Iran is readying the first commercial exports of its West Karoun crude oil grade for May or June, two sources familiar with the matter said, even as fresh economic sanctions against the country loom.

Iran has already been shipping samples of the grade to customers since production from the West Karoun oilfields in southwest Iran nearly doubled in the past year to 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), the sources said. A new export facility allows West Karoun to be shipped directly rather than blended with other grades.

"Initial cargoes of West Karoun will be sold on a spot basis as the quality of the crude is yet to be established." said one of the two sources.

This means that buyers have no obligation to take regular amounts of the crude as they do under the long-term off-take agreements that are typical for Middle East oil sales.

Iran used to sell crude only under long-term deals before economic sanctions were imposed in 2012, but began spot sales after sanctions were lifted in 2016 to regain market share.

"Some refiners have taken the sample," the second source said, adding West Karoun is new production so Iran "needs to wait for the quality to stabilise".

Iran's effort to develop demand for West Karoun suggests Tehran hopes to sell the oil even in the face of possible new sanctions.

The United States and some European countries agreed to impose the earlier economic sanctions to halt Iran's alleged nuclear weapons programme. The United States, China, Great Britain, the European Union, Russia and France agreed to lift the sanctions in return for Iran halting some nuclear activities and allowing inspections of atomic sites.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to pull out of the deal by not extending sanctions waivers when they expire on May 12, unless European signatories of the accord fix what he calls its "flaws".

Trump is scheduled to announce his decision on the nuclear deal at 2 pm EST (1800 GMT) on May 8, four days before the waiver decision.

Uncertainty over the United States' participation in the nuclear deal has partially fuelled a rally in global oil prices to over three-year highs.

The sanctions cut Iran's crude exports from a peak of 2.5 million bpd before 2012 to a little more than 1 million bpd. The country re-emerged as a major oil exporter when they were removed.

Trump is scheduled to announce his decision on the nuclear deal at 2 pm EST (1800 GMT) on May 8, four days before the waiver decision.

Iran is readying the first commercial exports of its West Karoun crude oil grade for May or June, two sources familiar with the matter said, even as fresh economic sanctions against the country loom. Iran has already been shipping samples of the grade to customers since production from the West Karoun oilfields in southwest Iran nearly doubled in the past year to 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), the sources said. A new export facility allows West Karoun to be shipped directly rather than blended with other grades. "Initial cargoes of West Karoun will be sold on a spot basis as the quality of the crude is yet to be established." said one of the two sources. This means that buyers have no obligation to take regular amounts of the crude as they do under the long-term off-take agreements that are typical for Middle East oil sales. Iran used to sell crude only under long-term deals before economic sanctions were imposed in 2012, but began spot sales after sanctions were lifted in 2016 to regain market share. "Some refiners have taken the sample," the second source said, adding West Karoun is new production so Iran "needs to wait for the quality to stabilise". Iran's effort to develop demand for West Karoun suggests Tehran hopes to sell the oil even in the face of possible new sanctions. The United States and some European countries agreed to impose the earlier economic sanctions to halt Iran's alleged nuclear weapons programme. The United States, China, Great Britain, the European Union, Russia and France agreed to lift the sanctions in return for Iran halting some nuclear activities and allowing inspections of atomic sites. US President Donald Trump has threatened to pull out of the deal by not extending sanctions waivers when they expire on May 12, unless European signatories of the accord fix what he calls its "flaws". Trump is scheduled to announce his decision on the nuclear deal at 2 pm EST (1800 GMT) on May 8, four days before the waiver decision. Uncertainty over the United States' participation in the nuclear deal has partially fuelled a rally in global oil prices to over three-year highs. The sanctions cut Iran's crude exports from a peak of 2.5 million bpd before 2012 to a little more than 1 million bpd. The country re-emerged as a major oil exporter when they were removed.

Iran prepares to export new oil grade amid sanctions threat: Sources

The future of the landmark Iran nuclear deal is at stake today as US President Donald Trump will announce his decision on the nuke agreement. In a tweet posted yesterday, Trump noted that he would announce a decision on the future of the Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday at 2pm (United States time).&nbsp;

While the world speculates the turn of events post-Trump's nuke declaration today, let us quickly revisit facts related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) aka the Iran nuclear deal.&nbsp;

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I will be announcing my decision on the Iran Deal tomorrow from the White House at 2:00pm.
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The nuke deal

Signed in the year 2015, between Iran and P5+1 countries (China, Russia, France, United States, Germany and the UK) in Vienna, the accord, orchestrated by the Obama administration, called for Iran to accept restraints on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of UN, European and US nuclear-related economic sanctions.&nbsp;

As per the agreement, Iran agreed to eliminate its stock of medium-enriched and low-enriched uranium and exercise strict control over its uranium-enrichment activities. The country also agreed to reduce the number of its gas centrifuges by about two-thirds for 13 years.&nbsp;

The deal gave the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) a regular access to all Iranian nuclear facilities.&nbsp;

Trump's dissent&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump has spoken against the Iran nuke accord out in the public ever since his presidential campaigning days.&nbsp;

Time and again, Trump had accused Iran of not living up to the deal. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made revelations about what it called 'evidence of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme' and urged Trump to pull out of the deal.&nbsp;

The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran is in compliance with the agreement. While senior US officials acknowledge that Iran has complied with the letter of the accord, Trump points to Iran's ballistic missile activity and regional conduct as evidence of the deal's shortcomings.

