Iran executed a trader known as the "Sultan of Bitumen" on Saturday over charges of fraud and large-scale smuggling of the oil product, the judiciary's news agency Mizan online reported.

Hamidreza Bagheri Dermani is the third businessman to be executed since an anti-corruption drive was launched over the summer.&nbsp;

He was convicted of "corruption on earth", Iran's most serious offence, after swindling over 10 trillion rials (around $100 million at the current rate) through "fraud, forgery and bribery", Mizan reported.

Dermani, first arrested in August 2014, reportedly forged dozens of documents of fake real estate to acquire bank loans.&nbsp;

He then used front companies to procure more than 300,000 tonnes of bitumen — an oil-based substance used in asphalt and other products and one of Iran's most profitable businesses — Mizan said.

Dermani was also accused of ties to business magnate Babak Morteza Zanjani, who is awaiting execution after being convicted in 2016 of embezzling $2.7 billion while helping the government circumvent international sanctions.

The judiciary said Dermani's loans were facilitated by former central bank governor Mahmoud Reza Khavari, who was convicted in absentia last year after fleeing to Canada in the wake of yet another major embezzlement scandal.

News of Dermani's execution was presented in dramatic fashion on state television on Saturday, with an action-movie soundtrack and full documentary about his crimes.

The footage showed documents claiming Iranian journalist and women's rights activist Hengameh Shahidi, sentenced earlier this month to 12 years in prison on unspecified charges, had tried to pay Dermani's bail last year.

The authorities have been keen to show they are cracking down on "economic disruptors" accused of exploiting shortages and fluctuations in gold and currency prices.&nbsp;

Dozens have been tried and in November a trader dubbed the "Sultan of Coins" and partner were executed for exploiting a surge in gold demand from savers spooked by this year's currency crisis.

Iran has seen a sharp economic downturn this year, fuelled in part by US President Donald Trump's decision in May to withdraw from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and reimpose crippling unilateral sanctions.

Iran executed a trader known as the "Sultan of Bitumen" on Saturday over charges of fraud and large-scale smuggling of the oil product, the judiciary's news agency Mizan online reported.

Iran executed a trader known as the "Sultan of Bitumen" on Saturday over charges of fraud and large-scale smuggling of the oil product, the judiciary's news agency Mizan online reported. Hamidreza Bagheri Dermani is the third businessman to be executed since an anti-corruption drive was launched over the summer. He was convicted of "corruption on earth", Iran's most serious offence, after swindling over 10 trillion rials (around $100 million at the current rate) through "fraud, forgery and bribery", Mizan reported. Dermani, first arrested in August 2014, reportedly forged dozens of documents of fake real estate to acquire bank loans. He then used front companies to procure more than 300,000 tonnes of bitumen — an oil-based substance used in asphalt and other products and one of Iran's most profitable businesses — Mizan said. Dermani was also accused of ties to business magnate Babak Morteza Zanjani, who is awaiting execution after being convicted in 2016 of embezzling $2.7 billion while helping the government circumvent international sanctions. The judiciary said Dermani's loans were facilitated by former central bank governor Mahmoud Reza Khavari, who was convicted in absentia last year after fleeing to Canada in the wake of yet another major embezzlement scandal. News of Dermani's execution was presented in dramatic fashion on state television on Saturday, with an action-movie soundtrack and full documentary about his crimes. The footage showed documents claiming Iranian journalist and women's rights activist Hengameh Shahidi, sentenced earlier this month to 12 years in prison on unspecified charges, had tried to pay Dermani's bail last year. The authorities have been keen to show they are cracking down on "economic disruptors" accused of exploiting shortages and fluctuations in gold and currency prices. Dozens have been tried and in November a trader dubbed the "Sultan of Coins" and partner were executed for exploiting a surge in gold demand from savers spooked by this year's currency crisis. Iran has seen a sharp economic downturn this year, fuelled in part by US President Donald Trump's decision in May to withdraw from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and reimpose crippling unilateral sanctions.

Iran executes trader dubbed 'Sultan of Bitumen'

The Trump administration said it welcomes India's "reinvigorating" ties with the Maldives, two days after New Delhi announced a $1.4-billion financial assistance to the island-nation faced with a daunting challenge to fend off mounting Chinese debts.

The statement from the Trump administration came as the newly elected President of Maldives, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-president-ibrahim-solih-a-reformer-who-must-hold-together-a-diverse-coalition-184835">Ibrahim Mohamed Solih</a>, wrapped up his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/maldivian-president-ibrahim-mohamed-solih-to-begin-india-visit-today-184397">three-day visit</a> to India.

During the visit, Solih had called India his country's closest friend and "largest trading partner". The two countries have also agreed to remain mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for stability in the strategic Indian Ocean Region and boost maritime cooperation.

"We welcome India reinvigorating its ties with the Maldives and note the many positive announcements that came out of Prime Minister Solih's recent visit to India," Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia David Ranz told Indian reporters Wednesday.

India, Ranz said, shares America's view of Maldives' critical role in the security of the Indo-Pacific and the importance of offering support during this transition period.

Solih's visit to India within a month after taking charge of the presidency is seen as an effort by his government to repair ties with India. The bilateral relations had strained during the rule of his predecessor Abdulla Yameen, who had developed increasingly close ties with China.

During Solih's visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there are "infinite possibilities" between the two neighbours.

"India will always stand by you in your government's ambitious efforts to change the lives of the Maldivian people. For the social and economic development of Maldives, India will extend budget support, currency swap and lines of credit worth $1.4 billion," Modi said.

Ranz has just returned from a visit to Male. The purpose of his visit was to examine ways the US can expand its partnership with the Maldives in pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The US do not have an embassy in the Maldives and the American ambassador in Sri Lanka is also the envoy to Male.

"The election of President Solih and subsequent peaceful transition of power was a major democratic moment, and one that the United States views as profoundly significant for the broader region," Ranz said.

Soon after the election in early October, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Alice Wells was in Male as the first high-level Trump administration visitor to the Maldives.

Ranz's visit last week served to build on the relationships with the new government established by Wells and US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives Aliana B Teplitz&nbsp;who recently assumed the role and led US delegation to President Solih's November 17 inauguration&nbsp;and ramp up America's coordination on Maldives' short and long-term needs.

"The United States is looking to providing assistance in the areas of debt analysis and sustainability, justice-sector capacity building, civil society support, and environmental aid&nbsp;all areas the Maldivian government has identified as priorities in its 100-day plan," Ranz said.

The United States has also offered security assistance given Maldives' strategic location on key sea lanes, he said, adding that the US has already committed USD10 million to the Maldives.

"We believe this support will help strengthen democracy, improve governance, root out corruption, enhance security, and promote economic development, which are priorities we are emphasizing across the region as part of our vision for the Indo-Pacific," Ranz said.

Maldives occupies a very important geostrategic position in the Indo-Pacific given the volume of trade that transits through the sea lanes it sits astride. According to reports, the Maldives' debt to China has reached&nbsp;$3 billion.

"With its recent return to a democratic path, we see Maldives as a country that can tap the initiatives we are rolling out across the Indo-Pacific and become a valuable partner in realizing a secure, strong, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region," Ranz said.&nbsp;

The Trump administration said it welcomes India's "reinvigorating" ties with the Maldives, two days after New Delhi announced a $1.4-billion financial assistance to the island-nation faced with a daunting challenge to fend off mounting Chinese debts.

The Trump administration said it welcomes India's "reinvigorating" ties with the Maldives, two days after New Delhi announced a $1.4-billion financial assistance to the island-nation faced with a daunting challenge to fend off mounting Chinese debts. The statement from the Trump administration came as the newly elected President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, wrapped up his three-day visit to India. During the visit, Solih had called India his country's closest friend and "largest trading partner". The two countries have also agreed to remain mindful of each other's concerns and aspirations for stability in the strategic Indian Ocean Region and boost maritime cooperation. "We welcome India reinvigorating its ties with the Maldives and note the many positive announcements that came out of Prime Minister Solih's recent visit to India," Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia David Ranz told Indian reporters Wednesday. India, Ranz said, shares America's view of Maldives' critical role in the security of the Indo-Pacific and the importance of offering support during this transition period. Solih's visit to India within a month after taking charge of the presidency is seen as an effort by his government to repair ties with India. The bilateral relations had strained during the rule of his predecessor Abdulla Yameen, who had developed increasingly close ties with China. During Solih's visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there are "infinite possibilities" between the two neighbours. "India will always stand by you in your government's ambitious efforts to change the lives of the Maldivian people. For the social and economic development of Maldives, India will extend budget support, currency swap and lines of credit worth $1.4 billion," Modi said. Ranz has just returned from a visit to Male. The purpose of his visit was to examine ways the US can expand its partnership with the Maldives in pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific. The US do not have an embassy in the Maldives and the American ambassador in Sri Lanka is also the envoy to Male. "The election of President Solih and subsequent peaceful transition of power was a major democratic moment, and one that the United States views as profoundly significant for the broader region," Ranz said. Soon after the election in early October, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Alice Wells was in Male as the first high-level Trump administration visitor to the Maldives. Ranz's visit last week served to build on the relationships with the new government established by Wells and US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives Aliana B Teplitz who recently assumed the role and led US delegation to President Solih's November 17 inauguration and ramp up America's coordination on Maldives' short and long-term needs. "The United States is looking to providing assistance in the areas of debt analysis and sustainability, justice-sector capacity building, civil society support, and environmental aid all areas the Maldivian government has identified as priorities in its 100-day plan," Ranz said. The United States has also offered security assistance given Maldives' strategic location on key sea lanes, he said, adding that the US has already committed USD10 million to the Maldives. "We believe this support will help strengthen democracy, improve governance, root out corruption, enhance security, and promote economic development, which are priorities we are emphasizing across the region as part of our vision for the Indo-Pacific," Ranz said. Maldives occupies a very important geostrategic position in the Indo-Pacific given the volume of trade that transits through the sea lanes it sits astride. According to reports, the Maldives' debt to China has reached $3 billion. "With its recent return to a democratic path, we see Maldives as a country that can tap the initiatives we are rolling out across the Indo-Pacific and become a valuable partner in realizing a secure, strong, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region," Ranz said.

US welcomes India 'reinvigorating' ties with Maldives

The US Senate on Tuesday night overwhelmingly passed a sweeping federal criminal justice reform bill, paving the way for the most significant change to America's justice system in decades.

The "First Step Act," a hard-won bipartisan effort, includes provisions to ease heavy sentences for certain offenders, give judges more discretion in sentencing low-level criminals, and improve prison conditions for women, among others.&nbsp;

"America is the greatest Country in the world and my job is to fight for all citizens, even those who have made mistakes," US President Donald Trump tweeted after the bill was passed.

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America is the greatest Country in the world and my job is to fight for ALL citizens, even those who have made mistakes. Congratulations to the Senate on the bi-partisan passing of a historic Criminal Justice Reform Bill....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1075210867678109697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"Congratulations to the Senate on the bi-partisan passing of a historic Criminal Justice Reform Bill," he said.

The bill passed by a vote of 87-12, and will now go to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass swiftly.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said the House "looks forward" to send the bill to Trump's desk.

One element of the bill would make retroactive the 2010 Fair Sentencing Act, which altered sentencing guidelines to treat crack and powder cocaine offences equally. According to government figures, that alone would impact over 2,600 inmates.

But the bill will only affect America's federal inmates, of which there are 180,789, according to the latest figures from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the total US incarcerated population was over 2.1 million at the end of 2016.

