US President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged the world leaders at The UN Global Compact&nbsp;Leaders Summit&nbsp;2016 to &quot;welcome the stranger in our midst&quot; as 50 nations pledged to take in 360,000 refugees.&nbsp; 
 
Obama praised countries including Canada and Germany for taking in refugees fleeing from various conflicts, AFP news agency reported.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are facing a crisis of epic proportion,&quot; Obama said. 
 
&quot;We cannot avert our eyes or turn our backs. To slam the door in the face of these families would betray our deepest values,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
Canada has granted asylum to more than 30,000 Syrian refugees since December and PM Justin Trudeau said this was a challenge as well as &quot;an opportunity,&quot; vowing &quot;there is more to come.&quot; 
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<h5>&quot;We cannot avert our eyes or turn our backs. To slam the door in the face of these families would betray our deepest values&quot; - Obama</h5>
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German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: &quot;I believe we cannot allow ourselves to stop here. We must finally get ahead in tackling this crisis,&quot; on Germany taking in more refugees.&nbsp; 
 
It&#39;s pertinent to mention that in its recent electoral polls, Angela Merkel&#39;s party has suffered a setback due to her &#39;open-door&#39; &nbsp;refugee policy amid rise in anti-refugees sentiments.&nbsp; 
 
Referring to Merkel&#39;s struggle, Obama said: &quot;the politics can be hard&quot; for leaders who open up to refugees and migrants.&quot; 
 
The number of refugees entering the United States will go up to 110,000 next year, up from 85,000 this year, the Obama administration said.&nbsp; 
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<h5>As per US officials, seven countries including Romania, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Luxembourg will resettle at least 10 times more refugees this year than 2015.&nbsp;</h5>
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According to the UN refugee agency, the number is just a fraction of the 1.1 million refugees who are in need of resettlement this year.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, as per US officials, seven countries including Romania, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Luxembourg will resettle at least 10 times more refugees this year than 2015.&nbsp; 
 
Financial contribution to UN appeals and international organisations have also increased since 2015 by about $4.5 billion.&nbsp; 
 
The pledges will include funds to send one million refugee children to schools and allow one million refugees to legally work.&nbsp; 
 
Over 65 million people are displaced in the world which include 21 million refugees fleeing from war strife countries like Syria. 
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Currently only eight countries are hosting half of the world&#39;s refugees: Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya and Uganda. 
 
Swipe at Trump 
 
Obama also said the refugee crisis was a &quot;test of our common humanity, whether we give in to suspicion and fear and build walls,&quot; in an apparent strike against US presidential candidate Donald Trump.&nbsp; 
 
Trump had threatened to build a wall on the US border with Mexico to keep out migrants and make them pay for it.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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'To slam the door in the face of these families would betray our deepest values,' the US President said talking about refugee crisis

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged the world leaders at The UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2016 to "welcome the stranger in our midst" as 50 nations pledged to take in 360,000 refugees. Obama praised countries including Canada and Germany for taking in refugees fleeing from various conflicts, AFP news agency reported. "We are facing a crisis of epic proportion," Obama said. "We cannot avert our eyes or turn our backs. To slam the door in the face of these families would betray our deepest values," he added. Canada has granted asylum to more than 30,000 Syrian refugees since December and PM Justin Trudeau said this was a challenge as well as "an opportunity," vowing "there is more to come." "We cannot avert our eyes or turn our backs. To slam the door in the face of these families would betray our deepest values" - Obama German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: "I believe we cannot allow ourselves to stop here. We must finally get ahead in tackling this crisis," on Germany taking in more refugees. It's pertinent to mention that in its recent electoral polls, Angela Merkel's party has suffered a setback due to her 'open-door' refugee policy amid rise in anti-refugees sentiments. Referring to Merkel's struggle, Obama said: "the politics can be hard" for leaders who open up to refugees and migrants." The number of refugees entering the United States will go up to 110,000 next year, up from 85,000 this year, the Obama administration said. As per US officials, seven countries including Romania, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Luxembourg will resettle at least 10 times more refugees this year than 2015. ? According to the UN refugee agency, the number is just a fraction of the 1.1 million refugees who are in need of resettlement this year. Meanwhile, as per US officials, seven countries including Romania, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Luxembourg will resettle at least 10 times more refugees this year than 2015. Financial contribution to UN appeals and international organisations have also increased since 2015 by about $4.5 billion. The pledges will include funds to send one million refugee children to schools and allow one million refugees to legally work. Over 65 million people are displaced in the world which include 21 million refugees fleeing from war strife countries like Syria. Currently only eight countries are hosting half of the world's refugees: Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya and Uganda. Swipe at Trump Obama also said the refugee crisis was a "test of our common humanity, whether we give in to suspicion and fear and build walls," in an apparent strike against US presidential candidate Donald Trump. Trump had threatened to build a wall on the US border with Mexico to keep out migrants and make them pay for it. (WION with inputs from AFP)

UN summit: Obama urges world leaders to 'welcome strangers', 50 nations pledge to take in 360,000 refugees

Warning against the rise of extremism, US President Barack Obama said the nations engaged in &quot;proxy wars&quot; and regional conflicts must end them and allow communities to co-exist.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Across-the-regions conflicts, we have to insist that all parties recognise a common humanity and the nations end proxy wars that fuel disorders,&quot; he said. 
 
He said until basic questions are answered about how communities co-exist, the &quot;embers of extremism to burn&quot; causing sufferings to countless human beings. 
 
Obama cautioned that such wars fuel disorder and risk export of extremism overseas. 
 
The US President made his eighth and final address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, urging the international community to reject terrorism and embrace tolerance.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;No external power is going to be able to force different religious communities or ethnic communities to co-exist for long,&quot; Obama told the world leaders gathered for the 71st UN General Assembly session. 
 
He admitted that the extremist and sectarian violence destabilising the Middle East and spreading elsewhere &quot;will not be quickly reversed.&quot; 
 
&quot;Our international community must seek to work with those who seek to build, rather than destroy,&quot; he said. 
 
He added, &quot;In a place like Syria, where there&#39;s no military victory to be had, we&#39;re going to have to pursue the hard work of diplomacy.&quot; 
 
&quot;The world is too small, we are all too packed together to be following the old ways of thinking. We must reject the fundamentalism...instead we need to embrace the tolerance that results from respect for all human beings,&quot; Obama said. 
 
Obama&#39;s remarks come a day after the US secretary of state John Kerry asked Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to prevent terrorists from using his country&#39;s territory as safe havens. 
 
India has accused Pakistan of waging a proxy war by supporting, arming and training militant groups like Jaish-e- Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba who launch cross border attacks in South Asia. 
 
Sunday&#39;s attack on the Indian army in Kashmir&#39;s Uri by heavily armed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad militants was one of the deadliest attacks on the Indian Army in recent years.&nbsp; 
 
The attack that killed 18 Indian Army soldiers has sparked a war of words between the two South Asian neighbours and triggered calls for Pakistan&#39;s diplomatic isolation. &nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
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In his last UN address, Obama warned "proxy wars" by some nations endanger their communities and risk export of extremism overseas

Warning against the rise of extremism, US President Barack Obama said the nations engaged in "proxy wars" and regional conflicts must end them and allow communities to co-exist. "Across-the-regions conflicts, we have to insist that all parties recognise a common humanity and the nations end proxy wars that fuel disorders," he said. He said until basic questions are answered about how communities co-exist, the "embers of extremism to burn" causing sufferings to countless human beings. Obama cautioned that such wars fuel disorder and risk export of extremism overseas. The US President made his eighth and final address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, urging the international community to reject terrorism and embrace tolerance. "No external power is going to be able to force different religious communities or ethnic communities to co-exist for long," Obama told the world leaders gathered for the 71st UN General Assembly session. He admitted that the extremist and sectarian violence destabilising the Middle East and spreading elsewhere "will not be quickly reversed." "Our international community must seek to work with those who seek to build, rather than destroy," he said. He added, "In a place like Syria, where there's no military victory to be had, we're going to have to pursue the hard work of diplomacy." "The world is too small, we are all too packed together to be following the old ways of thinking. We must reject the fundamentalism...instead we need to embrace the tolerance that results from respect for all human beings," Obama said. Obama's remarks come a day after the US secretary of state John Kerry asked Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to prevent terrorists from using his country's territory as safe havens. India has accused Pakistan of waging a proxy war by supporting, arming and training militant groups like Jaish-e- Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba who launch cross border attacks in South Asia. Sunday's attack on the Indian army in Kashmir's Uri by heavily armed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad militants was one of the deadliest attacks on the Indian Army in recent years. The attack that killed 18 Indian Army soldiers has sparked a war of words between the two South Asian neighbours and triggered calls for Pakistan's diplomatic isolation. (WION with inputs from agencies)

US President Obama at UNGA: Nations engaged in 'proxy wars' must end them

World leaders are arriving in New York today to attend &nbsp;The UN Global Compact&nbsp;Leaders Summit&nbsp;2016 addressing &quot;large movements of refugees and migrants&quot; for the first time.&nbsp; 
 
The UN General Assembly is organising &nbsp;the Leaders summit on Tuesday where heads of the states will discuss large movements of refugees across nations and ways to respond to them in a humane manner.&nbsp; 
 
The aim of the meet is to &quot;strengthen governance of international migration and a unique opportunity for creating a more responsible, predictable system for responding to large movements of refugees and migrants,&quot; according to the United Nations.&nbsp; 
 
The leaders are expected to approve a document for a coordinated approach that will protect the human rights of refugees and migrants, Indian news agency PTI reported.&nbsp; 
 
UN&#39;s high commissioner for refugees, Fillipo Grandi told the Associated Press: &quot;It&#39;s very interesting because if we are able to translate that paper into a response in which many actors are going to participate, we will solve a lot of problems in emergency responses and in long-term refugee situations like the Syrian situation.&quot; 
 
However, the document is not legally binding and it plays a crucial role now when the United States and Europe are grappling with migrant issues.&nbsp; 
 
An earlier draft had called on countries to resettle 10 per cent of the refugee population each year. The draft was rejected by a number of countries drawing heavy criticism from human rights group as missed opportunity.&nbsp; 
 
The nations had objected to the language used in the draft which stated that &quot;children should never be detained&quot;. In the new agreement, this has been amended to &quot;children should seldom,if ever, be detained. &quot; 
 
Amnesty International secretary general Salil Shetty said: &quot;Instead of sharing responsibility, world leaders shirked it. The UN summit has been sabotaged by states acting in self-interest, leaving millions of refugees in dire situations around the world on the edge of a precipice.&quot; 
 
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whose report on refugees and migrants forms the basis of summit document, said: &nbsp;&quot;While we all wish it could be a stronger outcome document ... All 193 member states had to agree on their commitment. As you will see, my report was a strong one.&quot; 
 
&quot;I hope that, as the two compacts are adopted over the coming year and a half, some stronger language and commitment and elements from the report will reappear in the course of this negotiation,&quot;he added.&nbsp; 
 
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit, the US President Obama will host the Leaders&#39; Summit on Refugees on September 20. 
 
The event will be co-hosted by Canada, Ethiopia, Germany, Jordan, Mexico and Sweden. The Leaders Summit will discuss refugees only and will &quot;appeal to all governments to pledge significant new commitments on refugees.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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World leaders are expected to approve a document at the Leaders summit for a coordinated approach to respond to refugees in a humane manner

World leaders are arriving in New York today to attend The UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2016 addressing "large movements of refugees and migrants" for the first time. The UN General Assembly is organising the Leaders summit on Tuesday where heads of the states will discuss large movements of refugees across nations and ways to respond to them in a humane manner. The aim of the meet is to "strengthen governance of international migration and a unique opportunity for creating a more responsible, predictable system for responding to large movements of refugees and migrants," according to the United Nations. The leaders are expected to approve a document for a coordinated approach that will protect the human rights of refugees and migrants, Indian news agency PTI reported. UN's high commissioner for refugees, Fillipo Grandi told the Associated Press: "It's very interesting because if we are able to translate that paper into a response in which many actors are going to participate, we will solve a lot of problems in emergency responses and in long-term refugee situations like the Syrian situation." However, the document is not legally binding and it plays a crucial role now when the United States and Europe are grappling with migrant issues. An earlier draft had called on countries to resettle 10 per cent of the refugee population each year. The draft was rejected by a number of countries drawing heavy criticism from human rights group as missed opportunity. The nations had objected to the language used in the draft which stated that "children should never be detained". In the new agreement, this has been amended to "children should seldom,if ever, be detained. " Amnesty International secretary general Salil Shetty said: "Instead of sharing responsibility, world leaders shirked it. The UN summit has been sabotaged by states acting in self-interest, leaving millions of refugees in dire situations around the world on the edge of a precipice." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whose report on refugees and migrants forms the basis of summit document, said: "While we all wish it could be a stronger outcome document ... All 193 member states had to agree on their commitment. As you will see, my report was a strong one." "I hope that, as the two compacts are adopted over the coming year and a half, some stronger language and commitment and elements from the report will reappear in the course of this negotiation,"he added. On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit, the US President Obama will host the Leaders' Summit on Refugees on September 20. The event will be co-hosted by Canada, Ethiopia, Germany, Jordan, Mexico and Sweden. The Leaders Summit will discuss refugees only and will "appeal to all governments to pledge significant new commitments on refugees." (WION with inputs from PTI)

UN to hold first-ever summit on refugees, migrants in New York to protect their rights

The White House said on Monday that US &nbsp;President Barack Obama would veto the bill allowing victims of the 9/11 attacks and their families to sue the Saudi government for damages.&nbsp; 
 
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest confirmed that the President does intend to veto the legislation. 
 
The bill will allow Americans to file lawsuits against any foreign governments suspected of backing terrorism against America.&nbsp; 
 
The legislation is strongly opposed by Saudi Arabia which is home to 15 of the 19 hijackers in the 9/11 terror attacks. 
 
He said the bill could be used as an excuse to haul US diplomats or US service members or even US companies into courts all around the world. 
 
&quot;You could have judges at different levels in different courtrooms, reaching different conclusions about the same country. That is not an effective, forceful way for us to respond to terrorism,&quot; Earnest said. 
 
Earnest added that the bill endangers the concept of sovereign immunity that protects the United States as much as any other country in the world.&nbsp; 
 
Earnest anticipated a wider international reaction to the bill. He said, &quot;So the President feels quite strongly about this. Our concern is not limited to the impact it could have on a relationship with one country, but rather it could have an impact on our relationship with every country around the world in a way that has negative consequences for the US, for our national security, and for our men and women in uniform.&quot; 
 
The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act was passed in the House of Representatives by a voice vote on Friday,&nbsp; 
 
It had earlier found unanimous approval in the Senate in May. The Senate sent the bill for President&#39;s approval on Monday night, giving him a 10-day window to veto the decision.&nbsp; 
 
But even if Obama vetos the bill, Congressional aides said the measure appeared to have enough support to override his decision.&nbsp; 
 
A two-thirds majority in both the Senate and House is required for lawmakers to override an Obama veto for the first time since he took office in January 2009. 
 
Under the Constitution, Obama could also opt for a &quot;pocket veto,&quot; in which the president can defeat a bill just by holding onto it until Congress is out of session. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
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The White House said the bill is a forceful way to respond to terrorism and could have a far-reaching impact

The White House said on Monday that US President Barack Obama would veto the bill allowing victims of the 9/11 attacks and their families to sue the Saudi government for damages. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest confirmed that the President does intend to veto the legislation. The bill will allow Americans to file lawsuits against any foreign governments suspected of backing terrorism against America. The legislation is strongly opposed by Saudi Arabia which is home to 15 of the 19 hijackers in the 9/11 terror attacks. He said the bill could be used as an excuse to haul US diplomats or US service members or even US companies into courts all around the world. "You could have judges at different levels in different courtrooms, reaching different conclusions about the same country. That is not an effective, forceful way for us to respond to terrorism," Earnest said. Earnest added that the bill endangers the concept of sovereign immunity that protects the United States as much as any other country in the world. Earnest anticipated a wider international reaction to the bill. He said, "So the President feels quite strongly about this. Our concern is not limited to the impact it could have on a relationship with one country, but rather it could have an impact on our relationship with every country around the world in a way that has negative consequences for the US, for our national security, and for our men and women in uniform." The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act was passed in the House of Representatives by a voice vote on Friday, It had earlier found unanimous approval in the Senate in May. The Senate sent the bill for President's approval on Monday night, giving him a 10-day window to veto the decision. But even if Obama vetos the bill, Congressional aides said the measure appeared to have enough support to override his decision. A two-thirds majority in both the Senate and House is required for lawmakers to override an Obama veto for the first time since he took office in January 2009. Under the Constitution, Obama could also opt for a "pocket veto," in which the president can defeat a bill just by holding onto it until Congress is out of session. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Obama will veto bill allowing 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia: White House

The United States today&nbsp;marks the 15th anniversary of the deadly 9/11 terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people when al-Qaeda suicide bombers crashed four passenger jets into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington and a field in Shanksville.&nbsp; 
 
While speaking during his weekly radio and online address&nbsp;on the eve of September 11 terror attacks, US President Barack Obama urged Americans to remain united on Saturday. He also&nbsp;vowed that his government will keep doing everything to protect the homeland, and insisted how America responds in the face of terrorism matters. 
 
