The United States has now recorded more than 2000 coronavirus deaths in the last 24-hours. This is the highest number of daily fatalities that the US has recorded in the last 3 months. US President Donald Trump has said that US will prepare the vaccine by the end of this year.

Coronavirus Pandemic: Vaccine to be ready by the end the year, says Donald Trump | World News

US President Donald Trump has said that his administration is talking to India and China to help resolve the ongoing disputes. Watch report.

India-China LAC row: Trump offers to mediate border dispute

The U.S President has revealed that he has been taking hydroxychloroquine for a week. Why is the American President taking unproven cures?

Gravitas: Why is Trump taking hydroxychloroquine?

23,000+ lives have been lost in the United States, but the U.S. President says he should not be blamed for anything. A press conference by Trump turned out to be a never-ending monologue of self-pity. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Why Donald Trump has failed to act like a President

Donald Trump is blaming the WHO for the evolving crisis in the United States. While the health body needs to be held accountable, is the U.S. President trying to evade responsibility for his faults? WION's Palki Sharma brings you the story.

Gravitas: Trump takes on the WHO | Wuhan Coronavirus

Donald Trump will visit India on February 24th. India is planning to roll out the red carpet for the American President. WION's Palki Sharma tells you what's on the agenda.

Gravitas: Trump to visit India: What's on agenda?

Donald Trump is all set to visit India. The American President could be eyeing big-ticket defence deals. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how the Trump Administration has cleared the decks for a major defence agreement.

Gravitas: Trump eyes major defence deals with India

Donald Trump is often on television, his tweets dominate the headlines. Despite that, he remains unpredictable. Trump calls India a friend, but he has frequently slammed the Indian leadership over trade. WION's Palki Sharma reviews Trump's policy towards India.

Gravitas: The unpredictable Donald Trump

Donald Trump's erratic foreign policy may be a hit with his supporters. But, it has caused the U.S. more pain than gain. On WION Edit Palki Sharma explores if Trump is India's best bet for a strong relationship with the U.S.

WION Edit: Can India deal with Donald Trump?

*By Richard Shaw

The nation whose anthem lauds “the land of the free and the home of the brave” and whose constitution was drafted “in order to form a more perfect union … and secure the blessings of liberty” continues to flirt with the prospect of authoritarian rule.&nbsp;

In the aftermath of his decision to temporarily reopen the federal government, President Trump is once again threatening to declare a state of emergency to allow him to spend public money on the construction of a wall on the United States-Mexico border without congressional approval.&nbsp;

The weakened position Trump finds himself in now makes such drastic action unlikely. But one of the lessons to be taken from Trump’s presidency is to expect the unexpected.&nbsp;

Should he do so, it would not, of course, be the first time an American president has asserted this prerogative.&nbsp;

Current crisis not about policy

Generally, there can be compelling reasons for declaring a state of emergency, but Trump would have been perhaps the first to invoke this prerogative in order to fulfil a (subtly altered) campaign promise.

While there is a legitimate debate about whether or not there actually is an emergency at the border, the crisis that would be created should Trump declare an emergency in order to secure public funding for his “big, beautiful wall” would not primarily be about policy. It would concern more fundamental matters, such as the efficacy of America’s much-vaunted constitutional system of checks and balances.

The US constitution established three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. It apportions power to each branch so none can dominate the others. But the American constitution pays relatively little attention to the presidency. There are only four short sections concerning the office, only one of which contains much detail about presidential powers.

This means the powers of the president remain under-articulated. The constitution is also silent on how states of emergency should be managed. Taken together, this means it’s not entirely clear that legislative and judicial institutions can rein in a president who declares a state of emergency on spurious grounds.

In effect, by declaring a state of emergency a president assumes additional powers by essentially creating exceptions to rules and laws that normally constrain them. The courts can and likely would review the legality of any such action. But rulings against presidents are the exception.

Battle for the GOP&nbsp;

More prosaically, if the “Trump shutdown” strained relations within the Republican Party imagine what a “Trump state of national emergency” might do. The party’s establishment has proved willing to accept various affronts to presidential conventions of conduct.

This includes Trump’s propensity to play fast and loose with the truth, his lack of appetite for work and limited grasp of policy detail as well as his inability to serve as a president for all Americans.

But it is clear the partial shutdown has significantly ratcheted up tensions within the party and added to speculation Trump will face a primary challenge sometime before the 2020 presidential election.

In that context, it is conceivable that a presidential declaration of a state of emergency for wall funding might at last be the moment when Republicans – or at least enough of them to give Trump pause for thought – act in the long-term interests of the country.

