Heavy fighting between Islamic State (IS) militants and government security forces has claimed dozens of lives in eastern Afghanistan, officials said today. 
 
In recent months insurgents claiming allegiance to Islamic State had largely appeared to be bottled up in a mountainous area along the border with Pakistan under threat of US air strikes. 
 
The latest attacks indicate the group remains a potent threat to a government already battling an insurgency dominated by the rival Taliban. 
 
At least a dozen Afghan security forces and civilians had been killed, with another 18 wounded, Nangarhar province governor Saleem Khan Kunduzi said in a statement. 
 
Local officials claimed more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days, even though exact figures varied and could not be independently verified. 
 
&quot;There is no doubt that Daesh (IS) do not respect anyone,&quot; Kunduzi said, using a common term for Islamic State. &quot;They kill people, regardless of whether they&#39;re a child or a woman. They burn down madrasas, mosques and schools.&quot; 
 
As many as 25 homes had been burned down in Kowt district, and five civilians were reported kidnapped, Nangarhar officials said. 
 
Hundreds of police and soldiers are engaged in the area with reinforcements on the way, provincial police chief Zarawar Zahid said. 
 
At a small event today in Kabul, the head of Afghanistan&#39;s civil society federation, Sediq Ansari, blamed local leaders for being negligent in the face of Islamic State threats and called on them to be suspended. 
 
&quot;They should be accountable for every drop of blood that has been shed in Nangarhar so it becomes a lesson to other officials,&quot; he told gathered reporters. 
 
Militants linked to Islamic State have not made as much progress in Afghanistan as in Syria and Iraq, where the group seized major cities and wide swaths of territory and attracted thousands of recruits. 
 
In Afghanistan, the group is thought to consist mostly of disaffected members of other insurgent movements, including the Taliban, who have often battled Islamic State for control of areas in Nangarhar. 
 
In January, US President Barack Obama gave US forces in Afghanistan more freedom to attack Islamic State targets, leading to a spike in air strikes and other operations, especially in Nangarhar. 
 
No coalition forces have been involved in the latest fighting, spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said. 
 
(Reuters)

According to local officials, more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days

Heavy fighting between Islamic State (IS) militants and government security forces has claimed dozens of lives in eastern Afghanistan, officials said today. In recent months insurgents claiming allegiance to Islamic State had largely appeared to be bottled up in a mountainous area along the border with Pakistan under threat of US air strikes. The latest attacks indicate the group remains a potent threat to a government already battling an insurgency dominated by the rival Taliban. At least a dozen Afghan security forces and civilians had been killed, with another 18 wounded, Nangarhar province governor Saleem Khan Kunduzi said in a statement. Local officials claimed more than 100 Islamic State fighters had been killed in fighting in Nangarhar over the past three days, even though exact figures varied and could not be independently verified. "There is no doubt that Daesh (IS) do not respect anyone," Kunduzi said, using a common term for Islamic State. "They kill people, regardless of whether they're a child or a woman. They burn down madrasas, mosques and schools." As many as 25 homes had been burned down in Kowt district, and five civilians were reported kidnapped, Nangarhar officials said. Hundreds of police and soldiers are engaged in the area with reinforcements on the way, provincial police chief Zarawar Zahid said. At a small event today in Kabul, the head of Afghanistan's civil society federation, Sediq Ansari, blamed local leaders for being negligent in the face of Islamic State threats and called on them to be suspended. "They should be accountable for every drop of blood that has been shed in Nangarhar so it becomes a lesson to other officials," he told gathered reporters. Militants linked to Islamic State have not made as much progress in Afghanistan as in Syria and Iraq, where the group seized major cities and wide swaths of territory and attracted thousands of recruits. In Afghanistan, the group is thought to consist mostly of disaffected members of other insurgent movements, including the Taliban, who have often battled Islamic State for control of areas in Nangarhar. In January, US President Barack Obama gave US forces in Afghanistan more freedom to attack Islamic State targets, leading to a spike in air strikes and other operations, especially in Nangarhar. No coalition forces have been involved in the latest fighting, spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said. (Reuters)

Islamic State militants launch new attacks in eastern Afghanistan

The US Supreme Court on Thursday blocked President Barack Obama&#39;s plan to spare millions of immigrants in the country illegally from deportation in a split ruling that heartened political foes who had accused him of overstepping his powers. 
 
The 4-4 ruling, coming seven months before Obama&#39;s term in office ends, marked the latest success that his Republican adversaries have had in thwarting a major policy initiative of the Democratic president. Obama had hoped that overhauling the US immigration system and resolving the fate of the estimated 11 million people in the country illegally would be part of his presidential legacy. 
 
The ruling is likely to further amplify the role that the immigration issue will play in the run-up to the November 8 presidential election in which voters will pick Obama&#39;s successor. It also leaves in legal limbo the roughly 4 million people Obama&#39;s action was meant to help. 
 
Obama unveiled his plan in November 2014. It was quickly challenged in court by Republican-governed Texas and 25 other states that argued that Obama overstepped the powers granted to him by the US Constitution by infringing upon the authority of Congress. His unilateral executive action bypassed the Republican-led Congress. 
 
Because the court was split, a 2015 lower-court ruling invalidating Obama&#39;s plan was left in place. The plan never was implemented because the lower courts had blocked it. 
 
The plan was tailored to let roughly 4 million people - those who have lived illegally in the United States at least since 2010, have no criminal record and have children who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents - get into a programme that shields them from deportation and supplies work permits. 
 
