedures. However, she added, "From a political point of view, there is still time. Two months is not a long time but there is still time, and this should be used by all sides." Britain is poised to leave the EU at the end of March following a 2016 referendum. Merkel acknowledged the issue of the unpopular Northern Ireland backstop provision was "complicating" Brexit talks. The backstop is intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with Ireland, but Brexit supporters fear it will keep Britain tied to EU customs rules. She said the issue with the backstop was a "problem that is precisely defined and therefore one should be able to find a precisely defined solution". "But this solution depends on the question of what the future relationship between Britain and the EU will be like and what type of trade deal we sign with each other," added the chancellor. Throwing the ball into London's court, she stressed, "It will be very important for us to know what exactly the British side sees as its future relationship with the EU." After meeting Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe Monday, she urged "creativity" and "goodwill" to find a solution. However, she was clear that any solution could only come via the political declaration attached to the withdrawal agreement — rather than re-opening talks on the actual exit deal. There are concerns in London that any tweaks to the political declaration will not be legally binding. Her Monday comments were seen as conciliatory and boosted the pound as British Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to engage in further talks with EU officials to break the Brexit deadlock as the exit date approaches. A top EU official, however, sounded the alarm bell after talks with British MPs. Martin Selmayr, the right-hand man of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, said the meeting had confirmed the view that the EU was right to start in December 2017 preparations for a "no-deal" Brexit. Merkel said relations between Britain and the EU bloc were currently strong and would remain that way. "Over the last two years during which we have been dealing with Britain's exit, we have worked more closely together than during several years when Britain was a member of the European Union," she quipped to laughter.

Germany's Merkel says 'still time' to find Brexit solution

The United States risks providing Afghanistan with state-of-the-art Black Hawk helicopters that the country's embattled air force does not have the pilots to fly nor the engineers to maintain, a US&nbsp;watchdog said on Tuesday.

The warning, by the US Special Inspector for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), comes amid widespread fears that the Afghan military will struggle to cope with a looming pullout of allied foreign troops after more than 17 years of conflict.

Talks between US&nbsp;envoys and Taliban negotiators due to resume in Qatar on Feb. 25 are likely to centre on the withdrawal of thousands of US-led NATO forces and a ceasefire to end America's longest war.

The US&nbsp;military has provided the first 16 of a scheduled 159 UH-60 Black Hawks to the Afghan air force and its special forces, a move the watchdog says raises concerns about the country's ability to absorb the rest by 2023.

It calls for efforts to improve pilot training timetables and English-language skills, as well as build a teaching programme for Afghan maintenance crews to replace foreign contractors.

"Given concerns that the Afghan air force and special mission wing may not be able to fully use all 159 aircraft when delivered, the Department of Defence runs the risk of wasting US&nbsp;taxpayer dollars to purchase aircraft the AAF and SMW cannot fly or maintain," SIGAR said.

It urged that the training and maintenance be linked to the pace of deliveries so that Black Hawks "will not sit idle in Afghanistan without enough pilots to fly them".

Even reduced targets of US-led training for 320 pilots may not be met, the watchdog added, with a class attrition rate of 26 per cent.

The Black Hawks are intended to replace a fleet of ageing Soviet-era helicopters that now serve as workhorses for the Afghan air force, which is battling Taliban militants who have stepped up attacks over the last two years.

The hardline Islamist movement now controls or contests districts across nearly half of Afghanistan.

In December last year, Reuters reported that Afghanistan's fleet of 47 M-17s was under pressure from a deadly mix of hard use and poor maintenance.

As the pace of operations against Taliban and Islamic State insurgents has risen, crews said they faced pressure to take shortcuts with maintenance, an issue U.S. military advisers saw as a major concern for the fledgling Afghan air force they were trying to build up, the Reuters report said.

SIGAR said the US&nbsp;military "acknowledged that the UH-60 has performance limitations when compared with the MI-17, which can fly higher and carry more passengers".

Most missions flown by the Afghan air force did not need the additional capability provided by the Mi-17, the watchdog, quoting the US&nbsp;military.

The United States risks providing Afghanistan with state-of-the-art Black Hawk helicopters that the country's embattled air force does not have the pilots to fly nor the engineers to maintain, a US watchdog said on Tuesday.

The United States risks providing Afghanistan with state-of-the-art Black Hawk helicopters that the country's embattled air force does not have the pilots to fly nor the engineers to maintain, a US watchdog said on Tuesday. The warning, by the US Special Inspector for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), comes amid widespread fears that the Afghan military will struggle to cope with a looming pullout of allied foreign troops after more than 17 years of conflict. Talks between US envoys and Taliban negotiators due to resume in Qatar on Feb. 25 are likely to centre on the withdrawal of thousands of US-led NATO forces and a ceasefire to end America's longest war. The US military has provided the first 16 of a scheduled 159 UH-60 Black Hawks to the Afghan air force and its special forces, a move the watchdog says raises concerns about the country's ability to absorb the rest by 2023. It calls for efforts to improve pilot training timetables and English-language skills, as well as build a teaching programme for Afghan maintenance crews to replace foreign contractors. "Given concerns that the Afghan air force and special mission wing may not be able to fully use all 159 aircraft when delivered, the Department of Defence runs the risk of wasting US taxpayer dollars to purchase aircraft the AAF and SMW cannot fly or maintain," SIGAR said. It urged that the training and maintenance be linked to the pace of deliveries so that Black Hawks "will not sit idle in Afghanistan without enough pilots to fly them". Even reduced targets of US-led training for 320 pilots may not be met, the watchdog added, with a class attrition rate of 26 per cent. The Black Hawks are intended to replace a fleet of ageing Soviet-era helicopters that now serve as workhorses for the Afghan air force, which is battling Taliban militants who have stepped up attacks over the last two years. The hardline Islamist movement now controls or contests districts across nearly half of Afghanistan. In December last year, Reuters reported that Afghanistan's fleet of 47 M-17s was under pressure from a deadly mix of hard use and poor maintenance. As the pace of operations against Taliban and Islamic State insurgents has risen, crews said they faced pressure to take shortcuts with maintenance, an issue U.S. military advisers saw as a major concern for the fledgling Afghan air force they were trying to build up, the Reuters report said. SIGAR said the US military "acknowledged that the UH-60 has performance limitations when compared with the MI-17, which can fly higher and carry more passengers". Most missions flown by the Afghan air force did not need the additional capability provided by the Mi-17, the watchdog, quoting the US military.

