More than 1,500 caravan migrants have arrived at the US border, the news agency AFP reported Thursday night.&nbsp;

The migrants have travelled, in a caravan, to the US border all the way from Central America <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/troops-will-not-fire-on-migrant-caravan-trump-175260">much to US President Donald Trump's chagrin</a>.&nbsp;

Trump has labelled the caravan an invasion, cut off aid to Central America — most of the migrants are from Honduras — and finally sent the Army to the US-Mexico border to keep the migrants from getting in.&nbsp;

There are currently close to 6,000 US soldiers guarding the country's border with Mexico.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, AFP reported that around 800 Central Americans reached the city of Tijuana — only about five kilometres south of the US border — aboard 22 buses after more than a month on the road.

"We've finally reached Tijuana. I can't wait to see the border. It's been a never-ending journey, but God brought us here," said Carmen Soto, a Honduran migrant traveling with her two young children.

More than 750 migrants who had traveled ahead of the main caravan had already arrived in Tijuana over the past several days, and more than 3,000 others are on the way.&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)

More than 1,500 caravan migrants have arrived at the US border, the news agency AFP reported Thursday night. The migrants have travelled, in a caravan, to the US border all the way from Central America much to US President Donald Trump's chagrin.

More than 1,500 caravan migrants have arrived at the US border, the news agency AFP reported Thursday night. The migrants have travelled, in a caravan, to the US border all the way from Central America much to US President Donald Trump's chagrin. Trump has labelled the caravan an invasion, cut off aid to Central America — most of the migrants are from Honduras — and finally sent the Army to the US-Mexico border to keep the migrants from getting in. There are currently close to 6,000 US soldiers guarding the country's border with Mexico. Meanwhile, AFP reported that around 800 Central Americans reached the city of Tijuana — only about five kilometres south of the US border — aboard 22 buses after more than a month on the road. "We've finally reached Tijuana. I can't wait to see the border. It's been a never-ending journey, but God brought us here," said Carmen Soto, a Honduran migrant traveling with her two young children. More than 750 migrants who had traveled ahead of the main caravan had already arrived in Tijuana over the past several days, and more than 3,000 others are on the way. (With inputs from AFP)

Over 1,500 caravan migrants arrive at the US border

Pakistan certainly needs to do more in its fight against terrorism and the Trump administration expects Islamabad to act against terror groups like the Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba in same way as it did against al-Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks, a top American official has said.

State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism Nathan Alexander Sales said during a Congressional hearing that the US was "very concerned" over the support for terrorism in any region of the world.

"And I can tell you we have communicated to the Pakistani government at the highest levels that we expect them to do more just like we expected them to act with us after 9/11," Sales said on Wednesday.

"Pakistan has in the past been a very effective counterpart in taking the fight to al-Qaeda. We need them to do the same thing with respect to the Haqqanis, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the other terrorist groups that are active in the region," he said.

Sales said Pakistan "certainly needs to do more" in the fight against terrorism.

His remarks came after several Congressmen expressed concern over the continued resistance by Pakistan to take satisfactory action against terror groups operating from its soil.

The lawmakers alleged that Pakistan was not doing enough against the terror groups.

"I think they're not doing the job, despite terrorism, because the terrorists come in from Pakistan into Afghanistan, do their mischief, and run back across the border. I think they've been doing that for years," said Congressman Ted Poe, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

"They take our money, Million of dollars we give Pakistan every year. It befuddles me why we do that when they don't... And they allow a safe haven for terrorists in their own country that invade another country, namely Afghanistan," Poe alleged.

He, however, praised the State Department for not giving Pakistan funds for counterterrorism.

The State Department's Inspector General filed a report last year that found much of the antiterrorism assistance US had given to Pakistan was not being used, including dozens of courses not implemented.

"I am pleased to hear the Bureau has since repurposed many of the resources that had been sent to Pakistan to other more worthwhile programs. We cannot afford to throw good money after bad. Effective monitoring and evaluation programs are crucial to spotting what is not working and making changes that do," he said.

In his first tweet of the year, US President Donald Trump had expressed his dissatisfaction over Pakistan's reluctance in taking strong action against terrorists.

"The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump tweeted.

He had ordered to stop all security financial assistance to Pakistan.

Pakistan certainly needs to do more in its fight against terrorism and the Trump administration expects Islamabad to act against terror groups like the Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba in same way as it did against al-Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks, a top American official has said.

Pakistan certainly needs to do more in its fight against terrorism and the Trump administration expects Islamabad to act against terror groups like the Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba in same way as it did against al-Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks, a top American official has said. State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism Nathan Alexander Sales said during a Congressional hearing that the US was "very concerned" over the support for terrorism in any region of the world. "And I can tell you we have communicated to the Pakistani government at the highest levels that we expect them to do more just like we expected them to act with us after 9/11," Sales said on Wednesday. "Pakistan has in the past been a very effective counterpart in taking the fight to al-Qaeda. We need them to do the same thing with respect to the Haqqanis, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the other terrorist groups that are active in the region," he said. Sales said Pakistan "certainly needs to do more" in the fight against terrorism. His remarks came after several Congressmen expressed concern over the continued resistance by Pakistan to take satisfactory action against terror groups operating from its soil. The lawmakers alleged that Pakistan was not doing enough against the terror groups. "I think they're not doing the job, despite terrorism, because the terrorists come in from Pakistan into Afghanistan, do their mischief, and run back across the border. I think they've been doing that for years," said Congressman Ted Poe, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade. "They take our money, Million of dollars we give Pakistan every year. It befuddles me why we do that when they don't... And they allow a safe haven for terrorists in their own country that invade another country, namely Afghanistan," Poe alleged. He, however, praised the State Department for not giving Pakistan funds for counterterrorism. The State Department's Inspector General filed a report last year that found much of the antiterrorism assistance US had given to Pakistan was not being used, including dozens of courses not implemented. "I am pleased to hear the Bureau has since repurposed many of the resources that had been sent to Pakistan to other more worthwhile programs. We cannot afford to throw good money after bad. Effective monitoring and evaluation programs are crucial to spotting what is not working and making changes that do," he said. In his first tweet of the year, US President Donald Trump had expressed his dissatisfaction over Pakistan's reluctance in taking strong action against terrorists. "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump tweeted. He had ordered to stop all security financial assistance to Pakistan.

Pakistan certainly needs to do more in its fight terrorism : US

Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represents adult film star Stormy Daniels in her legal battles with US President Donald Trump, was arrested in Los Angeles on Wednesday on suspicion of domestic violence.

Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Jeff Lee said no further details were immediately available, but he said Avenatti was released on bail after he was formally booked in the case.

"It will be presented to the district attorney's office just like any other case," Lee said. "They'll take a look at it and see if there's enough evidence to proceed."

The celebrity news website TMZ, which broke the news of Avenatti's arrest, reported that it stemmed from a physical confrontation between him and a woman at an apartment building Tuesday night in the Century City district of Los Angeles.

Avenatti, who has indicated that he might run for president in 2020 as a Democrat, denied wrongdoing in a statement issued through his law firm and in a statement to reporters outside the LAPD West Los Angeles police station following his release.

"I have never struck a woman. I never will strike a woman. I've been an advocate for women's rights my entire career," he said, adding that he would never "disrespect" his two daughters "by touching a woman inappropriately or striking a woman."

"I look forward to a full investigation at which point I am confident I will be fully exonerated," he added, without taking any questions.

In the statement from his law office, he said, "I have never been physically abusive in my life, nor was I last night. Any accusations to the contrary are fabricated and meant to do harm to my reputation."

Avenatti came to national prominence as the lawyer for Daniels, a porn actress whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, who sued Trump for defamation after he denied her assertion that she had a sexual encounter with him in 2006.

That lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge last month. Daniels has filed a separate lawsuit over a $130,000 hush-money agreement stemming from the alleged encounter.

Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represents adult film star Stormy Daniels in her legal battles with US President Donald Trump, was arrested in Los Angeles on Wednesday on suspicion of domestic violence.

Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represents adult film star Stormy Daniels in her legal battles with US President Donald Trump, was arrested in Los Angeles on Wednesday on suspicion of domestic violence. Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Jeff Lee said no further details were immediately available, but he said Avenatti was released on bail after he was formally booked in the case. "It will be presented to the district attorney's office just like any other case," Lee said. "They'll take a look at it and see if there's enough evidence to proceed." The celebrity news website TMZ, which broke the news of Avenatti's arrest, reported that it stemmed from a physical confrontation between him and a woman at an apartment building Tuesday night in the Century City district of Los Angeles. Avenatti, who has indicated that he might run for president in 2020 as a Democrat, denied wrongdoing in a statement issued through his law firm and in a statement to reporters outside the LAPD West Los Angeles police station following his release. "I have never struck a woman. I never will strike a woman. I've been an advocate for women's rights my entire career," he said, adding that he would never "disrespect" his two daughters "by touching a woman inappropriately or striking a woman." "I look forward to a full investigation at which point I am confident I will be fully exonerated," he added, without taking any questions. In the statement from his law office, he said, "I have never been physically abusive in my life, nor was I last night. Any accusations to the contrary are fabricated and meant to do harm to my reputation." Avenatti came to national prominence as the lawyer for Daniels, a porn actress whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, who sued Trump for defamation after he denied her assertion that she had a sexual encounter with him in 2006. That lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge last month. Daniels has filed a separate lawsuit over a $130,000 hush-money agreement stemming from the alleged encounter.

Stormy Daniels lawyer Avenatti arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of domestic violence

European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said on Wednesday that the EU has a list of potential retaliation targets ready in case US President Donald Trump imposes auto tariffs on the bloc's member states.

Malmstrom told reporters after a meeting with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer that they did not speak specifically about auto tariffs, but focused instead on regulatory cooperation issues and ways to enable EU countries to import more American soybeans and liquefied natural gas.

Malmstrom did not specify the US products on which the EU would levy retaliatory tariffs, as consultations with member states would need to take place, but she said the list could include "all kinds" of products.

"It could be cars, it could be agriculture, it could be industrial products - it could be everything. And we will do that, but hope we don't have to get to that situation," she said.

Malmstrom also said that the EU is willing to negotiate a limited trade deal on industrial goods, including autos, that seeks to bring tariff rates to zero for both the United States and Europe.

But the scope of these talks cannot be defined until early 2019, when the USTR completes its consultation process with Congress and the EU receives a negotiating mandate from member states, she added.

Trump administration officials on Tuesday said the president's trade team made no decisions on how to proceed with new recommendations from the Commerce Department on whether to impose tariffs on autos and auto parts to protect the US industry on national security grounds. The contents of the recommendations have not been disclosed.

An influential automotive trade group warned on Wednesday that increased US autos tariffs will erode the benefits of tax cuts and the new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade deal.

"If implemented, increased auto tariffs would not only undermine the potential success of the USMCA, they would also pose a material threat to the economy and may result in the loss of as many as 700,000 jobs across the US," the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers said in prepared testimony for a hearing on Thursday before the US International Trade Commission.

The group, which represents both Detroit-based and foreign automakers, said it "strongly encourages" the administration to drop its national security probe on autos.

It added that side-letters to the USMCA providing Canada and Mexico with tariff-free import quotas of 2.6 million vehicles each in the event Trump imposes car tariffs indicate that the administration intends to do so.

European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said on Wednesday that the EU has a list of potential retaliation targets ready in case US President Donald Trump imposes auto tariffs on the bloc's member states.

European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said on Wednesday that the EU has a list of potential retaliation targets ready in case US President Donald Trump imposes auto tariffs on the bloc's member states. Malmstrom told reporters after a meeting with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer that they did not speak specifically about auto tariffs, but focused instead on regulatory cooperation issues and ways to enable EU countries to import more American soybeans and liquefied natural gas. Malmstrom did not specify the US products on which the EU would levy retaliatory tariffs, as consultations with member states would need to take place, but she said the list could include "all kinds" of products. "It could be cars, it could be agriculture, it could be industrial products - it could be everything. And we will do that, but hope we don't have to get to that situation," she said. Malmstrom also said that the EU is willing to negotiate a limited trade deal on industrial goods, including autos, that seeks to bring tariff rates to zero for both the United States and Europe. But the scope of these talks cannot be defined until early 2019, when the USTR completes its consultation process with Congress and the EU receives a negotiating mandate from member states, she added. Trump administration officials on Tuesday said the president's trade team made no decisions on how to proceed with new recommendations from the Commerce Department on whether to impose tariffs on autos and auto parts to protect the US industry on national security grounds. The contents of the recommendations have not been disclosed. An influential automotive trade group warned on Wednesday that increased US autos tariffs will erode the benefits of tax cuts and the new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade deal. "If implemented, increased auto tariffs would not only undermine the potential success of the USMCA, they would also pose a material threat to the economy and may result in the loss of as many as 700,000 jobs across the US," the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers said in prepared testimony for a hearing on Thursday before the US International Trade Commission. The group, which represents both Detroit-based and foreign automakers, said it "strongly encourages" the administration to drop its national security probe on autos. It added that side-letters to the USMCA providing Canada and Mexico with tariff-free import quotas of 2.6 million vehicles each in the event Trump imposes car tariffs indicate that the administration intends to do so.

Europe ready to retaliate if US imposes auto tariffs: EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom

An angry Donald Trump removed a senior advisor Wednesday after First Lady <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-under-pressure-from-melania-to-fire-top-aide-source-177177">Melania Trump demanded her sacking</a>, with more heads set to roll in a White House reshuffle triggered by infighting and setbacks in the midterm elections.

Melania Trump made the extremely rare demand for deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel to be fired on Tuesday, saying "she no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House."

The protocol-busting move followed a falling out that press leaks say was partly linked to a dispute over seating arrangements on the plane that took the first lady for a tour of African countries in October. Ricardel was also reportedly blamed for negative news coverage of Melania Trump.

The first lady got her way Wednesday when presidential spokeswoman Sarah Sanders announced that Ricardel "departs the White House to transition to a new role within the Administration."

The start to the second half of Donald Trump's first term is enveloped in gloom as the president surveys the damage from the midterms, tension with some of America's closest allies, and now turmoil inside the administration.

On Wednesday, he was quoted by right-wing website The Daily Caller saying that a wider reshuffle is coming.

"A lot of people want to come in, a lot of politicians who have had very successful careers want to come in," he said.

'Adult in the room'

The biggest name on the chopping block, according to multiple US media reports, is chief of staff John Kelly.

A retired Marine Corps general, he has often been referred to as "the adult in the room" during Trump's drama-prone administration, even if critics say he has done little to temper the president's most damaging outbursts.

Now Kelly's days are numbered, according to the unconfirmed but mounting leaks to US media.

His position, tenuous for months, has been undermined further by reports that he also clashed with Melania Trump -- a relatively backstage first lady who has rarely made her influence so obviously felt as this week.

Melania Trump was angry that Kelly had refused to promote some of her aides, reports say.

Nick Ayers, a 36-year-old chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence and renowned political consultant, is reportedly high on the list to replace Kelly.

Another expected reshuffle casualty is Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, a Kelly ally who oversees the politically sensitive task of carrying out Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration.