A split ruling was possible because the court was down to eight justices, four liberals and four conservatives, after conservative justice Antonin Scalia died in February. The Republican-led Senate has refused to act on Obama&#39;s nomination of appeals court judge Merrick Garland to replace Scalia. 
 
In an appearance at the White House after the ruling, Obama expressed frustration at the court&#39;s inability to issue a decisive ruling on the merits of the case and at Senate Republicans for &quot;wilfully&quot; keeping the court shorthanded. 
 
&quot;I think it is heartbreaking for the millions of immigrants who made their lives here, who&#39;ve raised families here, who hope for the opportunity to work, pay taxes, serve in our military, and fully contribute to this country we all love in an open way,&quot; Obama said. 
 
Obama said the U.S. immigration system has been broken for two decades and that this ruling set it back even further. 
 
The issue of illegal immigration has featured prominently in the presidential campaign. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has called for deportation of all illegal immigrants - most of them from Mexico and other Latin American countries - and building a wall along the Mexican border. 
 
The court did not reveal how each justice voted in the ruling, but it was possible the four liberals backed Obama and the four conservatives backed the states. 
 
The court appeared divided along ideological lines during oral arguments on April 18, with liberals indicating support for the administration and conservative opposed. 
 
 
&#39;Major setback&#39; 
The nation&#39;s top elected Republican, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, and others in his party welcomed the ruling. 
 
&quot;This is a major setback to President Obama&rsquo;s attempts to expand executive power, and a victory for those who believe in the separation of powers and the rule of law,&quot; said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican. 
 
The Constitution assigns certain powers to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government. 
 
The split decision set no nationwide legal precedent on presidential power or immigration law. The ruling indicates that any major immigration policy change that would address the long-term situation of illegal immigrants would have to be enacted by Congress. 
 
&quot;We feel that justice has turned its back on millions of immigrants who, much like our founding fathers and mothers, sought a better future for themselves and their children and yet continue to live in the shadows without the respect and dignity that they deserve,&quot; said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, a spokesman for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. 
 
The Obama administration could ask the high court to rehear the case, as losing parties in two other cases in which the court has split 4-4 have done. The court has not yet acted on those other petitions. 
 
The Supreme Court decision does not affect a separate 2012 programme aimed at protecting people brought to the United States as children from deportation, which Texas and the other states did not challenge. 
 
Obama took the action after House Republicans killed bipartisan immigration legislation, billed as the biggest overhaul of U.S. laws on the matter in decades and providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, that was passed by the Senate in 2013. 
 
Maya Ledezma, an immigrant from Mexico who lives in Maryland, said would have been eligible for Obama&#39;s programme because she has lived in the United States for more than a decade and has an 8-year-old daughter who is a U.S. citizen. 
 
&ldquo;My life would have changed if the vote had been favourable,&rdquo; she said through a translator during a rally outside the Supreme Court. 
 
Republicans have been critical of Obama&#39;s use of executive action to get around Congress on immigration policy and other issues such as gun control and healthcare. 
 
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton criticized the ruling for &quot;throwing millions of families across our country into a state of uncertainty.&quot; Trump said the ruling &quot;blocked one of the most unconstitutional actions ever undertaken by a president.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Programme would have shielded 4 million people -- who have lived illegally in the US since 2010, have no criminal record -- from deportation

The US Supreme Court on Thursday blocked President Barack Obama's plan to spare millions of immigrants in the country illegally from deportation in a split ruling that heartened political foes who had accused him of overstepping his powers. The 4-4 ruling, coming seven months before Obama's term in office ends, marked the latest success that his Republican adversaries have had in thwarting a major policy initiative of the Democratic president. Obama had hoped that overhauling the US immigration system and resolving the fate of the estimated 11 million people in the country illegally would be part of his presidential legacy. The ruling is likely to further amplify the role that the immigration issue will play in the run-up to the November 8 presidential election in which voters will pick Obama's successor. It also leaves in legal limbo the roughly 4 million people Obama's action was meant to help. Obama unveiled his plan in November 2014. It was quickly challenged in court by Republican-governed Texas and 25 other states that argued that Obama overstepped the powers granted to him by the US Constitution by infringing upon the authority of Congress. His unilateral executive action bypassed the Republican-led Congress. Because the court was split, a 2015 lower-court ruling invalidating Obama's plan was left in place. The plan never was implemented because the lower courts had blocked it. The plan was tailored to let roughly 4 million people - those who have lived illegally in the United States at least since 2010, have no criminal record and have children who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents - get into a programme that shields them from deportation and supplies work permits. A split ruling was possible because the court was down to eight justices, four liberals and four conservatives, after conservative justice Antonin Scalia died in February. The Republican-led Senate has refused to act on Obama's nomination of appeals court judge Merrick Garland to replace Scalia. In an appearance at the White House after the ruling, Obama expressed frustration at the court's inability to issue a decisive ruling on the merits of the case and at Senate Republicans for "wilfully" keeping the court shorthanded. "I think it is heartbreaking for the millions of immigrants who made their lives here, who've raised families here, who hope for the opportunity to work, pay taxes, serve in our military, and fully contribute to this country we all love in an open way," Obama said. Obama said the U.S. immigration system has been broken for two decades and that this ruling set it back even further. The issue of illegal immigration has featured prominently in the presidential campaign. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has called for deportation of all illegal immigrants - most of them from Mexico and other Latin American countries - and building a wall along the Mexican border. The court did not reveal how each justice voted in the ruling, but it was possible the four liberals backed Obama and the four conservatives backed the states. The court appeared divided along ideological lines during oral arguments on April 18, with liberals indicating support for the administration and conservative opposed. 'Major setback' The nation's top elected Republican, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, and others in his party welcomed the ruling. "This is a major setback to President Obama’s attempts to expand executive power, and a victory for those who believe in the separation of powers and the rule of law," said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican. The Constitution assigns certain powers to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government. The split decision set no nationwide legal precedent on presidential power or immigration law. The ruling indicates that any major immigration policy change that would address the long-term situation of illegal immigrants would have to be enacted by Congress. "We feel that justice has turned its back on millions of immigrants who, much like our founding fathers and mothers, sought a better future for themselves and their children and yet continue to live in the shadows without the respect and dignity that they deserve," said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, a spokesman for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. The Obama administration could ask the high court to rehear the case, as losing parties in two other cases in which the court has split 4-4 have done. The court has not yet acted on those other petitions. The Supreme Court decision does not affect a separate 2012 programme aimed at protecting people brought to the United States as children from deportation, which Texas and the other states did not challenge. Obama took the action after House Republicans killed bipartisan immigration legislation, billed as the biggest overhaul of U.S. laws on the matter in decades and providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, that was passed by the Senate in 2013. Maya Ledezma, an immigrant from Mexico who lives in Maryland, said would have been eligible for Obama's programme because she has lived in the United States for more than a decade and has an 8-year-old daughter who is a U.S. citizen. “My life would have changed if the vote had been favourable,” she said through a translator during a rally outside the Supreme Court. Republicans have been critical of Obama's use of executive action to get around Congress on immigration policy and other issues such as gun control and healthcare. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton criticized the ruling for "throwing millions of families across our country into a state of uncertainty." Trump said the ruling "blocked one of the most unconstitutional actions ever undertaken by a president." (Reuters)

