BEIJING: President Xi Jinping extended greetings to Chinese people of all ethnic groups, compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and overseas Chinese on Sunday, ahead of the Spring Festival. “In the past year… we have made efforts and achieved a lot,” he said while addressing a festival reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extended the greetings on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.
Party and state leaders Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the reception, with Li Keqiang presiding. In the speech, Xi noted that Chinese people had a hard but fulfilling year.
The Chinese economy remained steady while making progress, with new steps taken in reform and opening-up, he said. The country actively pushed forward campaigns to defuse major risks, carry out targeted poverty alleviation and prevent and control pollution, with poverty alleviation projects achieving remarkable outcomes, he said.
Defense and military reforms extended to a deeper level, major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics opened a new chapter and Party governance further improved, he said. “Chinese society has been stable, and the people have enjoyed a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security.” Xi spoke of the need in the new year to adhere to the new development philosophy, advance high-quality development, continue the earnest fight in the “three critical battles” against risks, poverty and pollution and take coordinated steps to ensure steady growth, advance reform, make structural adjustments, improve living standards and guard against risks.
Xi called for efforts to create a growing sense of fulfillment, happiness and security in people, promote sustained and sound economic growth and maintain law and order to lay a crucial foundation for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China with great achievements. After working so hard for a whole year, it is time for family members to gather for New Year’s Eve dinner and stay up all night to usher in the new year, Xi said.
Xi spoke of the need to enhance people’s love for the family and the country, nurture and practice core socialist values, promote the spirits of patriotism, collectivism and socialism and advocate combining the love for family with the love for the country so that every individual and every family can make contributions to the big family of the Chinese nation.
Having become an aging society, China should make great efforts to ensure the elderly are well respected, taken care of, and supported, and promote programs for the elderly so that they can all enjoy a happy life, Xi said.
He called for hard work to bring a happy life for the Chinese people and a great future for the Chinese nation as well as further efforts to work with the people of countries across the world to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

(Agencies)

PARIS : For the 12th straight weekend of protests, thousands of “Yellow Vest” protesters marched in Paris and other French cities on Saturday in relatively calm rallies, but some sporadic incidents led to 30 arrests in the French capital. As previous demonstrations, discontent people chanted the national anthem and anti-President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership slogans. Some of them had put plasters and others wore eye patches to pay tribute to those wounded in the months-long protests.
At the front of the fresh street action, Jerome Rodrigues who lost one of his eyes after being hit by a flash-ball last week, headed the rally in the French capital to say “Stop” to “Violence of State, Macron guilty”, as read in some banners. The French Interior Ministry said Saturday’s protests, coordinated via social media against Macron’s leadership, drew 58,600 participants nationwide. The turnout was down from a week ago when 69,000 people took part. In Paris, 10,500 people were gathered compared with 4,000 on Jan. 26.
After a calm debut where peaceful atmosphere reigned, tension arose in Paris after riot police used tear gas and water cannon in response to some protesters who set bins and a scooter ablaze. More standoffs were reported as officers moved to disperse protesters in the Republic square where they had planned an evening gathering, dubbed “Yellow Night”.
Similar scuffles clouded demonstrations in Tours, Valence, Toulouse and Bordeaux. The “Yellow Vest” movement, a nationwide protest against weak economic performance and stagnant income increase, started as a campaign against surge in fuel prices in November 2018.
Since then, thousands of drivers wearing highly visible yellow vests had blocked roads across the country and staged street protests that had been transformed into social rebellion demanding Macron to step down. Despite capitulating over plans for fuel taxes, France’s youngest president in its modern history has struggled to ease the anger that cast doubt on his political credentials to reform one of Europe’s major powers and lead the country, according to the country’s pollsters.

(Agencies)

The Mughal Empire was the greatest ruler in India. They ruled in India from 1556 to 1707. During the Mughal Empire, India became united under one rule, and had very prosperous cultural and political years. There were some men such as Babar, grandson to the Great Asian conqueror Tamerlane and the conqueror Genghis Khan from the northern region of the Ganges, river valley, who decided to take over Khyber, and eventually, all of India.

The Mughal Empire

Babar (1526-1530):
The great grandson of Tamerlane and Genghis Khan, was the first Mughal emperor in India. He confronted and defeated Lodhi in 1526 at the first battle of Panipat, and so came to establish the Mughal Empire in India. Babar ruled until 1530, and was succeeded by his son Humayun.