Trump told The Daily Caller he'll make "a decision on homeland shortly."

Among Nielsen's critics has been National Security Adviser John Bolton, who last month was widely reported to have erupted in a shouting match with Kelly right outside the Oval Office over her performance. 

Clouds gather over Trump

Donald Trump has been in a funk since last week's midterms which saw Democrats seize control of the House of Representatives, ending the Republicans' dominance of both chambers of Congress.

While the Republicans held their Senate majority, the Democratic win means the president will for the first time face an opposition that has teeth.

Democrats vow to use their control of powerful House oversight committees to go after Trump's nebulous personal finances and to protect an explosive probe into whether his 2016 election campaign colluded with Russian agents.

Pressure is mounting from the probe, as the special counsel Robert Mueller digs ever more deeply into the president's inner circle.

When Trump suddenly replaced his attorney general Jeff Sessions last week with a fierce critic of the Russia investigation, Matthew Whitaker, critics accused him of violating the constitution.

The Department of Justice ruled on Wednesday that Whitaker's appointment is in fact constitutional, but this will do little to calm claims that Trump's real goal is to defang the Russia probe, which he describes as "a witch hunt."

Abroad, there's no respite for the real estate billionaire either.

A weekend trip to Paris for World War I commemorations was marred by a row with President Emmanuel Macron. Trump mockingly referred to Germany's invasions of France during the two world wars, while also berating America's European allies in NATO over their defense spending.

The other main takeaway from Trump's trip was a PR blunder when the White House canceled his plan to visit an American military cemetery due to rain grounding the presidential helicopter.

An angry Donald Trump removed a senior advisor Wednesday after First Lady Melania Trump demanded her sacking, with more heads set to roll in a White House reshuffle triggered by infighting and setbacks in the midterm elections.

An angry Donald Trump removed a senior advisor Wednesday after First Lady Melania Trump demanded her sacking, with more heads set to roll in a White House reshuffle triggered by infighting and setbacks in the midterm elections. Melania Trump made the extremely rare demand for deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel to be fired on Tuesday, saying "she no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House." The protocol-busting move followed a falling out that press leaks say was partly linked to a dispute over seating arrangements on the plane that took the first lady for a tour of African countries in October. Ricardel was also reportedly blamed for negative news coverage of Melania Trump. The first lady got her way Wednesday when presidential spokeswoman Sarah Sanders announced that Ricardel "departs the White House to transition to a new role within the Administration." The start to the second half of Donald Trump's first term is enveloped in gloom as the president surveys the damage from the midterms, tension with some of America's closest allies, and now turmoil inside the administration. On Wednesday, he was quoted by right-wing website The Daily Caller saying that a wider reshuffle is coming. "A lot of people want to come in, a lot of politicians who have had very successful careers want to come in," he said. 'Adult in the room' The biggest name on the chopping block, according to multiple US media reports, is chief of staff John Kelly. A retired Marine Corps general, he has often been referred to as "the adult in the room" during Trump's drama-prone administration, even if critics say he has done little to temper the president's most damaging outbursts. Now Kelly's days are numbered, according to the unconfirmed but mounting leaks to US media. His position, tenuous for months, has been undermined further by reports that he also clashed with Melania Trump -- a relatively backstage first lady who has rarely made her influence so obviously felt as this week. Melania Trump was angry that Kelly had refused to promote some of her aides, reports say. Nick Ayers, a 36-year-old chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence and renowned political consultant, is reportedly high on the list to replace Kelly. Another expected reshuffle casualty is Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, a Kelly ally who oversees the politically sensitive task of carrying out Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. Trump told The Daily Caller he'll make "a decision on homeland shortly." Among Nielsen's critics has been National Security Adviser John Bolton, who last month was widely reported to have erupted in a shouting match with Kelly right outside the Oval Office over her performance. Clouds gather over Trump Donald Trump has been in a funk since last week's midterms which saw Democrats seize control of the House of Representatives, ending the Republicans' dominance of both chambers of Congress. While the Republicans held their Senate majority, the Democratic win means the president will for the first time face an opposition that has teeth. Democrats vow to use their control of powerful House oversight committees to go after Trump's nebulous personal finances and to protect an explosive probe into whether his 2016 election campaign colluded with Russian agents. Pressure is mounting from the probe, as the special counsel Robert Mueller digs ever more deeply into the president's inner circle. When Trump suddenly replaced his attorney general Jeff Sessions last week with a fierce critic of the Russia investigation, Matthew Whitaker, critics accused him of violating the constitution. The Department of Justice ruled on Wednesday that Whitaker's appointment is in fact constitutional, but this will do little to calm claims that Trump's real goal is to defang the Russia probe, which he describes as "a witch hunt." Abroad, there's no respite for the real estate billionaire either. A weekend trip to Paris for World War I commemorations was marred by a row with President Emmanuel Macron. Trump mockingly referred to Germany's invasions of France during the two world wars, while also berating America's European allies in NATO over their defense spending. The other main takeaway from Trump's trip was a PR blunder when the White House canceled his plan to visit an American military cemetery due to rain grounding the presidential helicopter.

President Trump fires senior advisor criticised by first lady Melania

By Gary Grappo

Washington’s latest round of sanctions on Iran’s primary hard currency earner will be felt not only by the Iranian government but also by Iranians. Previous sanctions, imposed after Washington withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018, had already begun to take a bite out of Iran’s economy, costing the Islamic Republican estimated loss of more than $2 billion in revenue. Undoubtedly, it has been a contributing factor in the recent spiral of the Iranian rial, down against the dollar by approximately 75 &nbsp;per cent since 2017.

Tehran has been down this road before. US sanctions, much of which had been endorsed by the UN Security Council in the period leading up to the negotiation and signing of the JCPOA, had been so painful for Iran that it finally agreed to come to the negotiating table with the P5+1 countries (China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the US) and ultimately accepted restrictions on its nuclear weapons development program. The fact that Tehran has not reneged on the nuclear deal in spite of Washington’s withdrawal is a testament to the devastating impact that global sanctions can have on its economy and its desire to forestall sanctions broader than those reimposed by Washington.

Nevertheless, US sanctions are impossible to ignore by Iran or any other country. Any country, bank or enterprise risks its US-based operations — not to mention access to America’s outsized market — in doing business with Iran or an Iranian entity falling under the sanctions. Despite the unwillingness of the other P5+1 countries to follow Washington’s lead, their businesses and banks cannot afford to risk secondary sanctions. They will comply by withdrawing their business with or in Iran, cancelling contracts or shutting down financial dealings with Iranian banks.

Almighty Dollar

How does Washington get away with it? What makes the imposition of US sanctions so problematic for any country, entity or person on the receiving end of America’s financial wrath? The answer isn’t just the size of America’s economy — US GDP is nearly a quarter of global GDP. More often, it’s the “almighty” US dollar. In 2017, the dollar accounted for 85 per cent of global trade based on the value of letters of credit issued, up from 81 per cent two years earlier. The US currency is involved in nearly nine out of every 10 transactions in the daily $5.1-trillion foreign exchange market, according to 2016 data from the Bank for International Settlements. The greenback also accounts for 62 per cent of global reserves. As Iran learned prior to 2015 and will now experience again, it’s nearly impossible to do business in the world today without recourse to the dollar.

And for Tehran, it’s getting worse. SWIFT — Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications — a Belgium-based messaging network that financial institutions use to securely transmit information and instructions worldwide, announced that it too is severing its relations with Iran’s banks. The move will effectively cut those banks off from the global financial system. Since the vast majority of SWIFT’s transactions are in dollars, it had no choice.

Iran isn’t alone in the bullseye of American sanctions. The US Treasury Department currently enforces 29 active sanctions programs, targeting countries like Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Yemen, Syria, Libya and others, as well as various criminal organizations, individuals and businesses throughout the world, for an assortment of sanctionable violations of US human rights, drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism, human trafficking, weapons sales, cyber warfare and other laws. Sanctions have become America’s go-to tool for extending territoriality of its laws, and the US economy and the dollar give it the ability to do it.

However, Washington faces increasing challenges in its resort to sanctions, not just as they apply to Iran, but also to US economic interests around the globe. First, Washington’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal was unpopular and opposed by nearly all of its allies, including the other members of the P5+1. To date, none have withdrawn, nor are they expected to do so. That means that there is little hope of achieving what the Obama administration had done — a UN Security Council resolution imposing global sanctions on Iran. So, as painful as US sanctions are likely to be for Iran, they are unlikely to approach the levels experienced in the period leading up to the signing of the JCPOA.

Washington now asserts that it expects Iran to comply with a 12-point list of demands, articulated by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in May. It’s not a bad list of Iran’s misbehaviour both in the region and around the world. But it goes far beyond anything envisioned by the US and the other P5+1 members who, in 2015, focused on limiting Iran’s nuclear program. So, with fewer countries joining Washington’s sanctions, how is the Trump administration counting on the Iranians to give up more than they did in 2015? “More with less” once was a clever slogan in American politics, but it’s been proven unsuccessful. In this case, Iran is much more likely to weather these current sanctions, however painfully, than it was those imposed through 2015.

Second, Tehran has managed to accomplish a long-sought objective — drive a wedge between the US and its closest allies in Europe. In order to keep the US in the JCPOA, the European countries had shown considerable willingness to ratchet up non-nuclear sanctions on Iran and push for extending the deadlines in the nuclear agreement beyond their current 10-15 year deadlines before they came up for review. Yet the Trump administration bowed to its campaign promises and to its base — and withdrew. Trump had effectively gotten the bargain he wanted from the Europeans and instead went for the two birds in the bush and not the one he had in his hand.

Powerful weapon

Now, the EU is seeking to set up a separate mechanism that would allow Iran and businesses and banks with which it deals, including oil customers, to work through a different financial clearing system. Known as the Special Purpose Vehicle, or SPV, it could have a much greater impact than the immediate goal of freeing Iran from Washington’s financial grip. Longer term, one could envision its use by China, Russia and other currently sanctioned states, entities and individuals to dodge US sanctions and work outside the US-led system. To be sure, setting up such a mechanism will be long and difficult, presenting all sorts of unforeseen challenges to global businesses, banks and governments. But in this age of instant financial transactions governed by algorithms and technology, the global economic and financial system has shown itself to be adaptable to the vicissitudes of international politics.

This raises the third risk to America’s use of sanctions when its allies are not on board. Such overuse and misuse will mean diminishing America’s and the world’s abilities to punish those who act outside acceptable bounds of international behaviour. Causes such as protecting human rights, combatting terrorism and drug trafficking, and stemming proliferation, among others, will all suffer as violators turn to new means to avoid constraints and pursue efforts to destabilize and disrupt.

Finally, sanctions not adequately coordinated with other major economic powers, especially the EU, Japan and South Korea, can upset financial markets, currency trading and international trade. The global economy is better at adjusting when the sanctions are clear and enforceable, meaning other major nations act in concert with the US and not in opposition. Last summer, after the US imposed sanctions on Turkey, European bank stocks took a beating. Had the trade controls and sanctions been better coordinated with America’s European allies, the sell-off might have been mitigated.

Sanctions remain a powerful weapon in the US arsenal, one which it wields almost unilaterally among world powers. But their effect — to ensure global order by limiting the ability of bad actors to skirt international norms, and punishing them when they do — will be diluted if the Trump administration continues to pursue a go-it-alone approach. Their impact is exponentially greater when Washington convinces other economic powers to work with it.

(Gary Grappo is a former US ambassador and a distinguished fellow at the Center for Middle East Studies at the Korbel School for International Studies)

(This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/middle_east_north_africa/donald-trump-us-sanctions-iran-economy-oil-exports-nuclear-deal-news-65172/">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Gary Grappo Washington’s latest round of sanctions on Iran’s primary hard currency earner will be felt not only by the Iranian government but also by Iranians.

By Gary Grappo Washington’s latest round of sanctions on Iran’s primary hard currency earner will be felt not only by the Iranian government but also by Iranians. Previous sanctions, imposed after Washington withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018, had already begun to take a bite out of Iran’s economy, costing the Islamic Republican estimated loss of more than $2 billion in revenue. Undoubtedly, it has been a contributing factor in the recent spiral of the Iranian rial, down against the dollar by approximately 75 per cent since 2017. Tehran has been down this road before. US sanctions, much of which had been endorsed by the UN Security Council in the period leading up to the negotiation and signing of the JCPOA, had been so painful for Iran that it finally agreed to come to the negotiating table with the P5+1 countries (China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the US) and ultimately accepted restrictions on its nuclear weapons development program. The fact that Tehran has not reneged on the nuclear deal in spite of Washington’s withdrawal is a testament to the devastating impact that global sanctions can have on its economy and its desire to forestall sanctions broader than those reimposed by Washington. Nevertheless, US sanctions are impossible to ignore by Iran or any other country. Any country, bank or enterprise risks its US-based operations — not to mention access to America’s outsized market — in doing business with Iran or an Iranian entity falling under the sanctions. Despite the unwillingness of the other P5+1 countries to follow Washington’s lead, their businesses and banks cannot afford to risk secondary sanctions. They will comply by withdrawing their business with or in Iran, cancelling contracts or shutting down financial dealings with Iranian banks. Almighty Dollar How does Washington get away with it? What makes the imposition of US sanctions so problematic for any country, entity or person on the receiving end of America’s financial wrath? The answer isn’t just the size of America’s economy — US GDP is nearly a quarter of global GDP. More often, it’s the “almighty” US dollar. In 2017, the dollar accounted for 85 per cent of global trade based on the value of letters of credit issued, up from 81 per cent two years earlier. The US currency is involved in nearly nine out of every 10 transactions in the daily $5.1-trillion foreign exchange market, according to 2016 data from the Bank for International Settlements. The greenback also accounts for 62 per cent of global reserves. As Iran learned prior to 2015 and will now experience again, it’s nearly impossible to do business in the world today without recourse to the dollar. And for Tehran, it’s getting worse. SWIFT — Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications — a Belgium-based messaging network that financial institutions use to securely transmit information and instructions worldwide, announced that it too is severing its relations with Iran’s banks. The move will effectively cut those banks off from the global financial system. Since the vast majority of SWIFT’s transactions are in dollars, it had no choice. Iran isn’t alone in the bullseye of American sanctions. The US Treasury Department currently enforces 29 active sanctions programs, targeting countries like Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Yemen, Syria, Libya and others, as well as various criminal organizations, individuals and businesses throughout the world, for an assortment of sanctionable violations of US human rights, drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism, human trafficking, weapons sales, cyber warfare and other laws. Sanctions have become America’s go-to tool for extending territoriality of its laws, and the US economy and the dollar give it the ability to do it. However, Washington faces increasing challenges in its resort to sanctions, not just as they apply to Iran, but also to US economic interests around the globe. First, Washington’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal was unpopular and opposed by nearly all of its allies, including the other members of the P5+1. To date, none have withdrawn, nor are they expected to do so. That means that there is little hope of achieving what the Obama administration had done — a UN Security Council resolution imposing global sanctions on Iran. So, as painful as US sanctions are likely to be for Iran, they are unlikely to approach the levels experienced in the period leading up to the signing of the JCPOA. Washington now asserts that it expects Iran to comply with a 12-point list of demands, articulated by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in May. It’s not a bad list of Iran’s misbehaviour both in the region and around the world. But it goes far beyond anything envisioned by the US and the other P5+1 members who, in 2015, focused on limiting Iran’s nuclear program. So, with fewer countries joining Washington’s sanctions, how is the Trump administration counting on the Iranians to give up more than they did in 2015? “More with less” once was a clever slogan in American politics, but it’s been proven unsuccessful. In this case, Iran is much more likely to weather these current sanctions, however painfully, than it was those imposed through 2015. Second, Tehran has managed to accomplish a long-sought objective — drive a wedge between the US and its closest allies in Europe. In order to keep the US in the JCPOA, the European countries had shown considerable willingness to ratchet up non-nuclear sanctions on Iran and push for extending the deadlines in the nuclear agreement beyond their current 10-15 year deadlines before they came up for review. Yet the Trump administration bowed to its campaign promises and to its base — and withdrew. Trump had effectively gotten the bargain he wanted from the Europeans and instead went for the two birds in the bush and not the one he had in his hand. Powerful weapon Now, the EU is seeking to set up a separate mechanism that would allow Iran and businesses and banks with which it deals, including oil customers, to work through a different financial clearing system. Known as the Special Purpose Vehicle, or SPV, it could have a much greater impact than the immediate goal of freeing Iran from Washington’s financial grip. Longer term, one could envision its use by China, Russia and other currently sanctioned states, entities and individuals to dodge US sanctions and work outside the US-led system. To be sure, setting up such a mechanism will be long and difficult, presenting all sorts of unforeseen challenges to global businesses, banks and governments. But in this age of instant financial transactions governed by algorithms and technology, the global economic and financial system has shown itself to be adaptable to the vicissitudes of international politics. This raises the third risk to America’s use of sanctions when its allies are not on board. Such overuse and misuse will mean diminishing America’s and the world’s abilities to punish those who act outside acceptable bounds of international behaviour. Causes such as protecting human rights, combatting terrorism and drug trafficking, and stemming proliferation, among others, will all suffer as violators turn to new means to avoid constraints and pursue efforts to destabilize and disrupt. Finally, sanctions not adequately coordinated with other major economic powers, especially the EU, Japan and South Korea, can upset financial markets, currency trading and international trade. The global economy is better at adjusting when the sanctions are clear and enforceable, meaning other major nations act in concert with the US and not in opposition. Last summer, after the US imposed sanctions on Turkey, European bank stocks took a beating. Had the trade controls and sanctions been better coordinated with America’s European allies, the sell-off might have been mitigated. Sanctions remain a powerful weapon in the US arsenal, one which it wields almost unilaterally among world powers. But their effect — to ensure global order by limiting the ability of bad actors to skirt international norms, and punishing them when they do — will be diluted if the Trump administration continues to pursue a go-it-alone approach. Their impact is exponentially greater when Washington convinces other economic powers to work with it. (Gary Grappo is a former US ambassador and a distinguished fellow at the Center for Middle East Studies at the Korbel School for International Studies) (This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Are US sanctions losing their clout?