The US President had previously described the deal as "insane" and "ridiculous", flawed, "one-sided" and not in America's interest.&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/opinion-why-donald-trump-wants-to-scrap-iran-nuclear-deal-so-badly-135331">Opinion: Why Donald Trump wants to scrap Iran nuclear deal so badly</a>

What can <a href="www.wionews.com/world/trumps-options-on-iran-nuclear-deal-135293">Trump say tonight</a>?

All in all, there are a handful of possibilities of what the US President will pronounce later in the day. Trump can choose to re-issue&nbsp;sanctions waivers or decide not to waive them.&nbsp;

"Trump could decide not to waive sanctions, but announce that he could restore the waivers before the penalties for violating the sanctions go back into effect if European allies reach a side agreement with the United States," Reuters reported.&nbsp;

He could also decide not to waive the sanctions, and continue to sing the tale of Iran violating the deal.

Iran's take&nbsp;

Iran has warned that in the event of the United States exiting the deal, the White House must brace up for consequences and face "regret of historic proportions".

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-could-iran-do-if-trump-pulls-out-of-nuclear-deal-135382">Iran could retaliate</a> by undermining the interests of Washington and its allies in the Middle East. President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US pressure to limit its influence in the Middle East.

Rouhani said the Islamic Republic had been preparing for every possible scenario, including a deal without Washington - which would still include the other signatories that remain committed to it - or no deal at all.

"We are not worried about America's cruel decisions ... We are prepared for all scenarios and no change will occur in our lives next week," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV.

"If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be," said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation.

"But if they want to weaken Iran and limit its influence whether in the region or globally, Iran will fiercely resist."

US President Donald Trump has spoken against the Iran nuke accord out in the public ever since his presidential campaigning days in the year 2015-16.

The future of the landmark Iran nuclear deal is at stake today as US President Donald Trump will announce his decision on the nuke agreement. In a tweet posted yesterday, Trump noted that he would announce a decision on the future of the Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday at 2pm (United States time). While the world speculates the turn of events post-Trump's nuke declaration today, let us quickly revisit facts related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) aka the Iran nuclear deal. I will be announcing my decision on the Iran Deal tomorrow from the White House at 2:00pm. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2018 × The nuke deal Signed in the year 2015, between Iran and P5+1 countries (China, Russia, France, United States, Germany and the UK) in Vienna, the accord, orchestrated by the Obama administration, called for Iran to accept restraints on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of UN, European and US nuclear-related economic sanctions. As per the agreement, Iran agreed to eliminate its stock of medium-enriched and low-enriched uranium and exercise strict control over its uranium-enrichment activities. The country also agreed to reduce the number of its gas centrifuges by about two-thirds for 13 years. The deal gave the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) a regular access to all Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump's dissent US President Donald Trump has spoken against the Iran nuke accord out in the public ever since his presidential campaigning days. Time and again, Trump had accused Iran of not living up to the deal. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made revelations about what it called 'evidence of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme' and urged Trump to pull out of the deal. The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran is in compliance with the agreement. While senior US officials acknowledge that Iran has complied with the letter of the accord, Trump points to Iran's ballistic missile activity and regional conduct as evidence of the deal's shortcomings. The US President had previously described the deal as "insane" and "ridiculous", flawed, "one-sided" and not in America's interest. Also Read: Opinion: Why Donald Trump wants to scrap Iran nuclear deal so badly What can Trump say tonight? All in all, there are a handful of possibilities of what the US President will pronounce later in the day. Trump can choose to re-issue sanctions waivers or decide not to waive them. "Trump could decide not to waive sanctions, but announce that he could restore the waivers before the penalties for violating the sanctions go back into effect if European allies reach a side agreement with the United States," Reuters reported. He could also decide not to waive the sanctions, and continue to sing the tale of Iran violating the deal. Iran's take Iran has warned that in the event of the United States exiting the deal, the White House must brace up for consequences and face "regret of historic proportions". Iran could retaliate by undermining the interests of Washington and its allies in the Middle East. President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US pressure to limit its influence in the Middle East. Rouhani said the Islamic Republic had been preparing for every possible scenario, including a deal without Washington - which would still include the other signatories that remain committed to it - or no deal at all. "We are not worried about America's cruel decisions ... We are prepared for all scenarios and no change will occur in our lives next week," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV. "If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be," said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation. "But if they want to weaken Iran and limit its influence whether in the region or globally, Iran will fiercely resist."

What is Iran nuclear deal? All about 2015 JCPOA accord

President Vladimir Putin travelled to his inauguration on Monday for a new six-year term in a Russian-made limousine, ditching his old stretch Mercedes to send a patriotic message of self-sufficiency amid increased tensions with the West.

Putin, in power since 2000, wants Russia to reduce its dependence on imported goods and technology, a drive that has gathered pace since Russia was hit by Western sanctions.

Some guests broke into applause at the sight of the car conveying Putin the short distance from his office to the Kremlin hall for the inauguration, Russian news agencies said.