Afghanistan lacks pilots, engineers to handle Black Hawk helicopters, US watchdog warns

A 60-year-old Indian man has pleaded guilty for his role in a complex, transnational conspiracy to smuggle individuals from India to the US for profit, which claimed at least one life and endangered many others, the US Justice Department said. 
&nbsp; 
Yadvinder Singh Bhamba pleaded guilty last month to one count of conspiracy and 15 counts of smuggling aliens to the United States for profit before US Magistrate Judge Sivia Carreno-Coll of the District of Puerto Rico.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April. 
&nbsp; 
According to admissions in Bhamba's plea agreement, since 2013, Bhamba had a leadership role in a human smuggling conspiracy operating out of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, India and elsewhere.&nbsp;

As part of the conspiracy, Bhamba personally assisted around 400 people to unlawfully enter the United States between 2013 and 2015.

He also oversaw and directed co-conspirators operating out of the Caribbean, Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said. 
&nbsp; 
Individuals paid between US$ 30,000 and US$ 85,000 to be smuggled from India to the United States and from at least 2013 to 2016, human smuggling was Bhamba's primary source of income, the Department said.&nbsp;

Bhamba was arrested in the Dominican Republic in August 2017 and later transferred to Puerto Rico.&nbsp;

Bhamba and other members of the conspiracy made flight arrangements for people to travel from India through other countries including Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Iran, Panama, Venezuela, Belize, and Haiti to the Dominican Republic, which was used as a staging area, where aliens were housed before being transported to the United States.&nbsp;

The organisation brought groups of aliens from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico or Florida by boat and from there they were picked up by co-conspirators and taken to stash houses until flights could be arranged to California, New York, or elsewhere in the United States.

&nbsp;Bhamba and others arranged for fraudulent identifications for some aliens to use in the United States.&nbsp;

The Justice Department said that the boat trips organised by Bhamba and his co-conspirators were perilous. Boat captains used old, damaged, cracked, unlicensed, overcrowded, and unsafe boats to make the journey.&nbsp;

In at least one instance, a person died in a boat on his way to the United States.&nbsp;

At times, the smugglers would take passports from the aliens during their journeys, physically assault them, and threaten their families to collect money.&nbsp;

Bhamba used fraudulent Indian, Dominican, and Jamaican identifications for travel and financial transactions related to the conspiracy.&nbsp;

In some instances, he created and provided false employment documents on behalf of the aliens to authorities to obtain foreign visas.

Bhamba also instructed aliens travelling through foreign airports how to find, and in some instances, pay cash to, corrupt immigration officials, passport control officers, or airport employees in order to bypass regular immigration and passport control procedures. 
&nbsp;

A 60-year-old Indian man has pleaded guilty for his role in a complex, transnational conspiracy to smuggle individuals from India to the US for profit, which claimed at least one life and endangered many others, the US Justice Department said.

A 60-year-old Indian man has pleaded guilty for his role in a complex, transnational conspiracy to smuggle individuals from India to the US for profit, which claimed at least one life and endangered many others, the US Justice Department said. Yadvinder Singh Bhamba pleaded guilty last month to one count of conspiracy and 15 counts of smuggling aliens to the United States for profit before US Magistrate Judge Sivia Carreno-Coll of the District of Puerto Rico. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April. According to admissions in Bhamba's plea agreement, since 2013, Bhamba had a leadership role in a human smuggling conspiracy operating out of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, India and elsewhere. As part of the conspiracy, Bhamba personally assisted around 400 people to unlawfully enter the United States between 2013 and 2015. He also oversaw and directed co-conspirators operating out of the Caribbean, Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said. Individuals paid between US$ 30,000 and US$ 85,000 to be smuggled from India to the United States and from at least 2013 to 2016, human smuggling was Bhamba's primary source of income, the Department said. Bhamba was arrested in the Dominican Republic in August 2017 and later transferred to Puerto Rico. Bhamba and other members of the conspiracy made flight arrangements for people to travel from India through other countries including Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Iran, Panama, Venezuela, Belize, and Haiti to the Dominican Republic, which was used as a staging area, where aliens were housed before being transported to the United States. The organisation brought groups of aliens from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico or Florida by boat and from there they were picked up by co-conspirators and taken to stash houses until flights could be arranged to California, New York, or elsewhere in the United States. Bhamba and others arranged for fraudulent identifications for some aliens to use in the United States. The Justice Department said that the boat trips organised by Bhamba and his co-conspirators were perilous. Boat captains used old, damaged, cracked, unlicensed, overcrowded, and unsafe boats to make the journey. In at least one instance, a person died in a boat on his way to the United States. At times, the smugglers would take passports from the aliens during their journeys, physically assault them, and threaten their families to collect money. Bhamba used fraudulent Indian, Dominican, and Jamaican identifications for travel and financial transactions related to the conspiracy. In some instances, he created and provided false employment documents on behalf of the aliens to authorities to obtain foreign visas. Bhamba also instructed aliens travelling through foreign airports how to find, and in some instances, pay cash to, corrupt immigration officials, passport control officers, or airport employees in order to bypass regular immigration and passport control procedures.

Indian national pleads guilty to transnational human smuggling conspiracy in US

The week that was, in pictures

Warren Ragudo died after two Taser shocks by police intervening in a family altercation. Ramzi Saad died after a Taser shock by police during a dispute between Saad and his mother. Chinedu Okobi died after police used a Taser to subdue him in a confrontation they blamed on his refusal to stop walking in traffic.

All three were unarmed. All three had histories of mental illness. And all three died last year in a single northern California county, San Mateo.

They were among at least 49 people who died in 2018 after being shocked by police with a Taser, a similar number as in the previous two years, according to a Reuters review of police records, news reports and court documents.

The deaths typically draw little public scrutiny – no government agency tracks how often Tasers are used or how many of those deployments prove fatal, and coroners and medical examiners use varying standards to assess a Taser's role in the death. But some communities now are considering more restrictive Taser policies following allegations that the weapons were used excessively or deployed against people with physical or mental conditions that put them at higher risk of death or injury.

Reuters has contacted 14 police departments, counties and cities that saw a Taser-related death or other serious Taser-related incidents in 2018. Of those, five are reviewing their Taser policies; three had conducted reviews and made no changes, and five declined to comment because investigations into the incidents were still ongoing.

Reuters now has documented a total of at least 1,081 US deaths following the use of Tasers, almost all since the weapons began coming into widespread use in the early 2000s. In many of those cases, the Taser, which fires a pair of barbed darts that deliver a paralyzing electrical charge, was combined with other force, such as hand strikes or restraint holds.