The US Senate on Tuesday night overwhelmingly passed a sweeping federal criminal justice reform bill, paving the way for the most significant change to America's justice system in decades.

The US Senate on Tuesday night overwhelmingly passed a sweeping federal criminal justice reform bill, paving the way for the most significant change to America's justice system in decades. The "First Step Act," a hard-won bipartisan effort, includes provisions to ease heavy sentences for certain offenders, give judges more discretion in sentencing low-level criminals, and improve prison conditions for women, among others. "America is the greatest Country in the world and my job is to fight for all citizens, even those who have made mistakes," US President Donald Trump tweeted after the bill was passed. America is the greatest Country in the world and my job is to fight for ALL citizens, even those who have made mistakes. Congratulations to the Senate on the bi-partisan passing of a historic Criminal Justice Reform Bill.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018 × "Congratulations to the Senate on the bi-partisan passing of a historic Criminal Justice Reform Bill," he said. The bill passed by a vote of 87-12, and will now go to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass swiftly. House Speaker Paul Ryan said the House "looks forward" to send the bill to Trump's desk. One element of the bill would make retroactive the 2010 Fair Sentencing Act, which altered sentencing guidelines to treat crack and powder cocaine offences equally. According to government figures, that alone would impact over 2,600 inmates. But the bill will only affect America's federal inmates, of which there are 180,789, according to the latest figures from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the total US incarcerated population was over 2.1 million at the end of 2016.

Bipartisan criminal justice reform bill clears US Senate

US President Donald Trump told his Turkish counterpart, Tayyip Erdogan, that Washington was working on extraditing a US-based Muslim cleric accused of orchestrating a failed Turkish coup in 2016, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday.

"In Argentina, Trump told Erdogan they were working on extraditing Gulen and other people," Cavusoglu said at a conference in Doha, referring to the G20 summit in Argentina from November 30 to December 1.

US President Donald Trump told his Turkish counterpart, Tayyip Erdogan, that Washington was working on extraditing a US-based Muslim cleric accused of orchestrating a failed Turkish coup in 2016, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump told his Turkish counterpart, Tayyip Erdogan, that Washington was working on extraditing a US-based Muslim cleric accused of orchestrating a failed Turkish coup in 2016, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday. "In Argentina, Trump told Erdogan they were working on extraditing Gulen and other people," Cavusoglu said at a conference in Doha, referring to the G20 summit in Argentina from November 30 to December 1.

Trump working on extraditing Gulen: Turkish foreign minister

Pakistan on Wednesday rejected as "unilateral and politically motivated" the U<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-adds-pakistan-to-blacklist-for-religious-freedom-violations-183342">S' decision to place it on its annual list </a>of nations that infringe on religious freedom.

The Trump administration on Tuesday designated Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia and seven others as countries of particular concern for having engaged in or tolerated "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom."

"Pakistan rejects the US State Department's unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement released in the context of its annual religious freedom report," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

"Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise," it said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-warns-global-users-their-tweets-violate-pakistani-law-183101">Pakistan is a multi-religious and pluralistic society </a>where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together, including around 4 per cent of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, it said.

Ensuring equal treatment of minorities and their enjoyment of human rights without any discrimination is the cardinal principle of the Constitution of Pakistan, the statement said.

It also called for an honest self-introspection to know the causes of the exponential rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the US.

Pakistan on Wednesday rejected as "unilateral and politically motivated" the US' decision to place it on its annual list of nations that infringe on religious freedom.

Pakistan on Wednesday rejected as "unilateral and politically motivated" the US' decision to place it on its annual list of nations that infringe on religious freedom. The Trump administration on Tuesday designated Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia and seven others as countries of particular concern for having engaged in or tolerated "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom." "Pakistan rejects the US State Department's unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement released in the context of its annual religious freedom report," the Foreign Office said in a statement. "Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise," it said. Pakistan is a multi-religious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together, including around 4 per cent of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, it said. Ensuring equal treatment of minorities and their enjoyment of human rights without any discrimination is the cardinal principle of the Constitution of Pakistan, the statement said. It also called for an honest self-introspection to know the causes of the exponential rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the US.

Reject US government's blacklisting over religious freedom violations: Pakistan

WION Your Story: Google CEO Sundar Pichai testifies before US Congress

President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner continued to have private conversations with Saudi Crown Prince <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-crown-prince-was-in-constant-touch-with-khashoggi-kill-team-wsj-181054">Mohammed bin Salman</a>&nbsp;and advised him on how to deal with the aftermath of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/we-do-not-extradite-our-citizens-saudi-arabia-on-khashoggi-murder-182785">brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi</a> by Saudi operatives, a US media report has said.

Kushner offered the crown prince advice "about how to weather the storm" following the killing of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the New York Times reported, citing a Saudi source familiar with the conversations.

Since the early months of the Trump administration, Kushner, the president's Middle East adviser, was in private and informal contact with Prince Mohammed, which was a cause of worry for senior American officials, the report said.

Given Kushner's political inexperience, the private exchanges could make him susceptible to Saudi manipulation, said three former senior US officials.

In an effort to tighten practices at the White House, a new chief of staff tried to reimpose longstanding procedures stipulating that National Security Council staff members should participate in all calls with foreign leaders.

But even with the restrictions in place, Kushner, 37, and Prince Mohammed, 33, kept chatting, according to three former White House officials and two others briefed by the Saudi royal court. In fact, they said, the two men were on first-name terms, calling each other Jared and Mohammed in text messages and phone calls.

The exchanges continued even after the October 2 killing of Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist who was ambushed and dismembered by Saudi agents, according to two former senior American officials and the two people briefed by the Saudis.

As the killing set off a firestorm around the world and American intelligence agencies concluded that it was ordered by Prince Mohammed, Kushner became the prince's most important defender inside the White House, people familiar with its internal deliberations say.

Kushner's support for Prince Mohammed in the moment of crisis is a striking demonstration of a singular bond that has helped draw President Trump into an embrace of Saudi Arabia as one of his most important international allies.

But the ties between Kushner and Prince Mohammed did not happen on their own. The prince and his advisers, eager to enlist American support for his hawkish policies in the region and for his own consolidation of power, cultivated the relationship with Kushner for more than two years, according to documents, emails and text messages reviewed by NYT.

A delegation of Saudis close to the prince visited the US as early as the month Trump was elected, the documents show and brought back a report identifying Kushner as a crucial focal point in the courtship of the new administration. He brought to the job scant knowledge about the region, a transactional mindset and an intense focus on reaching a deal with the Palestinians that met Israel's demands, the delegation noted.

Even then, before the inauguration, the Saudis were trying to position themselves as essential allies who could help the Trump administration fulfil its campaign pledges.

In addition to offering to help resolve the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, the Saudis offered hundreds of billions of dollars in deals to buy American weapons and invest in American infrastructure.

Trump later announced versions of some of these items with great fanfare when he made his first foreign trip: to an Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. The Saudis had extended that invitation during the delegation's November 2016 visit.

"The inner circle is predominantly deal makers who lack familiarity with political customs and deep institutions, and they support Jared Kushner," the Saudi delegation wrote of the incoming administration in a slide presentation obtained by the Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, which provided it to NYT.

Several Americans who spoke with the delegation confirmed the slide presentation's accounts of the discussions.

The courtship of Kushner appears to have worked.

Only a few months after Trump moved into the White House, Kushner was inquiring about the Saudi royal succession process and whether the US could influence it, raising fears among senior officials that he sought to help Prince Mohammed, who was not yet the crown prince, vault ahead in the line for the throne, two former senior White House officials said.

American diplomats and intelligence officials feared that the Trump administration might be seen as playing favourites in the delicate internal politics of the Saudi royal family, the officials said.

By March, Kushner helped usher Prince Mohammed into a formal lunch with Trump in a state dining room at the White House, capitalising on the last minute cancellation by German Chancellor Angela Merkel because of a snowstorm.

Bending protocol, Kushner arranged for the prince, often referred to by his initials as MBS, to receive the kind of treatment usually reserved for heads of state, with photographs and news media coverage, according to a person involved in the arrangements.

It appears to have been the first face-to-face meeting between Kushner and the prince, but Kushner raised eyebrows by telling others in the White House that he and Prince Mohammed had already spoken several times before, two people at the event recalled.

White House officials declined to comment on Kushner's one-on-one communications with the prince since the killing of Khashoggi.

Their connection, though, has been pivotal since the start of the Trump administration.

"The relationship between Jared Kushner and Mohammed bin Salman constitutes the foundation of the Trump policy not just toward Saudi Arabia but toward the region," said Martin Indyk, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former Middle East envoy.

The administration's reliance on the Saudis in the peace process, its support for the kingdom's feud with Qatar, an American ally, and its backing of the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, he said, all grew out of "that bromance".&nbsp;

President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner continued to have private conversations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and advised him on how to deal with the aftermath of the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives, a US media report has said.

President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner continued to have private conversations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and advised him on how to deal with the aftermath of the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives, a US media report has said. Kushner offered the crown prince advice "about how to weather the storm" following the killing of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the New York Times reported, citing a Saudi source familiar with the conversations. Since the early months of the Trump administration, Kushner, the president's Middle East adviser, was in private and informal contact with Prince Mohammed, which was a cause of worry for senior American officials, the report said. Given Kushner's political inexperience, the private exchanges could make him susceptible to Saudi manipulation, said three former senior US officials. In an effort to tighten practices at the White House, a new chief of staff tried to reimpose longstanding procedures stipulating that National Security Council staff members should participate in all calls with foreign leaders. But even with the restrictions in place, Kushner, 37, and Prince Mohammed, 33, kept chatting, according to three former White House officials and two others briefed by the Saudi royal court. In fact, they said, the two men were on first-name terms, calling each other Jared and Mohammed in text messages and phone calls. The exchanges continued even after the October 2 killing of Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist who was ambushed and dismembered by Saudi agents, according to two former senior American officials and the two people briefed by the Saudis. As the killing set off a firestorm around the world and American intelligence agencies concluded that it was ordered by Prince Mohammed, Kushner became the prince's most important defender inside the White House, people familiar with its internal deliberations say. Kushner's support for Prince Mohammed in the moment of crisis is a striking demonstration of a singular bond that has helped draw President Trump into an embrace of Saudi Arabia as one of his most important international allies. But the ties between Kushner and Prince Mohammed did not happen on their own. The prince and his advisers, eager to enlist American support for his hawkish policies in the region and for his own consolidation of power, cultivated the relationship with Kushner for more than two years, according to documents, emails and text messages reviewed by NYT. A delegation of Saudis close to the prince visited the US as early as the month Trump was elected, the documents show and brought back a report identifying Kushner as a crucial focal point in the courtship of the new administration. He brought to the job scant knowledge about the region, a transactional mindset and an intense focus on reaching a deal with the Palestinians that met Israel's demands, the delegation noted. Even then, before the inauguration, the Saudis were trying to position themselves as essential allies who could help the Trump administration fulfil its campaign pledges. In addition to offering to help resolve the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, the Saudis offered hundreds of billions of dollars in deals to buy American weapons and invest in American infrastructure. Trump later announced versions of some of these items with great fanfare when he made his first foreign trip: to an Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. The Saudis had extended that invitation during the delegation's November 2016 visit. "The inner circle is predominantly deal makers who lack familiarity with political customs and deep institutions, and they support Jared Kushner," the Saudi delegation wrote of the incoming administration in a slide presentation obtained by the Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, which provided it to NYT. Several Americans who spoke with the delegation confirmed the slide presentation's accounts of the discussions. The courtship of Kushner appears to have worked. Only a few months after Trump moved into the White House, Kushner was inquiring about the Saudi royal succession process and whether the US could influence it, raising fears among senior officials that he sought to help Prince Mohammed, who was not yet the crown prince, vault ahead in the line for the throne, two former senior White House officials said. American diplomats and intelligence officials feared that the Trump administration might be seen as playing favourites in the delicate internal politics of the Saudi royal family, the officials said. By March, Kushner helped usher Prince Mohammed into a formal lunch with Trump in a state dining room at the White House, capitalising on the last minute cancellation by German Chancellor Angela Merkel because of a snowstorm. Bending protocol, Kushner arranged for the prince, often referred to by his initials as MBS, to receive the kind of treatment usually reserved for heads of state, with photographs and news media coverage, according to a person involved in the arrangements. It appears to have been the first face-to-face meeting between Kushner and the prince, but Kushner raised eyebrows by telling others in the White House that he and Prince Mohammed had already spoken several times before, two people at the event recalled. White House officials declined to comment on Kushner's one-on-one communications with the prince since the killing of Khashoggi. Their connection, though, has been pivotal since the start of the Trump administration. "The relationship between Jared Kushner and Mohammed bin Salman constitutes the foundation of the Trump policy not just toward Saudi Arabia but toward the region," said Martin Indyk, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former Middle East envoy. The administration's reliance on the Saudis in the peace process, its support for the kingdom's feud with Qatar, an American ally, and its backing of the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, he said, all grew out of "that bromance".