President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday told Donald Trump that France was the United States' ally and not a vassal state after the US&nbsp;president <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/emmanuel-macron-urges-european-army-to-defend-against-russia-us-175870">attacked him in a series of tweets</a> that demonstrated how much their relationship had soured.

In five posts sent on Tuesday after a visit to Paris to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One, Trump reminded France of its near-defeat by Germany in two wars, took a swipe at its wine industry, and mentioned Macron's falling approval ratings. Trump had earlier criticised Macron's suggestion that a European army was needed, in part, to reduce reliance on the U.S. military.

Asked in an interview on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier whether he was offended by Trump's tweets, Macron talked at length about the long military alliance between the two countries, from America's War of Independence onwards. "At every moment of our history, we were allies, so between allies, respect is due," Macron told TF1 television."I don't think the French expect me to respond to tweets but to continue this important history," he added.&nbsp;

When pressed, Macron dismissed Trump's comments as an attempt to play to a domestic audience, in the wake of Trump's losses in mid-terms elections."I think he's playing politics, and I let him play American politics. "But asked whether there was a deeper misunderstanding between the two countries after Macron's comments about a European army infuriated Trump, Macron said being a U.S. ally did not mean being subservient. "The United States are our historic ally and will continue to be. It's the ally with which we take all the risks, with which we carry out the most complicated operations. But being an ally doesn't mean being a vassal state," Macron said.

The public dispute was in sharp contrast with the friendly tone that had been a hallmark of the relationship between the ex-banker and the former real estate developer since Macron was elected in 2017. After being invited to Paris to attend the Bastille Day military parade in July last year and receiving Macron and his wife for a state visit in Washington in January, Trump had praised Macron as a "great guy" and "a friend of mine".Macron had struggled to convert the 'bonhomie' into influence. Trump and Macron disagreed on many international issues, including the Paris climate accord, the Iran nuclear deal or Trump's decision to slap tariffs on European metals exports.

But the personal rhetoric between the two men had always been friendly, in contrast with previous Franco-American disputes when French-bashing was sometimes on full display, such as during the war in Iraq that France opposed. Although Macron's response was restrained on Wednesday, his government spokesman showed Trump's criticism had struck a chord.

When asked earlier about Trump's tweets, French government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said they were posted on the day France was mourning the anniversary of militant attacks in Paris."Yesterday was November 13, we were marking the murder of 130 of our people," Griveaux said. "So I'll reply in English: 'common decency' would have been appropriate."

President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday told Donald Trump that France was the United States' ally and not a vassal state after the US president attacked him in a series of tweets that demonstrated how much their relationship had soured.

President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday told Donald Trump that France was the United States' ally and not a vassal state after the US president attacked him in a series of tweets that demonstrated how much their relationship had soured. In five posts sent on Tuesday after a visit to Paris to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One, Trump reminded France of its near-defeat by Germany in two wars, took a swipe at its wine industry, and mentioned Macron's falling approval ratings. Trump had earlier criticised Macron's suggestion that a European army was needed, in part, to reduce reliance on the U.S. military. Asked in an interview on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier whether he was offended by Trump's tweets, Macron talked at length about the long military alliance between the two countries, from America's War of Independence onwards. "At every moment of our history, we were allies, so between allies, respect is due," Macron told TF1 television."I don't think the French expect me to respond to tweets but to continue this important history," he added. When pressed, Macron dismissed Trump's comments as an attempt to play to a domestic audience, in the wake of Trump's losses in mid-terms elections."I think he's playing politics, and I let him play American politics. "But asked whether there was a deeper misunderstanding between the two countries after Macron's comments about a European army infuriated Trump, Macron said being a U.S. ally did not mean being subservient. "The United States are our historic ally and will continue to be. It's the ally with which we take all the risks, with which we carry out the most complicated operations. But being an ally doesn't mean being a vassal state," Macron said. The public dispute was in sharp contrast with the friendly tone that had been a hallmark of the relationship between the ex-banker and the former real estate developer since Macron was elected in 2017. After being invited to Paris to attend the Bastille Day military parade in July last year and receiving Macron and his wife for a state visit in Washington in January, Trump had praised Macron as a "great guy" and "a friend of mine".Macron had struggled to convert the 'bonhomie' into influence. Trump and Macron disagreed on many international issues, including the Paris climate accord, the Iran nuclear deal or Trump's decision to slap tariffs on European metals exports. But the personal rhetoric between the two men had always been friendly, in contrast with previous Franco-American disputes when French-bashing was sometimes on full display, such as during the war in Iraq that France opposed. Although Macron's response was restrained on Wednesday, his government spokesman showed Trump's criticism had struck a chord. When asked earlier about Trump's tweets, French government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said they were posted on the day France was mourning the anniversary of militant attacks in Paris."Yesterday was November 13, we were marking the murder of 130 of our people," Griveaux said. "So I'll reply in English: 'common decency' would have been appropriate."

France is US ally, not vassal state: Macron hits back at Trump

A French government spokesperson slammed US President Donald Trump on Wednesday for his lack of "common decency".&nbsp;

Asked to react to Trump's tweets mocking Macron, spokesman Benjamin Griveaux told reporters: "Yesterday was November 13 when we commemorate the murder of 130 citizens three years ago in Paris and Saint-Denis. So I will reply in English: 'common decency' would have been the appropriate thing."

Trump had on Tuesday launched into a massive Twitter tirade against French President Emmanuel Macron.&nbsp;

During his tirade, Trump got upset with Macron's suggestion that Europe raise its own army to protect itself from Russia, China, and the US (yes, you read that right); he (sort of) threatened tariffs against French wine; he said Macron suffers from low approval ratings; and that France suffers from a high unemployment rate. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Trump ended with the words "MAKE FRANCE GREAT AGAIN".&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Emmanuel Macron suggests building its own army to protect Europe against the U.S., China and Russia. But it was Germany in World Wars One &amp; Two - How did that work out for France? They were starting to learn German in Paris before the U.S. came along. Pay for NATO or not!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1062311785787744256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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On Trade, France makes excellent wine, but so does the U.S. The problem is that France makes it very hard for the U.S. to sell its wines into France, and charges big Tariffs, whereas the U.S. makes it easy for French wines, and charges very small Tariffs. Not fair, must change!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1062331024426913792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The problem is that Emmanuel suffers from a very low Approval Rating in France, 26%, and an unemployment rate of almost 10%. He was just trying to get onto another subject. By the way, there is no country more Nationalist than France, very proud people-and rightfully so!........
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1062333534214520832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The problem is that Emmanuel suffers from a very low Approval Rating in France, 26%, and an unemployment rate of almost 10%. He was just trying to get onto another subject. By the way, there is no country more Nationalist than France, very proud people-and rightfully so!........
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1062333534214520832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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......MAKE FRANCE GREAT AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1062333882610171907?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Trump had been irked by Macron's rubbishing of nationalism — the French president said "nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism" — and Trump's America First policy on Sunday during the commemoration of a 100 years of the end of World War I in Paris.&nbsp;

Trump had been one of the guests at the commemoration.&nbsp;

Macron told CNN in an interview after talks with Trump on Saturday that the defence row (the European Army) had been cleared up. He has not reacted publicly to Trump's latest broadside.

One of Macron's advisers on Tuesday dismissed the tweets as "written for Americans" and said that relations between Trump and Macron were "not always easy but are enduring".

(With inputs from AFP)

A French government spokesperson slammed US President Donald Trump on Wednesday for his lack of "common decency". Asked to react to Trump's tweets mocking Macron, spokesman Benjamin Griveaux told reporters: "Yesterday was November 13 when we commemorate the murder of 130 citizens three years ago in Paris and Saint-Denis.

A French government spokesperson slammed US President Donald Trump on Wednesday for his lack of "common decency". Asked to react to Trump's tweets mocking Macron, spokesman Benjamin Griveaux told reporters: "Yesterday was November 13 when we commemorate the murder of 130 citizens three years ago in Paris and Saint-Denis. So I will reply in English: 'common decency' would have been the appropriate thing." Trump had on Tuesday launched into a massive Twitter tirade against French President Emmanuel Macron. During his tirade, Trump got upset with Macron's suggestion that Europe raise its own army to protect itself from Russia, China, and the US (yes, you read that right); he (sort of) threatened tariffs against French wine; he said Macron suffers from low approval ratings; and that France suffers from a high unemployment rate. Trump ended with the words "MAKE FRANCE GREAT AGAIN". Emmanuel Macron suggests building its own army to protect Europe against the U.S., China and Russia. But it was Germany in World Wars One & Two - How did that work out for France? They were starting to learn German in Paris before the U.S. came along. Pay for NATO or not! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018 × On Trade, France makes excellent wine, but so does the U.S. The problem is that France makes it very hard for the U.S. to sell its wines into France, and charges big Tariffs, whereas the U.S. makes it easy for French wines, and charges very small Tariffs. Not fair, must change! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018 × The problem is that Emmanuel suffers from a very low Approval Rating in France, 26%, and an unemployment rate of almost 10%. He was just trying to get onto another subject. By the way, there is no country more Nationalist than France, very proud people-and rightfully so!........ — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018 × The problem is that Emmanuel suffers from a very low Approval Rating in France, 26%, and an unemployment rate of almost 10%. He was just trying to get onto another subject. By the way, there is no country more Nationalist than France, very proud people-and rightfully so!........ — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018 × ......MAKE FRANCE GREAT AGAIN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018 × Trump had been irked by Macron's rubbishing of nationalism — the French president said "nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism" — and Trump's America First policy on Sunday during the commemoration of a 100 years of the end of World War I in Paris. Trump had been one of the guests at the commemoration. Macron told CNN in an interview after talks with Trump on Saturday that the defence row (the European Army) had been cleared up. He has not reacted publicly to Trump's latest broadside. One of Macron's advisers on Tuesday dismissed the tweets as "written for Americans" and said that relations between Trump and Macron were "not always easy but are enduring". (With inputs from AFP)

France slams Trump for his lack of 'common decency'

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to be the chief guest at the 2019 Republic Day parade here, sources said.

Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended an invitation to US President Donald Trump, but he expressed his inability citing "scheduling conflicts."

Cyril Ramaphosa will be the second leader from South Africa to attend India's Republic Day parade as the chief guest.

Former President Nelson Mandela was the chief guest at the 1995 Republic Day parade.

South African President Ramaphosa is a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. A few months back, he led as many as 5,000 people at the annual 'Gandhi Walk'&nbsp;event organized at Lenasia, a few kilometers away from Johannesburg in an attempt to promote fitness and community awareness.India and South Africa are making efforts to develop bilateral relations in order to boost trade and investment relations.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the BRICS summit held in Johannesburg. During the meet, the two-state heads signed MoUs in the areas of defense, trade, culture, agriculture, and dairy cooperation.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to be the chief guest at the 2019 Republic Day parade here, sources said. Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended an invitation to US President Donald Trump, but he expressed his inability citing "scheduling conflicts.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to be the chief guest at the 2019 Republic Day parade here, sources said. Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended an invitation to US President Donald Trump, but he expressed his inability citing "scheduling conflicts." Cyril Ramaphosa will be the second leader from South Africa to attend India's Republic Day parade as the chief guest. Former President Nelson Mandela was the chief guest at the 1995 Republic Day parade. South African President Ramaphosa is a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. A few months back, he led as many as 5,000 people at the annual 'Gandhi Walk' event organized at Lenasia, a few kilometers away from Johannesburg in an attempt to promote fitness and community awareness.India and South Africa are making efforts to develop bilateral relations in order to boost trade and investment relations. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the BRICS summit held in Johannesburg. During the meet, the two-state heads signed MoUs in the areas of defense, trade, culture, agriculture, and dairy cooperation.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa likely to be chief guest at Republic Day

By Randy Kluver, Robert Hinck and Skye Cooley

When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June pledged to work toward “complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula” by 2020, the White House hailed the agreement as “a tremendous moment for the world.”