Split US Supreme Court blocks Obama immigration plan

A heroin &quot;epidemic&quot; is gripping the United States, where cheap supply has helped push the number of users to a 20-year high, increasing drug-related deaths, the United Nations said today. 
 
According to the U.N.&#39;s World Drug Report 2016, the number of heroin users in the United States reached around one million in 2014, almost three times as many as in 2003. Heroin-related deaths there have increased five-fold since 2000. 
 
&quot;There is really a huge epidemic (of) heroin in the U.S.,&quot; said Angela Me, the chief researcher for the report which released today. 
 
&quot;It is the highest definitely in the last 20 years,&quot; Me said, adding that the trend was continuing. 
 
The rise could be linked to U.S. legislation introduced in recent years which makes it harder to abuse prescription opioids such as oxicodone, a powerful painkiller that can have similar effects to heroin, Me said. 
 
The law meant the texture of the pills was changed to make it more difficult to crush them and inject them into the blood stream, Me said. 
 
&quot;This has caused a partial shift from the misuse of these prescription opioids to heroin.&quot; 
 
Another reason for the increase in the use of heroin, which in the United States mainly comes from Mexico and Colombia, is greater supply that has depressed prices in recent years, Me said. 
 
The United States has also seen a spike in deaths related to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more so than morphine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
 
Fentanyl has been named as the drug that killed pop singer Prince this year. 
 
At least 207,000 deaths globally were drug-related in 2014, with heroin use and overdose-related deaths increasing sharply also over the last two years, according to the Vienna-based U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). 
 
&quot;Heroin continues to be the drug that kills the most people and this resurgence must be addressed urgently,&quot; Yury Fedotov, the executive director of the UNODC, said. 
 
U.S. President Barack Obama earlier this year asked Congress for $1.1 billion in new funding over two years to expand treatment for users of heroin and prescription painkillers. 
 
(Reuters)

At least 207,000 deaths globally were drug-related in 2014, with heroin use and overdose-related deaths increased in last two years

A heroin "epidemic" is gripping the United States, where cheap supply has helped push the number of users to a 20-year high, increasing drug-related deaths, the United Nations said today. According to the U.N.'s World Drug Report 2016, the number of heroin users in the United States reached around one million in 2014, almost three times as many as in 2003. Heroin-related deaths there have increased five-fold since 2000. "There is really a huge epidemic (of) heroin in the U.S.," said Angela Me, the chief researcher for the report which released today. "It is the highest definitely in the last 20 years," Me said, adding that the trend was continuing. The rise could be linked to U.S. legislation introduced in recent years which makes it harder to abuse prescription opioids such as oxicodone, a powerful painkiller that can have similar effects to heroin, Me said. The law meant the texture of the pills was changed to make it more difficult to crush them and inject them into the blood stream, Me said. "This has caused a partial shift from the misuse of these prescription opioids to heroin." Another reason for the increase in the use of heroin, which in the United States mainly comes from Mexico and Colombia, is greater supply that has depressed prices in recent years, Me said. The United States has also seen a spike in deaths related to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more so than morphine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fentanyl has been named as the drug that killed pop singer Prince this year. At least 207,000 deaths globally were drug-related in 2014, with heroin use and overdose-related deaths increasing sharply also over the last two years, according to the Vienna-based U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). "Heroin continues to be the drug that kills the most people and this resurgence must be addressed urgently," Yury Fedotov, the executive director of the UNODC, said. U.S. President Barack Obama earlier this year asked Congress for $1.1 billion in new funding over two years to expand treatment for users of heroin and prescription painkillers. (Reuters)

Heroin use at 20-year high in U.S. drug "epidemic", U.N. says

A top US lawmaker said today authorities were probing the Facebook activity of the Orlando nightclub shooter, after an investigation found Omar Mateen made extremist posts during the massacre and searched for news of his attack. 
 