More likely, there will be a point at which political self-interest trumps Trump. Republicans seeking to hold onto seats in 2020 in districts won by Hilary Clinton in 2016, or in which the Democratic Party was resurgent in last year’s midterms, may well peel away from Trump if his already soft approval rating continues to slide. There are already signs that some establishment figures are putting daylight between themselves and the president, and as the Republican convention and the 2020 presidential election move into view, more may choose to follow suit.&nbsp;

Road to tyranny 

Under these scenarios, Republicans may take a closer interest in restraining Trump than they have done so far. Seriously spooked Republicans may prove more amenable to the notion of impeaching the president. And because a president cannot dissolve Congress, Trump would be unable to get in a preemptive strike should the House move to impeach him.

None of this may come to pass. Trump may well be on the defensive right now but his chances of being re-elected in 2020 will be seriously (and perhaps fatally) compromised if he backs down on the wall issue again when congressional negotiations on immigration and border security wrap up on February 15. During the two years of his administration, he has proved perfectly happy to plough on regardless of public or political sentiment for far less significant issues. It is conceivable that he will do so again.

He has also demonstrated that he chafes against constraints on presidential agency, wishes to expand the reach of the executive branch and responds badly to criticism. In short, he is a poor fit for a liberal democracy but potentially a rather good one for an autocracy.

*(Richard Shaw is Professor of Politics at Massey University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-trumps-wall-rhetoric-is-about-power-rather-than-policy-110499">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

*By Richard Shaw The nation whose anthem lauds “the land of the free and the home of the brave” and whose constitution was drafted “in order to form a more perfect union … and secure the blessings of liberty” continues to flirt with the prospect of authoritarian rule.

*By Richard Shaw The nation whose anthem lauds “the land of the free and the home of the brave” and whose constitution was drafted “in order to form a more perfect union … and secure the blessings of liberty” continues to flirt with the prospect of authoritarian rule. In the aftermath of his decision to temporarily reopen the federal government, President Trump is once again threatening to declare a state of emergency to allow him to spend public money on the construction of a wall on the United States-Mexico border without congressional approval. The weakened position Trump finds himself in now makes such drastic action unlikely. But one of the lessons to be taken from Trump’s presidency is to expect the unexpected. Should he do so, it would not, of course, be the first time an American president has asserted this prerogative. Current crisis not about policy Generally, there can be compelling reasons for declaring a state of emergency, but Trump would have been perhaps the first to invoke this prerogative in order to fulfil a (subtly altered) campaign promise. While there is a legitimate debate about whether or not there actually is an emergency at the border, the crisis that would be created should Trump declare an emergency in order to secure public funding for his “big, beautiful wall” would not primarily be about policy. It would concern more fundamental matters, such as the efficacy of America’s much-vaunted constitutional system of checks and balances. The US constitution established three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. It apportions power to each branch so none can dominate the others. But the American constitution pays relatively little attention to the presidency. There are only four short sections concerning the office, only one of which contains much detail about presidential powers. This means the powers of the president remain under-articulated. The constitution is also silent on how states of emergency should be managed. Taken together, this means it’s not entirely clear that legislative and judicial institutions can rein in a president who declares a state of emergency on spurious grounds. In effect, by declaring a state of emergency a president assumes additional powers by essentially creating exceptions to rules and laws that normally constrain them. The courts can and likely would review the legality of any such action. But rulings against presidents are the exception. Battle for the GOP More prosaically, if the “Trump shutdown” strained relations within the Republican Party imagine what a “Trump state of national emergency” might do. The party’s establishment has proved willing to accept various affronts to presidential conventions of conduct. This includes Trump’s propensity to play fast and loose with the truth, his lack of appetite for work and limited grasp of policy detail as well as his inability to serve as a president for all Americans. But it is clear the partial shutdown has significantly ratcheted up tensions within the party and added to speculation Trump will face a primary challenge sometime before the 2020 presidential election. In that context, it is conceivable that a presidential declaration of a state of emergency for wall funding might at last be the moment when Republicans – or at least enough of them to give Trump pause for thought – act in the long-term interests of the country. More likely, there will be a point at which political self-interest trumps Trump. Republicans seeking to hold onto seats in 2020 in districts won by Hilary Clinton in 2016, or in which the Democratic Party was resurgent in last year’s midterms, may well peel away from Trump if his already soft approval rating continues to slide. There are already signs that some establishment figures are putting daylight between themselves and the president, and as the Republican convention and the 2020 presidential election move into view, more may choose to follow suit. Road to tyranny Under these scenarios, Republicans may take a closer interest in restraining Trump than they have done so far. Seriously spooked Republicans may prove more amenable to the notion of impeaching the president. And because a president cannot dissolve Congress, Trump would be unable to get in a preemptive strike should the House move to impeach him. None of this may come to pass. Trump may well be on the defensive right now but his chances of being re-elected in 2020 will be seriously (and perhaps fatally) compromised if he backs down on the wall issue again when congressional negotiations on immigration and border security wrap up on February 15. During the two years of his administration, he has proved perfectly happy to plough on regardless of public or political sentiment for far less significant issues. It is conceivable that he will do so again. He has also demonstrated that he chafes against constraints on presidential agency, wishes to expand the reach of the executive branch and responds badly to criticism. In short, he is a poor fit for a liberal democracy but potentially a rather good one for an autocracy. *(Richard Shaw is Professor of Politics at Massey University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Why Trump's wall rhetoric is about power rather than policy