Humayun (1530-1540 and 1555-1556):
The eldest son of Babar, succeeded his father and became the second emperor of the Mughal Empire. He ruled India for nearly a decade but was ousted by Sher Shah Suri, the Afghan ruler. Humayun wandered for about 15 years after his defeat. Meanwhile, Sher Shah Suri died and Humayun was able to defeat his successor, Sikandar Suri and regain his crown of the Hindustan. However, soon after, he died in 1556 at a young age of 48 years.

Numerous civil works were carried out during his short reign; planting of trees, wells and the building of Sarai (inns) for travelers was done

Sher Shah Suri (1540-1545):
Sher Shah Suriwas an Afghan leader who took over the Mughal Empire after defeating Humayun in 1540. Sher Shah occupied the throne of Delhi for not more than five years, but his reign proved to be a landmark in the Sub-continent. As a king, he has several achievements in his credit. He established an efficient public administration. He set up a revenue collection system based on the measurement of land. Justice was provided to the common man. Numerous civil works were carried out during his short reign; planting of trees, wells and the building of Sarai (inns) for travelers was done. Roads were laid; it was under his rule that the Grand Trunk road from Delhi to Kabul was built. The currency was also changed to finely minted silver coins called Dam. However, Sher Shah did not survive long after his accession on the throne and died in 1545 after a short reign of five years.

Akbar (1556-1605):
Humayun’s heir, Akbar, was born in exile and was only 13 years old when his father died. Akbar’s reign holds a certain prominence in history; he was the ruler who actually fortified the foundations of the Mughal Empire. After a series of conquests, he managed to subdue most of India. Areas not under the empire were designated as tributaries. He also adopted a conciliatory policy towards the Rajputs, hence reducing any threat from them. Akbar was not only a great conqueror, but a capable organizer and a great administrator as well. He set up a host of institutions that proved to be the foundation of an administrative system that operated even in British India. Akbar’s rule also stands out due to his liberal policies towards the non-Muslims, his religious innovations, the land revenue system and his famous Mansabdari system. Akbar’s Mansabdari system became the basis of Mughal military organization and civil administration. Akbar died in 1605, nearly 50 years after his ascension to the throne, and was buried outside of Agra at Sikandra. His son Jehangir then assumed the throne.

Jehangir:
Akbar was succeeded by his son, Salim, who took the title of Jehangir, meaning “Conqueror of the World”. He married Mehr-un-Nisa whom he gave the title of Nur Jahan (light of the world). He loved her with blind passion and handed over the complete reins of administration to her. He expanded the empire through the addition of Kangra and Kistwar and consolidated the Mughal rule in Bengal. Jehangir lacked the political enterprise of his father Akbar. But he was an honest man and a tolerant ruler. He strived to reform society and was tolerant towards Hindus, Christians and Jews. However, relations with Sikhs were strained, and the fifth of the ten Sikh gurus, Arjun Dev, was executed at Jehangir’s orders for giving aid and comfort to Khusrau, Jehangir’s rebellious son. Art, literature, and architecture prospered under Jehangir’s rule, and the Mughal gardens in Srinagar remain an enduring testimony to his artistic taste. He died in 1627.

Shah Jahan:
Jehangir was succeeded by his second son Khurram in 1628. Khurram took the name of Shah Jahan, i.e. The emperor of the World. He further expanded his Empire to Kandhar in the north and conquered most of Southern India. The Mughal Empire was at its zenith during Shah Jahan’s rule. This was due to almost 100 years of unparalleled prosperity and peace. As a result, during this reign, the world witnessed the unique development of arts and culture of the Mughal Empire. Shah Jahan has been called the “architect king”. The Red Fort and the Jama Masjid, both in Delhi, stand out as towering achievements of both civil engineering and art. Yet above all else, Shah Jahan is remembered today for the Taj Mahal, the massive white marble mausoleum constructed for his wife Mumtaz Mahal along the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra.

Aurangzeb:
Aurangzeb ascended the throne in 1658 and ruled supreme till 1707. Thus Aurangzeb ruled for 50 years, matching Akbar’s reign in longevity. But unfortunately he kept his five sons away from the royal court with the result that none of them was trained in the art of government. This proved to be very damaging for the Mughals later on. During his 50 years of rule, Aurangzeb tried to fulfill his ambition of bringing the entire Sub-continent under one rule. It was under him that the Mughal Empire reached its peak in matter of the area. He worked hard for years, but his health broke down in the end. He left behind no personal wealth when he died in 1707, at the age of 90 years. With his death, the forces of disintegration set in and the mighty Mughal empire started collapsing.

