The head of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/we-wont-testify-captured-ukrainian-navy-captains-tell-russia-183847">Ukrainian navy</a> is meeting his US counterpart this week in Washington, where they will discuss the Russian navy's recent seizure of three Ukrainian vessels, a US official said Thursday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rising-tension-between-russia-and-ukraine-keeps-tourists-away-from-crimea-181930">Russian ships </a>last month opened fire on three Ukrainian navy vessels as they tried to pass through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, and detained the 24 Ukrainian crew members.

Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said Ukraine's Admiral Ihor Voronchenko is meeting Thursday and Friday with US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson.

Richardson and other Pentagon officials "will reiterate the US support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters, as well as the right of its vessels to traverse international waters," Pahon told AFP.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis earlier this month blasted the Russian navy's "brazen" violation of a treaty that allows both Russian and Ukrainian ships free passage in the Kerch Strait.

Pahon said the US government supports "Ukraine in its pursuit of a diplomatic and peaceful solution to the ongoing Russian aggression, including Russia's recent unprovoked attack on Ukrainian naval vessels in the Black Sea."

Ukraine's foreign minister on Thursday called for a speedy international response to Russia's "aggression" after it seized the three Ukrainian navy ships and 24 sailors.

The confrontation at sea on November 25 was the first open military incident between Kiev and Moscow since 2014 when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula and a conflict erupted in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russia separatists and government forces, which has claimed more than 10,000 lives.

The head of the Ukrainian navy is meeting his US counterpart this week in Washington, where they will discuss the Russian navy's recent seizure of three Ukrainian vessels, a US official said Thursday.

The head of the Ukrainian navy is meeting his US counterpart this week in Washington, where they will discuss the Russian navy's recent seizure of three Ukrainian vessels, a US official said Thursday. Russian ships last month opened fire on three Ukrainian navy vessels as they tried to pass through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, and detained the 24 Ukrainian crew members. Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said Ukraine's Admiral Ihor Voronchenko is meeting Thursday and Friday with US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson. Richardson and other Pentagon officials "will reiterate the US support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters, as well as the right of its vessels to traverse international waters," Pahon told AFP. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis earlier this month blasted the Russian navy's "brazen" violation of a treaty that allows both Russian and Ukrainian ships free passage in the Kerch Strait. Pahon said the US government supports "Ukraine in its pursuit of a diplomatic and peaceful solution to the ongoing Russian aggression, including Russia's recent unprovoked attack on Ukrainian naval vessels in the Black Sea." Ukraine's foreign minister on Thursday called for a speedy international response to Russia's "aggression" after it seized the three Ukrainian navy ships and 24 sailors. The confrontation at sea on November 25 was the first open military incident between Kiev and Moscow since 2014 when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula and a conflict erupted in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russia separatists and government forces, which has claimed more than 10,000 lives.

US, Ukraine navy heads meet after Russia ship seizure

Kremlin on Friday held the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/accused-russian-agent-maria-butina-pleads-guilty-in-us-to-conspiracy-183856">accusations made by Maria Butina</a>, the first Russian to be convicted of working to influence US policy during the 2016 presidential race&nbsp;as "absolutely unfounded".

"We consider the accusations against her as absolutely unfounded," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he had "reasons to believe" the Russian had been kept in conditions designed to break her will and lead her to enter a false guilty plea.

"As far as I understand, this plea bargain -- the likes of which are common in the US -- is part of a deal to get free and return home as soon as possible," Lavrov said in comments reported by agencies.

Butina on Thursday pleaded guilty in a US court to a single conspiracy charge in a deal with prosecutors and admitted to working with a top Russian official to infiltrate a powerful gun-rights group.

She also admitted to&nbsp;influencing US policy towards&nbsp;Moscow and making inroads with American conservative activists and the Republican Party as an agent for Moscow.

Butina, a Russian former graduate student at American University in Washington admitted to the accusations&nbsp;at a court hearing in Washington before US District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Thursday.

Prosecutors said she launched a plan in 2015 to develop ties with the Republican Party with the aim of influencing US foreign policy.

The plot was allegedly guided and financed in part by Alexander Torshin, an ally of President Vladimir Putin who was deputy governor of the Russian central bank until his retirement on November 30.

Butina was charged by prosecutors in July with acting as an agent of Russia's government and conspiracy to take actions on behalf of Moscow. She had earlier pleaded not guilty before changing her plea during Thursday's hearing.

Prosecutors accused Butina, who was jailed awaiting trial, of working with a Russian official and two US citizens to try to infiltrate the National Rifle Association, a group closely aligned with Republican politicians including Republican President Donald Trump, and sway Washington's policy toward Moscow.

(With inputs from agencies)

Kremlin on Friday held the accusations made by Maria Butina, the first Russian to be convicted of working to influence US policy during the 2016 presidential race as "absolutely unfounded".

Kremlin on Friday held the accusations made by Maria Butina, the first Russian to be convicted of working to influence US policy during the 2016 presidential race as "absolutely unfounded". "We consider the accusations against her as absolutely unfounded," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he had "reasons to believe" the Russian had been kept in conditions designed to break her will and lead her to enter a false guilty plea. "As far as I understand, this plea bargain -- the likes of which are common in the US -- is part of a deal to get free and return home as soon as possible," Lavrov said in comments reported by agencies. Butina on Thursday pleaded guilty in a US court to a single conspiracy charge in a deal with prosecutors and admitted to working with a top Russian official to infiltrate a powerful gun-rights group. She also admitted to influencing US policy towards Moscow and making inroads with American conservative activists and the Republican Party as an agent for Moscow. Butina, a Russian former graduate student at American University in Washington admitted to the accusations at a court hearing in Washington before US District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Thursday. Prosecutors said she launched a plan in 2015 to develop ties with the Republican Party with the aim of influencing US foreign policy. The plot was allegedly guided and financed in part by Alexander Torshin, an ally of President Vladimir Putin who was deputy governor of the Russian central bank until his retirement on November 30. Butina was charged by prosecutors in July with acting as an agent of Russia's government and conspiracy to take actions on behalf of Moscow. She had earlier pleaded not guilty before changing her plea during Thursday's hearing. Prosecutors accused Butina, who was jailed awaiting trial, of working with a Russian official and two US citizens to try to infiltrate the National Rifle Association, a group closely aligned with Republican politicians including Republican President Donald Trump, and sway Washington's policy toward Moscow. (With inputs from agencies)

US accusations against Russian Butina 'absolutely unfounded': Kremlin

The Arctic had its second-hottest year on record in 2018, part of a warming trend that may be dramatically changing earth's weather patterns, according to a report released on Tuesday by the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

"Arctic air temperatures for the past five years have exceeded all previous records since 1900," according to the annual NOAA study, the 2018 Arctic Report Card, which said the year was second only to 2016 in overall warmth in the region.

It marks the latest in a series of warnings about climate change from US&nbsp;government bodies, even as President Donald Trump has voiced scepticism about the phenomenon and has pushed a pro-fossil fuels agenda.

The study said the Arctic warming continues at about double the rate of the rest of the planet, and that the trend appears to be altering the shape and strength of the jet stream air current that influences weather in the Northern Hemisphere.

"Growing atmospheric warmth in the Arctic results in a sluggish and unusually wavy jet-stream that coincided with abnormal weather events," it said, noting that the changing patterns have often brought unusually frigid temperatures to areas south of the Arctic Circle.

Some examples are "a swarm of severe winter storms in the eastern United States in 2018 and the extreme cold outbreak in Europe in March 2018 known as 'the Beast from the East.'"

Environmentalists have long warned of rapid warming in the Arctic, saying it threatens imperiled species like polar bears and is a harbinger of the broader impacts of climate change on the planet.

Scientists have warned that the region could suffer trillions of dollars worth of climate change-related damage to infrastructure in the coming decades.

But the melting of Arctic ice has piqued the interests of polar nations like the United States, Canada and Russia by opening new shipping routes and expanding access to a region believed to be rich in petroleum and minerals.

The United States and Russia have both expressed an interest in boosting Arctic drilling, and Russia has bolstered its military presence in the north.

The NOAA report comes weeks after more than a dozen US government agencies released a study concluding that climate change is driven by human consumption of fossil fuels and will cost the US economy hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century.

Trump, who has been rolling back Obama-era environmental and climate protections to maximize production of domestic fossil fuels, said of the update to the National Climate Assessment: "I don't believe it."

Trump last year announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris Deal agreed by nearly 200 nations to combat climate change, arguing the accord would kill jobs and provide little tangible environmental benefit.

The Arctic had its second-hottest year on record in 2018, part of a warming trend that may be dramatically changing earth's weather patterns, according to a report released on Tuesday by the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Arctic had its second-hottest year on record in 2018, part of a warming trend that may be dramatically changing earth's weather patterns, according to a report released on Tuesday by the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. "Arctic air temperatures for the past five years have exceeded all previous records since 1900," according to the annual NOAA study, the 2018 Arctic Report Card, which said the year was second only to 2016 in overall warmth in the region. It marks the latest in a series of warnings about climate change from US government bodies, even as President Donald Trump has voiced scepticism about the phenomenon and has pushed a pro-fossil fuels agenda. The study said the Arctic warming continues at about double the rate of the rest of the planet, and that the trend appears to be altering the shape and strength of the jet stream air current that influences weather in the Northern Hemisphere. "Growing atmospheric warmth in the Arctic results in a sluggish and unusually wavy jet-stream that coincided with abnormal weather events," it said, noting that the changing patterns have often brought unusually frigid temperatures to areas south of the Arctic Circle. Some examples are "a swarm of severe winter storms in the eastern United States in 2018 and the extreme cold outbreak in Europe in March 2018 known as 'the Beast from the East.'" Environmentalists have long warned of rapid warming in the Arctic, saying it threatens imperiled species like polar bears and is a harbinger of the broader impacts of climate change on the planet. Scientists have warned that the region could suffer trillions of dollars worth of climate change-related damage to infrastructure in the coming decades. But the melting of Arctic ice has piqued the interests of polar nations like the United States, Canada and Russia by opening new shipping routes and expanding access to a region believed to be rich in petroleum and minerals. The United States and Russia have both expressed an interest in boosting Arctic drilling, and Russia has bolstered its military presence in the north. The NOAA report comes weeks after more than a dozen US government agencies released a study concluding that climate change is driven by human consumption of fossil fuels and will cost the US economy hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century. Trump, who has been rolling back Obama-era environmental and climate protections to maximize production of domestic fossil fuels, said of the update to the National Climate Assessment: "I don't believe it." Trump last year announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris Deal agreed by nearly 200 nations to combat climate change, arguing the accord would kill jobs and provide little tangible environmental benefit.

Arctic posts second warmest year on record in 2018

A woman accused of acting as a Russian agent to infiltrate a powerful gun lobby group and influence US policy toward Moscow pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy in federal court on Thursday in a deal with prosecutors that could give them insight into Russian meddling in American politics.

Maria Butina, a Russian former graduate student at American University in Washington who publicly advocated for gun rights, entered the plea at a court hearing in Washington before US District Judge Tanya Chutkan. She also agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

Clad in a green jumpsuit with her red hair pulled back in a long braid, Butina replied "absolutely" when asked by Chutkan if her mind was clear as she prepared to enter her plea of guilty.

Butina was charged by prosecutors in July with acting as an agent of Russia's government and conspiracy to take actions on behalf of Moscow. She had earlier pleaded not guilty before changing her plea during Thursday's hearing.

Prosecutors accused Butina, who was jailed awaiting trial, of working with a Russian official and two US citizens to try to infiltrate the National Rifle Association, a group closely aligned with Republican politicians including Republican President Donald Trump, and sway Washington's policy toward Moscow.

Although there are no sentencing guidelines for her specific crime, her lawyer, Robert Driscoll, estimated that under US sentencing guidelines for similar crimes she could face up to six months in prison. Butina also faces the possibility of deportation to Russia after she finishes whatever sentence she is given.

