US hits China on Hong Kong, Uighurs and trade in UN speech

The US House of Representatives will launch a formal impeachment inquiry into US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/have-authorised-release-of-fully-declassified-transcript-of-my-call-with-ukraines-president-donald-trump-251831">Donald Trump</a> over reports he sought foreign help to smear a political rival, setting up a dramatic clash between Congress and the White House that has spilled into the 2020 presidential campaign.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the inquiry on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with Democratic lawmakers, saying Trump's actions appeared to have undermined national security and violated the US Constitution.

"The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law," said Pelosi, who for months had been reluctant to embrace an impeachment effort.

Trump fired back quickly on Twitter, calling the inquiry "Witch Hunt garbage."

Pelosi's change of heart followed reports that Trump had pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 phone call to investigate Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and his son.

Trump promised on Tuesday to release a transcript of his phone call. He has acknowledged he discussed Biden in the call, but denied he withheld nearly $400 million in US aid to Ukraine as leverage to get Zelenskiy to launch a probe that would damage Biden, who leads opinion polls in the Democratic race to face Trump in the November 2020 election.

Pelosi said the six congressional committees currently investigating Trump would continue with their probes as part of the inquiry.

"The actions of the Trump presidency revealed a dishonourable fact of the president's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said.

The impeachment inquiry could eventually lead to Trump's removal from office. But even if the Democratic-controlled House voted to impeach Trump, the Republican-controlled Senate would have to take the next step of removing him from office after a trial.

It will be the first impeachment inquiry in Congress since the 1998 probe of President Bill Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

The House voted to impeach Clinton in December 1998, but the Democratic president was acquitted two months later by the Senate and remained in office.

Biden said he would back impeachment if the president did not fully comply with congressional investigations.

'This will last forever'

"If we allow a president to get away with shredding the Constitution, that will last forever," Biden told reporters in Wilmington, in his home state of Delaware.

Most Democratic presidential contenders support an impeachment inquiry, including US Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar; former US Representative Beto O'Rourke; South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro.

"The House must impeach," Warren, the first major contender to call for impeachment following former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian interference in the 2016 election, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

Trump, who has withstood repeated scandals since taking office in January 2017, said a "complete, fully declassified and unredacted" transcript of the July 25 call would be released on Wednesday.

Democrats are also seeking the original complaint about Trump's call, filed by a whistleblower within the US intelligence community, as well as information on deliberations over the Ukrainian aid.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said his panel was communicating with an attorney representing the whistleblower and that the individual would like to testify this week.

The US Senate approved a resolution on Tuesday calling on the Ukraine whistleblower complaint to be submitted to the Senate and House Intelligence committees. Trump administration officials so far have refused to let the complaint be submitted.

"I cannot imagine any legitimate or straight-faced reason" to object to the legislation, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said, arguing the only reason would be "to protect the president from accountability."

The House will vote on a similar resolution on Wednesday.

Trump said the transcript would show the Ukraine call was "totally appropriate," that he had not pressured Zelenskiy to investigate Biden and that there had been no "quid pro quo" for U.S. aid in exchange for a probe. Quid pro quo is a Latin phrase meaning favour that is exchanged for favour.

Trump has produced no evidence of wrongdoing by Biden or his son.

"When you see the readout of the call, which I assume you'll see at some point, you'll understand. That call was perfect. It couldn't have been nicer," Trump told reporters at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Trump indicated there was nothing sinister about withholding the aid to Ukraine but he wanted Europe and not just the United States to step up and provide Ukraine assistance.

The money was later released by the Trump administration. Trump told reporters he had wanted the money for Ukraine frozen, but changed his mind after "people called me."

US intelligence agencies and the special counsel previously concluded that Russia boosted Trump's 2016 presidential election bid with a campaign of hacking and propaganda aimed at harming his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Congress had not been made aware of any substantive review of security assistance to Ukraine or any policy reason the funds should have been withheld.

The US House of Representatives will launch a formal impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump over reports he sought foreign help to smear a political rival, setting up a dramatic clash between Congress and the White House that has spilled into the 2020 presidential campaign.

The US House of Representatives will launch a formal impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump over reports he sought foreign help to smear a political rival, setting up a dramatic clash between Congress and the White House that has spilled into the 2020 presidential campaign. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the inquiry on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with Democratic lawmakers, saying Trump's actions appeared to have undermined national security and violated the US Constitution. "The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law," said Pelosi, who for months had been reluctant to embrace an impeachment effort. Trump fired back quickly on Twitter, calling the inquiry "Witch Hunt garbage." Pelosi's change of heart followed reports that Trump had pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 phone call to investigate Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and his son. Trump promised on Tuesday to release a transcript of his phone call. He has acknowledged he discussed Biden in the call, but denied he withheld nearly $400 million in US aid to Ukraine as leverage to get Zelenskiy to launch a probe that would damage Biden, who leads opinion polls in the Democratic race to face Trump in the November 2020 election. Pelosi said the six congressional committees currently investigating Trump would continue with their probes as part of the inquiry. "The actions of the Trump presidency revealed a dishonourable fact of the president's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said. The impeachment inquiry could eventually lead to Trump's removal from office. But even if the Democratic-controlled House voted to impeach Trump, the Republican-controlled Senate would have to take the next step of removing him from office after a trial. It will be the first impeachment inquiry in Congress since the 1998 probe of President Bill Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The House voted to impeach Clinton in December 1998, but the Democratic president was acquitted two months later by the Senate and remained in office. Biden said he would back impeachment if the president did not fully comply with congressional investigations. 'This will last forever' "If we allow a president to get away with shredding the Constitution, that will last forever," Biden told reporters in Wilmington, in his home state of Delaware. Most Democratic presidential contenders support an impeachment inquiry, including US Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar; former US Representative Beto O'Rourke; South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. "The House must impeach," Warren, the first major contender to call for impeachment following former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian interference in the 2016 election, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. Trump, who has withstood repeated scandals since taking office in January 2017, said a "complete, fully declassified and unredacted" transcript of the July 25 call would be released on Wednesday. Democrats are also seeking the original complaint about Trump's call, filed by a whistleblower within the US intelligence community, as well as information on deliberations over the Ukrainian aid. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said his panel was communicating with an attorney representing the whistleblower and that the individual would like to testify this week. The US Senate approved a resolution on Tuesday calling on the Ukraine whistleblower complaint to be submitted to the Senate and House Intelligence committees. Trump administration officials so far have refused to let the complaint be submitted. "I cannot imagine any legitimate or straight-faced reason" to object to the legislation, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said, arguing the only reason would be "to protect the president from accountability." The House will vote on a similar resolution on Wednesday. Trump said the transcript would show the Ukraine call was "totally appropriate," that he had not pressured Zelenskiy to investigate Biden and that there had been no "quid pro quo" for U.S. aid in exchange for a probe. Quid pro quo is a Latin phrase meaning favour that is exchanged for favour. Trump has produced no evidence of wrongdoing by Biden or his son. "When you see the readout of the call, which I assume you'll see at some point, you'll understand. That call was perfect. It couldn't have been nicer," Trump told reporters at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Trump indicated there was nothing sinister about withholding the aid to Ukraine but he wanted Europe and not just the United States to step up and provide Ukraine assistance. The money was later released by the Trump administration. Trump told reporters he had wanted the money for Ukraine frozen, but changed his mind after "people called me." US intelligence agencies and the special counsel previously concluded that Russia boosted Trump's 2016 presidential election bid with a campaign of hacking and propaganda aimed at harming his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Congress had not been made aware of any substantive review of security assistance to Ukraine or any policy reason the funds should have been withheld.

