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US reform of visa program for skilled workers praised

Washington, Feb 10 (AFP) The Trump administration's new rules for a US visa program widely used for technology workers are getting cautious praise from Silicon Valley amid surging demand for high-skill employees.

The H-1B visa programme, which admits some 85,000 foreign nationals each year, will give higher priority to people with post-graduate degrees from US universities, under a final rule published in January by the Department of Homeland Security.

U.S. continues maneuver on Venezuela amid mixed international response to Guaido's legitimacy

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Thursday continued its diplomatic maneuver around Venezuela amid mixed international opinions over the legitimacy of Venezuela's self-claimed interim president Juan Guaido, who is the South American country's opposition leader.

Dem Sen Elizabeth Warren announces bid for U.S. presidency

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren Saturday officially announced that she is running for the president of the United States.

Warren made the announcement at an event in Lawrence in her home state of Massachusetts, where she took a shot at the current administration and the nation's politics.

"We need to take power in Washington away from the wealthy and well-connected and put it back in the hands of the people where it belongs," she said in her speech.

US eyeing Guantanamo for Daesh detainees: report

WASHINGTON; 09 Feb 2019; AA: U.S. officials are considering the controversial military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to house captured suspected Daesh fighters as Washington prepares to withdraw from Syria, according to a report.

U.S. partners who have roughly 1,000 Daesh suspects in custody have warned they may not be able to continue to hold the detainees following the withdrawal.

The State Department told The Associated Press they could be transferred to Guantanamo "where lawful and appropriate.”

New bases in Myanmar's Rakhine concern UN official

WASHINGTON; 09 Feb 2019; AA: A UN special rapporteur for Myanmar on Friday expressed concerns over the Myanmar military constructing new bases in Rakhine state.

Yanghee Lee said she was told the Myanmar military is constructing new bases throughout the entire area and received information that civilians in Myanmar had seen troops moving through villages in Rakhine and heard gunfire nearby.

US in talks with India over missile defence collaboration: Pentagon

Washington, Feb 8; PTI: The US has discussed a potential missile defence collaboration with India, a top Pentagon official has said, underlining that America wants to build a "much deeper and broader relationship" with the country.

Under Secretary of Defence for Policy John Rood, however, said that it is early to determine how far India, which already has substantial domestic missile defence capabilities, will go regarding the defence collaboration.

5 American juveniles charged with murder of local musician

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Five juveniles have been charged with criminal homicide for Thursday's fatal shooting of a local musician outside his home in Nashville, state of Tennessee, authorities said Friday.

The investigation shows that the five were in a stolen pickup truck in an alley that runs behind the home of local musician Kyle Yorlets when they spotted him outside, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a press release.

Doctor says Trump "in very good health"

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump was declared "in very good health" after receiving his second periodic physical exam Friday afternoon.

White House physician Sean Conley said in a memo that he and 11 specialists put the 72-year-old president through a battery of medical tests "over the course of approximately four hours."

US approves sale of two missile defence systems for Air India One

Washington, Feb 7; PTI: The US has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems to Air India One for an estimated cost of USD 190 million, a move that will enhance the security of planes flying the prime minister and the president.

According to the Pentagon, the sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship.

US in talks with India over missile defence collaboration

Washington, Feb 8; PTI:  The US has discussed a potential missile defence collaboration with India, a top Pentagon official has said, underlining that America wants to build a "much deeper and broader relationship" with the country.

Under Secretary of Defence for Policy John Rood, however, said that it is early to determine how far India, which already has substantial domestic missile defence capabilities, will go regarding the defence collaboration.

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