"It's cooler than (US&nbsp;President Donald) Trump's," one guest was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency.

Putin has in the past publicly driven Russian-made cars in front of television cameras in an effort to nurture patriotism and support the domestic auto industry.

Monday marked the first public outing of the new limousine, part of the "Kortezh" series of cars which is also expected to include a sedan, minivan and offroad vehicle.

Under development since 2012, the limousine is being produced by a Russian research institute known by the acronym NAMI, and will be distributed in partnership with Russian carmaker Sollers.

The new limousine is set to become the heir to the Russian-made ZIL sedans that for decades transported Soviet leaders.

Trade Minister Denis Manturov said state officials would be able to switch to Kortezh vehicles when enough of them became available, TASS news agency reported.

The Ministry of Trade said the cars would be marketed under the brand Aurus and made available for sale from the beginning of 2019, RIA reported.

In his inauguration address, Putin said technological innovation and research were essential for Russia's future to keep pace with global change.

Putin's last six-year term has been marked by a sharp downturn in relations with the West over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England. Moscow denies meddling in the elections or poisoning the spy.

Some guests broke into applause at the sight of the car conveying Putin the short distance from his office to the Kremlin hall for the inauguration, Russian news agencies said

President Vladimir Putin travelled to his inauguration on Monday for a new six-year term in a Russian-made limousine, ditching his old stretch Mercedes to send a patriotic message of self-sufficiency amid increased tensions with the West. Putin, in power since 2000, wants Russia to reduce its dependence on imported goods and technology, a drive that has gathered pace since Russia was hit by Western sanctions. Some guests broke into applause at the sight of the car conveying Putin the short distance from his office to the Kremlin hall for the inauguration, Russian news agencies said. "It's cooler than (US President Donald) Trump's," one guest was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency. Putin has in the past publicly driven Russian-made cars in front of television cameras in an effort to nurture patriotism and support the domestic auto industry. Monday marked the first public outing of the new limousine, part of the "Kortezh" series of cars which is also expected to include a sedan, minivan and offroad vehicle. Under development since 2012, the limousine is being produced by a Russian research institute known by the acronym NAMI, and will be distributed in partnership with Russian carmaker Sollers. The new limousine is set to become the heir to the Russian-made ZIL sedans that for decades transported Soviet leaders. Trade Minister Denis Manturov said state officials would be able to switch to Kortezh vehicles when enough of them became available, TASS news agency reported. The Ministry of Trade said the cars would be marketed under the brand Aurus and made available for sale from the beginning of 2019, RIA reported. In his inauguration address, Putin said technological innovation and research were essential for Russia's future to keep pace with global change. Putin's last six-year term has been marked by a sharp downturn in relations with the West over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England. Moscow denies meddling in the elections or poisoning the spy.

To send message of self-sufficiency, Putin drives to inauguration in Russian-made limousine

President Vladimir Putin travelled to his inauguration on Monday for a new six-year term in a Russian-made limousine, ditching his old stretch Mercedes to send a patriotic message of self-sufficiency amid increased tensions with the West.

Putin, in power since 2000, wants Russia to reduce its dependence on imported goods and technology, a drive that has gathered pace since Russia was hit by Western sanctions.

Some guests broke into applause at the sight of the car conveying Putin the short distance from his office to the Kremlin hall for the inauguration, Russian news agencies said.

"It's cooler than (US&nbspPresident Donald) Trump's," one guest was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency.

Putin has in the past publicly driven Russian-made cars in front of television cameras in an effort to nurture patriotism and support the domestic auto industry.

Monday marked the first public outing of the new limousine, part of the "Kortezh" series of cars which is also expected to include a sedan, minivan and offroad vehicle.

Under development since 2012, the limousine is being produced by a Russian research institute known by the acronym NAMI, and will be distributed in partnership with Russian carmaker Sollers.

The new limousine is set to become the heir to the Russian-made ZIL sedans that for decades transported Soviet leaders.

Trade Minister Denis Manturov said state officials would be able to switch to Kortezh vehicles when enough of them became available, TASS news agency reported.

The Ministry of Trade said the cars would be marketed under the brand Aurus and made available for sale from the beginning of 2019, RIA reported.

In his inauguration address, Putin said technological innovation and research were essential for Russia's future to keep pace with global change.

Putin's last six-year term has been marked by a sharp downturn in relations with the West over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England. Moscow denies meddling in the elections or poisoning the spy.

President Vladimir Putin travelled to his inauguration on Monday for a new six-year term in a Russian-made limousine, ditching his old stretch Mercedes to send a patriotic message of self-sufficiency amid increased tensions with the West. Putin, in power since 2000, wants Russia to reduce its dependence on imported goods and technology, a drive that has gathered pace since Russia was hit by Western sanctions. Some guests broke into applause at the sight of the car conveying Putin the short distance from his office to the Kremlin hall for the inauguration, Russian news agencies said. "It's cooler than (US&nbspPresident Donald) Trump's," one guest was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency. Putin has in the past publicly driven Russian-made cars in front of television cameras in an effort to nurture patriotism and support the domestic auto industry. Monday marked the first public outing of the new limousine, part of the "Kortezh" series of cars which is also expected to include a sedan, minivan and offroad vehicle. Under development since 2012, the limousine is being produced by a Russian research institute known by the acronym NAMI, and will be distributed in partnership with Russian carmaker Sollers. The new limousine is set to become the heir to the Russian-made ZIL sedans that for decades transported Soviet leaders. Trade Minister Denis Manturov said state officials would be able to switch to Kortezh vehicles when enough of them became available, TASS news agency reported. The Ministry of Trade said the cars would be marketed under the brand Aurus and made available for sale from the beginning of 2019, RIA reported. In his inauguration address, Putin said technological innovation and research were essential for Russia's future to keep pace with global change. Putin's last six-year term has been marked by a sharp downturn in relations with the West over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England. Moscow denies meddling in the elections or poisoning the spy.