"It is a great day and one of the greatest moments in the history of the world," Trump said at&nbspa press conference in Singapore after meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.&nbsp

Trump and Kim had a historic meeting — a sitting US President and a North Korean leader have never met before — at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island on Tuesday

"Kim Jong-Un has the chance to seize a better future for his country. Anyone can make war but only the most courageous can make peace," Trump said at the press conference.&nbsp

"We are prepared for the new history. We are ready to write new chapters. The past does not to have to define the future," he added.&nbsp

Watch Trump's press conference&nbsplive below:&nbsp

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="550" id="frmwion" scrolling="no" src="http://wionews.dittotv.com/?header=no" width="100%"></iframe>

'Anyone can make war but only the most courageous can make peace,' Trump said. 'The past does not to have to define the future,' he added

"It is a great day and one of the greatest moments in the history of the world," Trump said at&nbspa press conference in Singapore after meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Trump and Kim had a historic meeting — a sitting US President and a North Korean leader have never met before — at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island on Tuesday "Kim Jong-Un has the chance to seize a better future for his country. Anyone can make war but only the most courageous can make peace," Trump said at the press conference. "We are prepared for the new history. We are ready to write new chapters. The past does not to have to define the future," he added. Watch Trump's press conference&nbsplive below:

Watch live: Trump says only 'most courageous can make peace' after meeting Kim

US President Donald Trump arrived in Singapore on Sunday for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that could lay the groundwork for ending a nuclear stand-off between the old foes and the transformation of the isolated Asian nation.

Trump flew into Singapore's Paya Lebar Air Base aboard Air Force One, looking to strike a deal that will lead to the denuclearisation of one of America's bitterest foes. He came from a divisive G7 meeting in Canada with some of Washington's closest allies that further strained global trade ties.

After stepping down from Air Force One on a steamy tropical night, Trump was greeted by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

Asked by a reporter how he felt about the summit, Trump said: "Very good".

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/inside-the-hotel-where-donald-trump-will-meet-kim-jong-un-142636">Inside the hotel where Donald Trump will meet Kim Jong-Un</a>

North Korea's Kim landed in Singapore earlier on Sunday.

When Trump and Kim meet on Tuesday at Sentosa, a resort island off Singapore's port with a Universal Studios theme park and man-made beaches, they will be making history.

Enemies since the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders of North Korea and the United States have never met previously - or even spoken on the telephone.

Kim arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport after his longest trip overseas as head of state, wearing his trademark dark "Mao suit" and distinctive high-cut hairstyle. He has not left his country since taking office in 2011 other than to visit China and the South Korean side of the border Demilitarised Zone.

Arriving on a plane loaned by China, which for decades has been North Korea's only major ally, Kim was also greeted by Balakrishnan.

Travelling with him were top officials including Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and Kim Yong Chol, a close aide of Kim who has been instrumental in the diplomacy that culminated in Tuesday's summit.

Kim Yo Jong, leader Kim's younger sister, was also spotted in his delegation. She emerged as an influential figure in Pyongyang's opaque leadership in February, when she led a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea.

Officials who arrived with Trump include Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.

Bolton’s hardline rhetoric last month infuriated North Korea and nearly derailed the summit. He called for North Korea to follow a "Libya model" in negotiations. Libya unilaterally surrendered its nuclear weapons programme in 2003, but its leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was killed in 2011 by NATO-backed rebels.

'SPUR OF THE MOMENT'

Trump, speaking in Canada on Saturday, said any agreement at the summit would be "spur of the moment," underscoring the uncertain outcome of what he called a "mission of peace".

He initially touted the potential for a grand bargain with North Korea to rid itself of a nuclear missile programme that has advanced rapidly to threaten the United States.

But he has since lowered expectations, backing away from an original demand for North Korea's swift denuclearisation.

He has said the talks would be more about starting a relationship with Kim for a negotiating process that would take more than one summit.

Non-proliferation expert Daryl Kimball, director of the Arms Control Association, said that to make the summit a success, Trump and Kim would need to agree on a framework for expert-level negotiations "to hammer out the details and time frame for specific action-for-action steps".

"As the leaders arrive in Singapore it is still not clear yet whether Trump and Kim are on the same page about the end goals, the pace, and the sequencing of the many steps involved in the complete 'denuclearisation' of the Korean peninsula," he said in a Twitter message.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said US&nbsp;and North Korean officials would hold working-level talks on Monday. She said the U.S. delegation would be led by Sung Kim, a veteran diplomat who recently held talks with North Korean officials.