Kushner advised Saudi crown prince on 'how to weather the storm' after Khashoggi murder: NYT

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Friday sounded optimistic&nbsp;about trade negotiations with China as two of his top economic advisers downplayed friction from the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-arrest-a-despicable-rogue-action-chinese-media-182128">arrest of a senior executive of Chinese telecom </a>equipment maker Huawei Technologies.

"China talks are going very well," Trump said on Twitter, without providing any details.

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China talks are going very well!
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Major companies have expressed concerns about how the arrest of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou in Canada at the request of US&nbsp;authorities would affect <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/g20-summit-bring-a-truce-in-us-china-trade-relations-181105">US-China relations</a> or that it would cause a potential backlash against American firms operating in China.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/arrest-of-huawei-cfo-throws-rare-spotlight-on-family-181953">Meng</a>, 46, the daughter of Huawei's founder, appeared in a Vancouver court for a bail hearing as she awaits possible extradition to the United States in the investigation of whether Huawei violated US&nbsp;sanctions against Iran.

Larry Kudlow, director of the White House's National Economic Council, told CNBC he did not believe Meng's arrest would "spill over" into the talks with China aimed at increasing Beijing's purchases of US&nbsp;farm and energy commodities, lowering Chinese tariffs and making sweeping changes to China's policies on intellectual property and technology transfers.

Kudlow said the investigation of whether Huawei violated US&nbsp;sanctions against Iran was on a "separate track" from the trade talks and was a matter of national security and US&nbsp;law.

"You can’t break the law. You break the American law, you break the Canadian law, you’ve got to pay the consequences of that," Kudlow said of the Huawei case. "That was the case with other companies and will continue to be the case. These are issues of national security."

Continued concerns over US-China trade relations caused stocks to sell off on Friday, with technology shares leading the decline. The Nasdaq Composite fell 2.4 per cent, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 2.1 per cent and the S&amp;P 500 index down 1.9 per cent in afternoon trade.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro told CNN that the US-China trade talks and the Huawei arrest "are two separate events," calling the timing of Meng's arrest a coincidence.

Navarro said the arrest was the result of "the bad actions of Huawei," adding there was a "frightening" risk that the Chinese government could use the company's products for spying.

"The timing was unusual, but the actions were legitimate."

Asked if the United States would walk away from trade talks if US-China differences were not resolved in 90 days, Navaro said: "It's not a question of walking away. It's a question of moving forward on the strategy, which is to simply raise the tariffs" on Chinese goods.

Kudlow expressed optimism that the United States and China will make substantial progress during the 90-day period allocated for talks, ending around March 1.

"I think there will be a lot of success in the next 90 days; President has indicated, that if there’s good solid movement and there’s a good action, he might - he might - be willing to extend the 90 days," Kudlow told CNBC.

He reiterated that the Trump administration was expecting immediate movement from China on purchases of agricultural commodities and energy and added that he expected Chinese autos tariffs to be reduced. He said it was a positive sign that China was willing to discuss core issues related to intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers and computer hacking of U.S. companies.

However, Kudlow said US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who will lead the American side in the talks, will be looking to ensure that any agreements can be fully enforced and monitored to ensure follow-through by Beijing.

US President Donald Trump on Friday sounded optimistic about trade negotiations with China as two of his top economic advisers downplayed friction from the arrest of a senior executive of Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei Technologies.

US President Donald Trump on Friday sounded optimistic about trade negotiations with China as two of his top economic advisers downplayed friction from the arrest of a senior executive of Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei Technologies. "China talks are going very well," Trump said on Twitter, without providing any details. China talks are going very well! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018 × Major companies have expressed concerns about how the arrest of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou in Canada at the request of US authorities would affect US-China relations or that it would cause a potential backlash against American firms operating in China. Meng, 46, the daughter of Huawei's founder, appeared in a Vancouver court for a bail hearing as she awaits possible extradition to the United States in the investigation of whether Huawei violated US sanctions against Iran. Larry Kudlow, director of the White House's National Economic Council, told CNBC he did not believe Meng's arrest would "spill over" into the talks with China aimed at increasing Beijing's purchases of US farm and energy commodities, lowering Chinese tariffs and making sweeping changes to China's policies on intellectual property and technology transfers. Kudlow said the investigation of whether Huawei violated US sanctions against Iran was on a "separate track" from the trade talks and was a matter of national security and US law. "You can’t break the law. You break the American law, you break the Canadian law, you’ve got to pay the consequences of that," Kudlow said of the Huawei case. "That was the case with other companies and will continue to be the case. These are issues of national security." Continued concerns over US-China trade relations caused stocks to sell off on Friday, with technology shares leading the decline. The Nasdaq Composite fell 2.4 per cent, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 2.1 per cent and the S&P 500 index down 1.9 per cent in afternoon trade. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro told CNN that the US-China trade talks and the Huawei arrest "are two separate events," calling the timing of Meng's arrest a coincidence. Navarro said the arrest was the result of "the bad actions of Huawei," adding there was a "frightening" risk that the Chinese government could use the company's products for spying. "The timing was unusual, but the actions were legitimate." Asked if the United States would walk away from trade talks if US-China differences were not resolved in 90 days, Navaro said: "It's not a question of walking away. It's a question of moving forward on the strategy, which is to simply raise the tariffs" on Chinese goods. Kudlow expressed optimism that the United States and China will make substantial progress during the 90-day period allocated for talks, ending around March 1. "I think there will be a lot of success in the next 90 days; President has indicated, that if there’s good solid movement and there’s a good action, he might - he might - be willing to extend the 90 days," Kudlow told CNBC. He reiterated that the Trump administration was expecting immediate movement from China on purchases of agricultural commodities and energy and added that he expected Chinese autos tariffs to be reduced. He said it was a positive sign that China was willing to discuss core issues related to intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers and computer hacking of U.S. companies. However, Kudlow said US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who will lead the American side in the talks, will be looking to ensure that any agreements can be fully enforced and monitored to ensure follow-through by Beijing.

Trump upbeat on China talks; aides downplay Huawei arrest friction

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said US sanctions were "economic terrorism", as he sought to foster a united front from visiting regional officials on Saturday.&nbsp;

"America's unjust and illegal sanctions against the honourable nation of Iran have targeted our nation as a clear instance of terrorism," Rouhani told a conference in Tehran attended by officials from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey.

"Economic terrorism is designed to create panic in the economy of a country and fear in other countries in order to prevent investment in the target country," he added.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said US sanctions were "economic terrorism", as he sought to foster a united front from visiting regional officials on Saturday. "America's unjust and illegal sanctions against the honourable nation of Iran have targeted our nation as a clear instance of terrorism," Rouhani told a conference in Tehran attended by officials from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said US sanctions were "economic terrorism", as he sought to foster a united front from visiting regional officials on Saturday. "America's unjust and illegal sanctions against the honourable nation of Iran have targeted our nation as a clear instance of terrorism," Rouhani told a conference in Tehran attended by officials from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey. "Economic terrorism is designed to create panic in the economy of a country and fear in other countries in order to prevent investment in the target country," he added.

US sanctions are 'economic terrorism', says Iran President Hassan Rouhani

Nearly half of all American adults have an immediate family member who has experienced incarceration, according to a new study published Thursday that spotlights the extent of mass imprisonment in the United States.

The report comes as President Donald Trump has given his backing to a bipartisan bill aimed at reforming sentences imposed for drug offences, a move that could begin to reduce the prison population after years of spiralling growth.

The study by Cornell University and lobbying group FWD.us found that approximately 45 per cent of American adults (around 113 million people) have an immediate family member who has been incarcerated for at least one night in jail or prison.

It was based on online and phone surveys conducted on a nationally representative sample of 4,041 adults in the summer of 2018.

One in seven<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-happens-if-the-us-terminates-nafta-181728"> US </a>adults has an immediate family member who has been incarcerated for at least one year, and one in 34 adults has had an immediate family member spend 10 years or longer in<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-soldier-gets-25-years-in-prison-for-backing-isis-181558"> prison</a>, it added.&nbsp;

An estimated 6.5 million people, or one in 38, have an immediate family member who is currently incarcerated in jail or prison.

Incarceration results in a variety of direct and indirect harms, according to the study.

"Research has shown that even short periods of incarceration can be devastating to people's lives and additional punishments such as fines and fees," it said.

"Restrictions on employment and housing, and the loss of basic human rights limit opportunities for success long after individuals have completed their sentences."

The study found that black people are 50 per cent more likely than white people to have had a family member incarcerated, and three times more likely to have had a family member incarcerated for one year or longer.

People earning under $25,000 per year are 61 per cent more likely than people earning over $100,000 to have had a family member incarcerated and three times more likely to have had a family member in prison for a year or longer.

The report said its findings "should serve as a wake-up call and a stark reminder of how much work is needed to alleviate the harms caused by mass incarceration and unravel the complicated tangle of laws that perpetuate it."

The adoption of successive repressive laws since the 1980s has seen the prison population explode. There are now more than 1.5 million people in state and federal prisons on any given day, and nearly 11 million admissions to local jails each year.

US jail and prison populations are four times larger than in 1980 and the United States continues to incarcerate more people than any other country in the world, the report said.

With 710 prisoners per 100,000 people, the US incarceration rate is far ahead of Western democracies (147 in the United Kingdom, 118 in Canada, 108 in Belgium, 98 in France).

Last month, President Trump announced he would back a bipartisan prison reform brought by a group of Republican and Democratic senators to shorten prison sentences for certain nonviolent offenders.

In particular, it would abolish automatic penalties of 25 years in prison in the event of a third conviction for a drug case, even a minor one.&nbsp;

Hardline conservatives could, however, stall its adoption.

Nearly half of all American adults have an immediate family member who has experienced incarceration, according to a new study published Thursday that spotlights the extent of mass imprisonment in the United States.