(Agencies)

A tax haven is by definition simply a country that offers individuals or businesses little or no tax liability. Many of the Caribbean tax havens are what is known as pure tax havens, in that they impose no taxes at all. A number of Caribbean nations were motivated to become tax havens so they could reduce dependency on foreign countries and maintain their own economies.

How governments make money from tax havens

Tax havens are not completely tax-free. They charge a lower tax rate than other countries. Low tax jurisdictions generally charge high customs or import duties to cover the losses in tax revenues. Tax havens may charge a fee for new registration of companies and renewal charges to be paid every year. Additional fees may also be charged such as license fees. Such fees and charges would add up to a recurring fixed income for the tax havens.

The Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands is one of the five largest offshore financial centers worldwide providing services such as offshore banking, offshore trusts and the incorporation of offshore companies. Offshore companies are not taxed on income earned abroad, and there is no taxation of Cayman international business companies. In fact, the Cayman Islands is a pure tax haven since it has no corporate tax, no income tax, estate or inheritance tax, and no gift tax or capital  gains tax. It does not have any tax treaties with other nations, thus guarding the finances of its offshore banking clients from the tax authorities of other countries.

Panama

The Republic of Panama is also considered as pure tax haven. Offshore companies are allowed to conduct business operations within and outside of the offshore jurisdiction here. Offshore Panamanian companies and their owners are not subject to income taxes, or corporate taxes, and even local taxes. In Panama, which protects the privacy of offshore trusts and foundations by law, people of any nationality can incorporate.

The Bahamas

The Bahamas is another widely popular tax haven country that enables the incorporation of offshore corporations and IBCs. This country remains one of the preferred tax havens for residents of the United States and European countries. It also provides offshore banking, registration of offshore companies, registration of ships and offshore trust management. It is a pure tax haven, with no tax liability at all for offshore companies or individual offshore bank account holders.

The British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands does not impose any taxes on offshore accounts, and it has no tax treaties with other nations, thus protecting the financial privacy of bank account holders. There are no taxes on offshore companies. An advantage to offshore banking customers and offshore companies incorporated in the BVI is that there are no exchange controls. This makes it much easier to transfer funds from one place to another for trading and investment purposes while protecting financial privacy.

Dominica

Often confused with the Dominican Republic, the Commonwealth of Dominica is a pure tax haven that imposes no income taxes, no corporate taxes and no capital gains tax on income earned abroad. Likewise, there are no withholding taxes, and no estate taxes, including inheritance taxes or gift taxes. Offshore companies and trusts do not have to pay any stamp duty on transfers of assets. People of any nationality may form offshore corporations in Dominica. The nation has privacy laws that shield the identities of owners and directors of offshore companies incorporated in Dominica.

Nevis

Nevis offers tax-friendly formation of offshore limited liability companies (LLCs), trusts and foundations, along with excellent offshore banking and insurance services. It provides financial privacy by not making public any information regarding owners and directors of offshore companies. Incorporation in Nevis only requires one director and one shareholder, who can be the same person. Nevis doesn’t impose any local taxes on income earned outside of the jurisdiction. Offshore companies and their owners do not have to pay withholding taxes, capital gains taxes or estate taxes, and they are not subject to corporate taxes or local taxes on income generated outside of Nevis.

Anguilla

Anguilla, a part of the Britain Overseas Territory, has become a tax haven. It is a pure tax haven that does not impose income taxes, estate taxes or capital gains taxes on individuals or corporations. All offshore entities incorporated in Anguilla are exempt from paying stamp duty.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is not considered a pure tax haven, but it is recognized as tax-friendly enough to have been referred to as the Switzerland of Central America. Companies incorporated in Costa Rica are allowed to conduct business both within and outside of the jurisdiction. No local taxes are imposed on revenue generated by companies that do not conduct business in the jurisdiction. As a business incentive, Costa Rica grants 20-year exemptions from any taxation to many corporations. Corporate entities that are required to pay taxes pay extremely low rates and are generally exempt from taxes on interest, capital gains or dividend income.

Belize

Belize offers offshore banking and easy incorporation of offshore companies or formation of trusts or foundations. Offshore businesses here do not pay any taxes on income earned abroad. Belize incorporated companies and trusts are exempt from paying stamp duty. Offshore bank accounts are not taxed on earned interest, nor subject to repatriation or capital gains taxes. Banking legislation guarantees strict confidentiality for offshore banking.