Ron Johnson, the Republican chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg Wednesday asking the company to share specifics of five accounts apparently used by Mateen. 
 
Lawmakers are trying to determine if there are ways for intelligence and law enforcement communities to monitor social media platforms like Facebook &quot;so that we can prevent these tragedies,&quot; Johnson told CNN today. 
 
&quot;This is our job, to see what has happened in the past, what can we possibly do to prevent this from occurring in the future and how can we find bipartisan solutions,&quot; the Republican said. 
 
Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 in his shooting spree early Sunday at the Pulse gay nightclub in the Florida resort city of Orlando. Authorities have said he was apparently radicalized after watching jihadist propaganda online. 
 
In his letter to Zuckerberg, Johnson said Mateen apparently posted sometime during the attack that he was pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group&#39;s leader, and &quot;America and Russia stop bombing the Islamic state.&quot; 
 
He also allegedly posted: &quot;The real muslims will never accept the filthy ways of the west&quot; and &quot;In the next few days you will see attacks from the Islamic state in the USA.&quot; 
Mateen also allegedly searched for &quot;Pulse Orlando&quot; and &quot;Shooting,&quot; Johnson said. 
 
A Facebook spokeswoman confirmed the company has received the senator&#39;s letter, which asked Facebook to provide investigators with details of Mateen&#39;s Facebook accounts and activity. 
 
She said Facebook had not yet responded to the request but has been working with law enforcement from the outset of the investigation. 
Today, CNN reported that Mateen&#39;s wife suspected he was going to carry out an attack that night, even though he told her he was going out to see a friend. 
 
When the news of the shooting broke, 30-year-old Noor Mateen called him frantically, CNN said, citing unidentified sources. He didn&#39;t pick up, but texted her about 4am asking if she had seen the news. 
 
She responded: &quot;I love you,&quot; the report said. 
 
Authorities have refused to comment on reports that Mateen&#39;s wife would face charges over her alleged knowledge of Mateen&#39;s intentions to carry out an attack. 
(AFP)

He had made extremist posts during the attack. Also texted his wife asking if she had seen the news, she reportedly replied 'I love you'

A top US lawmaker said today authorities were probing the Facebook activity of the Orlando nightclub shooter, after an investigation found Omar Mateen made extremist posts during the massacre and searched for news of his attack. Ron Johnson, the Republican chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg Wednesday asking the company to share specifics of five accounts apparently used by Mateen. Lawmakers are trying to determine if there are ways for intelligence and law enforcement communities to monitor social media platforms like Facebook "so that we can prevent these tragedies," Johnson told CNN today. "This is our job, to see what has happened in the past, what can we possibly do to prevent this from occurring in the future and how can we find bipartisan solutions," the Republican said. Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 in his shooting spree early Sunday at the Pulse gay nightclub in the Florida resort city of Orlando. Authorities have said he was apparently radicalized after watching jihadist propaganda online. In his letter to Zuckerberg, Johnson said Mateen apparently posted sometime during the attack that he was pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group's leader, and "America and Russia stop bombing the Islamic state." He also allegedly posted: "The real muslims will never accept the filthy ways of the west" and "In the next few days you will see attacks from the Islamic state in the USA." Mateen also allegedly searched for "Pulse Orlando" and "Shooting," Johnson said. A Facebook spokeswoman confirmed the company has received the senator's letter, which asked Facebook to provide investigators with details of Mateen's Facebook accounts and activity. She said Facebook had not yet responded to the request but has been working with law enforcement from the outset of the investigation. Today, CNN reported that Mateen's wife suspected he was going to carry out an attack that night, even though he told her he was going out to see a friend. When the news of the shooting broke, 30-year-old Noor Mateen called him frantically, CNN said, citing unidentified sources. He didn't pick up, but texted her about 4am asking if she had seen the news. She responded: "I love you," the report said. Authorities have refused to comment on reports that Mateen's wife would face charges over her alleged knowledge of Mateen's intentions to carry out an attack. (AFP)

Authorities probe Mateen's Facebook activity

President Barack Obama travelled to grief-stricken Orlando today, meeting loved ones devastated by a shooting rampage and using his bully pulpit to demand that the Republican-controlled Congress pass gun control. 
 
Four days after the worst mass shooting in US history, Obama made a solemn pilgrimage to meet staff at the Pulse nightclub, emergency responders and some of the dozens of families shattered by gunman Omar Mateen. 
 
Forty-nine people were killed and 53 wounded when the 29-year-old Mateen -- a Muslim American of Afghan descent -- ran amok in a packed gay nightclub early Sunday, armed with a legally bought assault rifle. 
 
Mateen -- who pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State group during the attack -- was killed in a police raid. 
 
But his assault has fueled America&#39;s poisonous partisan culture wars, prompting new salvos in bitter election-year rows over immigration, counterterrorism and guns. 
 
After meeting the victims&#39; families, Obama said &quot;our hearts are broken too&quot; and insisted the tone of the country&#39;s hyper-partisan debate on firearms &quot;needs to change.&quot; 
 
Relatives of the victims &quot;don&#39;t care about the politics. And neither do I,&quot; he said. 
 