Following the three San Mateo deaths, all within nine months, the county board of supervisors and the district attorney launched ongoing reviews of the use and safety of Tasers, which were touted by police and the weapon’s manufacturer as a near-perfect, “non-lethal” weapon when they began coming into widespread use more than a decade ago.

There is a need to reevaluate “the proper role for Tasers and how and when they are engaged,” Dave Pine, a member of the Board of Supervisors told Reuters. Until then, “I personally think it would be appropriate to have a moratorium on their use.”

Most independent researchers who have studied Tasers say deaths are rare when they are used properly, but in a series of reports in 2017, Reuters found that many police officers are not trained properly on the risks and weapons are often misused.

Reuters was able to obtain cause-of-death data for 779 of the 1,081 deaths it has documented and the Taser has deemed a cause or contributing factor in 21 per cent of those.

Axon Enterprise Inc, the Taser’s manufacturer, says most deaths involving the weapons are a result of drug use, underlying physiological conditions, such as heart problems, or other police force used along with the Taser.

Axon argues that most cause-of-death rulings implicating its weapons are misinformed and said in an email that Tasers albeit "not risk-free" are "the safest and effective less-lethal use of force tool available to law enforcement.”

RECOGNIZING THE RISKS

Reuters reporting, which included the most complete accounting to date of fatalities following Taser shocks, showed that many cases involved high-risk subjects, such as people agitated by drugs or mental illness, people with heart problems, people who are very young or very old or very frail.

At least half those who died after Taser shocks last year fell into one or more of those categories. As in previous years, about 90 per cent were unarmed and nearly a quarter had a history of mental illness.

As police departments have become more aware of Tasers’ risks and limitations, a growing number have restricted their use, says Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) think tank. Still, many officers remain unaware of the hazards when they encounter those vulnerable to a Taser's shock, Wexler warns.

“That’s a big problem.”

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, one of the nation’s largest police forces, drafted a new Taser policy last year that would put new restrictions on the weapons' deployment, according to an official familiar with the initiative. The policy awaits final approval from the department’s new leadership, which took over after November’s elections.

In Cincinnati, the police department is reviewing its Taser policy after an 11-year-old girl was shocked last year, said Lt. Steve Saunders, a spokesman. In Chula Vista, California, an automatic review is underway following the death of Jason Watts, 29, who died in October after police shocked him in a confrontation at a store, spokesman Capt. Phil Collum said.

Public discourse over Tasers’ safety has been especially heated in San Francisco, where the Board of Supervisors voted in June to block funding for the police department’s long-debated plan to purchase the weapons.

Nationally, there are no uniform standards governing police use of Tasers, although PERF and the International Association of Chiefs of Police offer model guidelines that warn against using Tasers on vulnerable populations and limit the number and duration of shocks during deployment.

Axon said it offers police departments “the latest public-safety best practices and training” for Taser use, including warnings about vulnerable populations. The company also offers “de-escalation training” to help officers resolve conflicts without Tasers, as well as “empathy training for special populations, including the mentally ill.”

CONCERNS IN SAN MATEO

In San Mateo, the county coroner ruled the death of Ramzi Saad a homicide: "cardiac arrest occurring during physical exertion, physical restraint and tasering."

Police visited the Redwood City home where Saad, 55, lived with his mother on Aug. 13 after a neighbour witnessed him shoving his mother during an argument and called 911.

Saad, who suffered from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, diabetes, and high blood pressure, was shocked with a Taser at least twice after threatening an officer, then lost consciousness as he was pinned to the ground by other police, investigators later found. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Stephen Wagstaffe, the county’s district attorney, found the officers’ response justified, but the second death in 2018 after a Taser shock made local officials take notice.

Two months later, the questions about Taser use grew more urgent: Chinedu Okobi, 36, died on October 3 after being shocked by San Mateo County Sheriff's deputies in Millbrae.

The deaths have raised major concerns, Wagstaffe told Reuters. He said he has directed staff “to come up with as much information as possible on Taser-related deaths." The results of the fact-gathering exercise will go to the sheriff and the county’s 15 municipal police chiefs “to help them in their judgment on the future use of Tasers,” Wagstaffe said.

The district attorney is conducting a separate, formal investigation into whether the deputies who confronted Okobi before his death committed any crimes. That inquiry should be completed by the end of the month and will be made public, Wagstaffe told Reuters.

While Pine favours a moratorium on Taser use during the review, several municipal police chiefs told Reuters they preferred to wait for Wagstaffe’s Okobi investigation before deciding whether to alter policies. The sheriff’s department, which operates countywide, is against a moratorium. Carlos Bolanos, the San Mateo County Sheriff, said he was awaiting results of Wagstaffe's report into Okobi's death before his department conducts its own internal review into the death.

Meanwhile, Okobi’s death has become a flashpoint in the county’s debate over Taser use. The sheriff's department and Okobi's sister Ebele, a Facebook executive, have offered conflicting accounts about the events surrounding Okobi's death. The Board of Supervisors will hold a public meeting on February 11 to discuss law enforcement's Taser use. Presenters will include officials from Axon, the county sheriff's office, the American Civil Liberties Union and Dr Zian Tseng, a cardiologist, Pine said.

Warren Ragudo died after two Taser shocks by police intervening in a family altercation. Ramzi Saad died after a Taser shock by police during a dispute between Saad and his mother.

