USA

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Paul Manafort, former campaign chairman of U.S. President Donald Trump, was on Tuesday found guilty on eight out of 18 criminal charges of bank and tax fraud by a jury at the federal court in northern Virginia, according to multiple news reports.

Manafort's conviction is the first secured at trial by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team. Five of the guilty verdicts were for filing false tax documents, and the other three involved foreign bank account registration and bank fraud.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is set to roll back the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s efforts to slow global warming, the Clean Power Plan that restricts greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants.

JERUSALEM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton on Sunday told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is "a top priority for the United States."

Speaking at the start of their meeting in Jerusalem, Bolton said that Iran's military capabilities are "a question of the highest importance for the United States."

"It's why we've worked with our friends in Europe to convince them of the need to take stronger steps against the Iranian nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs," he said.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has ended the development fund for Syria, urging "rich countries" to pay instead.

In a tweet, Trump said "the United States has ended the ridiculous 230 Million Dollar yearly development payment to Syria."

"Saudi Arabia and other rich countries in the Middle East will start making payments instead of the U.S.," he said. "I want to develop the U.S., our military and countries that help us!"

By MARCIA DUNN

CAPE CANAVERAL, 16 Aug 2018; (AP) — Spacewalking cosmonauts set up an antenna for tracking birds on Earth and sent a series of tiny satellites flying from the International Space Station on Wednesday.

Russian Sergey Prokopyev used his gloved right hand to fling four research satellites into space. The first mini satellite safely tumbled away as the space station soared 250 miles above Illinois. By the time the fourth one was on its way 14 minutes later, the station was almost to Spain. Two were the size of a tissue box, while the other two were longer.

WASHINGTON, August 15. /TASS/. The United Sanctions expanded its sanction list related to North Korea, adding Russia’s Profinet Company and its general manager Vasily Kolchanov, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) reports on Wednesday.

One Chinese company and one Singaporean company were also added to the list.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The White House said on Wednesday that the United States will not lift sanctions on Turkish steel and aluminum products even if detained American pastor Andrew Brunson is released.

In a press briefing, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said, "The tariffs that are in place on steel would not be removed with the release of Pastor Brunson. The tariffs are specific to national security."

Washington, Aug 16 (PTI) US President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, accusing him of "lying" and blaming his "erratic conduct and behaviour."

The 62-year-old former intelligence official, who served in the previous Obama administration, has been one of the staunchest critics of President Trump and his policies.

He was the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director from 2013 to 2017.

By Yoshita Singh

United Nations, Aug 15 (PTI) India and China, the most populous nations in the world, are key to making the United Nations relevant to everyone, President-elect of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces has said.

Garces visited the two countries this month as she prepares to assume the role of President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in September.

NEW YORK, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Airbus announced the successful landing of its solar-powered aircraft Zephyr S after it flew for over 25 days, setting a new world record of flight endurance without refuelling.

Zephyr S took off on July 11 in Arizona, the United States, and stayed aloft at over 70,000 feet (about 21.33 kilometers) for 25 days, 23 hours and 57 minutes, surpassing the old record of 14 days, 22 minutes and eight seconds set by an earlier Zephyr program variant.