A US&nbsp;official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Monday's meeting appeared aimed at making 11th-hour progress ahead of the summit since Sung Kim's earlier talks did little to narrow a gap between the two sides on the definition of denuclearisation or win agreement on tangible commitments from Pyongyang toward dismantling its nuclear arsenal.

WARNED OFF

Kim met Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shortly after his arrival, driving from the St. Regis Hotel where he is staying, through the famous Orchard Road shopping district, which was closed off for his tightly guarded motorcade.

Bodyguards in dark suits jogged alongside his limousine.

At the hotel lobby, grim-faced North Korean security guards warned other hotel guests not to take pictures as Kim walked to his Mercedes Benz limousine.

When a couple of guests took a picture, a North Korean official stormed up to them, demanding to check their phones.

"I saw them taking a photo of our chairman. How dare they do so, they shouldn't," the official told Reuters later. He declined to be identified. Under the watchful eye of the official, and St. Regis staff, one male guest deleted his photos.

In his first public comments since arriving, Kim said Singapore's role would be recorded in history if the summit was a success.

Trump, who is staying in a separate hotel, the Shangri-La, is due to meet Lee on Monday.

North Korea spent decades developing nuclear weapons, culminating in the test of a thermonuclear device in 2017. It also successfully tested missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland.

The tests came amid a campaign of "maximum pressure" on North Korea, led by the United States, that tightened economic sanctions and the possibility of military action.

The two leaders exchanged insults as fears of war grew.

But then in a New Year's address, Kim sounded a conciliatory note, saying his country had completed development of its nuclear programme and would focus on economic development.

He also suggested a meeting with South Korea.

After a flurry of contacts between the two Koreas, South Korean officials suggested to Trump in March that Kim would be willing to meet face-to-face and the U.S. president agreed.

Many experts on North Korea, one of the most insular and unpredictable countries in the world, remain sceptical Kim will ever completely abandon its cherished nuclear weapons. They believe Kim's latest engagement is aimed at getting the United States to ease the crippling sanctions that have squeezed the impoverished country.

Believed to be 34, Kim is one of the youngest heads of state in the world and looks an unlikely candidate to be making history of the kind that has eluded his father and grandfather, both past leaders of North Korea.

But since taking power after his father's death, the youthful Kim has displayed a mixture of ruthlessness, pragmatism and statecraft to get this prize: to sit across the table with the leader of the United States and be treated as an equal.

For Trump, a successful summit will give him a win on the international stage.

While foreign policy isn't usually a major aspect of congressional elections, it is unclear if Trump’s focus on getting tough with trade partners and solving the North Korean nuclear issue will have some influence on voters in the mid-term polls in November.

The two leaders meet at 9 am&nbsp;(0100 GMT) on Tuesday at the Capella on Sentosa island, a refurbished British Army artillery mess that is one of Singapore's most expensive hotels.

Enemies since the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders of North Korea and the United States have never met previously — or even spoken on the telephone. Asked by a reporter how he felt about the summit, Trump said: 'Very good'