The Republican-controlled Congress has steadfastly refused to pass any gun legislation, saying to do so would infringe on the constitutional rights of gun owners. 
 
Frustrated Democrats took to the Senate floor on Wednesday to launch a procedural obstruction, known as a filibuster, to pressure Republicans to accept so-called &quot;no-fly, no buy&quot; legislation that would bar those on watch lists or no-fly lists from purchasing firearms. 
 
The move was a success, and votes were set for next week. 
 
- Can&#39;t catch every &#39;deranged person&#39; - 
Understanding of the shooting has been muddied by witnesses who say Mateen was a regular at the gay club and used gay dating apps. Investigators were looking into Mateen&#39;s social media activity for more clues. 
 
Ron Johnson, the Republican chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, said in a letter to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg that his investigators had found Mateen apparently made a post sometime during the attack that he was pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group&#39;s leader, and &quot;America and Russia stop bombing the Islamic state.&quot; 
 
He also allegedly posted: &quot;The real muslims will never accept the filthy ways of the west&quot; and &quot;In the next few days you will see attacks from the Islamic state in the usa.&quot; 
 
Johnson was asking Zuckerberg to share details of five accounts apparently used by Mateen. 
 
&quot;The motives of this killer may have been different than the mass shooters in Aurora or Newtown,&quot; Obama said, listing two in the litany of mass shootings that have marked his presidency. 
 
&quot;But the instruments of death were so similar. And now another 49 innocent people are dead. Another 53 are injured. Some are still fighting for their lives. Some will have wounds that will last a lifetime.&quot; 
 
Obama insisted the military would tackle the Islamic State group, al-Qaeda and other extremist groups in their hideouts, and intelligence services would work to disrupt such networks. 
 
But, he warned, the government could not catch every &quot;deranged person.&quot; 
 
&quot;We can do something about the amount of damage that they do,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Unfortunately our politics have conspired to make it as easy as possible for a terrorist or just a disturbed individual like those in Aurora and Newtown to buy extraordinarily powerful weapons and they can do so legally.&quot; 
 
- Rare bipartisanship - 
The day was meant to be about unity. 
 
In a rare symbolic show of bipartisanship, Obama arrived with Republican one-time presidential hopeful Marco Rubio and was greeted on the tarmac by Republican Florida governor Rick Scott and Vice President Joe Biden. 
 
But any goodwill was blown apart when Senator John McCain said Obama -- his general election rival in 2008 -- was &quot;directly responsible&quot; for the massacre. 
 
McCain later said he had meant to suggest that Obama&#39;s policies in the Middle East were to blame, not the president personally. 
 
In response to the shooting, Republicans have called for tougher counterterrorism measures and for the Obama administration to do more to fight the Islamic State group. 
 
FBI agents believe that Mateen was radicalized by following extremist propaganda online. 
 
The White House says coalition forces and allies are making gains against the group&#39;s strongholds in Syria, Iraq and Libya. 
 
But Republican arguments were given credence by Obama&#39;s own CIA director John Brennan, who warned today that the group retains the ability to conduct attacks around the world. 
 
&quot;Unfortunately, despite all our progress against ISIL on the battlefield and in the financial realm, our efforts have not reduced the group&#39;s terrorism capability and global reach,&quot; he told US lawmakers at a hearing on Capitol Hill. 
(AFP)

Meets grief-stricken families, Pulse nightclub staff, says 'our hearts are broken too'

President Barack Obama travelled to grief-stricken Orlando today, meeting loved ones devastated by a shooting rampage and using his bully pulpit to demand that the Republican-controlled Congress pass gun control. Four days after the worst mass shooting in US history, Obama made a solemn pilgrimage to meet staff at the Pulse nightclub, emergency responders and some of the dozens of families shattered by gunman Omar Mateen. Forty-nine people were killed and 53 wounded when the 29-year-old Mateen -- a Muslim American of Afghan descent -- ran amok in a packed gay nightclub early Sunday, armed with a legally bought assault rifle. Mateen -- who pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State group during the attack -- was killed in a police raid. But his assault has fueled America's poisonous partisan culture wars, prompting new salvos in bitter election-year rows over immigration, counterterrorism and guns. After meeting the victims' families, Obama said "our hearts are broken too" and insisted the tone of the country's hyper-partisan debate on firearms "needs to change." Relatives of the victims "don't care about the politics. And neither do I," he said. The Republican-controlled Congress has steadfastly refused to pass any gun legislation, saying to do so would infringe on the constitutional rights of gun owners. Frustrated Democrats took to the Senate floor on Wednesday to launch a procedural obstruction, known as a filibuster, to pressure Republicans to accept so-called "no-fly, no buy" legislation that would bar those on watch lists or no-fly lists from purchasing firearms. The move was a success, and votes were set for next week. - Can't catch every 'deranged person' - Understanding of the shooting has been muddied by witnesses who say Mateen was a regular at the gay club and used gay dating apps. Investigators were looking into Mateen's social media activity for more clues. Ron Johnson, the Republican chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, said in a letter to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg that his investigators had found Mateen apparently made a post sometime during the attack that he was pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group's leader, and "America and Russia stop bombing the Islamic state." He also allegedly posted: "The real muslims will never accept the filthy ways of the west" and "In the next few days you will see attacks from the Islamic state in the usa." Johnson was asking Zuckerberg to share details of five accounts apparently used by Mateen. "The motives of this killer may have been different than the mass shooters in Aurora or Newtown," Obama said, listing two in the litany of mass shootings that have marked his presidency. "But the instruments of death were so similar. And now another 49 innocent people are dead. Another 53 are injured. Some are still fighting for their lives. Some will have wounds that will last a lifetime." Obama insisted the military would tackle the Islamic State group, al-Qaeda and other extremist groups in their hideouts, and intelligence services would work to disrupt such networks. But, he warned, the government could not catch every "deranged person." "We can do something about the amount of damage that they do," he said. "Unfortunately our politics have conspired to make it as easy as possible for a terrorist or just a disturbed individual like those in Aurora and Newtown to buy extraordinarily powerful weapons and they can do so legally." - Rare bipartisanship - The day was meant to be about unity. In a rare symbolic show of bipartisanship, Obama arrived with Republican one-time presidential hopeful Marco Rubio and was greeted on the tarmac by Republican Florida governor Rick Scott and Vice President Joe Biden. But any goodwill was blown apart when Senator John McCain said Obama -- his general election rival in 2008 -- was "directly responsible" for the massacre. McCain later said he had meant to suggest that Obama's policies in the Middle East were to blame, not the president personally. In response to the shooting, Republicans have called for tougher counterterrorism measures and for the Obama administration to do more to fight the Islamic State group. FBI agents believe that Mateen was radicalized by following extremist propaganda online. The White House says coalition forces and allies are making gains against the group's strongholds in Syria, Iraq and Libya. But Republican arguments were given credence by Obama's own CIA director John Brennan, who warned today that the group retains the ability to conduct attacks around the world. "Unfortunately, despite all our progress against ISIL on the battlefield and in the financial realm, our efforts have not reduced the group's terrorism capability and global reach," he told US lawmakers at a hearing on Capitol Hill. (AFP)