Putin takes inaugural ride in Russian-made limousine to send patriotic message of self-sufficiency

An attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels today alleged that President Donald Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani is now "making up" facts and have lost track of the truth.

Michael Avenatti represents Daniels who claims that she had an intimate relationship with Trump years before he was elected president.

And days before the 2016 presidential election, she says she received USD 130,000 from Trump's then personal attorney Michael Cohen to not go public about her relationship with the president.

In the last few days, Trump has acknowledged that he reimbursed Cohen for the USD 130,000 he paid to Daniels.

Avenatti said there is ample evidence to prove that Cohen approached Daniels before the election to keep her mouth shut. The money being given to Daniels was part of the campaign finance, he asserted, which has been denied by Giuliani who is now the personal attorney for Trump.

"There is a significant amount of evidence, there is no question that this had everything to do with the campaign. In fact, if you go back and replay that interview, and that will be done I'm confident, and if you look at the answers, you're going to find an inconsistency with what Rudy Giuliani just told you," Avenatti told ABC News in an interview.

"Early in the interview, he told you it has nothing to do with the campaign, later in the interview you asked him if there was going to be inconsistencies between Michael Cohen's testimony and Donald Trump and he equivocated. He basically said that well it may have had something to do with the campaign, but it also has to do with personal issues. There's no question this had everything to do with the campaign. You could look at the timing associated with the payment," he said.

Avenatti claimed that Trump and Giuliani are now making up things.

"It's an absolute unmitigated disaster for Rudy Giuliani and the president. It's a train wreck. I can't believe that that actually just happened. I mean what we witnessed by Rudy Giuliani may be one of the worst TV appearances by any attorney on behalf of a client in modern times," he said.

"He now expects the American people to believe that he doesn't really know the facts, that as to every key question you asked, he hasn't communicated with the president about it. I mean this guy's all over the map over the last 72 hours on some very simple facts that should be very straightforward," Avenatti said.

"I think it is obvious to the American people that this is a cover-up, that they are making it up as they go along, they don't know what to say because they've lost track of the truth," said the attorney for Daniels.

Avenatti said that Daniels did not approach Cohen, it was the other way round.

"My client was preparing to tell her story, my client did not approach Michael Cohen, did not have anyone approach Michael Cohen, Michael Cohen approached my client in her council in an effort to shut her up in the days before the election," he said, asserting that he can prove that.

"We have evidence that the president knew in the months at least following the campaign, of this payment, certainly knew it long before his statement on Air Force One in April of this year where he effectively stood there and lied to the American people about not knowing anything about this payment. And then, of course, Rudy Giuliani a few days ago goes out and contradicts that," he said.

And days before the 2016 presidential election, she says she received USD 130,000 from Trump's then personal attorney Michael Cohen to not go public about her relationship with the president.

An attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels today alleged that President Donald Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani is now "making up" facts and have lost track of the truth. Michael Avenatti represents Daniels who claims that she had an intimate relationship with Trump years before he was elected president. And days before the 2016 presidential election, she says she received USD 130,000 from Trump's then personal attorney Michael Cohen to not go public about her relationship with the president. In the last few days, Trump has acknowledged that he reimbursed Cohen for the USD 130,000 he paid to Daniels. Avenatti said there is ample evidence to prove that Cohen approached Daniels before the election to keep her mouth shut. The money being given to Daniels was part of the campaign finance, he asserted, which has been denied by Giuliani who is now the personal attorney for Trump. "There is a significant amount of evidence, there is no question that this had everything to do with the campaign. In fact, if you go back and replay that interview, and that will be done I'm confident, and if you look at the answers, you're going to find an inconsistency with what Rudy Giuliani just told you," Avenatti told ABC News in an interview. "Early in the interview, he told you it has nothing to do with the campaign, later in the interview you asked him if there was going to be inconsistencies between Michael Cohen's testimony and Donald Trump and he equivocated. He basically said that well it may have had something to do with the campaign, but it also has to do with personal issues. There's no question this had everything to do with the campaign. You could look at the timing associated with the payment," he said. Avenatti claimed that Trump and Giuliani are now making up things. "It's an absolute unmitigated disaster for Rudy Giuliani and the president. It's a train wreck. I can't believe that that actually just happened. I mean what we witnessed by Rudy Giuliani may be one of the worst TV appearances by any attorney on behalf of a client in modern times," he said. "He now expects the American people to believe that he doesn't really know the facts, that as to every key question you asked, he hasn't communicated with the president about it. I mean this guy's all over the map over the last 72 hours on some very simple facts that should be very straightforward," Avenatti said. "I think it is obvious to the American people that this is a cover-up, that they are making it up as they go along, they don't know what to say because they've lost track of the truth," said the attorney for Daniels. Avenatti said that Daniels did not approach Cohen, it was the other way round. "My client was preparing to tell her story, my client did not approach Michael Cohen, did not have anyone approach Michael Cohen, Michael Cohen approached my client in her council in an effort to shut her up in the days before the election," he said, asserting that he can prove that. "We have evidence that the president knew in the months at least following the campaign, of this payment, certainly knew it long before his statement on Air Force One in April of this year where he effectively stood there and lied to the American people about not knowing anything about this payment. And then, of course, Rudy Giuliani a few days ago goes out and contradicts that," he said.