Nearly half of all American adults have an immediate family member who has experienced incarceration, according to a new study published Thursday that spotlights the extent of mass imprisonment in the United States. The report comes as President Donald Trump has given his backing to a bipartisan bill aimed at reforming sentences imposed for drug offences, a move that could begin to reduce the prison population after years of spiralling growth. The study by Cornell University and lobbying group FWD.us found that approximately 45 per cent of American adults (around 113 million people) have an immediate family member who has been incarcerated for at least one night in jail or prison. It was based on online and phone surveys conducted on a nationally representative sample of 4,041 adults in the summer of 2018. One in seven US adults has an immediate family member who has been incarcerated for at least one year, and one in 34 adults has had an immediate family member spend 10 years or longer in prison, it added. An estimated 6.5 million people, or one in 38, have an immediate family member who is currently incarcerated in jail or prison. Incarceration results in a variety of direct and indirect harms, according to the study. "Research has shown that even short periods of incarceration can be devastating to people's lives and additional punishments such as fines and fees," it said. "Restrictions on employment and housing, and the loss of basic human rights limit opportunities for success long after individuals have completed their sentences." The study found that black people are 50 per cent more likely than white people to have had a family member incarcerated, and three times more likely to have had a family member incarcerated for one year or longer. People earning under $25,000 per year are 61 per cent more likely than people earning over $100,000 to have had a family member incarcerated and three times more likely to have had a family member in prison for a year or longer. The report said its findings "should serve as a wake-up call and a stark reminder of how much work is needed to alleviate the harms caused by mass incarceration and unravel the complicated tangle of laws that perpetuate it." The adoption of successive repressive laws since the 1980s has seen the prison population explode. There are now more than 1.5 million people in state and federal prisons on any given day, and nearly 11 million admissions to local jails each year. US jail and prison populations are four times larger than in 1980 and the United States continues to incarcerate more people than any other country in the world, the report said. With 710 prisoners per 100,000 people, the US incarceration rate is far ahead of Western democracies (147 in the United Kingdom, 118 in Canada, 108 in Belgium, 98 in France). Last month, President Trump announced he would back a bipartisan prison reform brought by a group of Republican and Democratic senators to shorten prison sentences for certain nonviolent offenders. In particular, it would abolish automatic penalties of 25 years in prison in the event of a third conviction for a drug case, even a minor one. Hardline conservatives could, however, stall its adoption.

Half of US adults have family member who has been incarcerated: Report

President Donald Trump did not know about plans to arrest a top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei in Canada, two US&nbsp;officials said on Thursday, in an apparent attempt to stop the incident from impeding crucial trade talks with Beijing.

The Huawei logo is pictured outside their research facility in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, December 6, 2018.

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s chief financial officer, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-huawei-appoints-chairman-as-acting-cfo-after-meng-wanzhous-arrest-182162">Meng Wanzhou</a>, the 46-year-old daughter of the company’s founder,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-cfo-arrested-in-canada-faces-extradition-to-us-181757"> was detained in Canada </a>on December 1, the same day Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/at-g20-dinner-trump-calls-relationship-with-xi-very-special-180799"> dined together at the G20 summit</a> in Buenos Aires.

A White House official told Reuters Trump did not know about a US&nbsp;request for her extradition from Canada before he met Xi and agreed to a 90-day truce in the brewing trade war.

Meng’s arrest during a stopover in Vancouver, announced by the Canadian authorities on Wednesday, pummeled stock markets already nervous about tensions between the world’s two largest economies on fears the move could derail the planned trade talks.

The arrest of Huawei 'heiress' throws rare spotlight on family

The arrest was made at Washington’s request as part of a US&nbsp;investigation of an alleged scheme to use the global banking system to evade US sanctions against Iran, according to people familiar with the probe.

Another US official told Reuters that while it was a Justice Department matter and not orchestrated in advance by the White House, the case could send a message that Washington is serious about what it sees as Beijing’s violations of international trade norms.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that the arrest could complicate efforts to reach a broader U.S.-China trade deal but would not necessarily damage the process.

Meng’s detention also raised concerns about potential retaliation from Beijing in Canada, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sought to distance himself from the arrest.

“The appropriate authorities took the decisions in this case without any political involvement or interference ... we were advised by them with a few days’ notice that this was in the works,” Trudeau told reporters in Montreal in televised remarks.

President Donald Trump did not know about plans to arrest a top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei in Canada, two US officials said on Thursday, in an apparent attempt to stop the incident from impeding crucial trade talks with Beijing.

President Donald Trump did not know about plans to arrest a top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei in Canada, two US officials said on Thursday, in an apparent attempt to stop the incident from impeding crucial trade talks with Beijing. The Huawei logo is pictured outside their research facility in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, December 6, 2018. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, the 46-year-old daughter of the company’s founder, was detained in Canada on December 1, the same day Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping dined together at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires. A White House official told Reuters Trump did not know about a US request for her extradition from Canada before he met Xi and agreed to a 90-day truce in the brewing trade war. Meng’s arrest during a stopover in Vancouver, announced by the Canadian authorities on Wednesday, pummeled stock markets already nervous about tensions between the world’s two largest economies on fears the move could derail the planned trade talks. The arrest of Huawei 'heiress' throws rare spotlight on family The arrest was made at Washington’s request as part of a US investigation of an alleged scheme to use the global banking system to evade US sanctions against Iran, according to people familiar with the probe. Another US official told Reuters that while it was a Justice Department matter and not orchestrated in advance by the White House, the case could send a message that Washington is serious about what it sees as Beijing’s violations of international trade norms. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that the arrest could complicate efforts to reach a broader U.S.-China trade deal but would not necessarily damage the process. Meng’s detention also raised concerns about potential retaliation from Beijing in Canada, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sought to distance himself from the arrest. “The appropriate authorities took the decisions in this case without any political involvement or interference ... we were advised by them with a few days’ notice that this was in the works,” Trudeau told reporters in Montreal in televised remarks.

White House, Trudeau seek to distance themselves from Huawei move

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-will-formally-terminate-nafta-soon-180897">&nbsp;US&nbsp;President Donald Trump </a>said without evidence on Thursday Arizona "is bracing for a massive surge" of<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/major-migration-flows-in-the-last-decade-182125"> immigrants </a>along part of the border that has no protective fence, reiterating his call for Democrats to back funding for his proposed border wall.

"Arizona, together with our Military and Border Patrol, is bracing for a massive surge at a NON-WALLED area. WE WILL NOT LET THEM THROUGH," Trump wrote in a post on Twitter, appearing to maintain pressure on lawmakers seeking to approve legislation to keep the government open through to Sept. 30 next year.

Representatives for the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon did not respond immediately to requests for comments.

It was unclear if Trump had a specific group of migrants in mind.

On Wednesday, the US&nbsp;Customs and Border Protection said that border agents in Arizona had apprehended two groups of families from Honduras and Guatemala comprising a total of 124 migrants who had crossed into the United States.

The US&nbsp;Congress approved a stopgap two-week spending bill on Thursday but lawmakers still need to agree on a longer-term funding measure to fund government agencies until the end of the fiscal year in September.

Trump, who has made the construction of the wall a foundation of his presidency, has demanded $5 billion this year from Congress for the boundary and has threatened to shut down the government if lawmakers do not accede.

Democrats have argued the wall would be ineffective at ending illegal migration and stemming the flow of illicit drugs across the border.

US President Donald Trump said without evidence on Thursday Arizona "is bracing for a massive surge" of immigrants along part of the border that has no protective fence, reiterating his call for Democrats to back funding for his proposed border wall.

US President Donald Trump said without evidence on Thursday Arizona "is bracing for a massive surge" of immigrants along part of the border that has no protective fence, reiterating his call for Democrats to back funding for his proposed border wall. "Arizona, together with our Military and Border Patrol, is bracing for a massive surge at a NON-WALLED area. WE WILL NOT LET THEM THROUGH," Trump wrote in a post on Twitter, appearing to maintain pressure on lawmakers seeking to approve legislation to keep the government open through to Sept. 30 next year. Representatives for the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon did not respond immediately to requests for comments. It was unclear if Trump had a specific group of migrants in mind. On Wednesday, the US Customs and Border Protection said that border agents in Arizona had apprehended two groups of families from Honduras and Guatemala comprising a total of 124 migrants who had crossed into the United States. The US Congress approved a stopgap two-week spending bill on Thursday but lawmakers still need to agree on a longer-term funding measure to fund government agencies until the end of the fiscal year in September. Trump, who has made the construction of the wall a foundation of his presidency, has demanded $5 billion this year from Congress for the boundary and has threatened to shut down the government if lawmakers do not accede. Democrats have argued the wall would be ineffective at ending illegal migration and stemming the flow of illicit drugs across the border.

Trump, without evidence, says Arizona 'bracing' for surge of immigrants

America's national farewell to George HW Bush begins Monday with the transfer of his casket aboard the presidential plane from Texas to Washington, where he will lie in state in the rotunda of the US Capitol.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/former-us-president-george-h-w-bush-dies-at-94-180633">41st US president died </a>Friday at age 94, at his home in Houston &nbsp;"a very gentle and peaceful passing," his lifelong friend and advisor James Baker said Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

Bush only the second president to see his son follow him to the Oval Office will be honoured with four days of services and tributes in Washington and in Texas, where he will be buried on Thursday.&nbsp;

The high point of the commemorations, planned with military precision by a Pentagon task force, will come Wednesday with a state funeral at Washington National Cathedral the first presidential funeral since Gerald Ford died in 2006.

Bush was a decorated World War II fighter pilot, former head of the Central Intelligence Agency, and vice president to Ronald Reagan before winning the White House.

President Donald Trump who has often clashed with the Bush family has declared Wednesday a national day of mourning and said he will attend the funeral.

Lying in state&nbsp;

The week's events begin at 1630 GMT Monday, when Bush's remains are to be flown aboard the presidential Boeing 747 &nbsp;made available at Trump's direction from Houston to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

By tradition, the plane is only known as Air Force One when the sitting president is on board.&nbsp;

Family spokesman Jim McGrath said the flights to carry Bush are being dubbed "Special Air Mission 41."&nbsp;

"A beautiful day In Texas &nbsp;'ceiling and visibility unlimited,' Mr President," he wrote using a phrase that Bush held dear from his time in the Navy, and one used by his family and friends to discreetly spread the news of his death.

Bush's son George the 43rd president of the United States and other loved ones are expected to travel on the presidential jet.

Also reportedly expected to make the trip is his service dog Sully -- McGrath posted a touching photo of the yellow Labrador near Bush's casket on Sunday with the phrase "Mission Complete."

After a speech from Vice President Mike Pence, Bush will lie in state in the US Capitol from Monday evening until Wednesday morning, under the watchful gaze of an around-the-clock honour guard.&nbsp;

Thousands are expected to pay their respects.

The casket will then be transported to the cathedral for Wednesday's funeral service the fourth held there for a former president.&nbsp;

Dozens of foreign leaders and US luminaries are expected.

Former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney told Politico he will deliver one of several eulogies, at Bush's request.

The casket will then be flown back to Houston, where the former head of state will lie in repose at St Martin's Episcopal Church &nbsp;where the Bushes worshipped for decades until Thursday's funeral service.

The remains will then be transported by train for interment at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.

Bush will be buried next to his wife Barbara, who died in April, and their daughter Robin, who died of leukemia at age three.

&nbsp;Tributes from friends&nbsp;

Baker, who served Bush as secretary of state, joined others in paying warm tribute on Sunday television talk shows.&nbsp;

Baker called him "far and away the best one-term president we have ever had," alluding to Bush's single biggest political failure -- his loss in the 1992 election to Bill Clinton.