US House to launch Trump impeachment inquiry over Ukraine controversy

Swedish teenage climate activist&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-striker-greta-thunberg-wins-right-livelihood-award-251941">Greta&nbsp;Thunberg</a> shot back at US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's attempt to mock her on Twitter by changing her profile description on the website&nbsp;to reflect Trump's taunting remark.

Late on Monday Trump retweeted a clip of the 16-year-old's speech to a United Nations climate summit in which she angrily denounced world leaders for failing to tackle climate change by demanding: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-dare-you-greta-thunberg-asks-world-leaders-at-un-251559">"How dare you?"</a>

Trump, 73, commented, "She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!"

By Tuesday Thunberg shot back, changing her Twitter biography to, "A very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future."

A Reuters video of Thunberg glaring at Trump as he entered the United Nations in New York on Monday went viral on social media. Trump has questioned climate science and has challenged every major US&nbsp;regulation aimed at combating climate change.

Thunberg started missing school on Fridays a year ago to protest for climate action outside the Swedish parliament, inspiring millions of children and sparking a global climate strike movement known as Fridays for Future.

On Tuesday, the hashtags #GretaThunbergOutdidTrump and #BeBest were trending in the United States. 'Be Best'&nbsp;is Melania Trump's campaign against cyber bullying.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greta-thunberg-the-worlds-youthful-climate-conscience-250812">Thunberg</a> is in the running for the Nobel Peace Prize, one of the few people whose nomination has become known before the awards ceremony. She is the bookmakers' favorite to win the prize next month.

Trump has made the case that he deserves to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and commented again on Monday when asked about the topic.

"I think I'm going to get a Nobel Prize for a lot of things, if they gave it out fairly, which they don't," Trump said.

Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg shot back at US President Donald Trump's attempt to mock her on Twitter by changing her profile description on the website to reflect Trump's taunting remark.

Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg shot back at US President Donald Trump's attempt to mock her on Twitter by changing her profile description on the website to reflect Trump's taunting remark. Late on Monday Trump retweeted a clip of the 16-year-old's speech to a United Nations climate summit in which she angrily denounced world leaders for failing to tackle climate change by demanding: "How dare you?" Trump, 73, commented, "She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!" By Tuesday Thunberg shot back, changing her Twitter biography to, "A very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future." A Reuters video of Thunberg glaring at Trump as he entered the United Nations in New York on Monday went viral on social media. Trump has questioned climate science and has challenged every major US regulation aimed at combating climate change. Thunberg started missing school on Fridays a year ago to protest for climate action outside the Swedish parliament, inspiring millions of children and sparking a global climate strike movement known as Fridays for Future. On Tuesday, the hashtags #GretaThunbergOutdidTrump and #BeBest were trending in the United States. 'Be Best' is Melania Trump's campaign against cyber bullying. Thunberg is in the running for the Nobel Peace Prize, one of the few people whose nomination has become known before the awards ceremony. She is the bookmakers' favorite to win the prize next month. Trump has made the case that he deserves to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and commented again on Monday when asked about the topic. "I think I'm going to get a Nobel Prize for a lot of things, if they gave it out fairly, which they don't," Trump said.

Greta takes on Trump's Twitter taunt, changes profile description to 'very happy young girl'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday presented to US President Donald Trump a framed photograph from the mega "Howdy Modi" event in Houston.

PM Modi gifts Trump photo from 'Howdy, Modi!' event

Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-not-shying-away-from-talks-with-pakistan-pm-modi-tells-donald-trump-in-new-york-251839">Narendra Modi</a> will take care of it, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, on Pakistan PM Imran Khan's admission that his country's ISI is training Al Qaeda.&nbsp;

"...I know that your Prime Minister (PM Modi) will take care of it" Trump said when asked 'how do you see the statement coming from Pakistani PM admitting that the Pakistani ISI trained Al Qaeda?'.

Trump made the remarks during the press meet after holding bilateral meet with PM Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking at an event at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) think tank in New York on Monday, Imran Khan had acknowledged that his country's army and spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) trained Al Qaeda and other militant groups.

Watch: Indian PM Modi &amp; US President Trump's meet at UN for bilateral talks

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&nbsp;"The Pakistani army ISI trained Al Qaeda and all these groups to fight in Afghanistan, there were always links, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-has-changed-says-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-in-us-251614">there had to be linked because they trained them</a>," Khan had said.

Imran Khan had also said that Pakistan committed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/joining-us-after-911-was-big-blunder-pakistani-pm-imran-khan-in-us-251574">one of the biggest blunders</a> by joining the United States in its war on terrorism in the aftermath of 9/11 terror attack.&nbsp;

PM Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan are <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-imran-likely-to-cross-paths-at-united-nations-headquarters-today-251795">expected to cross paths with each other</a> at the United Nations headquarters in New York today.

Both Indian prime minister and his Pakistan counterpart would address the UN general assembly on September 27.

PM Modi and US President sat together in New York on Tuesday for the third time in the last few months and while endorsing each other also announced both working on a trade deal.

The meeting lasted between 30 to 45 minutes, Gokhale said, adding, "India was quite satisfied with the meeting". 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take care of it, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, on Pakistan PM Imran Khan's admission that his country's ISI is training Al Qaeda.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take care of it, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, on Pakistan PM Imran Khan's admission that his country's ISI is training Al Qaeda. "...I know that your Prime Minister (PM Modi) will take care of it" Trump said when asked 'how do you see the statement coming from Pakistani PM admitting that the Pakistani ISI trained Al Qaeda?'. Trump made the remarks during the press meet after holding bilateral meet with PM Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Speaking at an event at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) think tank in New York on Monday, Imran Khan had acknowledged that his country's army and spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) trained Al Qaeda and other militant groups. Watch: Indian PM Modi & US President Trump's meet at UN for bilateral talks × "The Pakistani army ISI trained Al Qaeda and all these groups to fight in Afghanistan, there were always links, there had to be linked because they trained them," Khan had said. Imran Khan had also said that Pakistan committed one of the biggest blunders by joining the United States in its war on terrorism in the aftermath of 9/11 terror attack. PM Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan are expected to cross paths with each other at the United Nations headquarters in New York today. Both Indian prime minister and his Pakistan counterpart would address the UN general assembly on September 27. PM Modi and US President sat together in New York on Tuesday for the third time in the last few months and while endorsing each other also announced both working on a trade deal. The meeting lasted between 30 to 45 minutes, Gokhale said, adding, "India was quite satisfied with the meeting".

PM Modi will take care of it: Trump on Imran Khan admitting ISI's role in training Al Qaeda

India is not shying away from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-imran-likely-to-cross-paths-at-united-nations-headquarters-today-251795">talks with Pakistan</a> but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by the neighbouring country first, Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/memories-from-houston-pm-modi-gifts-framed-photograph-from-howdy-modi-to-trump-251835">Narendra Modi</a> said to US President Donald Trump during the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly in New york.

"The Prime Minister made it clear (to Trump) that we are not shying away from talks with Pakistan but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by Pakistan before that, and we don't find any efforts by them," Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told reporters at a briefing in Delhi after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/trump-calls-modi-elvis-of-india-says-modi-will-take-care-of-terrorism-from-pakistan-251819">bilateral meeting between the two leaders</a>.

India raised the challenges it has been facing with regard to terror especially in Jammu and Kashmir since last 30 years, Gokhale also&nbsp;said.

New Delhi has repeatedly maintained that dialogue with Pakistan will not be initiated until it takes concrete action against terror emanating from its soil.