As part of Butina's ongoing cooperation in the case, the judge did not set a sentencing date. A status hearing was scheduled for February 12.

In the statement of offense read aloud in court, one of the prosecutors said Butina had drafted a March 2015 "Diplomacy Project" that called for establishing unofficial back channels of communication between high-ranking American politicians to help benefit Russia.

As part of that plan, she acknowledged that she conspired with two Americans and a Russian official.

Butina's lawyers previously identified the Russian official as Alexander Torshin, a deputy governor of Russia's central bank who was targeted with US Treasury Department sanctions in April.

One of the two Americans referenced in the prosecution's criminal complaint was Paul Erickson, a conservative US political activist who was dating Butina.

Neither his name, nor the Russian official's name, were explicitly made in the statement of offense, though Erickson's description appears to match that of Person 1 mentioned in the statement of offense read in court.

That statement said Person 1 helped advise Butina which American politicians she should target for meetings, and her plan was carried out on behalf of the Russian official.

'CIRCUMSTANCES WERE FAVORABLE'

"Butina opined that the circumstances were favorable for building relations with a certain US political party," the statement added, in an apparent reference to the Republican Party. "Butina predicted that the candidate nominated by Political Party #1 would likely win the upcoming US presidential election."

The "Diplomacy Project" document was crafted by Butina with help from Person 1, prosecutors said. To carry out the plan, Butina requested $125,000 from a Russian billionaire to attend conferences and set up "separate meetings with interested parties" such as other Russian businessmen or people with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they said.

In April 2015, Butina travelled to the United States to attend a gun rights event, the description of which appears to match that of the NRA's annual meeting, prosecutors said. At that event, she was "introduced to influential members of Political Party #1," they added.

An attorney for Erickson could not be immediately reached for comment.

After she was charged, Russia labeled the case against Butina "fabricated" and called for her release. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about Butina on Tuesday in Moscow, a day after US court filings indicated she would plea guilty in Washington.

"She risks 15 years in jail. For what?" Putin asked . "...I asked all the heads of our intelligence services what is going on. Nobody knows anything about her."

The prosecutors in the Butina case are not from the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in the 2016 US election and whether Trump's campaign conspired with Moscow to help him win.

Nevertheless, Butina becomes with her guilty plea the first Russian citizen to be convicted of working to shape US policy in the time period spanning the 2016 election campaign. Mueller has brought criminal charges against a series of Russian individuals and entities but those cases are still pending.

The prosecution's complaint against Butina did not mention Trump's campaign by name. Reuters previously reported that Butina was a Trump supporter who bragged at Washington parties that she could use her political connections to help people get jobs in his administration.

Butina even asked Trump a question at a gathering of US conservatives in Las Vegas in 2015 when he was running for president, querying him about American relations with Russia and economic sanctions imposed on Moscow by his predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump responded that as president he would "get along very nicely with Putin" and "I don't think you'd need the sanctions."

Trump has denied any collusion with Moscow. Russia has denied interfering in American politics.

A woman accused of acting as a Russian agent to infiltrate a powerful gun lobby group and influence US policy toward Moscow pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy in federal court on Thursday in a deal with prosecutors that could give them insight into Russian meddling in American politics.

A woman accused of acting as a Russian agent to infiltrate a powerful gun lobby group and influence US policy toward Moscow pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy in federal court on Thursday in a deal with prosecutors that could give them insight into Russian meddling in American politics. Maria Butina, a Russian former graduate student at American University in Washington who publicly advocated for gun rights, entered the plea at a court hearing in Washington before US District Judge Tanya Chutkan. She also agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. Clad in a green jumpsuit with her red hair pulled back in a long braid, Butina replied "absolutely" when asked by Chutkan if her mind was clear as she prepared to enter her plea of guilty. Butina was charged by prosecutors in July with acting as an agent of Russia's government and conspiracy to take actions on behalf of Moscow. She had earlier pleaded not guilty before changing her plea during Thursday's hearing. Prosecutors accused Butina, who was jailed awaiting trial, of working with a Russian official and two US citizens to try to infiltrate the National Rifle Association, a group closely aligned with Republican politicians including Republican President Donald Trump, and sway Washington's policy toward Moscow. Although there are no sentencing guidelines for her specific crime, her lawyer, Robert Driscoll, estimated that under US sentencing guidelines for similar crimes she could face up to six months in prison. Butina also faces the possibility of deportation to Russia after she finishes whatever sentence she is given. As part of Butina's ongoing cooperation in the case, the judge did not set a sentencing date. A status hearing was scheduled for February 12. In the statement of offense read aloud in court, one of the prosecutors said Butina had drafted a March 2015 "Diplomacy Project" that called for establishing unofficial back channels of communication between high-ranking American politicians to help benefit Russia. As part of that plan, she acknowledged that she conspired with two Americans and a Russian official. Butina's lawyers previously identified the Russian official as Alexander Torshin, a deputy governor of Russia's central bank who was targeted with US Treasury Department sanctions in April. One of the two Americans referenced in the prosecution's criminal complaint was Paul Erickson, a conservative US political activist who was dating Butina. Neither his name, nor the Russian official's name, were explicitly made in the statement of offense, though Erickson's description appears to match that of Person 1 mentioned in the statement of offense read in court. That statement said Person 1 helped advise Butina which American politicians she should target for meetings, and her plan was carried out on behalf of the Russian official. 'CIRCUMSTANCES WERE FAVORABLE' "Butina opined that the circumstances were favorable for building relations with a certain US political party," the statement added, in an apparent reference to the Republican Party. "Butina predicted that the candidate nominated by Political Party #1 would likely win the upcoming US presidential election." The "Diplomacy Project" document was crafted by Butina with help from Person 1, prosecutors said. To carry out the plan, Butina requested $125,000 from a Russian billionaire to attend conferences and set up "separate meetings with interested parties" such as other Russian businessmen or people with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they said. In April 2015, Butina travelled to the United States to attend a gun rights event, the description of which appears to match that of the NRA's annual meeting, prosecutors said. At that event, she was "introduced to influential members of Political Party #1," they added. An attorney for Erickson could not be immediately reached for comment. After she was charged, Russia labeled the case against Butina "fabricated" and called for her release. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about Butina on Tuesday in Moscow, a day after US court filings indicated she would plea guilty in Washington. "She risks 15 years in jail. For what?" Putin asked . "...I asked all the heads of our intelligence services what is going on. Nobody knows anything about her." The prosecutors in the Butina case are not from the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in the 2016 US election and whether Trump's campaign conspired with Moscow to help him win. Nevertheless, Butina becomes with her guilty plea the first Russian citizen to be convicted of working to shape US policy in the time period spanning the 2016 election campaign. Mueller has brought criminal charges against a series of Russian individuals and entities but those cases are still pending. The prosecution's complaint against Butina did not mention Trump's campaign by name. Reuters previously reported that Butina was a Trump supporter who bragged at Washington parties that she could use her political connections to help people get jobs in his administration. Butina even asked Trump a question at a gathering of US conservatives in Las Vegas in 2015 when he was running for president, querying him about American relations with Russia and economic sanctions imposed on Moscow by his predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump responded that as president he would "get along very nicely with Putin" and "I don't think you'd need the sanctions." Trump has denied any collusion with Moscow. Russia has denied interfering in American politics.

Accused Russian agent Maria Butina pleads guilty in US to conspiracy

Pakistan on Wednesday rejected as "unilateral and politically motivated" the U<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-adds-pakistan-to-blacklist-for-religious-freedom-violations-183342">S' decision to place it on its annual list </a>of nations that infringe on religious freedom.

The Trump administration on Tuesday designated Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia and seven others as countries of particular concern for having engaged in or tolerated "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom."

"Pakistan rejects the US State Department's unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement released in the context of its annual religious freedom report," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

"Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise," it said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-warns-global-users-their-tweets-violate-pakistani-law-183101">Pakistan is a multi-religious and pluralistic society </a>where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together, including around 4 per cent of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, it said.

Ensuring equal treatment of minorities and their enjoyment of human rights without any discrimination is the cardinal principle of the Constitution of Pakistan, the statement said.

It also called for an honest self-introspection to know the causes of the exponential rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the US.

Pakistan on Wednesday rejected as "unilateral and politically motivated" the US' decision to place it on its annual list of nations that infringe on religious freedom.

Pakistan on Wednesday rejected as "unilateral and politically motivated" the US' decision to place it on its annual list of nations that infringe on religious freedom. The Trump administration on Tuesday designated Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia and seven others as countries of particular concern for having engaged in or tolerated "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom." "Pakistan rejects the US State Department's unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement released in the context of its annual religious freedom report," the Foreign Office said in a statement. "Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise," it said. Pakistan is a multi-religious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together, including around 4 per cent of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, it said. Ensuring equal treatment of minorities and their enjoyment of human rights without any discrimination is the cardinal principle of the Constitution of Pakistan, the statement said. It also called for an honest self-introspection to know the causes of the exponential rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the US.

Reject US government's blacklisting over religious freedom violations: Pakistan

Beijing appears to be easing its push on its "Made in China 2025" industrial policy, which has long irked Washington amid <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trade-negotiations-underway-between-chinese-us-work-teams-chinese-fm-183496">talks between the world's two largest economies </a>to de-escalate trade tensions.

In new guidance to local governments, it has dropped references to "Made in China 2025", an initiative intended to help China catch up with global rivals in key economic areas and promoted hard since it was unveiled in 2015.

The strategy is core to China's aim to transform itself into a global superpower by 2050 and be more competitive in sectors such as robotics, aerospace and clean-energy cars.

But its open efforts to deploy state support and resources to close a technology gap has provoked alarm in the West and blowback from the US administration.

In its 2016 guidance to local governments, the State Council, or cabinet, said local governments that promoted the implementation of "Made in China 2025" while encouraging industrial growth and manufacturing upgrading would be given priority support.

In its latest guidance reported by state media on Wednesday, references to "Made in China 2025" were omitted.

Local governments that have seen results in their promotion of stable industrial growth and upgrading will be given priority support, the state-backed China Information News said, citing a new document from the State Council.

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed at a December 1 meeting in Argentina to a truce that delayed by 90 days a planned January 1 US increase of tariffs to per cent&nbsp;from 10 per cent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.

The two sides are expected to negotiate over US demands for stronger Chinese protections for US intellectual property, an end to forced technology transfers and greater market access to China for US companies.

In the latest guidance to local governments, the State Council also called for more efforts to promote Chinese exports and attract foreign investment into the world's second-largest economy.

Beijing plans to replace the "Made in China 2025" initiative with a new one to play down China's bid to dominate manufacturing and will seek to be more open to participation by foreign companies, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people briefed on the matter.

The new policy could be rolled out early next year, according to the Wall Street Journal report.

INFRASTRUCTURE, POLLUTION

In its guidance to local governments, Beijing also tweaked its priorities to focus more on infrastructure and fighting water pollution while slowing efforts to reduce overcapacity in coal and steel industries.

New infrastructure projects should focus on the construction of roads and waterways.

China last week reported far weaker than expected November exports and imports due to slower global and domestic demand, raising the possibility that authorities will take more measures to keep the country's growth rate from slipping too much.

The State Council said it would give "further support to local governments that achieve outstanding work on some key policies."

One area that will no longer be rewarded with additional funds is the effort to curb overcapacity in China's bloated steel and coal sectors.

It suggests that China, the world's top steel and coal producer, has achieved its planned reduction in overcapacity in these sectors.

China has trimmed 150 million tonnes of steel and 800 million tonnes of coal capacity in the past five years.

China still has around 908 million tonnes of steel capacity and 5.1 billion tonnes of coal capacity.

The State Council will also offer more support to cities, especially those that have relied on primary industries, to improve the environment. It specifically mentioned water pollution and efforts to clean up rural areas.

Beijing has been fighting to clean up the nation after years of breakneck economic growth took their toll on the environment, with its massive steel sector bearing the brunt of its vigorous campaign.

