WHITE HOUSE PROPOSES $1.5 BILLION FOR INDO-PACIFIC REGIONThe Trump administration has proposed $1.5 billion in budgetary allocationfor 2021 fiscal for the crucial Indo-Pacific region, which it said was partof its efforts to ensure that the region remains "free, open, andindependent of malign Chinese influence"."The future of the Indo-Pacific, which contains roughly half the world'spopulation and many of the fastest-growing economies, is critical to U.S.security and long-term economic interests," the White House said in itsbudgetary proposal for the financial year 2021, beginning October 1, 2020."The Budget provides $1.5 billion for the Indo-Pacific, reflecting a strongAdministration commitment to ensuring that the region remains free, open,and independent of malign Chinese influence," it said.This funding supports democracy programs, strengthens security cooperation,improves economic governance and facilitates private sector-led economicgrowth, the White House said.A total of $30 million is included in the budget for the global engagementcentre dedicated to countering foreign state and non-state propaganda anddisinformation from China, it added.The budget also provides $ 0.8 billion for the International DevelopmentFinance Corporation (DFC) for private sector development internationally tosupport corporate growth in less-developed countries and to provide atransparent, high-quality alternative to "predatory Chinese internationallending" in the Indo-Pacific and other strategic regions, it said.In the budgetary proposals, the Pentagon alleged that Beijing continued toviolate the sovereignty of Indo-Pacific nations and expand its controlabroad under the pretense of the Belt and Road infrastructure investments.According to the Pentagon, in the Indo-Pacific, the Department of Defense(DoD) is strengthening and evolving U.S. partnerships into a securityarchitecture that helps uphold a "free and open" order."With India, DoD is expanding military-to-military cooperation and improvinginteroperability, including by establishing a new tri-service amphibiousexercise, TIGER TRIUMPH," the Pentagon said.AUSTRALIA WEATHER: RAIN COULD PUT OUT REMAINING NEW SOUTH WALES BLAZESHeavy rains in New South Wales in recent days have led to hopes that all thebushfires in the Australian state could be out by the end of the week.Since Friday, parts of the fire-ravaged Australian state have experiencedtheir heaviest rainfall in years.The rain caused widespread flooding - hundreds of people had to be rescued,including one man stranded in a tree.The deluge has also extinguished 30 fires, leaving only four "uncontained",said the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS).In total, 24 fires remain burning across the state."Given the forecast, we should be able to get on top of those relativelyquickly and set the fires down," RFS spokesman James Morris told the BBC."We are hoping by the end of the week we may be able to have zerouncontained fires across NSW," he said.Officials have renewed wet weather warnings for parts of the coast and theneighbouring state of Queensland, but said the heaviest downpours had passedby Tuesday.EQUIFAX: US CHARGES FOUR CHINESE MILITARY OFFICERS OVER HUGE HACKThe US has charged four Chinese military officers over the huge cyber-attackon credit rating giant Equifax.More than 147 million Americans were affected in 2017 when hackers stolesensitive personal data including names and addresses.Some UK and Canadian customers were also affected.Announcing the indictments, Attorney General William Barr called the hack"one of the largest data breaches in history".According to court documents, the four are allegedly members of the People'sLiberation Army's 54th Research Institute, a component of the Chinesemilitary.They spent weeks in the company's system, breaking into security networksand stealing personal data, the documents said.The nine-count indictment also accuses the group of stealing trade secretsincluding data compilation and database designs.The whereabouts of the suspects is unknown and it is highly unlikely thatthey will stand trial in the US.FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich said: "We can't take them into custody,try them in a court of law, and lock them up - not today, anyway."NORTH KOREA ENHANCED NUCLEAR, MISSILE PROGRAMS IN 2019 IN BREACH OFSANCTIONS: UN REPORTNorth Korea continued to enhance its nuclear and ballistic missile programslast year in breach of United Nations sanctions, according to a confidentialUN report seen by Reuters on Monday.The country also illicitly imported refined petroleum and exported some $370million worth of coal with the help of Chinese barges, the report added.The 67-page report to the UN Security Council North Korea sanctionscommittee, which is due to be made public next month, comes as the UnitedStates tries to revive stalled denuclearization talks with North Korea."In 2019, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) did not halt itsillicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which it continued toenhance, in violation of Security Council resolutions," the independent U.N.sanctions monitors wrote."Despite its extensive indigenous capability it uses illicit externalprocurement for some components and technology."North Korea has been subjected to U.N. sanctions since 2006. They have beenstrengthened by the 15-member Security Council over the years in a bid tocut off funding for Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.