Gokhale also said that during the meeting, Modi told Trump that radicalisation is fading away from India, a fact appreciated by the US President.

"The Prime Minister told President Trump that there has been a significantly lower level of radicalisation in India than there has been in any other part of the world. President Trump acknowledged and took note of the fact," the Foreign Secretary remarked.

Watch: Indian PM Modi &amp; US President Trump's meet at UN for bilateral talks

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The latest development comes as PM Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan are expected to cross paths with each other at the United Nations headquarters in New York today.

As the UN General Assembly session formally opens, at least one occasion could present itself when Modi and Khan would be under the same roof -- an eagerly-awaited optic amid khan's attempt to draw global attention to Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 which Indian government maintains is an internal matter.

That said, while Modi and Khan may chance upon each other at various engagements slated for today, it is speculative at best to assume that the two will confront each other at the United Nations.&nbsp;

Both Indian prime minister and his Pakistan counterpart would address the UN general assembly on September 27.

PM Modi and&nbsp;US President sat together in New York on Tuesday for the third time in the last few months and while endorsing each other also announced both working on a trade deal.

The meeting lasted between 30 to 45 minutes, Gokhale said, adding, "India was quite satisfied with the meeting".

India is not shying away from talks with Pakistan but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by the neighbouring country first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said to US President Donald Trump during the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly in New york.

India is not shying away from talks with Pakistan but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by the neighbouring country first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said to US President Donald Trump during the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly in New york. "The Prime Minister made it clear (to Trump) that we are not shying away from talks with Pakistan but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by Pakistan before that, and we don't find any efforts by them," Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told reporters at a briefing in Delhi after the bilateral meeting between the two leaders. India raised the challenges it has been facing with regard to terror especially in Jammu and Kashmir since last 30 years, Gokhale also said. New Delhi has repeatedly maintained that dialogue with Pakistan will not be initiated until it takes concrete action against terror emanating from its soil. Gokhale also said that during the meeting, Modi told Trump that radicalisation is fading away from India, a fact appreciated by the US President. "The Prime Minister told President Trump that there has been a significantly lower level of radicalisation in India than there has been in any other part of the world. President Trump acknowledged and took note of the fact," the Foreign Secretary remarked. Watch: Indian PM Modi & US President Trump's meet at UN for bilateral talks × The latest development comes as PM Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan are expected to cross paths with each other at the United Nations headquarters in New York today. As the UN General Assembly session formally opens, at least one occasion could present itself when Modi and Khan would be under the same roof -- an eagerly-awaited optic amid khan's attempt to draw global attention to Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 which Indian government maintains is an internal matter. That said, while Modi and Khan may chance upon each other at various engagements slated for today, it is speculative at best to assume that the two will confront each other at the United Nations. Both Indian prime minister and his Pakistan counterpart would address the UN general assembly on September 27. PM Modi and US President sat together in New York on Tuesday for the third time in the last few months and while endorsing each other also announced both working on a trade deal. The meeting lasted between 30 to 45 minutes, Gokhale said, adding, "India was quite satisfied with the meeting".

India not shying away from talks with Pakistan: PM Modi tells Donald Trump in New York

Trump urges to mediate again; Is he playing both sides? Watch video to know more.

Trump urges to mediate again; Is he playing both sides?

In a surprising turn of events, President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/time-for-talks-is-over-world-needs-to-act-now-pm-modi-at-un-climate-change-summit-251563">Donald Trump</a> made a brief unscheduled appearance on Monday at the United Nations climate summit, which he had been expected to skip entirely.

Trump, who has repeatedly expressed doubt about the overwhelming scientific consensus on manmade causes of global warming, spent a few minutes in the hall of the General Assembly where he applauded Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech, then left.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-dare-you-greta-thunberg-asks-world-leaders-at-un-251559">Dozens of world leaders were discussing measures</a> to try and slow down ever-more dangerous trends in climate change. Trump, who withdrew the United States from a major international pact on reducing greenhouse gas outputs, did not speak.

Watch: Committed to fight radical Islamic terror: Donald Trump at 'Howdy, Modi' event

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Earlier, opening the summit, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, "The climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win."&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron invited his counterparts from Chile, Colombia and Bolivia to a meeting where $500 million in extra funds were pledged by the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and non-profit Conservation International to protect the world's rainforests.

Fewer than half the 136 heads of government or state in New York this week to attend the UN General Assembly will be present Monday.

In a surprising turn of events, President Donald Trump made a brief unscheduled appearance on Monday at the United Nations climate summit, which he had been expected to skip entirely.

In a surprising turn of events, President Donald Trump made a brief unscheduled appearance on Monday at the United Nations climate summit, which he had been expected to skip entirely. Trump, who has repeatedly expressed doubt about the overwhelming scientific consensus on manmade causes of global warming, spent a few minutes in the hall of the General Assembly where he applauded Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech, then left. Dozens of world leaders were discussing measures to try and slow down ever-more dangerous trends in climate change. Trump, who withdrew the United States from a major international pact on reducing greenhouse gas outputs, did not speak. Watch: Committed to fight radical Islamic terror: Donald Trump at 'Howdy, Modi' event × Earlier, opening the summit, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, "The climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win." French President Emmanuel Macron invited his counterparts from Chile, Colombia and Bolivia to a meeting where $500 million in extra funds were pledged by the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and non-profit Conservation International to protect the world's rainforests. Fewer than half the 136 heads of government or state in New York this week to attend the UN General Assembly will be present Monday.

President Trump makes unexpected appearance at United Nations climate summit

Day 3 of PM Modi's United States visit. Watch video to know more.

Day 3 of PM Modi's United States visit

Facebook has removed a group of pages on its platform reportedly linked to Ukraine which featured US patriotic messages and praise for President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-denies-pressurising-ukraine-into-investigating-joe-biden-for-corruption-251618">Donald Trump</a>, with posts seen by millions of users.

The social media giant said in an email Tuesday it had taken down "I Love America" and related pages "for violating our policies against spam and fake accounts, and are continuing to investigate for any further violations."

The move came a day after an investigation published by the left-leaning news site Popular Information which said the page was registered to Ukrainian media strategist Andriy Zyuzikov and regularly posted pro-Trump themes and a considerable amount of misinformation.

The messages ranged from innocuous posts such as "Everyone should respect and stand for our American Flag" to fake statements, including one saying Hillary Clinton had sold her email access to foreign governments.

According to analytics cited by Popular Info, the I Love America page had 1.1 million fans and more than nine million interactions over the past three months -- more than news sites such as BuzzFeed and the Los Angeles Times.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-buys-startup-working-on-mind-control-of-machines-251624">Facebook</a> so far has not found any links from the page to "state actors" but made a decision to block the operation because of spam and so-called clickbait which violate its policies.

The news report said the page was recycling hoaxes and false information used by Russia's Internet Research Agency as part of efforts to manipulate voters in the 2016 US election.

Related pages also removed included names such as "Cute or Not?" and "God bless Donald and Melania Trump and God bless America," which according to Popular Info were also controlled from Ukraine and posted similar messages.

The move comes with Facebook and other platforms under pressure to curb misinformation and efforts by state-controlled entities to interfere in elections of other countries.

Facebook has removed a group of pages on its platform reportedly linked to Ukraine which featured US patriotic messages and praise for President Donald Trump, with posts seen by millions of users.