Beijing appears to be easing its push on its "Made in China 2025" industrial policy, which has long irked Washington amid talks between the world's two largest economies to de-escalate trade tensions.

Beijing appears to be easing its push on its "Made in China 2025" industrial policy, which has long irked Washington amid talks between the world's two largest economies to de-escalate trade tensions. In new guidance to local governments, it has dropped references to "Made in China 2025", an initiative intended to help China catch up with global rivals in key economic areas and promoted hard since it was unveiled in 2015. The strategy is core to China's aim to transform itself into a global superpower by 2050 and be more competitive in sectors such as robotics, aerospace and clean-energy cars. But its open efforts to deploy state support and resources to close a technology gap has provoked alarm in the West and blowback from the US administration. In its 2016 guidance to local governments, the State Council, or cabinet, said local governments that promoted the implementation of "Made in China 2025" while encouraging industrial growth and manufacturing upgrading would be given priority support. In its latest guidance reported by state media on Wednesday, references to "Made in China 2025" were omitted. Local governments that have seen results in their promotion of stable industrial growth and upgrading will be given priority support, the state-backed China Information News said, citing a new document from the State Council. US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed at a December 1 meeting in Argentina to a truce that delayed by 90 days a planned January 1 US increase of tariffs to per cent from 10 per cent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. The two sides are expected to negotiate over US demands for stronger Chinese protections for US intellectual property, an end to forced technology transfers and greater market access to China for US companies. In the latest guidance to local governments, the State Council also called for more efforts to promote Chinese exports and attract foreign investment into the world's second-largest economy. Beijing plans to replace the "Made in China 2025" initiative with a new one to play down China's bid to dominate manufacturing and will seek to be more open to participation by foreign companies, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people briefed on the matter. The new policy could be rolled out early next year, according to the Wall Street Journal report. INFRASTRUCTURE, POLLUTION In its guidance to local governments, Beijing also tweaked its priorities to focus more on infrastructure and fighting water pollution while slowing efforts to reduce overcapacity in coal and steel industries. New infrastructure projects should focus on the construction of roads and waterways. China last week reported far weaker than expected November exports and imports due to slower global and domestic demand, raising the possibility that authorities will take more measures to keep the country's growth rate from slipping too much. The State Council said it would give "further support to local governments that achieve outstanding work on some key policies." One area that will no longer be rewarded with additional funds is the effort to curb overcapacity in China's bloated steel and coal sectors. It suggests that China, the world's top steel and coal producer, has achieved its planned reduction in overcapacity in these sectors. China has trimmed 150 million tonnes of steel and 800 million tonnes of coal capacity in the past five years. China still has around 908 million tonnes of steel capacity and 5.1 billion tonnes of coal capacity. The State Council will also offer more support to cities, especially those that have relied on primary industries, to improve the environment. It specifically mentioned water pollution and efforts to clean up rural areas. Beijing has been fighting to clean up the nation after years of breakneck economic growth took their toll on the environment, with its massive steel sector bearing the brunt of its vigorous campaign.

Beijing eases back on 'Made in China 2025' amid trade talks with US

Global stock markets rallied Wednesday on upbeat China-US trade news, while the pound hit yet another 20-month low as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-may-to-challenge-leadership-contest-says-ousting-would-delay-brexit-183454">British Prime Minister Theresa May</a> faces a no-confidence vote.

Oil prices jumped one dollar as volatility continued to grip world crude markets.

A flurry of positive developments in the tariffs stand-off between the world's top economies provided early Christmas cheer on trading floors, fuelling hopes an all-out trade war can be avoided.

In afternoon deals, Frankfurt fizzed 0.9 per cent higher, London won 1.1 per cent and Paris added 1.6 per cent.&nbsp;

The positivity spilled over from Asia, where Tokyo ended 2.2 per cent higher and Shanghai rose 0.3 per cent, while Hong Kong jumped 1.6 per cent.

"The equity markets are taking encouragement from recent reports of a potential truce in the US-China trade dispute," noted VTB Capital analyst Neil MacKinnon.

Canada on Tuesday released on bail <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-cfo-meng-wanzhou-freed-on-bail-leaves-courthouse-183504">Meng Wanzhou</a>, chief financial officer (CFO) at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, whose arrest last week sparked fury in Beijing and worries about a truce agreed at the G20 by Donald Trump and Xi Jinping this month.

Providing some extra support to the news of Meng's release was an interview in which Trump said he could intervene in the case if it helps seal a trade pact with China, adding: "Whatever's good for this country, I would do."

China added to market-friendly noise by saying it had agreed to cut tariffs on US autos to 15 per cent from 40 per cent -- wiping out a levy imposed earlier this year in response to US measures.&nbsp;

Investors welcomed the headlines but sounded a note of caution.

"Newsflow regarding developments in the US-China trade dispute has been notoriously erratic and positive news can quickly give way to negative news," added MacKinnon.

May no-confidence vote

The British pound meanwhile ducked as low as $1.2478 -- a level last seen in April 2017 -- in a torrid week for the Brexit-hit currency.

The latest low came as the head of a Conservative Party committee in charge of organising leadership challenges announced that May would Wednesday face a no-confidence vote over her Brexit negotiations.

The weak pound boosts London-listed multinationals whose earnings abroad are converted back into sterling, handing a fillip to the FTSE 100 shares index.

The news came after May had delayed Tuesday's parliamentary vote on her EU divorce agreement to avert a crushing defeat.

In midday deals, sterling clawed background to stand at $1.2534, up from $1.2487 late on Tuesday.

"So far sterling has played the waiting game in regards to the impending vote of no-confidence in Theresa May," noted Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell.

"If the prime minister comes out the other side with her job intact, then it takes one of the many uncertainties that have swirled around UK politics for the last few months off the table.

"If she loses, on the other hand, then well, the pound's likely going to have a very unpleasant run-in to Christmas."

Global stock markets rallied Wednesday on upbeat China-US trade news, while the pound hit yet another 20-month low as British Prime Minister Theresa May faces a no-confidence vote.

Global stock markets rallied Wednesday on upbeat China-US trade news, while the pound hit yet another 20-month low as British Prime Minister Theresa May faces a no-confidence vote. Oil prices jumped one dollar as volatility continued to grip world crude markets. A flurry of positive developments in the tariffs stand-off between the world's top economies provided early Christmas cheer on trading floors, fuelling hopes an all-out trade war can be avoided. In afternoon deals, Frankfurt fizzed 0.9 per cent higher, London won 1.1 per cent and Paris added 1.6 per cent. The positivity spilled over from Asia, where Tokyo ended 2.2 per cent higher and Shanghai rose 0.3 per cent, while Hong Kong jumped 1.6 per cent. "The equity markets are taking encouragement from recent reports of a potential truce in the US-China trade dispute," noted VTB Capital analyst Neil MacKinnon. Canada on Tuesday released on bail Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer (CFO) at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, whose arrest last week sparked fury in Beijing and worries about a truce agreed at the G20 by Donald Trump and Xi Jinping this month. Providing some extra support to the news of Meng's release was an interview in which Trump said he could intervene in the case if it helps seal a trade pact with China, adding: "Whatever's good for this country, I would do." China added to market-friendly noise by saying it had agreed to cut tariffs on US autos to 15 per cent from 40 per cent -- wiping out a levy imposed earlier this year in response to US measures. Investors welcomed the headlines but sounded a note of caution. "Newsflow regarding developments in the US-China trade dispute has been notoriously erratic and positive news can quickly give way to negative news," added MacKinnon. May no-confidence vote The British pound meanwhile ducked as low as $1.2478 -- a level last seen in April 2017 -- in a torrid week for the Brexit-hit currency. The latest low came as the head of a Conservative Party committee in charge of organising leadership challenges announced that May would Wednesday face a no-confidence vote over her Brexit negotiations. The weak pound boosts London-listed multinationals whose earnings abroad are converted back into sterling, handing a fillip to the FTSE 100 shares index. The news came after May had delayed Tuesday's parliamentary vote on her EU divorce agreement to avert a crushing defeat. In midday deals, sterling clawed background to stand at $1.2534, up from $1.2487 late on Tuesday. "So far sterling has played the waiting game in regards to the impending vote of no-confidence in Theresa May," noted Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell. "If the prime minister comes out the other side with her job intact, then it takes one of the many uncertainties that have swirled around UK politics for the last few months off the table. "If she loses, on the other hand, then well, the pound's likely going to have a very unpleasant run-in to Christmas."

World stocks rally on China-US trade; pound slides on UK turmoil

China on Wednesday said that trade negotiations are underway between Chinese and US work teams and China hopes that the two sides can work together to create the necessary conditions for achieving a good result.

Lu Kang, spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, made the remarks when commenting on the ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries after Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump met in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

"According to the consensus reached by the two heads of state, work teams from both sides will step up consultations to resolve the differences between China and the US in the economic and trade field as soon as possible and achieve a result satisfactory to both sides. As far as I know, work teams of both sides are stepping up consultations now. We hope that the two sides can meet with each other halfway so as to create the necessary atmosphere and conditions for achieving a good result," said Lu.

Lu also mentioned that China's Vice Premier Liu He, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had talked on the phone recently, and the two sides have drawn a roadmap and a timetable for further stepping up the consultations.

China on Wednesday said that trade negotiations are underway between Chinese and US work teams and China hopes that the two sides can work together to create the necessary conditions for achieving a good result.

China on Wednesday said that trade negotiations are underway between Chinese and US work teams and China hopes that the two sides can work together to create the necessary conditions for achieving a good result. Lu Kang, spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, made the remarks when commenting on the ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries after Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump met in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the sidelines of the G20 summit. "According to the consensus reached by the two heads of state, work teams from both sides will step up consultations to resolve the differences between China and the US in the economic and trade field as soon as possible and achieve a result satisfactory to both sides. As far as I know, work teams of both sides are stepping up consultations now. We hope that the two sides can meet with each other halfway so as to create the necessary atmosphere and conditions for achieving a good result," said Lu. Lu also mentioned that China's Vice Premier Liu He, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had talked on the phone recently, and the two sides have drawn a roadmap and a timetable for further stepping up the consultations.

Trade negotiations underway between Chinese, US work teams: Chinese FM

Pakistan rejects US blacklisting over religious freedom violations

The United States said Tuesday it has added Pakistan to its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom, ramping up pressure over its treatment of minorities.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had designated Pakistan among "countries of particular concern" in a congressionally mandated annual report, a year after the State Department put Pakistan on a watchlist without legal consequences.

Pompeo a year earlier had placed Pakistan on a special watch list -- a step short of the designation -- in what had been seen as a US tactic to press Islamabad into reforms.

Human rights advocates have long voiced worry about the treatment of minorities in Pakistan, including Shiites, Ahmadis and Christians.

This comes at a time when the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/us-blocks-aid-to-pakistan-4271">Trump administration suspended &nbsp;$3 billion security aid to Pakistan </a>over its failure to counter terrorist groups.

US president Donald Trump said earlier that Pakistan did not "do a damn thing" for the US despite billions of dollars in American aid for the South Asian nation.

Responding to him Pak PM Imran Khan said that the US aid to Pakistan was a "miniscule" $20 billion, while the country lost 75,000 people and more than $123 billion fighting the 'US War on Terror'.

Trump became the first US president to announce the suspension of security aid to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fatf-dissatisfied-over-pakistans-efforts-to-combat-terror-financing-report-172508">Financial Action Task Force (FATF) </a>had also placed Pakistan on the grey list for failing to curb anti-terror financing.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States said Tuesday it has added Pakistan to its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom, ramping up pressure over its treatment of minorities.