Warren Ragudo died after two Taser shocks by police intervening in a family altercation. Ramzi Saad died after a Taser shock by police during a dispute between Saad and his mother. Chinedu Okobi died after police used a Taser to subdue him in a confrontation they blamed on his refusal to stop walking in traffic. All three were unarmed. All three had histories of mental illness. And all three died last year in a single northern California county, San Mateo. They were among at least 49 people who died in 2018 after being shocked by police with a Taser, a similar number as in the previous two years, according to a Reuters review of police records, news reports and court documents. The deaths typically draw little public scrutiny – no government agency tracks how often Tasers are used or how many of those deployments prove fatal, and coroners and medical examiners use varying standards to assess a Taser's role in the death. But some communities now are considering more restrictive Taser policies following allegations that the weapons were used excessively or deployed against people with physical or mental conditions that put them at higher risk of death or injury. Reuters has contacted 14 police departments, counties and cities that saw a Taser-related death or other serious Taser-related incidents in 2018. Of those, five are reviewing their Taser policies; three had conducted reviews and made no changes, and five declined to comment because investigations into the incidents were still ongoing. Reuters now has documented a total of at least 1,081 US deaths following the use of Tasers, almost all since the weapons began coming into widespread use in the early 2000s. In many of those cases, the Taser, which fires a pair of barbed darts that deliver a paralyzing electrical charge, was combined with other force, such as hand strikes or restraint holds. Following the three San Mateo deaths, all within nine months, the county board of supervisors and the district attorney launched ongoing reviews of the use and safety of Tasers, which were touted by police and the weapon’s manufacturer as a near-perfect, “non-lethal” weapon when they began coming into widespread use more than a decade ago. There is a need to reevaluate “the proper role for Tasers and how and when they are engaged,” Dave Pine, a member of the Board of Supervisors told Reuters. Until then, “I personally think it would be appropriate to have a moratorium on their use.” Most independent researchers who have studied Tasers say deaths are rare when they are used properly, but in a series of reports in 2017, Reuters found that many police officers are not trained properly on the risks and weapons are often misused. Reuters was able to obtain cause-of-death data for 779 of the 1,081 deaths it has documented and the Taser has deemed a cause or contributing factor in 21 per cent of those. Axon Enterprise Inc, the Taser’s manufacturer, says most deaths involving the weapons are a result of drug use, underlying physiological conditions, such as heart problems, or other police force used along with the Taser. Axon argues that most cause-of-death rulings implicating its weapons are misinformed and said in an email that Tasers albeit "not risk-free" are "the safest and effective less-lethal use of force tool available to law enforcement.” RECOGNIZING THE RISKS Reuters reporting, which included the most complete accounting to date of fatalities following Taser shocks, showed that many cases involved high-risk subjects, such as people agitated by drugs or mental illness, people with heart problems, people who are very young or very old or very frail. At least half those who died after Taser shocks last year fell into one or more of those categories. As in previous years, about 90 per cent were unarmed and nearly a quarter had a history of mental illness. As police departments have become more aware of Tasers’ risks and limitations, a growing number have restricted their use, says Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) think tank. Still, many officers remain unaware of the hazards when they encounter those vulnerable to a Taser's shock, Wexler warns. “That’s a big problem.” The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, one of the nation’s largest police forces, drafted a new Taser policy last year that would put new restrictions on the weapons' deployment, according to an official familiar with the initiative. The policy awaits final approval from the department’s new leadership, which took over after November’s elections. In Cincinnati, the police department is reviewing its Taser policy after an 11-year-old girl was shocked last year, said Lt. Steve Saunders, a spokesman. In Chula Vista, California, an automatic review is underway following the death of Jason Watts, 29, who died in October after police shocked him in a confrontation at a store, spokesman Capt. Phil Collum said. Public discourse over Tasers’ safety has been especially heated in San Francisco, where the Board of Supervisors voted in June to block funding for the police department’s long-debated plan to purchase the weapons. Nationally, there are no uniform standards governing police use of Tasers, although PERF and the International Association of Chiefs of Police offer model guidelines that warn against using Tasers on vulnerable populations and limit the number and duration of shocks during deployment. Axon said it offers police departments “the latest public-safety best practices and training” for Taser use, including warnings about vulnerable populations. The company also offers “de-escalation training” to help officers resolve conflicts without Tasers, as well as “empathy training for special populations, including the mentally ill.” CONCERNS IN SAN MATEO In San Mateo, the county coroner ruled the death of Ramzi Saad a homicide: "cardiac arrest occurring during physical exertion, physical restraint and tasering." Police visited the Redwood City home where Saad, 55, lived with his mother on Aug. 13 after a neighbour witnessed him shoving his mother during an argument and called 911. Saad, who suffered from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, diabetes, and high blood pressure, was shocked with a Taser at least twice after threatening an officer, then lost consciousness as he was pinned to the ground by other police, investigators later found. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Stephen Wagstaffe, the county’s district attorney, found the officers’ response justified, but the second death in 2018 after a Taser shock made local officials take notice. Two months later, the questions about Taser use grew more urgent: Chinedu Okobi, 36, died on October 3 after being shocked by San Mateo County Sheriff's deputies in Millbrae. The deaths have raised major concerns, Wagstaffe told Reuters. He said he has directed staff “to come up with as much information as possible on Taser-related deaths." The results of the fact-gathering exercise will go to the sheriff and the county’s 15 municipal police chiefs “to help them in their judgment on the future use of Tasers,” Wagstaffe said. The district attorney is conducting a separate, formal investigation into whether the deputies who confronted Okobi before his death committed any crimes. That inquiry should be completed by the end of the month and will be made public, Wagstaffe told Reuters. While Pine favours a moratorium on Taser use during the review, several municipal police chiefs told Reuters they preferred to wait for Wagstaffe’s Okobi investigation before deciding whether to alter policies. The sheriff’s department, which operates countywide, is against a moratorium. Carlos Bolanos, the San Mateo County Sheriff, said he was awaiting results of Wagstaffe's report into Okobi's death before his department conducts its own internal review into the death. Meanwhile, Okobi’s death has become a flashpoint in the county’s debate over Taser use. The sheriff's department and Okobi's sister Ebele, a Facebook executive, have offered conflicting accounts about the events surrounding Okobi's death. The Board of Supervisors will hold a public meeting on February 11 to discuss law enforcement's Taser use. Presenters will include officials from Axon, the county sheriff's office, the American Civil Liberties Union and Dr Zian Tseng, a cardiologist, Pine said.

As death toll keeps rising, US communities start rethinking Taser use

A delegation of Mohajirs and representatives of Pashtun, Baloch, and Hazara from Pakistan met Congressman Rob Wittman and apprised him about the alleged acts of ethnic prejudice and persecution by the government agencies against the members of minority communities.

The Virginia Congressman reaffirmed his support for victims of human rights abuses and assured the delegation that he would continue to raise these issues in Congress as well all other relevant forums, a media release by the Congressman said on Sunday.&nbsp;

The group, led by the Voice of Karachi and South Asia Minorities Alliance Foundation chairman Nadeem Nusrat, briefed Wittman about the alleged human rights violation, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, physical torture and arbitrary arrests against the minority communities.

Nusrat pointed out the devastating economic and social impact of a highly discriminatory quota system in urban Sindh that has forced the majority urban population out of government jobs and admissions in public educational institutions since the 1970s.

"You could find people of Lahore and Rawalpindi and other cities in their local police. But you'd hardly find the citizens of Karachi, Hyderabad, and Mirpurkhas in the local police of the cities and the other law enforcement agencies," Nusrat alleged.

"Persistent and organised rigging in a census and electoral constituencies have left the urban population disenfranchised. The urban majority is ruled by a fake rural population that treats urban areas as its colonies," he said.