The agreement came after a year of tense negotiations between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump – an undiplomatic diplomatic process that included insults, threats, name-calling and cancelled diplomatic visits.

“I was really being tough. And so was he,” Trump later said. “And we’d go back and forth. And then we fell in love. OK?”

With all the bilateral drama, it’s easy to forget that this nuclear showdown does not involve just the US and North Korea.

The China-Korea connection

The Korean peninsula has been in a protracted conflict since 1950, when Communist North Korean troops invaded South Korea.

North Korea has been considered a dangerous nuclear power since withdrawing from the international nonproliferation treaty on nuclear weapons in 1985, with neighbouring Japan and South Korea most at risk of nuclear attack.

Both are strong US allies who essentially support Trump’s negotiations with Kim’s regime.

Less certain is the position of China, North Korea’s Communist northern neighbour.

China accounts for 90 percent of North Korea’s foreign trade and is perhaps the only true “friend” North Korea has.

It is also an economic behemoth with its own ambitions of global dominance.

In recent years China has flexed its foreign policy muscles, paying for major infrastructure development in Africa, Pakistan and the Caribbean. Its diplomacy budget has almost doubled since Xi took office in 2013.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang has assured the United States that China supports “the US and [orth Korea&nbsp;in actively seeking a political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue” and is “committed to achieving denuclearisation.”

Korea experts have their doubts.

Many believe China fears that a successful Trump negotiation could lead the US to replace China as North Korea’s top ally. Its government “does not want a reunified Korea, indebted to Washington, sitting just across its border,” Richard McGregor, senior fellow at Australia’s Lowy Institute, told CNN in May.

So where does China’s government really stand on the US-led denuclearisation of North Korea?

China defends North Korea 
 
To answer this question, we analyzed one year of Chinese news coverage and commentary on North Korean denuclearatisation.

Because journalism in China is heavily state-controlled, media analysis can shed light on government positions that may not be public as official policy.

Our project examining China’s view of the US-North Korea negotiations is part of ongoing research into the domestic media coverage of global affairs in Russia and China, two countries that contest America’s dominance in the current world order.

We read China’s position on the Trump-Kim process as delicately balanced between defending its Korean ally while signaling its respect for the international community.

Chinese media makes sure to report North Korea’s side of the argument, tacitly supporting Kim Jong Un’s need for security while questioning American intentions in the Asian region.

For instance, Xinhua reported in Oct. 2017 that “Kim justified the development of nuclear and missile programs by [North Korea] as the only way of defence against ‘protracted nuclear threats’ by the United States.”

As an op-ed from the English-language Chinese daily Global Times further argues that the United States uses North Korea “as a pretext to justify its military presence in Northeast Asia.”

When Chinese media does denounce aggressive North Korean military actions, such as intercontinental missile tests, the articles usually go on to portray the United States’ anti-ballistic missile systems and joint military exercises with Japan and South Korea as far more destabilising for the Asia region.

China opposes “any strategic military deployment by the US that will cause threats to China’s security under the excuse of dealing with the peninsula situation,” declared China’s Global Times in 2016.

Towing the line 
 
Still, China is careful to uphold international standards when it comes to North Korea.

It advocates for a cooperative and dialogue-based peace process and has endorsed and implemented all United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea.

After North Korea’s nuclear tests in fall 2017, for example, the UN&nbsp;unanimously adopted severe economic sanctions that further isolated the regime. China criticised US rhetoric about Kim’s regime as overheated but ultimately signed off on the sanctions.

In Chinese media, such actions – defending North Korean sovereignty while supporting the international community – confirm China’s role as a fair arbiter. China sees itself as perhaps the only nation appropriately balancing North Korea’s economic needs with the world’s security concerns.

For Chinese media, this confirms China’s importance in global diplomacy. When President Trump said that “China has aided efforts with North Korea,” his comment was widely quoted.

Will China help denuclearise North Korea?

Ultimately, our analysis finds that China’s global aspirations have not yet led President Xi to openly dispute American leadership in resolving world conflicts.

China is likely to play a supporting role in the gradual denuclearisation of North Korea, even as it seeks to shape that process to ensure that Chinese influence and prestige in the region is upheld.

Chinese media has even praised President Trump’s June 6 summit with Kim, saying it warmed relations between the nations and laid a foundation for further progress toward peace.

The Chinese government may well work “on both sides towards this goal,” as Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in a December 2017 press conference.

But in the end, we believe Xi is more of a US partner than foe when it comes to Korea.

(Randy Kluver is Dean, Oklahoma State University; &nbsp;Robert Hinck is Assistant Professor, Monmouth College; &nbsp;Skye Cooley 
Assistant Professor of Communication, Oklahoma State University)

By Randy Kluver, Robert Hinck and Skye Cooley When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June pledged to work toward “complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula” by 2020, the White House hailed the agreement as “a tremendous moment for the world.

By Randy Kluver, Robert Hinck and Skye Cooley When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June pledged to work toward “complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula” by 2020, the White House hailed the agreement as “a tremendous moment for the world.” The agreement came after a year of tense negotiations between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump – an undiplomatic diplomatic process that included insults, threats, name-calling and cancelled diplomatic visits. “I was really being tough. And so was he,” Trump later said. “And we’d go back and forth. And then we fell in love. OK?” With all the bilateral drama, it’s easy to forget that this nuclear showdown does not involve just the US and North Korea. The China-Korea connection The Korean peninsula has been in a protracted conflict since 1950, when Communist North Korean troops invaded South Korea. North Korea has been considered a dangerous nuclear power since withdrawing from the international nonproliferation treaty on nuclear weapons in 1985, with neighbouring Japan and South Korea most at risk of nuclear attack. Both are strong US allies who essentially support Trump’s negotiations with Kim’s regime. Less certain is the position of China, North Korea’s Communist northern neighbour. China accounts for 90 percent of North Korea’s foreign trade and is perhaps the only true “friend” North Korea has. It is also an economic behemoth with its own ambitions of global dominance. In recent years China has flexed its foreign policy muscles, paying for major infrastructure development in Africa, Pakistan and the Caribbean. Its diplomacy budget has almost doubled since Xi took office in 2013. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang has assured the United States that China supports “the US and [orth Korea in actively seeking a political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue” and is “committed to achieving denuclearisation.” Korea experts have their doubts. Many believe China fears that a successful Trump negotiation could lead the US to replace China as North Korea’s top ally. Its government “does not want a reunified Korea, indebted to Washington, sitting just across its border,” Richard McGregor, senior fellow at Australia’s Lowy Institute, told CNN in May. So where does China’s government really stand on the US-led denuclearisation of North Korea? China defends North Korea To answer this question, we analyzed one year of Chinese news coverage and commentary on North Korean denuclearatisation. Because journalism in China is heavily state-controlled, media analysis can shed light on government positions that may not be public as official policy. Our project examining China’s view of the US-North Korea negotiations is part of ongoing research into the domestic media coverage of global affairs in Russia and China, two countries that contest America’s dominance in the current world order. We read China’s position on the Trump-Kim process as delicately balanced between defending its Korean ally while signaling its respect for the international community. Chinese media makes sure to report North Korea’s side of the argument, tacitly supporting Kim Jong Un’s need for security while questioning American intentions in the Asian region. For instance, Xinhua reported in Oct. 2017 that “Kim justified the development of nuclear and missile programs by [North Korea] as the only way of defence against ‘protracted nuclear threats’ by the United States.” As an op-ed from the English-language Chinese daily Global Times further argues that the United States uses North Korea “as a pretext to justify its military presence in Northeast Asia.” When Chinese media does denounce aggressive North Korean military actions, such as intercontinental missile tests, the articles usually go on to portray the United States’ anti-ballistic missile systems and joint military exercises with Japan and South Korea as far more destabilising for the Asia region. China opposes “any strategic military deployment by the US that will cause threats to China’s security under the excuse of dealing with the peninsula situation,” declared China’s Global Times in 2016. Towing the line Still, China is careful to uphold international standards when it comes to North Korea. It advocates for a cooperative and dialogue-based peace process and has endorsed and implemented all United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea. After North Korea’s nuclear tests in fall 2017, for example, the UN unanimously adopted severe economic sanctions that further isolated the regime. China criticised US rhetoric about Kim’s regime as overheated but ultimately signed off on the sanctions. In Chinese media, such actions – defending North Korean sovereignty while supporting the international community – confirm China’s role as a fair arbiter. China sees itself as perhaps the only nation appropriately balancing North Korea’s economic needs with the world’s security concerns. For Chinese media, this confirms China’s importance in global diplomacy. When President Trump said that “China has aided efforts with North Korea,” his comment was widely quoted. Will China help denuclearise North Korea? Ultimately, our analysis finds that China’s global aspirations have not yet led President Xi to openly dispute American leadership in resolving world conflicts. China is likely to play a supporting role in the gradual denuclearisation of North Korea, even as it seeks to shape that process to ensure that Chinese influence and prestige in the region is upheld. Chinese media has even praised President Trump’s June 6 summit with Kim, saying it warmed relations between the nations and laid a foundation for further progress toward peace. The Chinese government may well work “on both sides towards this goal,” as Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in a December 2017 press conference. But in the end, we believe Xi is more of a US partner than foe when it comes to Korea. (Randy Kluver is Dean, Oklahoma State University; Robert Hinck is Assistant Professor, Monmouth College; Skye Cooley Assistant Professor of Communication, Oklahoma State University)

Will China help Trump denuclearise North Korea?

US lawmakers will introduce legislation on Wednesday urging a stronger response by the Trump administration to China’s crackdown on minority Muslims, including possible sanctions against a regional Communist Party chief and other officials accused of human rights abuses.

The legislation will also ask President Donald Trump to condemn China’s actions in the Xinjiang region, call for a new “special coordinator” of US policy on the issue and press for consideration of a ban on export of US technology that Beijing could use in surveillance and mass detention of ethnic Uighurs, according to a copy of the measure seen by Reuters.

The lawmakers want the Trump administration to consider human rights-related sanctions against Xinjiang Party Secretary Chen Quanguo, who is also a member of the powerful politburo, and other officials “credibly alleged to be responsible” for the security crackdown, the measure will say.

“Chinese government officials should be held accountable for their complicity in this evil and US businesses should be barred from helping China create a high-tech police state in Xinjiang," said Republican US Representative Chris Smith, one of the sponsors of the bipartisan legislation that will be presented in both the Senate and House of Representatives.

The White House and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the bill, which is also being put forth by Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Bob Menendez

Trump’s senior aides recently have become more vocal in their criticism of China’s treatment of its minority Muslims in Xinjiang, which has sparked an international outcry. Any sanctions, however, would be a rare move on human rights grounds by the Trump administration against China, with which it is engaged in a bitter trade war.

Beijing has dismissed accusations of abuses in Xinjiang, urging the United States and other countries to stay out of its internal affairs.

China’s top diplomat said earlier on Tuesday that the world should ignore "gossip" about developments in Xinjiang and trust authorities there, when asked if Beijing would allow international observers to inspect camps holding Muslims there.

Western countries including Canada, France, Germany, and the United States have urged China to shut down camps in Xinjiang, where activists say as many as 1 million members of the Uighur minority and other Muslims are being detained. Far western Xinjiang faces a threat from Islamist militants and separatists, China has said in the past.

Rubio said in a statement that some Chinese officials were responsible for "possible crimes against humanity."

The Trump administration for several months has been weighing sanctions against Chinese officials and companies operating in Xinjiang, US officials have said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The new bill calls for consideration of measures under the Global Magnitsky Act, which hits rights violators with freezes on US assets, US travel bans, and prohibitions on Americans doing business with them, and also under a federal law to target those involved in religious repression around the world.

It will urge the administration to report back to Congress on Chinese companies involved in the camps and ask the FBI to take action against any Chinese government efforts to intimidate Uighurs living in the United States. 
&nbsp;

US lawmakers will introduce legislation on Wednesday urging a stronger response by the Trump administration to China’s crackdown on minority Muslims, including possible sanctions against a regional Communist Party chief and other officials accused of human rights abuses.

US lawmakers will introduce legislation on Wednesday urging a stronger response by the Trump administration to China’s crackdown on minority Muslims, including possible sanctions against a regional Communist Party chief and other officials accused of human rights abuses. The legislation will also ask President Donald Trump to condemn China’s actions in the Xinjiang region, call for a new “special coordinator” of US policy on the issue and press for consideration of a ban on export of US technology that Beijing could use in surveillance and mass detention of ethnic Uighurs, according to a copy of the measure seen by Reuters. The lawmakers want the Trump administration to consider human rights-related sanctions against Xinjiang Party Secretary Chen Quanguo, who is also a member of the powerful politburo, and other officials “credibly alleged to be responsible” for the security crackdown, the measure will say. “Chinese government officials should be held accountable for their complicity in this evil and US businesses should be barred from helping China create a high-tech police state in Xinjiang," said Republican US Representative Chris Smith, one of the sponsors of the bipartisan legislation that will be presented in both the Senate and House of Representatives. The White House and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the bill, which is also being put forth by Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Bob Menendez Trump’s senior aides recently have become more vocal in their criticism of China’s treatment of its minority Muslims in Xinjiang, which has sparked an international outcry. Any sanctions, however, would be a rare move on human rights grounds by the Trump administration against China, with which it is engaged in a bitter trade war. Beijing has dismissed accusations of abuses in Xinjiang, urging the United States and other countries to stay out of its internal affairs. China’s top diplomat said earlier on Tuesday that the world should ignore "gossip" about developments in Xinjiang and trust authorities there, when asked if Beijing would allow international observers to inspect camps holding Muslims there. Western countries including Canada, France, Germany, and the United States have urged China to shut down camps in Xinjiang, where activists say as many as 1 million members of the Uighur minority and other Muslims are being detained. Far western Xinjiang faces a threat from Islamist militants and separatists, China has said in the past. Rubio said in a statement that some Chinese officials were responsible for "possible crimes against humanity." The Trump administration for several months has been weighing sanctions against Chinese officials and companies operating in Xinjiang, US officials have said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The new bill calls for consideration of measures under the Global Magnitsky Act, which hits rights violators with freezes on US assets, US travel bans, and prohibitions on Americans doing business with them, and also under a federal law to target those involved in religious repression around the world. It will urge the administration to report back to Congress on Chinese companies involved in the camps and ask the FBI to take action against any Chinese government efforts to intimidate Uighurs living in the United States.

US to introduce legislation to urge possible China sanctions over Xinjiang crackdown

Washington, Nov 14 (PTI) Prominent Indian-American lawyer Neomi Rao has been nominated by US President Donald Trump to fill Justice Brett Kavanaugh's seat on the powerful DC Circuit Court of Appeals.

Trump during Diwali celebrations on Tuesday at the historic Roosevelt Room of the White House announced the nomination of the 45-year-old regulatory czar for the DC Circuit which is considered next to the US Supreme Court.

And, if confirmed by the Senate, Rao, who is currently administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), would be the second Indian-American judge in this powerful court after judge Sree Srinivasan, who was appointed during the previous Obama regime.

"She is going to be fantastic. Great person," Trump said on his nominee. 
Rao would fill the seat vacated by Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh, who served on the appeals court for 12 years.