The United States said Tuesday it has added Pakistan to its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom, ramping up pressure over its treatment of minorities. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had designated Pakistan among "countries of particular concern" in a congressionally mandated annual report, a year after the State Department put Pakistan on a watchlist without legal consequences. Pompeo a year earlier had placed Pakistan on a special watch list -- a step short of the designation -- in what had been seen as a US tactic to press Islamabad into reforms. Human rights advocates have long voiced worry about the treatment of minorities in Pakistan, including Shiites, Ahmadis and Christians. This comes at a time when the Trump administration suspended $3 billion security aid to Pakistan over its failure to counter terrorist groups. US president Donald Trump said earlier that Pakistan did not "do a damn thing" for the US despite billions of dollars in American aid for the South Asian nation. Responding to him Pak PM Imran Khan said that the US aid to Pakistan was a "miniscule" $20 billion, while the country lost 75,000 people and more than $123 billion fighting the 'US War on Terror'. Trump became the first US president to announce the suspension of security aid to Pakistan. Meanwhile, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) had also placed Pakistan on the grey list for failing to curb anti-terror financing. (With inputs from agencies)

US adds Pakistan to blacklist for religious freedom violations

A 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, according to Department of Justice.

Bhavin Patel is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to bring in and harbour aliens and six counts of smuggling foreign nationals into the US via commercial airline flights, New Jersey US Attorney Craig Carpenito said on Monday.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 18, 2018, before US District Judge John Michael Vazquez. Arrested by special agents of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on December 7, at Newark Liberty International Airport, Patel if convicted faces a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.

Each substantive charge of smuggling carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.

In its court papers, HSI said that it's beginning in October 2013, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a smuggler began meeting with Patel in Bangkok. Patel told the undercover law enforcement officer that he wanted to smuggle Indian nationals into the US.

On three occasions, Patel or his conspirator transported the Indian nationals to an airport in Thailand, at which point the undercover law enforcement officer would purportedly use his contacts to smuggle them into the US via commercial airline flights.

Patel agreed to wire down payments for each individual to be smuggled into the US and to pay a balance of tens of thousands of dollars for each individual once the foreign nationals arrived in the United States, HSI alleged in its court papers.

Over the ensuing months, Patel arranged for six Indian nationals to be brought to Thailand for smuggling into the United States via Newark Liberty International Airport, HIS alleged.&nbsp;

A 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, according to Department of Justice.

A 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, according to Department of Justice. Bhavin Patel is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to bring in and harbour aliens and six counts of smuggling foreign nationals into the US via commercial airline flights, New Jersey US Attorney Craig Carpenito said on Monday. He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 18, 2018, before US District Judge John Michael Vazquez. Arrested by special agents of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on December 7, at Newark Liberty International Airport, Patel if convicted faces a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. Each substantive charge of smuggling carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. In its court papers, HSI said that it's beginning in October 2013, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a smuggler began meeting with Patel in Bangkok. Patel told the undercover law enforcement officer that he wanted to smuggle Indian nationals into the US. On three occasions, Patel or his conspirator transported the Indian nationals to an airport in Thailand, at which point the undercover law enforcement officer would purportedly use his contacts to smuggle them into the US via commercial airline flights. Patel agreed to wire down payments for each individual to be smuggled into the US and to pay a balance of tens of thousands of dollars for each individual once the foreign nationals arrived in the United States, HSI alleged in its court papers. Over the ensuing months, Patel arranged for six Indian nationals to be brought to Thailand for smuggling into the United States via Newark Liberty International Airport, HIS alleged.

Indian arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into US

Gold prices held steady near a five-month peak hit early on Monday, supported by a disappointing US&nbsp;jobs report that fuelled speculation that the Federal Reserve may stop raising interest rates sooner than expected.

Spot gold was up 0.1 per cent at $1,248.96 per ounce, as of 0432 GMT, after hitting its highest since July 11 at $1,250.55 earlier in the session.

US&nbsp;gold futures rose 0.1 per cent to $1,254.2 per ounce.

US&nbsp;non-farm payrolls increased by 155,000 jobs last month, below economists' median forecast of 200,000 jobs and the wage increase was softer than expected.

Some Fed policymakers have struck a cautious tone about the economic outlook, possibly flagging a turning point in its monetary policy.

Gold tends to gain when rate hike expectations recede because lower rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. Lower interest rates also tend to weigh on US&nbsp;yields and the dollar, in which gold is priced.

"There is also some safe-haven demand coming back in gold," said Argonaut Securities analyst Helen Lau.

The dollar slipped against the yen and the euro, while global stocks extended their slump on worries over slowing growth and fears that a fresh flare-up in tensions between US&nbsp;and China could quash chances of a trade deal.

"A number of tailwinds are in place for it (gold) to move significantly higher during the month including falling US interest rates, a declining or at least a stalling dollar, wobbly US&nbsp;equity markets," INTL FCStone analyst Edward Meir said in a note.

"Over the course of December, we see prices trading between $1,230-$1,285 per ounce."

Meanwhile, holdings in SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose 0.20 per cent to 759.73 tonnes on Friday.

Spot gold may rise into a range of $1,258-$1,266 per ounce, as it has broken a resistance at $1,245, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.

Among other precious metals, spot silver was down 0.2 per cent at $14.59 per ounce, while palladium slipped 0.6 per cent to $1,217.10.

Platinum fell 0.3 to $787.80 per ounce. Prices had slipped to their lowest level since September&nbsp;12 to $779 in the previous session.

Gold prices held steady near a five-month peak hit early on Monday, supported by a disappointing US jobs report that fuelled speculation that the Federal Reserve may stop raising interest rates sooner than expected.

Gold prices held steady near a five-month peak hit early on Monday, supported by a disappointing US jobs report that fuelled speculation that the Federal Reserve may stop raising interest rates sooner than expected. Spot gold was up 0.1 per cent at $1,248.96 per ounce, as of 0432 GMT, after hitting its highest since July 11 at $1,250.55 earlier in the session. US gold futures rose 0.1 per cent to $1,254.2 per ounce. US non-farm payrolls increased by 155,000 jobs last month, below economists' median forecast of 200,000 jobs and the wage increase was softer than expected. Some Fed policymakers have struck a cautious tone about the economic outlook, possibly flagging a turning point in its monetary policy. Gold tends to gain when rate hike expectations recede because lower rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. Lower interest rates also tend to weigh on US yields and the dollar, in which gold is priced. "There is also some safe-haven demand coming back in gold," said Argonaut Securities analyst Helen Lau. The dollar slipped against the yen and the euro, while global stocks extended their slump on worries over slowing growth and fears that a fresh flare-up in tensions between US and China could quash chances of a trade deal. "A number of tailwinds are in place for it (gold) to move significantly higher during the month including falling US interest rates, a declining or at least a stalling dollar, wobbly US equity markets," INTL FCStone analyst Edward Meir said in a note. "Over the course of December, we see prices trading between $1,230-$1,285 per ounce." Meanwhile, holdings in SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose 0.20 per cent to 759.73 tonnes on Friday. Spot gold may rise into a range of $1,258-$1,266 per ounce, as it has broken a resistance at $1,245, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao. Among other precious metals, spot silver was down 0.2 per cent at $14.59 per ounce, while palladium slipped 0.6 per cent to $1,217.10. Platinum fell 0.3 to $787.80 per ounce. Prices had slipped to their lowest level since September 12 to $779 in the previous session.

Gold rate stabilizes post five-month peak on easing rate hike view

A series of Gulf and Middle East-related developments suggest that resolving some of the Middle East’s most debilitating and devastating crises while ensuring that efforts to pressure Iran do not perpetuate the mayhem may be easier said than done. They also suggest that the same is true for keeping US and Saudi interests aligned.

Optimists garner hope from the fact that the US Senate may censor Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for the October 2 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul; the positive start of Yemeni peace talks in Sweden with an agreement to exchange prisoners, Saudi Arabia’s invitation to Qatar to attend an October 9 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Riyadh, and a decision by the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut production.

That optimism, however, may not be borne out by facts on the ground and analysis of developments that are likely to produce at best motion rather than movement. In fact, more fundamentally, what many of the developments suggest is an unacknowledged progressive shift in the region’s alliances stemming in part from the fact that the bandwidth of shared US-Saudi interests is narrowing.

There is no indication that, even if Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani decides to accept an invitation by Saudi king Salman to attend the GCC summit rather than send a lower level delegation or not attend at all, either the kingdom or the United Arab Emirates, the main drivers behind the 17-month old economic and diplomatic boycott of the Gulf state, are open to a face-saving solution despite US pressure to end to the rift.

Signalling that the invitation and an earlier comment by Prince Mohammed that “despite the differences we have, (Qatar) has a great economy and will be doing a lot in the next five years” do not indicate a potential policy shift, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash insisted that the GCC remained strong despite the rift. “The political crisis will end when the cause behind it ends and that is Qatar’s support of extremism and its interference in the stability of the region.,” Gargash said, reiterating long-standing Saudi-UAE allegations.

Similarly, United Nations-sponsored peace talks in Sweden convened with the help of the United States may at best result in alleviating the suffering of millions as a result of the almost four-year-old Saudi-UAE military intervention in Yemen but are unlikely to ensure that a stable resolution of the conflict is achievable without a lowering of tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Even humanitarian relief remains in question with the parties in Sweden unable to agree on a reopening of Sana’a airport to facilitate the flow of aid.

More realistically, with the Trump administration, backed by Saudi Arabia and Israel, determined to cripple Iran economically in a bid to force it to alter its regional policies, if not change the regime in Tehran, chances are the Yemeni conflict will be perpetuated rather than resolved.

To Yemen’s detriment, Iran is emerging as one of the foremost remaining shared US-Saudi interests as the two countries struggle to manage their relationship in the wake of Khashoggi’s killing. That struggle is evident with the kingdom’s Washington backers divided between erstwhile backers-turned-vehement critics like Republican senator Graham Lindsey and hardline supporters such as national security advisor John Bolton. The jury is out on who will emerge on top in the Washington debate.

The risks of the Saud-Iranian rivalry spinning out of control possibly with the support of hardliners like Mr. Bolton were evident in this week’s suicide bombing in the Iranian port of Chabahar, an Indian-backed project granted a waiver from US sanctions against the Islamic republic to counter influence of China that support the nearby Pakistani port of Gwadar.

Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Revolutionary Guards spokesman Brigadier General Ramadan Sharif, suggested without providing evidence that Saudi Arabia was complicit in the attack that targeted the city’s police headquarters, killing two people and wounding 40 others.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the Guards, said the attack was the work of Ansar al-Furqan, an Iranian Sunni jihadi group that Iran claims enjoy Saudi backing.

Iran's allegation of Saudi complicity is partly grounded in the fact that a Saudi thinktank linked to Prince Mohammed last year advocated fuelling an insurgency in the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan that incudes Chabahar in a bid to thwart the port development while Bolton before becoming US President Donald J. Trump’s advisor called for US support of ethnic minorities in Iran.

In a bid to create building blocks for the fuelling of ethnic insurgencies in Iran, Pakistani militants have said that Saudi Arabia had in recent years poured money into militant anti-Iranian, anti-Shiite madrassas or religious seminaries in the Pakistani province of Balochistan that borders on Sistan and Baluchistan.

The divergence of US-Saudi interests, agreement on Iran notwithstanding, was on display in this week’s defeat of a US effort to get the UN General Assembly to condemn Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip. Saudi Arabia, despite the kingdom’s denunciation of Hamas as a terrorist organization and its demand that Qatar halt support of it, voted against the resolution.

The vote suggested that Trump may be hoping in vain for Saudi backing of his as yet undisclosed plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian dispute that is believed to be slanted towards Israel’s position.

Saudi ambassador to the UN Abdallah Al-Mouallimi said the defeated UN resolution would “undermine the two-state solution which we aspire to” and divert attention from Israel’s occupation, settlement activities and “blockade” of territories occupied during the 1967 Middle East war.

Saudi Arabia’s changing status and the divergence of longer-term US-Saudi interests was also evident in this week’s OPEC meeting in Vienna.