Barbados

Barbados is not a pure tax haven but offers a thriving offshore financial sector providing offshore banking, incorporation of offshore corporations and exempt insurance. It has a very low-tax environment for offshore corporations incorporated in Barbados. Taxes on profits of offshore companies are generally in the range of only 1% to 2%, and the tax rate decreases as the profits earned increase. Offshore companies can import necessary machinery or business equipment without paying any import duty.

(With inputs from agencies)

Mesopotamia is a region of southwest Asia in the Tigris and Euphrates river system that benefitted from the area’s climate and geography to host the beginnings of human civilization. Its history is marked by many important inventions that changed the world, including the concept of time, math, the wheel, sailboats, maps and writing. Mesopotamia is also defined by a changing succession of ruling bodies from different areas and cities that seized control over a period of thousands of years.

WHERE IS MESOPOTAMIA?
Mesopotamia is located in the region now known as the Middle East, which includes parts of southwest Asia and lands around the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The word “Mesopotamia” is formed from the ancient words “meso,” meaning between or in the middle of, and “potamos” meaning river. Situated in the fertile valleys between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the region is now home to modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey and Syria.

MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION
Humans first settled in Mesopotamia in the Paleolithic era. By 14,000 B.C., people in the region lived in small settlements with circular houses. Five thousand years later, these houses formed farming communities following the domestication of animals and the development of agriculture, most notably irrigation techniques that took advantage of the proximity of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Agricultural progress was the work of the dominant Ubaid culture, which had absorbed the Halaf culture before it.

ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA
These scattered agrarian communities started in the northern part of the ancient Mesopotamian region and spread south, continuing to grow for several thousand years until forming what modern humans would recognize as cities, which were considered the work of the Sumer people.

Uruk was the first of these cities, dating back to around 3200 B.C., a mud brick metropolis built on the riches brought from trade and conquest and featuring public art, gigantic columns and temples, and with a population of some 50,000 citizens. Sumerians are also responsible for the earliest form of written language, cuneiform, with which they kept detailed clerical records.

By 3000 B.C., Mesopotamia was firmly under the control of the Sumerian people. Sumer contained several decentralized city-states—Eridu, Nippur, Lagash, Uruk, Kish and Ur.

The first king of a united Sumer is recorded as Etana of Kish. It’s unknown whether Etana really existed, as he and many of the rulers listed in the Sumerian King List that was developed around 2100 B.C. are all featured in Sumerian mythology as well. Etana was followed by Meskiaggasher, the king of the city-state Uruk. A warrior named Lugalbanda took control around 2750 B.C.

GILGAMESH
Gilgamesh, the legendary subject of the Epic of Gilgamesh, is said to be Lugalbanda’s son. Gilgamesh is believed to have been born in Uruk around 2700 B.C. The Epic of Gilgamesh is considered to be the earliest great work of literature and the inspiration for some of the stories in the Bible.

King Lugalzagesi was the final king of Sumer, falling to Sargon of Akkad, a Semitic people, in 2334 B.C. They were briefly allies, conquering the city of Kish together, but Lugalzagesi’s mercenary Akkadian army was ultimately loyal to Sargon.

SARGON AND THE AKKADIANS
The Akkadian Empire existed from 2234-2154 B.C. under the leadership of the now-titled Sargon the Great, considered the world’s first multicultural empire with a central government.

Little is known of Sargon’s background, but legends give him a similar origin to the Biblical story of Moses. He was at one point an officer who worked for the king of Kish, and Akkadia was a city that Sargon himself established. When the city of Uruk invaded Kish, Sargon took Kish from Uruk and was encouraged to continue with conquest.

Sargon expanded his empire through military means, conquering all of Sumer and moving into what is now Syria. Under Sargon, trade beyond Mesopotamian borders grew, and architecture became more sophisticated, notably the appearance of ziggurats, flat-topped buildings with a pyramid shape and steps.

GUTIANS
The final king of the Akkadian Empire, Shar-kali-sharri, died in 2193 B.C., and Mesopotamia went through a century of unrest, with different groups struggling for control.

Among these were the Gutian people, barbarians from the Zagros Mountains. The Gutian rule is considered a disorderly one that caused a severe downturn in the empire’s prospects.

UR-NAMMA
In 2100 B.C. the city of Ur attempted to establish a dynasty for a new empire. The ruler of Ur-Namma, the king of the city of Ur, brought Sumerians back into control after Utu-hengal, the leader of the city of Uruk, defeated the Gutians.

Under Ur-Namma, the first code of law in recorded history appeared. Ur-Namma was attacked by both the Elamites and the Amorites and defeated in 2004 B.C.