The 9/11 attack victims will be remembered at a solemn service at Ground Zero in New York on the site of the rebuilt World Trade Center, while Obama will address a ceremony at the Pentagon. 
 
&quot;This weekend, we honour their memory once more. We stand with the survivors who still bear the scars of that day,&quot; Obama said during the weekly address. 
 
Nineteen al-Qaeda suicide bombers hijacked four passenger jets on September 11, 2001 crashing them into the Twin Towers. &nbsp;It was the first foreign attack on the US mainland in almost two centuries and sparked US-led invasions of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003), where war rages on more than a decade later. 
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<h5>&quot;This weekend, we honour their memory once more. We stand with the survivors who still bear the scars of that day,&quot; Obama said during the weekly address.</h5>
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The 15th anniversary comes with the United States in the midst of a divisive presidential campaign between Hillary Clinton, who was New York senator at the time of the attacks, and Manhattan tycoon Donald Trump.&nbsp;&nbsp;Both the candidates are expected to attend the New York ceremony.&nbsp; 
 
Obama has on several occasions also denounced Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump&#39;s bombastic rhetoric towards Muslims. 
 
After the December shooting rampage in San Bernardino, California, Trump had called for a temporary ban on the entry of Muslims to the country. 
 
The President, however, pointed out that US cannot give in to those who would divide it. &quot;It&#39;s our diversity, our welcoming of all talent, our treating of everybody fairly no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or faith that&#39;s part of what makes our country great. It&#39;s what makes us resilient. And if we stay true to those values, we&#39;ll uphold the legacy of those we&#39;ve lost, and keep our nation strong and free,&quot; Obama was quoted as saying by abc.net.au. 
 
During the first moment of silence at 8:46 am, the time when American Airlines Flight 11 hit the north tower, houses of worship in New York have been asked to toll their bells. Obama will observe a moment of silence at the White House before addressing a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon. 
 
Here is the timeline of the events of the&nbsp;fateful morning&nbsp;which reshaped the course of US history, as reported by AFP:

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	<li>8:46 am:&nbsp;The first strike</li>
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An American Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 92 people on board,&nbsp;including five hijackers,&nbsp;smashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, leaving a giant hole in the building&#39;s facade. 
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	<li>9:03 am:&nbsp;Second tower hit</li>
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A United Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 65 people on board,&nbsp;including five hijackers,&nbsp;hits the South Tower of the WTC, sparking a massive explosion.

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	<li>9:30 am:&nbsp;Bush speaks</li>
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Then US president George W Bush, in Sarasota, Florida, calls the blasts &quot;an apparent terrorist attack.&quot; He orders &quot;a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed these acts&quot; . He assures&nbsp;he will immediately return to Washington.

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	<li>9:37 am:&nbsp;Pentagon hit</li>
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An American Airlines Boeing 757 making a Washington Dulles-Los Angeles connection with 64 people on board - including five hijackers - smashes into the Pentagon in suburban Washington, setting off two explosions.

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	<li>9:42 am:&nbsp;Planes grounded</li>
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The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) orders the cancellation of all commercial flights in the United States.

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	<li>9:59 am:&nbsp;South Tower collapses</li>
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The WTC&#39;s South Tower, hit 56 minutes earlier, collapses in a huge cloud of smoke and dust.

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	<li>10:03 am:&nbsp;Crash in Pennsylvania</li>
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A United Airlines Boeing 757 traveling from Newark to San Francisco with 44 people on board - including four hijackers - crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew apparently fought with the hijackers.

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	<li>10:28 am:&nbsp;North Tower collapses</li>
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The north tower of the WTC collapses, an hour and 42 minutes after it was struck. A huge cloud of dust blankets lower Manhattan. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The 9/11 attack victims will be remembered at a solemn service at Ground Zero in New York on the site of the rebuilt World Trade Center

The United States today marks the 15th anniversary of the deadly 9/11 terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people when al-Qaeda suicide bombers crashed four passenger jets into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington and a field in Shanksville. While speaking during his weekly radio and online address on the eve of September 11 terror attacks, US President Barack Obama urged Americans to remain united on Saturday. He also vowed that his government will keep doing everything to protect the homeland, and insisted how America responds in the face of terrorism matters. The 9/11 attack victims will be remembered at a solemn service at Ground Zero in New York on the site of the rebuilt World Trade Center, while Obama will address a ceremony at the Pentagon. "This weekend, we honour their memory once more. We stand with the survivors who still bear the scars of that day," Obama said during the weekly address. Nineteen al-Qaeda suicide bombers hijacked four passenger jets on September 11, 2001 crashing them into the Twin Towers. It was the first foreign attack on the US mainland in almost two centuries and sparked US-led invasions of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003), where war rages on more than a decade later. "This weekend, we honour their memory once more. We stand with the survivors who still bear the scars of that day," Obama said during the weekly address. The 15th anniversary comes with the United States in the midst of a divisive presidential campaign between Hillary Clinton, who was New York senator at the time of the attacks, and Manhattan tycoon Donald Trump. Both the candidates are expected to attend the New York ceremony. Obama has on several occasions also denounced Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's bombastic rhetoric towards Muslims. After the December shooting rampage in San Bernardino, California, Trump had called for a temporary ban on the entry of Muslims to the country. The President, however, pointed out that US cannot give in to those who would divide it. "It's our diversity, our welcoming of all talent, our treating of everybody fairly no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or faith that's part of what makes our country great. It's what makes us resilient. And if we stay true to those values, we'll uphold the legacy of those we've lost, and keep our nation strong and free," Obama was quoted as saying by abc.net.au. During the first moment of silence at 8:46 am, the time when American Airlines Flight 11 hit the north tower, houses of worship in New York have been asked to toll their bells. Obama will observe a moment of silence at the White House before addressing a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon. Here is the timeline of the events of the fateful morning which reshaped the course of US history, as reported by AFP: 8:46 am: The first strike An American Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 92 people on board, including five hijackers, smashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, leaving a giant hole in the building's facade. 9:03 am: Second tower hit A United Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 65 people on board, including five hijackers, hits the South Tower of the WTC, sparking a massive explosion. 9:30 am: Bush speaks Then US president George W Bush, in Sarasota, Florida, calls the blasts "an apparent terrorist attack." He orders "a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed these acts" . He assures he will immediately return to Washington. 9:37 am: Pentagon hit An American Airlines Boeing 757 making a Washington Dulles-Los Angeles connection with 64 people on board - including five hijackers - smashes into the Pentagon in suburban Washington, setting off two explosions. 9:42 am: Planes grounded The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) orders the cancellation of all commercial flights in the United States. 9:59 am: South Tower collapses The WTC's South Tower, hit 56 minutes earlier, collapses in a huge cloud of smoke and dust. 10:03 am: Crash in Pennsylvania A United Airlines Boeing 757 traveling from Newark to San Francisco with 44 people on board - including four hijackers - crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew apparently fought with the hijackers. 10:28 am: North Tower collapses The north tower of the WTC collapses, an hour and 42 minutes after it was struck. A huge cloud of dust blankets lower Manhattan. (WION with inputs from agencies)

US commemorates 9/11 victims on 15th anniversary of deadliest terror strikes

France said on Tuesday it will call on the European Commission to suspend negotiations on a massive trade deal between the European Union and the United States, which it complained are unfairly weighted in favour of the Americans. 
 
&quot;There is no more political support in France for these negotiations&quot; and &quot;France calls for an end to these negotiations,&quot; the country&#39;s junior minister for trade Matthias Fekl told RMC radio. 
 
The EU and US began work on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in 2013, aiming to create the world&#39;s largest free-trade area by the time President Barack Obama leaves office in January. 
 
But the talks have got bogged down amid widespread suspicion in the 28-nation EU that a deal would undercut the bloc&#39;s standards in key areas such as health and welfare. 
 
The setbacks have raised serious doubts that it will be achieved by the end of the year as hoped.&nbsp; 
 
Fekl said there is an imbalance in the negotiations in favour of the US side. 
 
&quot;The Americans give nothing or just crumbs... that is not how negotiations are done between allies,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We need a clear and definitive halt to these negotiations in order to restart on a good foundation&quot;. 
 
France will make this case at a meeting of foreign trade ministers in Bratislava in September, Fekl added. 
 
He did not indicate when or under what conditions the talks could restart. 
 
France&#39;s Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said it would be &quot;impossible&quot; for the two sides to conclude negotiations on a trade deal by the end of 2016. 
 
And Germany&#39;s vice chancellor and economy minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Sunday that the negotiations were effectively dead in the water. 
 
&quot;The talks with the US have de facto failed because we Europeans of course must not succumb to American demands... Nothing is moving forward&quot;, he said. 
 
But the European Commission on Monday rejected the German claims and insisted the talks remained on track. 
 
&quot;The ball is rolling right now. The Commission is making steady progress,&quot; Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said. 
 
&quot;Talks are now indeed entering a crucial stage but... provided the conditions are right, the Commission stands ready to close this deal by the end of the year,&quot; he told a press briefing. 
 
Behind the scenes, top diplomats have told AFP talks may be suspended until after the US presidential election in November as well as elections in France and Germany next year. 
 
Activists who have opposed TTIP since negotiations began in 2013 say the deal would only benefit multinationals and harm consumers.

(AFP) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

There is a widespread suspicion in the EU that the deal would undercut the bloc's standards in key areas such as health and welfare

France said on Tuesday it will call on the European Commission to suspend negotiations on a massive trade deal between the European Union and the United States, which it complained are unfairly weighted in favour of the Americans. "There is no more political support in France for these negotiations" and "France calls for an end to these negotiations," the country's junior minister for trade Matthias Fekl told RMC radio. The EU and US began work on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in 2013, aiming to create the world's largest free-trade area by the time President Barack Obama leaves office in January. But the talks have got bogged down amid widespread suspicion in the 28-nation EU that a deal would undercut the bloc's standards in key areas such as health and welfare. The setbacks have raised serious doubts that it will be achieved by the end of the year as hoped. Fekl said there is an imbalance in the negotiations in favour of the US side. "The Americans give nothing or just crumbs... that is not how negotiations are done between allies," he said. "We need a clear and definitive halt to these negotiations in order to restart on a good foundation". France will make this case at a meeting of foreign trade ministers in Bratislava in September, Fekl added. He did not indicate when or under what conditions the talks could restart. France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said it would be "impossible" for the two sides to conclude negotiations on a trade deal by the end of 2016. And Germany's vice chancellor and economy minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Sunday that the negotiations were effectively dead in the water. "The talks with the US have de facto failed because we Europeans of course must not succumb to American demands... Nothing is moving forward", he said. But the European Commission on Monday rejected the German claims and insisted the talks remained on track. "The ball is rolling right now. The Commission is making steady progress," Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said. "Talks are now indeed entering a crucial stage but... provided the conditions are right, the Commission stands ready to close this deal by the end of the year," he told a press briefing. Behind the scenes, top diplomats have told AFP talks may be suspended until after the US presidential election in November as well as elections in France and Germany next year. Activists who have opposed TTIP since negotiations began in 2013 say the deal would only benefit multinationals and harm consumers. (AFP)

France seeks halt to talks on skewed EU-US trade deal

President Barack Obama wrapped up his final summer getaway to Martha&#39;s Vineyard Sunday, gearing up for a busy final few months at the White House. 
 
The president spent the morning getting in a final round of vacation golf under a near cloudless sky before rolling out in his motorcade with first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia. 
 
The Obamas traveled by the president&#39;s plane Air Force One back to Washington late Sunday, landing at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland at around 8 pm (0000 GMT) for the short helicopter flight via Marine One that would whisk him back to the White House in a matter of minutes. 
 
The first family spent just over two weeks at their summer vacation house at the popular Massachusetts retreat, an island located south of Cape Cod. 
 
The family dogs, Sunny and Bo, also indulged in the time off. 
 
This summer will likely be the last that the Obamas vacation with a huge entourage of press, secret service protection, aides, gawkers and hangers-on. 
 
This time next year, barring unforeseen circumstances, either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be in the White House, and the traveling sideshow that currently accompanies Obama will follow him or her around instead. 
 
After a relaxing holiday spent golfing, going to the beach and tucking into a stack of page-turning books, the president is returning to a to-do list that includes overseeing flood recovery, tackling Zika virus and boosting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. 
 
Obama is scheduled to travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana Tuesday to survey the damage from devastating floods in the region. 
 
Some in the state had lamented that the president did not leave his vacation to meet with officials and flood victims earlier. 
 
Obama did speak with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson - who visited Louisiana last week - from his vacation home to get an update on the situation. 
 
The president will likely also continue urging Congress to release funds for the fight against Zika. 
 
He asked Congress in February to allocate $1.9 billion to combat the spreading virus, but was met with resistance by Republican lawmakers who said the funds should instead be moved from coffers previously reserved for fighting the Ebola outbreak. 
 
Next month, Obama will visit Laos, a first for a US president, in a trip that begins with a G20 summit in China. 
 
The tour that will last from September 2-9 will be the president&#39;s 11th visit to Asia since he took office in 2009. 
 
Obama is also expected to hit the campaign trail for his potential successor Clinton. 
 
The president is at his highest approval rating in years and can still rally his party&#39;s base, which could prove crucial for the Democratic candidate.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Obama is now expected to hit the campaign trail for his potential successor Clinton and will also oversee flood recovery in Louisiana

President Barack Obama wrapped up his final summer getaway to Martha's Vineyard Sunday, gearing up for a busy final few months at the White House. The president spent the morning getting in a final round of vacation golf under a near cloudless sky before rolling out in his motorcade with first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia. The Obamas traveled by the president's plane Air Force One back to Washington late Sunday, landing at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland at around 8 pm (0000 GMT) for the short helicopter flight via Marine One that would whisk him back to the White House in a matter of minutes. The first family spent just over two weeks at their summer vacation house at the popular Massachusetts retreat, an island located south of Cape Cod. The family dogs, Sunny and Bo, also indulged in the time off. This summer will likely be the last that the Obamas vacation with a huge entourage of press, secret service protection, aides, gawkers and hangers-on. This time next year, barring unforeseen circumstances, either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be in the White House, and the traveling sideshow that currently accompanies Obama will follow him or her around instead. After a relaxing holiday spent golfing, going to the beach and tucking into a stack of page-turning books, the president is returning to a to-do list that includes overseeing flood recovery, tackling Zika virus and boosting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Obama is scheduled to travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana Tuesday to survey the damage from devastating floods in the region. Some in the state had lamented that the president did not leave his vacation to meet with officials and flood victims earlier. Obama did speak with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson - who visited Louisiana last week - from his vacation home to get an update on the situation. The president will likely also continue urging Congress to release funds for the fight against Zika. He asked Congress in February to allocate $1.9 billion to combat the spreading virus, but was met with resistance by Republican lawmakers who said the funds should instead be moved from coffers previously reserved for fighting the Ebola outbreak. Next month, Obama will visit Laos, a first for a US president, in a trip that begins with a G20 summit in China. The tour that will last from September 2-9 will be the president's 11th visit to Asia since he took office in 2009. Obama is also expected to hit the campaign trail for his potential successor Clinton. The president is at his highest approval rating in years and can still rally his party's base, which could prove crucial for the Democratic candidate. (AFP)

Fun trip for Obamas in final summer holiday as first family

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump visited flood-ravaged Louisiana on&nbsp;Friday, criticising the US president for not doing the same, as the region grapples&nbsp;with a historic disaster that killed 13 people. 
 
Trump and his vice presidential nominee Mike Pence met with local Republican leaders&nbsp;and emergency officials, and toured areas that just a few days ago were inundated&nbsp;with several feet of water. 
 
President Barack Obama, meanwhile, announced he was headed to Louisiana on Tuesday,&nbsp;after days of criticism from some in the southern state for not visiting during the&nbsp;week-long ordeal, which culminated with the Republican candidate on the ground and&nbsp;the president still on vacation. 
 
&quot;Honestly, Obama ought to get off the golf course and get down there,&quot; Trump said at&nbsp;a campaign rally later in the day in Michigan, alluding to the president&#39;s Wednesday&nbsp;golf game. 
 