Attorney of adult film star accuses Trump team of cover-up

Iran says it has plans to respond to any move by US President Donald Trump on the 2015 nuclear agreement and the US would regret a decision to exit the accord, as France’s president warned such a move could lead to war.&nbsp;

Hassan Rouhani repeated his refusal to negotiate a new deal in place of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he would pull out of on May 12, Efe reported.

"If the US exits the JCPOA, it will soon regret it," Rouhani said during a speech in northeast Iran.

"We don't favour war and tension, but will strongly defend our rights," he asserted.

"We have lived up to our obligations in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," he said, stressing that Iran's "commitment" to the deal had been recognized by the international community, with the exception of the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Trump is seeking to add additional conditions to the agreement as a pretext to withdraw, such as limits on Iran`s military capabilities, especially its ballistic missile system, as well as Tehran`s support for the Syrian regime and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, among others.

"We tell the world explicitly that we will not negotiate our defensive weapons with anyone," Rouhani said, adding "We will combat terrorism anywhere in the region and we won`t let another ISIS be formed."

The JCPOA, signed between Iran and the US, Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany, limits Tehran`s atomic program in exchange for lifting international sanctions but does not include any reference to conventional weapons or the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned that the US will face “historic regret” if Donald Trump scraps a nuclear agreement with Tehran.

Iran says it has plans to respond to any move by US President Donald Trump on the 2015 nuclear agreement and the US would regret a decision to exit the accord, as France’s president warned such a move could lead to war. Hassan Rouhani repeated his refusal to negotiate a new deal in place of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he would pull out of on May 12, Efe reported. "If the US exits the JCPOA, it will soon regret it," Rouhani said during a speech in northeast Iran. "We don't favour war and tension, but will strongly defend our rights," he asserted. "We have lived up to our obligations in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," he said, stressing that Iran's "commitment" to the deal had been recognized by the international community, with the exception of the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Trump is seeking to add additional conditions to the agreement as a pretext to withdraw, such as limits on Iran`s military capabilities, especially its ballistic missile system, as well as Tehran`s support for the Syrian regime and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, among others. "We tell the world explicitly that we will not negotiate our defensive weapons with anyone," Rouhani said, adding "We will combat terrorism anywhere in the region and we won`t let another ISIS be formed." The JCPOA, signed between Iran and the US, Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany, limits Tehran`s atomic program in exchange for lifting international sanctions but does not include any reference to conventional weapons or the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic.

Iran’s Hassan Rouhani warns Donald Trump of ‘historic regret’ over nuclear deal

President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US&nbsppressure to limit its influence in the Middle East.

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump, a long-time critic of the deal reached between Iran and six powers in 2015 before he took office, has threatened to pull out by not extending sanctions waivers when they expire on May 12, unless European signatories of the accord fix what he calls its “flaws”.

Under the agreement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Iran strictly limited uranium enrichment capacity to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop atomic bombs. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were rescinded in January 2016.

Rouhani said the Islamic Republic had been preparing for every possible scenario, including a deal without Washington - which would still include the other signatories that remain committed to it - or no deal at all.

"We are not worried about America's cruel decisions ... We are prepared for all scenarios and no change will occur in our lives next week," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV.

"If we can get what we want from a deal without America, then Iran will continue to remain committed to the deal. What Iran wants is our interests to be guaranteed by its non-American signatories ... In that case, getting rid of America's mischievous presence will be fine for Iran."

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"If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be," said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation.

"But if they want to weaken Iran and limit its influence whether in the region or globally, Iran will fiercely resist."

Tehran has made repeated threats to walk away if Trump does, but several Iranian officials told Reuters last week that as long as Tehran was not excluded from the global financial and trading system, it could consider respecting the accord.

Diplomats say Tehran would rather the deal remain intact out of concern about a revival of domestic unrest over economic hardships that mounted over the years sanctions were in place.

EUROPEAN POWERS VOW TO UPHOLD DEAL

Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord and, in an effort to address U.S. complaints, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when pivotal provisions of the deal expire - and its role in the wars in Syria and Yemen.

Whatever Trump decides, France, Britain and Germany will stick to the deal because it is the best way to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb, French Foreign Minister Yean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday after meeting his German counterpart.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the deal, which is being policed by U.N. nuclear inspectors, "makes the world safer", and would do everything possible to uphold it.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, now in Washington for talks, said the deal had weaknesses but these could be remedied. "...At this moment Britain is working alongside the Trump administration and our French and German allies to ensure that they are," he said in a commentary in the New York Times.