US President Donald Trump arrived in Singapore on Sunday for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that could lay the groundwork for ending a nuclear stand-off between the old foes and the transformation of the isolated Asian nation. Trump flew into Singapore's Paya Lebar Air Base aboard Air Force One, looking to strike a deal that will lead to the denuclearisation of one of America's bitterest foes. He came from a divisive G7 meeting in Canada with some of Washington's closest allies that further strained global trade ties. After stepping down from Air Force One on a steamy tropical night, Trump was greeted by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Asked by a reporter how he felt about the summit, Trump said: "Very good". Also read: Inside the hotel where Donald Trump will meet Kim Jong-Un North Korea's Kim landed in Singapore earlier on Sunday. When Trump and Kim meet on Tuesday at Sentosa, a resort island off Singapore's port with a Universal Studios theme park and man-made beaches, they will be making history. Enemies since the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders of North Korea and the United States have never met previously - or even spoken on the telephone. Kim arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport after his longest trip overseas as head of state, wearing his trademark dark "Mao suit" and distinctive high-cut hairstyle. He has not left his country since taking office in 2011 other than to visit China and the South Korean side of the border Demilitarised Zone. Arriving on a plane loaned by China, which for decades has been North Korea's only major ally, Kim was also greeted by Balakrishnan. Travelling with him were top officials including Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and Kim Yong Chol, a close aide of Kim who has been instrumental in the diplomacy that culminated in Tuesday's summit. Kim Yo Jong, leader Kim's younger sister, was also spotted in his delegation. She emerged as an influential figure in Pyongyang's opaque leadership in February, when she led a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea. Officials who arrived with Trump include Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. Bolton’s hardline rhetoric last month infuriated North Korea and nearly derailed the summit. He called for North Korea to follow a "Libya model" in negotiations. Libya unilaterally surrendered its nuclear weapons programme in 2003, but its leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was killed in 2011 by NATO-backed rebels. 'SPUR OF THE MOMENT' Trump, speaking in Canada on Saturday, said any agreement at the summit would be "spur of the moment," underscoring the uncertain outcome of what he called a "mission of peace". He initially touted the potential for a grand bargain with North Korea to rid itself of a nuclear missile programme that has advanced rapidly to threaten the United States. But he has since lowered expectations, backing away from an original demand for North Korea's swift denuclearisation. He has said the talks would be more about starting a relationship with Kim for a negotiating process that would take more than one summit. Non-proliferation expert Daryl Kimball, director of the Arms Control Association, said that to make the summit a success, Trump and Kim would need to agree on a framework for expert-level negotiations "to hammer out the details and time frame for specific action-for-action steps". "As the leaders arrive in Singapore it is still not clear yet whether Trump and Kim are on the same page about the end goals, the pace, and the sequencing of the many steps involved in the complete 'denuclearisation' of the Korean peninsula," he said in a Twitter message. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said US and North Korean officials would hold working-level talks on Monday. She said the U.S. delegation would be led by Sung Kim, a veteran diplomat who recently held talks with North Korean officials. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Monday's meeting appeared aimed at making 11th-hour progress ahead of the summit since Sung Kim's earlier talks did little to narrow a gap between the two sides on the definition of denuclearisation or win agreement on tangible commitments from Pyongyang toward dismantling its nuclear arsenal. WARNED OFF Kim met Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shortly after his arrival, driving from the St. Regis Hotel where he is staying, through the famous Orchard Road shopping district, which was closed off for his tightly guarded motorcade. Bodyguards in dark suits jogged alongside his limousine. At the hotel lobby, grim-faced North Korean security guards warned other hotel guests not to take pictures as Kim walked to his Mercedes Benz limousine. When a couple of guests took a picture, a North Korean official stormed up to them, demanding to check their phones. "I saw them taking a photo of our chairman. How dare they do so, they shouldn't," the official told Reuters later. He declined to be identified. Under the watchful eye of the official, and St. Regis staff, one male guest deleted his photos. In his first public comments since arriving, Kim said Singapore's role would be recorded in history if the summit was a success. Trump, who is staying in a separate hotel, the Shangri-La, is due to meet Lee on Monday. North Korea spent decades developing nuclear weapons, culminating in the test of a thermonuclear device in 2017. It also successfully tested missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland. The tests came amid a campaign of "maximum pressure" on North Korea, led by the United States, that tightened economic sanctions and the possibility of military action. The two leaders exchanged insults as fears of war grew. But then in a New Year's address, Kim sounded a conciliatory note, saying his country had completed development of its nuclear programme and would focus on economic development. He also suggested a meeting with South Korea. After a flurry of contacts between the two Koreas, South Korean officials suggested to Trump in March that Kim would be willing to meet face-to-face and the U.S. president agreed. Many experts on North Korea, one of the most insular and unpredictable countries in the world, remain sceptical Kim will ever completely abandon its cherished nuclear weapons. They believe Kim's latest engagement is aimed at getting the United States to ease the crippling sanctions that have squeezed the impoverished country. Believed to be 34, Kim is one of the youngest heads of state in the world and looks an unlikely candidate to be making history of the kind that has eluded his father and grandfather, both past leaders of North Korea. But since taking power after his father's death, the youthful Kim has displayed a mixture of ruthlessness, pragmatism and statecraft to get this prize: to sit across the table with the leader of the United States and be treated as an equal. For Trump, a successful summit will give him a win on the international stage. While foreign policy isn't usually a major aspect of congressional elections, it is unclear if Trump’s focus on getting tough with trade partners and solving the North Korean nuclear issue will have some influence on voters in the mid-term polls in November. The two leaders meet at 9 am (0100 GMT) on Tuesday at the Capella on Sentosa island, a refurbished British Army artillery mess that is one of Singapore's most expensive hotels.

Trump and Kim Jong-Un land in Singapore for Tuesday summit, officials to hold talks Monday

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned under pressure from President Donald Trump on Friday in an uproar over Price&#39;s use of costly private charter planes for government business.

His abrupt departure was announced an hour after Trump told reporters he was disappointed in Price&#39;s use of private aircraft and did not like the way it reflected on his administration.

&quot;Secretary of Health and Human Services Thomas Price offered his resignation earlier today and the president accepted,&quot; the White House said in a statement.

Trump named Don Wright to serve as acting secretary. Wright is currently the deputy assistant secretary for health and director of the office of disease prevention and health promotion.

&quot;I&#39;m not happy. OK? I&#39;m not happy,&quot; Trump told reporters on the White House South Lawn.