Officials said about 40,000 homes were impacted by the floods, and more than 86,000&nbsp;people had so far registered for federal aid, with that number expected to grow. 
 
In announcing Obama&#39;s planned visit, the White House said the president would be&nbsp;&quot;mindful of the impact that his travel has on first responders&quot; and did not want to&nbsp;&quot;interfere with ongoing recovery efforts.&quot; 
 
Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards had previously indicated he would prefer Obama&nbsp;wait at least a week before visiting, to avoid pulling law enforcement officers away&nbsp;from the recovery effort in order to implement presidential security. 
 
&quot;We need every person to focus on continuing to rescue people,&quot; the state&#39;s&nbsp;lieutenant governor Billy Nungesser told MSNBC, agreeing with Edwards. 
 
&quot;The team he (Obama) has on the ground in Louisiana is doing a great job,&quot; said&nbsp;Nungesser, a Republican who greeted Trump when he arrived in Louisiana. 
 
Asked during a late afternoon news conference to comment on Trump&#39;s visit, Edwards&nbsp;avoided the subject. 
 
His office had put out a statement earlier in the day, saying he had not been&nbsp;informed of Trump&#39;s visit, but welcomed him as long as it was not &quot;for a photo-op.&quot; 
 
&quot;Instead, we hope he&#39;ll consider volunteering or making a sizable donation to the LA&nbsp;(Louisiana) Flood Relief Fund to help the victims of this storm,&quot; the statement read. 
 
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton released a statement saying she had&nbsp;spoken with Edwards and that the best course of action was to highlight the need for&nbsp;donations. 
 
&quot;Right now, the relief effort can&#39;t afford any distractions,&quot; Clinton said, adding,&nbsp;&quot;The very best way this team can help is to make sure Louisianans have the resources&nbsp;they need.&quot; 
 
Trump &#39;very gracious&#39;&nbsp; 
 
The first financial analysis of the disaster was released on Friday by the Baton&nbsp;Rouge Area Chamber, an economic development group. It suggested that the flood impact&nbsp;may be greater than first thought. 
 
The analysis found that as many as 110,000 homes worth $20.7 billion, most without&nbsp;flood insurance, were likely damaged in about half of the flooded parishes. 
 
While in Louisiana, Trump and Pence saw some of that damage first-hand, meeting with&nbsp;disaster relief volunteers, touring damaged structures, meeting an elderly couple who&nbsp;climbed to the roof of their home to survive the flood, and joining a short briefing&nbsp;with emergency officials. 
 
Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeffrey Wiley, who said he was in the briefing, told CNN&nbsp;that the candidate&#39;s visit helped bring much-needed national attention to the&nbsp;disaster.&nbsp;&quot;I will tell you he was very gracious and a good listener,&quot; he said. 
 
As the catastrophe unfolded over the past seven days, many in the state lamented the&nbsp;lack of national media coverage which would help bring more donations for victims. 
 
The White House says that the president received daily updates on the disaster,&nbsp;but the Baton Rouge newspaper The Advocate took him to task for not yet visiting in&nbsp;person. 
 
&quot;Obama should recognise that leadership involves symbolism as well as substance. In&nbsp;times of profound need, people need to see their president up close,&quot; The Advocate&nbsp;said in an editorial. The newspaper, however, did give credit to the president for&nbsp;quickly responding when the state requested a federal disaster designation for much&nbsp;of its southern areas. 
 
Obama granted the designation to 20 of the state&#39;s 64 parishes - Louisiana&#39;s&nbsp;equivalent to counties and&nbsp;also sent surrogates to monitor and help in the disaster response,&nbsp;including Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. 
 
The White House has clarified that in his visit next week, the president would get &quot;a first-hand look at the impact of the devastating floods and tell the people of Louisiana&nbsp;that the American people will be with them.&quot;

(AFP) 
 
 
&nbsp;

The White House says Obama stayed away since he does not want to 'interfere with ongoing recovery efforts'

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump visited flood-ravaged Louisiana on Friday, criticising the US president for not doing the same, as the region grapples with a historic disaster that killed 13 people. Trump and his vice presidential nominee Mike Pence met with local Republican leaders and emergency officials, and toured areas that just a few days ago were inundated with several feet of water. President Barack Obama, meanwhile, announced he was headed to Louisiana on Tuesday, after days of criticism from some in the southern state for not visiting during the week-long ordeal, which culminated with the Republican candidate on the ground and the president still on vacation. "Honestly, Obama ought to get off the golf course and get down there," Trump said at a campaign rally later in the day in Michigan, alluding to the president's Wednesday golf game. Officials said about 40,000 homes were impacted by the floods, and more than 86,000 people had so far registered for federal aid, with that number expected to grow. In announcing Obama's planned visit, the White House said the president would be "mindful of the impact that his travel has on first responders" and did not want to "interfere with ongoing recovery efforts." Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards had previously indicated he would prefer Obama wait at least a week before visiting, to avoid pulling law enforcement officers away from the recovery effort in order to implement presidential security. "We need every person to focus on continuing to rescue people," the state's lieutenant governor Billy Nungesser told MSNBC, agreeing with Edwards. "The team he (Obama) has on the ground in Louisiana is doing a great job," said Nungesser, a Republican who greeted Trump when he arrived in Louisiana. Asked during a late afternoon news conference to comment on Trump's visit, Edwards avoided the subject. His office had put out a statement earlier in the day, saying he had not been informed of Trump's visit, but welcomed him as long as it was not "for a photo-op." "Instead, we hope he'll consider volunteering or making a sizable donation to the LA (Louisiana) Flood Relief Fund to help the victims of this storm," the statement read. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton released a statement saying she had spoken with Edwards and that the best course of action was to highlight the need for donations. "Right now, the relief effort can't afford any distractions," Clinton said, adding, "The very best way this team can help is to make sure Louisianans have the resources they need." Trump 'very gracious' The first financial analysis of the disaster was released on Friday by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, an economic development group. It suggested that the flood impact may be greater than first thought. The analysis found that as many as 110,000 homes worth $20.7 billion, most without flood insurance, were likely damaged in about half of the flooded parishes. While in Louisiana, Trump and Pence saw some of that damage first-hand, meeting with disaster relief volunteers, touring damaged structures, meeting an elderly couple who climbed to the roof of their home to survive the flood, and joining a short briefing with emergency officials. Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeffrey Wiley, who said he was in the briefing, told CNN that the candidate's visit helped bring much-needed national attention to the disaster. "I will tell you he was very gracious and a good listener," he said. As the catastrophe unfolded over the past seven days, many in the state lamented the lack of national media coverage which would help bring more donations for victims. The White House says that the president received daily updates on the disaster, but the Baton Rouge newspaper The Advocate took him to task for not yet visiting in person. "Obama should recognise that leadership involves symbolism as well as substance. In times of profound need, people need to see their president up close," The Advocate said in an editorial. The newspaper, however, did give credit to the president for quickly responding when the state requested a federal disaster designation for much of its southern areas. Obama granted the designation to 20 of the state's 64 parishes - Louisiana's equivalent to counties and also sent surrogates to monitor and help in the disaster response, including Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. The White House has clarified that in his visit next week, the president would get "a first-hand look at the impact of the devastating floods and tell the people of Louisiana that the American people will be with them." (AFP)

Donald Tump visits flooded Louisiana, asks Obama to 'get off the golf course and get there'

We&#39;ve heard their playlists, watched them dance together, and now Americans can see Barack and Michelle Obama on their first date in a film that follows the future president wooing his future wife over the course of a day. 
 
&quot;Southside With You&quot; takes details that the Obamas have shared about their first date in various interviews, and imagines the conversations they may have had.&nbsp;The film dramatises the Obamas&#39; first date in the summer of 1989 and features Michelle Robinson, a 25-year-old lawyer from Chicago, going out with Barack Obama, a summer associate at her law firm. 
 
Over the hours they spend together, which Michelle initially insists is not a date, the two attend an Ernie Barnes art exhibition, a community meeting, a screening of Spike Lee&#39;s movie &quot;Do The Right Thing&quot;, have drinks and eat ice cream as they discuss their lives, ambitions and fears. 
 
&quot;You see in this film that they challenged each other, you know, and they walked in each other&#39;s shoes and that they spoke about their family, and I just think all that stuff is very real and accessible to people,&quot; said actress Tika Sumpter, who plays Michelle.&nbsp;Parker Sawyers, the actor who plays Barack Obama in the film, said he started off with a &quot;strong impersonation&quot; of the president, but then let the mannerisms and speech inflections of his character come naturally. 
 
The rapport between the two is courteous and playful in the film, as Michelle feistily keeps her date at arm&#39;s length while he uses charm to bring her guard down.&nbsp;Barack Obama, who turned 28 that summer, married Michelle in 1992, three years after their first date. 
 
The African-American community of Chicago&#39;s Southside serves as a backdrop to the story. Michelle gets a glimpse of the future USA president&#39;s early leadership skills when he takes her to a community meeting to find a way to build a youth centre.&nbsp;Later, the two momentarily clasp hands as they watch a harrowing scene in &quot;Do The Right Thing,&quot; where an African-American man dies after being placed in a chokehold by a white policeman. 
 
&quot;They were seeing what was happening in Chicago, and obviously Chicago is still in the news and issues between the citizens and the police are still in the news, and the president has to deal with that everyday,&quot; said musician John Legend, an executive producer on the film. 
 
Legend said the Obamas know about the film, adding, &quot;once they see it, if they haven&#39;t already, I think they&#39;ll love it&quot;. 
 
(Reuters)

'Southside With You' takes details the Obamas have shared in interviews and imagines the conversations and dramatises their date

We've heard their playlists, watched them dance together, and now Americans can see Barack and Michelle Obama on their first date in a film that follows the future president wooing his future wife over the course of a day. "Southside With You" takes details that the Obamas have shared about their first date in various interviews, and imagines the conversations they may have had. The film dramatises the Obamas' first date in the summer of 1989 and features Michelle Robinson, a 25-year-old lawyer from Chicago, going out with Barack Obama, a summer associate at her law firm. Over the hours they spend together, which Michelle initially insists is not a date, the two attend an Ernie Barnes art exhibition, a community meeting, a screening of Spike Lee's movie "Do The Right Thing", have drinks and eat ice cream as they discuss their lives, ambitions and fears. "You see in this film that they challenged each other, you know, and they walked in each other's shoes and that they spoke about their family, and I just think all that stuff is very real and accessible to people," said actress Tika Sumpter, who plays Michelle. Parker Sawyers, the actor who plays Barack Obama in the film, said he started off with a "strong impersonation" of the president, but then let the mannerisms and speech inflections of his character come naturally. The rapport between the two is courteous and playful in the film, as Michelle feistily keeps her date at arm's length while he uses charm to bring her guard down. Barack Obama, who turned 28 that summer, married Michelle in 1992, three years after their first date. The African-American community of Chicago's Southside serves as a backdrop to the story. Michelle gets a glimpse of the future USA president's early leadership skills when he takes her to a community meeting to find a way to build a youth centre. Later, the two momentarily clasp hands as they watch a harrowing scene in "Do The Right Thing," where an African-American man dies after being placed in a chokehold by a white policeman. "They were seeing what was happening in Chicago, and obviously Chicago is still in the news and issues between the citizens and the police are still in the news, and the president has to deal with that everyday," said musician John Legend, an executive producer on the film. Legend said the Obamas know about the film, adding, "once they see it, if they haven't already, I think they'll love it". (Reuters)

Revealed: The Film That Will Capture The Obamas' First Date

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday accused President Barack Obama of founding the Islamic State (IS) group. 
 
Addressing supporters at a rally in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, the real estate tycoon said that the jihadist group is &quot;honoring President Obama.&quot; 
 
&quot;He is the founder of ISIS,&quot; Trump said, using a term for the IS group. 
 
&quot;He&rsquo;s the founder of ISIS, okay?&quot; he added. &quot;He&rsquo;s the founder! He founded ISIS.&quot; 
 
The brash billionaire went on to criticise his Democratic rival for the White House. 
 
&quot;And I would say, the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton,&quot; he said. 
 
Trump has suffered what critics insist is a long string of missteps that have marred his campaign since he officially won the nomination last month. 
 
Earlier on Wednesday, Clinton sternly warned Trump about his &quot;casual inciting&quot; of violence, saying he &quot;crossed the line&quot; after he caused a firestorm by suggesting that people who support gun rights could take action to stop her from appointing US Supreme Court justices if elected president. 
 
(AFP)

The US Republican presidential candidate made the comment at a rally in Florida on Wednesday

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday accused President Barack Obama of founding the Islamic State (IS) group. Addressing supporters at a rally in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, the real estate tycoon said that the jihadist group is "honoring President Obama." "He is the founder of ISIS," Trump said, using a term for the IS group. "He’s the founder of ISIS, okay?" he added. "He’s the founder! He founded ISIS." The brash billionaire went on to criticise his Democratic rival for the White House. "And I would say, the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton," he said. Trump has suffered what critics insist is a long string of missteps that have marred his campaign since he officially won the nomination last month. Earlier on Wednesday, Clinton sternly warned Trump about his "casual inciting" of violence, saying he "crossed the line" after he caused a firestorm by suggesting that people who support gun rights could take action to stop her from appointing US Supreme Court justices if elected president. (AFP)

Trump accuses Obama of founding IS

Japan marked the 71st anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki today as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe underscored the nation&#39;s nuclear non-proliferation stance, while a city official called for other national leaders to follow in the footsteps of United States (US) President Barack Obama who visited Hiroshima earlier this year. 
 
&quot;As the only country to be bombed by atomic bombs during wartime, I will strongly advocate the importance of maintaining and strengthening the stance of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, while maintaining the three non-nuclear principles,&quot; Abe said, as hundreds of visitors at the Nagasaki Peace Park attended the annual peace memorial. 
 
&quot;With a new sense of commitment, I will continue to make the effort to call leaders of nations to visit the atomic bombing sites, and to tell the stories of the reality of the bombings,&quot; said Masanao Maiguma, the head of Nagasaki city municipal assembly. 
 
Obama this year became the first incumbent US president to visit Hiroshima and he urged nuclear powers, including his own, to have the courage to escape the logic of fear and pursue a world without nuclear weapons. 
 
The US dropped the bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing thousands of people instantly and about 140,000 by the end of that year. 
 
US forces dropped another atomic bomb on the southern city of Nagasaki on August 9. Japan surrendered six days later. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

US dropped the first bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and three days later another bomb was dropped on the southern city of Nagasaki on August 9

Japan marked the 71st anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki today as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe underscored the nation's nuclear non-proliferation stance, while a city official called for other national leaders to follow in the footsteps of United States (US) President Barack Obama who visited Hiroshima earlier this year. "As the only country to be bombed by atomic bombs during wartime, I will strongly advocate the importance of maintaining and strengthening the stance of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, while maintaining the three non-nuclear principles," Abe said, as hundreds of visitors at the Nagasaki Peace Park attended the annual peace memorial. "With a new sense of commitment, I will continue to make the effort to call leaders of nations to visit the atomic bombing sites, and to tell the stories of the reality of the bombings," said Masanao Maiguma, the head of Nagasaki city municipal assembly. Obama this year became the first incumbent US president to visit Hiroshima and he urged nuclear powers, including his own, to have the courage to escape the logic of fear and pursue a world without nuclear weapons. The US dropped the bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing thousands of people instantly and about 140,000 by the end of that year. US forces dropped another atomic bomb on the southern city of Nagasaki on August 9. Japan surrendered six days later. (Reuters)

Japan marks 71st anniversary of Nagasaki atomic bombing

Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, rumoured to be planning a political comeback, has asked Barack Obama to return $2 billion of assets frozen in the US in a letter made public today. 
 
Ahmadinejad wrote that despite early promises by the US president to improve ties with Iran &quot;the same hostile policies along with the same trend of enmity were pursued&quot;. 
 
He specifically mentioned the $2 billion of Iranian foreign currency reserves seized from New York bank accounts earlier this year. 
 
In April, the US Supreme Court confirmed an earlier ruling that the money should be used to compensate the families of victims of the 1983 bombing of a US Marines barracks in Lebanon and other incidents blamed on Iran. 
 
Iran is appealing the decision at the International Court of Justice. 
 
&quot;I passionately advise you not to let the historical defamation and bitter incident be recorded under your name,&quot; Ahmadinejad wrote. 
 
Ahmadinejad&#39;s inflammatory rhetoric blamed for deepening tensions with West&nbsp; 
 
The letter comes as the controversial former president, who led the country from 2005 to 2013, is reportedly working towards a possible run in next year&#39;s presidential election. 
 