Obama travels to Orlando, says gun debate 'needs to change'

US President Barack Obama will meet the Dalai Lama at the White House today, a move certain to anger China which considers the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader a dangerous separatist. 
 
Obama and the Dalai Lama will meet privately at 14:15 GMT, a White House statement said. 
 
Earlier on Tuesday, China warned the United States to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activities. 
 
In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the Dalai Lama had said it was possible he would meet Obama, and on Tuesday Taiwan announced that its new president would make a transit stop in the United States next week. 
 
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said both issues touched on the &quot;one China&quot; policy, a basic diplomatic tenet referring to both Taiwan and Tibet being part of China that Beijing insists foreign governments recognise. 
 
Lu said the United States had said it opposed Taiwan&#39;s independence and recognised that Tibet was an inseparable part of China. 
 
&quot;We demand the US government earnestly stands by its promises, conscientiously handle the relevant issue in accordance with the one China principle and not give any space to any individual or behaviour which tries to create two Chinas, one China one Taiwan, or to split China,&quot; he said. 
 
Obama met the Dalai Lama when the latter visited Washington in 2014 and angered China then when he vowed &quot;strong support&quot; for Tibetans&#39; human rights. 
 
The Dalai Lama says he wants genuine autonomy for Tibet rather than independence. 
 
He told Reuters Obama was a &quot;a long-time friend&quot; whom he admired for his work to normalise relations with Cuba, on Iran and for his recent visits to former US foe Vietnam and the site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Japan. 
 
Asked how Beijing (Peking) might respond to a meeting, the Dalai Lama said: &quot;I don&#39;t know - you should ask them. I think in Peking, we cannot as of now.. generalise. In Peking there are different views. Some people there have a more realistic view. Some are more hardline, which is more narrow-minded.&quot; 
 
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will transit in Miami on her way to Panama, one of the island&#39;s few diplomatic allies, and stop over in Los Angeles on her return, Taiwan&#39;s deputy foreign minister, Javier Ching-shan Hou, said. 
 
China is suspicious of Tsai, who assumed office last month, as she is also head of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. 
 
Travel abroad is sensitive for Taiwanese leaders who have angered China as it is seen as exerting sovereignty. Tsai&#39;s trip will run from June 24 to July 2 and include Paraguay. 
(Reuters)

China warned the US to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activity in accordance with its 'one China' policy

US President Barack Obama will meet the Dalai Lama at the White House today, a move certain to anger China which considers the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader a dangerous separatist. Obama and the Dalai Lama will meet privately at 14:15 GMT, a White House statement said. Earlier on Tuesday, China warned the United States to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activities. In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the Dalai Lama had said it was possible he would meet Obama, and on Tuesday Taiwan announced that its new president would make a transit stop in the United States next week. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said both issues touched on the "one China" policy, a basic diplomatic tenet referring to both Taiwan and Tibet being part of China that Beijing insists foreign governments recognise. Lu said the United States had said it opposed Taiwan's independence and recognised that Tibet was an inseparable part of China. "We demand the US government earnestly stands by its promises, conscientiously handle the relevant issue in accordance with the one China principle and not give any space to any individual or behaviour which tries to create two Chinas, one China one Taiwan, or to split China," he said. Obama met the Dalai Lama when the latter visited Washington in 2014 and angered China then when he vowed "strong support" for Tibetans' human rights. The Dalai Lama says he wants genuine autonomy for Tibet rather than independence. He told Reuters Obama was a "a long-time friend" whom he admired for his work to normalise relations with Cuba, on Iran and for his recent visits to former US foe Vietnam and the site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Japan. Asked how Beijing (Peking) might respond to a meeting, the Dalai Lama said: "I don't know - you should ask them. I think in Peking, we cannot as of now.. generalise. In Peking there are different views. Some people there have a more realistic view. Some are more hardline, which is more narrow-minded." Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will transit in Miami on her way to Panama, one of the island's few diplomatic allies, and stop over in Los Angeles on her return, Taiwan's deputy foreign minister, Javier Ching-shan Hou, said. China is suspicious of Tsai, who assumed office last month, as she is also head of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. Travel abroad is sensitive for Taiwanese leaders who have angered China as it is seen as exerting sovereignty. Tsai's trip will run from June 24 to July 2 and include Paraguay. (Reuters)