Candidates to succeed Price included Seema Verma, who is administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and who is close to Vice President Mike Pence, and Scott Gottlieb, a physician who serves as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, according to industry analysts.

Several sources saw Gottlieb as a clear front runner. They said he got along well with the White House and is viewed favourably there.

Price&#39;s resignation leaves Trump with a second Cabinet position to fill. He has yet to pick a secretary for homeland security after hiring former Secretary John Kelly as his White House chief of staff.

It was the latest blow to the Trump White House, which has struggled to get major legislative achievements passed by Congress and has been embroiled in one controversy after another since Trump took office in January.

Price, a former congressman, was instrumental in the Trump administration&#39;s policies aimed at undercutting Obamacare, as well as working with governors across the country to slowly begin unravelling parts of the law.

In a resignation letter, Price offered little in the way of contrition. He said he had been working to reform the U.S. healthcare system and reduce regulatory burdens, among other goals.

&quot;I have spent forty years both as a doctor and public servant putting people first. I regret that the recent events have created a distraction from these important objectives,&quot; he said.

Trump, currently trying to sell his tax cut plan and oversee the federal response to devastation wreaked by three hurricanes, saw the Price drama as an unnecessary distraction and behind the scenes was telling aides &quot;what was he thinking?,&quot; a source close to the president said.

Price promised on Thursday to repay the nearly $52,000 cost of his seats on private charter flights. &quot;The taxpayers won&rsquo;t pay a dime for my seat on those planes,&quot; Price said.

But that was not enough to satisfy Trump.

Trump told reporters that the &quot;optics&quot; of Price&#39;s travel were not good, since, as president he was trying to renegotiate U.S. contracts to get a better deal for taxpayers.

&quot;Look, I think he&#39;s a very fine person. I certainly don&#39;t like the optics,&quot; Trump said.

Price had also been seen in the White House as having been ineffective in getting Congress to pass healthcare reform legislation, an effort that has fizzled on Capitol Hill.

Price was one of a handful of senior officials in Trump&rsquo;s administration put on the defensive over reports about their use of charter flights and government aircraft, sometimes for personal travel, when they could have flown commercial for less money.

The White House issued an order late on Friday saying use of private planes required approval from White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and that the commercial air system was appropriate even for very senior officials with few exceptions.

The Washington Post on Friday reported that Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin attended a Wimbledon tennis match, toured Westminster Abbey and took a cruise on the Thames this summer during a 10-day trip to discuss veterans&#39; health issues in Britain and Denmark.

Shulkin, who travelled on a commercial airline, was accompanied on the trip by his wife, whose airfare was paid for by the government and who received a per diem for meals, the Post said, noting that the Department of Veterans Affairs said she was travelling on &quot;approved invitational orders.&quot;

His six-person travelling party included an acting undersecretary of health and her husband as well as two aides. They were accompanied by a security detail of as many as six people, the Post said.

Washington news media outlet Politico has reported that Price had taken at least two dozen private charter flights since May at a cost to U.S. taxpayers of more than $400,000. Politico also reported he took approved military flights to Africa and Europe costing $500,000.

Senior U.S. government officials travel frequently, but are generally expected to keep costs down by taking commercial flights or the train when possible.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin have also been in the spotlight for their travel habits.

Tom Price's abrupt departure was announced an hour after Trump told reporters he was disappointed in his use of private aircraft