He has made multiple public appearances around the country in recent weeks, although he has yet to formally announce he is running. 
 
Ahmadinejad&#39;s inflammatory rhetoric -- particularly regarding Iran&#39;s nuclear programme and hostility towards Israel -- was blamed for deepening tensions with the West, but his populist approach and humble roots means he has retained popularity with poorer sections of Iranian society. 
 
By the end of his term, Ahmadinejad had alienated even the conservative establishment and it remains to be seen whether he will be approved as a candidate by the powerful Guardian Council. 
 
The council announced last month that the election will take place on May 19. 
 
President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate who oversaw a deal with world powers to end sanctions in exchange for curbing Iran&#39;s nuclear programme, is expected to run for a second term, although he faces mounting pressure from conservatives who say the deal has brought few benefits to Iran.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

'I passionately advise you not to let the historical defamation be recorded under your name,' Ahmadinejad wrote

Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, rumoured to be planning a political comeback, has asked Barack Obama to return $2 billion of assets frozen in the US in a letter made public today. Ahmadinejad wrote that despite early promises by the US president to improve ties with Iran "the same hostile policies along with the same trend of enmity were pursued". He specifically mentioned the $2 billion of Iranian foreign currency reserves seized from New York bank accounts earlier this year. In April, the US Supreme Court confirmed an earlier ruling that the money should be used to compensate the families of victims of the 1983 bombing of a US Marines barracks in Lebanon and other incidents blamed on Iran. Iran is appealing the decision at the International Court of Justice. "I passionately advise you not to let the historical defamation and bitter incident be recorded under your name," Ahmadinejad wrote. Ahmadinejad's inflammatory rhetoric blamed for deepening tensions with West The letter comes as the controversial former president, who led the country from 2005 to 2013, is reportedly working towards a possible run in next year's presidential election. He has made multiple public appearances around the country in recent weeks, although he has yet to formally announce he is running. Ahmadinejad's inflammatory rhetoric -- particularly regarding Iran's nuclear programme and hostility towards Israel -- was blamed for deepening tensions with the West, but his populist approach and humble roots means he has retained popularity with poorer sections of Iranian society. By the end of his term, Ahmadinejad had alienated even the conservative establishment and it remains to be seen whether he will be approved as a candidate by the powerful Guardian Council. The council announced last month that the election will take place on May 19. President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate who oversaw a deal with world powers to end sanctions in exchange for curbing Iran's nuclear programme, is expected to run for a second term, although he faces mounting pressure from conservatives who say the deal has brought few benefits to Iran. (AFP)

Iran ex-president writes to Obama, demands return of $2 billion of assets frozen in US

US President Barack Obama said Thursday that he was &quot;not confident&quot; that Russia and President Vladimir Putin could be trusted as partners in trying to end Syria&#39;s bloody civil war. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m not confident that we can trust the Russians and (President) Vladimir Putin, which is why we have to test whether or not we can get an actual cessation of hostilities that includes an end to the kinds of aerial bombing and civilian death and destruction that we have seen carried out by the Assad regime,&quot; Obama said. 
 
&quot;We go into this without any blinders on.&quot; 
 
Obama expressed concern about Russia&#39;s military action in support of the Syrian regime, and urged Moscow to cooperate with Washington to find a way out of the crisis. 
 
&quot;The US remains prepared to work with Russia to try to reduce the violence and strengthen our efforts against Islamic State, al-Qaeda and Syria,&quot; Obama told reporters at the Pentagon. 
 
&quot;But Russia has failed to take the necessary steps. Given the deteriorating situation, it is time for Russia to show it is serious about pursuing these objectives,&quot; Obama said, following a meeting with his national security council. 
 
Russia and the United States back opposing sides in Syria&#39;s five-year war, which has left 280,000 people dead and forced half the population to flee their homes. 
 
Multiple rounds of international negotiations to end the war, which erupted in 2011 after the Assad regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against a pro-democracy revolt, have so far failed. 
 
Russia, an ally of Damascus, and the United States, which supports moderate rebels fighting to unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, are nominally co-chairs of the international effort to bring the Syrian regime and armed opposition groups to the negotiating table as a step toward ending the war. 
 
Following heavy Russian air strikes on the outskirts of divided Aleppo city, US secretary of state John Kerry on Monday urged Russia to &quot;restrain&quot; itself and its ally in Damascus from &quot;offensive operations.&quot; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Washington has urged Moscow to 'restrain' itself and its ally in Damascus from 'offensive operations'

US President Barack Obama said Thursday that he was "not confident" that Russia and President Vladimir Putin could be trusted as partners in trying to end Syria's bloody civil war. "I'm not confident that we can trust the Russians and (President) Vladimir Putin, which is why we have to test whether or not we can get an actual cessation of hostilities that includes an end to the kinds of aerial bombing and civilian death and destruction that we have seen carried out by the Assad regime," Obama said. "We go into this without any blinders on." Obama expressed concern about Russia's military action in support of the Syrian regime, and urged Moscow to cooperate with Washington to find a way out of the crisis. "The US remains prepared to work with Russia to try to reduce the violence and strengthen our efforts against Islamic State, al-Qaeda and Syria," Obama told reporters at the Pentagon. "But Russia has failed to take the necessary steps. Given the deteriorating situation, it is time for Russia to show it is serious about pursuing these objectives," Obama said, following a meeting with his national security council. Russia and the United States back opposing sides in Syria's five-year war, which has left 280,000 people dead and forced half the population to flee their homes. Multiple rounds of international negotiations to end the war, which erupted in 2011 after the Assad regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against a pro-democracy revolt, have so far failed. Russia, an ally of Damascus, and the United States, which supports moderate rebels fighting to unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, are nominally co-chairs of the international effort to bring the Syrian regime and armed opposition groups to the negotiating table as a step toward ending the war. Following heavy Russian air strikes on the outskirts of divided Aleppo city, US secretary of state John Kerry on Monday urged Russia to "restrain" itself and its ally in Damascus from "offensive operations." (AFP)

US President Obama says not confident Putin can be trusted to cooperate in Syria

Terming the Republican presidential nominee &nbsp;as &quot;ridiculous&quot;, US President Barack Obama has assured to preserve the integrity of the voting process. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t even really know where to start on answering this question. Of course the elections will not be rigged. What does that mean? The federal government doesn&#39;t run the election process, it is states, cities and communities all across the country. They are the ones who set up the voting systems and voting booths,&quot; Obama said during a news conference yesterday when asked about Trump&#39;s allegations. 
 
&quot;And if Mr Trump is suggesting that there is a conspiracy theory that is being propagated across the country, including in places like 
Texas, where typically it is not Democrats who are in charge of voting booths. That is ridiculous,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Trump&#39;s allegations do not make any sense and I don&#39;t think anybody would take that seriously,&quot; he added. 
 
&quot;We do take seriously, as we always do, our responsibility to monitor and preserve the integrity of the voting process. If we see signs that a voting machine or system is more vulnerable to hacking, then we inform those local authorities who are running the elections that they need to be careful,&quot; Obama said. 
 
&quot;If we see jurisdictions that are violating federal laws in terms of equal access and aren&#39;t providing ramps for disabled voters or are discriminating in some fashion, or are otherwise violating civil rights laws, then the justice department will come in and take care of that,&quot; he said. 
 
Taking a dig at Trump, Obama said this will be an election like every other election, and all of us at some points in our lives have played sports and sometimes some people, if they lose, they start complaining that they got cheated. 
 
&quot;But I never heard of somebody complaining about being cheated before the game was over, or before the scored was even tallied,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;So my suggestion would be go out there and try to win the election. If Mr Trump is up 10 or 15 points on election day and ends up losing maybe he can raise some questions. That doesn&#39;t seem to be the case at the moment,&quot; the US president said. 
 
Further attacking Trump, Obama urged the people of America to make their own judgements on the Republican presidential nominee.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Just listen to what Mr Trump has to say and make your own judgement with respect to how confident you feel about his ability to manage things like our nuclear triad,&quot; he said.&nbsp;He said he has a very strong opinion about the two candidates who are running for president. 
 
Obama is supporting Hillary Clinton, Trump&#39;s Democratic presidential rival, in the upcoming presidential elections. 
 
&quot;One is very positive and one is not so much, and I guess you will just hear any further questions that are directed at this subject, I think you&#39;ll hear pretty much variations on the same thing,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;What I can say is this is serious business, and the person who is in the Oval Office and who our secretary of defence, and our joint chiefs of staff, and our outstanding men and women in uniform report to, they are counting on somebody who has the temperament and good judgement to be able to make decisions to make America safe,&quot; Obama said. 
 
That should be very much on the minds of voters when they go to the voting booth in November. At the end of the day, it is the American people&#39;s decision, he said. 
 
Obama further said if someone wins the election and becomes the president, then his constitutional responsibility will be&nbsp;to peacefully transfer power to the individual and do everything to help them succeed.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI)

Trump claimed the upcoming election will be rigged. 'I never heard of somebody complaining about being cheated before the game was over...'

Terming the Republican presidential nominee as "ridiculous", US President Barack Obama has assured to preserve the integrity of the voting process. "I don't even really know where to start on answering this question. Of course the elections will not be rigged. What does that mean? The federal government doesn't run the election process, it is states, cities and communities all across the country. They are the ones who set up the voting systems and voting booths," Obama said during a news conference yesterday when asked about Trump's allegations. "And if Mr Trump is suggesting that there is a conspiracy theory that is being propagated across the country, including in places like Texas, where typically it is not Democrats who are in charge of voting booths. That is ridiculous," he said. "Trump's allegations do not make any sense and I don't think anybody would take that seriously," he added. "We do take seriously, as we always do, our responsibility to monitor and preserve the integrity of the voting process. If we see signs that a voting machine or system is more vulnerable to hacking, then we inform those local authorities who are running the elections that they need to be careful," Obama said. "If we see jurisdictions that are violating federal laws in terms of equal access and aren't providing ramps for disabled voters or are discriminating in some fashion, or are otherwise violating civil rights laws, then the justice department will come in and take care of that," he said. Taking a dig at Trump, Obama said this will be an election like every other election, and all of us at some points in our lives have played sports and sometimes some people, if they lose, they start complaining that they got cheated. "But I never heard of somebody complaining about being cheated before the game was over, or before the scored was even tallied," he said. "So my suggestion would be go out there and try to win the election. If Mr Trump is up 10 or 15 points on election day and ends up losing maybe he can raise some questions. That doesn't seem to be the case at the moment," the US president said. Further attacking Trump, Obama urged the people of America to make their own judgements on the Republican presidential nominee. "Just listen to what Mr Trump has to say and make your own judgement with respect to how confident you feel about his ability to manage things like our nuclear triad," he said. He said he has a very strong opinion about the two candidates who are running for president. Obama is supporting Hillary Clinton, Trump's Democratic presidential rival, in the upcoming presidential elections. "One is very positive and one is not so much, and I guess you will just hear any further questions that are directed at this subject, I think you'll hear pretty much variations on the same thing," he said. "What I can say is this is serious business, and the person who is in the Oval Office and who our secretary of defence, and our joint chiefs of staff, and our outstanding men and women in uniform report to, they are counting on somebody who has the temperament and good judgement to be able to make decisions to make America safe," Obama said. That should be very much on the minds of voters when they go to the voting booth in November. At the end of the day, it is the American people's decision, he said. Obama further said if someone wins the election and becomes the president, then his constitutional responsibility will be to peacefully transfer power to the individual and do everything to help them succeed. (PTI)

Obama hits back at Trump, calls his claims 'ridiculous'

A man in the US state of Ohio pleaded guilty on Monday to charges that he planned to attack the US Capitol during a speech by President Barack Obama last year.&nbsp; 
 
Christopher Lee Cornell, a 22-year-old from the Cincinnati area, pleaded guilty to &quot;terrorism charges,&quot; the justice department said in a statement. 
 
Cornell admitted to attempting to kill government employees, possession of a firearm to commit violent crime and attempting to &quot;provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation,&quot; it said. 
 
According to the plea agreement, he said that from about August 2014 through January 2015 he had schemed to travel to Washington in order to attack the US Capitol during Obama&#39;s State of the Union Address on January 20, 2015. 
 
Cornell had amassed two semi-automatic rifles, approximately 600 rounds of ammunition, and had researched how to make bombs. He was arrested on January 14, 2015. 
 
&quot;The defendant admitted that his planned attack on the US Capitol was an attempt to provide material support and resources - both personnel and services - to the Islamic State,&quot; the department said. 
 
&quot;After his arrest, he posted statements online that included a call for others to join him in violent extremism against the United States and its citizens,&quot; according to his admissions in the plea agreement. 
 
Cornell faces as much as 40 years in prison on the charges. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Cornell admitted to have schemed to travel to Washington to attack the US Capitol during Obama's 2015 State of the Union Address

A man in the US state of Ohio pleaded guilty on Monday to charges that he planned to attack the US Capitol during a speech by President Barack Obama last year. Christopher Lee Cornell, a 22-year-old from the Cincinnati area, pleaded guilty to "terrorism charges," the justice department said in a statement. Cornell admitted to attempting to kill government employees, possession of a firearm to commit violent crime and attempting to "provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation," it said. According to the plea agreement, he said that from about August 2014 through January 2015 he had schemed to travel to Washington in order to attack the US Capitol during Obama's State of the Union Address on January 20, 2015. Cornell had amassed two semi-automatic rifles, approximately 600 rounds of ammunition, and had researched how to make bombs. He was arrested on January 14, 2015. "The defendant admitted that his planned attack on the US Capitol was an attempt to provide material support and resources - both personnel and services - to the Islamic State," the department said. "After his arrest, he posted statements online that included a call for others to join him in violent extremism against the United States and its citizens," according to his admissions in the plea agreement. Cornell faces as much as 40 years in prison on the charges. (AFP)

Man pleads guilty to planning attack on US Capitol, aiding a terrorist organisation

Americans face a &quot;moment of reckoning&quot; in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton will tell voters on Thursday as she accepts the Democratic presidential nomination and highlights efforts to improve economic opportunities across the board. 
 
The former secretary of state faces her biggest test on the national stage as she urges voters to embrace four more years of a Democratic White House rather than elect Republican billionaire Donald Trump. 
 
It is the centre-stage opportunity she came so close to seizing eight years ago during her first White House campaign, only to be defeated in her party&#39;s primary race by Barack Obama. 
 
In a primetime address, Clinton will lay out plans to improve the nation&#39;s economy, stressing that &quot;my primary mission as president will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages&quot;. 
 
Her effort will focus particularly on places &quot;that for too long have been left out and left behind, from our inner cities to our small towns, Indian Country to Coal Country&quot;, she will say, according to speech excerpts released by the campaign. 
 
Clinton, 68, made history this week when she became the first female presidential nominee of a major US party.&nbsp; 
 
The four-day Democratic convention in Philadelphia has been a parade of party heavyweights, and some independents who have all stressed that the former first lady and US senator is uniquely qualified to be commander-in-chief. 
 
Obama led the charge on Wednesday, stirringly hailing Clinton as his political heir. 
 
Clinton will speak of the strains that have been placed on US society during the toxic year-long campaign that has featured heated rhetoric from Trump and other candidates. 
 
&quot;Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart. Bonds of trust and respect are fraying,&quot; Clinton will say. 
 
&quot;We are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid,&quot; Clinton will add. &quot;We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have.&quot; Clinton faces a major trust deficit among a US public that has followed every Clintonian turn of the past quarter century. 
&nbsp; 
Rocked by an email scandal that refuses to die, she is now about as unpopular with voters as her Republican rival. 
 
But her remarks signal a plan to focus attention on pockets of down-and-out communities which have felt ignored by the slow and erratic economic recovery. 
 
After her speech, Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine will seek to carry her momentum straight onto the campaign trail Friday, taking a three-day bus tour into Rust Belt communities in swing states Pennsylvania and Ohio. 
 
With Trump casting himself as an outsider, a political neophyte committed to upending the Washington establishment, Clinton faces the difficult task of appearing as the steady hand at the tiller even while promising to be a catalyst for change. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s the most personal moment of the campaign, talking to a big audience about what she wants to do for the future,&quot; Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said on a Facebook live stream.The most rousing Clinton sales pitch of the week came from Obama himself. 
 
&quot;I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman, not me, not Bill (Clinton), nobody more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president of the United States of America,&quot; Obama thundered before a cheering crowd. 
 
&quot;No matter how daunting the odds, no matter how much people try to knock her down, she never, ever quits.&quot; 
 
Trump seemed to drop an unexpected gift in Clinton&#39;s lap Wednesday when he urged Russia to hack Clinton&#39;s emails. 
 
