RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT RESIGNS AS VLADIMIR PUTIN PLANS FUTURERussian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday that his governmentwas resigning to give President Vladimir Putin room to carry out the changeshe wants to make to the constitution.The unexpected announcement, which came shortly after Mr. Putin proposed anationwide vote on sweeping changes that would shift power from thepresidency to parliament, means Russia will also get a new prime minister.Mr. Medvedev made the announcement on State TV sitting next to Mr. Putin whothanked Mr. Medvedev, a close ally, for his work.Mr. Putin said that Mr. Medvedev would take on a new job as deputy head ofRussia's Security Council, which Mr. Putin chairs.Mr. Putin asked for the outgoing government to remain at work until a newgovernment was appointed.U.S., CHINA TIPTOE AROUND HOLES IN NEW TRADE AGREEMENTThe United States and China signed an initial trade deal on January 15 thatwill roll back some tariffs and boost Chinese purchases of U.S. products,defusing an 18-month row between the world's two largest economies butleaving a number of sore spots unresolved.Beijing and Washington touted the "Phase 1" agreement as a step forwardafter months of start-stop talks, and investors greeted the news withrelief. But there also was skepticism the U.S.-Sino trade relationship wasnow firmly on the mend.The deal fails to address structural economic issues that led to the tradeconflict, doesn't fully eliminate the tariffs that have slowed the globaleconomy, and sets hard-to-achieve purchase targets, analysts and industryleaders said.While acknowledging the need for further negotiations with China to solve ahost of other problems, U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the agreement asa win for the U.S. economy and his administration's trade policies."Together, we are righting the wrongs of the past and delivering a future ofeconomic justice and security for American workers, farmers and families,"Mr. Trump said in rambling remarks at the White House alongside U.S. andChinese officials.Chinese Vice Premier Liu He read a letter from President Xi Jinping in whichthe Chinese leader praised the deal as a sign the two countries couldresolve their differences with dialogue.The centerpiece of the deal is a pledge by China to purchase at least anadditional $200 billion worth of U.S. farm products and other goods andservices over two years, over a baseline of $186 billion in purchases in2017, the White House said.Commitments include $54 billion in additional energy purchases, $78 billionin additional manufacturing purchases, $32 billion more in farm products,and $38 billion in services, according to a deal document released by theWhite House.NEPAL'S PRACHANDA SAYS HE CAN BE BLAMED FOR 'ONLY' 5,000 DEATHS DURING CIVILWARFormer Prime minister and chairman of the ruling Nepal Communist Party,Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' said Wednesday that he was ready to takeresponsibility for the death of 5,000 people, but that he was notresponsible for all 17,000 deaths that took place during the decade-longarmed insurgency led by the Maoists beginning February 1996.Prachanda's statement comes amid demands by rival politicians that he shouldbe tried for killing 17,000 people during the insurgency, which was led byPrachanda.Addressing a gathering in Kathmandu, Dahal said since he led a movementagainst the feudal system, he was ready to take responsibility for thekilling of 5,000 people. The other 12,000, he said, were killed by thestate.The Maoists are now part of the ruling Nepal Communist Party and had joinedthe political mainstream in 2006.TRUMP IMPEACHMENT: HOUSE SENDS HISTORIC CASE TO SENATEThe US House of Representatives has passed a resolution to submit articlesof impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate for a trial.The resolution passed largely along party lines by 228 votes to 193.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed copies of the articles alongside the teamof Democratic lawmakers who will prosecute the case against Mr Trump.The House, controlled by opposition Democrats, impeached the president lastmonth.The Senate, controlled by Mr Trump's Republican Party, will decide whetherto convict and remove him from office.At a press conference before the signing of the articles, Mrs Pelosi said:"Today we will make history. When the managers walk down the hall, we willcross a threshold in history - delivering articles of impeachment againstthe president of the United States for abuse of power and obstruction of theHouse."The articles were then transferred to the Senate, where Republican Senateleader Mitch McConnell said they would be exhibited on Thursday at noon,followed by a reading on the floor of the upper chamber. He said the trialwould begin on Tuesday.LEBANON PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT FOR SECOND NIGHTProtests in Lebanon turned violent for a second night on January 15, withdozens injured after Lebanese security forces used batons and tear gas toforcefully break up demonstrations.Lebanon has been swept by a wave of mostly peaceful protests aimed at thecountry's elite that prompted Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri to resign onOct. 