To get an OPEC deal on production levels, the kingdom, once the oil market’s dominant swing producer, needed an agreement with non-OPEC member Russia on production levels as well as Russian assistance in managing Iranian resistance, suggesting

The agreement, moreover, had to balance Trump’s frequently tweeted demand for lower prices, and the kingdom's need for higher ones to fund its budgetary requirements and Prince Mohammed’s ambitious economic reforms and demonstrate that the Khashoggi affair had not made it more vulnerable to US pressure.

The emerging divergence of US-Saudi interests in part reflects a wider debate within America's foreign policy community about what values the United States and US diplomats should be promoting.

With some of Trump's ambassadorial political appointees expressing support for populist, nationalist and authoritarian leaders and political groups, the fact that some of the president's closest Congressional allies back the anti-Saudi resolution illustrates that there are red lines that a significant number of the president’s supporters are not willing to cross.

All told, recent developments in the Middle East put a spotlight on the changing nature of a key US relationship in the Middle East that could have far-reaching consequences over the middle and long-term. It is a change that is part of a larger, global shift in US priorities and alliances that is likely to outlive Trump’s term(s) in office.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

A series of Gulf and Middle East-related developments suggest that resolving some of the Middle East’s most debilitating and devastating crises while ensuring that efforts to pressure Iran do not perpetuate the mayhem may be easier said than done.

A series of Gulf and Middle East-related developments suggest that resolving some of the Middle East’s most debilitating and devastating crises while ensuring that efforts to pressure Iran do not perpetuate the mayhem may be easier said than done. They also suggest that the same is true for keeping US and Saudi interests aligned. Optimists garner hope from the fact that the US Senate may censor Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for the October 2 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul; the positive start of Yemeni peace talks in Sweden with an agreement to exchange prisoners, Saudi Arabia’s invitation to Qatar to attend an October 9 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Riyadh, and a decision by the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut production. That optimism, however, may not be borne out by facts on the ground and analysis of developments that are likely to produce at best motion rather than movement. In fact, more fundamentally, what many of the developments suggest is an unacknowledged progressive shift in the region’s alliances stemming in part from the fact that the bandwidth of shared US-Saudi interests is narrowing. There is no indication that, even if Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani decides to accept an invitation by Saudi king Salman to attend the GCC summit rather than send a lower level delegation or not attend at all, either the kingdom or the United Arab Emirates, the main drivers behind the 17-month old economic and diplomatic boycott of the Gulf state, are open to a face-saving solution despite US pressure to end to the rift. Signalling that the invitation and an earlier comment by Prince Mohammed that “despite the differences we have, (Qatar) has a great economy and will be doing a lot in the next five years” do not indicate a potential policy shift, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash insisted that the GCC remained strong despite the rift. “The political crisis will end when the cause behind it ends and that is Qatar’s support of extremism and its interference in the stability of the region.,” Gargash said, reiterating long-standing Saudi-UAE allegations. Similarly, United Nations-sponsored peace talks in Sweden convened with the help of the United States may at best result in alleviating the suffering of millions as a result of the almost four-year-old Saudi-UAE military intervention in Yemen but are unlikely to ensure that a stable resolution of the conflict is achievable without a lowering of tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Even humanitarian relief remains in question with the parties in Sweden unable to agree on a reopening of Sana’a airport to facilitate the flow of aid. More realistically, with the Trump administration, backed by Saudi Arabia and Israel, determined to cripple Iran economically in a bid to force it to alter its regional policies, if not change the regime in Tehran, chances are the Yemeni conflict will be perpetuated rather than resolved. To Yemen’s detriment, Iran is emerging as one of the foremost remaining shared US-Saudi interests as the two countries struggle to manage their relationship in the wake of Khashoggi’s killing. That struggle is evident with the kingdom’s Washington backers divided between erstwhile backers-turned-vehement critics like Republican senator Graham Lindsey and hardline supporters such as national security advisor John Bolton. The jury is out on who will emerge on top in the Washington debate. The risks of the Saud-Iranian rivalry spinning out of control possibly with the support of hardliners like Mr. Bolton were evident in this week’s suicide bombing in the Iranian port of Chabahar, an Indian-backed project granted a waiver from US sanctions against the Islamic republic to counter influence of China that support the nearby Pakistani port of Gwadar. Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Revolutionary Guards spokesman Brigadier General Ramadan Sharif, suggested without providing evidence that Saudi Arabia was complicit in the attack that targeted the city’s police headquarters, killing two people and wounding 40 others. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the Guards, said the attack was the work of Ansar al-Furqan, an Iranian Sunni jihadi group that Iran claims enjoy Saudi backing. Iran's allegation of Saudi complicity is partly grounded in the fact that a Saudi thinktank linked to Prince Mohammed last year advocated fuelling an insurgency in the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan that incudes Chabahar in a bid to thwart the port development while Bolton before becoming US President Donald J. Trump’s advisor called for US support of ethnic minorities in Iran. In a bid to create building blocks for the fuelling of ethnic insurgencies in Iran, Pakistani militants have said that Saudi Arabia had in recent years poured money into militant anti-Iranian, anti-Shiite madrassas or religious seminaries in the Pakistani province of Balochistan that borders on Sistan and Baluchistan. The divergence of US-Saudi interests, agreement on Iran notwithstanding, was on display in this week’s defeat of a US effort to get the UN General Assembly to condemn Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip. Saudi Arabia, despite the kingdom’s denunciation of Hamas as a terrorist organization and its demand that Qatar halt support of it, voted against the resolution. The vote suggested that Trump may be hoping in vain for Saudi backing of his as yet undisclosed plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian dispute that is believed to be slanted towards Israel’s position. Saudi ambassador to the UN Abdallah Al-Mouallimi said the defeated UN resolution would “undermine the two-state solution which we aspire to” and divert attention from Israel’s occupation, settlement activities and “blockade” of territories occupied during the 1967 Middle East war. Saudi Arabia’s changing status and the divergence of longer-term US-Saudi interests was also evident in this week’s OPEC meeting in Vienna. To get an OPEC deal on production levels, the kingdom, once the oil market’s dominant swing producer, needed an agreement with non-OPEC member Russia on production levels as well as Russian assistance in managing Iranian resistance, suggesting The agreement, moreover, had to balance Trump’s frequently tweeted demand for lower prices, and the kingdom's need for higher ones to fund its budgetary requirements and Prince Mohammed’s ambitious economic reforms and demonstrate that the Khashoggi affair had not made it more vulnerable to US pressure. The emerging divergence of US-Saudi interests in part reflects a wider debate within America's foreign policy community about what values the United States and US diplomats should be promoting. With some of Trump's ambassadorial political appointees expressing support for populist, nationalist and authoritarian leaders and political groups, the fact that some of the president's closest Congressional allies back the anti-Saudi resolution illustrates that there are red lines that a significant number of the president’s supporters are not willing to cross. All told, recent developments in the Middle East put a spotlight on the changing nature of a key US relationship in the Middle East that could have far-reaching consequences over the middle and long-term. It is a change that is part of a larger, global shift in US priorities and alliances that is likely to outlive Trump’s term(s) in office. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Diverging US-Saudi interests

India will retain its position as the world's top recipient of remittances this year with its diaspora sending a whopping US $80 billion back home, the World Bank said in a report Saturday.

India is followed by China (US $67 billion), Mexico and the Philippines (US $34 billion each) and Egypt (US $26 billion), according to the global lender.

With this, India has retained its top spot on remittances, according to the latest edition of the World Bank's Migration and Development Brief.

The Bank estimates that officially-recorded remittances to developing countries will increase by 10.8 per cent to reach US $528 billion in 2018. This new record level follows a robust growth of 7.8 per cent in 2017.

Global remittances, which include flows to high-income countries, are projected to grow by 10.3 per cent to US $689 billion, it said.

Over the last three years, India has registered a significant flow of remittances from US $62.7 billion in 2016 to US $65.3 billion 2017. In 2017, remittances constituted 2.7 per cent of India's GDP, it said.

The Bank said remittances to South Asia are projected to increase by 13.5 per cent to US $132 billion in 2018, a stronger pace than the 5.7 per cent growth seen in 2017.

The upsurge is driven by stronger economic conditions in advanced economies, particularly the US, and the increase in oil prices having a positive impact on outflows from some GCC countries such as the UAE which reported a 13 per cent growth in outflows for the first half of 2018.

Bangladesh and Pakistan both experienced strong upticks of 17.9 per cent and 6.2 per cent in 2018, respectively, the Bank said.

For 2019, it is projected that remittances growth for the region will slow to 4.3 per cent due to a moderation of growth in advanced economies, lower migration to the GCC and the benefits from the oil price spurt dissipating.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional inter-governmental political and economic bloc of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

As global growth is projected to moderate, future remittances to low- and middle-income countries are expected to grow moderately by four per cent to reach US $549 billion in 2019. Global remittances are expected to grow 3.7 per cent to US $715 billion in 2019.

The Brief notes that the global average cost of sending US $200 remains high at 6.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2018. Reducing remittance flows to three per cent by 2030 is a global target under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10.7.

Increasing the volume of remittances is also a global goal under the proposals for raising financing for the SDGs, it said.

"Even with technological advances, remittances fees remain too high, double the SDG target of 3 per cent. Opening up markets to competition and promoting the use of low-cost technologies will ease the burden on poorer customers," said Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice President for the 2030 Development Agenda, United Nations Relations, and Partnerships at the Bank.

The average cost of remitting in South Asia was the lowest at 5.4 per cent, while Sub-Saharan Africa continued to have the highest at 9 per cent.

No solutions are yet in sight for practices that drive up costs, such as de-risking action of banks, which lead to closure of bank accounts of remittance service providers.

Another persistent factor that keeps fees high is the exclusive partnership between national post office systems and any single money transfer operator, as it allows the operator to charge higher fees to poorer customers dependent on post offices, the Bank said.

"The future growth of remittances is vulnerable to lower oil prices, restrictive migration policies, and an overall moderation of economic growth.

"Remittances have a direct impact on alleviating poverty for many households, and the World Bank is well positioned to work with countries to facilitate remittance flows," said Michal Rutkowski, Senior Director of the Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice at the World Bank.&nbsp;

India will retain its position as the world's top recipient of remittances this year with its diaspora sending a whopping US $80 billion back home, the World Bank said in a report Saturday.

India will retain its position as the world's top recipient of remittances this year with its diaspora sending a whopping US $80 billion back home, the World Bank said in a report Saturday. India is followed by China (US $67 billion), Mexico and the Philippines (US $34 billion each) and Egypt (US $26 billion), according to the global lender. With this, India has retained its top spot on remittances, according to the latest edition of the World Bank's Migration and Development Brief. The Bank estimates that officially-recorded remittances to developing countries will increase by 10.8 per cent to reach US $528 billion in 2018. This new record level follows a robust growth of 7.8 per cent in 2017. Global remittances, which include flows to high-income countries, are projected to grow by 10.3 per cent to US $689 billion, it said. Over the last three years, India has registered a significant flow of remittances from US $62.7 billion in 2016 to US $65.3 billion 2017. In 2017, remittances constituted 2.7 per cent of India's GDP, it said. The Bank said remittances to South Asia are projected to increase by 13.5 per cent to US $132 billion in 2018, a stronger pace than the 5.7 per cent growth seen in 2017. The upsurge is driven by stronger economic conditions in advanced economies, particularly the US, and the increase in oil prices having a positive impact on outflows from some GCC countries such as the UAE which reported a 13 per cent growth in outflows for the first half of 2018. Bangladesh and Pakistan both experienced strong upticks of 17.9 per cent and 6.2 per cent in 2018, respectively, the Bank said. For 2019, it is projected that remittances growth for the region will slow to 4.3 per cent due to a moderation of growth in advanced economies, lower migration to the GCC and the benefits from the oil price spurt dissipating. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional inter-governmental political and economic bloc of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. As global growth is projected to moderate, future remittances to low- and middle-income countries are expected to grow moderately by four per cent to reach US $549 billion in 2019. Global remittances are expected to grow 3.7 per cent to US $715 billion in 2019. The Brief notes that the global average cost of sending US $200 remains high at 6.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2018. Reducing remittance flows to three per cent by 2030 is a global target under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10.7. Increasing the volume of remittances is also a global goal under the proposals for raising financing for the SDGs, it said. "Even with technological advances, remittances fees remain too high, double the SDG target of 3 per cent. Opening up markets to competition and promoting the use of low-cost technologies will ease the burden on poorer customers," said Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice President for the 2030 Development Agenda, United Nations Relations, and Partnerships at the Bank. The average cost of remitting in South Asia was the lowest at 5.4 per cent, while Sub-Saharan Africa continued to have the highest at 9 per cent. No solutions are yet in sight for practices that drive up costs, such as de-risking action of banks, which lead to closure of bank accounts of remittance service providers. Another persistent factor that keeps fees high is the exclusive partnership between national post office systems and any single money transfer operator, as it allows the operator to charge higher fees to poorer customers dependent on post offices, the Bank said. "The future growth of remittances is vulnerable to lower oil prices, restrictive migration policies, and an overall moderation of economic growth. "Remittances have a direct impact on alleviating poverty for many households, and the World Bank is well positioned to work with countries to facilitate remittance flows," said Michal Rutkowski, Senior Director of the Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice at the World Bank.