Nusrat also shared with the Congressman details of Greater Karachi plans that the Voice of Karachi recently presented in its media briefing in the US capital.

Pashtun, Baloch and Hazara representatives also shared the details of human rights violations in their respective regions with Congressman Wittman.&nbsp;

Participants of the meeting also handed over documents describing details of security forces' brutalities against various ethnic and religious groups in Pakistan, a media release said.

Wittman, who has served at many important Congressional committees, reaffirmed his support for victims of human rights abuses and assured the participants of the meeting that he will continue to raise these issues in Congress as well all other relevant forums, the media release said.&nbsp;

A delegation of Mohajirs and representatives of Pashtun, Baloch, and Hazara from Pakistan met Congressman Rob Wittman and apprised him about the alleged acts of ethnic prejudice and persecution by the government agencies against the members of minority communities.

A delegation of Mohajirs and representatives of Pashtun, Baloch, and Hazara from Pakistan met Congressman Rob Wittman and apprised him about the alleged acts of ethnic prejudice and persecution by the government agencies against the members of minority communities. The Virginia Congressman reaffirmed his support for victims of human rights abuses and assured the delegation that he would continue to raise these issues in Congress as well all other relevant forums, a media release by the Congressman said on Sunday. The group, led by the Voice of Karachi and South Asia Minorities Alliance Foundation chairman Nadeem Nusrat, briefed Wittman about the alleged human rights violation, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, physical torture and arbitrary arrests against the minority communities. Nusrat pointed out the devastating economic and social impact of a highly discriminatory quota system in urban Sindh that has forced the majority urban population out of government jobs and admissions in public educational institutions since the 1970s. "You could find people of Lahore and Rawalpindi and other cities in their local police. But you'd hardly find the citizens of Karachi, Hyderabad, and Mirpurkhas in the local police of the cities and the other law enforcement agencies," Nusrat alleged. "Persistent and organised rigging in a census and electoral constituencies have left the urban population disenfranchised. The urban majority is ruled by a fake rural population that treats urban areas as its colonies," he said. Nusrat also shared with the Congressman details of Greater Karachi plans that the Voice of Karachi recently presented in its media briefing in the US capital. Pashtun, Baloch and Hazara representatives also shared the details of human rights violations in their respective regions with Congressman Wittman. Participants of the meeting also handed over documents describing details of security forces' brutalities against various ethnic and religious groups in Pakistan, a media release said. Wittman, who has served at many important Congressional committees, reaffirmed his support for victims of human rights abuses and assured the participants of the meeting that he will continue to raise these issues in Congress as well all other relevant forums, the media release said.

Pakistan minority groups brief US Congressman over human rights abuses

Weather wrath:  Floods in Australia, Snow in US

It's a dilemma for European telecoms firms: Should they steal a march on competitors and rapidly roll out next-generation 5G mobile networks using equipment from top supplier Huawei? Or should they heed<a href="http://www.wionews.com/americas/united-states-formally-charges-chinas-huawei-with-bank-fraud-stealing-trade-secrets-193545"> US-led warnings of security threats </a>and sit tight, and possibly fall behind?

Getting it right will have big consequences as 5G networks are the next milestone in the digital revolution, bringing near-instantaneous connectivity, vast data capacity and futuristic technologies.

No operator wants to be left behind, and neither do governments who see 5G technology as a future key driver of economic growth.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/czech-tax-tender-excludes-chinas-huawei-after-security-warning-193921">China's Huawei</a> has quietly become a leading supplier of the backbone equipment for mobile networks, particularly in developing markets thanks to cheaper prices.

Spearheading cutting-edge 5G equipment has also seen it make inroads into developed markets.

However, a growing number of Western states are turning their backs on Huawei, fearful that its equipment could be a Trojan horse for Beijing's intrusive security apparatus as<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-introduce-bipartisan-bills-targeting-chinas-huawei-and-zte-190862"> Chinese laws </a>require its firms to cooperate with intelligence services.

Huawei strenuously denies its equipment could be used for espionage.

While most European governments are trying to make up their minds, mobile operators must make their own choice, and it's a tough one.

Several operators have already begun tests with Huawei equipment, such as Bouygues Telecom and SFR have in several French cities.

"Huawei is today more expensive than its rivals but it is also much better, they have really moved ahead in terms of quality of network equipment over their European competitors," said an executive of one European mobile operator recently on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;

Experts say Huawei is between six months and one year ahead of Sweden's Ericsson in terms of the quality of its 5G equipment.

The number two mobile network equipment manufacturer, Finland's Nokia, is said to be even further behind.

5G leader

"Many want to avoid the Chinese but they are currently the most advanced in the area," said Victor Marcais, a telecoms and media specialist at Roland Berger consultancy.

"Huawei has moved in the past few years from being the 'low cost' option to becoming the 5G leader."

Several sources said that Huawei even helped Nokia in research and development to avoid facing off alone against Ericsson in 5G.

Huawei would only say that it has "long-term partnerships" with several of its competitors in areas such as production methods, standards and patents.

"We have always defended the principle of open innovation and collaboration to facilitate the development of the telecoms industry," a Huawei spokesman said.

After establishing itself as a player on 4G networks, the Shenzhen-based group has doubled down to dominate 5G.

Each year it invests between 10 and 15 per cent of its sales revenue on research and development. It spent $13.8 billion on R&amp;D in 2017 and $15 billion last year.

The strategy is paying dividends.&nbsp;

In 2017 Huawei was by far the number one supplier of equipment for telecom networks, with a 22 per cent market share, according to IHS Markit. Nokia trailed with a 13 per cent share and Ericsson with 11 per cent.

That gap could grow as more operators across the world develop 5G networks, although the current geopolitical tensions pose a risk to Huawei exploiting its technological lead.

European ambitions

European nations, like those in Asia and the United States, want a rapid rollout of 5G with the first services expected to be running next year. A target that is difficult to attain without recourse to Huawei.

"The regulators and governments have quite ambitious timetables while the operators see 5G as a way to reduce costs per gigabyte as data volumes explode," said Marcais at Roland Berger.

"However we see in Germany, for example, they aren't happy the way things are shaping up."

Deutsche Telekom, in an internal document obtained by Bloomberg, warned that Europe could fall behind China and the United States by as much as two years if it forgoes using Huawei's 5G equipment.&nbsp;

It's a dilemma for European telecoms firms: Should they steal a march on competitors and rapidly roll out next-generation 5G mobile networks using equipment from top supplier Huawei?