A formal announcement on her nomination is expected to be made by the White House on Wednesday.

"I just nominated Rao to be on the DC circuit court of appeals, the seat of justice Brett Kavanaugh. That could be a big story," Trump announced.

Rao thanked the president for the "confidence" he has shown in her by nominating her to the powerful US court.

Trump made the announcement in the presence of his top Indian-American officials and Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Singh Sarna.

Called the 'regulatory czar' of Trump administration in her current capacity, she oversees implementation of the administration's deregulatory agenda and regulation-related executive orders.

She was confirmed by the Senate with a 54-41 vote in July 2017 to head the OIRA and is known among legal circles as a highly respected administrative law scholar who has distinguished herself for her right-of-centre views, media reports stated.

A former clerk for conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Rao was recommended for the post by former White House counsel Don McGahn. Trump's nomination of Rao is in recognition of her contribution in cutting down regulations.

Rao has previously served in all three branches of the federal government, and before taking on her current role in the executive branch, she was associate counsel and special assistant to the president for the George W Bush administration.

She has been known for promoting separation of powers in the three branches of government. Prior to joining the Trump administration in July 2017.

A graduate of Yale University and the University of Chicago Law School, Rao also worked in the private sector, in the international arbitration group of the London-based law firm, Clifford Chance LLP.

Born to Zerin Rao and Jehangir Narioshang Rao, both Parsi physicians from India, Rao grew up in Michigan and did her schooling from Detroit High School. She is married to Alan Lefkowitz and the couple has two children.&nbsp;

Kavanaugh has been embroiled in a bitter battle to stave off claims of sexual assault, which he denies.&nbsp;

Washington, Nov 14 (PTI) Prominent Indian-American lawyer Neomi Rao has been nominated by US President Donald Trump to fill Justice Brett Kavanaugh's seat on the powerful DC Circuit Court of Appeals.

Washington, Nov 14 (PTI) Prominent Indian-American lawyer Neomi Rao has been nominated by US President Donald Trump to fill Justice Brett Kavanaugh's seat on the powerful DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Trump during Diwali celebrations on Tuesday at the historic Roosevelt Room of the White House announced the nomination of the 45-year-old regulatory czar for the DC Circuit which is considered next to the US Supreme Court. And, if confirmed by the Senate, Rao, who is currently administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), would be the second Indian-American judge in this powerful court after judge Sree Srinivasan, who was appointed during the previous Obama regime. "She is going to be fantastic. Great person," Trump said on his nominee. Rao would fill the seat vacated by Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh, who served on the appeals court for 12 years. A formal announcement on her nomination is expected to be made by the White House on Wednesday. "I just nominated Rao to be on the DC circuit court of appeals, the seat of justice Brett Kavanaugh. That could be a big story," Trump announced. Rao thanked the president for the "confidence" he has shown in her by nominating her to the powerful US court. Trump made the announcement in the presence of his top Indian-American officials and Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Singh Sarna. Called the 'regulatory czar' of Trump administration in her current capacity, she oversees implementation of the administration's deregulatory agenda and regulation-related executive orders. She was confirmed by the Senate with a 54-41 vote in July 2017 to head the OIRA and is known among legal circles as a highly respected administrative law scholar who has distinguished herself for her right-of-centre views, media reports stated. A former clerk for conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Rao was recommended for the post by former White House counsel Don McGahn. Trump's nomination of Rao is in recognition of her contribution in cutting down regulations. Rao has previously served in all three branches of the federal government, and before taking on her current role in the executive branch, she was associate counsel and special assistant to the president for the George W Bush administration. She has been known for promoting separation of powers in the three branches of government. Prior to joining the Trump administration in July 2017. A graduate of Yale University and the University of Chicago Law School, Rao also worked in the private sector, in the international arbitration group of the London-based law firm, Clifford Chance LLP. Born to Zerin Rao and Jehangir Narioshang Rao, both Parsi physicians from India, Rao grew up in Michigan and did her schooling from Detroit High School. She is married to Alan Lefkowitz and the couple has two children. Kavanaugh has been embroiled in a bitter battle to stave off claims of sexual assault, which he denies.

Trump picks Indian-American Neomi Rao to replace Brett Kavanaugh on DC Circuit Court of Appeals

A day after American news channel <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cnn-sues-us-president-donald-trump-top-white-house-aides-177129">CNN sued US President Donald Trump</a> and top White House aides, rival media network Fox News said it would back CNN in court, news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

On Monday, CNN announced taking legal action against Trump over the revocation of its reporter Jim Acosta's White House press pass.&nbsp;

Both CNN and Acosta are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, CNN stated on its website.

According to a Reuters report, in its lawsuit filed on Tuesday in US District Court in Washington, the cable news network said the White House violated the First Amendment right to free speech as well as the due process clause of the Constitution providing fair treatment through judicial process. The network asked for a temporary restraining order.

Acosta's credentials were revoked last week in an escalation of the Republican president's attacks on the news media, which he has dubbed the "enemy of the people."

Trump has intensified his criticism of the reporters who cover him, making personal jabs in response to questions he does not like, including those about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe of whether his campaign worked with Russia to sway the 2016 presidential election. Trump denies any collusion took place.

CNN, and Acosta in particular, have been regular targets of the president, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A day after American news channel CNN sued US President Donald Trump and top White House aides, rival media network Fox News said it would back CNN in court, news agency AFP reported.

A day after American news channel CNN sued US President Donald Trump and top White House aides, rival media network Fox News said it would back CNN in court, news agency AFP reported. On Monday, CNN announced taking legal action against Trump over the revocation of its reporter Jim Acosta's White House press pass. Both CNN and Acosta are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, CNN stated on its website. According to a Reuters report, in its lawsuit filed on Tuesday in US District Court in Washington, the cable news network said the White House violated the First Amendment right to free speech as well as the due process clause of the Constitution providing fair treatment through judicial process. The network asked for a temporary restraining order. Acosta's credentials were revoked last week in an escalation of the Republican president's attacks on the news media, which he has dubbed the "enemy of the people." Trump has intensified his criticism of the reporters who cover him, making personal jabs in response to questions he does not like, including those about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe of whether his campaign worked with Russia to sway the 2016 presidential election. Trump denies any collusion took place. CNN, and Acosta in particular, have been regular targets of the president, Reuters reported. (With inputs from agencies)

Fox News says it will back CNN in legal fight against Trump

&nbsp;US President Donald Trump is expected to remove Department of Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen and is considering replacing chief of staff John Kelly in another shakeup of his administration, a source close to the White House said.

Trump has been mulling removing Nielsen, a Kelly protege who became the secretary at Homeland Security when he left the job to become Trump's chief of staff, for a number of weeks, the source said.

The source cautioned Trump could still change his mind on the matter, but said he has grown weary of her in his push to harden the US border with Mexico.

Trump has not decided on a candidate to replace Nielsen, the Wall Street Journal reported.

"The Secretary is honoured to lead the men and women of DHS and is committed to implementing the President's security-focused agenda to protect Americans from all threats and will continue to do so," said Tyler Houlton, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman, in response to an ABC News report about the possible staff changes.

Trump is also considering replacing Kelly, an ardent defender of Nielsen, with Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, Nick Ayers, the source said.

Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, has sought to bring more stability to the White House operation under the unpredictable Trump.

During his time as chief of staff, he and the president have had a rocky relationship, according to various news reports and Bob Woodward's best-selling book "Fear: Trump in the White House."

If they leave, Kelly and Nielsen would join a long list of people who have been fired by Trump or resigned since he took office in January, 2017. That list includes former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was removed by the president last week.

US President Donald Trump is expected to remove Department of Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen and is considering replacing chief of staff John Kelly in another shakeup of his administration, a source close to the White House said.

US President Donald Trump is expected to remove Department of Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen and is considering replacing chief of staff John Kelly in another shakeup of his administration, a source close to the White House said. Trump has been mulling removing Nielsen, a Kelly protege who became the secretary at Homeland Security when he left the job to become Trump's chief of staff, for a number of weeks, the source said. The source cautioned Trump could still change his mind on the matter, but said he has grown weary of her in his push to harden the US border with Mexico. Trump has not decided on a candidate to replace Nielsen, the Wall Street Journal reported. "The Secretary is honoured to lead the men and women of DHS and is committed to implementing the President's security-focused agenda to protect Americans from all threats and will continue to do so," said Tyler Houlton, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman, in response to an ABC News report about the possible staff changes. Trump is also considering replacing Kelly, an ardent defender of Nielsen, with Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, Nick Ayers, the source said. Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, has sought to bring more stability to the White House operation under the unpredictable Trump. During his time as chief of staff, he and the president have had a rocky relationship, according to various news reports and Bob Woodward's best-selling book "Fear: Trump in the White House." If they leave, Kelly and Nielsen would join a long list of people who have been fired by Trump or resigned since he took office in January, 2017. That list includes former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was removed by the president last week.

Trump may fire Homeland Security boss, replace chief of staff: Source

President Donald Trump was under pressure from his wife, Melania, on Tuesday to fire his deputy national security adviser over what two sources close to the White House said was the way Mrs Trump's trip to Africa was handled.

Two presidential aides said Trump was considering forcing out deputy national security adviser Mira Ricardel, but as of Tuesday afternoon, the adviser remained in her West Wing office.

Melania Trump's office took the extraordinary step of issuing a statement saying that Ricardel should be ousted. While first ladies historically have been known to pressure their husbands over official business, they do not typically issue statements about it.

"It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House," Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's spokeswoman, said in a terse statement.

She gave no reason for why the first lady wanted Ricardel out but several officials said it was related to Mrs Trump's trip to Africa in October.

The first lady had complained to the president that she was unhappy with how she was treated by Ricardel, a former Boeing Coexecutive who worked on the Trump presidential campaign and was picked by National Security Adviser John Bolton to be his deputy earlier this year, two other sources familiar with the White House intrigue told Reuters.

The sources said that Melania Trump explicitly asked the president to oust Ricardel after their dealings over the Africa trip "didn't go well." One source said that Melania Trump felt that Ricardel tried to short-change the first lady when it came to government resources allocated to support her Africa tour.

The sources did not elaborate.

The National Security Council (NSC) had no immediate comment. Ricardel could not be reached for comment.

A smiling Ricardel had a prominent spot at the front of the room at a White House celebration marking Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, on Tuesday.

Grisham's statement was issued shortly after that event ended. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders had no immediate reaction to the first lady's statement.

A source familiar with Ricardel's White House performance said Ricardel has run afoul of much of the NSC staff and "sort of alienated everyone" except for Bolton, who is currently travelling in Asia with Vice President Mike Pence.

Ricardel was also believed to have had a dislike of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, current and former officials have told Reuters.

One of the sources familiar with the mood at the White House said tensions began building to a crisis point about a month ago and serious efforts were made to defuse the dispute. 
&nbsp;

President Donald Trump was under pressure from his wife, Melania, on Tuesday to fire his deputy national security adviser over what two sources close to the White House said was the way Mrs Trump's trip to Africa was handled.

President Donald Trump was under pressure from his wife, Melania, on Tuesday to fire his deputy national security adviser over what two sources close to the White House said was the way Mrs Trump's trip to Africa was handled. Two presidential aides said Trump was considering forcing out deputy national security adviser Mira Ricardel, but as of Tuesday afternoon, the adviser remained in her West Wing office. Melania Trump's office took the extraordinary step of issuing a statement saying that Ricardel should be ousted. While first ladies historically have been known to pressure their husbands over official business, they do not typically issue statements about it. "It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House," Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's spokeswoman, said in a terse statement. She gave no reason for why the first lady wanted Ricardel out but several officials said it was related to Mrs Trump's trip to Africa in October. The first lady had complained to the president that she was unhappy with how she was treated by Ricardel, a former Boeing Coexecutive who worked on the Trump presidential campaign and was picked by National Security Adviser John Bolton to be his deputy earlier this year, two other sources familiar with the White House intrigue told Reuters. The sources said that Melania Trump explicitly asked the president to oust Ricardel after their dealings over the Africa trip "didn't go well." One source said that Melania Trump felt that Ricardel tried to short-change the first lady when it came to government resources allocated to support her Africa tour. The sources did not elaborate. The National Security Council (NSC) had no immediate comment. Ricardel could not be reached for comment. A smiling Ricardel had a prominent spot at the front of the room at a White House celebration marking Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, on Tuesday. Grisham's statement was issued shortly after that event ended. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders had no immediate reaction to the first lady's statement. A source familiar with Ricardel's White House performance said Ricardel has run afoul of much of the NSC staff and "sort of alienated everyone" except for Bolton, who is currently travelling in Asia with Vice President Mike Pence. Ricardel was also believed to have had a dislike of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, current and former officials have told Reuters. One of the sources familiar with the mood at the White House said tensions began building to a crisis point about a month ago and serious efforts were made to defuse the dispute.

Trump under pressure from Melania to fire top aide: Source

President Donald Trump on Tuesday tapped John Abizaid, a top US general from the Iraq war who has studied the Middle East for years, as ambassador to Saudi Arabia amid growing friction between the longstanding allies.

Abizaid is a fluent Arabic speaker of Lebanese Christian descent who headed US Central Command -- which covers the Middle East -- during the Iraq war from shortly after the US invasion in 2003 through 2007.

The 67-year-old wrote his master's thesis at Harvard University about Saudi Arabia, studying how the kingdom makes its decisions on defence spending, in a paper that won acclaim in academic circles.&nbsp;

A California native, Abizaid graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point and later won a scholarship to study in Jordan, where he honed his Arabic, which he did not speak as a child.&nbsp;

Trump has been slow in filling key posts amid his promises to shake up Washington. But the absence of an ambassador in Riyadh, nearly two years into his presidency, has become more glaring amid rising tensions between the countries.&nbsp;

Trump, who quickly forged a close relationship with Saudi Arabia upon taking office, has been forced to criticize the kingdom and its powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, after a team from the kingdom killed a US-based critical journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Amid a US souring on the heir apparent, the United States has also curbed cooperation and demanded a halt to the Saudi-led military campaign against rebels in Yemen that has contributed to a humanitarian crisis believed to be the worst in the world.

But US pleas -- made by telephone rather than in person by an ambassador -- have failed to sway the Saudis.

Abizaid requires confirmation from the Senate, which would appear likely as the retired four-star general has long enjoyed respect in Washington.

Shortly after taking over as CENTCOM commander, Abizaid told reporters that US forces were facing a "classical guerrilla-type campaign" from remnants of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party.

His choice of words contradicted his bosses, who initially tried to portray the Iraq invasion as a quick victory, but then defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld did not move to replace him amid admiration for Abizaid's skills.

And soon after retiring in 2007, Abizaid said that, while the United States should try to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, "there are ways to live with a nuclear Iran," describing the clerical state's behaviour as rational and noting the United States also dealt with the nuclear-armed Soviet Union.

Trump has championed a hard line on Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival.