The 70-year-old real estate mogul sought to douse the outcry on Thursday by saying he was &quot;being sarcastic&quot;, but the call for cyber espionage against the United States made even Republicans cringe. 
 
Doug Elmets, a Republican who worked in president Ronald Reagan&#39;s White House, brought the Democratic crowd to its feet when he implored fellow Republicans to vote for Clinton. 
 
&quot;I knew Ronald Reagan. I worked for Ronald Reagan. Donald Trump, you are no Ronald Reagan,&quot; Elmets said. 
 
&quot;Trump is a petulant, dangerously unbalanced reality star who will coddle tyrants and alienate allies.&quot; While Clinton must play to the party&#39;s base and seek to soothe bruised Bernie Sanders supporters, some of whom wore fluorescent green shirts Thursday inside the arena as a subtle form of protest, a key mission is to appeal to crossover voters and independents wary of Trump. 
 
&quot;Donald Trump is making a lot of really big promises, and some people find those attractive,&quot; said Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;What Hillary is going to do tonight, what we&#39;ve done at this convention is make sure that people know the facts.&quot; 
 
He acknowledged that Clinton, who will be introduced by daughter Chelsea, also knows &quot;she needs to earn the voters&#39; trust&quot;. 
 
Clinton has never been as telegenic and personable a politician as her husband or Obama, whose oratorical skills were on full display on Tuesday and Wednesday. 
 
She will balance her policy strengths with an attempt to connect with Americans watching from their living rooms as she faces a nation divided by intense campaign rhetoric, spikes in race-related gun violence, and heightened fear brought about by a spate of terror attacks around the world. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

US President Barack Obama led the charge on Wednesday, stirringly hailing Clinton as his political heir

Americans face a "moment of reckoning" in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton will tell voters on Thursday as she accepts the Democratic presidential nomination and highlights efforts to improve economic opportunities across the board. The former secretary of state faces her biggest test on the national stage as she urges voters to embrace four more years of a Democratic White House rather than elect Republican billionaire Donald Trump. It is the centre-stage opportunity she came so close to seizing eight years ago during her first White House campaign, only to be defeated in her party's primary race by Barack Obama. In a primetime address, Clinton will lay out plans to improve the nation's economy, stressing that "my primary mission as president will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages". Her effort will focus particularly on places "that for too long have been left out and left behind, from our inner cities to our small towns, Indian Country to Coal Country", she will say, according to speech excerpts released by the campaign. Clinton, 68, made history this week when she became the first female presidential nominee of a major US party. The four-day Democratic convention in Philadelphia has been a parade of party heavyweights, and some independents who have all stressed that the former first lady and US senator is uniquely qualified to be commander-in-chief. Obama led the charge on Wednesday, stirringly hailing Clinton as his political heir. Clinton will speak of the strains that have been placed on US society during the toxic year-long campaign that has featured heated rhetoric from Trump and other candidates. "Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart. Bonds of trust and respect are fraying," Clinton will say. "We are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid," Clinton will add. "We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have." Clinton faces a major trust deficit among a US public that has followed every Clintonian turn of the past quarter century. Rocked by an email scandal that refuses to die, she is now about as unpopular with voters as her Republican rival. But her remarks signal a plan to focus attention on pockets of down-and-out communities which have felt ignored by the slow and erratic economic recovery. After her speech, Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine will seek to carry her momentum straight onto the campaign trail Friday, taking a three-day bus tour into Rust Belt communities in swing states Pennsylvania and Ohio. With Trump casting himself as an outsider, a political neophyte committed to upending the Washington establishment, Clinton faces the difficult task of appearing as the steady hand at the tiller even while promising to be a catalyst for change. "It's the most personal moment of the campaign, talking to a big audience about what she wants to do for the future," Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said on a Facebook live stream.The most rousing Clinton sales pitch of the week came from Obama himself. "I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman, not me, not Bill (Clinton), nobody more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president of the United States of America," Obama thundered before a cheering crowd. "No matter how daunting the odds, no matter how much people try to knock her down, she never, ever quits." Trump seemed to drop an unexpected gift in Clinton's lap Wednesday when he urged Russia to hack Clinton's emails. The 70-year-old real estate mogul sought to douse the outcry on Thursday by saying he was "being sarcastic", but the call for cyber espionage against the United States made even Republicans cringe. Doug Elmets, a Republican who worked in president Ronald Reagan's White House, brought the Democratic crowd to its feet when he implored fellow Republicans to vote for Clinton. "I knew Ronald Reagan. I worked for Ronald Reagan. Donald Trump, you are no Ronald Reagan," Elmets said. "Trump is a petulant, dangerously unbalanced reality star who will coddle tyrants and alienate allies." While Clinton must play to the party's base and seek to soothe bruised Bernie Sanders supporters, some of whom wore fluorescent green shirts Thursday inside the arena as a subtle form of protest, a key mission is to appeal to crossover voters and independents wary of Trump. "Donald Trump is making a lot of really big promises, and some people find those attractive," said Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook. "What Hillary is going to do tonight, what we've done at this convention is make sure that people know the facts." He acknowledged that Clinton, who will be introduced by daughter Chelsea, also knows "she needs to earn the voters' trust". Clinton has never been as telegenic and personable a politician as her husband or Obama, whose oratorical skills were on full display on Tuesday and Wednesday. She will balance her policy strengths with an attempt to connect with Americans watching from their living rooms as she faces a nation divided by intense campaign rhetoric, spikes in race-related gun violence, and heightened fear brought about by a spate of terror attacks around the world. (AFP)

Hillary Clinton takes centre-stage on final day of Democratic Party Convention

US President Barack Obama today convened a situation room meeting with his top national security advisers to discuss the aftermath of the failed coup in Turkey, the White House said today. 
 
&quot;The President will convene a meeting with his national security and broader foreign policy team to update him on the situation in Turkey,&quot; the White House said in a brief update of Obama&#39;s daily schedule. 
 
The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has survived the coup but the situation remains tense as the violence has killed over 250 people (according to PTI). The Turkish government, however, has put the toll at 161.&nbsp; 
 
During the coup, Obama offered support for Turkey&#39;s &quot;democratically elected government&quot; and urged all sides to &quot;avoid any violence or bloodshed.&quot; 
 
But there were rising concerns of a government crackdown on Erdogan&#39;s opponents. 
 
Even before the violent coup attempt, Obama had expressed concern over Erdogan&#39;s handling of the media and the rule of law. 
 
(PTI)

Obama offered support for Turkey's 'democratically elected government' and urged all sides to 'avoid any violence or bloodshed'

US President Barack Obama today convened a situation room meeting with his top national security advisers to discuss the aftermath of the failed coup in Turkey, the White House said today. "The President will convene a meeting with his national security and broader foreign policy team to update him on the situation in Turkey," the White House said in a brief update of Obama's daily schedule. The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has survived the coup but the situation remains tense as the violence has killed over 250 people (according to PTI). The Turkish government, however, has put the toll at 161. During the coup, Obama offered support for Turkey's "democratically elected government" and urged all sides to "avoid any violence or bloodshed." But there were rising concerns of a government crackdown on Erdogan's opponents. Even before the violent coup attempt, Obama had expressed concern over Erdogan's handling of the media and the rule of law. (PTI)

US President Obama convenes national security meeting amid Turkey unrest

The United States will&nbsp;welcome&nbsp;10,000 Syrian refugees this fiscal year as promised by President Barack Obama, secretary of state John Kerry announced on&nbsp;Tuesday.

Washington has been criticized by some activists for moving too slowly to settle those fleeing the conflict, while Obama&#39;s opponents warn their number may include terrorists.

But Kerry said the United States is now on course to admit 10,000 vulnerable refugees, chosen from UN camps and vetted by US security and intelligence agencies.

&quot;It&#39;s also representing six-fold increase over what we did the year before,&quot; Kerry said, referring to the US fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30.

&quot;I&#39;m proud to say that the United States is by far the largest contributor of emergency aid, but we all recognize that still more needs to be done,&quot; he said.

Kerry made the remarks at a dinner in Washington to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, shortly before he was due to set off on a tour of European capitals.

This journey was to take him Friday to Moscow, where he is set to meet with President Vladimir Putin and lobby Russia to do more to help end Syria&#39;s five-year-old conflict.

Syria is in the grip of what Kerry called the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II, and more than 4.8 million people have fled the country.

The United States has traditionally been by far the world&#39;s most generous host for refugees but has been criticized for moving too slowly to respond to the Syrian crisis.

Frontline states like Lebanon and Jordan meanwhile have been all but overwhelmed, and the arrival of streams of unvetted migrants on Europe&#39;s shores provoked a crisis.

Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump has repeatedly alleged Obama plans allow hundreds of thousands of Syrians to come to the United States without security checks.

But the 10,000 who will be allowed in before September 30 were selected in UN camps as vulnerable -- such as widows, the elderly and disabled -- and screened by US officials. 
 
(AFP)

The announcement comes in the wake of the United States being criticised for being too slow in responding to the Syrian refugee crisis

The United States will welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees this fiscal year as promised by President Barack Obama, secretary of state John Kerry announced on Tuesday. Washington has been criticized by some activists for moving too slowly to settle those fleeing the conflict, while Obama's opponents warn their number may include terrorists. But Kerry said the United States is now on course to admit 10,000 vulnerable refugees, chosen from UN camps and vetted by US security and intelligence agencies. "It's also representing six-fold increase over what we did the year before," Kerry said, referring to the US fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30. "I'm proud to say that the United States is by far the largest contributor of emergency aid, but we all recognize that still more needs to be done," he said. Kerry made the remarks at a dinner in Washington to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, shortly before he was due to set off on a tour of European capitals. This journey was to take him Friday to Moscow, where he is set to meet with President Vladimir Putin and lobby Russia to do more to help end Syria's five-year-old conflict. Syria is in the grip of what Kerry called the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II, and more than 4.8 million people have fled the country. The United States has traditionally been by far the world's most generous host for refugees but has been criticized for moving too slowly to respond to the Syrian crisis. Frontline states like Lebanon and Jordan meanwhile have been all but overwhelmed, and the arrival of streams of unvetted migrants on Europe's shores provoked a crisis. Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump has repeatedly alleged Obama plans allow hundreds of thousands of Syrians to come to the United States without security checks. But the 10,000 who will be allowed in before September 30 were selected in UN camps as vulnerable -- such as widows, the elderly and disabled -- and screened by US officials. (AFP)

US will welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees: John Kerry

The senior US commander in Afghanistan will have greater freedom to strike at the Taliban under broad new powers approved last month by President Barack Obama, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said today. 
 
Carter, on an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, said the powers granted to General John Nicholson would allow &quot;much more efficient use and effective use of the forces we have here as well as the Afghan forces.&quot; 
 
Under the authorities previously granted to Nicholson, who commands both the NATO-led Resolute Support mission and a separate US counter-terrorism mission, his forces could generally only intervene against the Taliban when Afghan government troops requested emergency assistance. 
 
&quot;It obviously, to me, makes a lot more sense to be doing it the way we&#39;re doing it now,&quot; Carter said at a joint news conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. 
 
Afghan forces seek combat assistance&nbsp; 
 
Carter&#39;s visit comes days after Obama shelved plans to cut the US force in Afghanistan nearly in half by year&rsquo;s end, opting instead to keep 8,400 troops there through to the end of his presidency in January. 
 
Afghan forces, fighting largely on their own since the NATO-led force ended most combat operations in 2014, have frequently asked for more combat assistance from their allies, particularly for close air strikes. 
 
US forces have already used the broader authority granted to their commanders to conduct air strikes against Taliban targets in southern Afghanistan. 
 
Carter, who met both Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah as well as senior U.S. military commanders, said it was &quot;critical&quot; that the national unity government formed after disputed elections in 2014 maintained stability. 
 
Ghani thanked the United States as well as other NATO allies who last week pledged to maintain support for Afghanistan. He also praised Afghan forces, who he said had been &quot;standing tall&quot; since the departure of foreign combat forces. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

New powers granted to US commander would allow "much more efficient use" of US troops, Afghan forces, said Ash Carter

The senior US commander in Afghanistan will have greater freedom to strike at the Taliban under broad new powers approved last month by President Barack Obama, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said today. Carter, on an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, said the powers granted to General John Nicholson would allow "much more efficient use and effective use of the forces we have here as well as the Afghan forces." Under the authorities previously granted to Nicholson, who commands both the NATO-led Resolute Support mission and a separate US counter-terrorism mission, his forces could generally only intervene against the Taliban when Afghan government troops requested emergency assistance. "It obviously, to me, makes a lot more sense to be doing it the way we're doing it now," Carter said at a joint news conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Afghan forces seek combat assistance Carter's visit comes days after Obama shelved plans to cut the US force in Afghanistan nearly in half by year’s end, opting instead to keep 8,400 troops there through to the end of his presidency in January. Afghan forces, fighting largely on their own since the NATO-led force ended most combat operations in 2014, have frequently asked for more combat assistance from their allies, particularly for close air strikes. US forces have already used the broader authority granted to their commanders to conduct air strikes against Taliban targets in southern Afghanistan. Carter, who met both Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah as well as senior U.S. military commanders, said it was "critical" that the national unity government formed after disputed elections in 2014 maintained stability. Ghani thanked the United States as well as other NATO allies who last week pledged to maintain support for Afghanistan. He also praised Afghan forces, who he said had been "standing tall" since the departure of foreign combat forces. (Reuters)

US troops in Afghanistan can now strike Taliban more easily: Pentagon Chief

President Barack Obama assured a shocked America on Saturday that the black army vet who shot dead five cops in Dallas was a lone wolf -- and that the country can overcome its racial divisions, as the groundswell of anger over police brutality surged on. 
 
Fresh protests were planned in at least half a dozen cities to demand justice for two African-Americans whose fatal shooting by police triggered the Dallas rampage of an angry radical bent on revenge. 
 
The nightmare scenes in Texas, where a peaceful protest turned to horror, left many fearing a new, dark chapter in America&#39;s troubled race relations. 
 
But as Dallas honoured its slain officers, Obama sought to cut short that narrative. 
 
&quot;I firmly believe that America is not as divided as some have suggested,&quot; he told a news conference at a NATO summit in Warsaw. &quot;There is sorrow, there is anger, there is confusion... but there is unity.&quot; 
 
Obama described the 25-year-old gunman, Micah Johnson, as a &quot;demented individual&quot; who in no way represented the African-American community at large. 
 
Dallas officials say they are now certain the atrocity was the work of a lone shooter -- killed in a showdown with police -- and not a group of co-conspirators as initially feared. 
 
At Dallas police headquarters, people flocked to leave flowers and messages of sympathy for the slain officers amid an outpouring of support that saw crowds in the city line up to hug police officers. 
 
After visiting the memorial Saturday, Mayor Mike Rawlings voiced hope that the shock from the killings could serve a purpose &quot;in a grander plan to make us a stronger country, a stronger city, and a stronger world.&quot; 
 
&#39;Dangerous to be black&#39;&nbsp; 
 
The Black Lives Matter activist movement, which has spearheaded months of nationwide protests over police brutality, has demanded an end to the violence -- not an escalation. 
 
As thousands marched in US cities overnight, there were nasty scenes in Phoenix, Arizona, where police used pepper spray to disperse stone-throwing protesters. And in Rochester, New York, 74 people were arrested over a sit-in protest. 
 
But elsewhere -- from Atlanta to Houston, New Orleans, Detroit and Baltimore -- protests held over the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota passed off without trouble. 
 
Cities expecting new gatherings on Saturday included Seattle, Indianapolis and Philadelphia -- where organizers called for a &quot;Weekend of Rage.&quot; 
 
Obama is to visit Dallas early next week in the effort to chart a way forward, while a raft of US politicians sought to appear as unifiers after a week of violence graphically highlighted America&#39;s racial challenges. 
 
&quot;White Americans need to do a better job of listening when African Americans talk about the barriers they face,&quot; Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton tweeted. 
 
That message was echoed by prominent members of the Republican Party, which has often jumped to defend law enforcement amid accusations of racial bias. 
 
&quot;It is more dangerous to be black in America,&quot; Newt Gingrich, a Republican former House speaker tipped as a possible White House running mate for Donald Trump, said in an interview on Facebook Live. 
 
&quot;Sometimes it&#39;s difficult for whites to appreciate how real that is. It&#39;s an everyday danger.&quot; 
 
Republican Florida senator Marco Rubio had a similar message. &quot;Those of us who are not African American will never fully understand the experience of being black in America,&quot; he said. 
 