It's a dilemma for European telecoms firms: Should they steal a march on competitors and rapidly roll out next-generation 5G mobile networks using equipment from top supplier Huawei? Or should they heed US-led warnings of security threats and sit tight, and possibly fall behind? Getting it right will have big consequences as 5G networks are the next milestone in the digital revolution, bringing near-instantaneous connectivity, vast data capacity and futuristic technologies. No operator wants to be left behind, and neither do governments who see 5G technology as a future key driver of economic growth. China's Huawei has quietly become a leading supplier of the backbone equipment for mobile networks, particularly in developing markets thanks to cheaper prices. Spearheading cutting-edge 5G equipment has also seen it make inroads into developed markets. However, a growing number of Western states are turning their backs on Huawei, fearful that its equipment could be a Trojan horse for Beijing's intrusive security apparatus as Chinese laws require its firms to cooperate with intelligence services. Huawei strenuously denies its equipment could be used for espionage. While most European governments are trying to make up their minds, mobile operators must make their own choice, and it's a tough one. Several operators have already begun tests with Huawei equipment, such as Bouygues Telecom and SFR have in several French cities. "Huawei is today more expensive than its rivals but it is also much better, they have really moved ahead in terms of quality of network equipment over their European competitors," said an executive of one European mobile operator recently on condition of anonymity. Experts say Huawei is between six months and one year ahead of Sweden's Ericsson in terms of the quality of its 5G equipment. The number two mobile network equipment manufacturer, Finland's Nokia, is said to be even further behind. 5G leader "Many want to avoid the Chinese but they are currently the most advanced in the area," said Victor Marcais, a telecoms and media specialist at Roland Berger consultancy. "Huawei has moved in the past few years from being the 'low cost' option to becoming the 5G leader." Several sources said that Huawei even helped Nokia in research and development to avoid facing off alone against Ericsson in 5G. Huawei would only say that it has "long-term partnerships" with several of its competitors in areas such as production methods, standards and patents. "We have always defended the principle of open innovation and collaboration to facilitate the development of the telecoms industry," a Huawei spokesman said. After establishing itself as a player on 4G networks, the Shenzhen-based group has doubled down to dominate 5G. Each year it invests between 10 and 15 per cent of its sales revenue on research and development. It spent $13.8 billion on R&D in 2017 and $15 billion last year. The strategy is paying dividends. In 2017 Huawei was by far the number one supplier of equipment for telecom networks, with a 22 per cent market share, according to IHS Markit. Nokia trailed with a 13 per cent share and Ericsson with 11 per cent. That gap could grow as more operators across the world develop 5G networks, although the current geopolitical tensions pose a risk to Huawei exploiting its technological lead. European ambitions European nations, like those in Asia and the United States, want a rapid rollout of 5G with the first services expected to be running next year. A target that is difficult to attain without recourse to Huawei. "The regulators and governments have quite ambitious timetables while the operators see 5G as a way to reduce costs per gigabyte as data volumes explode," said Marcais at Roland Berger. "However we see in Germany, for example, they aren't happy the way things are shaping up." Deutsche Telekom, in an internal document obtained by Bloomberg, warned that Europe could fall behind China and the United States by as much as two years if it forgoes using Huawei's 5G equipment.

European telecoms' dilemma: Huawei or the highway?

India issues demarche to US embassy over detention of 129 students

US withdraws from Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty with Russia

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/theresa-mays-brexit-deal-finally-wins-majority-support-in-parliament-193817">British Prime Minister Theresa May</a> said on Sunday she would be "armed with a fresh mandate and new ideas" when she meets European Union negotiators over her <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/britains-may-faces-defeat-in-parliament-over-brexit-plan-190530">Brexit deal.</a>

EU officials have insisted that the deal is not open for renegotiation.

But May wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that she would be "battling for Britain and Northern Ireland" in her efforts to get rid of the agreement's unpopular backstop provision.

"If we stand together and speak with one voice, I believe we can find the right way forward," she said.

The backstop is intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with Ireland, but Brexit supporters fear it will keep Britain tied to the EU's customs rules.

MPs voted last week to send May back to Brussels to renegotiate the clause, suggesting her deal would then be able to pass after it was roundly rejected in parliament last month.

"I am now confident there is a route that can secure a majority in the House of Commons for leaving the EU with a deal," she wrote.

"When I return to Brussels I will be battling for Britain and Northern Ireland, I will be armed with a fresh mandate, new ideas and a renewed determination to agree on a pragmatic solution".

The EU insists that the deal "remains the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal," but with the clock running down until the March 29 exit date the risks of a no-deal Brexit for both Britain and the bloc are coming into sharp focus.

May said opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn "also believes the potential indefinite nature of the backstop is an issue", and that the EU has "already accepted the principle of 'alternative arrangements' superseding the backstop should it ever be required."

The backstop would kick in if Britain and the EU have not agreed to a trade deal on their future relationship after a time-limited transition period of up to two years.

The prime minister rejected accusations that plans to reopen the backstop talks risked upsetting the Irish peace process.

"Nor do I have time for those who believe the verdict passed by the British people in 2016 should be overturned before it is even implemented," she added, referring to the rump of MPs calling for a second referendum.

"I'm determined to deliver Brexit, and determined to deliver on time — on March 29, 2019," she wrote.

May has promised MPs that she will bring any revised deal back to be voted on by MPs on February 13.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday she would be "armed with a fresh mandate and new ideas" when she meets European Union negotiators over her Brexit deal.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday she would be "armed with a fresh mandate and new ideas" when she meets European Union negotiators over her Brexit deal. EU officials have insisted that the deal is not open for renegotiation. But May wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that she would be "battling for Britain and Northern Ireland" in her efforts to get rid of the agreement's unpopular backstop provision. "If we stand together and speak with one voice, I believe we can find the right way forward," she said. The backstop is intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with Ireland, but Brexit supporters fear it will keep Britain tied to the EU's customs rules. MPs voted last week to send May back to Brussels to renegotiate the clause, suggesting her deal would then be able to pass after it was roundly rejected in parliament last month. "I am now confident there is a route that can secure a majority in the House of Commons for leaving the EU with a deal," she wrote. "When I return to Brussels I will be battling for Britain and Northern Ireland, I will be armed with a fresh mandate, new ideas and a renewed determination to agree on a pragmatic solution". The EU insists that the deal "remains the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal," but with the clock running down until the March 29 exit date the risks of a no-deal Brexit for both Britain and the bloc are coming into sharp focus. May said opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn "also believes the potential indefinite nature of the backstop is an issue", and that the EU has "already accepted the principle of 'alternative arrangements' superseding the backstop should it ever be required." The backstop would kick in if Britain and the EU have not agreed to a trade deal on their future relationship after a time-limited transition period of up to two years. The prime minister rejected accusations that plans to reopen the backstop talks risked upsetting the Irish peace process. "Nor do I have time for those who believe the verdict passed by the British people in 2016 should be overturned before it is even implemented," she added, referring to the rump of MPs calling for a second referendum. "I'm determined to deliver Brexit, and determined to deliver on time — on March 29, 2019," she wrote. May has promised MPs that she will bring any revised deal back to be voted on by MPs on February 13.