THE BABYLONIANS
Choosing Babylon as the capital, the Amorites took control and established Babylonia. Kings were considered deities and the most famous of these was Hammurabi, who ruled 1792–1750 B.C. Hammurabi worked to expand the empire, and the Babylonians were almost continually at war. Hammurabi’s most famous contribution is his list of laws, better known as the Code of Hammurabi, devised around 1772 B.C.

Hammurabi’s innovation was not just writing down the laws for everyone to see, but making sure that everyone throughout the empire followed the same legal codes, and that governors in different areas did not enact their own. The list of laws also featured recommended punishments, to ensure that every citizen had the right to the same justice.

In 1750 B.C. the Elamites conquered the city of Ur. Together with the control of the Amorites, this is considered to mark the end of Sumerian culture.

THE HITTITES
The Hittites, who were centered around Anatolia and Syria, conquered the Babylonians around 1595 B.C. Smelting was a significant contribution of the Hittites, allowing for more sophisticated weaponry that lead them to expand the empire even further. Their attempts to keep the technology to themselves eventually failed, and other empires became a match for them.

The Hittites pulled out shortly after sacking Babylon, and the Kassites took control of the city. Hailing from the mountains east of Mesopotamia, their period of rule saw immigrants from India and Europe arriving, and travel sped up thanks to the use of horses with chariots and carts. The Kassites abandoned their own culture after a couple of generations of dominance, allowing themselves to be absorbed into Babylonian civilization.

THE ASSYRIANS
The Assyrian Empire, under the leadership of Ashur-uballit I, rose around 1365 B.C. in the areas between the lands controlled by the Hittites and the Kassites. Around 1220 B.C., King Tukulti-Ninurta I aspired to rule all of Mesopotamia and seized Babylon. The Assyrian Empire continued to expand over the next two centuries, moving into modern-day Palestine and Syria.

Under the rule of Ashurnasirpal II in 884 B.C., the empire created a new capitol, Nimrud, built from the spoils of conquest and brutality that made Ashurnasirpal II a hated figure. His son Shalmaneser spent the majority of his reign fighting off an alliance between Syria, Babylon and Egypt, and conquering Israel. One of his sons rebelled against him, and Shalmaneser sent another son, Shamshi-Adad, to fight for him. Three years later, Shamshi-Adad ruled.

SARGON II
A new dynasty began in 722 B.C. when Sargon II seized power. Modeling himself on Sargon the Great, he divided the empire into provinces and kept the peace. His undoing came when the Chaldeans attempted to invade, and Sargon II sought an alliance with them. The Chaldeans made a separate alliance with the Elamites, and together they took Babylonia.

Sargon II lost to the Chaldeans but switched to attacking Syria, parts of Egypt and Gaza, embarking on a spree of conquest before eventually dying in battle against the Cimmerians from Russia.

Sargon II’s grandson Esarhaddon ruled from 681 to 669 B.C., and went on a destructive campaign of conquest through Ethiopia, Palestine and Egypt, destroying cities he rampaged through after looting them. Esarhaddon struggled to rule his expanded empire. A paranoid leader, he suspected many in his court of conspiring against him and had them killed.

His son Ashurbanipal is considered the final great ruler of the Assyrian empire. Ruling from 669 to 627 B.C., he faced a rebellion in Egypt, losing the territory, and from his brother, the king of Babylonia, whom he defeated. Ashurbanipal is best remembered for creating Mesopotamia’s first library.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR
In 626 B.C. the throne was seized by Babylonian public official Nabopolassar, ushering in the rule of the Semitic dynasty from Chaldea. In 616 B.C. Nabopolassar attempted to take Assyria but failed.

His son Nebuchadnezzar reigned over the Babylonian Empire following an invasion effort in 614 B.C. by King Cyaxares of Media that pushed the Assyrians further away. Nebuchadnezzar is known for his ornate architecture, especially the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Walls of Babylon and the Ishtar Gate. Under his rule, women and men had equal rights.

Nebuchadnezzar is also responsible for the conquest of Jerusalem, which he destroyed in 586 B.C., taking its inhabitants into captivity, and appeared in the Old Testament because of this action.

THE PERSIAN EMPIRE
Persian Emperor Cyrus II seized power during the reign of Nabonidus in 539 B.C. Nabonidus was such an unpopular king that Mesopotamians did not rise to defend him during the invasion. Babylonian culture is considered to have ended under Persian rule, following a slow decline of use in cuneiform and other cultural hallmarks.