India to retain top position in remittances with US $80 billion: World Bank

Chinese state-run media on Friday condemned the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-urges-immediate-release-of-huawei-cfo-meng-wanzhou-181949">arrest in Canada</a> of a top executive of telecoms giant Huawei on a US extradition request as a "despicable rogue's approach" to contain Chinese high-tech ambitions.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-arrest-canada-pm-justin-trudeau-defends-detaining-meng-wanzhou-182040">arrest of Meng Wanzhou,</a> Huawei's chief financial officer, has angered the Chinese government and raised concerns that it could disrupt a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-and-china-called-a-truce-in-the-trade-war-now-what-181070">trade war truce </a>between the world's two biggest economies.

"The Chinese government should seriously mull over the US tendency to abuse legal procedures to suppress China's high-tech enterprises," said the nationalist tabloid Global Times in an editorial.

"Obviously, Washington is resorting to a despicable rogue's approach as it cannot stop Huawei's 5G advance in the market," it said.

The China Daily warned that "containing Huawei's expansion is detrimental to China-US ties."

US authorities have not disclosed the charges she faces following a publication ban sought by Meng, but "one thing that is undoubtedly true and proven is the US is trying to do whatever it can to contain Huawei's expansion in the world simply because the company is the point man for China's competitive technology companies," the daily said.

Though China's technology sector is still reliant on certain US exports like microchips, Beijing wants to transform the country into a global tech leader with a technological prowess rivalling the United States in a plan dubbed "Made in China 2025".

Huawei is one of the world's largest telecommunications equipment and services providers. Its products are used by carriers around the world, including in Europe and Africa.&nbsp;

But its US business has been tightly constrained by worries it could undermine American competitors and that its cellphones and networking equipment, used widely in other countries, could provide Beijing with avenues for espionage.

Australia, New Zealand and Britain have followed suit this year by rejecting some of the company's services over security concerns.

Chinese netizens have criticised Meng's arrest on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform, where online trolls sometimes deliberately incite nationalist fervour or pro-government stances.

Some users viewed the incident as part of the trade war&nbsp;and a broader conspiracy to keep down China's technological development.&nbsp;

"One of the most important reasons why the US started the trade war was to attack China's technology sector and its 'Made in China 2025' plan," wrote one Weibo user.

The goal is to keep China stuck in "low-end industries and force China into the middle-income trap."

The detention of Meng appears to be a "game of politics", wrote another user.

The Huawei executive's arrest follows a US probe into the company's alleged violations of Iran sanctions.

Earlier this year, another Chinese tech firm ZTE nearly collapsed after Washington banned US companies from selling crucial hardware and software components to it for seven years, though the ban was lifted after it agreed to pay a $1 billion fine.

Chinese state-run media on Friday condemned the arrest in Canada of a top executive of telecoms giant Huawei on a US extradition request as a "despicable rogue's approach" to contain Chinese high-tech ambitions.

Chinese state-run media on Friday condemned the arrest in Canada of a top executive of telecoms giant Huawei on a US extradition request as a "despicable rogue's approach" to contain Chinese high-tech ambitions. The arrest of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, has angered the Chinese government and raised concerns that it could disrupt a trade war truce between the world's two biggest economies. "The Chinese government should seriously mull over the US tendency to abuse legal procedures to suppress China's high-tech enterprises," said the nationalist tabloid Global Times in an editorial. "Obviously, Washington is resorting to a despicable rogue's approach as it cannot stop Huawei's 5G advance in the market," it said. The China Daily warned that "containing Huawei's expansion is detrimental to China-US ties." US authorities have not disclosed the charges she faces following a publication ban sought by Meng, but "one thing that is undoubtedly true and proven is the US is trying to do whatever it can to contain Huawei's expansion in the world simply because the company is the point man for China's competitive technology companies," the daily said. Though China's technology sector is still reliant on certain US exports like microchips, Beijing wants to transform the country into a global tech leader with a technological prowess rivalling the United States in a plan dubbed "Made in China 2025". Huawei is one of the world's largest telecommunications equipment and services providers. Its products are used by carriers around the world, including in Europe and Africa. But its US business has been tightly constrained by worries it could undermine American competitors and that its cellphones and networking equipment, used widely in other countries, could provide Beijing with avenues for espionage. Australia, New Zealand and Britain have followed suit this year by rejecting some of the company's services over security concerns. Chinese netizens have criticised Meng's arrest on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform, where online trolls sometimes deliberately incite nationalist fervour or pro-government stances. Some users viewed the incident as part of the trade war and a broader conspiracy to keep down China's technological development. "One of the most important reasons why the US started the trade war was to attack China's technology sector and its 'Made in China 2025' plan," wrote one Weibo user. The goal is to keep China stuck in "low-end industries and force China into the middle-income trap." The detention of Meng appears to be a "game of politics", wrote another user. The Huawei executive's arrest follows a US probe into the company's alleged violations of Iran sanctions. Earlier this year, another Chinese tech firm ZTE nearly collapsed after Washington banned US companies from selling crucial hardware and software components to it for seven years, though the ban was lifted after it agreed to pay a $1 billion fine.

Huawei arrest a 'despicable rogue' action: Report

Nearly half of all American adults have an immediate family member who has experienced incarceration, according to a new study published Thursday that spotlights the extent of mass imprisonment in the United States.

The report comes as President Donald Trump has given his backing to a bipartisan bill aimed at reforming sentences imposed for drug offences, a move that could begin to reduce the prison population after years of spiralling growth.

The study by Cornell University and lobbying group FWD.us found that approximately 45 per cent of American adults (around 113 million people) have an immediate family member who has been incarcerated for at least one night in jail or prison.

It was based on online and phone surveys conducted on a nationally representative sample of 4,041 adults in the summer of 2018.

One in seven<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-happens-if-the-us-terminates-nafta-181728"> US </a>adults has an immediate family member who has been incarcerated for at least one year, and one in 34 adults has had an immediate family member spend 10 years or longer in<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-soldier-gets-25-years-in-prison-for-backing-isis-181558"> prison</a>, it added.&nbsp;

An estimated 6.5 million people, or one in 38, have an immediate family member who is currently incarcerated in jail or prison.

Incarceration results in a variety of direct and indirect harms, according to the study.

"Research has shown that even short periods of incarceration can be devastating to people's lives and additional punishments such as fines and fees," it said.

"Restrictions on employment and housing, and the loss of basic human rights limit opportunities for success long after individuals have completed their sentences."

The study found that black people are 50 per cent more likely than white people to have had a family member incarcerated, and three times more likely to have had a family member incarcerated for one year or longer.

People earning under $25,000 per year are 61 per cent more likely than people earning over $100,000 to have had a family member incarcerated and three times more likely to have had a family member in prison for a year or longer.

The report said its findings "should serve as a wake-up call and a stark reminder of how much work is needed to alleviate the harms caused by mass incarceration and unravel the complicated tangle of laws that perpetuate it."

The adoption of successive repressive laws since the 1980s has seen the prison population explode. There are now more than 1.5 million people in state and federal prisons on any given day, and nearly 11 million admissions to local jails each year.

US jail and prison populations are four times larger than in 1980 and the United States continues to incarcerate more people than any other country in the world, the report said.

With 710 prisoners per 100,000 people, the US incarceration rate is far ahead of Western democracies (147 in the United Kingdom, 118 in Canada, 108 in Belgium, 98 in France).

Last month, President Trump announced he would back a bipartisan prison reform brought by a group of Republican and Democratic senators to shorten prison sentences for certain nonviolent offenders.

In particular, it would abolish automatic penalties of 25 years in prison in the event of a third conviction for a drug case, even a minor one.&nbsp;

Hardline conservatives could, however, stall its adoption.

Nearly half of all American adults have an immediate family member who has experienced incarceration, according to a new study published Thursday that spotlights the extent of mass imprisonment in the United States.

Nearly half of all American adults have an immediate family member who has experienced incarceration, according to a new study published Thursday that spotlights the extent of mass imprisonment in the United States. The report comes as President Donald Trump has given his backing to a bipartisan bill aimed at reforming sentences imposed for drug offences, a move that could begin to reduce the prison population after years of spiralling growth. The study by Cornell University and lobbying group FWD.us found that approximately 45 per cent of American adults (around 113 million people) have an immediate family member who has been incarcerated for at least one night in jail or prison. It was based on online and phone surveys conducted on a nationally representative sample of 4,041 adults in the summer of 2018. One in seven US adults has an immediate family member who has been incarcerated for at least one year, and one in 34 adults has had an immediate family member spend 10 years or longer in prison, it added. An estimated 6.5 million people, or one in 38, have an immediate family member who is currently incarcerated in jail or prison. Incarceration results in a variety of direct and indirect harms, according to the study. "Research has shown that even short periods of incarceration can be devastating to people's lives and additional punishments such as fines and fees," it said. "Restrictions on employment and housing, and the loss of basic human rights limit opportunities for success long after individuals have completed their sentences." The study found that black people are 50 per cent more likely than white people to have had a family member incarcerated, and three times more likely to have had a family member incarcerated for one year or longer. People earning under $25,000 per year are 61 per cent more likely than people earning over $100,000 to have had a family member incarcerated and three times more likely to have had a family member in prison for a year or longer. The report said its findings "should serve as a wake-up call and a stark reminder of how much work is needed to alleviate the harms caused by mass incarceration and unravel the complicated tangle of laws that perpetuate it." The adoption of successive repressive laws since the 1980s has seen the prison population explode. There are now more than 1.5 million people in state and federal prisons on any given day, and nearly 11 million admissions to local jails each year. US jail and prison populations are four times larger than in 1980 and the United States continues to incarcerate more people than any other country in the world, the report said. With 710 prisoners per 100,000 people, the US incarceration rate is far ahead of Western democracies (147 in the United Kingdom, 118 in Canada, 108 in Belgium, 98 in France). Last month, President Trump announced he would back a bipartisan prison reform brought by a group of Republican and Democratic senators to shorten prison sentences for certain nonviolent offenders. In particular, it would abolish automatic penalties of 25 years in prison in the event of a third conviction for a drug case, even a minor one. Hardline conservatives could, however, stall its adoption.

Half of US adults have family member who has been incarcerated: Report

Donald Trump to nominate Heather Nauert as US envoy to UN

The Kremlin shrugged off a US call for it to scrap a nuclear-capable missile on Friday, saying it was in compliance with the Cold-War era arms control treaty Washington accuses the missile of violating.

A senior US&nbsp;official said on Thursday that Russia must scrap its 9M729 nuclear-capable cruise missiles and launchers or modify the weapons' range to return to compliance with the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty and avert a US&nbsp;pullout from the pact.