Baker instead emphasized his friend's foreign policy successes: navigating the end of the Cold War, negotiating two nuclear arms reduction treaties, and summoning a global coalition to eject Iraqi troops from Kuwait in the first Gulf War.

Colin Powell, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during that war, said he was confident in Bush's leadership because "he knew what combat was all about. He knew it meant the death of people... He wanted to avoid a war."

The former president had struggled for years with Parkinson's disease, which left him wheelchair-bound and often hospitalized -- including after Barbara's death.&nbsp;

Last week, things took a decided turn for the worse, Baker said on ABC.

When an aide told Bush that Baker was visiting Friday, "he perked up. He opened his eyes. He looked at me, he says, 'Hey, Bake. Where we going?'"

"We're going to heaven," Baker said.

Bush replied: "Good, that's where I want to go."

Baker said Bush's last words, in a phone conversation with son George, were: "I love you, too."

&nbsp;

America's national farewell to George HW Bush begins Monday with the transfer of his casket aboard the presidential plane from Texas to Washington, where he will lie in state in the rotunda of the US Capitol.

America's national farewell to George HW Bush begins Monday with the transfer of his casket aboard the presidential plane from Texas to Washington, where he will lie in state in the rotunda of the US Capitol. The 41st US president died Friday at age 94, at his home in Houston "a very gentle and peaceful passing," his lifelong friend and advisor James Baker said Sunday on ABC's "This Week." Bush only the second president to see his son follow him to the Oval Office will be honoured with four days of services and tributes in Washington and in Texas, where he will be buried on Thursday. The high point of the commemorations, planned with military precision by a Pentagon task force, will come Wednesday with a state funeral at Washington National Cathedral the first presidential funeral since Gerald Ford died in 2006. Bush was a decorated World War II fighter pilot, former head of the Central Intelligence Agency, and vice president to Ronald Reagan before winning the White House. President Donald Trump who has often clashed with the Bush family has declared Wednesday a national day of mourning and said he will attend the funeral. Lying in state The week's events begin at 1630 GMT Monday, when Bush's remains are to be flown aboard the presidential Boeing 747 made available at Trump's direction from Houston to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. By tradition, the plane is only known as Air Force One when the sitting president is on board. Family spokesman Jim McGrath said the flights to carry Bush are being dubbed "Special Air Mission 41." "A beautiful day In Texas 'ceiling and visibility unlimited,' Mr President," he wrote using a phrase that Bush held dear from his time in the Navy, and one used by his family and friends to discreetly spread the news of his death. Bush's son George the 43rd president of the United States and other loved ones are expected to travel on the presidential jet. Also reportedly expected to make the trip is his service dog Sully -- McGrath posted a touching photo of the yellow Labrador near Bush's casket on Sunday with the phrase "Mission Complete." After a speech from Vice President Mike Pence, Bush will lie in state in the US Capitol from Monday evening until Wednesday morning, under the watchful gaze of an around-the-clock honour guard. Thousands are expected to pay their respects. The casket will then be transported to the cathedral for Wednesday's funeral service the fourth held there for a former president. Dozens of foreign leaders and US luminaries are expected. Former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney told Politico he will deliver one of several eulogies, at Bush's request. The casket will then be flown back to Houston, where the former head of state will lie in repose at St Martin's Episcopal Church where the Bushes worshipped for decades until Thursday's funeral service. The remains will then be transported by train for interment at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Bush will be buried next to his wife Barbara, who died in April, and their daughter Robin, who died of leukemia at age three. Tributes from friends Baker, who served Bush as secretary of state, joined others in paying warm tribute on Sunday television talk shows. Baker called him "far and away the best one-term president we have ever had," alluding to Bush's single biggest political failure -- his loss in the 1992 election to Bill Clinton. Baker instead emphasized his friend's foreign policy successes: navigating the end of the Cold War, negotiating two nuclear arms reduction treaties, and summoning a global coalition to eject Iraqi troops from Kuwait in the first Gulf War. Colin Powell, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during that war, said he was confident in Bush's leadership because "he knew what combat was all about. He knew it meant the death of people... He wanted to avoid a war." The former president had struggled for years with Parkinson's disease, which left him wheelchair-bound and often hospitalized -- including after Barbara's death. Last week, things took a decided turn for the worse, Baker said on ABC. When an aide told Bush that Baker was visiting Friday, "he perked up. He opened his eyes. He looked at me, he says, 'Hey, Bake. Where we going?'" "We're going to heaven," Baker said. Bush replied: "Good, that's where I want to go." Baker said Bush's last words, in a phone conversation with son George, were: "I love you, too."

Air Force One collects Bush casket at start of days-long farewell

United States President Donald Trump on Saturday cancelled a press conference planned for Saturday at the G20 summit, saying he wanted to show respect to the family of the late President George HW Bush.

"I was very much looking forward to having a press conference just prior to leaving Argentina because we have had such great success in our dealing with various countries and their leaders at the G20," Trump tweeted.

"However, out of respect for the Bush Family and former <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/tributes-for-former-us-president-george-hw-bush-180693">President George HW Bush</a> we will wait until after the funeral to have a press conference," Trump added in the continuation tweet.

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I was very much looking forward to having a press conference just prior to leaving Argentina because we have had such great success in our dealing with various countries and their leaders at the G20....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1068887935838228480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Former US president &nbsp;George HW Bush, who led the US as Cold War ended but failed to get a second term, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/bushs-single-white-house-term-shaped-us-history-for-decades-180657">died on November 30</a> at the age of 94 on Saturday.

His death was announced in a statement issued by longtime spokesman Jim McGrath.&nbsp;

Earlier in the day, spokeswoman of Trump announced that Trump will attend the state funeral of HW Bush.&nbsp;

Trump's spokeswoman said: "A state funeral is being arranged with all of the accompanying support and honours. The president will designate Wednesday, December 5th as a National Day Of Mourning. He and the first lady will attend the funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC."

Trump did not attend the funeral of Bush's wife Barbara, the matriarch of the family, who died in April.

The invitation-only service at St Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston included Bush's successor Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, as well as other former senior officials.

United States President Donald Trump on Saturday cancelled a press conference planned for Saturday at the G20 summit, saying he wanted to show respect to the family of the late President George HW Bush.

United States President Donald Trump on Saturday cancelled a press conference planned for Saturday at the G20 summit, saying he wanted to show respect to the family of the late President George HW Bush. "I was very much looking forward to having a press conference just prior to leaving Argentina because we have had such great success in our dealing with various countries and their leaders at the G20," Trump tweeted. "However, out of respect for the Bush Family and former President George HW Bush we will wait until after the funeral to have a press conference," Trump added in the continuation tweet. I was very much looking forward to having a press conference just prior to leaving Argentina because we have had such great success in our dealing with various countries and their leaders at the G20.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 1, 2018 × Former US president George HW Bush, who led the US as Cold War ended but failed to get a second term, died on November 30 at the age of 94 on Saturday. His death was announced in a statement issued by longtime spokesman Jim McGrath. Earlier in the day, spokeswoman of Trump announced that Trump will attend the state funeral of HW Bush. Trump's spokeswoman said: "A state funeral is being arranged with all of the accompanying support and honours. The president will designate Wednesday, December 5th as a National Day Of Mourning. He and the first lady will attend the funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC." Trump did not attend the funeral of Bush's wife Barbara, the matriarch of the family, who died in April. The invitation-only service at St Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston included Bush's successor Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, as well as other former senior officials.

Trump cancels G20 press conference 'out of respect' to Bush family

The United States and China, the world's two largest economies, will see Saturday if they can find a breakthrough to exit a spiraling trade war as their presidents meet at a tense <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/g20-summit-russia-india-china-ric-agree-to-work-on-terrorism-disaster-relief-global-peace-180591">G20 summit.</a>

With markets watching nervously, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/g20-trump-meets-argentine-president-mauricio-macri-discuss-trade-military-ties-180467">US President Donald Trump </a>has described the Buenos Aires summit of the 20 leading economic powers as a deadline for China to meet his demands or risk even further pressure.

The summit itself, with leaders from France, Russia and Saudi Arabia among those attending, has been struggling to carve out any accord on fighting climate change while hot-button disputes such as Ukraine loom large.

Trump, who has already <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-g20-meeting-with-xi-trump-says-billions-of-dollar-pouring-into-us-due-to-tariffs-on-china-180279">slapped $250 billion in tariffs on China</a>, sounded upbeat about making progress with his counterpart Xi Jinping after weeks of dire warnings.

"We're working very hard. If we could make a deal, that would be good," Trump told reporters Friday as he met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the first of the summit's two days.

"I think they want to, and I think we'd like to. And we'll see," Trump said.

Trump has thrown out the traditional US playbook on free trade since his shock 2016 election, vowing to protect forgotten workers and put "America First."

Xi has in turn cast himself as a defender of stable global capitalism, a startling transformation for the leader of a communist state whose entry into the World Trade Organization less than two decades ago was controversial.

In a speech to fellow G20 leaders, Xi said that the major economies "should firmly uphold free trade and the rules-based multilateral trading system."

But in a rhetorical olive branch to Trump, Xi pledged to do more to open up China's economy.

"China will continue to deepen market-oriented reform, protect property rights and intellectual property rights, encourage fair competition and do more to expand imports," he said.

Tensions gradually ease&nbsp;

Trump has accused China of rampant theft of US technology and demanded that the emerging power end its requirements that foreign companies team up with local partners.

In the run-up to November 6 congressional elections, Trump ramped up criticism and accused China of interfering domestically to hurt his Republican Party.

But tensions have eased since then, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assuring that the United States is not seeking a new Cold War and US and Chinese trade officials swapping a lengthy list of items up for discussion.

Trump's criticisms of China's trade policy enjoy wide support across the US political spectrum, but some fear that the president has bitten off more than he can chew with a go-it-alone campaign that could damage markets worldwide.

Trump counted a victory Friday for his brash trade stance as the United States, Canada and Mexico signed a new trade deal, a successor to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

While short of a complete rewrite of NAFTA once promised by Trump, he hailed the new United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement as an "incredible milestone."

He secured the support for the new agreement both of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexico's incoming leftist president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The state-run China Daily said that the Pacific powers could strike a deal in Buenos Aires but warned the United States against pushing too hard on technology.

"Should there be any other aspirations, such as taking advantage of the trade spat to throttle Chinese growth, then an agreement is unlikely to be reached," the newspaper said in an editorial Friday.

"But a good deal means both sides walking away happy. The US should give its habitual winner-take-all approach to international relations the weekend off," it said.

Tensions fill summit&nbsp;

A substantive deal between the United States and China could mark a major feat for the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/international-trade-issues-to-be-first-priority-for-g20-summit-180429"> G20 summit,</a> where expectations for collective action have been low.

With Trump feuding with close US allies, two major summits this year -- the Group of Seven democracies and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum -- ended without once-routine statements.

A French source said that European leaders were trying to forge a statement on climate change even without the United States.&nbsp;

Trump has decided to pull the United States from the Paris accord on curbing carbon emissions, saying it is unfair, despite mounting evidence of the changing climate's dire effects.

Trump called off talks with <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-exchanges-high-five-with-saudi-crown-prince-at-g20-summit-180624">Russian President Vladimir Putin </a>at the summit, officially due to outrage over Moscow's naval skirmishes with Ukraine.

But Trump is also under mounting pressure at home in an investigation over whether his presidential campaign colluded with Russia a topic sure to dominate his press conference shortly before he meets Xi over dinner.