UK's May says she is 'armed with fresh' Brexit mandate

The US scrapping of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-withdraw-from-inf-missile-treaty-unless-russia-complies-trump-194448">Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia</a> could launch a new arms race, but will also allow the United States to update its nuclear arsenal, a publicly stated goal for the past year.

President Donald Trump announced Friday the US was suspending its obligations under <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/inf-treaty-with-russia-has-been-invalidated-germany-194404">the INF treaty </a>as of Saturday and starting a process to withdraw in six months.

NATO has said that US allies "fully support" its withdrawal from the pact, and agreed that<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-says-russia-suspending-missile-treaty-after-us-move-agencies-194569"> Russia's</a> 9M729 ground-launched cruise missile systems violate the treaty.

A day later, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a tit-for-tat withdrawal from the pact to develop "new types of weapons," calling Washington's decision "unilateral and totally unprovoked."

The United States has complained about the alleged Russian violations for years.&nbsp;

But now it's also speaking openly about its chance to upgrade its arms stock.

When the United States unveiled its new nuclear policy in February 2018, it warned that it planned to buy two new weapons: a new type of low-power nuclear missile to be launched from a submarine, and a new type of nuclear cruise missile that would violate the INF agreement.

This new missile — which would only come into service within a decade — would only be a violation of the treaty if it were deployed, the Pentagon says.&nbsp;

It has always stressed that a research and development program was not prohibited by the 1987 treaty with Moscow.

So starting Saturday "we are no longer bound by the constraints of the Treaty," Johnny Michael, a Pentagon spokesman, told AFP Friday.

The 2019 US military budget provides funds for developing this new intermediate-range land-based missile and "we are still in the research phase," the spokesman said.

In fact, the Pentagon was already preparing its response to Russian missile 9M729, with a top range of 480 kilometres, Moscow insists.

But Washington, backed by NATO allies, says that Russian missile has already been tested on much greater distances.

Arms race

Johns Hopkins University's Jeffrey Pryce argues that the INF treaty favours the United States because, while it prohibits all surface-to-air missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres, conventional or intermediate, anything fired from a submarine or dropped by a bomber, simply is not covered.

"Thus, the INF Treaty deprives Russia of a significant military capability, for which its size and location are strategic advantages," the former Pentagon official said on Twitter. &nbsp;

"The US, by contrast, has the world's most powerful navy and air force. And the INF Treaty does not restrict sea-launched or air-launched missiles."

According to figures from the anti-nuclear group Union of Concerned Scientists, the US nuclear arsenal holds 4,600 nuclear weapons, of which 1,740 are deployed and ready to be used at any time, and 2,922 stored.

Ten US Navy submarines armed with nuclear missiles are constantly patrolling the seas, the group said.

Russia has a similar number of nuclear warheads, but its nuclear submarines are in bad shape, as several accidents have shown in recent years.

China, keen to assert military supremacy in Asia, also has intermediate-range missiles. According to experts, 95 per cent of Chinese missiles would violate the INF treaty if Beijing was a signatory.

Michael Krepon, of the Stimson Center, believes that "we're headed toward a new nuclear arms race.

"Any time your national defence budget is ten times bigger than Russia's and five times bigger than China's, you can afford an arms race. But arms races usually don't end well: even if you stay ahead of the competition, your security is diminished." 
&nbsp;

The US scrapping of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia could launch a new arms race, but will also allow the United States to update its nuclear arsenal, a publicly stated goal for the past year.

The US scrapping of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia could launch a new arms race, but will also allow the United States to update its nuclear arsenal, a publicly stated goal for the past year. President Donald Trump announced Friday the US was suspending its obligations under the INF treaty as of Saturday and starting a process to withdraw in six months. NATO has said that US allies "fully support" its withdrawal from the pact, and agreed that Russia's 9M729 ground-launched cruise missile systems violate the treaty. A day later, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a tit-for-tat withdrawal from the pact to develop "new types of weapons," calling Washington's decision "unilateral and totally unprovoked." The United States has complained about the alleged Russian violations for years. But now it's also speaking openly about its chance to upgrade its arms stock. When the United States unveiled its new nuclear policy in February 2018, it warned that it planned to buy two new weapons: a new type of low-power nuclear missile to be launched from a submarine, and a new type of nuclear cruise missile that would violate the INF agreement. This new missile — which would only come into service within a decade — would only be a violation of the treaty if it were deployed, the Pentagon says. It has always stressed that a research and development program was not prohibited by the 1987 treaty with Moscow. So starting Saturday "we are no longer bound by the constraints of the Treaty," Johnny Michael, a Pentagon spokesman, told AFP Friday. The 2019 US military budget provides funds for developing this new intermediate-range land-based missile and "we are still in the research phase," the spokesman said. In fact, the Pentagon was already preparing its response to Russian missile 9M729, with a top range of 480 kilometres, Moscow insists. But Washington, backed by NATO allies, says that Russian missile has already been tested on much greater distances. Arms race Johns Hopkins University's Jeffrey Pryce argues that the INF treaty favours the United States because, while it prohibits all surface-to-air missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres, conventional or intermediate, anything fired from a submarine or dropped by a bomber, simply is not covered. "Thus, the INF Treaty deprives Russia of a significant military capability, for which its size and location are strategic advantages," the former Pentagon official said on Twitter. "The US, by contrast, has the world's most powerful navy and air force. And the INF Treaty does not restrict sea-launched or air-launched missiles." According to figures from the anti-nuclear group Union of Concerned Scientists, the US nuclear arsenal holds 4,600 nuclear weapons, of which 1,740 are deployed and ready to be used at any time, and 2,922 stored. Ten US Navy submarines armed with nuclear missiles are constantly patrolling the seas, the group said. Russia has a similar number of nuclear warheads, but its nuclear submarines are in bad shape, as several accidents have shown in recent years. China, keen to assert military supremacy in Asia, also has intermediate-range missiles. According to experts, 95 per cent of Chinese missiles would violate the INF treaty if Beijing was a signatory. Michael Krepon, of the Stimson Center, believes that "we're headed toward a new nuclear arms race. "Any time your national defence budget is ten times bigger than Russia's and five times bigger than China's, you can afford an arms race. But arms races usually don't end well: even if you stay ahead of the competition, your security is diminished."