Facebook has removed a group of pages on its platform reportedly linked to Ukraine which featured US patriotic messages and praise for President Donald Trump, with posts seen by millions of users. The social media giant said in an email Tuesday it had taken down "I Love America" and related pages "for violating our policies against spam and fake accounts, and are continuing to investigate for any further violations." The move came a day after an investigation published by the left-leaning news site Popular Information which said the page was registered to Ukrainian media strategist Andriy Zyuzikov and regularly posted pro-Trump themes and a considerable amount of misinformation. The messages ranged from innocuous posts such as "Everyone should respect and stand for our American Flag" to fake statements, including one saying Hillary Clinton had sold her email access to foreign governments. According to analytics cited by Popular Info, the I Love America page had 1.1 million fans and more than nine million interactions over the past three months -- more than news sites such as BuzzFeed and the Los Angeles Times. Facebook so far has not found any links from the page to "state actors" but made a decision to block the operation because of spam and so-called clickbait which violate its policies. The news report said the page was recycling hoaxes and false information used by Russia's Internet Research Agency as part of efforts to manipulate voters in the 2016 US election. Related pages also removed included names such as "Cute or Not?" and "God bless Donald and Melania Trump and God bless America," which according to Popular Info were also controlled from Ukraine and posted similar messages. The move comes with Facebook and other platforms under pressure to curb misinformation and efforts by state-controlled entities to interfere in elections of other countries.

Facebook takes down pro-Trump pages with reported Ukraine links

Climate Activist Greta Thunberg glares at US President at United Nations. Watch video to know more.

Climate Activist Greta Thunberg glares at US President at United Nations

US President Donald Trump launched a fresh attack on China and accused the world's second-largest economy of currency manipulation, and theft of intellectual property.

US President Donald Trump launched a fresh attack on China and accused the world's second-largest economy of currency manipulation, and theft of intellectual property. In a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Trump said in 2001 China was admitted to the World Trade Organisation in the hope that it would compel the country to liberalise its economy, however, decades later this theory has been proven wrong, he said. ''Not only has China declined to adopt promised reforms, but it has also embraced an economic model dependent on massive market barriers, currency manipulation, product dumping, forced technology transfers and theft of intellectual property,'' he added. Trump further said that US lost 60,000 factories after China entered WTO, and the same is happening to other countries all over the globe. WTO needs a drastic change, he said and added, the second-largest economy in the world shouldn't be allowed to declare itself a developing country to game the system at others' expense. Accusing Iran of ''blood lust'', Trump said sanctions on Iran would be further increased unless it halts its "fanatical" weapons drive and "aggression" in the Middle East. "Hoping to free itself from sanctions, the regime has escalated its violent and unprovoked aggression," Trump told. "As long as Iran's menacing behaviour continues, sanctions will not be lifted -- they will be tightened." Trump also made a fresh attack against the global order, saying that "globalists" would not triumph. "The future does not belong to globalists. The future belongs to patriots," Trump said. "The future belongs to sovereign and independent nations who protect their citizens, respect their neighbours and honour the differences that make each country special and unique," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump excoriates China on trade, Iran's 'blood lust' in United Nations speech

At Howdy Modi event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's firm stance against terrorism among not just a strong crowd of 50,000 Indian-Americans, but also the world's most powerful leader - US President Donald Trump.

The bonhomie between PM Modi and Donald Trump was unprecedented. The Indian Prime Minister hit out at Pakistan indirectly, saying they shield and nurture terrorism. He also spoke about the abrogation of Article 370 and how the decision has irked Islamabad.&nbsp;

His comments were acknowledged by Trump who said that both India and the US were committed to "protecting innocent civilians from radical Islamic terrorism".

He also said that the border issue was vital to India, as it was to the US. Trump's acknowledgement is crucial to India ahead of the annual high-level UN General Assembly session on September 27 when PM Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the global leaders on Kashmir issue.&nbsp;

Furthermore, during his meeting with Imran Khan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, Trump praised Modi and said his 'very aggressive' statements were well-received by the crowd. He also called Modi a loyal friend of America.

Pakistan Prime Minister was left red-faced when Trump mocked a Pakistani reporter for his rhetoric on the Kashmir issue and asked him if he was in Imran Khan's team.

Imran Khan, at a meeting at the Center for Foreign Relations in New York, admitted that the Pakistan army and ISI trained the Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups to fight in Afghanistan.

This is the first time when any Pakistani Prime Minister confessed that Al-Qaeda was trained by Pakistan army and ISI.&nbsp;

Prominent world leaders have supported India on Article 370 move, and acknowledgement by Trump means an icing on the cake for India amid growing isolation of Pakistan. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

At Howdy Modi event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's firm stance against terrorism among not just a strong crowd of 50,000 Indian-Americans, but also the world's most powerful leader - US President Donald Trump.

At Howdy Modi event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's firm stance against terrorism among not just a strong crowd of 50,000 Indian-Americans, but also the world's most powerful leader - US President Donald Trump. The bonhomie between PM Modi and Donald Trump was unprecedented. The Indian Prime Minister hit out at Pakistan indirectly, saying they shield and nurture terrorism. He also spoke about the abrogation of Article 370 and how the decision has irked Islamabad. His comments were acknowledged by Trump who said that both India and the US were committed to "protecting innocent civilians from radical Islamic terrorism". He also said that the border issue was vital to India, as it was to the US. Trump's acknowledgement is crucial to India ahead of the annual high-level UN General Assembly session on September 27 when PM Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the global leaders on Kashmir issue. Furthermore, during his meeting with Imran Khan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, Trump praised Modi and said his 'very aggressive' statements were well-received by the crowd. He also called Modi a loyal friend of America. Pakistan Prime Minister was left red-faced when Trump mocked a Pakistani reporter for his rhetoric on the Kashmir issue and asked him if he was in Imran Khan's team. Imran Khan, at a meeting at the Center for Foreign Relations in New York, admitted that the Pakistan army and ISI trained the Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups to fight in Afghanistan. This is the first time when any Pakistani Prime Minister confessed that Al-Qaeda was trained by Pakistan army and ISI. Prominent world leaders have supported India on Article 370 move, and acknowledgement by Trump means an icing on the cake for India amid growing isolation of Pakistan. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Donald Trump's endorsement of Narendra Modi's remarks on Kashmir and terrorism a setback for Pakistan

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-makes-unscheduled-appearance-at-united-nations-climate-summit-251577">Donald Trump</a> will try selling his tough Iran policy in a speech to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-dare-you-greta-thunberg-asks-world-leaders-at-un-251559">United Nations</a> on Tuesday, but the bid for international leadership will be overshadowed by the growing political scandal at home.

"We'll be talking about Iran," Trump told reporters about his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Saying his administration had already put "a lot of pressure" on Tehran, he hinted at new measures in the US campaign to end Iran's nuclear technology programs and, more generally, to curb the country's power in the Middle East.

"A lot of things are going to happen," he said. "A lot more than you would know. A lot more than the media knows."

Watch: Modi-Trump joint appearance a sign of strong ties

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For all the tough talk, speculation persisted that Trump might somehow still meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the UN, something that appeared to have been ruled out in the wake of an attack on oil facilities in US ally Saudi Arabia.

"I never rule anything out," Trump said Monday.

The US president's speech to the UN General Assembly is always one of the highlights of the world body's annual get-together.

But Trump is an awkward fit at an organization designed to collaborate over the planet's problems.

That's all the more so as his 2020 reelection battle intensifies and the former real estate businessman strengthens his nationalist, "America First" message.

Trump, who opposes any attempt to cut carbon emissions, largely snubbed the chief event of the opening day Monday, a summit called by the UN secretary-general on global warming.

Although he did attend, having previously indicated he wouldn't come at all, Trump left after less than 15 minutes and did not speak, before hosting his own conference on religious freedom.