&nbsp;

The United States and China, the world's two largest economies, will see Saturday if they can find a breakthrough to exit a spiraling trade war as their presidents meet at a tense G20 summit.

The United States and China, the world's two largest economies, will see Saturday if they can find a breakthrough to exit a spiraling trade war as their presidents meet at a tense G20 summit. With markets watching nervously, US President Donald Trump has described the Buenos Aires summit of the 20 leading economic powers as a deadline for China to meet his demands or risk even further pressure. The summit itself, with leaders from France, Russia and Saudi Arabia among those attending, has been struggling to carve out any accord on fighting climate change while hot-button disputes such as Ukraine loom large. Trump, who has already slapped $250 billion in tariffs on China, sounded upbeat about making progress with his counterpart Xi Jinping after weeks of dire warnings. "We're working very hard. If we could make a deal, that would be good," Trump told reporters Friday as he met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the first of the summit's two days. "I think they want to, and I think we'd like to. And we'll see," Trump said. Trump has thrown out the traditional US playbook on free trade since his shock 2016 election, vowing to protect forgotten workers and put "America First." Xi has in turn cast himself as a defender of stable global capitalism, a startling transformation for the leader of a communist state whose entry into the World Trade Organization less than two decades ago was controversial. In a speech to fellow G20 leaders, Xi said that the major economies "should firmly uphold free trade and the rules-based multilateral trading system." But in a rhetorical olive branch to Trump, Xi pledged to do more to open up China's economy. "China will continue to deepen market-oriented reform, protect property rights and intellectual property rights, encourage fair competition and do more to expand imports," he said. Tensions gradually ease Trump has accused China of rampant theft of US technology and demanded that the emerging power end its requirements that foreign companies team up with local partners. In the run-up to November 6 congressional elections, Trump ramped up criticism and accused China of interfering domestically to hurt his Republican Party. But tensions have eased since then, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assuring that the United States is not seeking a new Cold War and US and Chinese trade officials swapping a lengthy list of items up for discussion. Trump's criticisms of China's trade policy enjoy wide support across the US political spectrum, but some fear that the president has bitten off more than he can chew with a go-it-alone campaign that could damage markets worldwide. Trump counted a victory Friday for his brash trade stance as the United States, Canada and Mexico signed a new trade deal, a successor to the North American Free Trade Agreement. While short of a complete rewrite of NAFTA once promised by Trump, he hailed the new United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement as an "incredible milestone." He secured the support for the new agreement both of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexico's incoming leftist president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The state-run China Daily said that the Pacific powers could strike a deal in Buenos Aires but warned the United States against pushing too hard on technology. "Should there be any other aspirations, such as taking advantage of the trade spat to throttle Chinese growth, then an agreement is unlikely to be reached," the newspaper said in an editorial Friday. "But a good deal means both sides walking away happy. The US should give its habitual winner-take-all approach to international relations the weekend off," it said. Tensions fill summit A substantive deal between the United States and China could mark a major feat for the G20 summit, where expectations for collective action have been low. With Trump feuding with close US allies, two major summits this year -- the Group of Seven democracies and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum -- ended without once-routine statements. A French source said that European leaders were trying to forge a statement on climate change even without the United States. Trump has decided to pull the United States from the Paris accord on curbing carbon emissions, saying it is unfair, despite mounting evidence of the changing climate's dire effects. Trump called off talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the summit, officially due to outrage over Moscow's naval skirmishes with Ukraine. But Trump is also under mounting pressure at home in an investigation over whether his presidential campaign colluded with Russia a topic sure to dominate his press conference shortly before he meets Xi over dinner.

China, US showdown looms on trade at fractious G20

U.S Senate Resolution on Yemen War

WION Gravitas: What to expect at the G-20 Summit

Fascist politics is once again on the rise in the United States, Europe and Latin America.

Like an echo from the past, its principles and attitudes are re-emerging in a populist rhetoric that embraces extreme forms of nationalism, the cult of the leader, systemic racism, a culture of fear, a hatred of dissent and an utter disdain for the truth.

Driven by a hatred of “the other” and infused with narratives of decline and victimisation, fascist politics trade in an incendiary rhetoric of fear, demonisation and violence.

It creates divisions by targeting groups it defines as criminal, less than human, and then expands its hate-mongering to other groups as part of an attempt to deepen and expand a culture of terror, insecurity and disposablilty.

It attempts to build power through aggressive attacks on the media, critics and the judiciary.

Resentment based on real economic and existential insecurities become fodder for cult-like figures to misdirect anger, feed collective hate and foster a climate of shared fears and social divisions.

Fascist politics is inseparable from the culture of violence, which it uses as its primary tool of communication and weapon of choice.

Trump’s attack on the ‘others’ 
 
One recent example can be found in US&nbsp;President Donald Trump’s ongoing escalation of attacks on migrants. He has referred to the caravan of refugees from Central America as an invading criminal force against whom he is mobilising as many as 15,000 troops, more than currently serve in Afghanistan.

According to Trump, the caravan of migrants had “violently overrun” Mexico and was on the verge of invading the United States.

Prior to the midterm elections, he called immigrants “predatory” and “the worst scum of the world.” After the midterms, he ramped up the violence by authorising “US troops guarding the border against migrant caravans to use deadly force if necessary.”

Trump’s language does more than promote a decline in civility, it also advocates state terrorism while functioning as a savage nod to the most extremist elements of his base of support.

For instance, he has threatened to order US soldiers to shoot migrants and refugees from Central America if they throw rocks at them. In addition, he has pledged to use an executive order to rewrite the US&nbsp;constitution and annul birthright citizenship.

Trump’s rhetoric and policies point to a terrifying new horizon for the political arena and its modes of governance. It shows that domestic terrorism is alive and well.

It’s evident in Trump’s refusal to condemn Saudi Arabia for the assassination of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump has made clear that human rights and even murder can be overlooked if dictators have money to spare in order to purchase US military hardware. In the fascist playbook, commercial deals take precedent over human rights, justice, and liberty.

Trump has unleashed what Frankfurt School theorist Theodor Adorno once called an “authoritarian irrationality,” the dark and menacing underside of a racist and totalitarian psychology and politics.

Trump may not be Adolf Hitler, but there are disturbing similarities in his language and reactionary policies.

Recognition and resistance 
 
It’s precisely these historical lessons that should be examined carefully so that the plague of fascism can be both recognised in its current form and resisted so that it will never happen again.

The entrepreneurs of hate are no longer confined to the dustbin of history. The architects of fascist politics are with us once again, stoking dystopian fantasies in the decaying communities and landscapes produced by 40 years of a savage capitalism.

Angry loners, displaced workers and bitter nativists looking for a place to park their misdirected anger are vulnerable to cult leaders. They’ve found one in Trump.

Campaigning for the midterm elections, Trump reached for the fascist playbook and calculatedly promoted racism, hatred and ignorance in a cynical move that should send alarms ringing across the globe.

Amid an outbreak of violence that included the killings of two African-Americans in a grocery store in Kentucky, a campaign of mail bombs sent to high-profile Democrats and critical celebrities, allegedly by one of his fervent supporters, and the mass murder of 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue, Trump refused to acknowledge that his toxic rhetoric has fanned the flames of racism and anti-Semitism.

Instead, he blamed the media for the violence and labelled them “the true enemy of freedom.”

He also called Democrats the “party of crime” determined “to unleash violent predators and ruthless killers” onto American streets.

In addition, he has ratcheted up his demonization of immigrants by branding them not only as rapists, drug dealers and criminals but also as Mideast terrorists.

He’s also publicly and proudly stated that he’s a nationalist (code for a noxious strain of beliefs espoused by racists and white nationalists), emboldening right-wing extremist groups such as the Proud Boys, the American equivalent of the Nazi Brownshirts.

‘Weaponises language’ 
 
Incapable of both empathy and self-reflection, Trump uses language in the service of lies, vilification and violence.

His inflammatory rhetoric does more than legitimise and accelerate acts of violence; it weaponises language as a tool of political opportunism without regard for the suffering and misery it inflicts on individuals and entire groups considered disposable.

He thrives in creating social divisions and merges ignorance and power to fuel conspiracy theories, eliminate the line between fact and fiction and give credence to the expanding media village of the extreme right.

Trump attempts to criminalise political opposition, maligns immigrants and others as losers and revels in his role as a national mouthpiece for white nationalists, nativists and myriad extremist groups.

He’s unconcerned about the power of words to inflame, humiliate, and embolden some of his followers to violence. Instead, he displays a sadistic desire to relegate his critics and those he views as not white enough or ethnically abhorrent to zones of terminal exclusion.

‘Abolish democracy’

His call to “Make America Great Again” reveals his nostalgia for a white Christian past. Allan Nairn, the award-winning investigative journalist, gets it right in arguing that Trump and the Republican Party want “to abolish democracy…because that’s the only way they can perpetuate their power” and create a form of “domestic fascism.”

What’s so duplicitous and dangerous about Trump is that he hides behind the institutions of representative democracy, which he attempts to destroy by stealth and through an accumulation of assaults rather than through an outright suppression of civil liberties and political rights, though that may be on the horizon.

Part of Trump’s demolition of democracy is his tactic of turning his almost daily assaults into a form of political theatre. It’s evident in his ongoing rallies that overflow with menace, not unlike the fascist Nuremberg rallies of the 1930s.

As the master of the spectacle, Trump normalises through sheer repetition his ongoing attempts to fuel hatred, racial divisions and the destruction of social bonds, all of which is necessary for fascist politics to flourish.

In the Trump era, the line between deadly violence and the rhetoric of a fascist politics is dangerously thin. And as historical memory fades and civic literacy is disparaged, the rise of barbarism and brutality are on the rise.

Using language to resist 
 
That’s why critically addressing Trump’s language is a crucial act of political resistance.

Trump’s hateful rhetoric also proves that education is central to politics, because it’s through language and diverse forms of communication that power materializes to shape consciousness, desire, identity and values.

It’s crucial therefore in the age of Trump to use the language of resistance, one that’s rooted in compassion for others, expands the reach of justice and encourages us to confront the forces of tyranny.

Language is the precondition for education, and education is central to politics itself. We need a new language that both inspires and energizes people to think otherwise in order to act otherwise.

The current crisis of politics is not simply about the rise of fascist politics, it is also about the crisis of language, memory, and agency. Now is the time for individuals and social movements to give new meaning to the recognition that without an informed citizenry, democracy cannot survive and individual and collective resistance will disappear.

(Henry Giroux is Chaired professor for Scholarship in the Public Interest in the Department of English and Cultural Studies, McMaster University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/trumps-fascist-efforts-to-demolish-democracy-106247">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Fascist politics is once again on the rise in the United States, Europe and Latin America. Like an echo from the past, its principles and attitudes are re-emerging in a populist rhetoric that embraces extreme forms of nationalism, the cult of the leader, systemic racism, a culture of fear, a hatred of dissent and an utter disdain for the truth.