29, pushing the country deeper into economic crisis.On January 14 night, riots broke out in Beirut's Hamra area, with bankfacades smashed and stones pelted at security forces who fired back withtear gas.The unrest continued on January 15 when anti-government protesters hurledstones and fireworks at security forces outside a Beirut police stationwhere some demonstrators were being detained from the night before.Police dispersed the protests with batons and tear gas.The Lebanese Red Cross said that 45 people had been injured, 35 of whom hadbeen transferred to hospitals for treatment.Security forces injured a Reuters video journalist who was treated inhospital and released. Lebanese broadcasters Al Jadeed and MTV said securityforces injured a cameraman for each of them as well.In a statement caretaker interior minister Raya al-Hassan condemned theviolence and called on demonstrators to remain peaceful.INTERESTED IN DIPLOMACY BUT NOT IN NEGOTIATING WITH THE US: IRAN'S FOREIGNMINISTERIran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Wednesday said his country wasinterested in diplomacy but not in negotiating with the US, remarks thatcome amidst spiralling tensions between the two countries over the killingof Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.Hitting out at the US, Zarif said Soleimani's killing showed ignorance andarrogance.Addressing the gathering at the Raisina Dialogue, he said 430 Indian citiessaw protests against Soleimani's killing."Iran is interested in diplomacy. We are not interested in negotiating withthe US. US did not keep its commitments under the nuclear deal. We had a USdeal and US broke it. If we have a Trump deal, how long will it last?" Zarifsaid."We need to create hope in the region. We have to get rid of despair," hesaid.Iran incurred hundreds of billions of dollars in damages because of currenttensions, Zarif said.SIKHS TO BE COUNTED AS SEPARATE ETHNIC GROUP IN US CENSUS FOR FIRST TIMEIn a first, Sikhs in the US would be counted as a separate ethnic group inthe upcoming 2020 census, the US Census Bureau has said. This comes afterseveral Sikh organisations in the US held meetings with the Census Bureau."It's clear that a separate code is needed to ensure an accurate count ofSikhs in the United States, recognising a unique identity," PTI quoted USCensus Deputy Director Ron Jarmin as saying."Working with United Sikhs, we understand how this change affects thenational Sikh community, leading us to add this code for the 2020 Census,"Shagufta Ahmed with the Census Bureau and Office of Management Budget said.As per an organisation United Sikhs, at least 10 lakh Sikhs live in the US.The community hailed the decision, calling it a "milestone".Sikhs have been demanding separate coding for the last two decades so thataction could be taken to address major issues such as bullying, intimidationand hate crimes against the community.Baljeet Singh, president of the Sikh Society of San Diego, said the Sikhcommunity's efforts had come to fruition. "This has paved the way forwardnationally not only for the Sikh community but also for other ethnicities inthe United States," PTI quoted Singh as saying."With the 2020 census approaching, many historically undercoded communitieswill be at risk for being under-counted and under-served," said Ruben Singh,United Sikhs Census Manager."We look forward to collaborating with our census partners and other Sikhorganisations and institutions to address the unanticipated challenges ofthe 2020 Census," he said.Meanwhile, the Sikh Coalition has partnered with the Census Bureau for the2020 census. "The Sikh Coalition is partnering with the Census Bureaubecause Sikhs have traditionally been a 'hard to count' population in theUnited States," said Satjeet Kaur, Sikh Coalition Executive Director.GUATEMALA SWEARS IN CONSERVATIVE GIAMMATTEI AS PRESIDENTGuatemala swore in Alejandro Giammattei, a conservative physician opposed togay marriage and abortion, as its new president on Tuesday while thecountry's outgoing leader exited amid swirling corruption accusations.The ceremony came after a five-hour delay and boisterous protests againstex-President Jimmy Morales.The 63-year-old Giammattei won the presidency on his fourth attempt inAugust for Vamos, a party founded in 2017 by politicians, businessmen andmilitary officers on promises of battling poverty and providing betteropportunities.He promised to propose legislation declaring the country's street gangs asterrorist groups. He also pledged to promote the rule of law, protectinvestments and spur employment.Giammattei was sworn in before several Latin American leaders, among themJuan Orlando Hernandez of Honduras, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, IvanDuque of Colombia and Lenin Moreno of Ecuador.