"I am sure of one thing: every available alternative is worse. The wisest course would be to improve the handcuffs rather than break them."

Even if Trump rejects a possible remedy being worked out by U.S. and European officials and decides to bring back sanctions, the most drastic U.S. measures targeting Iran's oil sales will not immediately resume.

There are at least two avenues potentially offering more time for talks after May 12.

The agreement has a dispute resolution clause that provides at least 35 days to consider a claim that any party has violated its terms. That can be extended if all parties agree.

And if Trump restores the core U.S. sanctions, under U.S. law he must wait at least 180 days before reimposing penalties on banks of nations that do not slash purchases of Iranian oil.

Iran's clerical rulers have repeatedly ruled out reducing its sway across the region, as demanded by the United States and its European allies. Tehran says its missile capabilities are purely defensive and nuclear ambitions only civilian in nature.

The UN&nbspnuclear watchdog says it is maintaining the "world's most robust verification regime" in Iran and has repeatedly said Tehran is complying with the deal terms.

President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US pressure to limit its influence in the Middle East

President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US&nbsppressure to limit its influence in the Middle East. US&nbspPresident Donald Trump, a long-time critic of the deal reached between Iran and six powers in 2015 before he took office, has threatened to pull out by not extending sanctions waivers when they expire on May 12, unless European signatories of the accord fix what he calls its “flaws”. Under the agreement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Iran strictly limited uranium enrichment capacity to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop atomic bombs. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were rescinded in January 2016. Rouhani said the Islamic Republic had been preparing for every possible scenario, including a deal without Washington - which would still include the other signatories that remain committed to it - or no deal at all. "We are not worried about America's cruel decisions ... We are prepared for all scenarios and no change will occur in our lives next week," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV. "If we can get what we want from a deal without America, then Iran will continue to remain committed to the deal. What Iran wants is our interests to be guaranteed by its non-American signatories ... In that case, getting rid of America's mischievous presence will be fine for Iran." If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be,' said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation × "If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be," said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation. "But if they want to weaken Iran and limit its influence whether in the region or globally, Iran will fiercely resist." Tehran has made repeated threats to walk away if Trump does, but several Iranian officials told Reuters last week that as long as Tehran was not excluded from the global financial and trading system, it could consider respecting the accord. Diplomats say Tehran would rather the deal remain intact out of concern about a revival of domestic unrest over economic hardships that mounted over the years sanctions were in place. EUROPEAN POWERS VOW TO UPHOLD DEAL Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord and, in an effort to address U.S. complaints, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when pivotal provisions of the deal expire - and its role in the wars in Syria and Yemen. Whatever Trump decides, France, Britain and Germany will stick to the deal because it is the best way to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb, French Foreign Minister Yean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday after meeting his German counterpart. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the deal, which is being policed by U.N. nuclear inspectors, "makes the world safer", and would do everything possible to uphold it. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, now in Washington for talks, said the deal had weaknesses but these could be remedied. "...At this moment Britain is working alongside the Trump administration and our French and German allies to ensure that they are," he said in a commentary in the New York Times. "I am sure of one thing: every available alternative is worse. The wisest course would be to improve the handcuffs rather than break them." Even if Trump rejects a possible remedy being worked out by U.S. and European officials and decides to bring back sanctions, the most drastic U.S. measures targeting Iran's oil sales will not immediately resume. There are at least two avenues potentially offering more time for talks after May 12. The agreement has a dispute resolution clause that provides at least 35 days to consider a claim that any party has violated its terms. That can be extended if all parties agree. And if Trump restores the core U.S. sanctions, under U.S. law he must wait at least 180 days before reimposing penalties on banks of nations that do not slash purchases of Iranian oil. Iran's clerical rulers have repeatedly ruled out reducing its sway across the region, as demanded by the United States and its European allies. Tehran says its missile capabilities are purely defensive and nuclear ambitions only civilian in nature. The UN&nbspnuclear watchdog says it is maintaining the "world's most robust verification regime" in Iran and has repeatedly said Tehran is complying with the deal terms.

Iran says could remain in nuclear deal if its interests guaranteed: State TV

According to North Korean state media, the country has slammed the United States for claiming that Washington's sanctions on Pyongyang and political pressure on the Kim Jong-Un regime led North Korea to the negotiating table.

A North Korean foreign ministry spokesperson noted that such claims are dangerous and may pose threat to the budding peace and reconciliation process in the Korean peninsula.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held their historic summit in Panmunjom last week.

In a joint declaration after the talks, the two leaders officially inaugurated a document formally called the 'Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification on the Korean Peninsula'.

The two Koreas agreed to sign a peace treaty formally later this year, ending the six-decades-old war between the two countries.

The South Korean President is also slated to visit Pyongyang later this year, according to a statement released by his presidential office.

Kim Jong-Un on April 21 announced to suspend its nuclear tests and inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.