Alleged dirty tricks

Adding to the turmoil around the lightning rod US leader, he faces new threats of impeachment from Democrats over claims that he pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to dig up dirt on his possible 2020 election opponent Joe Biden.

Everywhere Trump went at UN headquarters on Monday, he faced questions from reporters about the controversy.

Trump says he did nothing wrong, although he admits talking to Zelensky about what he says was corruption by Biden's family. 
A meeting scheduled with Zelensky on Wednesday will come under scrutiny.

The mounting furore back in Washington clearly wore on Trump, who is under pressure to release transcripts of his phone calls with the Ukrainian leader.

Trump angrily called journalists "crooked as hell," Biden "corrupt" and claimed that members of his Republican party would get "the electric chair" if they were as bad as he claimed Biden was.

Airing another grudge, he complained about not having been awarded a Nobel peace prize, saying he would have, many times over, "if they give it out fairly."

Economy boasts, worries

What the world is sure to get from Trump's speech is a rundown of his successes with the powerful US economy.

"We'll say the United States is the greatest country in the world. It's never been stronger and it's never been better," he said ahead of the UN bash.

Last year, Trump boasted that he had "accomplished more than almost any administration" in US history. Diplomats laughed.

This time, Trump will have his work cut out justifying his high-stakes trade war with China and reassuring partners.

The two top economic superpowers' exchange of massive tariffs has spooked markets around the world.

Trump insists that his all-or-nothing approach is needed to break decades of unfair trade practices by China. And he says that US tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese exports have forced Beijing to come to the negotiating table.

"China wants to make a deal. They have a lot of people that don't have jobs now because their supply chain is broken," he said.

US President Donald Trump will try selling his tough Iran policy in a speech to the United Nations on Tuesday, but the bid for international leadership will be overshadowed by the growing political scandal at home.

US President Donald Trump will try selling his tough Iran policy in a speech to the United Nations on Tuesday, but the bid for international leadership will be overshadowed by the growing political scandal at home. "We'll be talking about Iran," Trump told reporters about his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York. Saying his administration had already put "a lot of pressure" on Tehran, he hinted at new measures in the US campaign to end Iran's nuclear technology programs and, more generally, to curb the country's power in the Middle East. "A lot of things are going to happen," he said. "A lot more than you would know. A lot more than the media knows." Watch: Modi-Trump joint appearance a sign of strong ties For all the tough talk, speculation persisted that Trump might somehow still meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the UN, something that appeared to have been ruled out in the wake of an attack on oil facilities in US ally Saudi Arabia. "I never rule anything out," Trump said Monday. The US president's speech to the UN General Assembly is always one of the highlights of the world body's annual get-together. But Trump is an awkward fit at an organization designed to collaborate over the planet's problems. That's all the more so as his 2020 reelection battle intensifies and the former real estate businessman strengthens his nationalist, "America First" message. Trump, who opposes any attempt to cut carbon emissions, largely snubbed the chief event of the opening day Monday, a summit called by the UN secretary-general on global warming. Although he did attend, having previously indicated he wouldn't come at all, Trump left after less than 15 minutes and did not speak, before hosting his own conference on religious freedom. Alleged dirty tricks Adding to the turmoil around the lightning rod US leader, he faces new threats of impeachment from Democrats over claims that he pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to dig up dirt on his possible 2020 election opponent Joe Biden. Everywhere Trump went at UN headquarters on Monday, he faced questions from reporters about the controversy. Trump says he did nothing wrong, although he admits talking to Zelensky about what he says was corruption by Biden's family. A meeting scheduled with Zelensky on Wednesday will come under scrutiny. The mounting furore back in Washington clearly wore on Trump, who is under pressure to release transcripts of his phone calls with the Ukrainian leader. Trump angrily called journalists "crooked as hell," Biden "corrupt" and claimed that members of his Republican party would get "the electric chair" if they were as bad as he claimed Biden was. Airing another grudge, he complained about not having been awarded a Nobel peace prize, saying he would have, many times over, "if they give it out fairly." Economy boasts, worries What the world is sure to get from Trump's speech is a rundown of his successes with the powerful US economy. "We'll say the United States is the greatest country in the world. It's never been stronger and it's never been better," he said ahead of the UN bash. Last year, Trump boasted that he had "accomplished more than almost any administration" in US history. Diplomats laughed. This time, Trump will have his work cut out justifying his high-stakes trade war with China and reassuring partners. The two top economic superpowers' exchange of massive tariffs has spooked markets around the world. Trump insists that his all-or-nothing approach is needed to break decades of unfair trade practices by China. And he says that US tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese exports have forced Beijing to come to the negotiating table. "China wants to make a deal. They have a lot of people that don't have jobs now because their supply chain is broken," he said.

Trump addresses United Nations in shadow of Iran crisis, domestic scandal

Yesterday we saw Donald Trump and Imran Khan meet and today we are looking forward towards the meeting of Indian Prime Minister and the US President. Kashmir of course comes up in discussions and Donald Trump keeps on saying that 'i will mediate only if both sides want it'. Why these repeated U-turns in back and forth on the part of Washington when India has repeatedly clarified that Kashmir is bilateral issue and no third party help is needed?

Setting The Agenda: Live From New York, 24th Sept 2019

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/5-key-takeaways-pm-modi-trump-meeting-at-howdy-modi-event-in-houston-251337">Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump</a> share a great synergy and their second meeting within a span of two days will take the India-US relations to greater heights, said Consul General of India in New York, Sandeep Chakravarty, on Tuesday.

"There is a great deal of synergy between the two leaders. They talk on the phone, meet on sidelines, they met in Houston the day before. Our relationship is on a continuous climb. They are going to meet again in a span of two days which shows that they value each other's friendship and relationship and they will take the relationship ahead," Chakravarty told ANI here.

He also expressed hope that the meeting between Modi and Trump will help in resolving the trade issues between the two countries.

"The trade issue is one of the focal points of the current US administration. They're looking at it with renewed vision. I don't see why the US administration won't look closely at trade with India. The India-US trade relationship is also growing," said Chakravarty.

Calling the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-howdy-modi-trump-and-pm-modi-could-sign-trade-deal-251028">US-India relationship</a> most important in the world, he said that the mutual bond has been benefiting both the countries.

"This is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. Several US leaders also accept this and have said publicly. For the US, I believe, this the most transformed relationship. For India, the relations have gone from nothing to where it is today in the last 20 years. The trade between India and the US stood at USD 5 billion in 2000, and today, it stands at almost USD 150 billion," Chakravarty said.

He said that Sunday's "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/diversity-foundation-of-our-vibrant-democracy-says-pm-modi-at-howdy-modi-251322">Howdy, Modi</a>" event in Houston has sent an "amazing" message across the world and hoped that it would help take the US-India relationship to new heights.

"The Houston event has taken the India-US relations to a new height. The message which has gone across India and the world is amazing," Chakravarty said, adding that the relationship is growing in every field including people to people contact, trade, science and technology and space.

Modi and Trump jointly addressed the 'Howdy, Modi!'&nbsp;event in Houston, Texas on Sunday.

The bonhomie between the two leaders was in full display at the event where they echoed similar sentiments on several issues including "radical Islamic terrorism", trade and defence.