Trump himself put out a video statement, seated presidential-style behind a large desk, in which he acknowledged the Louisiana and Minnesota shootings and spoke of &quot;how much work we have to do in order to make every American feel that their safety is protected.&quot; 
 
&nbsp;Police on edge&nbsp; 
 
The Dallas ambush marked the single biggest loss of life for law enforcement in the United States since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. 
 
Police were set further on edge as it emerged that several officers had been targeted across the country by individuals apparently angered at the recent fatal shootings. 
 
In Bristol, Tennessee, a man opened fire Thursday on a hotel, killing a woman, wounding several others and grazing a police officer with a bullet. 
 
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said the gunman &quot;may have targeted individuals and officers after being troubled by recent incidents involving African-Americans and law enforcement officers.&quot; 
 
And in Racine, Wisconsin, police said a 43-year-old man was arrested over threatening social media posts that read: &quot;I encourage every Black man in America to strap up... I encourage every white officer to kiss there (sic) love ones goodbye.&quot; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

'There is sorrow, there is anger, there is confusion... but there is unity,' says the US President

President Barack Obama assured a shocked America on Saturday that the black army vet who shot dead five cops in Dallas was a lone wolf -- and that the country can overcome its racial divisions, as the groundswell of anger over police brutality surged on. Fresh protests were planned in at least half a dozen cities to demand justice for two African-Americans whose fatal shooting by police triggered the Dallas rampage of an angry radical bent on revenge. The nightmare scenes in Texas, where a peaceful protest turned to horror, left many fearing a new, dark chapter in America's troubled race relations. But as Dallas honoured its slain officers, Obama sought to cut short that narrative. "I firmly believe that America is not as divided as some have suggested," he told a news conference at a NATO summit in Warsaw. "There is sorrow, there is anger, there is confusion... but there is unity." Obama described the 25-year-old gunman, Micah Johnson, as a "demented individual" who in no way represented the African-American community at large. Dallas officials say they are now certain the atrocity was the work of a lone shooter -- killed in a showdown with police -- and not a group of co-conspirators as initially feared. At Dallas police headquarters, people flocked to leave flowers and messages of sympathy for the slain officers amid an outpouring of support that saw crowds in the city line up to hug police officers. After visiting the memorial Saturday, Mayor Mike Rawlings voiced hope that the shock from the killings could serve a purpose "in a grander plan to make us a stronger country, a stronger city, and a stronger world." 'Dangerous to be black' The Black Lives Matter activist movement, which has spearheaded months of nationwide protests over police brutality, has demanded an end to the violence -- not an escalation. As thousands marched in US cities overnight, there were nasty scenes in Phoenix, Arizona, where police used pepper spray to disperse stone-throwing protesters. And in Rochester, New York, 74 people were arrested over a sit-in protest. But elsewhere -- from Atlanta to Houston, New Orleans, Detroit and Baltimore -- protests held over the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota passed off without trouble. Cities expecting new gatherings on Saturday included Seattle, Indianapolis and Philadelphia -- where organizers called for a "Weekend of Rage." Obama is to visit Dallas early next week in the effort to chart a way forward, while a raft of US politicians sought to appear as unifiers after a week of violence graphically highlighted America's racial challenges. "White Americans need to do a better job of listening when African Americans talk about the barriers they face," Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton tweeted. That message was echoed by prominent members of the Republican Party, which has often jumped to defend law enforcement amid accusations of racial bias. "It is more dangerous to be black in America," Newt Gingrich, a Republican former House speaker tipped as a possible White House running mate for Donald Trump, said in an interview on Facebook Live. "Sometimes it's difficult for whites to appreciate how real that is. It's an everyday danger." Republican Florida senator Marco Rubio had a similar message. "Those of us who are not African American will never fully understand the experience of being black in America," he said. Trump himself put out a video statement, seated presidential-style behind a large desk, in which he acknowledged the Louisiana and Minnesota shootings and spoke of "how much work we have to do in order to make every American feel that their safety is protected." Police on edge The Dallas ambush marked the single biggest loss of life for law enforcement in the United States since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Police were set further on edge as it emerged that several officers had been targeted across the country by individuals apparently angered at the recent fatal shootings. In Bristol, Tennessee, a man opened fire Thursday on a hotel, killing a woman, wounding several others and grazing a police officer with a bullet. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said the gunman "may have targeted individuals and officers after being troubled by recent incidents involving African-Americans and law enforcement officers." And in Racine, Wisconsin, police said a 43-year-old man was arrested over threatening social media posts that read: "I encourage every Black man in America to strap up... I encourage every white officer to kiss there (sic) love ones goodbye." (AFP)

Yes, we can overcome our racial divisions, says Obama

President Barack Obama will cut short a trip to Europe and travel to Dallas next week in the wake of the deadly ambush in the city that left five police dead, the White House said on Friday. 
 
&quot;The President has accepted an invitation from Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings to travel to Dallas early next week,&quot; spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement, adding that Obama would return to the United States Sunday night -- one day ahead of schedule. 
 
Obama, who was in Warsaw this week attending a NATO summit, weighed in on the attacks from the Polish capital, calling the episode &quot;vicious, calculated and despicable&quot;. 
 
Micah Johnson, the 25-year-old black Army veteran who carried out the sniper-style attack, killed five police while wounding seven more, as well as injuring two civilians. 
 
Before being killed by police, he told officers he wanted to kill white cops in retaliation for the harsh treatment of African Americans by law enforcement.&nbsp; 
 
Earlier in the week, two black men were killed by officers in other US cities, drawing protests across the nation.&nbsp; 
 
After travelling to Dallas, Earnest said Obama will &quot;continue the work to bring people together to support our police officers and communities and find common ground by discussing policy ideas for addressing the persistent racial disparities in our criminal justice system&quot;. 
 
According to the White House, Obama will depart for Madrid today. On Sunday he will meet with his Spanish counterpart before speaking to US military personnel serving at the naval base of Rota. 
 
He is trimming a visit to Seville off his travel itinerary to arrive back in Washington on Sunday night. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The US President called the attack which killed 5 police officers 'vicious, calculated and despicable'

President Barack Obama will cut short a trip to Europe and travel to Dallas next week in the wake of the deadly ambush in the city that left five police dead, the White House said on Friday. "The President has accepted an invitation from Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings to travel to Dallas early next week," spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement, adding that Obama would return to the United States Sunday night -- one day ahead of schedule. Obama, who was in Warsaw this week attending a NATO summit, weighed in on the attacks from the Polish capital, calling the episode "vicious, calculated and despicable". Micah Johnson, the 25-year-old black Army veteran who carried out the sniper-style attack, killed five police while wounding seven more, as well as injuring two civilians. Before being killed by police, he told officers he wanted to kill white cops in retaliation for the harsh treatment of African Americans by law enforcement. Earlier in the week, two black men were killed by officers in other US cities, drawing protests across the nation. After travelling to Dallas, Earnest said Obama will "continue the work to bring people together to support our police officers and communities and find common ground by discussing policy ideas for addressing the persistent racial disparities in our criminal justice system". According to the White House, Obama will depart for Madrid today. On Sunday he will meet with his Spanish counterpart before speaking to US military personnel serving at the naval base of Rota. He is trimming a visit to Seville off his travel itinerary to arrive back in Washington on Sunday night. (AFP)

Obama will leave Europe early to travel to Dallas after deadly ambush

The Kremlin said on Friday it regarded NATO&#39;s suggestion that Russia posed a threat as absurd, saying it hoped that common sense would prevail at the military alliance&#39;s summit in Warsaw. 
 
The Kremlin spoke out after US President Barack Obama urged NATO leaders to stand firm against a resurgent Russia over its 2014 seizure of Ukraine&#39;s Crimea. 
 
Friday&#39;s summit is expected to formally agree to deploy four battalions in the Baltic states and eastern Poland, a move the alliance says is meant to deter possible Russian aggression. 
 
&quot;It is absurd to talk about any threat coming from Russia at a time when dozens of people are dying in the centre of Europe and when hundreds of people are dying in the middle east daily,&quot; Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told reporters. 
 
&quot;You have to be an absolutely short-sighted organisation to twist things in that way,&quot; said Peskov, saying Russia hoped common sense and an understanding of the need to avoid confrontation would prevail. 
 
Russia was open for talks and cooperation with NATO, Peskov added, and did not want to cast the alliance as an enemy. But he complained of NATO soldiers and planes operating close to Russia&#39;s borders. 
 
&quot;We aren&#39;t the ones getting closer to NATO&#39;s borders,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)

Friday's summit is expected give formally nod to deploy four battalions in the Baltic states and eastern Poland

The Kremlin said on Friday it regarded NATO's suggestion that Russia posed a threat as absurd, saying it hoped that common sense would prevail at the military alliance's summit in Warsaw. The Kremlin spoke out after US President Barack Obama urged NATO leaders to stand firm against a resurgent Russia over its 2014 seizure of Ukraine's Crimea. Friday's summit is expected to formally agree to deploy four battalions in the Baltic states and eastern Poland, a move the alliance says is meant to deter possible Russian aggression. "It is absurd to talk about any threat coming from Russia at a time when dozens of people are dying in the centre of Europe and when hundreds of people are dying in the middle east daily," Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told reporters. "You have to be an absolutely short-sighted organisation to twist things in that way," said Peskov, saying Russia hoped common sense and an understanding of the need to avoid confrontation would prevail. Russia was open for talks and cooperation with NATO, Peskov added, and did not want to cast the alliance as an enemy. But he complained of NATO soldiers and planes operating close to Russia's borders. "We aren't the ones getting closer to NATO's borders," he said. (Reuters)

Kremlin says NATO talk of Russian threat absurd, short-sighted

US President Barack Obama urged NATO leaders on Friday to stand firm against a resurgent Russia over its seizure of Crimea from Ukraine, saying Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union should not weaken the Western defence alliance. 
 
In an article published in the Financial Times newspaper as he arrived for his last summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation before he leaves office in January, Obama said America&#39;s &quot;special relationship&quot; with Britain would survive the referendum decision he had warned against. 
 
&quot;The special relationship between the US and the UK will endure. I have no doubt that the UK will remain one of NATO&rsquo;s most capable members,&quot; he said, but noted that the vote raised significant questions about the future of EU integration. 
 
The 28-nation EU will formally agree to deploy four battalions totalling 3,000 to 4,000 troops in the Baltic states and Poland on a rotational basis to reassure eastern members of its readiness to defend them against Russian aggression. 
 
Host nation Poland set the tone of mistrust of Russia. Its foreign minister, Witold Waszczykowski, told a pre-summit forum: &quot;We have to reject any type of wishful thinking with regard to a pragmatic cooperation with Russia as long as it keeps on invading its neighbours.&quot; 
 
Obama was more diplomatic, urging dialogue with Russia, but he too urged allies to keep sanctions on Moscow until it fully complies with a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine, and to help Kiev defend its sovereignty. Ukraine is not itself a member of NATO. 
 
&quot;In Warsaw, we must reaffirm our determination, our duty under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, to defend every NATO ally,&quot; Obama said. 
 
&quot;We need to bolster the defence of our allies in central and eastern Europe, strengthen deterrence and boost our resilience against new threats, including cyber attacks.&quot; 
 
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, all NATO members, have requested a permanent NATO presence. They fear Moscow will seek to destabilise their pro-Western governments through cyber attacks, stirring up Russian speakers, hostile broadcasting and even territorial incursions. Critics say the NATO plan is a minimal trip wire that might not deter Russian action. 
 
The head of NATO&#39;s military committee, Czech General Petr Pavel, said Russia was attempting to restore its status as a world power, an effort that includes using its military. 
 
&quot;We must accept that Russia can be a competitor, adversary, peer or partner and probably all four at the same time,&quot; he said. 
 
The Kremlin said it was absurd for NATO to talk of any threat coming from Russia and it hoped &quot;common sense&quot; would prevail at the Warsaw summit. Moscow was and remains open to dialogue with NATO and is ready to cooperate with it, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with journalists. 
 
Russia often depicts NATO as an aggressor, whose member states are moving troops and military hardware further into former Soviet territory, which it regards as its sphere of influence. 
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin made several gestures aimed at showing a cooperative face before the summit. At the same time, Moscow highlighted its intention to deploy nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania. 
 
Putin agreed to a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council next week, the second meeting this year of a consultation body that was put on ice after Moscow&#39;s seizure of Crimea in 2014. Russia allowed a UN resolution authorising the EU to intercept arms shipments to Libya in the Mediterranean, and Putin spoke to Obama over the phone in the run-up to the NATO meeting. 
 
However, a White House spokesman said they reached no agreement on cooperation in fighting Islamic State militants in Syria during that call on Wednesday. 
 
Britain 
 
Outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he will resign after losing the referendum on EU membership last month, will seek to emphasise an active commitment to Western security at his final NATO summit, to offset any concern about Europe&#39;s biggest military spender leaving the EU. 
 
The first item on the summit agenda was the signing of an agreement between the EU and NATO on deeper military and security cooperation. 
 
The US-led alliance is also expected to announce its support for the EU&#39;s Mediterranean interdiction operation. NATO already supports EU efforts to stem a flood of refugees and migrants from Turkey into Greece, in conjunction with an EU-Turkey deal to curb migration in return for benefits for Ankara. 
 
Obama and the other NATO leaders will have a more unscripted discussion of how to deal with Russia over dinner in the same room of the Polish Presidential Palace where the Warsaw Pact was signed in 1955, creating the Soviet-dominated military alliance that was NATO&#39;s adversary during the Cold War. 
 
NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg sought to balance the new military deployments and air patrols close to Russia&#39;s borders by stressing that the alliance would continue to seek &quot;meaningful and constructive dialogue&quot; with Moscow. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t want a new Cold War,&quot; he told reporters. &quot;The Cold War is history and it should remain history.&quot; 
 
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told reporters before leaving Ankara to attend the summit that NATO also needed to adapt to do more to fight the threat from Islamic State militants, who were accused of last week&#39;s deadly attack on Istanbul airport. 
 
&quot;As we have seen from the terrorist attacks first in Istanbul and then in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, international security is becoming more fragile,&quot; Erdogan said. 
 
&quot;The concept of a security threat is undergoing a serious change. In this process, NATO needs to be more active and has to update itself against the new security threats,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

EU will formally agree to deploy four battalions totalling 3,000 to 4,000 troops in the Baltic states and Poland on a rotating basis

US President Barack Obama urged NATO leaders on Friday to stand firm against a resurgent Russia over its seizure of Crimea from Ukraine, saying Britain's vote to leave the European Union should not weaken the Western defence alliance. In an article published in the Financial Times newspaper as he arrived for his last summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation before he leaves office in January, Obama said America's "special relationship" with Britain would survive the referendum decision he had warned against. "The special relationship between the US and the UK will endure. I have no doubt that the UK will remain one of NATO’s most capable members," he said, but noted that the vote raised significant questions about the future of EU integration. The 28-nation EU will formally agree to deploy four battalions totalling 3,000 to 4,000 troops in the Baltic states and Poland on a rotational basis to reassure eastern members of its readiness to defend them against Russian aggression. Host nation Poland set the tone of mistrust of Russia. Its foreign minister, Witold Waszczykowski, told a pre-summit forum: "We have to reject any type of wishful thinking with regard to a pragmatic cooperation with Russia as long as it keeps on invading its neighbours." Obama was more diplomatic, urging dialogue with Russia, but he too urged allies to keep sanctions on Moscow until it fully complies with a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine, and to help Kiev defend its sovereignty. Ukraine is not itself a member of NATO. "In Warsaw, we must reaffirm our determination, our duty under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, to defend every NATO ally," Obama said. "We need to bolster the defence of our allies in central and eastern Europe, strengthen deterrence and boost our resilience against new threats, including cyber attacks." Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, all NATO members, have requested a permanent NATO presence. They fear Moscow will seek to destabilise their pro-Western governments through cyber attacks, stirring up Russian speakers, hostile broadcasting and even territorial incursions. Critics say the NATO plan is a minimal trip wire that might not deter Russian action. The head of NATO's military committee, Czech General Petr Pavel, said Russia was attempting to restore its status as a world power, an effort that includes using its military. "We must accept that Russia can be a competitor, adversary, peer or partner and probably all four at the same time," he said. The Kremlin said it was absurd for NATO to talk of any threat coming from Russia and it hoped "common sense" would prevail at the Warsaw summit. Moscow was and remains open to dialogue with NATO and is ready to cooperate with it, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with journalists. Russia often depicts NATO as an aggressor, whose member states are moving troops and military hardware further into former Soviet territory, which it regards as its sphere of influence. Russian President Vladimir Putin made several gestures aimed at showing a cooperative face before the summit. At the same time, Moscow highlighted its intention to deploy nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania. Putin agreed to a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council next week, the second meeting this year of a consultation body that was put on ice after Moscow's seizure of Crimea in 2014. Russia allowed a UN resolution authorising the EU to intercept arms shipments to Libya in the Mediterranean, and Putin spoke to Obama over the phone in the run-up to the NATO meeting. However, a White House spokesman said they reached no agreement on cooperation in fighting Islamic State militants in Syria during that call on Wednesday. Britain Outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he will resign after losing the referendum on EU membership last month, will seek to emphasise an active commitment to Western security at his final NATO summit, to offset any concern about Europe's biggest military spender leaving the EU. The first item on the summit agenda was the signing of an agreement between the EU and NATO on deeper military and security cooperation. The US-led alliance is also expected to announce its support for the EU's Mediterranean interdiction operation. NATO already supports EU efforts to stem a flood of refugees and migrants from Turkey into Greece, in conjunction with an EU-Turkey deal to curb migration in return for benefits for Ankara. Obama and the other NATO leaders will have a more unscripted discussion of how to deal with Russia over dinner in the same room of the Polish Presidential Palace where the Warsaw Pact was signed in 1955, creating the Soviet-dominated military alliance that was NATO's adversary during the Cold War. NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg sought to balance the new military deployments and air patrols close to Russia's borders by stressing that the alliance would continue to seek "meaningful and constructive dialogue" with Moscow. "We don't want a new Cold War," he told reporters. "The Cold War is history and it should remain history." Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told reporters before leaving Ankara to attend the summit that NATO also needed to adapt to do more to fight the threat from Islamic State militants, who were accused of last week's deadly attack on Istanbul airport. "As we have seen from the terrorist attacks first in Istanbul and then in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, international security is becoming more fragile," Erdogan said. "The concept of a security threat is undergoing a serious change. In this process, NATO needs to be more active and has to update itself against the new security threats," he said. (Reuters)

Obama urges NATO to stand firm against Russia despite Brexit

President Barack Obama&#39;s decision to withdraw roughly 1,400 US troops from Afghanistan won&#39;t adversely impact America&#39;s mission there, a top general said before arriving in Kabul on Friday, adding that some jobs could be done from abroad. 
 