Dropping weapons treaty would let US update its nuclear arsenal

Already tilted to the right by President Donald Trump's nominations, the US Supreme Court is facing a test case on abortion rights, one of the most polarizing issues in an already divided nation. &nbsp;

A clinic and two doctors offering abortions in Louisiana have appealed to the Supreme Court to block a law restricting access to abortion that is due to come into force next week in the conservative southern state.

The law, approved in 2014, would require doctors offering abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of where they operate.

Louisiana argues that the risks of complications arising during an abortion procedure mean that patients may need to be transferred to a nearby hospital where doctors could step in.

That argument was endorsed by a state appeals court and the law will come into effect on Monday unless challenged by the Supreme Court.

A similar law limiting abortion access in Texas was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2016.

But since Trump came to office two years ago, he has appointed two new conservative justices, tilting the balance of the court sharply to the right.

A decision not to take up the case would encourage the American right-wing and evangelical movement to step up challenges to longstanding abortion laws.&nbsp;

The plaintiffs in the Louisiana case argue the new law "will have disastrous consequences for women in the state," where 10,000 women seek abortions every year.

"Louisiana’s admitting privileges requirement would leave only one physician providing abortions in the entire state and that all-but-one clinic that provides abortion care would be forced to close," they said.

They said the Texas law, adopted in 2013, led to the closure of half of the services offering abortions in the state, before being overturned by the Supreme Court three years later.&nbsp;

All eyes on new judges

Despite being a twice-divorced former casino mogul, Trump won over the powerful evangelical right by promising to appoint judges opposed to abortion rights.

Once in office, he made good on his pledge by nominating Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, tipping the balance of the court to five conservative justices and just four liberals.

Both men stressed the importance of legal precedent in their confirmation hearings, but anti-abortion activists saw their appointments as a chance to assail the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling allowing abortion, known as Roe v Wade.

The Louisiana case will prove a key stress test for that ruling.

If either one of the new appointees' sides with the progressives, the top court can freeze the Louisiana law.

Otherwise, the court will not intercede and the law will go into effect.

Defenders of women's right to abortion fear that silence from the court will encourage other states to follow Louisiana's lead.

'1,000 cuts '

A 57-per cent majority of Americans back women's right to seek abortions, but the hot-button issue cuts deeply along political and religious lines, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.&nbsp;

Some 59 per cent of Republicans and 61 per cent of evangelicals say that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.&nbsp;

Since Roe v&nbsp;Wade came into effect, states have sought ways to restrict access, trying to impose delays and threatening non-reimbursement of costs to patients. &nbsp;

That has led to huge regional disparities in the availability of abortions, with more than 500 centres offering them in California and only four in Kansas, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

The Guttmacher Institute said the "changing composition of the Supreme Court has heightened the risks" of restrictions on access to abortions.

"Anti-abortion politicians are hoping that the Supreme Court will stand by and let them legislate abortion out of reach — without the court ever having to reverse Roe v. Wade," said Nancy Northup, head of the Center for Reproductive Rights.

"That would be death to Roe by a thousand cuts," she said in an opinion piece in the New York Times.

Already tilted to the right by President Donald Trump's nominations, the US Supreme Court is facing a test case on abortion rights, one of the most polarizing issues in an already divided nation.

Already tilted to the right by President Donald Trump's nominations, the US Supreme Court is facing a test case on abortion rights, one of the most polarizing issues in an already divided nation. A clinic and two doctors offering abortions in Louisiana have appealed to the Supreme Court to block a law restricting access to abortion that is due to come into force next week in the conservative southern state. The law, approved in 2014, would require doctors offering abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of where they operate. Louisiana argues that the risks of complications arising during an abortion procedure mean that patients may need to be transferred to a nearby hospital where doctors could step in. That argument was endorsed by a state appeals court and the law will come into effect on Monday unless challenged by the Supreme Court. A similar law limiting abortion access in Texas was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2016. But since Trump came to office two years ago, he has appointed two new conservative justices, tilting the balance of the court sharply to the right. A decision not to take up the case would encourage the American right-wing and evangelical movement to step up challenges to longstanding abortion laws. The plaintiffs in the Louisiana case argue the new law "will have disastrous consequences for women in the state," where 10,000 women seek abortions every year. "Louisiana’s admitting privileges requirement would leave only one physician providing abortions in the entire state and that all-but-one clinic that provides abortion care would be forced to close," they said. They said the Texas law, adopted in 2013, led to the closure of half of the services offering abortions in the state, before being overturned by the Supreme Court three years later. All eyes on new judges Despite being a twice-divorced former casino mogul, Trump won over the powerful evangelical right by promising to appoint judges opposed to abortion rights. Once in office, he made good on his pledge by nominating Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, tipping the balance of the court to five conservative justices and just four liberals. Both men stressed the importance of legal precedent in their confirmation hearings, but anti-abortion activists saw their appointments as a chance to assail the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling allowing abortion, known as Roe v Wade. The Louisiana case will prove a key stress test for that ruling. If either one of the new appointees' sides with the progressives, the top court can freeze the Louisiana law. Otherwise, the court will not intercede and the law will go into effect. Defenders of women's right to abortion fear that silence from the court will encourage other states to follow Louisiana's lead. '1,000 cuts ' A 57-per cent majority of Americans back women's right to seek abortions, but the hot-button issue cuts deeply along political and religious lines, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. Some 59 per cent of Republicans and 61 per cent of evangelicals say that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. Since Roe v Wade came into effect, states have sought ways to restrict access, trying to impose delays and threatening non-reimbursement of costs to patients. That has led to huge regional disparities in the availability of abortions, with more than 500 centres offering them in California and only four in Kansas, according to the Guttmacher Institute. The Guttmacher Institute said the "changing composition of the Supreme Court has heightened the risks" of restrictions on access to abortions. "Anti-abortion politicians are hoping that the Supreme Court will stand by and let them legislate abortion out of reach — without the court ever having to reverse Roe v. Wade," said Nancy Northup, head of the Center for Reproductive Rights. "That would be death to Roe by a thousand cuts," she said in an opinion piece in the New York Times.

US top court facing litmus test on abortion

us-1

Us, News on Us, stories on Us, articles on Us, Us stories at Wion, Us news, Us latest news

us 1