The real estate mogul turned president has shown a fondness for appointing retired generals, with Jim Mattis as defence secretary and John Kelly as his chief of staff.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday tapped John Abizaid, a top US general from the Iraq war who has studied the Middle East for years, as ambassador to Saudi Arabia amid growing friction between the longstanding allies.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday tapped John Abizaid, a top US general from the Iraq war who has studied the Middle East for years, as ambassador to Saudi Arabia amid growing friction between the longstanding allies. Abizaid is a fluent Arabic speaker of Lebanese Christian descent who headed US Central Command -- which covers the Middle East -- during the Iraq war from shortly after the US invasion in 2003 through 2007. The 67-year-old wrote his master's thesis at Harvard University about Saudi Arabia, studying how the kingdom makes its decisions on defence spending, in a paper that won acclaim in academic circles. A California native, Abizaid graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point and later won a scholarship to study in Jordan, where he honed his Arabic, which he did not speak as a child. Trump has been slow in filling key posts amid his promises to shake up Washington. But the absence of an ambassador in Riyadh, nearly two years into his presidency, has become more glaring amid rising tensions between the countries. Trump, who quickly forged a close relationship with Saudi Arabia upon taking office, has been forced to criticize the kingdom and its powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, after a team from the kingdom killed a US-based critical journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Amid a US souring on the heir apparent, the United States has also curbed cooperation and demanded a halt to the Saudi-led military campaign against rebels in Yemen that has contributed to a humanitarian crisis believed to be the worst in the world. But US pleas -- made by telephone rather than in person by an ambassador -- have failed to sway the Saudis. Abizaid requires confirmation from the Senate, which would appear likely as the retired four-star general has long enjoyed respect in Washington. Shortly after taking over as CENTCOM commander, Abizaid told reporters that US forces were facing a "classical guerrilla-type campaign" from remnants of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party. His choice of words contradicted his bosses, who initially tried to portray the Iraq invasion as a quick victory, but then defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld did not move to replace him amid admiration for Abizaid's skills. And soon after retiring in 2007, Abizaid said that, while the United States should try to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, "there are ways to live with a nuclear Iran," describing the clerical state's behaviour as rational and noting the United States also dealt with the nuclear-armed Soviet Union. Trump has championed a hard line on Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival. The real estate mogul turned president has shown a fondness for appointing retired generals, with Jim Mattis as defence secretary and John Kelly as his chief of staff.

Trump names John Abizaid as new US ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday launched an attack on the Trump administration over sanctions on Tehran, stating that the United States has chosen the wrong path and will be defeated, news agency Reuters reported quoting state media.&nbsp;

Last week, Washington reinstated sanctions on Iran, targetting its oil industry, a move aimed at pressuring Tehran to curb its missile program.&nbsp;

Rouhani, last week, stated that Iran "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-proudly-bypass-us-sanctions-rouhani-175592">will proudly bypass sanctions</a>" by the United States that took effect on November 5.

"I announce that we will proudly bypass your illegal, unjust sanctions because it's against international regulations," Rouhani said in a televised speech.

"We are in a situation of economic war, confronting a bullying power. I don't think that in the history of America, someone has entered the White House who is so against law and international conventions," news agency AFP quoted Rouhani.

Meanwhile, the latest <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-sticking-to-nuclear-deal-conditions-iaea-176925">report from the UN atomic watchdog</a> stated that Iran has been abiding by the terms of its nuclear deal with global powers.&nbsp;

The International Atomic Energy Agency's latest report showed that as of early November, Iran had been complying with the restrictions to its nuclear programme laid down in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday launched an attack on the Trump administration over sanctions on Tehran, stating that the United States has chosen the wrong path and will be defeated, news agency Reuters reported quoting state media.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday launched an attack on the Trump administration over sanctions on Tehran, stating that the United States has chosen the wrong path and will be defeated, news agency Reuters reported quoting state media. Last week, Washington reinstated sanctions on Iran, targetting its oil industry, a move aimed at pressuring Tehran to curb its missile program. Rouhani, last week, stated that Iran "will proudly bypass sanctions" by the United States that took effect on November 5. "I announce that we will proudly bypass your illegal, unjust sanctions because it's against international regulations," Rouhani said in a televised speech. "We are in a situation of economic war, confronting a bullying power. I don't think that in the history of America, someone has entered the White House who is so against law and international conventions," news agency AFP quoted Rouhani. Meanwhile, the latest report from the UN atomic watchdog stated that Iran has been abiding by the terms of its nuclear deal with global powers. The International Atomic Energy Agency's latest report showed that as of early November, Iran had been complying with the restrictions to its nuclear programme laid down in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. (With inputs from agencies)

United States chose wrong path on sanctions, will be defeated: Iranian President Rouhani

The Kremlin hit out Wednesday at the "unpredictability" of the United States under the Trump administration, saying it was causing "deep global concern".

"The fact that America has become unpredictable lately is no secret to anyone," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Dozhd TV during a visit by President Vladimir Putin to a regional summit in Singapore.

"Such unpredictability from the largest country, the most powerful economy in the world, is the subject of deep global concern," he added.

Peskov's comments come two weeks ahead of a slated face-to-face between President Donald Trump and Putin at a G20 summit in Argentina.

Relations between the two countries have hit new lows with American officials planning to roll out fresh sanctions against Moscow in response to the botched poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Britain.

Western governments have accused Russia of being behind the plot which saw Skripal and his daughter poisoned with a nerve agent. Two British citizens were also poisoned, one of whom died.

Moscow has denied being behind the brazen hit and has condemned efforts to sanction it over the incident.

"We do not recognise these unilateral restrictions... and we consider them illegitimate," Peskov said of the threatened sanctions, adding they would only "further complicate" Russia-US relations.

World leaders are currently meeting in Singapore, which is hosting the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

Trump is not at the gathering and has sent Vice President Mike Pence instead.

Peskov said "no separate meeting" was currently planned between Putin and Pence. But he added that there was no need for a face-to-face given Trump and Putin will soon meet in Buenos Aires.

The Kremlin hit out Wednesday at the "unpredictability" of the United States under the Trump administration, saying it was causing "deep global concern". "The fact that America has become unpredictable lately is no secret to anyone," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Dozhd TV during a visit by President Vladimir Putin to a regional summit in Singapore.

The Kremlin hit out Wednesday at the "unpredictability" of the United States under the Trump administration, saying it was causing "deep global concern". "The fact that America has become unpredictable lately is no secret to anyone," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Dozhd TV during a visit by President Vladimir Putin to a regional summit in Singapore. "Such unpredictability from the largest country, the most powerful economy in the world, is the subject of deep global concern," he added. Peskov's comments come two weeks ahead of a slated face-to-face between President Donald Trump and Putin at a G20 summit in Argentina. Relations between the two countries have hit new lows with American officials planning to roll out fresh sanctions against Moscow in response to the botched poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Britain. Western governments have accused Russia of being behind the plot which saw Skripal and his daughter poisoned with a nerve agent. Two British citizens were also poisoned, one of whom died. Moscow has denied being behind the brazen hit and has condemned efforts to sanction it over the incident. "We do not recognise these unilateral restrictions... and we consider them illegitimate," Peskov said of the threatened sanctions, adding they would only "further complicate" Russia-US relations. World leaders are currently meeting in Singapore, which is hosting the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. Trump is not at the gathering and has sent Vice President Mike Pence instead. Peskov said "no separate meeting" was currently planned between Putin and Pence. But he added that there was no need for a face-to-face given Trump and Putin will soon meet in Buenos Aires.

Russia's Kremlin laments US 'unpredictability' under Trump

Watch: WION Gravitas, 13th November, 2018

CNN has sued <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-faces-a-blitz-of-investigations-from-democratic-run-house-176101">US President Donald Trump</a> and top White House aides over the revocation of CNN reporter Jim Acosta's White House press pass.&nbsp;

The suit was filed in the US District Court in Washington Tuesday morning.

CNN reported on its website that both CNN and Acosta are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.&nbsp;

And that there are six defendants — Trump, White House chief of staff John Kelly, press secretary Sarah Sanders, deputy chief of staff for communications Bill Shine, Secret Service director Joseph Clancy, and the Secret Service officer who took Acosta's press pass away.&nbsp;

CNN added that "the six defendants are all named because of their roles in enforcing and announcing Acosta's suspension".&nbsp;

"The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acosta's First Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process," the network said in a statement.

"We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process," CNN said, warning that Acosta's credential suspension could set a precedent for future attacks on other outlets.

"If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials."

Acosta and Trump had got into a spat last Wednesday during a press conference. Acosta had asked Trump why he had described the central American migrant caravan marching towards the US as an "invasion".&nbsp;

Acosta told Trump that they were a "group of migrants", and still several hundred kilometres away from the border — not an "invasion".&nbsp;

Trump said he thought of them as an invasion and that they (Trump and Acosta) had differing views on the subject.&nbsp;

When Acosta persisted, Trump finally told him to put the mike down.&nbsp;

"You are a rude and terrible person, and CNN should be ashamed of itself for having you working for them," Trump told Acosta.&nbsp;

Hours later, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced Acosta's hard pass had been suspended, a rare if not unprecedented move that she justified by claiming the reporter was inappropriately "placing his hands" on the intern.

Sanders then tweeted a video that she said backed up her narrative of the incident -- but analysts said the footage was sped up to make it appear that Acosta struck the intern.

The press secretary on Tuesday dismissed the CNN legal complaint as "grandstanding," vowing that the White House would "vigorously defend against this lawsuit."&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

CNN has sued US President Donald Trump and top White House aides over the revocation of CNN reporter Jim Acosta's White House press pass. The suit was filed in the US District Court in Washington Tuesday morning.

CNN has sued US President Donald Trump and top White House aides over the revocation of CNN reporter Jim Acosta's White House press pass. The suit was filed in the US District Court in Washington Tuesday morning. CNN reported on its website that both CNN and Acosta are plaintiffs in the lawsuit. And that there are six defendants — Trump, White House chief of staff John Kelly, press secretary Sarah Sanders, deputy chief of staff for communications Bill Shine, Secret Service director Joseph Clancy, and the Secret Service officer who took Acosta's press pass away. CNN added that "the six defendants are all named because of their roles in enforcing and announcing Acosta's suspension". "The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acosta's First Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process," the network said in a statement. "We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process," CNN said, warning that Acosta's credential suspension could set a precedent for future attacks on other outlets. "If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials." Acosta and Trump had got into a spat last Wednesday during a press conference. Acosta had asked Trump why he had described the central American migrant caravan marching towards the US as an "invasion". Acosta told Trump that they were a "group of migrants", and still several hundred kilometres away from the border — not an "invasion". Trump said he thought of them as an invasion and that they (Trump and Acosta) had differing views on the subject. When Acosta persisted, Trump finally told him to put the mike down. "You are a rude and terrible person, and CNN should be ashamed of itself for having you working for them," Trump told Acosta. Hours later, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced Acosta's hard pass had been suspended, a rare if not unprecedented move that she justified by claiming the reporter was inappropriately "placing his hands" on the intern. Sanders then tweeted a video that she said backed up her narrative of the incident -- but analysts said the footage was sped up to make it appear that Acosta struck the intern. The press secretary on Tuesday dismissed the CNN legal complaint as "grandstanding," vowing that the White House would "vigorously defend against this lawsuit." (With inputs from AFP)

CNN sues US President Donald Trump, White House vows 'vigorous' defence

Breaing News: White House vows to vigorously defend itself from CNN's lawsuit

WION Gravitas: CNN sues Donald Trump, White House aides

Watch: WION Dispatch, 13th November, 2018

Top Democrats stepped up pressure Sunday on acting US Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to step aside from overseeing a special counsel probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, vowing to order him to testify early next year.

Representative Jerrold Nadler, the expected incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said Sunday the committee plans to subpoena Whitaker to testify next year as its first witness.

"He should recuse himself. He has expressed total hostility to the investigation," Nadler said on the ABC News show "This Week." "His appointment is simply part of an attack on the investigation by Robert Mueller."

In a letter to the Justice Department's chief ethics officer, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats asked whether any ethics attorneys at the Justice Department have advised Whitaker to recuse himself and demanded details on any ethics guidance Whitaker has received.

"Allowing a vocal opponent of the investigation to oversee it will severely undermine public confidence in the Justice Department’s work on this critically important matter," the letter said.

Democrats have increasingly expressed alarm since last week, when President Donald Trump ordered Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign and replaced him with Whitaker, Sessions' chief of staff.

Sessions' ouster paved the way for Whitaker to take over oversight of Mueller's investigation from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in May 2017 after Sessions recused himself from the probe.

Prior to working at the Justice Department, Whitaker made multiple negative comments about the Mueller investigation and its scope.

In addition, Whitaker is also a close friend of Trump's 2016 election campaign co-chair Sam Clovis, who has since become a witness in Mueller's investigation.

"Mr. Whitaker’s relationship with Mr. Clovis, who is a grand jury witness in the special counsel investigation, as well as Mr. Whitaker’s other entanglements, raise additional concerns about his ability to supervise the investigation independently and impartially," the letter said.

Kellyanne Conway, a counselor to Trump, defended Whitaker's oversight of the probe when asked about it on ABC's "This Week."

"Comments that Matt Whitaker made as a private citizen on cable TV does not disqualify him from being fair and impartial by overseeing this investigation."

She added that Trump is "100 per cent behind Matt Whitaker."

Top Democrats stepped up pressure Sunday on acting US Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to step aside from overseeing a special counsel probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, vowing to order him to testify early next year.

Top Democrats stepped up pressure Sunday on acting US Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to step aside from overseeing a special counsel probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, vowing to order him to testify early next year. Representative Jerrold Nadler, the expected incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said Sunday the committee plans to subpoena Whitaker to testify next year as its first witness. "He should recuse himself. He has expressed total hostility to the investigation," Nadler said on the ABC News show "This Week." "His appointment is simply part of an attack on the investigation by Robert Mueller." In a letter to the Justice Department's chief ethics officer, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats asked whether any ethics attorneys at the Justice Department have advised Whitaker to recuse himself and demanded details on any ethics guidance Whitaker has received. "Allowing a vocal opponent of the investigation to oversee it will severely undermine public confidence in the Justice Department’s work on this critically important matter," the letter said. Democrats have increasingly expressed alarm since last week, when President Donald Trump ordered Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign and replaced him with Whitaker, Sessions' chief of staff. Sessions' ouster paved the way for Whitaker to take over oversight of Mueller's investigation from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in May 2017 after Sessions recused himself from the probe. Prior to working at the Justice Department, Whitaker made multiple negative comments about the Mueller investigation and its scope. In addition, Whitaker is also a close friend of Trump's 2016 election campaign co-chair Sam Clovis, who has since become a witness in Mueller's investigation. "Mr. Whitaker’s relationship with Mr. Clovis, who is a grand jury witness in the special counsel investigation, as well as Mr. Whitaker’s other entanglements, raise additional concerns about his ability to supervise the investigation independently and impartially," the letter said. Kellyanne Conway, a counselor to Trump, defended Whitaker's oversight of the probe when asked about it on ABC's "This Week." "Comments that Matt Whitaker made as a private citizen on cable TV does not disqualify him from being fair and impartial by overseeing this investigation." She added that Trump is "100 per cent behind Matt Whitaker."