Obama on Wednesday shelved his plans to cut the US force nearly in half by year&#39;s end, from 9,800 to 5,500. He opted instead for a more limited withdrawal to roughly 8,400 troops, noting that Afghan forces still needed US support battling the Taliban insurgency after nearly 15 years of war. 
 
In his first comments since Obama&#39;s announcement, General Joseph Votel, the head of the US military&#39;s Central Command, played down any impact of the looming troop withdrawal even as he acknowledged Afghan forces were suffering heavy casualties. 
 
A recent Pentagon report to Congress said casualties among Afghan forces rose 27 per cent from January 1 to November 15 last year. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s difficult. They are taking a lot of casualties. That is a concern. We&#39;ll have to pay attention to that,&quot; Votel told a small group of reporters traveling with him to Afghanistan.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;But I don&#39;t think the reductions that we are taking are going to impact the principal missions that we are doing, particularly with respect to the Afghan security forces,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
Taliban forces now hold more territory in Afghanistan than at any time since the 2001 US-led invasion, according to recent UN estimates. 
 
The Islamic State group has also established a small presence in Afghanistan. 
 
Republican critics of Obama questioned why, given Afghanistan&#39;s security concerns, he was still intent on cutting the force at all. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain said it was difficult to discern &quot;any strategic rationale&quot; for the cut. 
 
Votel noted that Obama&#39;s decision to keep 8,400 troops in the country was welcomed by allies, who are expected to broadly reaffirm their commitments to Afghanistan at a NATO summit on Warsaw on Friday and Saturday. 
 
&quot;It sends a very hopeful message here for the coalition and I think it will encourage our partners to continue to contribute,&quot; Votel said. 
 
Votel suggested the drawdown might take place gradually over coming months, with some support for the US forces in Afghanistan being drawn from outside the country. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re going to achieve those reductions by moving some capabilities out that can be conducted over the horizon - that don&rsquo;t necessarily need to be done in Afghanistan - to support the force,&quot; he said, without elaborating.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

According to recent UN estimates, Taliban forces now hold more territory in Afghanistan than at any time since the 2001 US-led invasion

President Barack Obama's decision to withdraw roughly 1,400 US troops from Afghanistan won't adversely impact America's mission there, a top general said before arriving in Kabul on Friday, adding that some jobs could be done from abroad. Obama on Wednesday shelved his plans to cut the US force nearly in half by year's end, from 9,800 to 5,500. He opted instead for a more limited withdrawal to roughly 8,400 troops, noting that Afghan forces still needed US support battling the Taliban insurgency after nearly 15 years of war. In his first comments since Obama's announcement, General Joseph Votel, the head of the US military's Central Command, played down any impact of the looming troop withdrawal even as he acknowledged Afghan forces were suffering heavy casualties. A recent Pentagon report to Congress said casualties among Afghan forces rose 27 per cent from January 1 to November 15 last year. "It's difficult. They are taking a lot of casualties. That is a concern. We'll have to pay attention to that," Votel told a small group of reporters traveling with him to Afghanistan. "But I don't think the reductions that we are taking are going to impact the principal missions that we are doing, particularly with respect to the Afghan security forces," he added. Taliban forces now hold more territory in Afghanistan than at any time since the 2001 US-led invasion, according to recent UN estimates. The Islamic State group has also established a small presence in Afghanistan. Republican critics of Obama questioned why, given Afghanistan's security concerns, he was still intent on cutting the force at all. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain said it was difficult to discern "any strategic rationale" for the cut. Votel noted that Obama's decision to keep 8,400 troops in the country was welcomed by allies, who are expected to broadly reaffirm their commitments to Afghanistan at a NATO summit on Warsaw on Friday and Saturday. "It sends a very hopeful message here for the coalition and I think it will encourage our partners to continue to contribute," Votel said. Votel suggested the drawdown might take place gradually over coming months, with some support for the US forces in Afghanistan being drawn from outside the country. "We're going to achieve those reductions by moving some capabilities out that can be conducted over the horizon - that don’t necessarily need to be done in Afghanistan - to support the force," he said, without elaborating. (Reuters)

'US troop cut won't impact principal missions in Afghanistan'

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Georgia today where he will sign agreements to deepen defence and security cooperation with the former Soviet state days before an important NATO summit. 
 
It is Kerry&#39;s first visit as Secretary of State to Georgia and comes ahead of a NATO summit in Warsaw scheduled on Friday where members of the Western military alliance plan to announce action to deter what they say is an increased Russian military threat. 
 
Georgia and former Soviet states like Moldova and Ukraine have become increasingly concerned by Russia&#39;s intentions after the Kremlin annexed Ukraine&#39;s Crimea in 2014 and launched air strikes in Syria last year. 
 
A senior State Department official said Kerry would sign a memorandum of understanding on security and defence that would promise to bolster Georgia&#39;s ability to defend itself. 
 
Georgia, which is criss-crossed by strategically-important oil and gas pipelines, fought and lost a short war with Russia in 2008. 
 
Until now, US security support has focused on training Georgian troops for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. 
 
&#39;Georgia visit not aimed to send message to Russia&#39; 
 
The State Department official denied Kerry&#39;s Georgia visit and another trip to Ukraine on Thursday were aimed at sending a message to Russia. 
 
&quot;These are important partners of the alliance, partners whose security means a lot to the United States,&quot; the official told reporters travelling with Kerry. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a chance to highlight the fact that we are close partners and their security interests and their aspirations to get closer to the EU and NATO also matter to us. 
 
&quot;Russia can take whatever message it would like,&quot; the official said, saying the visits were a show of support to reassure. 
 
Moscow has accused the West, notably Washington, of stirring anti-Russian feelings among former Soviet states which it deems part of its own sphere of influence. 
 
Kerry&#39;s visit follows Britain&#39;s decision to leave the EU, a move that stoked fears among former Soviet republics who want to join the bloc but now fret it will turn inward. 
 
During his one-day visit, Kerry will meet Georgian officials, including President Georgy Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Georgy Kvirikashvili. He will also meet the opposition and stress the importance of holding free elections in October. 
 
Kerry then visits Ukraine on Thursday before heading to Warsaw to join US President Barack Obama for the NATO summit. 
 
In Ukraine, Kerry&#39;s third visit there since Russia annexed Crimea, he will focus on the implementation of the Minsk peace accords and the country&#39;s reform agenda. It will be Kerry&#39;s first chance to meet new Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. 
 
(Reuters)

This is Kerry's first visit as Secretary of State to Georgia and comes ahead of a NATO summit in Warsaw

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Georgia today where he will sign agreements to deepen defence and security cooperation with the former Soviet state days before an important NATO summit. It is Kerry's first visit as Secretary of State to Georgia and comes ahead of a NATO summit in Warsaw scheduled on Friday where members of the Western military alliance plan to announce action to deter what they say is an increased Russian military threat. Georgia and former Soviet states like Moldova and Ukraine have become increasingly concerned by Russia's intentions after the Kremlin annexed Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 and launched air strikes in Syria last year. A senior State Department official said Kerry would sign a memorandum of understanding on security and defence that would promise to bolster Georgia's ability to defend itself. Georgia, which is criss-crossed by strategically-important oil and gas pipelines, fought and lost a short war with Russia in 2008. Until now, US security support has focused on training Georgian troops for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. 'Georgia visit not aimed to send message to Russia' The State Department official denied Kerry's Georgia visit and another trip to Ukraine on Thursday were aimed at sending a message to Russia. "These are important partners of the alliance, partners whose security means a lot to the United States," the official told reporters travelling with Kerry. "It's a chance to highlight the fact that we are close partners and their security interests and their aspirations to get closer to the EU and NATO also matter to us. "Russia can take whatever message it would like," the official said, saying the visits were a show of support to reassure. Moscow has accused the West, notably Washington, of stirring anti-Russian feelings among former Soviet states which it deems part of its own sphere of influence. Kerry's visit follows Britain's decision to leave the EU, a move that stoked fears among former Soviet republics who want to join the bloc but now fret it will turn inward. During his one-day visit, Kerry will meet Georgian officials, including President Georgy Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Georgy Kvirikashvili. He will also meet the opposition and stress the importance of holding free elections in October. Kerry then visits Ukraine on Thursday before heading to Warsaw to join US President Barack Obama for the NATO summit. In Ukraine, Kerry's third visit there since Russia annexed Crimea, he will focus on the implementation of the Minsk peace accords and the country's reform agenda. It will be Kerry's first chance to meet new Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. (Reuters)

John Kerry flies into ex-Soviet Georgia to deepen security  cooperation

After months on the sidelines, President Barack Obama joined Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail at a rally on July 5, urging voters to pick his former secretary of state to succeed him in the White House. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m here today because I believe in Hillary Clinton, and I want you to help elect her to be the next president of the United States of America,&quot; Obama said at a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, in what was likely to be the first of many trips on behalf of his 2008 primary rival. 
 
&quot;There has never been any man or woman more qualified for this office than Hillary Clinton,&quot; he added. 
 
Obama was returning the favour after Clinton backed him in 2008. This year, he waited while she battled US senator Bernie Sanders for the party nod before endorsing Clinton last month once she became the presumptive Democratic nominee. 
 
Clinton and Obama travelled to North Carolina on the presidential plane Air Force One, which Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump said was a burden on taxpayers. A Clinton spokesman said the campaign would cover its portion of the travel costs. 
 
(Reuters)

There has never been any man or woman more qualified for this office than Hillary Clinton: Obama

After months on the sidelines, President Barack Obama joined Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail at a rally on July 5, urging voters to pick his former secretary of state to succeed him in the White House. "I'm here today because I believe in Hillary Clinton, and I want you to help elect her to be the next president of the United States of America," Obama said at a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, in what was likely to be the first of many trips on behalf of his 2008 primary rival. "There has never been any man or woman more qualified for this office than Hillary Clinton," he added. Obama was returning the favour after Clinton backed him in 2008. This year, he waited while she battled US senator Bernie Sanders for the party nod before endorsing Clinton last month once she became the presumptive Democratic nominee. Clinton and Obama travelled to North Carolina on the presidential plane Air Force One, which Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump said was a burden on taxpayers. A Clinton spokesman said the campaign would cover its portion of the travel costs. (Reuters)

President Obama praises Clinton on campaign trail

US&nbsp;joint base Andrews, the military facility near Washington that is home to the President&#39;s plane, was placed on lockdown today due to&nbsp;reports of a gunman at large.

Base officials issued an all-clear message for the base after about an hour, but said in Twitter messages that a medical centre&nbsp;at the facility remained on lockdown.

A US&nbsp;defence official said a second sweep was being conducted at the Malcolm Grow Medical Facility out of &quot;an abundance of caution&quot;.&nbsp;There had been no reports of gunfire or casualties.

Base officials said earlier that the military installation had been scheduled to conduct an active shooter exercise, but that there was a report of a &quot;real-world&quot; gunman at large at the medical center.

President Barack Obama, who flies out of Andrews on Air Force One, was not scheduled to use the base today. US&nbsp;Vice-President Joe Biden was scheduled to depart from Andrews during the morning for a trip to Ohio. He was now holding at his official residence in Washington, his spokeswoman said.

&quot;First responders are on-scene now,&quot; base officials said on Twitter. &quot;Due to the serious nature of this report, the base is reacting to ensure the safety of all personnel.&quot;

No other details were immediately available, and base officials did not return calls for comment. Prince George&#39;s County police directed questions to the base.

The US&nbsp;military has been on high alert for possible attacks at US&nbsp;locations after incidents such as the July 2015 shooting rampage that killed five service members at two military offices in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the 2009 shooting at a US&nbsp;Army base in Fort Hood, Texas, in which a gunman killed 13 people.

Homeland security secretary Jeh Johnson, asked about the Andrews incident during testimony before a Senate committee, said there was an unfolding situation at the base and that he might have to leave the hearing at some point to monitor the situation.

The base in Maryland is the primary military air installation in the Washington, DC&nbsp;area, and is located about 15 miles (24 km) from the White House.

Malcolm Grow is a full-service military hospital which according to its website is affiliated with the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and serves as a training facility for 48 medical residents and 31 health professionals.

In May, Joint Base Andrews was put on lockdown after a woman claiming to have a bomb strapped to her chest arrived at the visitor centre. The woman was apprehended later. 
 
(Reuters)

Base officials issued an all-clear message after an hour, but said that a medical centre at the facility remained on lockdown

US joint base Andrews, the military facility near Washington that is home to the President's plane, was placed on lockdown today due to reports of a gunman at large. Base officials issued an all-clear message for the base after about an hour, but said in Twitter messages that a medical centre at the facility remained on lockdown. A US defence official said a second sweep was being conducted at the Malcolm Grow Medical Facility out of "an abundance of caution". There had been no reports of gunfire or casualties. Base officials said earlier that the military installation had been scheduled to conduct an active shooter exercise, but that there was a report of a "real-world" gunman at large at the medical center. President Barack Obama, who flies out of Andrews on Air Force One, was not scheduled to use the base today. US Vice-President Joe Biden was scheduled to depart from Andrews during the morning for a trip to Ohio. He was now holding at his official residence in Washington, his spokeswoman said. "First responders are on-scene now," base officials said on Twitter. "Due to the serious nature of this report, the base is reacting to ensure the safety of all personnel." No other details were immediately available, and base officials did not return calls for comment. Prince George's County police directed questions to the base. The US military has been on high alert for possible attacks at US locations after incidents such as the July 2015 shooting rampage that killed five service members at two military offices in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the 2009 shooting at a US Army base in Fort Hood, Texas, in which a gunman killed 13 people. Homeland security secretary Jeh Johnson, asked about the Andrews incident during testimony before a Senate committee, said there was an unfolding situation at the base and that he might have to leave the hearing at some point to monitor the situation. The base in Maryland is the primary military air installation in the Washington, DC area, and is located about 15 miles (24 km) from the White House. Malcolm Grow is a full-service military hospital which according to its website is affiliated with the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and serves as a training facility for 48 medical residents and 31 health professionals. In May, Joint Base Andrews was put on lockdown after a woman claiming to have a bomb strapped to her chest arrived at the visitor centre. The woman was apprehended later. (Reuters)

US military base Andrews locked down after reports of gunman on scene

Condemning the terror attack at Istanbul&#39;s Ataturk International airport that killed 36 people and injured many others, the US and UN has called for stepped-up cooperation in fighting terrorism and has vowed &quot;steadfast&quot; support for Turkey. 
 
&quot;Ataturk international airport, like Brussels airport which was attacked earlier this year, is a symbol of international connections and the ties that bind us together,&quot; White House press secretary Josh Earnest said yesterday. 
 