By the time Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire in 331 B.C., most of the great cities of Mesopotamia no longer existed and the culture had been long overtaken. Eventually, the region was taken by the Romans in 116 A.D. and finally Arabic Muslims in 651 A.D.

MESOPOTAMIAN ART
While making art predates civilization in Mesopotamia, the innovations there include creating art on a larger scale, often in the context of their grandiose and complex architecture, and frequently employing metalwork. One of the earliest examples of metalwork in art comes from southern Mesopotamia, a silver statuette of a kneeling bull from 3000 B.C. Before this, painted ceramics and limestone were the common art forms.

Another metal-based work, a goat standing on its hind legs and leaning on the branches of a tree, featuring gold and copper along with other materials, was found in the the Great Death Pit at Ur and dates to 2500 B.C.

Mesopotamian art often depicted its rulers and the glories of their lives. Also created around 2500 B.C. in Ur is the intricate Standard of Ur, a shell and limestone structure that features an early example of complex pictorial narrative, depicting a history of war and peace.

In 2230 B.C., Akkadian King Naram-Sin was the subject of an elaborate work in limestone that depicts a military victory in the Zagros Mountains and presents Naram-Sin as divine.

MESOPOTAMIAN GODS
Religious worship was another preoccupation for Mesopotamians. A painted terracotta from 1775 B.C. gives an example of the sophistication of Babylonian art, portraying either the goddess Ishtar or her sister Ereshkigal, accompanied by night creatures.

Among the most dynamic forms of Mesopotamian art are the reliefs of the Assyrian kings in their palaces, notably from Ashurbanipal’s reign around 635 B.C. One famous relief in his palace in Nimrud shows him leading an army into battle, accompanied by the winged god Assur.

Ashurbanipal is also featured in multiple reliefs that portray his frequent lion-hunting activity. An impressive lion image also figures into the Ishtar Gate in 585 B.C., during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II and fashioned from glazed bricks.

Mesopotamian art returned to the public eye in the 21st century when museums in Iraq were looted during conflicts there. Many pieces went missing, including a 4,300-year-old bronze mask of an Akkadian king, jewelry from Ur, a solid gold Sumerian harp, 80,000 cuneiform tablets, and numerous other irreplaceable items.

(Agencies)

BERLIN: While German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas would like to see an “exit from Brexit” – Britain abandoning its plan to leave the European Union – he said in a newspaper interview on Sunday that he saw such an outcome as extremely unlikely.

In the interview with the Funke media group, Maas repeated the EU’s position that the withdrawal agreement thrashed out between Brussels and London, which was rejected by Britain’s parliament last month, could not be renegotiated.

He added that Britain’s only path to avoiding a so-called “hard Brexit”, in which London exited automatically on March 29 with no transitional arrangements in place to ensure the continued flow of goods, medicines and transport links, was to accept the existing deal. (Reuters)

The US authority has arrested 129 Indians arrested for enrolling at a fake university allegedly to remain in the US, officials said on Friday, even as immigration attorneys claimed that the youths were not aware of the varsity’s illegitimate operation and criticised authorities for using “troubling” methods to trap them.

The university in Detroit’s Farmington Hills was part of an undercover operation by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designed to expose immigration fraud, according to federal prosecutors who announced charges in the case.

The Indian embassy in the US has opened a 24/7 hotline to assist the arrested students. The two numbers 202-322-1190 and 202-340-2590 would be manned by senior embassy officials round the clock, officials said.

In what the authorities called a “pay-to-stay” scheme, foreign students knowingly enrolled in the fake school to falsely maintain their student visa status and remain in the US, according to prosecutors.

“The ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has administratively arrested 130 foreign nationals enrolled at the University of Farmington for civil immigration violations. Of the 130, 129 were Indian nationals,” Khaalid H Walls, an ICE spokesperson, told PTI.

“These individuals have been placed in removal proceedings, and ICE will seek to maintain them in its custody pending the outcome of those proceedings,” he said.

The ICE agents made the arrests on Wednesday, the same day federal indictments were unsealed that charged eight people, all of whom are either Indians or Indo-Americans, in a visa fraud scheme.

The eight defendants were charged criminally for conspiracy to commit visa fraud and harbouring aliens for profit. But the 130 students were arrested on only civil immigration charges, Detroit Free Press reported.

The sweep was one of the largest targeting immigrants from India in recent years, immigration attorneys said.

In a nationwide sweep, federal agents with ICE arrested “130 foreign nationals on civil immigration charges,” ICE spokesperson Carissa Cutrell had told the Free Press on Thursday.