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned under pressure from President Donald Trump on Friday in an uproar over Price's use of costly private charter planes for government business. His abrupt departure was announced an hour after Trump told reporters he was disappointed in Price's use of private aircraft and did not like the way it reflected on his administration. "Secretary of Health and Human Services Thomas Price offered his resignation earlier today and the president accepted," the White House said in a statement. Trump named Don Wright to serve as acting secretary. Wright is currently the deputy assistant secretary for health and director of the office of disease prevention and health promotion. "I'm not happy. OK? I'm not happy," Trump told reporters on the White House South Lawn. Candidates to succeed Price included Seema Verma, who is administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and who is close to Vice President Mike Pence, and Scott Gottlieb, a physician who serves as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, according to industry analysts. Several sources saw Gottlieb as a clear front runner. They said he got along well with the White House and is viewed favourably there. Price's resignation leaves Trump with a second Cabinet position to fill. He has yet to pick a secretary for homeland security after hiring former Secretary John Kelly as his White House chief of staff. It was the latest blow to the Trump White House, which has struggled to get major legislative achievements passed by Congress and has been embroiled in one controversy after another since Trump took office in January. Price, a former congressman, was instrumental in the Trump administration's policies aimed at undercutting Obamacare, as well as working with governors across the country to slowly begin unravelling parts of the law. In a resignation letter, Price offered little in the way of contrition. He said he had been working to reform the U.S. healthcare system and reduce regulatory burdens, among other goals. "I have spent forty years both as a doctor and public servant putting people first. I regret that the recent events have created a distraction from these important objectives," he said. Trump, currently trying to sell his tax cut plan and oversee the federal response to devastation wreaked by three hurricanes, saw the Price drama as an unnecessary distraction and behind the scenes was telling aides "what was he thinking?," a source close to the president said. Price promised on Thursday to repay the nearly $52,000 cost of his seats on private charter flights. "The taxpayers won’t pay a dime for my seat on those planes," Price said. But that was not enough to satisfy Trump. Trump told reporters that the "optics" of Price's travel were not good, since, as president he was trying to renegotiate U.S. contracts to get a better deal for taxpayers. "Look, I think he's a very fine person. I certainly don't like the optics," Trump said. Price had also been seen in the White House as having been ineffective in getting Congress to pass healthcare reform legislation, an effort that has fizzled on Capitol Hill. Price was one of a handful of senior officials in Trump’s administration put on the defensive over reports about their use of charter flights and government aircraft, sometimes for personal travel, when they could have flown commercial for less money. The White House issued an order late on Friday saying use of private planes required approval from White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and that the commercial air system was appropriate even for very senior officials with few exceptions. The Washington Post on Friday reported that Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin attended a Wimbledon tennis match, toured Westminster Abbey and took a cruise on the Thames this summer during a 10-day trip to discuss veterans' health issues in Britain and Denmark. Shulkin, who travelled on a commercial airline, was accompanied on the trip by his wife, whose airfare was paid for by the government and who received a per diem for meals, the Post said, noting that the Department of Veterans Affairs said she was travelling on "approved invitational orders." His six-person travelling party included an acting undersecretary of health and her husband as well as two aides. They were accompanied by a security detail of as many as six people, the Post said. Washington news media outlet Politico has reported that Price had taken at least two dozen private charter flights since May at a cost to U.S. taxpayers of more than $400,000. Politico also reported he took approved military flights to Africa and Europe costing $500,000. Senior U.S. government officials travel frequently, but are generally expected to keep costs down by taking commercial flights or the train when possible. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin have also been in the spotlight for their travel habits.

US health secretary resigns over use of costly pvt planes for govt business

&quot;It&#39;s a tax code that says you should pay lower taxes if you create a job in Bangalore, India, than if you create one in Buffalo, New York.&rdquo; That was Barack Obama for you in May 2009. &#39;Say no to Bangalore and yes to Buffalo,&#39; or so went the slogan at the time, intended to discourage outsourcing of jobs away from American cities such as Buffalo to Bengaluru, formerly Bangalore, in India. But, by the end of October of the same year, Obama, the first Black president in the history of the United States, had already become the first American president ever to personally celebrate Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, at the White House.

For an American president whose two consecutive terms in office straddled two governments in India, one led by Manmohan Singh and the other by Narendra Modi, Obama struck a rapport with both the Indian leaders. He held the elderly Manmohan Singh in respect for his sagacity and economic insights while he considered the relatively younger Narendra Modi as a good friend, to quote White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz. This, for someone, who, until then, had remained persona non grata for successive American administrations. And Modi reciprocated in equal measure, investing in personalised diplomacy with Obama, and meeting him on at least eight occasions since he came to power in India in 2014. Commentators couldn&#39;t stop gushing about a bromance when Obama visited India as the chief guest for India&#39;s 66th Republic Day celebrations; Modi dropped all honorifics to refer to Obama as Barack.

Obama&#39;s wooing of India, and Indians, continued through his presidency, except on occasions when he got on the wrong side of India. For instance, barely a few weeks after celebrating Diwali at the White House, Obama visited China where he agreed to a joint statement which read, &quot;... two sides welcomed all efforts conducive to peace, stability and development in South Asia. They support the improvement and growth of relations between India and Pakistan.&quot; It was a red rag for New Delhi, which opposed the implicit recognition of China as a regional hegemon or a Group of Two (G2) comprising the US and China.

That was not all. Before his China visit, Obama became the first US president not to welcome Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel laureate the Dalai Lama to the White House, in deference to his Chinese hosts. But the bonhomie would diminish soon, as subsequent developments suggest, including Obama&#39;s pivot, which was subsequently renamed as rebalance, to Asia and the Hague verdict on the&nbsp;South China Sea. And, to boot, Obama hosted the Dalai Lama on at least four occasions at the White House, most recently in June 2016, drawing vehement protests from Beijing. The Americans defended it by saying that the Dalai Lama was received for a personal meeting with Obama in the Map Room of the White House, and not the Oval Office, which generally is reserved for heads of state or government.