Obama to meet the Dalai Lama at White House today

Saudi Arabia&#39;s deputy crown prince flew to the United States today for meetings with US President Barack Obama and UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, Saudi media reported. 
 
The visit of Mohammed bin Salman, whose powers include his role as defence minister, comes amid a diplomatic row with the United Nations and policy differences with the United States over the war in Syria and relations with Iran. 
 
Prince Mohammed, spearheading an ambitious plan to revamp the economy of the world&#39;s top oil exporter, will also travel to California where he is expected to meet company executives in Silicon Valley, the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper said. 
 
The royal court said in a statement late on Sunday that the prince would discuss ways of strengthening relations with the United States, which have cooled under Obama&#39;s presidency. 
 
Saudi Arabia, a leading supporter of Syrian rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad, has been critical of what it sees as foot-dragging by Washington over efforts to end the conflict. 
 
It has also urged Obama to take a tougher stand on what Riyadh sees as Iranian meddling in the affairs of Arab states. Iran denies such interference. 
 
Asharq al-Awsat quoted Saudi sources as saying that Prince Mohammed, a son of King Salman, would start his visit in New York where he was expected to meet the UN chief today. 
 
Ban said last week that Saudi Arabia had exerted &quot;unacceptable&quot; pressure on the world body after a UN report blacklisted a Saudi-led military coalition for killing children in Yemen, a charge denied by the kingdom. 
 
The United Nations removed the coalition from the list after Riyadh threatened to cut its funding of UN programs, diplomatic sources said. 
 
The prince would then meet Obama as well as secretary of state John Kerry and defence secretary Ash Carter in Washington, the newspaper said. 
 
State news agency (SPA) said that a number of senior officials, including finance minister Ibrahim Alassaf and commerce and investment minister Majid al-Qusaibi were part of a delegation accompanying Prince Mohammed, but it did not specify who he would meet during the three-day visit. 
 
Under broad economic reforms announced last week, which aim to free Saudi Arabia of its dependence on oil exports, the kingdom is seeking a big increase in foreign investment and tie-ups with foreign companies in non-oil industries including the technology sector.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil importer, is seeking tie-ups with foreign companies in non-oil industries, like the technology sector

Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince flew to the United States today for meetings with US President Barack Obama and UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, Saudi media reported. The visit of Mohammed bin Salman, whose powers include his role as defence minister, comes amid a diplomatic row with the United Nations and policy differences with the United States over the war in Syria and relations with Iran. Prince Mohammed, spearheading an ambitious plan to revamp the economy of the world's top oil exporter, will also travel to California where he is expected to meet company executives in Silicon Valley, the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper said. The royal court said in a statement late on Sunday that the prince would discuss ways of strengthening relations with the United States, which have cooled under Obama's presidency. Saudi Arabia, a leading supporter of Syrian rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad, has been critical of what it sees as foot-dragging by Washington over efforts to end the conflict. It has also urged Obama to take a tougher stand on what Riyadh sees as Iranian meddling in the affairs of Arab states. Iran denies such interference. Asharq al-Awsat quoted Saudi sources as saying that Prince Mohammed, a son of King Salman, would start his visit in New York where he was expected to meet the UN chief today. Ban said last week that Saudi Arabia had exerted "unacceptable" pressure on the world body after a UN report blacklisted a Saudi-led military coalition for killing children in Yemen, a charge denied by the kingdom. The United Nations removed the coalition from the list after Riyadh threatened to cut its funding of UN programs, diplomatic sources said. The prince would then meet Obama as well as secretary of state John Kerry and defence secretary Ash Carter in Washington, the newspaper said. State news agency (SPA) said that a number of senior officials, including finance minister Ibrahim Alassaf and commerce and investment minister Majid al-Qusaibi were part of a delegation accompanying Prince Mohammed, but it did not specify who he would meet during the three-day visit. Under broad economic reforms announced last week, which aim to free Saudi Arabia of its dependence on oil exports, the kingdom is seeking a big increase in foreign investment and tie-ups with foreign companies in non-oil industries including the technology sector.

Saudi Prince to meet Obama to strengthen diplomatic ties

Speaker of the US House of Representatives,&nbsp;Paul Ryan, has said that the Indian government is going to be America&#39;s &quot;great ally&quot;, and there is a need to nurture this relationship.
In a major foreign policy speech in which he was highly critical of President Barack Obama&#39;s policies, the US-India relationship was the only aspect of it which was appreciated by Ryan.
&quot;I think you need, in particular, specifically under Modi&#39;s leadership, and he and I have discussed this at great length yesterday, (US-India) have a great potential for the future. Particularly with the seas, in the Pacific and in the Indian Ocean, making sure that we help police the global commons and international order. Namely China building, you know, runways on islands in contested areas,&quot; Ryan said.