The two leaders are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday afternoon in New York.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump share a great synergy and their second meeting within a span of two days will take the India-US relations to greater heights, said Consul General of India in New York, Sandeep Chakravarty, on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump share a great synergy and their second meeting within a span of two days will take the India-US relations to greater heights, said Consul General of India in New York, Sandeep Chakravarty, on Tuesday. "There is a great deal of synergy between the two leaders. They talk on the phone, meet on sidelines, they met in Houston the day before. Our relationship is on a continuous climb. They are going to meet again in a span of two days which shows that they value each other's friendship and relationship and they will take the relationship ahead," Chakravarty told ANI here. He also expressed hope that the meeting between Modi and Trump will help in resolving the trade issues between the two countries. "The trade issue is one of the focal points of the current US administration. They're looking at it with renewed vision. I don't see why the US administration won't look closely at trade with India. The India-US trade relationship is also growing," said Chakravarty. Calling the US-India relationship most important in the world, he said that the mutual bond has been benefiting both the countries. "This is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. Several US leaders also accept this and have said publicly. For the US, I believe, this the most transformed relationship. For India, the relations have gone from nothing to where it is today in the last 20 years. The trade between India and the US stood at USD 5 billion in 2000, and today, it stands at almost USD 150 billion," Chakravarty said. He said that Sunday's "Howdy, Modi" event in Houston has sent an "amazing" message across the world and hoped that it would help take the US-India relationship to new heights. "The Houston event has taken the India-US relations to a new height. The message which has gone across India and the world is amazing," Chakravarty said, adding that the relationship is growing in every field including people to people contact, trade, science and technology and space. Modi and Trump jointly addressed the 'Howdy, Modi!' event in Houston, Texas on Sunday. The bonhomie between the two leaders was in full display at the event where they echoed similar sentiments on several issues including "radical Islamic terrorism", trade and defence. The two leaders are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday afternoon in New York.

India-US share 'most important bilateral relationship in the world': Consul General of India in New York

After a stunning display of bonhomie in Houston, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump will be meeting for the second time in two days as they sit down for a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday evening.

After a stunning display of bonhomie in Houston, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump will be meeting for the second time in two days as they sit down for a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday evening. This is the third bilateral meeting between the two leaders this year. The duo first met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Osaka earlier this year which was followed by an interaction on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Biarritz. Today's meeting comes within 48 hours of the two sharing the stage in Houston at one of the largest Indian-American diaspora events. Today's meeting is important as it's expected to set the tone for the India-US bilateral relationship. Discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues, including efforts to address certain trade disputes are on the cards. The Trump-Modi joint appearance in Houston on Sunday made headlines in the American dailies with pictures of the two leaders on the front pages. Using trump's slogan 'Make America Great Again', the Indian prime minister endorsed US president ahead of the 2020 presidential election in his own unique way. Trump did not hold back either as he lauded Modi's ‘exceptional work for India. Calling Modi America's most devoted and loyal friend, Trump said that the US was committed to fighting radical Islamic terrorism and emphasising on the importance of border security.

Stage set for Trump-Modi bilateral amid soaring US-India bonhomie

Joe Walsh and Bill Weld, two of the three Republicans challenging President Donald Trump for their party's 2020 presidential nomination, are set to meet in a debate on Tuesday, hoping to bring attention to their long-shot candidacies.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-says-hassan-rouhani-meeting-not-scheduled-as-speculation-swirls-251612">Trump </a>will not take part in the event in New York hosted by the website Business Insider, nor will the third candidate seeking the Republican nomination, former South Carolina governor and congressman Mark Sanford.

The debate featuring Walsh, a radio talk-show host and former US congressman from Illinois, and Weld, a former Massachusetts governor, is not sanctioned by the Republican Party, which has thrown its full support behind Trump. Sanford cited a scheduling conflict for missing the event.

Walsh, Weld and Sanford, in a joint article published in the Washington Post this month, called Trump "a serial self-promoter" who is steering the party away from "personal responsibility, fiscal sanity, and rule of law."

Trump is expected to coast to victory in his quest for the Republican nomination before facing the Democratic Party's nominee in the November 2020 election. A Sept. 16-20 Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 82 per cent of registered Republicans approved of Trump's job performance.

Walsh, Weld, and Sanford complained about being shut out of the nomination contest. Republican Party officials in Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Nevada and South Carolina already have said they would not host nominating contests in their states next year, cutting off any chance for the challengers to win delegates who will choose the Republican candidate at the party's convention.

"We're in the process of doing serious and lasting harm to the Republican Party brand," Sanford told Reuters on Friday. "We need to stand up and have a robust conversation about what it means to be Republicans."

Trump has dismissed his challengers as a "joke" and "laughingstock," calling them the "Three Stooges," a reference to a popular mid-20th-century comedy team that portrayed inept bunglers.

Asked to explain Trump's decision not to participate in the debate, Erin Perrine, a deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, said, "Pointless."

Walsh, 57, served in the House of Representatives for two years and then became a radio talk-show host. Weld, 74, touts a fiscally conservative record as well as his work on gay rights and environmental issues. He ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 2016 on the Libertarian Party's ticket

Joe Walsh and Bill Weld, two of the three Republicans challenging President Donald Trump for their party's 2020 presidential nomination, are set to meet in a debate on Tuesday, hoping to bring attention to their long-shot candidacies.

Joe Walsh and Bill Weld, two of the three Republicans challenging President Donald Trump for their party's 2020 presidential nomination, are set to meet in a debate on Tuesday, hoping to bring attention to their long-shot candidacies. Trump will not take part in the event in New York hosted by the website Business Insider, nor will the third candidate seeking the Republican nomination, former South Carolina governor and congressman Mark Sanford. The debate featuring Walsh, a radio talk-show host and former US congressman from Illinois, and Weld, a former Massachusetts governor, is not sanctioned by the Republican Party, which has thrown its full support behind Trump. Sanford cited a scheduling conflict for missing the event. Walsh, Weld and Sanford, in a joint article published in the Washington Post this month, called Trump "a serial self-promoter" who is steering the party away from "personal responsibility, fiscal sanity, and rule of law." Trump is expected to coast to victory in his quest for the Republican nomination before facing the Democratic Party's nominee in the November 2020 election. A Sept. 16-20 Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 82 per cent of registered Republicans approved of Trump's job performance. Walsh, Weld, and Sanford complained about being shut out of the nomination contest. Republican Party officials in Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Nevada and South Carolina already have said they would not host nominating contests in their states next year, cutting off any chance for the challengers to win delegates who will choose the Republican candidate at the party's convention. "We're in the process of doing serious and lasting harm to the Republican Party brand," Sanford told Reuters on Friday. "We need to stand up and have a robust conversation about what it means to be Republicans." Trump has dismissed his challengers as a "joke" and "laughingstock," calling them the "Three Stooges," a reference to a popular mid-20th-century comedy team that portrayed inept bunglers. Asked to explain Trump's decision not to participate in the debate, Erin Perrine, a deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, said, "Pointless." Walsh, 57, served in the House of Representatives for two years and then became a radio talk-show host. Weld, 74, touts a fiscally conservative record as well as his work on gay rights and environmental issues. He ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 2016 on the Libertarian Party's ticket

Two of Trump's Republican challengers to debate without him

US President Donald Trump said Monday he could not rule out a meeting with Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the United Nations this week, but no encounter was yet scheduled.

Speculation has been rife over whether the leaders of the two arch-foes would finally meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, with France's Emmanuel Macron trying to broker what would be a historic rendezvous.

The chances of this happening have seemingly diminished in the wake of a dramatic attack on Saudi oil facilities blamed by the United States on Iran, which denies being involved.

"I never rule anything out," Trump told reporters, but added that he had "nothing scheduled at this moment."

Macron is cautiously hopeful for a breakthrough and is seeking to bring the two together.

Adding to the suspense, the French president revealed that he consulted informally with Trump on Monday, will see Rouhani later that evening, and plans to meet with the US president again on Tuesday.