The arrests took place across the US, in New Jersey, Atlanta, Houston, Michigan, California, Louisiana, North Carolina and St Louis. The students had immigrated legally to the US on student visas and had transferred to the University of Farmington so they could work, said attorneys.

Federal prosecutors claim the students were aware the university was not running a legitimate operation. But attorneys who have spoken with students or with family and friends of those arrested are pushing back against the government’s claims.

Ravi Mannam, an immigration attorney in Atlanta, said the fake university “hooked these students by promising them credits for their previous master’s programmes”.

He said what the University of Farmington was offering – allowing students to work while enrolled – is not unusual. So the students may have thought it was an authorised university and work programme through a type of F-1 visa known as CPT (Curricular Practical Training).

Michael Sofo, an attorney in Atlanta with Mannan and Associates, said based on what he has heard about the students, it’s “not been the case” that they were knowingly participating in an illegal operation.

“There are specific universities who have advanced degree programmes that primarily involved practical training from day one that allows them to enroll and the bulk of the time is spent working,” Sofo said. The courses “can be done at a remote location. It doesn’t have to be where they attend the university…Programmes like this exist and they are legal.”

Mannam said some Indians had come to the US to enroll elsewhere, only to find that their intended programme had lost accreditation. So they enrolled at the University of Farmington, believing that they could apply their prior credits to the new programme, which seemed to emphasise work experience, he said.

Other students had completed legitimate master’s in the US but were waiting to be approved for a specialty work visa, so they enrolled in school as a stopgap measure. “The government utilised very questionable and troubling methods to get these foreign students to join the institution,” Mannam said.

In New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “We are aware about this incident. We are ascertaining more details (through) our embassy in Washington and different consulates in the US…We have also mobilised the Indian community organisations in the US to extend all possible support to the Indian students who are affected by this incident.”

The ICE said foreign students are granted what are called “F” and “M” visas to study in the US and must maintain their legal status by enrolling in a varsity certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The ICE said since the Farmington varsity did not offer courses, the students were using the programme as a way to work.

On Thursday, the DHS shut down a website they had been created for the University of Farmington. The website tells affected students to contact their local office of Homeland Security Investigations, the ICE agency that did the undercover operation.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy here has appointed a nodal officer here to help the students in distress.

(Agencies)

TEHRAN: Iran announced the “successful test” of a new cruise missile with a range of over 1,350 kilometres on Saturday, coinciding with celebrations for the country’s 1979 Islamic revolution. “The test of the Hoveizeh cruise missile was carried out successfully at a range of 1,200 kilometres (840 miles) and accurately hit the set target,” Defence Minister Amir Hatami said, quoted on state television which broadcast footage of its launch.
“It can be ready in the shortest possible time and flies at a very low altitude,” he said.

Hatami described the Hoveizeh as the “long arm of the Islamic Republic of Iran” in defending itself. It is part of the Soumar group of cruise missile, first unveiled in 2015 with a range of 700 kilometres, according to the minister.
The Hoveizeh unveiling was part of an arms exhibition titled “40 years of defensive achievements” held in Tehran.
Friday marked the beginning of 10 days of celebrations of the Islamic revolution that ousted the pro-Western shah.
Iran has voluntarily limited the range of its missiles to 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles), sufficient to reach Israel and Western bases in the Middle East.

But Washington and its allies have accused Tehran of pursuing enhanced missile capabilities that also threaten Europe. Iran has “no intention of increasing the range” of its missiles, the country’s Supreme National Security Council secretary, Admiral Ali Shamkhani, said Tuesday.

(Agencies)

CARACAS: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited the headquarters of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) here on Friday, where he called for strengthening intelligence and preventive work. “We must improve and strengthen intelligence systems, the intelligence of the Bolivarian National Guard is extraordinary; on that base we must expand the preventative intelligence,” Maduro said.
He affirmed that intelligence should be used to confront terrorism, coups and crime in all forms.
“Who wins the intelligence area, wins the battle of security, peace,” he stressed. “The Bolivarian National Armed Forces is the backbone of the integrity and unity of the nation, and the Bolivarian National Guard as a component is the central element for the guarantee of national peace,” said the president.
Venezuela’s GNB is part of its armed forces and can serve as gendarmerie, civil defense force or reserve force.
Maduro also said the GNB makes a great contribution to peace in the country and is the “guardian of co-existence and sovereignty, if there is peace in the republic, there will be sovereignty.” Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez accompanied the president on his visit, during which some 2,000 GNB commandos demonstrated their military capabilities. Since the beginning of the week, Maduro has visited the country’s main military bases as part of preparations for the military exercises to be held on Feb. 10-15.