Kim and President Donald Trump are also expected to meet later this month or in early June.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The two Koreas agreed to sign a peace treaty formally later this year, ending the six-decades-old war between the two countries

According to North Korean state media, the country has slammed the United States for claiming that Washington's sanctions on Pyongyang and political pressure on the Kim Jong-Un regime led North Korea to the negotiating table. A North Korean foreign ministry spokesperson noted that such claims are dangerous and may pose threat to the budding peace and reconciliation process in the Korean peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held their historic summit in Panmunjom last week. In a joint declaration after the talks, the two leaders officially inaugurated a document formally called the 'Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification on the Korean Peninsula'. The two Koreas agreed to sign a peace treaty formally later this year, ending the six-decades-old war between the two countries. The South Korean President is also slated to visit Pyongyang later this year, according to a statement released by his presidential office. Kim Jong-Un on April 21 announced to suspend its nuclear tests and inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests. Kim and President Donald Trump are also expected to meet later this month or in early June. (With inputs from agencies)

Washington's claims threaten peace process in Korean peninsula: North Korea

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that war could ensue if US&nbsp;President Donald Trump withdraws from the 2015 deal in which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.

"We would open the Pandora's box. There could be war," Macron told German weekly magazine Der Spiegel. But he added: "I don't think that Donald Trump wants war."

Trump is set to decide by May 12 whether to pull out of the Iran deal. Trump has all but decided to withdraw but exactly how he will do so remains unclear, two White House officials and a source familiar with the administration's internal debate said on May 2.

Trump could still figure out a way to stay in the deal between the Islamic Republic and six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.

Macron urged Trump not to withdraw when he met the president in Washington late last month.

Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord but, in an effort to keep Washington in it, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when key provisions of the deal expire - and its role in Middle East crises such as Syria and Yemen.

"We would open the Pandora's box. There could be war," Macron told German weekly magazine Der Spiegel. But he added: "I don't think that Donald Trump wants war."

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that war could ensue if US President Donald Trump withdraws from the 2015 deal in which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. "We would open the Pandora's box. There could be war," Macron told German weekly magazine Der Spiegel. But he added: "I don't think that Donald Trump wants war." Trump is set to decide by May 12 whether to pull out of the Iran deal. Trump has all but decided to withdraw but exactly how he will do so remains unclear, two White House officials and a source familiar with the administration's internal debate said on May 2. Trump could still figure out a way to stay in the deal between the Islamic Republic and six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. Macron urged Trump not to withdraw when he met the president in Washington late last month. Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord but, in an effort to keep Washington in it, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when key provisions of the deal expire - and its role in Middle East crises such as Syria and Yemen.

Emmanuel Macron warns of risk of war if Trump withdraws from Iran deal

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/seven-indian-engineers-kidnapped-in-afghanistan-police-134950">Seven Indian engineers kidnapped in Afghanistan: Police</a>

Seven Indian engineers and an Afghan national working for a power plant in northern Baghlan province of Afghanistan were kidnapped on Sunday, news agency Reuters reported quoting officials.&nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/blast-at-mosque-in-eastern-afghanistan-kills-13-official-134952">Blast at </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/blast-at-mosque-in-eastern-afghanistan-kills-13-official-134952">mosque</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/blast-at-mosque-in-eastern-afghanistan-kills-13-official-134952"> in eastern Afghanistan kills 13: Official</a>

An explosion at a mosque in the eastern Afghan province of Khost on Sunday killed at least 13&nbsppeople and wounded 31, news agency Reuters reported quoting a local police official.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/french-president-emmanuel-macron-warns-of-risk-of-war-if-trump-withdraws-from-iran-deal-134967">French President warns of risk of war if Donald Trump withdraws from Iran deal</a>

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that war could ensue if US&nbspPresident Donald Trump withdraws from the 2015 deal in which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/clashes-breaks-out-in-jk-following-terrorist-encounter-5-civilians-killed-134954">5 civilians killed in clashes following </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/clashes-breaks-out-in-jk-following-terrorist-encounter-5-civilians-killed-134954">terrorist</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/clashes-breaks-out-in-jk-following-terrorist-encounter-5-civilians-killed-134954"> encounter</a>

Five civilians were killed in the clashes that broke out between civilians and security forces on Sunday in parts of Jammu and Kashmir&nbsp<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/encounter-between-security-forces-terrorists-in-jks-shopian-134867">following the encounter of five terrorists</a>.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-watchdog-orders-cambridge-analytica-to-hand-over-americans-personal-data-134968">UK watchdog orders Cambridge Analytica to hand over American's personal data</a>

Britain's data privacy watchdog has ordered Cambridge Analytica to hand over all the personal information it holds on a US academic, confirming the right of people abroad to seek data held by a UK firm.

&nbsp

Seven Indian engineers kidnapped in Afghanistan: Police Seven Indian engineers and an Afghan national working for a power plant in northern Baghlan province of Afghanistan were kidnapped on Sunday, news agency Reuters reported quoting officials. Blast at mosque in eastern Afghanistan kills 13: Official An explosion at a mosque in the eastern Afghan province of Khost on Sunday killed at least 13&nbsppeople and wounded 31, news agency Reuters reported quoting a local police official. French President warns of risk of war if Donald Trump withdraws from Iran deal French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that war could ensue if US&nbspPresident Donald Trump withdraws from the 2015 deal in which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. 5 civilians killed in clashes following terrorist encounter Five civilians were killed in the clashes that broke out between civilians and security forces on Sunday in parts of Jammu and Kashmir following the encounter of five terrorists. UK watchdog orders Cambridge Analytica to hand over American's personal data Britain's data privacy watchdog has ordered Cambridge Analytica to hand over all the personal information it holds on a US academic, confirming the right of people abroad to seek data held by a UK firm.