"Russia has not violated, is not violating and remains committed to its obligations under the INF treaty," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about the US call.

The Kremlin shrugged off a US call for it to scrap a nuclear-capable missile on Friday, saying it was in compliance with the Cold-War era arms control treaty Washington accuses the missile of violating.

The Kremlin shrugged off a US call for it to scrap a nuclear-capable missile on Friday, saying it was in compliance with the Cold-War era arms control treaty Washington accuses the missile of violating. A senior US official said on Thursday that Russia must scrap its 9M729 nuclear-capable cruise missiles and launchers or modify the weapons' range to return to compliance with the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty and avert a US pullout from the pact. "Russia has not violated, is not violating and remains committed to its obligations under the INF treaty," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about the US call.

Won't scrap nuclear-capable 9M729 cruise missiles: Russia

Oil prices fell on Friday as OPEC discussed a potential exemption from cutting output for Iran and as the producer club sought to get heavyweight supplier Russia on board.

International Brent crude oil futures fell below $60 per barrel, trading at $59.53 per barrel at 0750 GMT, down 53 cents, or 0.9 per cent from their last close.

US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $51.05 per barrel, down 44 cents, or 0.9 per cent.

The declines came after crude slumped by almost 3 per cent the previous day, with the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) ending a meeting at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on Thursday without announcing a decision to cut crude supply.

There was also still discussion around Iran seeking an exemption from any cuts amid U.S. sanctions which already reduced its exports, OPEC delegates told Reuters.

OPEC also wants to get Russia on board with cuts. Russia wants to cut its oil output by a maximum of 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) for the first three months of 2019, RIA news agency cited a source as saying on Friday.

Analysts expect OPEC to cut more than Russia, but warn that a big cut will be needed to reverse recent price falls.

"Reversing the overwhelmingly bearish price sentiment will likely require a credible and cohesive message from the OPEC meeting. Even a 1 million bpd cut could lead to a 'sell the news' reaction in the short term," US&nbsp;investment bank Jefferies said on Friday.

"If no agreement is reached, oil prices have significant downside," it added.

Supply surge, price plunge

Oil producers have been hit by a 30-per cent plunge in crude prices since October as supply surges just as the demand outlook weakens amid a global economic slowdown.

Oil output from the world's biggest producers - OPEC, Russia and the United States - has increased by 3.3 million bpd since the end of 2017, to 56.38 million bpd, meeting almost 60 per cent of global consumption.

That increase alone is equivalent to the output of major OPEC producer the United Arab Emirates.

The surge is largely down to soaring U.S. crude oil production, which has jumped by 2.5 million bpd since early 2016 to a record 11.7 million bpd, making the United States the world's biggest oil producer.

As a result, the United States last week exported more crude oil and fuel than it imported for the first time on records going back to 1973, according to data released on Thursday. 
&nbsp;

Oil prices fell on Friday as OPEC discussed a potential exemption from cutting output for Iran and as the producer club sought to get heavyweight supplier Russia on board.

Oil prices fell on Friday as OPEC discussed a potential exemption from cutting output for Iran and as the producer club sought to get heavyweight supplier Russia on board. International Brent crude oil futures fell below $60 per barrel, trading at $59.53 per barrel at 0750 GMT, down 53 cents, or 0.9 per cent from their last close. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $51.05 per barrel, down 44 cents, or 0.9 per cent. The declines came after crude slumped by almost 3 per cent the previous day, with the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) ending a meeting at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on Thursday without announcing a decision to cut crude supply. There was also still discussion around Iran seeking an exemption from any cuts amid U.S. sanctions which already reduced its exports, OPEC delegates told Reuters. OPEC also wants to get Russia on board with cuts. Russia wants to cut its oil output by a maximum of 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) for the first three months of 2019, RIA news agency cited a source as saying on Friday. Analysts expect OPEC to cut more than Russia, but warn that a big cut will be needed to reverse recent price falls. "Reversing the overwhelmingly bearish price sentiment will likely require a credible and cohesive message from the OPEC meeting. Even a 1 million bpd cut could lead to a 'sell the news' reaction in the short term," US investment bank Jefferies said on Friday. "If no agreement is reached, oil prices have significant downside," it added. Supply surge, price plunge Oil producers have been hit by a 30-per cent plunge in crude prices since October as supply surges just as the demand outlook weakens amid a global economic slowdown. Oil output from the world's biggest producers - OPEC, Russia and the United States - has increased by 3.3 million bpd since the end of 2017, to 56.38 million bpd, meeting almost 60 per cent of global consumption. That increase alone is equivalent to the output of major OPEC producer the United Arab Emirates. The surge is largely down to soaring U.S. crude oil production, which has jumped by 2.5 million bpd since early 2016 to a record 11.7 million bpd, making the United States the world's biggest oil producer. As a result, the United States last week exported more crude oil and fuel than it imported for the first time on records going back to 1973, according to data released on Thursday.

Oil sinks as OPEC mulls Iran supply cut exemption, tries to get Russia on board

Breaking News: Canada arrests Huawei's global chief financial officer

The infamous migrant “caravan” comprised approximately 5,000 to 6,000 people from Central America when it finally concluded its slow six-week crawl to Tijuana, the Mexican border city just south of California.

At one point the caravan swelled to 7,000 people, but many of them succumbed to exhaustion, sleep and sickness along the way and chose to stay behind in Mexican towns; others turned back to their country of origin.

The hardest hit by these events are undoubtedly the children, unaware of the magnitude of their journey and unable to keep up with its physical requirements.

The photographs taken by journalists following the caravan have highlighted the plight of child migrants and their parents. The impact of the journey on migrant parent-child relationships has been less discussed.

As a clinical psychologist, my practice and research has demonstrated that refugee parents, such as these migrants, often exhibit symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that have profound effects on parenting.

Their emotionally distraught state can sometimes lead to overprotectiveness, harshness in parenting and even reversal of parent-child roles. Children in these circumstances are more likely to suffer from mental health problems.

Infections, dehydration, tear gas

The caravan formed in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on October 13, nearly seven weeks ago. The 500 migrants who have been in the caravan from the beginning have marched a total of 4,000 blistering km on their way to Tijuana.

Along the way, migrants have suffered from fevers, eye infections, lice infestations, respiratory infections and dehydration.

As the city of Tijuana tries to accommodate thousands of migrants in temporary shelters, the crowded and unhygienic conditions only escalate health concerns. Children are more susceptible to diseases and tire out quicker, making this journey especially arduous for them.

This adds to the list of concerns their parents already have. The batons and tear gas that these migrants have faced at the United States border further adds to the stress of relocation.

Financial strife and marital discord

The biggest push factors for these asylum seekers are the corruption and poverty rampant in their countries. According to the World Bank, two-thirds of the population of Honduras lived in poverty in 2016. According to the CIA World Factbook, over 30 per cent of the population lived under the poverty line in El Salvador at the same time.

The signs of the migrants’ financial strife are evident. Migrant families have relied heavily on the generosity of strangers for food, shelter and transportation in the towns they have passed through. There is also the fact that people simply do not walk 4,000 km if they can travel the same distance in any other vehicle. In some cases, families have resorted to begging along the way for passage.

Financial stress tends to increase the likelihood of marital discord, which leads to criticism and anger between spouses.

Over time the strain on a marital relationship often spills over onto the parent-child relationship — leading to a marked reduction in nurturance, responsiveness to needs and consistency in parenting.

This can contribute to socio-emotional problems in children — such as low self-esteem, depression, drug use and other health problems.

Gang violence and dissociation

Due to widespread gang violence, El Salvador has the highest homicide rate in the world, followed in second place by Honduras, with Guatemala not too far behind.

Migrant families have reported fleeing their hometowns due to threats against their lives, or the lives of family members, if they did not join the local gang. Often, gangs also extort cuts of people’s already meagre livelihoods and threaten others with physical and sexual assault.

Research indicates that repetitive community violence exposure causes parents to feel hopeless, powerless and emotionally drained, leading to symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Other fallouts include dissociation (feeling cut off from reality) and lower understanding of and tolerance towards their child’s psychological distress.

As a result, children are more likely to develop emotional difficulties, learn disengagement and form similar unhelpful coping mechanisms.

Need for social and emotional support 
 
Today in Tijuana, some asylum-seeking families await to be processed by authorities while others begin to settle into life in Mexico. Their parent-child relationships will be further tested and strained under the pressure of acculturation and other post-migration stressors.

This underlines the need for social and emotional support at the end of this journey, as well as efforts to help them rehabilitate into safer areas.

Childhood is already a delicate time for growth and development, even when good enough parenting and a stable, nurturing environment is available. A gruelling move to a strange and potentially hostile country obviously feels necessary for these migrant families — or they wouldn’t be on the move.

Given the life they are fleeing, an uncertain future in an idealised country eclipses certain desolation and death in their homelands. 
 
(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-challenge-of-parenting-in-a-migrant-caravan-107875">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

The infamous migrant “caravan” comprised approximately 5,000 to 6,000 people from Central America when it finally concluded its slow six-week crawl to Tijuana, the Mexican border city just south of California.

The infamous migrant “caravan” comprised approximately 5,000 to 6,000 people from Central America when it finally concluded its slow six-week crawl to Tijuana, the Mexican border city just south of California. At one point the caravan swelled to 7,000 people, but many of them succumbed to exhaustion, sleep and sickness along the way and chose to stay behind in Mexican towns; others turned back to their country of origin. The hardest hit by these events are undoubtedly the children, unaware of the magnitude of their journey and unable to keep up with its physical requirements. The photographs taken by journalists following the caravan have highlighted the plight of child migrants and their parents. The impact of the journey on migrant parent-child relationships has been less discussed. As a clinical psychologist, my practice and research has demonstrated that refugee parents, such as these migrants, often exhibit symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that have profound effects on parenting. Their emotionally distraught state can sometimes lead to overprotectiveness, harshness in parenting and even reversal of parent-child roles. Children in these circumstances are more likely to suffer from mental health problems. Infections, dehydration, tear gas The caravan formed in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on October 13, nearly seven weeks ago. The 500 migrants who have been in the caravan from the beginning have marched a total of 4,000 blistering km on their way to Tijuana. Along the way, migrants have suffered from fevers, eye infections, lice infestations, respiratory infections and dehydration. As the city of Tijuana tries to accommodate thousands of migrants in temporary shelters, the crowded and unhygienic conditions only escalate health concerns. Children are more susceptible to diseases and tire out quicker, making this journey especially arduous for them. This adds to the list of concerns their parents already have. The batons and tear gas that these migrants have faced at the United States border further adds to the stress of relocation. Financial strife and marital discord The biggest push factors for these asylum seekers are the corruption and poverty rampant in their countries. According to the World Bank, two-thirds of the population of Honduras lived in poverty in 2016. According to the CIA World Factbook, over 30 per cent of the population lived under the poverty line in El Salvador at the same time. The signs of the migrants’ financial strife are evident. Migrant families have relied heavily on the generosity of strangers for food, shelter and transportation in the towns they have passed through. There is also the fact that people simply do not walk 4,000 km if they can travel the same distance in any other vehicle. In some cases, families have resorted to begging along the way for passage. Financial stress tends to increase the likelihood of marital discord, which leads to criticism and anger between spouses. Over time the strain on a marital relationship often spills over onto the parent-child relationship — leading to a marked reduction in nurturance, responsiveness to needs and consistency in parenting. This can contribute to socio-emotional problems in children — such as low self-esteem, depression, drug use and other health problems. Gang violence and dissociation Due to widespread gang violence, El Salvador has the highest homicide rate in the world, followed in second place by Honduras, with Guatemala not too far behind. Migrant families have reported fleeing their hometowns due to threats against their lives, or the lives of family members, if they did not join the local gang. Often, gangs also extort cuts of people’s already meagre livelihoods and threaten others with physical and sexual assault. Research indicates that repetitive community violence exposure causes parents to feel hopeless, powerless and emotionally drained, leading to symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD. Other fallouts include dissociation (feeling cut off from reality) and lower understanding of and tolerance towards their child’s psychological distress. As a result, children are more likely to develop emotional difficulties, learn disengagement and form similar unhelpful coping mechanisms. Need for social and emotional support Today in Tijuana, some asylum-seeking families await to be processed by authorities while others begin to settle into life in Mexico. Their parent-child relationships will be further tested and strained under the pressure of acculturation and other post-migration stressors. This underlines the need for social and emotional support at the end of this journey, as well as efforts to help them rehabilitate into safer areas. Childhood is already a delicate time for growth and development, even when good enough parenting and a stable, nurturing environment is available. A gruelling move to a strange and potentially hostile country obviously feels necessary for these migrant families — or they wouldn’t be on the move. Given the life they are fleeing, an uncertain future in an idealised country eclipses certain desolation and death in their homelands. (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The challenge of parenting in a migrant caravan

A US soldier based in Hawaii was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 years in prison for attempting to provide support to the Islamic State group also known as ISIS.

