USA

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- With the United States on Friday announcing a forthcoming summit between President Donald Trump and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un, experts called for enhanced diplomatic efforts by both sides to achieve denuclearization and resolve other issues in their bilateral relations.

Washington, Jan 19 (PTI) An Indian-American philanthropist and entrepreneur, Gurinder Singh Khalsa, has been presented with the prestigious Rosa Park Trailblazer award for his campaign that forced US authorities change their policy towards headgear of the Sikh community.

Indianapolis-based Khalsa, 45, was presented the award for his continued demonstration of courage and compassion.

In 2007, Khalsa was refused access to board an airplane because of his turban, organisers of the event said.

United Nations, Jan 19 (PTI) United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday hoped that India and Pakistan will engage in a "meaningful dialogue" to resolve their issues.

The UN chief, speaking to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, also said he has been offering his "good offices in relation to the dialogue between the two countries that, until now, had no conditions of success."

India has made it clear to Pakistan that cross-border terrorism and talks cannot go hand-in-hand.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The storm that pummeled much of California for three days began moving east Thursday after causing at least six deaths, forcing wildfire victims threatened by floods to flee their homes and plunging nearly 300,000 utility customers into darkness.

The winter storm is forecast to unleash heavy rain, snow and wind in Colorado and “will be slamming the East Coast by Sunday,” National Weather Service forecaster Steve Anderson said. “From Maine to Florida.”

Anderson said most of California should be dry and sunny by Friday.

18 Jan 2019; AP: The shutdown battle between President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi turned into an escalating game of constitutional brinksmanship as he denied her a military plane to visit troops in Afghanistan in apparent retaliation for her attempt to delay his State of Union address.

Federal workers caught in the middle apply for unemployment benefits and food stamps.

WASHINGTON (AP) — She imperiled his State of the Union address. He denied her a plane to visit troops abroad.

The shutdown battle between President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is playing out as a surreal game of constitutional brinkmanship, with both flexing political powers from opposite ends of Pennsylvania Avenue as the negotiations to end the monthlong partial government shutdown remain stalled.

17 Jan 2019; AFP: Thousands more children were forcibly separated from their parents after illegally crossing the US-Mexico border from 2017-2018 than originally admitted by President Donald Trump's administration, an official report said Thursday.

The inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which was given responsibility for the children, said the total number separated under the administration's "zero-tolerance policy" toward illegal immigrants remains unknown.

18 Jan 2019; DW: Four German managers at carmaker Audi were the latest to be charged in the United States as part of a diesel emissions cheating scandal. The company has already paid an €800 million fine as part of a case in Germany.

A US grand jury in Detroit has indicted four Audi engineering managers from Germany on counts of conspiracy, wire fraud and violations of the Clean Air Act.

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday asked the Security Council to review the sanctions against Sudan given the improvement of the situation in its Darfur region.

"The Security Council should review the sanctions on Sudan in a timely manner and make adjustments in the light of the latest developments with a view of eventually lifting the sanctions," said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that it was recalling the furloughed employees back to work next week with pay despite a partial government shutdown.

"The Department expects to be able to resume most personnel operations and fund most salaries," said Bill Todd, the department's deputy under secretary for management, in a statement posted on its website.

According to the statement, most employees will resume work on Tuesday.