(Agencies)

CARACAS: Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido said Thursday elite security forces went to his home to threaten his family, blaming the government of Nicolas Maduro as international support grew for his bid to oust the embattled president. The move heightened fears for the security of the 35-year-old National Assembly leader, who declared himself acting president last week in a bold challenge to Maduro’s authority.

The police’s special action force, FAES, had gone to his home to interview his wife Fabiana Rosales, Guaido said during a speech at Caracas university.”At this moment the dictatorship believes that it will intimidate us,” Guaido said, his wife at his side.

Earlier, European lawmakers recognized Guaido as the acting head of state — another step forward in his bid to force out the socialist leader who has presided over the oil-rich country’s economic collapse.Several opposition leaders have been jailed in recent years as Maduro cracked down on growing dissent in the Latin American country, where resistance has escalated with Guaido’s spectacular self-proclamation.

Previously unknown to the public at large, he has become the standard bearer of the opposition to Maduro, whether on the streets or on social networks. Deprived almost entirely of coverage on mainstream media, Guaido has deftly used the social networks to woo support, but even that avenue is increasingly being cut off, and there is an explicit ban against talking about him.

The dramatic turn against Maduro’s leftist regime culminated quickly, but it came after weeks of behind-the-scenes diplomacy including a hushed meeting in Washington with Guaido, who was quickly recognized by Washington as Venezuela’s president.

Henrique Capriles, 46, a former presidential candidate and an opposition leader in recent years, said the opposition was unaware Guaido would declare himself the country’s leader on January 23.”That surprised a lot of political figures (but) I don’t say that as a criticism,” Capriles said.

Guaido is seeking to maintain street pressure against Maduro, and has called more mass protests for Saturday. Venezuela’s Supreme Court — dominated by regime loyalists — has frozen his assets and ordered him not to leave the country.- EU lawmakers’ support.

Thursday, lawmakers at the Brussels-based European Parliament voted to accept Guaido as “legitimate interim president of the country” — and urged the European Union to follow suit.Four major European powers — Britain, France, Germany and Spain — have said they would do so if Maduro fails to call presidential elections by the weekend.

US on Thursday urged all European countries to recognize Guaido, but Maduro has told the “imperialists” to wait until 2025 for new elections. Guaido was at the main Caracas university to present his “rescue plan” for a country in economic meltdown.”We are going to address the humanitarian emergency, stop inflation in its tracks, reactivate the oil industry and move towards the restoration of access to public goods and services,” he said to cheers.Part of the plan unveiled by the opposition leader and his economic advisor Jose Guerra is to end exchange controls in force since 2003 and renegotiate Venezuela’s estimated $150 billion debt.

With his wife at his side on the podium, Guaido said he had a 20-month old daughter at home and would be holding FAES accountable for “whatever they do to my baby.”He told officials: “Do not cross the red line.”But the National Police tweeted it is “totally false” that there had been any search of Guaido’s family.
US Vice President Mike Pence said on Twitter that “the world is watching – and we will not tolerate harm to those who are fighting for freedom and democracy in Venezuela.”

The United States, which immediately recognized Guaido’s self-proclamation, along with a dozen Latin American countries, Canada and Australia, has warned Maduro of “serious consequences” if he targets opponents.
– On the streets –

The two sides have held competing rallies in the streets. On Thursday workers from Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA — hit by new US sanctions this week — held an “anti-imperialist” march in support of Maduro. “Yankee go home,” said one of their signs.

A day earlier, thousands led by Guaido protested in various cities, banging pots, blowing whistles and horns, and carrying banners that read: “Armed forces, regain your dignity” and “Maduro usurper.”Guaido wrote in a New York Times op-ed published on Wednesday that “clandestine meetings” had been held with members of the armed forces and security forces, who he is trying to woo with an amnesty offer.

But Guaido’s moves to court the military are fraught with risk. Last week fewer than 30 soldiers rose up against Maduro, precipitating protests that, according to the United Nations, ended with more than 40 dead and hundreds detained.So far, the military high command has remained loyal to Maduro.
US National Security Advisor John Bolton on Thursday said Maduro should accept Guaido’s amnesty officer.

The last 10 days of political upheaval have exacerbated the general disarray in Venezuela, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves but has suffered hyperinflation and shortages of basic necessities.The UN says 2.3 million have fled the country, unleashing a migration crisis in South America. AFP