Fascist politics is once again on the rise in the United States, Europe and Latin America. Like an echo from the past, its principles and attitudes are re-emerging in a populist rhetoric that embraces extreme forms of nationalism, the cult of the leader, systemic racism, a culture of fear, a hatred of dissent and an utter disdain for the truth. Driven by a hatred of “the other” and infused with narratives of decline and victimisation, fascist politics trade in an incendiary rhetoric of fear, demonisation and violence. It creates divisions by targeting groups it defines as criminal, less than human, and then expands its hate-mongering to other groups as part of an attempt to deepen and expand a culture of terror, insecurity and disposablilty. It attempts to build power through aggressive attacks on the media, critics and the judiciary. Resentment based on real economic and existential insecurities become fodder for cult-like figures to misdirect anger, feed collective hate and foster a climate of shared fears and social divisions. Fascist politics is inseparable from the culture of violence, which it uses as its primary tool of communication and weapon of choice. Trump’s attack on the ‘others’ One recent example can be found in US President Donald Trump’s ongoing escalation of attacks on migrants. He has referred to the caravan of refugees from Central America as an invading criminal force against whom he is mobilising as many as 15,000 troops, more than currently serve in Afghanistan. According to Trump, the caravan of migrants had “violently overrun” Mexico and was on the verge of invading the United States. Prior to the midterm elections, he called immigrants “predatory” and “the worst scum of the world.” After the midterms, he ramped up the violence by authorising “US troops guarding the border against migrant caravans to use deadly force if necessary.” Trump’s language does more than promote a decline in civility, it also advocates state terrorism while functioning as a savage nod to the most extremist elements of his base of support. For instance, he has threatened to order US soldiers to shoot migrants and refugees from Central America if they throw rocks at them. In addition, he has pledged to use an executive order to rewrite the US constitution and annul birthright citizenship. Trump’s rhetoric and policies point to a terrifying new horizon for the political arena and its modes of governance. It shows that domestic terrorism is alive and well. It’s evident in Trump’s refusal to condemn Saudi Arabia for the assassination of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump has made clear that human rights and even murder can be overlooked if dictators have money to spare in order to purchase US military hardware. In the fascist playbook, commercial deals take precedent over human rights, justice, and liberty. Trump has unleashed what Frankfurt School theorist Theodor Adorno once called an “authoritarian irrationality,” the dark and menacing underside of a racist and totalitarian psychology and politics. Trump may not be Adolf Hitler, but there are disturbing similarities in his language and reactionary policies. Recognition and resistance It’s precisely these historical lessons that should be examined carefully so that the plague of fascism can be both recognised in its current form and resisted so that it will never happen again. The entrepreneurs of hate are no longer confined to the dustbin of history. The architects of fascist politics are with us once again, stoking dystopian fantasies in the decaying communities and landscapes produced by 40 years of a savage capitalism. Angry loners, displaced workers and bitter nativists looking for a place to park their misdirected anger are vulnerable to cult leaders. They’ve found one in Trump. Campaigning for the midterm elections, Trump reached for the fascist playbook and calculatedly promoted racism, hatred and ignorance in a cynical move that should send alarms ringing across the globe. Amid an outbreak of violence that included the killings of two African-Americans in a grocery store in Kentucky, a campaign of mail bombs sent to high-profile Democrats and critical celebrities, allegedly by one of his fervent supporters, and the mass murder of 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue, Trump refused to acknowledge that his toxic rhetoric has fanned the flames of racism and anti-Semitism. Instead, he blamed the media for the violence and labelled them “the true enemy of freedom.” He also called Democrats the “party of crime” determined “to unleash violent predators and ruthless killers” onto American streets. In addition, he has ratcheted up his demonization of immigrants by branding them not only as rapists, drug dealers and criminals but also as Mideast terrorists. He’s also publicly and proudly stated that he’s a nationalist (code for a noxious strain of beliefs espoused by racists and white nationalists), emboldening right-wing extremist groups such as the Proud Boys, the American equivalent of the Nazi Brownshirts. ‘Weaponises language’ Incapable of both empathy and self-reflection, Trump uses language in the service of lies, vilification and violence. His inflammatory rhetoric does more than legitimise and accelerate acts of violence; it weaponises language as a tool of political opportunism without regard for the suffering and misery it inflicts on individuals and entire groups considered disposable. He thrives in creating social divisions and merges ignorance and power to fuel conspiracy theories, eliminate the line between fact and fiction and give credence to the expanding media village of the extreme right. Trump attempts to criminalise political opposition, maligns immigrants and others as losers and revels in his role as a national mouthpiece for white nationalists, nativists and myriad extremist groups. He’s unconcerned about the power of words to inflame, humiliate, and embolden some of his followers to violence. Instead, he displays a sadistic desire to relegate his critics and those he views as not white enough or ethnically abhorrent to zones of terminal exclusion. ‘Abolish democracy’ His call to “Make America Great Again” reveals his nostalgia for a white Christian past. Allan Nairn, the award-winning investigative journalist, gets it right in arguing that Trump and the Republican Party want “to abolish democracy…because that’s the only way they can perpetuate their power” and create a form of “domestic fascism.” What’s so duplicitous and dangerous about Trump is that he hides behind the institutions of representative democracy, which he attempts to destroy by stealth and through an accumulation of assaults rather than through an outright suppression of civil liberties and political rights, though that may be on the horizon. Part of Trump’s demolition of democracy is his tactic of turning his almost daily assaults into a form of political theatre. It’s evident in his ongoing rallies that overflow with menace, not unlike the fascist Nuremberg rallies of the 1930s. As the master of the spectacle, Trump normalises through sheer repetition his ongoing attempts to fuel hatred, racial divisions and the destruction of social bonds, all of which is necessary for fascist politics to flourish. In the Trump era, the line between deadly violence and the rhetoric of a fascist politics is dangerously thin. And as historical memory fades and civic literacy is disparaged, the rise of barbarism and brutality are on the rise. Using language to resist That’s why critically addressing Trump’s language is a crucial act of political resistance. Trump’s hateful rhetoric also proves that education is central to politics, because it’s through language and diverse forms of communication that power materializes to shape consciousness, desire, identity and values. It’s crucial therefore in the age of Trump to use the language of resistance, one that’s rooted in compassion for others, expands the reach of justice and encourages us to confront the forces of tyranny. Language is the precondition for education, and education is central to politics itself. We need a new language that both inspires and energizes people to think otherwise in order to act otherwise. The current crisis of politics is not simply about the rise of fascist politics, it is also about the crisis of language, memory, and agency. Now is the time for individuals and social movements to give new meaning to the recognition that without an informed citizenry, democracy cannot survive and individual and collective resistance will disappear. (Henry Giroux is Chaired professor for Scholarship in the Public Interest in the Department of English and Cultural Studies, McMaster University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Trump’s fascist efforts to demolish democracy

Donald Trump piled pressure on Emmanuel Macron Sunday, pushing for resolutions to disputes on trade and defense spending, as he weighed in on the mass protests against his French counterpart's government.

Writing on Twitter, Trump showed he had been keeping an eye on Saturday's demonstrations across France and refrained from showing sympathy for the beleaguered Macron, whose once cozy ties with the US president have chilled.

"The large and violent French protests don't take into account how badly the United States has been treated on Trade by the European Union or on fair and reasonable payments for our GREAT military protection," said Trump.

"Both of these topics must be remedied soon."

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The large and violent French protests don’t take into account how badly the United States has been treated on Trade by the European Union or on fair and reasonable payments for our GREAT military protection. Both of these topics must be remedied soon.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1066682146683846657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Around 130 people were arrested in France on Saturday during the nationwide protests, while 24 people were injured, five of them police officers.

The protesters -- dubbed "yellow vests" for the high-visibility jackets that are widely worn at the demonstrations -- are drawn mainly from rural areas and have vented their fury at policies they see as being pushed through by a Parisian elite deaf to their concerns.

Some of their arguments carry echoes of Trump's rallying call to "Make America Great Again" and his denunciation of "The Swamp" in Washington, including the anger that they voice at globalization. 
Trump's once-close relations with Macron have been strained in recent weeks, with the US president criticizing his French counterpart on everything from his touting of a European army to his continued backing for a nuclear deal with Iran that the US has already ditched.

Trump has frequently criticized other NATO countries, including France, over their levels of defense spending and says the European Union has treated the US "very unfairly" on a range of trade issues.

Donald Trump piled pressure on Emmanuel Macron Sunday, pushing for resolutions to disputes on trade and defense spending, as he weighed in on the mass protests against his French counterpart's government.

Donald Trump piled pressure on Emmanuel Macron Sunday, pushing for resolutions to disputes on trade and defense spending, as he weighed in on the mass protests against his French counterpart's government. Writing on Twitter, Trump showed he had been keeping an eye on Saturday's demonstrations across France and refrained from showing sympathy for the beleaguered Macron, whose once cozy ties with the US president have chilled. "The large and violent French protests don't take into account how badly the United States has been treated on Trade by the European Union or on fair and reasonable payments for our GREAT military protection," said Trump. "Both of these topics must be remedied soon." The large and violent French protests don’t take into account how badly the United States has been treated on Trade by the European Union or on fair and reasonable payments for our GREAT military protection. Both of these topics must be remedied soon. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 25, 2018 × Around 130 people were arrested in France on Saturday during the nationwide protests, while 24 people were injured, five of them police officers. The protesters -- dubbed "yellow vests" for the high-visibility jackets that are widely worn at the demonstrations -- are drawn mainly from rural areas and have vented their fury at policies they see as being pushed through by a Parisian elite deaf to their concerns. Some of their arguments carry echoes of Trump's rallying call to "Make America Great Again" and his denunciation of "The Swamp" in Washington, including the anger that they voice at globalization. Trump's once-close relations with Macron have been strained in recent weeks, with the US president criticizing his French counterpart on everything from his touting of a European army to his continued backing for a nuclear deal with Iran that the US has already ditched. Trump has frequently criticized other NATO countries, including France, over their levels of defense spending and says the European Union has treated the US "very unfairly" on a range of trade issues.

Trump ups pressure on Macron as weighs in on French demonstration

US soldiers bolster defence in Texas

President Donald Trump entered an extraordinary row Wednesday with the chief justice of the Supreme Court, claiming "shocking" bias against his policies in parts of the judiciary.

He singled out the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, whose jurisdiction includes left-leaning California, tweeting that its rulings "are making our country unsafe! Very dangerous and unwise!"

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/i-have-another-250-billion-worth-of-tariffs-china-wants-to-make-a-deal-very-badly-says-trump-at-g20-178526">I have another $250 billion worth of tariffs, China wants to make a deal very badly, says Trump</a>

Earlier, Chief Justice John Roberts, who rarely makes political statements, rebuked criticism of the courts by Trump, insisting that the judiciary is "independent."

Responding to complaints by Trump that judges appointed by Democratic presidents act against the current White House, Roberts told the Associated Press: "We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges."

"What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them," Roberts said.

"That independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for," the chief justice added in a brief statement.

Trump, who is on holiday in Florida, fired back on Twitter.

"Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have 'Obama judges,' and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country," he wrote.

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Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have “Obama judges,” and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country. It would be great if the 9th Circuit was indeed an “independent judiciary,” but if it is why......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1065346909362143232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He said that "a vast number" of cases concerning his controversial priorities, like a harsh crackdown on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-give-us-troops-authority-to-protect-immigration-agents-178295">illegal immigration</a>, had been overturned. "Please study the numbers, they are shocking," Trump wrote.

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.....are so many opposing view (on Border and Safety) cases filed there, and why are a vast number of those cases overturned. Please study the numbers, they are shocking. We need protection and security - these rulings are making our country unsafe! Very dangerous and unwise!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1065351478347530241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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'Disgrace'

The row came one day after Trump criticized a federal judge who temporarily blocked the administration from its decision to deny the right to political asylum applications for people who enter the country illegally.

US District Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order against the Trump move, which comes as a large group of Central American migrants, frequently described by Trump as dangerous, is heading on foot for the US southern border.

