World

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said, Washington is prepared to talk to North Korea whenever it is ready but Pyongyang must come to the negotiating table willing to make choices to change course on its nuclear and missile programs.

In a speech to a Washington think tank, Mr Tillerson said, US military preparedness to respond to any North Korean threat was strong and the armed forces have been ordered to have a full range of contingencies available.
North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons technology has led to heavy US-led sanctions against the regime.

Talks at the 11th Ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at Buenos Aires appear to be heading towards a collapse, as the US has refused to engage in the effort to find a permanent solution to the public stock holding issue. Quoting an official, PTI reports that on the third-day of the conference, Assistant US Trade Representative Sharon Lauritsen said, the permanent solution was not acceptable to America.

India has all through been maintaining that a permanent solution was a must have and failure to do so would impact the credibility of the strong multilateral trade institution. The Indian delegation, led by Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, in cooperation with the G33 grouping, is pitching hard for a permanent solution as it is crucial for the livelihood of 800 million people across the globe.

India has expressed deep disappointment on the latest development. Without naming US, an official statement said, India is surprised and deeply disappointed that despite an overwhelming majority of members reiterating it, a major member country has reneged on a commitment made two years ago to deliver a solution of critical importance for addressing hunger in some of the poorest countries of the world.

The conference, which began on Sunday, ends today, with very little time for any substantial retrieval of positions by the WTO members.

China has warned its citizens in Pakistan to keep a low profile, saying it has received intelligence reports of plans for imminent terror attacks.

The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad posted the unusual alert on its website.

The embassy statement said, it is understood that terrorists plan in the near term to launch a series of attacks against Chinese organizations and personnel in Pakistan. It did not provide details on the nature of the terrorist threat but urged all Chinese nationals to enhance personal security, limit outdoor trips as much as possible and avoid crowded public places.

UN has rejected the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital. The decision was taken at a special United Nations Security Council meeting last night. The UN move is expected to set off alarms about the risk of escalating conflict in West Asia. The UN in a statement, at the end of the meeting said the status of Jerusalem must be determined through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians to reach at a final status agreement.

Widespread protests continue in West Asia in the wake of US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters held demonstrations in Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, Tunisia and Iran. Protesters also rallied in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Indonesia.

Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip killed two Hamas militants today, as unrest simmered across the Palestinian territories over US President Donald Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. A total of four people have been killed and dozens wounded since Trump announced his deeply controversial decision which drew criticism from every other member of the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting yesterday.

The Israeli military said, today's pre-dawn air strike on a base of Hamas's military wing in Nusseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, was one of several. It followed three rocket attacks last night from Gaza into southern Israel.

Iraq has announced that its war against Islamic State is over. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told a conference in Baghdad that Iraqi troops are now in complete control of the Iraqi-Syrian border. The Iraqi announcement comes two days after the Russian military declared it had accomplished its mission of defeating IS in neighbouring Syria.

The IS had seized large swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, when it proclaimed a 'caliphate' and imposed its rule over some 10 million people. But it suffered a series of defeats over the past two years, losing Iraq's second city of Mosul this July and its de facto capital of Raqqa in northern Syria last month.

The Sri Lankan government today handed over the operations of Hambantota port to two companies having majority Chinese stake. With this, Hambantota International Port Group and Hambantota International Port Services will begin port operations in the south of country, considered a strategic place in the Indian Ocean.

Hambantota port was initially built with Chinese loan during earlier regime but it could not become a profitable venture forcing Sri Lankan government to lease the port operations for 99 years.

Several nations including India have expressed concern over the debt burden created by such huge infrastructure projects for small countries like Sri Lanka.

In Nepal, the left alliance is heading for victory in parliament and provincial elections. Out of 165 constituencies of House of Representative results, for 48 seats have been declared so far. Left alliance has won 39 seats and is leading in 75. Ruling Nepali Congress  got  6 seats and is ahead in 20 places.

CPN (UML) has won 28 seats and its partner CPN (Maoist Centre) got 11.  Nepali Congress, which was the largest party in last election, has won just 6 seats. Former Prime Minister and CPN (UML) candidate Madhav Kumar Nepal has won from Kathmandu-2 parliamentary constituency. Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav has been elected from Saptari- 2. Out of 330 seats of state assemblies results of 72 have also been declared. Left alliance has won 58, Nepali Congress got 9 and others have won 5 seats.

In Nepal left alliance is leading in parliament and provincial elections. Media reports that out of 17 results declared so far alliance has won 14 seats of House of Representative and leading in 77 constituencies. Ruling Nepali Congress got just 2 seats.

Communist Party of Nepal (UML) has won 11 seats of house of representatives and leading in 51.

Another partner of left alliance Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) got 3 and ahead 26.

Rulling Nepali Congress able to get just 2 seats and leading in 20 places. Two major parties of Madhes Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal is ahead in 8 and Rashtriya Janta Party Nepal leading in 7 places.

In provincial assemblies left alliance has won 25 seats and leading in 75.

Others have won 3 and leading 8 constituencies.

Clashes, Palestinian rocket fire and Israeli air strikes killed at least two people and wounded dozens of others on Friday in violence linked to US President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

In the latest diplomatic fallout, the United States stood alone as, one after another, fellow UN Security Council members criticised Trump’s decision in an emergency meeting of the world body.

Five European countries on the council insisted the new US policy is not consistent with past UN resolutions, including one that considers east Jerusalem to be Israeli-occupied. But the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, told delegates that the White House is serious about the search for peace.

After a day of protests and clashes in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, at least three rockets were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip, including one shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system, the army said.

Earlier in the day, two Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces along the fence dividing the Gaza Strip from Israel – the first deaths in the protests over Trump’s decision.

Dozens of others were wounded from rubber bullets or live fire in clashes in the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem that followed the main weekly Muslim prayers.

Tens of thousands also protested in a range of Muslim and Arab countries, including Jordan, Turkey and Malaysia.

Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, had called for a 'day of rage' and its leader Ismail Haniya for the start of a new intifada, or uprising.

India joined the Wassenaar Arrangement after completing the internal procedures. The membership will facilitate high-technology tie-ups for country’s defence and space programmes.

India has become the arrangement’s 42nd participating State. In a tweet, India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has thanked all the 41 Wassenaar Arrangement member states for their support.

She said, this membership is the second diplomatic success for India for the membership of export control regimes after it joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) last year.

india's External Affairs Ministry statement said that India’s entry into the Arrangement would be mutually beneficial and further contribute to international security and non-proliferation objectives.