US Democrats urge acting attorney general to step aside from Russia probe

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday Beijing will further open up its economy in the face of rising protectionism, as he headed for meetings with Asia-Pacific leaders in Singapore that are expected to focus on trade tensions.

Li's remarks in an article in Singapore's Straits Times newspaper, ahead of his arrival in the city-state later in the day, came as Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for more regional integration, saying multilateralism was under threat from political pressures.

"China has opened its door to the world; we will never close it but open it even wider," Li said in the article, in which he called for an "open world economy" in the face of "rising protectionism and unilateralism". He did not directly refer to China's bruising trade war with the United States.

Notably absent from this week's meetings is US President Donald Trump, who has said several existing multilateral trade deals are unfair, and has railed against China over intellectual property theft, entry barriers to US businesses and a gaping trade deficit.

Vice President Mike Pence will attend instead of Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are among those also expected to join Li and the ten-member member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

It was not clear if Li and Pence will hold separate talks on the sidelines of the meetings, which would be a prelude to a summit scheduled between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of the month in Buenos Aires.

The encounter, if it happens, would come on the heels of high-level talks in Washington where the two sides aired their main differences but appeared to attempt controlling the damage to relations that has worsened with tit-for-tat tariffs in recent months.

Meanwhile, in remarks at a business summit on Monday ahead of this week's meetings, Singapore PM Lee said:

"ASEAN has great potential, but fully realising it depends on whether we choose to become more integrated, and work resolutely towards this goal in a world where multilateralism is fraying under political pressures".

Lee has previously warned that the US-China trade war could have a "big, negative impact" on Singapore, and the city-state's central bank has warned it could soon drag on the economy.

Both Singapore and China are expected to rally support for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) pact now being negotiated, showcased to be the free trade deal that will encompass more than a third of the world's GDP.

The pact includes 16 countries, including China, India, Japan and South Korea, but not the United States. Li said China would work to "expedite" RCEP negotiations this week.

Also on Monday, the ten-member ASEAN group reached their first ever deal on e-commerce aimed at helping boost cross-border transactions in the region.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday Beijing will further open up its economy in the face of rising protectionism, as he headed for meetings with Asia-Pacific leaders in Singapore that are expected to focus on trade tensions.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday Beijing will further open up its economy in the face of rising protectionism, as he headed for meetings with Asia-Pacific leaders in Singapore that are expected to focus on trade tensions. Li's remarks in an article in Singapore's Straits Times newspaper, ahead of his arrival in the city-state later in the day, came as Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for more regional integration, saying multilateralism was under threat from political pressures. "China has opened its door to the world; we will never close it but open it even wider," Li said in the article, in which he called for an "open world economy" in the face of "rising protectionism and unilateralism". He did not directly refer to China's bruising trade war with the United States. Notably absent from this week's meetings is US President Donald Trump, who has said several existing multilateral trade deals are unfair, and has railed against China over intellectual property theft, entry barriers to US businesses and a gaping trade deficit. Vice President Mike Pence will attend instead of Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are among those also expected to join Li and the ten-member member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It was not clear if Li and Pence will hold separate talks on the sidelines of the meetings, which would be a prelude to a summit scheduled between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of the month in Buenos Aires. The encounter, if it happens, would come on the heels of high-level talks in Washington where the two sides aired their main differences but appeared to attempt controlling the damage to relations that has worsened with tit-for-tat tariffs in recent months. Meanwhile, in remarks at a business summit on Monday ahead of this week's meetings, Singapore PM Lee said: "ASEAN has great potential, but fully realising it depends on whether we choose to become more integrated, and work resolutely towards this goal in a world where multilateralism is fraying under political pressures". Lee has previously warned that the US-China trade war could have a "big, negative impact" on Singapore, and the city-state's central bank has warned it could soon drag on the economy. Both Singapore and China are expected to rally support for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) pact now being negotiated, showcased to be the free trade deal that will encompass more than a third of the world's GDP. The pact includes 16 countries, including China, India, Japan and South Korea, but not the United States. Li said China would work to "expedite" RCEP negotiations this week. Also on Monday, the ten-member ASEAN group reached their first ever deal on e-commerce aimed at helping boost cross-border transactions in the region.

China says will further open up its economy, slams rising protectionism

US President Donald Trump on Monday urged Florida election officials to abandon <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/florida-gubernatorial-candidate-andrew-gillum-recalls-concession-after-state-orders-vote-recount-176586">recount efforts</a>, declare his fellow Republicans the winners and, without evidence, cast doubt on vote tallies as state officials scrambled to review more than 8 million ballots by a Thursday deadline.

Leads by the Republican candidates in two key contested races - one for a seat in the US Senate and one for the governor's office - shrank as more ballots were tallied following last Tuesday's election.

Trump's call to end the recount, which is mandated by Florida law because of the closeness of the races, came even though state rules allow election officials to wait 10 days for absentee ballots submitted by registered voters living outside the United States, including active-duty military personnel.

Over the weekend, a machine recount began in the race between outgoing Republican Florida Governor Rick Scott and incumbent Democratic US&nbsp;Senator Bill Nelson, with another recount underway for the Florida gubernatorial race between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum.

Gillum shot back at Trump on Twitter, saying, "You sound nervous. #CountEveryVote."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
You sound nervous.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CountEveryVote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CountEveryVote</a> <a href="https://t.co/9kRvTqUmwM">https://t.co/9kRvTqUmwM</a>
— Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewGillum/status/1061985295862808576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Republicans are eager to cement victories in a key battleground state after maintaining their control of the U.S. Senate in last week's midterm congressional elections, while Democrats are eyeing another possible state governorship win. Both parties accused the other of trying to subvert democracy.

Scott has filed a number of lawsuits over the recounts amid ongoing election drama echoing Florida's dramatic role in the 2000 US presidential vote recount. On Sunday, Scott asked a judge to order police to impound voting machines and ballots when not in use.

Nelson has also filed a federal lawsuit.

Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago resort is located in West Palm Beach, repeated his complaints over the Florida races in an early morning post on Twitter on Monday.

Instead of counting all the votes, the president instead called on state authorities to go with the initial totals. Trump alleged that voter fraud had taken place, but provided no evidence.

'MASSIVELY INFECTED'

"The Florida Election should be called in favour of Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis in that large numbers of new ballots showed up out of nowhere, and many ballots are missing or forged. An honest vote count is no longer possible-ballots massively infected. Must go with Election Night!" he wrote.

Studies have found no evidence of large-scale voter fraud in the United States, though through the nation's history courts have found evidence of policies intended to suppress voting by minorities.

Florida law gives local election officials until the Saturday after an election to submit their first round of unofficial election results. It is common for elections supervisors to process results well after election night, regardless of whether television networks or candidates have called the winners or losers in an election.

In addition, thousands of ballots mailed by overseas military service members and civilians may still be in transit. The deadline for them to be received by local elections offices is not until Friday.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which has said it will review allegations of criminal fraud, stated that it had no active investigations as of late Friday.

Some Florida officials have said it may not be possible to recount all ballots by Thursday's 3 p.m. (2000 GMT) deadline.

Scott has said he won the Senate race even as the ballots are tallied again, telling Fox News in an interview on Monday morning: "I want to make sure there's a free and fair election. But there's laws. Comply with the laws."

"It's frustrating, but we won. We're going to win the recount because it's never been overturned before," Scott said.

In a statement on Sunday, Nelson accused Scott of seeking to suppress votes and that if the governor wanted every vote counted he would abandon his lawsuits.

Separately, neighbouring Georgia's gubernatorial race also remains undecided as does the US&nbsp;Senate contest in Arizona. Several US House of Representative races are also still too close to call. Democrats seized control of the House in last week's election.

US President Donald Trump on Monday urged Florida election officials to abandon recount efforts, declare his fellow Republicans the winners and, without evidence, cast doubt on vote tallies as state officials scrambled to review more than 8 million ballots by a Thursday deadline.

US President Donald Trump on Monday urged Florida election officials to abandon recount efforts, declare his fellow Republicans the winners and, without evidence, cast doubt on vote tallies as state officials scrambled to review more than 8 million ballots by a Thursday deadline. Leads by the Republican candidates in two key contested races - one for a seat in the US Senate and one for the governor's office - shrank as more ballots were tallied following last Tuesday's election. Trump's call to end the recount, which is mandated by Florida law because of the closeness of the races, came even though state rules allow election officials to wait 10 days for absentee ballots submitted by registered voters living outside the United States, including active-duty military personnel. Over the weekend, a machine recount began in the race between outgoing Republican Florida Governor Rick Scott and incumbent Democratic US Senator Bill Nelson, with another recount underway for the Florida gubernatorial race between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum. Gillum shot back at Trump on Twitter, saying, "You sound nervous. #CountEveryVote." You sound nervous.#CountEveryVote https://t.co/9kRvTqUmwM — Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) November 12, 2018 × Republicans are eager to cement victories in a key battleground state after maintaining their control of the U.S. Senate in last week's midterm congressional elections, while Democrats are eyeing another possible state governorship win. Both parties accused the other of trying to subvert democracy. Scott has filed a number of lawsuits over the recounts amid ongoing election drama echoing Florida's dramatic role in the 2000 US presidential vote recount. On Sunday, Scott asked a judge to order police to impound voting machines and ballots when not in use. Nelson has also filed a federal lawsuit. Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago resort is located in West Palm Beach, repeated his complaints over the Florida races in an early morning post on Twitter on Monday. Instead of counting all the votes, the president instead called on state authorities to go with the initial totals. Trump alleged that voter fraud had taken place, but provided no evidence. 'MASSIVELY INFECTED' "The Florida Election should be called in favour of Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis in that large numbers of new ballots showed up out of nowhere, and many ballots are missing or forged. An honest vote count is no longer possible-ballots massively infected. Must go with Election Night!" he wrote. Studies have found no evidence of large-scale voter fraud in the United States, though through the nation's history courts have found evidence of policies intended to suppress voting by minorities. Florida law gives local election officials until the Saturday after an election to submit their first round of unofficial election results. It is common for elections supervisors to process results well after election night, regardless of whether television networks or candidates have called the winners or losers in an election. In addition, thousands of ballots mailed by overseas military service members and civilians may still be in transit. The deadline for them to be received by local elections offices is not until Friday. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which has said it will review allegations of criminal fraud, stated that it had no active investigations as of late Friday. Some Florida officials have said it may not be possible to recount all ballots by Thursday's 3 p.m. (2000 GMT) deadline. Scott has said he won the Senate race even as the ballots are tallied again, telling Fox News in an interview on Monday morning: "I want to make sure there's a free and fair election. But there's laws. Comply with the laws." "It's frustrating, but we won. We're going to win the recount because it's never been overturned before," Scott said. In a statement on Sunday, Nelson accused Scott of seeking to suppress votes and that if the governor wanted every vote counted he would abandon his lawsuits. Separately, neighbouring Georgia's gubernatorial race also remains undecided as does the US Senate contest in Arizona. Several US House of Representative races are also still too close to call. Democrats seized control of the House in last week's election.

US midterm polls: Trump urges Florida to halt vote recount, hand races to Republicans

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/naxals-denote-bomb-in-dantewada-as-polls-get-underway-in-chhattisgarh-176729">Naxals denote bomb in Dantewada as polls get underway in Chhattisgarh</a>

Naxals denoted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near Tumakpal camp in Katekalyan block in Dantewada as poll booths opened today in Chhattisgarh for the first phase of voting.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/union-minister-ananth-kumar-passes-away-at-59-in-bengaluru-176720">Union Minister Ananth Kumar passes away at 59 in Bengaluru</a>

Union Minister Ananth Kumar passed away in the wee hours of Monday in Bengaluru.

The 59-year-old political leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had not been keeping well for the past few months.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggi-killers-to-be-held-accountable-us-to-saudi-prince-salman-176722">Khashoggi killers to be held accountable: </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggi-killers-to-be-held-accountable-us-to-saudi-prince-salman-176722">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggi-killers-to-be-held-accountable-us-to-saudi-prince-salman-176722"> to Saudi Prince Salman</a>

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday the US will hold accountable all those involved in the killing of a dissident Saudi journalist, in a telephone call that also took in the conflict in Yemen.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/clashes-erupts-during-gaza-operation-1-israeli-soldier-and-6-palestinians-killed-176719">Clashes erupt during Gaza operation; 1 Israeli soldier and 6 Palestinians killed</a>

An exchange of fire erupted during an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing six Palestinians and an Israeli soldier, officials said, while potentially dashing hopes that a recent agreement would restore calm.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-says-had-good-conversation-with-trump-in-paris-report-176726">Had </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-says-had-good-conversation-with-trump-in-paris-report-176726">good</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-says-had-good-conversation-with-trump-in-paris-report-176726"> conversation with Trump in Paris: Vladimir Putin</a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he had a brief but good conversation with US leader Donald Trump at World War I centenary events in Paris, Russian media reported.

&nbsp;

Naxals denote bomb in Dantewada as polls get underway in Chhattisgarh Naxals denoted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near Tumakpal camp in Katekalyan block in Dantewada as poll booths opened today in Chhattisgarh for the first phase of voting.

Naxals denote bomb in Dantewada as polls get underway in Chhattisgarh Naxals denoted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near Tumakpal camp in Katekalyan block in Dantewada as poll booths opened today in Chhattisgarh for the first phase of voting. Union Minister Ananth Kumar passes away at 59 in Bengaluru Union Minister Ananth Kumar passed away in the wee hours of Monday in Bengaluru. The 59-year-old political leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had not been keeping well for the past few months. Khashoggi killers to be held accountable: US to Saudi Prince Salman Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday the US will hold accountable all those involved in the killing of a dissident Saudi journalist, in a telephone call that also took in the conflict in Yemen. Clashes erupt during Gaza operation; 1 Israeli soldier and 6 Palestinians killed An exchange of fire erupted during an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing six Palestinians and an Israeli soldier, officials said, while potentially dashing hopes that a recent agreement would restore calm. Had good conversation with Trump in Paris: Vladimir Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he had a brief but good conversation with US leader Donald Trump at World War I centenary events in Paris, Russian media reported.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he had a brief but good conversation with US leader Donald Trump at World War I centenary events in Paris, Russian media reported.

When journalists asked Putin whether he managed to speak to Trump, he said: "Yes," Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported. Asked how it went, Putin said: "Well."&nbsp;

He did not provide further details but the French presidency said the pair had a wide-ranging discussion during lunch after the Paris commemoration.

Host and French President Emmanuel Macron was there and German Chancellor Angela Merkel took part in some of the exchanges, the presidency said.

Subjects discussed included the situation in the Middle East, notably Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia, and North Korea.

Around 70 leaders including the Russian and US leaders travelled to the French capital to mark the centenary of the 1918 Armistice.

Arriving last for the event, Putin made for his US counterpart to shake his hand before giving him a thumbs up sign, while smiling.

Speaking in an interview with the Kremlin-backed channel RT France earlier in the day, Putin confirmed they did not want to steal French President Emmanuel Macron's thunder.