On Tuesday, Trump lashed out at the judge's ruling, calling it a "disgrace."

"This was an Obama judge, and I'll tell you what, this is not going to happen anymore," Trump said. "People should not be allowed to immediately run to this very friendly circuit and file their case."

"We will win that case in the Supreme Court of the United States," Trump said.

First time

Trump has repeatedly attacked the judiciary when cases have gone against him in the past but this was the first time that Roberts, a conservative jurist who was appointed to the nation's highest court by Republican president George W. Bush, has responded publicly.

During the 2016 presidential election campaign, Trump attacked the Mexican-American heritage of a judge who ruled against him in a case involving Trump University.&nbsp;

The US federal government consists of three branches -- the executive headed by the president, the legislative comprising the House of Representatives and Senate and the judicial made up of the courts. The judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, is meant to be above the political fray.

Critics of the Trump immigration crackdown say that by restricting asylum seekers to border crossing points the government is effectively shutting the door on people who may truly be fleeing for their lives.

Trump's administration has argued that he has the executive power to curb immigration in the name of national security -- a power he invoked after taking office last year with a controversial ban on travellers from several mostly Muslim countries.

The final version of the order was upheld by the Supreme Court on June 26 after a protracted legal battle. 
&nbsp;

President Donald Trump entered an extraordinary row Wednesday with the chief justice of the Supreme Court, claiming "shocking" bias against his policies in parts of the judiciary.

President Donald Trump entered an extraordinary row Wednesday with the chief justice of the Supreme Court, claiming "shocking" bias against his policies in parts of the judiciary. He singled out the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, whose jurisdiction includes left-leaning California, tweeting that its rulings "are making our country unsafe! Very dangerous and unwise!" Also read: I have another $250 billion worth of tariffs, China wants to make a deal very badly, says Trump Earlier, Chief Justice John Roberts, who rarely makes political statements, rebuked criticism of the courts by Trump, insisting that the judiciary is "independent." Responding to complaints by Trump that judges appointed by Democratic presidents act against the current White House, Roberts told the Associated Press: "We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges." "What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them," Roberts said. "That independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for," the chief justice added in a brief statement. Trump, who is on holiday in Florida, fired back on Twitter. "Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have 'Obama judges,' and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country," he wrote. Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have “Obama judges,” and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country. It would be great if the 9th Circuit was indeed an “independent judiciary,” but if it is why...... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 21, 2018 × He said that "a vast number" of cases concerning his controversial priorities, like a harsh crackdown on illegal immigration, had been overturned. "Please study the numbers, they are shocking," Trump wrote. .....are so many opposing view (on Border and Safety) cases filed there, and why are a vast number of those cases overturned. Please study the numbers, they are shocking. We need protection and security - these rulings are making our country unsafe! Very dangerous and unwise! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 21, 2018 × 'Disgrace' The row came one day after Trump criticized a federal judge who temporarily blocked the administration from its decision to deny the right to political asylum applications for people who enter the country illegally. US District Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order against the Trump move, which comes as a large group of Central American migrants, frequently described by Trump as dangerous, is heading on foot for the US southern border. On Tuesday, Trump lashed out at the judge's ruling, calling it a "disgrace." "This was an Obama judge, and I'll tell you what, this is not going to happen anymore," Trump said. "People should not be allowed to immediately run to this very friendly circuit and file their case." "We will win that case in the Supreme Court of the United States," Trump said. First time Trump has repeatedly attacked the judiciary when cases have gone against him in the past but this was the first time that Roberts, a conservative jurist who was appointed to the nation's highest court by Republican president George W. Bush, has responded publicly. During the 2016 presidential election campaign, Trump attacked the Mexican-American heritage of a judge who ruled against him in a case involving Trump University. The US federal government consists of three branches -- the executive headed by the president, the legislative comprising the House of Representatives and Senate and the judicial made up of the courts. The judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, is meant to be above the political fray. Critics of the Trump immigration crackdown say that by restricting asylum seekers to border crossing points the government is effectively shutting the door on people who may truly be fleeing for their lives. Trump's administration has argued that he has the executive power to curb immigration in the name of national security -- a power he invoked after taking office last year with a controversial ban on travellers from several mostly Muslim countries. The final version of the order was upheld by the Supreme Court on June 26 after a protracted legal battle.

'You do indeed have Obama judges', Donald Trump hits back at US Supreme Court Justice

The Saudi assassination of a US-based journalist has put President Donald Trump in an intractable bind.

Does he preserve a close US ally and accept whatever Riyadh says about the murder? Or does he risk a rupture and embrace the conclusion of the Central Intelligence Agency that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto leader, ordered the killing? The US president has refrained from attacking Prince Mohammed ever since Jamal Khashoggi, a veteran Saudi journalist who had been writing articles critical of Riyadh for The Washington Post, was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

With Riyadh under international pressure, the Saudi prosecutor announced the arrest of 21 suspects and charges against 11, saying five will face the possible death penalty.

At the same time, Washington announced sanctions on 17 Saudis allegedly involved, including two top aides of the prince.

Neither side though named the mastermind of the operation. But, according to the Post and The New York Times, the CIA is certain that it was Prince Mohammed himself.

That puts the US president in a bind. He has formed a deep alliance with the Saudis over a mutual dislike for Iran and a shared interest in keeping global oil prices steady.

Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has sealed the relationship through a close personal connection with the prince, known as "MBS." For that reason, until now, Trump has appeared loathe to finger Prince Mohammed for Khashoggi's murder, saying he hasn't seen the evidence. He said on Sunday that he will likely only be briefed on the CIA conclusions by Tuesday.

"Trump has only two options," said Michele Dunne, a Middle East expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"He can agree with the intelligence evaluation and go along with what Congress wants to do, which means indicating publicly or privately that the US will no longer work with MBS." Or, she said, he can go against all that and try to protect the White House's relationship with the prince. 
In either case, the risks are high.

Severing relations with the son of King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud is an extreme step, but would not necessarily mean a complete bilateral rupture, said Dunne. "Saudi Arabia is not MBS, and MBS is not Saudi Arabia." Yet it risks spurring changes in the hierarchy of the Saudi royal family, with the outcome unpredictable for Saudi-US relations.

On the other hand, if Trump refuses to condemn Prince Mohammed, an angry Congress could take action that would damage the relationship, such as freezing arms sales to the Middle East giant.

Senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who is close to the president, does not mince his attacks on the prince over Khashoggi's death. 
"I believed from day one that 15 people, 18, whatever the number was, they don't get on two airplanes, go to Turkey and chop a guy up in the consulate who's a critic of the crown prince without the crown prince having known about it and sanctioned it," Graham told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

The White House appears divided. Kushner has been quiet about the case and his friend the prince.

But on Friday, Kirsten Fontenrose, a White House official who advocated a tough stance, resigned her position, according to the New York Times. 
Trump himself has waxed hot and cold on the issue.

One day he denounces it as "one of the worst cover-ups" in history and a "total fiasco." The next he stresses the importance of the alliance and repeats that Prince Mohammed has personally denied to him that he ordered the assassination.

Suzanne Maloney of the Brookings Institution think-tank said Trump's equivocating is risky for the relationship.

"The Saudis aren't getting the signal that this kind of activity is damaging," she said. "The signal that they're trying to send is that business can go on as usual with the senior leadership." However, she said, a direct, public accusation against the prince will not work either.

"You wouldn't go out in public and say that your crown prince needs to go!" The best alternative is to make the point behind the scenes and make it clear to the Saudis that they have gone too far.

"That's what a genuinely competent administration would do," she said.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The Saudi assassination of a US-based journalist has put President Donald Trump in an intractable bind. Does he preserve a close US ally and accept whatever Riyadh says about the murder?

The Saudi assassination of a US-based journalist has put President Donald Trump in an intractable bind. Does he preserve a close US ally and accept whatever Riyadh says about the murder? Or does he risk a rupture and embrace the conclusion of the Central Intelligence Agency that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto leader, ordered the killing? The US president has refrained from attacking Prince Mohammed ever since Jamal Khashoggi, a veteran Saudi journalist who had been writing articles critical of Riyadh for The Washington Post, was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. With Riyadh under international pressure, the Saudi prosecutor announced the arrest of 21 suspects and charges against 11, saying five will face the possible death penalty. At the same time, Washington announced sanctions on 17 Saudis allegedly involved, including two top aides of the prince. Neither side though named the mastermind of the operation. But, according to the Post and The New York Times, the CIA is certain that it was Prince Mohammed himself. That puts the US president in a bind. He has formed a deep alliance with the Saudis over a mutual dislike for Iran and a shared interest in keeping global oil prices steady. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has sealed the relationship through a close personal connection with the prince, known as "MBS." For that reason, until now, Trump has appeared loathe to finger Prince Mohammed for Khashoggi's murder, saying he hasn't seen the evidence. He said on Sunday that he will likely only be briefed on the CIA conclusions by Tuesday. "Trump has only two options," said Michele Dunne, a Middle East expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "He can agree with the intelligence evaluation and go along with what Congress wants to do, which means indicating publicly or privately that the US will no longer work with MBS." Or, she said, he can go against all that and try to protect the White House's relationship with the prince. In either case, the risks are high. Severing relations with the son of King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud is an extreme step, but would not necessarily mean a complete bilateral rupture, said Dunne. "Saudi Arabia is not MBS, and MBS is not Saudi Arabia." Yet it risks spurring changes in the hierarchy of the Saudi royal family, with the outcome unpredictable for Saudi-US relations. On the other hand, if Trump refuses to condemn Prince Mohammed, an angry Congress could take action that would damage the relationship, such as freezing arms sales to the Middle East giant. Senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who is close to the president, does not mince his attacks on the prince over Khashoggi's death. "I believed from day one that 15 people, 18, whatever the number was, they don't get on two airplanes, go to Turkey and chop a guy up in the consulate who's a critic of the crown prince without the crown prince having known about it and sanctioned it," Graham told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. The White House appears divided. Kushner has been quiet about the case and his friend the prince. But on Friday, Kirsten Fontenrose, a White House official who advocated a tough stance, resigned her position, according to the New York Times. Trump himself has waxed hot and cold on the issue. One day he denounces it as "one of the worst cover-ups" in history and a "total fiasco." The next he stresses the importance of the alliance and repeats that Prince Mohammed has personally denied to him that he ordered the assassination. Suzanne Maloney of the Brookings Institution think-tank said Trump's equivocating is risky for the relationship. "The Saudis aren't getting the signal that this kind of activity is damaging," she said. "The signal that they're trying to send is that business can go on as usual with the senior leadership." However, she said, a direct, public accusation against the prince will not work either. "You wouldn't go out in public and say that your crown prince needs to go!" The best alternative is to make the point behind the scenes and make it clear to the Saudis that they have gone too far. "That's what a genuinely competent administration would do," she said. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Trump dilemma: Preserve Saudi alliance or declare prince a murderer

Pakistan PM Imran Khan rebuts with 'scapegoat' jibe

WION Dispatch: Pakistan PM Imran Khan lashes out at Trump on Twitter

WION CHAT: Robert Kelly, Korean Affairs expert on Kim's deception on denuclearisation

New York Times exposes North Korea's 16 hidden missile bases

Trump attacks Emmanuel Macron on Twitter; threatens France on wine tariffs

WION Dispatch: Donald Trump slams Macron over European army comment

WION Fineprint: Russian investigation is a hoax, says Donald Trump

WION Dispatch: Michelle Obama blasts Donald Trump in her new memoir

Watch: WION Gravitas, 8th November, 2018

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