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Numerous Democratic senators, led by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), warned President Donald Trump in a letter Monday, that he lacks “congressional” authority to launch a preemptive military strike against North Korea. The 18 senators, led by Martin Heinrich, stressed the risk of retaliation if the White House continued to pursue a strike. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images “Like […]

The Maldives Independent website is under attack and we believe the attack was designed to coincide with the state of emergency being declared. We will try to update the live blog but it may not be possible as the attacks are ongoing. For updates throughout the night please follow us on Twitter @IndependentMV.  10.17pm – The […]

A Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter crashed in a residential area in southwestern Japan on Monday afternoon, setting one empty home ablaze and possibly killing the two crew members aboard, local authorities said. This photo provided by Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force shows a AH-64D helicopter, the same model as the one that crashed on Monday.  Photo: JGSDF via […]

The only surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, refused to answer questions on Monday as he went on trial in Brussels over a bloody shootout with police that led to his capture. Belgian police officers stand guard prior to the opening of the trial of prime suspect in the November 2015 Paris […]

Another Iranian protestor, Khalid Kayseri, who served 20 days in detention in Kermanshah prison died after being tortured by the intelligence service there, Iranian human rights groups have reported. This brings the number of demonstrators who have died in Iranian prisons to 11 since the start of the uprising on December 28. The government claimed […]

Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – The U.S. started to cut its military presence in Iraq following Baghdad’s declaration of victory of Islamic State in December, a U.S. paper quoted Western contractors at a U.S.-led coalition base in Iraq as saying on Monday. U.S. soldiers deployed in Iraq U.S. soldiers deployed in Iraq Dozens of American soldiers have […]

China has accused the United States of having a “Cold War mentality” after the latter announced its plans to diversify its nuclear arsenal by developing smaller bombs. The US nuclear report also included Russia, North Korea and Iran as potential threats. [Adam Berry/Getty Images/GALLO/GETTY] On Sunday, the Chinese foreign ministry said that the US should […]

A French court has ruled that it is now illegal for drivers to use mobile phones in their cars even when they have stopped, pulled over or have the hazard lights on. In fact, drivers can be punished for using a mobile any time the vehicle isn’t parked in a designated parking area, including a […]

The Iraqi government has placed the name of late Saddam Hussein’s daughter, Raghad, on the most wanted list, together with 59 other individuals. Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein with his aid Ezzat al-Douri [File photo/Reuters] The 60 people are wanted on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL, also known […]

President Moon Jae in is expected to meet spontaneously with North Korea’s ceremonial head of state set to visit South Korea this week to attend the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, but it has yet to be decided whether the two will hold a one-on-one meeting, officials said Monday.  The North notified the South on Sunday night that Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, will visit the South from Friday to Sunday as head of a high-level delegation to the Winter Olympics set to kick off on Friday.  “President Moon will be meeting with Kim, beginning with the Olympic opening ceremony,” an official of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae told Yonhap News Agency, referring to spontaneous encounters they are expected to have during Olympic events that both will be attending.  “But it is something that should be discussed with the North’s advance delegation whether Kim will separately pay a visit to President Moon,” the official said. Another Cheong Wa Dae official also said it has not been decided yet whether Moon will hold a one-on-one meeting with Kim.  Kim is expected to attend Friday’s opening ceremony as well as a preliminary round match of a unified women’s ice hockey team of the two Koreas on Saturday. On Sunday, he is expected to attend a performance that the North’s art troupe will be holding in Seoul.  “There has been no specific request from the North for a meeting (with Moon) yet,” a Cheong Wa Dae official said. But the official said the North’s decision to send Kim is believed to have been made out of “goodwill.”  “The fact that North Korea’s constitutional head of state is coming not only sends a message to the South, but it also includes a message to overseas countries,” the official said. (Yonhap) Source:koreatimes.co.kr