Ikaika Erik Kang, 35, whose sentence was part of a plea agreement, will also be under at least 20 years of supervised release after he completes his prison term.

"Kang swore to defend the United States as a member of our military, but betrayed his country by swearing allegiance to ISIS and attempting to provide it material support," John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement.

According to authorities, Kang, a sergeant in the US Army, became sympathetic to ISIS by at least early 2016 and regularly watched propaganda videos published online by the terror group while expressing a desire to become a member.

Prosecutors said he spoke in detail about committing specific acts of violence including launching attacks at public gatherings such as the Honolulu Christmas Parade and planning a suicide bombing at his army barracks.

In June and July of last year, he met with undercover FBI agents posing as people with connections to ISIS and provided them with sensitive material.

He also supplied the agents with a small aerial drone and military-style clothing and gear.

On another occasion, he provided two undercover FBI employees -- one pretending to be a high-ranking ISIS leader and another an ISIS fighter -- with a two-hour combat training session to hone their fighting and marksmanship skills.

Kang was arrested after he swore allegiance to ISIS during a ceremony conducted by the purported ISIS leader.

"This is the first case in the state of Hawaii where someone was convicted for providing material support to terrorism," said Sean Kaul, special agent in charge of the FBI office in Honolulu. "This should serve as reminder that even though we are 2,500 miles from the US mainland these crimes can and do happen everywhere."

According to local media, Kang grew up in an abusive household and his father suffered from mental health issues. Two former members of the US military also testified that he had mental health issues and could easily be influenced.

A US soldier based in Hawaii was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 years in prison for attempting to provide support to the Islamic State group also known as ISIS. Ikaika Erik Kang, 35, whose sentence was part of a plea agreement, will also be under at least 20 years of supervised release after he completes his prison term.

A US soldier based in Hawaii was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 years in prison for attempting to provide support to the Islamic State group also known as ISIS. Ikaika Erik Kang, 35, whose sentence was part of a plea agreement, will also be under at least 20 years of supervised release after he completes his prison term. "Kang swore to defend the United States as a member of our military, but betrayed his country by swearing allegiance to ISIS and attempting to provide it material support," John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement. According to authorities, Kang, a sergeant in the US Army, became sympathetic to ISIS by at least early 2016 and regularly watched propaganda videos published online by the terror group while expressing a desire to become a member. Prosecutors said he spoke in detail about committing specific acts of violence including launching attacks at public gatherings such as the Honolulu Christmas Parade and planning a suicide bombing at his army barracks. In June and July of last year, he met with undercover FBI agents posing as people with connections to ISIS and provided them with sensitive material. He also supplied the agents with a small aerial drone and military-style clothing and gear. On another occasion, he provided two undercover FBI employees -- one pretending to be a high-ranking ISIS leader and another an ISIS fighter -- with a two-hour combat training session to hone their fighting and marksmanship skills. Kang was arrested after he swore allegiance to ISIS during a ceremony conducted by the purported ISIS leader. "This is the first case in the state of Hawaii where someone was convicted for providing material support to terrorism," said Sean Kaul, special agent in charge of the FBI office in Honolulu. "This should serve as reminder that even though we are 2,500 miles from the US mainland these crimes can and do happen everywhere." According to local media, Kang grew up in an abusive household and his father suffered from mental health issues. Two former members of the US military also testified that he had mental health issues and could easily be influenced.

US soldier gets 25 years in prison for backing ISIS

Former US vice president Joe Biden has stoked speculation he may run for the White House in 2020 by saying he believes he is the "most qualified person" to be president.

Biden, 76, made the remarks on Monday night while in Montana during a stop on a tour to promote his 2017 book "Promise Me, Dad" about the death from brain cancer of his son Beau.

"I think I'm the most qualified person in the country to be president," a local newspaper, the Missoula Current, quoted Biden as saying.

"The issues that we face as a country today are the issues that I've worked on my whole life -– the plight of the middle class and foreign policy," he said.

Biden, who served for eight years as vice president to Democrat Barack Obama, said he would have to consult with his family before deciding whether to take on Republican Donald Trump two years from now.

"My family and I need to decide as a unit whether we're ready -- we do everything as a family," Biden said, adding that he would make a decision in the next six weeks to two months.

Biden, who served as a US senator from Delaware before becoming vice president, was asked whether his reputation for making "gaffes" could harm his prospects.

"I may be a gaffe machine, but my god, what a wonderful thing compared to a guy who can't tell the truth," he said in a reference to Trump.

"No one doubts what I say, the problem is I sometimes say all that I mean," Biden said. "The question is what kind of nation are we becoming?

"We can't have four more years."

Biden, should he decide to run, would be considered a strong candidate in what could be a crowded field seeking the 2020 Democratic nomination for president.

Former US vice president Joe Biden has stoked speculation he may run for the White House in 2020 by saying he believes he is the "most qualified person" to be president.

Former US vice president Joe Biden has stoked speculation he may run for the White House in 2020 by saying he believes he is the "most qualified person" to be president. Biden, 76, made the remarks on Monday night while in Montana during a stop on a tour to promote his 2017 book "Promise Me, Dad" about the death from brain cancer of his son Beau. "I think I'm the most qualified person in the country to be president," a local newspaper, the Missoula Current, quoted Biden as saying. "The issues that we face as a country today are the issues that I've worked on my whole life -– the plight of the middle class and foreign policy," he said. Biden, who served for eight years as vice president to Democrat Barack Obama, said he would have to consult with his family before deciding whether to take on Republican Donald Trump two years from now. "My family and I need to decide as a unit whether we're ready -- we do everything as a family," Biden said, adding that he would make a decision in the next six weeks to two months. Biden, who served as a US senator from Delaware before becoming vice president, was asked whether his reputation for making "gaffes" could harm his prospects. "I may be a gaffe machine, but my god, what a wonderful thing compared to a guy who can't tell the truth," he said in a reference to Trump. "No one doubts what I say, the problem is I sometimes say all that I mean," Biden said. "The question is what kind of nation are we becoming? "We can't have four more years." Biden, should he decide to run, would be considered a strong candidate in what could be a crowded field seeking the 2020 Democratic nomination for president.

Biden says he's 'most qualified' to be US president

The Pentagon`s pick for the next commander of US Central Command said on Tuesday the high casualty rate of Afghan security forces would not be sustainable even with the stalemate in the fight against Taliban militants.

"Their losses have been very high. They are fighting hard, but their losses are not going to be sustainable unless we correct this problem," Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

The assessment comes as both Western-backed security forces and the Taliban have pushed to gain momentum as the United States has stepped up efforts to find a peaceful settlement to end the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said last month that since 2015 more than 28,000 members of the Afghan security forces had been killed.

McKenzie said the United States would have to work with Afghan forces to improve how they recruit, train and carry out missions.

He added that Afghan forces were not capable of securing the mountainous South Asian country without help from the nearly 14,000 US troops deployed there.

"If we left precipitously right now, I do not believe they would be able to successfully defend their country," McKenzie said.

He said he did not know how long it would take for Afghan forces to be self-sufficient and that Taliban fighters were estimated at 60,000.

US President Donald Trump wants to end the conflict between Afghan security forces and the Taliban, who are fighting to drive out international forces and reestablish their version of strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster.

McKenzie said he was unaware of any plans to significantly change the US military footprint in Afghanistan.

Recent attacks underscore the pressure on Afghanistan`s overstretched security forces, suffering from their highest-ever level of casualties, estimates from the NATO-led "Resolute Support" mission show.

The Kabul government no longer releases exact casualty figures, but officials say at least 500 men are being killed each month and hundreds more wounded, a tally many consider low.

In November dozens of elite commandos were among the casualties suffered by Afghan security forces as the Taliban claimed to have taken a district in Ghazni province.

US commanders have said they expect the Taliban to step up military efforts to better their position while they maintain contacts with U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad aimed at opening peace negotiations.

PAKISTAN

Trump recently asked for Pakistan`s help with faltering Afghan peace talks in a letter to new Prime Minister Imran Khan, making clear that Islamabad`s assistance was "fundamental" to the health of the two countries` strained relationship.

McKenzie said Pakistan was needed for long-term stability in Afghanistan and could play a key role in facilitating talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

"At this time, however, Pakistan does not appear to be using the full extent of its influence to encourage the Taliban to come to the table," McKenzie said in written responses to questions from lawmakers.

"We continue to see the Taliban being utilized as a hedge against India rather than as part of a stable, reconciled Afghanistan," he added.

The Pentagon`s pick for the next commander of US Central Command said on Tuesday the high casualty rate of Afghan security forces would not be sustainable even with the stalemate in the fight against Taliban militants.

The Pentagon`s pick for the next commander of US Central Command said on Tuesday the high casualty rate of Afghan security forces would not be sustainable even with the stalemate in the fight against Taliban militants. "Their losses have been very high. They are fighting hard, but their losses are not going to be sustainable unless we correct this problem," Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. The assessment comes as both Western-backed security forces and the Taliban have pushed to gain momentum as the United States has stepped up efforts to find a peaceful settlement to end the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said last month that since 2015 more than 28,000 members of the Afghan security forces had been killed. McKenzie said the United States would have to work with Afghan forces to improve how they recruit, train and carry out missions. He added that Afghan forces were not capable of securing the mountainous South Asian country without help from the nearly 14,000 US troops deployed there. "If we left precipitously right now, I do not believe they would be able to successfully defend their country," McKenzie said. He said he did not know how long it would take for Afghan forces to be self-sufficient and that Taliban fighters were estimated at 60,000. US President Donald Trump wants to end the conflict between Afghan security forces and the Taliban, who are fighting to drive out international forces and reestablish their version of strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster. McKenzie said he was unaware of any plans to significantly change the US military footprint in Afghanistan. Recent attacks underscore the pressure on Afghanistan`s overstretched security forces, suffering from their highest-ever level of casualties, estimates from the NATO-led "Resolute Support" mission show. The Kabul government no longer releases exact casualty figures, but officials say at least 500 men are being killed each month and hundreds more wounded, a tally many consider low. In November dozens of elite commandos were among the casualties suffered by Afghan security forces as the Taliban claimed to have taken a district in Ghazni province. US commanders have said they expect the Taliban to step up military efforts to better their position while they maintain contacts with U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad aimed at opening peace negotiations. PAKISTAN Trump recently asked for Pakistan`s help with faltering Afghan peace talks in a letter to new Prime Minister Imran Khan, making clear that Islamabad`s assistance was "fundamental" to the health of the two countries` strained relationship. McKenzie said Pakistan was needed for long-term stability in Afghanistan and could play a key role in facilitating talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. "At this time, however, Pakistan does not appear to be using the full extent of its influence to encourage the Taliban to come to the table," McKenzie said in written responses to questions from lawmakers. "We continue to see the Taliban being utilized as a hedge against India rather than as part of a stable, reconciled Afghanistan," he added.

Afghan security forces' deaths unsustainable: US general

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