US President Barack Obama was briefed on the explosions by his assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism Lisa Monaco. 
 
&quot;Our deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of those killed, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. We remain steadfast in our support for Turkey, our NATO ally and partner, along with all of our friends and allies around the world, as we continue to confront the threat of terrorism,&quot; he said. 
 
Condemning the terrorist attack at Istanbul&#39;s Ataturk International airport, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Turkey. 
 
&quot;The Secretary-General hopes that the perpetrators of this crime will be identified and brought to justice. He stands firmly by Turkey as it confronts this threat and stresses the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism,&quot; his spokesman said in a statement. 
 
US officials are in close touch with Turkish authorities throughout the investigation, state department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said. 
 
&quot;We stand in solidarity with our NATO ally Turkey in combating the threat of terrorism. Sadly, this murderous attack is only the latest in a series of attacks aimed at killing and maiming innocent civilians,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Such attacks will only reinforce our determination to work with the government of Turkey to counter the scourge of terrorism and support all those across the region who are working to promote peace and reconciliation,&quot; Toner said in a statement. 
 
&quot;Today, we have another horrific event - senseless violence against innocent civilians. Freedom-loving people around the world must not waver in our commitment to defeat violent extremism,&quot; said senator James Lankford. He serves on the homeland security and intelligence committees. 
 
&quot;We continue to monitor reports of the horrific terror attack in Turkey. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and all affected,&quot; tweeted Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the powerful senate foreign relations committee. 
 
&quot;Terrorism will not prevail. We stand with our ally Turkey in the face of this heinous attack,&quot; tweeted Paul Ryan, speaker of the US house of representatives. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m horrified by the attacks in Istanbul, and my heart is with the victims and their families. I stand with the people of Turkey against terrorism,&quot; tweeted congresswoman Susan Brooks. 
 
(PTI)

Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack and stressed on the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism

Condemning the terror attack at Istanbul's Ataturk International airport that killed 36 people and injured many others, the US and UN has called for stepped-up cooperation in fighting terrorism and has vowed "steadfast" support for Turkey. "Ataturk international airport, like Brussels airport which was attacked earlier this year, is a symbol of international connections and the ties that bind us together," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said yesterday. US President Barack Obama was briefed on the explosions by his assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism Lisa Monaco. "Our deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of those killed, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. We remain steadfast in our support for Turkey, our NATO ally and partner, along with all of our friends and allies around the world, as we continue to confront the threat of terrorism," he said. Condemning the terrorist attack at Istanbul's Ataturk International airport, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Turkey. "The Secretary-General hopes that the perpetrators of this crime will be identified and brought to justice. He stands firmly by Turkey as it confronts this threat and stresses the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism," his spokesman said in a statement. US officials are in close touch with Turkish authorities throughout the investigation, state department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said. "We stand in solidarity with our NATO ally Turkey in combating the threat of terrorism. Sadly, this murderous attack is only the latest in a series of attacks aimed at killing and maiming innocent civilians," he said. "Such attacks will only reinforce our determination to work with the government of Turkey to counter the scourge of terrorism and support all those across the region who are working to promote peace and reconciliation," Toner said in a statement. "Today, we have another horrific event - senseless violence against innocent civilians. Freedom-loving people around the world must not waver in our commitment to defeat violent extremism," said senator James Lankford. He serves on the homeland security and intelligence committees. "We continue to monitor reports of the horrific terror attack in Turkey. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and all affected," tweeted Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the powerful senate foreign relations committee. "Terrorism will not prevail. We stand with our ally Turkey in the face of this heinous attack," tweeted Paul Ryan, speaker of the US house of representatives. "I'm horrified by the attacks in Istanbul, and my heart is with the victims and their families. I stand with the people of Turkey against terrorism," tweeted congresswoman Susan Brooks. (PTI)

US, UN condemn terror attack on Turkey international airport

It&#39;s a paradox that has confounded many. The United States and India have a lot in common, not least their commitment to democratic values. Yet they remained estranged democracies at the best of times. This, in spite of the enormous goodwill among their peoples. In contrast, India&#39;s ties with Israel have been marked by good government-to-government relations even when their people-to-people ties haven&#39;t really taken off. As the joke went, for years on end, India treated Israel as a mistress to be hidden away. Under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India&#39;s bilateral relations with Israel have come out of the closet but - and herein lies the paradox - its ties with the US are increasingly spoken about in whispers; a nudge there and a wink here. Now, one may ascribe it to caution on the part of New Delhi not to tweak the Dragon&#39;s tail but it is apparent to the discerning that India and the US are trying, perhaps too hard, not to show their hand. 
&nbsp; 
Although Modi told the US Congress that the India-US relationship has overcome the hesitations of history, India&#39;s faith in non-alignment remains undiminished, or so it is claimed. Modi himself made the point in a 26 May interview to The Wall Street Journal. In it he said: &quot;There is no reason to change India&rsquo;s non-alignment policy that is a legacy and has been in place. But this is true that today, unlike before, India is not standing in a corner. It is the world&rsquo;s largest democracy and fastest growing economy. We are acutely conscious of our responsibilities both in the region and internationally.&quot; India is a founding-member of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was established in 1961 primarily to allow countries to not be formally aligned with or against any power bloc. 
&nbsp; 
It would not be an exaggeration to say that India&#39;s fascination with non-alignment or in other words strategic autonomy has endured to this day. It reared its head most recently in 2012 after the India-US civil nuclear deal was signed. A document, titled &quot;Nonalignment 2.0: A foreign and strategic policy for India in the twenty first century&quot;, published by a privately funded think tank but co-authored by retired diplomats, among others, cautioned New Delhi against abandoning a principle that has stood the test of time and served India well over the decades. It sought to make the point that the demise of the Cold War opens up yet another minefield which India must negotiate and which will require it to manage complicated coalitions and opportunities in an environment that is not structurally settled. 
&nbsp; 
Modi amplified similar sentiments in the interview: &quot;There was an age when the world was divided into two camps. That is not true anymore. Today, the whole world is interdependent. Even if you look at the relationship between China and the US, there are areas where they have substantial differences but there are also areas where they have worked closely. That&rsquo;s the new way. If we want to ensure the success of this interdependent world, I think countries need to cooperate but at the same time we also need to ensure that there is a respect for international norms and international rules.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
That said, some of his critics insist that Modi seeks to bring India closer to the US than ever before, a process that was set in motion by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and consolidated by Manmohan Singh, another former Prime Minister. In their defence, the proponents of a robust India-US relationship say that India and the US are friends or partners, not allies. Here, what is unmistakable, and ironical, too, is that the rehabilitation of Modi from his pariah status of yore has run concurrently to the consummation of the India-US strategic partnership. Modi will get an opportunity to burnish his non-aligned credentials when he travels to Venezuela for the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in September. Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz of Venezuela is expected to visit India soon for talks on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of interest to both countries. It should prove a litmus test for Modi, who has found it hard to shake off his, in his own words, &quot;a special friendship, a special wavelength&quot; with Obama, who, incidentally is accused of meddling in Venezuela&#39;s domestic affairs. 
&nbsp; 
US presidential hopeful Donald Trump has described Nato as a Cold War relic. Will Modi do the same to NAM? Watch this space.

New Delhi has moved far away from the policy of non-alignment but is in denial

It's a paradox that has confounded many. The United States and India have a lot in common, not least their commitment to democratic values. Yet they remained estranged democracies at the best of times. This, in spite of the enormous goodwill among their peoples. In contrast, India's ties with Israel have been marked by good government-to-government relations even when their people-to-people ties haven't really taken off. As the joke went, for years on end, India treated Israel as a mistress to be hidden away. Under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's bilateral relations with Israel have come out of the closet but - and herein lies the paradox - its ties with the US are increasingly spoken about in whispers; a nudge there and a wink here. Now, one may ascribe it to caution on the part of New Delhi not to tweak the Dragon's tail but it is apparent to the discerning that India and the US are trying, perhaps too hard, not to show their hand. Although Modi told the US Congress that the India-US relationship has overcome the hesitations of history, India's faith in non-alignment remains undiminished, or so it is claimed. Modi himself made the point in a 26 May interview to The Wall Street Journal. In it he said: "There is no reason to change India’s non-alignment policy that is a legacy and has been in place. But this is true that today, unlike before, India is not standing in a corner. It is the world’s largest democracy and fastest growing economy. We are acutely conscious of our responsibilities both in the region and internationally." India is a founding-member of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was established in 1961 primarily to allow countries to not be formally aligned with or against any power bloc. It would not be an exaggeration to say that India's fascination with non-alignment or in other words strategic autonomy has endured to this day. It reared its head most recently in 2012 after the India-US civil nuclear deal was signed. A document, titled "Nonalignment 2.0: A foreign and strategic policy for India in the twenty first century", published by a privately funded think tank but co-authored by retired diplomats, among others, cautioned New Delhi against abandoning a principle that has stood the test of time and served India well over the decades. It sought to make the point that the demise of the Cold War opens up yet another minefield which India must negotiate and which will require it to manage complicated coalitions and opportunities in an environment that is not structurally settled. Modi amplified similar sentiments in the interview: "There was an age when the world was divided into two camps. That is not true anymore. Today, the whole world is interdependent. Even if you look at the relationship between China and the US, there are areas where they have substantial differences but there are also areas where they have worked closely. That’s the new way. If we want to ensure the success of this interdependent world, I think countries need to cooperate but at the same time we also need to ensure that there is a respect for international norms and international rules." That said, some of his critics insist that Modi seeks to bring India closer to the US than ever before, a process that was set in motion by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and consolidated by Manmohan Singh, another former Prime Minister. In their defence, the proponents of a robust India-US relationship say that India and the US are friends or partners, not allies. Here, what is unmistakable, and ironical, too, is that the rehabilitation of Modi from his pariah status of yore has run concurrently to the consummation of the India-US strategic partnership. Modi will get an opportunity to burnish his non-aligned credentials when he travels to Venezuela for the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in September. Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz of Venezuela is expected to visit India soon for talks on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of interest to both countries. It should prove a litmus test for Modi, who has found it hard to shake off his, in his own words, "a special friendship, a special wavelength" with Obama, who, incidentally is accused of meddling in Venezuela's domestic affairs. US presidential hopeful Donald Trump has described Nato as a Cold War relic. Will Modi do the same to NAM? Watch this space.

India and the US: In a relationship, but it?s complicated

NATO today appointed Rose Gottemoeller as deputy head of the US-led alliance, the first woman to hold the post, a statement said. 
 
Gottemoeller is a career US diplomat whose nomination to the NATO post in March by President Barack Obama ran into stiff Republican criticism that she was too soft on Russia. 
 
&quot;I am delighted to announce the appointment of Rose Gottemoeller, who will bring to NATO a wealth of experience in international security policy, and in areas such as arms control and relations with Russia,&quot; alliance head Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. 
 
Stoltenberg said the appointment of the first woman to the deputy post was a &quot;milestone&quot; for NATO. 
 
The Ukraine crisis and Russia`s 2014 annexation of Crimea have plunged relations into a deep freeze, with NATO responding by launching a major revamp to counter a more assertive Moscow. 
 
Gottemoeller, currently under secretary for arms control and international security, will replace Alexander Vershbow, another career US diplomat, in October. 
 
(AFP)

Rose Gottemoeller, currently under secretary for arms control and international security, will replace Alexander Vershbow

NATO today appointed Rose Gottemoeller as deputy head of the US-led alliance, the first woman to hold the post, a statement said. Gottemoeller is a career US diplomat whose nomination to the NATO post in March by President Barack Obama ran into stiff Republican criticism that she was too soft on Russia. "I am delighted to announce the appointment of Rose Gottemoeller, who will bring to NATO a wealth of experience in international security policy, and in areas such as arms control and relations with Russia," alliance head Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. Stoltenberg said the appointment of the first woman to the deputy post was a "milestone" for NATO. The Ukraine crisis and Russia`s 2014 annexation of Crimea have plunged relations into a deep freeze, with NATO responding by launching a major revamp to counter a more assertive Moscow. Gottemoeller, currently under secretary for arms control and international security, will replace Alexander Vershbow, another career US diplomat, in October. (AFP)

NATO appoints first woman as deputy head

Top US diplomat John Kerry will fly to Brussels and London on Monday for talks with Washington&#39;s key allies in the aftermath of Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union. 
 
US officials travelling to Rome with the secretary of state told reporters on the flight that two stops had been added to his European itinerary at the last moment. 
 
&quot;Tomorrow we&#39;ll go to Brussels and then on to London,&quot; one official said. 
 
Washington was dismayed last week when British voters chose to leave the European Union, a decision that triggered global economic uncertainty and fears other EU members will follow suit. 
 
President Barack Obama had made clear his concern about the Brexit referendum, and now US officials are scrambling to try to stop the political crisis harming Western unity. 
 
Kerry arrived in Rome today on a planned visit to have lunch with Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and a working dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 
 
But officials on his flight said that on Monday he would fly on to the EU headquarters in Brussels for crisis talks with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. 
 
Mogherini had been expected to meet Kerry in Rome today, but she was busy dealing with the fallout of the dramatic vote, which stunned European and world leaders. 
 
From Brussels Kerry will continue to London to see Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and other officials from outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron`s government. 
 
The two senior diplomats are expected to hold a joint news conference before Kerry leaves to return to Washington. 
 
Obama and Kerry have been at pains to insist the vaunted &quot;special relationship&quot; between Washington and London will survive what US officials view as the Brexit debacle.But Washington foreign policy experts are all but unanimous in assessing that the White House will increasingly turn to core EU allies to defend its interests on the continent. 
 
Obama himself, on a visit to London last month, warned British voters that their nation would go &quot;to the back of the queue&quot; for a US trade deal if they voted &quot;out.&quot; 
 
US officials are also keen to help London`s divorce from Brussels go through smoothly without further inflicting further damage on skittish world financial markets. 
 
But they, like many EU capitals, are also concerned not to allow Brexit to serve as an inspiration for eurosceptic forces in other members such as Italy or The Netherlands. 
 
The London visit will be the first by a senior US official since Thursday`s dramatic referendum, when voters demanded Britain leave the world`s richest trading bloc.&nbsp; 
 
Kerry&#39;s trip had originally been planned as an opportunity to meet Netanyahu and discuss regional security and the stalled Israel-Palestinian peace process. 
 
But US officials played down the chance of any concrete progress, insisting that the pair meet regularly and that no new initiative would be on the table.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

London visit will be the first by John Kerry after the referendum when voters demanded Britain leave the world's richest trading bloc

Top US diplomat John Kerry will fly to Brussels and London on Monday for talks with Washington's key allies in the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave the European Union. US officials travelling to Rome with the secretary of state told reporters on the flight that two stops had been added to his European itinerary at the last moment. "Tomorrow we'll go to Brussels and then on to London," one official said. Washington was dismayed last week when British voters chose to leave the European Union, a decision that triggered global economic uncertainty and fears other EU members will follow suit. President Barack Obama had made clear his concern about the Brexit referendum, and now US officials are scrambling to try to stop the political crisis harming Western unity. Kerry arrived in Rome today on a planned visit to have lunch with Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and a working dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But officials on his flight said that on Monday he would fly on to the EU headquarters in Brussels for crisis talks with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. Mogherini had been expected to meet Kerry in Rome today, but she was busy dealing with the fallout of the dramatic vote, which stunned European and world leaders. From Brussels Kerry will continue to London to see Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and other officials from outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron`s government. The two senior diplomats are expected to hold a joint news conference before Kerry leaves to return to Washington. Obama and Kerry have been at pains to insist the vaunted "special relationship" between Washington and London will survive what US officials view as the Brexit debacle.But Washington foreign policy experts are all but unanimous in assessing that the White House will increasingly turn to core EU allies to defend its interests on the continent. Obama himself, on a visit to London last month, warned British voters that their nation would go "to the back of the queue" for a US trade deal if they voted "out." US officials are also keen to help London`s divorce from Brussels go through smoothly without further inflicting further damage on skittish world financial markets. But they, like many EU capitals, are also concerned not to allow Brexit to serve as an inspiration for eurosceptic forces in other members such as Italy or The Netherlands. The London visit will be the first by a senior US official since Thursday`s dramatic referendum, when voters demanded Britain leave the world`s richest trading bloc. Kerry's trip had originally been planned as an opportunity to meet Netanyahu and discuss regional security and the stalled Israel-Palestinian peace process. But US officials played down the chance of any concrete progress, insisting that the pair meet regularly and that no new initiative would be on the table. (AFP)

Top US envoy Kerry heads to Britain amid Brexit crisis

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