"I'll do everything I can so that conditions are created for discussion," he told reporters.

However, Trump responded to his efforts by saying "we don't need a mediator."&nbsp;

The Iranians "know whom to call," he said.

'Not closing the door'

Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads since May last year when Trump abandoned a 2015 nuclear deal and began reimposing sanctions on Iran in a campaign of "maximum pressure."

Following the Group of Seven summit in France in August, though, Trump spoke openly of his willingness to meet his Iranian counterpart face-to-face, if the conditions were right.

Trump is fond of the optics of high-profile meetings -- his summits with North Korea's Kim Jong Un are testament to that -- and a summit would mark a diplomatic coup a year ahead of his re-election bid.

He tempered his enthusiasm, though, after the devastating September 14 attacks on Saudi oil installations that Washington and Riyadh have, to varying degrees, blamed on Tehran.

The attacks heightened tensions and renewed fears of a military escalation in the region.

"Did the chances of a meeting increase with these strikes? No, we have to be clear, we can see that things are getting tense," Macron said Sunday en route to New York.

"The two main players are there," he added, referring to the presence of Rouhani and Trump in New York. "Something can happen."

Diplomats hope a meeting would help de-escalate tensions in the Gulf that have flared since May when the United States ended all waivers in its unilateral sanctions that seek to stop Iran from selling any oil.

Iran has responded by reducing its commitments under the nuclear deal and Trump has deployed military assets to the region.

Europeans urge dialogue

The door to talks appears open, though. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, viewed as a hawk against Iran, has spoken of the need to give diplomacy "every opportunity to succeed" in the wake of the Saudi attacks.

There are signs of goodwill on the Iranian side, too. On the eve of the General Assembly, Iran said a British-flagged oil tanker seized in the Gulf two months ago was free to leave.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who met his French counterpart late Sunday, said that "we are not closing the door for conversation."

"What we're saying is that you need to establish credibility," he told reporters at the United Nations, warning against simply "a photo opportunity" for Trump.&nbsp;

Macron met German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday afternoon where they agreed with the US that Iran was responsible for the blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities.

"There is no other plausible explanation," the leaders said in a joint statement.

But the three European countries, which remain part of the nuclear deal negotiated under former US president Barack Obama and are trying to salvage it -- said the solution was diplomacy.

"We urge Iran to engage in such a dialogue and refrain from further provocation and escalation," they said.

Macron said that if Trump became convinced he could get something from a meeting with Rouhani, he could decide to go ahead at very short notice.

A senior US official said no meeting was planned at this stage, even between lower-level officials.

US President Donald Trump said Monday he could not rule out a meeting with Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the United Nations this week, but no encounter was yet scheduled.

US President Donald Trump said Monday he could not rule out a meeting with Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the United Nations this week, but no encounter was yet scheduled. Speculation has been rife over whether the leaders of the two arch-foes would finally meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, with France's Emmanuel Macron trying to broker what would be a historic rendezvous. The chances of this happening have seemingly diminished in the wake of a dramatic attack on Saudi oil facilities blamed by the United States on Iran, which denies being involved. "I never rule anything out," Trump told reporters, but added that he had "nothing scheduled at this moment." Macron is cautiously hopeful for a breakthrough and is seeking to bring the two together. Adding to the suspense, the French president revealed that he consulted informally with Trump on Monday, will see Rouhani later that evening, and plans to meet with the US president again on Tuesday. "I'll do everything I can so that conditions are created for discussion," he told reporters. However, Trump responded to his efforts by saying "we don't need a mediator." The Iranians "know whom to call," he said. 'Not closing the door' Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads since May last year when Trump abandoned a 2015 nuclear deal and began reimposing sanctions on Iran in a campaign of "maximum pressure." Following the Group of Seven summit in France in August, though, Trump spoke openly of his willingness to meet his Iranian counterpart face-to-face, if the conditions were right. Trump is fond of the optics of high-profile meetings -- his summits with North Korea's Kim Jong Un are testament to that -- and a summit would mark a diplomatic coup a year ahead of his re-election bid. He tempered his enthusiasm, though, after the devastating September 14 attacks on Saudi oil installations that Washington and Riyadh have, to varying degrees, blamed on Tehran. The attacks heightened tensions and renewed fears of a military escalation in the region. "Did the chances of a meeting increase with these strikes? No, we have to be clear, we can see that things are getting tense," Macron said Sunday en route to New York. "The two main players are there," he added, referring to the presence of Rouhani and Trump in New York. "Something can happen." Diplomats hope a meeting would help de-escalate tensions in the Gulf that have flared since May when the United States ended all waivers in its unilateral sanctions that seek to stop Iran from selling any oil. Iran has responded by reducing its commitments under the nuclear deal and Trump has deployed military assets to the region. Europeans urge dialogue The door to talks appears open, though. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, viewed as a hawk against Iran, has spoken of the need to give diplomacy "every opportunity to succeed" in the wake of the Saudi attacks. There are signs of goodwill on the Iranian side, too. On the eve of the General Assembly, Iran said a British-flagged oil tanker seized in the Gulf two months ago was free to leave. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who met his French counterpart late Sunday, said that "we are not closing the door for conversation." "What we're saying is that you need to establish credibility," he told reporters at the United Nations, warning against simply "a photo opportunity" for Trump. Macron met German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday afternoon where they agreed with the US that Iran was responsible for the blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities. "There is no other plausible explanation," the leaders said in a joint statement. But the three European countries, which remain part of the nuclear deal negotiated under former US president Barack Obama and are trying to salvage it -- said the solution was diplomacy. "We urge Iran to engage in such a dialogue and refrain from further provocation and escalation," they said. Macron said that if Trump became convinced he could get something from a meeting with Rouhani, he could decide to go ahead at very short notice. A senior US official said no meeting was planned at this stage, even between lower-level officials.

Donald Trump says Hassan Rouhani meeting not scheduled as speculation swirls

US President Donald Trump and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in held a summit in New York on Monday to discuss plans to restart US-North Korea talks, as Seoul's spy agency said the negotiations could take place in two to three weeks.

US President Donald Trump and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in held a summit in New York on Monday to discuss plans to restart US-North Korea talks, as Seoul's spy agency said the negotiations could take place in two to three weeks. Negotiations aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear and missile programs have stalled since a failed second summit between Trump and its leader Kim Jong Un in February. Pyongyang has said it is willing to restart working-level talks in late September, but no date or location have been set. Trump and Moon discussed ways to achieve practical results in the US-North Korea working-level talks, Moon's office said, while Trump expressed his confidence that Kim will fulfill commitments made during the two summits, according to a White House statement. "There's been no nuclear testing at all," Trump told reporters as he met Moon on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. "And the relationships have been very good. ... We want to see if we can do something. If we can, that'll be great. And if we can't, that's fine, we'll see what happens." Moon said he hopes working-level negotiations between the United States and North Korea will be held soon to prepare for another summit, but Trump said he would want to know what would result from a third summit with Kim before agreeing to hold it. "Right now, people would like to see that happen. I want to know what's going to be coming out of it. We can know a lot before the summit takes place," Trump said. In Seoul, South Korean lawmakers briefed by a spy agency on Tuesday said Pyongyang and Washington could resume working-level talks within two to three weeks. If both sides make progress, Trump and Kim could meet again for a summit, before which Kim may visit China for the fifth summit with President Xi Jinping, the lawmakers told reporters after a briefing by the National Intelligence Service. During their meeting, Trump and Moon reaffirmed their previous pledge not to use force against North Korea, and if North Korea denuclearizes, to provide a bright future for the country, a senior official at South Korea's presidential Blue House said. However, there was no mention of a "new method" of approach on North Korea's denuclearization during their meeting, while they talked about how sanctions must be maintained, the senior official said. Military costs North Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Myong Gil, last week welcomed Trump's suggestion for a "new method" in talks on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programs, saying he wanted to be "optimistic" the United States would present the "right calculation method". Last week, Trump distanced himself from a suggestion by his former national security adviser, John Bolton, for a Libyan model of denuclearization for North Korea, saying it "set us back very badly". Bolton was fired this month, with Trump naming Robert O'Brien as new national security adviser. Before his sit-down with Moon, Trump said the two would discuss North Korea's repeated launches of short-range missiles in recent weeks. "We didn't have an agreement on short-range missiles. And a lot of people and a lot of countries test short-range missiles," Trump added. "There's nothing spectacular about that." The meeting came as the allies hold discussions in Seoul on renewing a deal on how to share costs for the upkeep of American soldiers in South Korea.