In fact, even before he was sworn in as the 44th president of the US in January 2009, Obama raised New Delhi&#39;s hackles by talking about Kashmir and how he wanted to appoint someone such as former US president Bill Clinton to mediate between India and Pakistan. India also vociferously protested any move by the US to appoint a special envoy for the India-Pakistan-Afghanistan region. Obama has the distinction of introducing Af-Pak into the lexicon, when he appointed the late Richard Holbrooke as the first special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan.&nbsp;

The &quot;breakthrough understanding&quot; reached between Obama and Modi was another milestone in India-US relations under Obama. It accelerated the process of allowing nuclear contracts to be signed between US firms and India. This, in spite of the fact that Obama, when he was a Senator, had raised potential non-proliferation consequences of this deal and pushed two amendments that changed the terms of the agreement.

An indication of the deepening strategic ties between India and the US can be had from Obama&#39;s description of the bilateral relationship as &quot;one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century&quot;. And it manifested itself in Obama&#39;s becoming the first US president to visit India twice while in office. Towards the end of his second term, Obama approved a legislation that designated India as a &quot;major defence partner&quot;, a definition the US has not used for any other country.

Modi best summed up the blossoming of the India-US relations under Obama when he told the US Congress, &quot;Today, our relationship has overcome the hesitations of history. Comfort, candour and convergence define our conversations.&quot;

(WION)

For an American president whose two terms in office straddled two governments in India, Obama struck a rapport with both the Indian leaders

"It's a tax code that says you should pay lower taxes if you create a job in Bangalore, India, than if you create one in Buffalo, New York.” That was Barack Obama for you in May 2009. 'Say no to Bangalore and yes to Buffalo,' or so went the slogan at the time, intended to discourage outsourcing of jobs away from American cities such as Buffalo to Bengaluru, formerly Bangalore, in India. But, by the end of October of the same year, Obama, the first Black president in the history of the United States, had already become the first American president ever to personally celebrate Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, at the White House. For an American president whose two consecutive terms in office straddled two governments in India, one led by Manmohan Singh and the other by Narendra Modi, Obama struck a rapport with both the Indian leaders. He held the elderly Manmohan Singh in respect for his sagacity and economic insights while he considered the relatively younger Narendra Modi as a good friend, to quote White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz. This, for someone, who, until then, had remained persona non grata for successive American administrations. And Modi reciprocated in equal measure, investing in personalised diplomacy with Obama, and meeting him on at least eight occasions since he came to power in India in 2014. Commentators couldn't stop gushing about a bromance when Obama visited India as the chief guest for India's 66th Republic Day celebrations; Modi dropped all honorifics to refer to Obama as Barack. Obama's wooing of India, and Indians, continued through his presidency, except on occasions when he got on the wrong side of India. For instance, barely a few weeks after celebrating Diwali at the White House, Obama visited China where he agreed to a joint statement which read, "... two sides welcomed all efforts conducive to peace, stability and development in South Asia. They support the improvement and growth of relations between India and Pakistan." It was a red rag for New Delhi, which opposed the implicit recognition of China as a regional hegemon or a Group of Two (G2) comprising the US and China. That was not all. Before his China visit, Obama became the first US president not to welcome Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel laureate the Dalai Lama to the White House, in deference to his Chinese hosts. But the bonhomie would diminish soon, as subsequent developments suggest, including Obama's pivot, which was subsequently renamed as rebalance, to Asia and the Hague verdict on the South China Sea. And, to boot, Obama hosted the Dalai Lama on at least four occasions at the White House, most recently in June 2016, drawing vehement protests from Beijing. The Americans defended it by saying that the Dalai Lama was received for a personal meeting with Obama in the Map Room of the White House, and not the Oval Office, which generally is reserved for heads of state or government. In fact, even before he was sworn in as the 44th president of the US in January 2009, Obama raised New Delhi's hackles by talking about Kashmir and how he wanted to appoint someone such as former US president Bill Clinton to mediate between India and Pakistan. India also vociferously protested any move by the US to appoint a special envoy for the India-Pakistan-Afghanistan region. Obama has the distinction of introducing Af-Pak into the lexicon, when he appointed the late Richard Holbrooke as the first special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The "breakthrough understanding" reached between Obama and Modi was another milestone in India-US relations under Obama. It accelerated the process of allowing nuclear contracts to be signed between US firms and India. This, in spite of the fact that Obama, when he was a Senator, had raised potential non-proliferation consequences of this deal and pushed two amendments that changed the terms of the agreement. An indication of the deepening strategic ties between India and the US can be had from Obama's description of the bilateral relationship as "one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century". And it manifested itself in Obama's becoming the first US president to visit India twice while in office. Towards the end of his second term, Obama approved a legislation that designated India as a "major defence partner", a definition the US has not used for any other country. Modi best summed up the blossoming of the India-US relations under Obama when he told the US Congress, "Today, our relationship has overcome the hesitations of history. Comfort, candour and convergence define our conversations." (WION)

A new symphony in play