"... we agreed not to violate the host's work schedule, we will not organise any meetings here at their request," he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the pair agreed to hold a more detailed discussion on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina at the end of the month.

The Kremlin said earlier that the prospect of a full meeting between the US and Russian presidents had prompted huge international media interest, leading to concern from the French organisers this could overshadow the commemorations.

Expectations have been growing for a new Trump-Putin meeting as tensions pile up over the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and US sanctions against Moscow.&nbsp;

Last month Trump sparked concerns globally when he said he would ditch the INF pact.

Putin warned that abandoning the treaty would unleash a new arms race and put Europe in danger. 
&nbsp;

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he had a brief but good conversation with US leader Donald Trump at World War I centenary events in Paris, Russian media reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he had a brief but good conversation with US leader Donald Trump at World War I centenary events in Paris, Russian media reported. When journalists asked Putin whether he managed to speak to Trump, he said: "Yes," Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported. Asked how it went, Putin said: "Well." He did not provide further details but the French presidency said the pair had a wide-ranging discussion during lunch after the Paris commemoration. Host and French President Emmanuel Macron was there and German Chancellor Angela Merkel took part in some of the exchanges, the presidency said. Subjects discussed included the situation in the Middle East, notably Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia, and North Korea. Around 70 leaders including the Russian and US leaders travelled to the French capital to mark the centenary of the 1918 Armistice. Arriving last for the event, Putin made for his US counterpart to shake his hand before giving him a thumbs up sign, while smiling. Speaking in an interview with the Kremlin-backed channel RT France earlier in the day, Putin confirmed they did not want to steal French President Emmanuel Macron's thunder. "... we agreed not to violate the host's work schedule, we will not organise any meetings here at their request," he said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the pair agreed to hold a more detailed discussion on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina at the end of the month. The Kremlin said earlier that the prospect of a full meeting between the US and Russian presidents had prompted huge international media interest, leading to concern from the French organisers this could overshadow the commemorations. Expectations have been growing for a new Trump-Putin meeting as tensions pile up over the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and US sanctions against Moscow. Last month Trump sparked concerns globally when he said he would ditch the INF pact. Putin warned that abandoning the treaty would unleash a new arms race and put Europe in danger.

Had good conversation with Trump in Paris: Vladimir Putin

US President Donald Trump will award the 2018 Presidential Medal of Freedom to Elvis Presley, George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Jr. and five other individuals, the White House said in a statement on Saturday.

The medal is the highest civilian honour in the United States and is given annually to people who have made outstanding contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavours.

Trump will also award the medal to Miriam Adelson, a physician who together with her husband Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire casino magnate, is a major donor to the Republican party, Jewish causes worldwide, and medical research.

Also receiving the award next week will be Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and the first African-American to serve on that court Alan Page, the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and former professional football player Roger Staubach.

US President Donald Trump will award the 2018 Presidential Medal of Freedom to Elvis Presley, George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Jr. and five other individuals, the White House said in a statement on Saturday.

US President Donald Trump will award the 2018 Presidential Medal of Freedom to Elvis Presley, George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Jr. and five other individuals, the White House said in a statement on Saturday. The medal is the highest civilian honour in the United States and is given annually to people who have made outstanding contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavours. Trump will also award the medal to Miriam Adelson, a physician who together with her husband Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire casino magnate, is a major donor to the Republican party, Jewish causes worldwide, and medical research. Also receiving the award next week will be Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and the first African-American to serve on that court Alan Page, the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and former professional football player Roger Staubach.

Trump to award freedom medals to Elvis Presley and Babe Ruth

President Donald Trump could not attend a commemoration in France for US&nbsp;soldiers and marines killed during World War One on Saturday because rain made it impossible to arrange transport, the White House said.

The last minute cancellation prompted widespread criticism on social media and from some officials in Britain and the United States that Trump had "dishonoured" US&nbsp;servicemen.

The president was scheduled to pay tribute at a ceremony at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, about 85 km (50 miles) east of Paris, with his wife Melania. But light steady rain and a low cloud ceiling prevented his helicopter from travelling to the site.

"(Their attendance) has been cancelled due to scheduling and logistical difficulties caused by the weather," the White House said in a statement, adding that a delegation lead by Chief of Staff John Kelly, a retired general, went instead.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-macron-agree-on-defence-after-insulting-european-army-spat-176575">Macron suggests Europe raise its own army to protect itself from </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-macron-agree-on-defence-after-insulting-european-army-spat-176575">US</a>

The decision prompted a rash of criticism on Twitter, with Nicholas Soames, a British member of parliament who is a grandson of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, saying that Trump was dishonouring US&nbsp;servicemen.

"They died with their face to the foe and that pathetic inadequate @realDonaldTrump couldn't even defy the weather to pay his respects to the Fallen", Soames wrote on Twitter.

White House officials said the decision was taken due to the weather and cited security concerns in hastily arranging a motorcade. Similar concerns prevented Trump from reaching the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea a year ago when foggy weather prevented his helicopter from landing.

Ben Rhodes, who served as deputy national security adviser for strategic communications under President Barack Obama, said the excuse about the inclement weather did not stand up.

"I helped plan all of President Obama's trips for 8 years," he wrote on Twitter. "There is always a rain option. Always."

Despite the light rain, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held a moving ceremony in Compiegne, northeast of Paris, to mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the World War One armistice.&nbsp;

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended his own ceremony to pay tribute to Canadian troops killed at Vimy Ridge, on the battlefields of northeastern France.

Around 70 leaders, including Trump, are scheduled to gather at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Sunday morning to mark the commemoration of the centenary of the end of the war, when some 10 million soldiers were killed during four years of grinding conflict.

It was not clear what Trump decided to do instead of attending the cemetery. The White House said he was at the residence of the US&nbsp;ambassador in Paris. During that time he sent a tweet wishing a "Happy 243rd Birthday" to the US&nbsp;Marine Corps.

The president is scheduled to take part in a ceremony at the Suresnes American Cemetery to the west of Paris on Sunday afternoon, when he is expected to make formal remarks.

President Donald Trump could not attend a commemoration in France for US soldiers and marines killed during World War One on Saturday because rain made it impossible to arrange transport, the White House said.

President Donald Trump could not attend a commemoration in France for US soldiers and marines killed during World War One on Saturday because rain made it impossible to arrange transport, the White House said. The last minute cancellation prompted widespread criticism on social media and from some officials in Britain and the United States that Trump had "dishonoured" US servicemen. The president was scheduled to pay tribute at a ceremony at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, about 85 km (50 miles) east of Paris, with his wife Melania. But light steady rain and a low cloud ceiling prevented his helicopter from travelling to the site. "(Their attendance) has been cancelled due to scheduling and logistical difficulties caused by the weather," the White House said in a statement, adding that a delegation lead by Chief of Staff John Kelly, a retired general, went instead. Also read: Macron suggests Europe raise its own army to protect itself from US The decision prompted a rash of criticism on Twitter, with Nicholas Soames, a British member of parliament who is a grandson of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, saying that Trump was dishonouring US servicemen. "They died with their face to the foe and that pathetic inadequate @realDonaldTrump couldn't even defy the weather to pay his respects to the Fallen", Soames wrote on Twitter. White House officials said the decision was taken due to the weather and cited security concerns in hastily arranging a motorcade. Similar concerns prevented Trump from reaching the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea a year ago when foggy weather prevented his helicopter from landing. Ben Rhodes, who served as deputy national security adviser for strategic communications under President Barack Obama, said the excuse about the inclement weather did not stand up. "I helped plan all of President Obama's trips for 8 years," he wrote on Twitter. "There is always a rain option. Always." Despite the light rain, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held a moving ceremony in Compiegne, northeast of Paris, to mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the World War One armistice. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended his own ceremony to pay tribute to Canadian troops killed at Vimy Ridge, on the battlefields of northeastern France. Around 70 leaders, including Trump, are scheduled to gather at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Sunday morning to mark the commemoration of the centenary of the end of the war, when some 10 million soldiers were killed during four years of grinding conflict. It was not clear what Trump decided to do instead of attending the cemetery. The White House said he was at the residence of the US ambassador in Paris. During that time he sent a tweet wishing a "Happy 243rd Birthday" to the US Marine Corps. The president is scheduled to take part in a ceremony at the Suresnes American Cemetery to the west of Paris on Sunday afternoon, when he is expected to make formal remarks.

100 years of end of WWI: Trump cancels memorial service for US soldiers — because of rain

World leaders will push for the rapid completion of a massive, China-backed trade deal that excludes the US at a summit this week, in a rebuke to rising protectionism and Donald Trump's "America First" agenda.

China, Japan, India and other Asia-Pacific countries could announce a broad agreement on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which covers half the world's population, on the sidelines of the annual gathering.

Not only is the US absent from the deal, but Trump is skipping the summit in Singapore, highlighting how far he has pulled back from efforts to shape global trade rules and raising further questions about Washington's commitment to Asia.

Trump launched his unilateralist trade policy with a bang shortly after coming to office by withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a deal spearheaded by predecessor Barack Obama that aimed to bind fast-growing Asian powers into an American-backed order to counter China.

His approach has left the floor open for Beijing to promote a rival pact it favours, the 16-member RCEP, a free trade deal which also aims to cut tariffs and integrate markets, but gives weaker protection in areas including employment and the environment.

The pact championed by Obama has been kept alive even without the US, and is due to go into force this year, but the Beijing-backed pact has now overtaken it as the world's biggest.

Announcing in Singapore that talks for the deal -- which formally began in 2012 -- are mostly concluded would be "important as a symbol of Asia's commitment to trade at a time of rising global tensions", Deborah Elms, executive director of the Asian Trade Centre, told AFP.

US commitment questioned

She said negotiations in some areas were likely to continue into next year, however, while a diplomat attending the summit, speaking anonymously, said "substantial progress" had been made but there were still sticking points.

The gathering of 20 world leaders comes against a backdrop of a months-long trade dispute between China and the United States after Trump imposed tariffs on most Chinese imports this summer, and Beijing retaliated with its own levies.

The standoff is having an impact far beyond the US and China, and leaders at the four days of meetings that begin Monday will be keen to voice their grievances to Vice President Mike Pence, attending in Trump's place, and Premier Li Keqiang.

Trump's absence from the Singapore gathering and a subsequent meeting of world leaders in Papua New Guinea is even more notable given Obama, who launched a so-called "pivot to Asia" to direct more US economic and military resources to the region, was a regular participant.

Washington, however, argues that it remains committed to Asia, pointing to regular visits by top officials.

"We are fully engaged," insisted Patrick Murphy, one of the State Department's most senior Asia diplomats. "That is very sustained and has been enhanced under the current administration."

Nukes, sea tension

Myanmar's embattled leader Aung San Suu Kyi is attending the meetings, and will deliver a keynote address at a business forum Monday.&nbsp;

She may face criticism over a military crackdown on the Muslim Rohingya that saw hundreds of thousands flee to Bangladesh last year, and has sparked rare criticism of Myanmar from within regional bloc the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Also on the agenda will be North Korea's nuclear programme. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a vaguely worded agreement on denuclearisation at a historic summit in June, but progress has been slow since.

Pence will also keep on pressure on Beijing over its growing aggression in the South China Sea. China claims almost all the strategically vital waters, a source of friction with Southeast Asian states that have overlapping claims as well as the US, the traditionally dominant military power in the region.

Other leaders attending include Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

But much of the focus will be on the RCEP as leaders seek to send a message in support of free trade. The deal groups the 10 ASEAN members plus China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.&nbsp;

World leaders "should present a united front advancing trade liberalisation in (the Asia-Pacific) despite global headwinds to trade from the rising tide of global protectionism," Rajiv Biswas, chief regional economist at IHS Markit, told AFP.

World leaders will push for the rapid completion of a massive, China-backed trade deal that excludes the US at a summit this week, in a rebuke to rising protectionism and Donald Trump's "America First" agenda.

World leaders will push for the rapid completion of a massive, China-backed trade deal that excludes the US at a summit this week, in a rebuke to rising protectionism and Donald Trump's "America First" agenda. China, Japan, India and other Asia-Pacific countries could announce a broad agreement on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which covers half the world's population, on the sidelines of the annual gathering. Not only is the US absent from the deal, but Trump is skipping the summit in Singapore, highlighting how far he has pulled back from efforts to shape global trade rules and raising further questions about Washington's commitment to Asia. Trump launched his unilateralist trade policy with a bang shortly after coming to office by withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a deal spearheaded by predecessor Barack Obama that aimed to bind fast-growing Asian powers into an American-backed order to counter China. His approach has left the floor open for Beijing to promote a rival pact it favours, the 16-member RCEP, a free trade deal which also aims to cut tariffs and integrate markets, but gives weaker protection in areas including employment and the environment. The pact championed by Obama has been kept alive even without the US, and is due to go into force this year, but the Beijing-backed pact has now overtaken it as the world's biggest. Announcing in Singapore that talks for the deal -- which formally began in 2012 -- are mostly concluded would be "important as a symbol of Asia's commitment to trade at a time of rising global tensions", Deborah Elms, executive director of the Asian Trade Centre, told AFP. US commitment questioned She said negotiations in some areas were likely to continue into next year, however, while a diplomat attending the summit, speaking anonymously, said "substantial progress" had been made but there were still sticking points. The gathering of 20 world leaders comes against a backdrop of a months-long trade dispute between China and the United States after Trump imposed tariffs on most Chinese imports this summer, and Beijing retaliated with its own levies. The standoff is having an impact far beyond the US and China, and leaders at the four days of meetings that begin Monday will be keen to voice their grievances to Vice President Mike Pence, attending in Trump's place, and Premier Li Keqiang. Trump's absence from the Singapore gathering and a subsequent meeting of world leaders in Papua New Guinea is even more notable given Obama, who launched a so-called "pivot to Asia" to direct more US economic and military resources to the region, was a regular participant. Washington, however, argues that it remains committed to Asia, pointing to regular visits by top officials. "We are fully engaged," insisted Patrick Murphy, one of the State Department's most senior Asia diplomats. "That is very sustained and has been enhanced under the current administration." Nukes, sea tension Myanmar's embattled leader Aung San Suu Kyi is attending the meetings, and will deliver a keynote address at a business forum Monday. She may face criticism over a military crackdown on the Muslim Rohingya that saw hundreds of thousands flee to Bangladesh last year, and has sparked rare criticism of Myanmar from within regional bloc the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Also on the agenda will be North Korea's nuclear programme. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a vaguely worded agreement on denuclearisation at a historic summit in June, but progress has been slow since. Pence will also keep on pressure on Beijing over its growing aggression in the South China Sea. China claims almost all the strategically vital waters, a source of friction with Southeast Asian states that have overlapping claims as well as the US, the traditionally dominant military power in the region. Other leaders attending include Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. But much of the focus will be on the RCEP as leaders seek to send a message in support of free trade. The deal groups the 10 ASEAN members plus China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. World leaders "should present a united front advancing trade liberalisation in (the Asia-Pacific) despite global headwinds to trade from the rising tide of global protectionism," Rajiv Biswas, chief regional economist at IHS Markit, told AFP.

China-backed trade deal centre stage at summit as US retreats

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