Trump asks what a third North Korean summit would yield

The US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will sit down for third bilateral meet this year in New York on Tuesday. Both leaders met first on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, this year; which was followed by the meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France.

The US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will sit down for third bilateral meet this year in New York on Tuesday. Both leaders met first on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, this year; which was followed by the meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Now, both leaders will meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The meet comes within the 48-hours of both sharing the stage in Houston during the largest Indian American diaspora meet on Sunday. During the mega event on Sunday, both leaders endorsed each other. Using Trump's slogan "make America great again", PM said that the US President has achieved much for the United States; and India has connected well with President Trump. He the vouched for Trump ahead of 2020 presidential polls, saying "abki baar, Tump sarkar". Trump meanwhile, called PM Modi as "one of Americas most devoted and most loyal friend" who is "doing a truly exceptional job for India and all of the Indian people" The event made headlines in all major American newspapers from The New York Times to The Wall Street Journal and to The Washington Post. Pictures of both leaders were on the front pages of American dailies, on the first day of high decibel diplomatic week that started at the United Nations. The Modi-Trump meet comes a day after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan met US President Donald Trump in New York and in a big snub said both any mediation by Washington will require approval from both India and Pakistan. US President Donald Trump said, "I have a very good relationship with Prime minister Modi, I have very good relations with Prime Minister Khan. And if at any point they say they can iron out, I will be the extremely good arbitrator. I have never failed as an arbitrator...but you want accent from the other side". India has made it clear that when it comes to India and Pakistan ties, no third party mediation is required which has been stated under the Shimla and Lahore agreements.

PM Modi, Trump to sit down for third bilateral meet of this year on Tuesday

48 hours after Mega 'Howdy Modi' event. Watch video to know more

48 hours after Mega 'Howdy Modi' event

‘Ready to Mediate on Kashmir’: Trump During Meeting With Pak PM. Watch video to know more.

‘Ready to Mediate on Kashmir’: Trump During Meeting With Pak PM

In Howdy, Modi event, Trump says he India's best friend ever and calls Modi as the most loyal friend

Howdy Modi Event: Trump calls Modi ''The Most Loyal Friend''

During the course of his speech, Prime Minister Modi referred to both 9/11 as well as the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He suggested that the perpetrators of both the attacks came from Pakistan and the whole world is aware of the fact. Watch this video to know more.

Culprits of 9/11 and 26/11 found at the same place: PM Modi's scathing attack on Pakistan

Pressure escalated Monday for US Democrats to launch impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, who faces accusations that he sought to extort Ukraine into revealing dirt on his political rival Joe Biden.

Pressure escalated Monday for US Democrats to launch impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, who faces accusations that he sought to extort Ukraine into revealing dirt on his political rival Joe Biden. A defiant Trump said he is taking the impeachment threat "not at all seriously" and sought to make the controversy about Biden, accusing the former vice president, without evidence, of engaging in corruption in Ukraine. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned of "a grave new chapter of lawlessness" as Democrats ramped up demands that the administration release a secret whistleblower complaint that sparked the latest crisis. The complaint reportedly centers on Trump's July phone call with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, and a possible attempt to coerce Zelensky into digging up damning information about Biden's son's business dealings in Ukraine. Trump himself acknowledged Sunday that the conversation addressed alleged corruption involving Biden and son Hunter. "The conversation I had was largely congratulatory, was largely corruption... and largely the fact that we don't want our people, like vice president Biden and his son, creating... the corruption already in the Ukraine," Trump said. On Monday, he followed up with a bald attack on the Democratic frontrunner in the 2020 race for the White House. "What Biden did is a disgrace. What his son did is a disgrace. The son took money from Ukraine and from China," Trump said, without providing details. To date there has been no evidence that implicates the Bidens in illegal conduct in Ukraine. 'Impeachable offense' Several Democrats now argue that Trump's call for Ukraine to investigate Biden -- and what they suspect was a threat to condition $250 million in aid to Ukraine on an investigation of Biden -- is impeachable conduct. That view may be pushing House leaders towards a tipping point for launching removal proceedings. "I mean, extorting a foreign leader for the purposes of getting that leader to do your political work to try to find dirt on your opponent is extortion," House Democrat Jim Himes told CNN Monday. "Of course it's an impeachable offense," he added. "I can't tell you that the House will move into impeachment mode right away, but this really ups the ante." With pressure building, a handful of Republicans in the US Senate -- which would hold a trial of Trump should the House impeach him -- have signalled they want the president to be more transparent about the call and the whistleblower's complaint. "I would just urge the president -- you know, he's talking openly about the conversation -- to release as much as possible," Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump loyalist, told the Hugh Hewitt radio show. On Sunday, Senator Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012 and no fan of Trump, sounded a severe warning that evidence of Trump asking Ukraine's president to investigate Biden "would be troubling in the extreme." But most congressional Republicans have either defended the president or remained silent. All eyes will be on Washington Thursday, when the administration official who blocked release to Congress of the whistleblower document, acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire, is scheduled to testify publicly on the issue before a House panel. Launching impeachment proceedings could be a politically risky move ahead of a presidential election, especially given the high hurdle of convicting the president in the Republican-led Senate. Of the 235 House Democrats, 137 of them, plus Republican-turned-independent Justin Amash, support launching an impeachment inquiry, according to a CNN count. Democrat leaders have hesitated to pull the impeachment trigger. But Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said his own reservations about impeachment were fading over Trump's Ukraine call. "I have been very reluctant to go down the path of impeachment (but) the president is pushing us down this road," he said Sunday. "This seems different in kind, and we may very well have crossed the Rubicon here."

Impeachment pressure grows, Trump remains defiant

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address high-level meet on health. PM Modi to make a pitch on healthcare for all. Watch this video to know more.

Indian PM Narendra Modi to address high-level meet on health

Indian PM Modi Has Engaged & Rejuvenated Indian Diaspora Across The World Since Coming To Power In 2014

Gravitas: Modi rejuvenates the Indian Diaspora worldwide

Houston Gears Up To Host Indian Prime Minister Modi

Gravitas: Howdy Modi: Two days to Go

Even the U.S claims that Indian students are 2nd highest international student group. Indian religious communities aid in charity work in the U.S and the Indian diaspora in the U.S is highly educated. So today, let's understand the Modi effect on Indian diaspora across the U.S, Indian diaspora's power, India's soft power in the U.S, & India's foreign policy for its diaspora in the U.S.

Setting The Agenda: Live From New York, 23rd Sept 2019

5 key takeaways: PM Modi, Trump meeting at 'Howdy, Modi' event in Houston

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