He said this in the speech at the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress at his invitation.
Modi was the first foreign leader to be invited to address a joint sitting of the Congress under Ryan&#39;s speakership.&nbsp;On Wednesday, Modi and Ryan had a one-on-one interaction before the Prime Minister&#39;s address. Ryan also hosted a lunch for the visiting leader.

A day later, Ryan was all in praise for Modi.&nbsp;&quot;I think the Indian (government), the new Indian government, is going to be a great ally of ours and we have better security cooperation with them. That&#39;s one thing that we need to nurture and grow,&quot; Ryan told the audience at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think tank.

&quot;And those of us who are fans of Modi, you know, he&#39;s a conservative who wants, who embraces, free enterprise. He&#39;s bringing needed reform to the country,&quot; Ryan said, according to the remarks released by his office.

&quot;That&#39;s the kind of an alliance that we need to forge and build upon. That stands in stark contrast, I would argue, to the Obama foreign policy of the last eight years where we have neglected our allies and we have basically rewarded our enemies, our adversaries,&quot; said the Speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Except for his comments on India, Ryan slammed Obama&#39;s foreign policy.&nbsp;&quot;We know that this new Obama foreign policy concept, leading from behind, can now be declared an unambiguous failure. It is making us unprepared. It is reducing our military capability and strength,&quot; he alleged.

Though Ryan, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, criticised most of Obama's policies, he appreciated the US-India relationship

Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, has said that the Indian government is going to be America's "great ally", and there is a need to nurture this relationship. In a major foreign policy speech in which he was highly critical of President Barack Obama's policies, the US-India relationship was the only aspect of it which was appreciated by Ryan. "I think you need, in particular, specifically under Modi's leadership, and he and I have discussed this at great length yesterday, (US-India) have a great potential for the future. Particularly with the seas, in the Pacific and in the Indian Ocean, making sure that we help police the global commons and international order. Namely China building, you know, runways on islands in contested areas," Ryan said. He said this in the speech at the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress at his invitation. Modi was the first foreign leader to be invited to address a joint sitting of the Congress under Ryan's speakership. On Wednesday, Modi and Ryan had a one-on-one interaction before the Prime Minister's address. Ryan also hosted a lunch for the visiting leader. A day later, Ryan was all in praise for Modi. "I think the Indian (government), the new Indian government, is going to be a great ally of ours and we have better security cooperation with them. That's one thing that we need to nurture and grow," Ryan told the audience at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think tank. "And those of us who are fans of Modi, you know, he's a conservative who wants, who embraces, free enterprise. He's bringing needed reform to the country," Ryan said, according to the remarks released by his office. "That's the kind of an alliance that we need to forge and build upon. That stands in stark contrast, I would argue, to the Obama foreign policy of the last eight years where we have neglected our allies and we have basically rewarded our enemies, our adversaries," said the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. Except for his comments on India, Ryan slammed Obama's foreign policy. "We know that this new Obama foreign policy concept, leading from behind, can now be declared an unambiguous failure. It is making us unprepared. It is reducing our military capability and strength," he alleged.

Paul Ryan believes Indian government is going to be America's 'great ally'

The who&#39;s who of America Inc, including e-commerce giant Amazon&#39;s Jeff Bezos, PepsiCo&#39;s Indra Nooyi, Boeing&#39;s Mark Allen and Lockheed Martin&#39;s Marillyn Hewson, attended the roundtable held at Central Green Room Gallery of Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. 
 
Bezos announced that his company will invest an additional $3 billion in India, Amazon&#39;s fastest growing region. This will boost Amazon&#39;s committed investment in India to over $5 billion. 
 
Foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a tweet that Modi invited the US business leaders &quot;to work more closely with India and in India&quot;. 
 
The Prime Minister also &quot;outlined strengths of Indian economy and its talented workforce,&quot; Swarup posted on Twitter. 
 
US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and several top Indian business leaders were also present at the meeting. 
 
Earlier in the day, Modi held a closed-door meeting with Obama during which they discussed significant issues of bilateral interests. 
 
Prior to the US, the Indian prime minister visited Afghanistan, Qatar and Switzerland on his five-nation tour aimed at expanding India&#39;s trade, energy and security cooperation. He will end his tour in Mexico.

Amazon's founder and CEO Jeff Bezos announced that the e-commerce giant will invest an additional $3 billion in India

The who's who of America Inc, including e-commerce giant Amazon's Jeff Bezos, PepsiCo's Indra Nooyi, Boeing's Mark Allen and Lockheed Martin's Marillyn Hewson, attended the roundtable held at Central Green Room Gallery of Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. Bezos announced that his company will invest an additional $3 billion in India, Amazon's fastest growing region. This will boost Amazon's committed investment in India to over $5 billion. Foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a tweet that Modi invited the US business leaders "to work more closely with India and in India". The Prime Minister also "outlined strengths of Indian economy and its talented workforce," Swarup posted on Twitter. US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and several top Indian business leaders were also present at the meeting. Earlier in the day, Modi held a closed-door meeting with Obama during which they discussed significant issues of bilateral interests. Prior to the US, the Indian prime minister visited Afghanistan, Qatar and Switzerland on his five-nation tour aimed at expanding India's trade, energy and security cooperation. He will end his tour in Mexico.

Indian PM Modi meets top US CEOs in Washington

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