News brief: Big stories of the day

US President Donald Trump sparked anger in France and Britain by suggesting looser gun laws could have helped prevent deadly attacks in Paris in 2015, and linking a wave of knife crime in London to a handgun ban.&nbsp;

In a speech to the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Friday, Trump mimicked the shooting of victims in the Paris rampage, and said if civilians had been armed “it would have been a whole different story.”

The French government issued its strongest criticism of Trump since he took office, at a time when President Emmanuel Macron has been reinforcing bilateral ties following a state visit.

“France expresses its firm disapproval of President Trump’s comments about the Paris attacks on November 13, 2015, and demands that the memory of the victims is respected,” the foreign office said in a statement.

“Every country freely decides on its own laws on carrying firearms, as in other areas. France is proud to be a country where acquiring and carrying firearms is strictly regulated.”&nbsp;

Other French politicians including the mayor of Paris took issue with Trump’s comments after he acted out the scene of the massacre by Islamist assailants at Paris’ Bataclan concert hall, where 90 of the 130 victims of the attacks died.

“They took their time and gunned them down one by one. Boom! Come over here. Boom! Come over here. Boom!,” Trump said, using his hands in a gun gesture.

Former French president Francois Hollande, who was head of state at the time, said on Twitter that Trump’s comments and antics were “shameful” and “obscene”.

‘KNIVES, KNIVES, KNIVES, KNIVES’

Trauma surgeons in London, meanwhile, said Trump had missed the point after, in the same speech, he linked to knife crime there to an absence of guns.

Comments by Trump have caused upset before in Britain. Relations with Prime Minister Theresa May cooled last year after she criticized him for retweeting anti-Islam videos by a British far-right group.

Trump, who is due to visit Britain on July 13, told NRA members that a “once very prestigious” London hospital, which he did not name, had become overwhelmed with victims of knife attacks.

“They don’t have guns. They have knives and instead there’s blood all over the floors of this hospital,” he said. “They say it’s as bad as a military war zone hospital. Knives, knives, knives, knives,” he added, making stabbing gestures.

London suffered a spike in knife crime early this year and saw more murders during February and March than New York.&nbsp;

Last month, trauma surgeon Martin Griffiths told the BBC that some of his colleagues had likened the Royal London Hospital in east London where he works to the former British military base Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

But on Saturday he indicated Trump had drawn the wrong conclusion from his remarks.

Griffiths posted his comment next to an animation of a stick figure with the phrase “The Point” flying over its head and also linked to a statement on the hospital’s website by a fellow trauma surgeon, Karim Brohi.

“There is more we can all do to combat this violence, but to suggest guns are part of the solution is ridiculous. Gunshot wounds are at least twice as lethal as knife injuries and more difficult to repair,” Brohi said in the statement on Saturday.

Britain’s government effectively banned handgun ownership in England, Scotland and Wales after a school shooting in 1996.

Trump mimicked gunmen summoning and shooting victims one by one, saying "Boom! Come over here!" and using his hand to imitate a gun being fired.

US President Donald Trump sparked anger in France and Britain by suggesting looser gun laws could have helped prevent deadly attacks in Paris in 2015, and linking a wave of knife crime in London to a handgun ban. In a speech to the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Friday, Trump mimicked the shooting of victims in the Paris rampage, and said if civilians had been armed “it would have been a whole different story.” The French government issued its strongest criticism of Trump since he took office, at a time when President Emmanuel Macron has been reinforcing bilateral ties following a state visit. “France expresses its firm disapproval of President Trump’s comments about the Paris attacks on November 13, 2015, and demands that the memory of the victims is respected,” the foreign office said in a statement. “Every country freely decides on its own laws on carrying firearms, as in other areas. France is proud to be a country where acquiring and carrying firearms is strictly regulated.” Other French politicians including the mayor of Paris took issue with Trump’s comments after he acted out the scene of the massacre by Islamist assailants at Paris’ Bataclan concert hall, where 90 of the 130 victims of the attacks died. “They took their time and gunned them down one by one. Boom! Come over here. Boom! Come over here. Boom!,” Trump said, using his hands in a gun gesture. Former French president Francois Hollande, who was head of state at the time, said on Twitter that Trump’s comments and antics were “shameful” and “obscene”. ‘KNIVES, KNIVES, KNIVES, KNIVES’ Trauma surgeons in London, meanwhile, said Trump had missed the point after, in the same speech, he linked to knife crime there to an absence of guns. Comments by Trump have caused upset before in Britain. Relations with Prime Minister Theresa May cooled last year after she criticized him for retweeting anti-Islam videos by a British far-right group. Trump, who is due to visit Britain on July 13, told NRA members that a “once very prestigious” London hospital, which he did not name, had become overwhelmed with victims of knife attacks. “They don’t have guns. They have knives and instead there’s blood all over the floors of this hospital,” he said. “They say it’s as bad as a military war zone hospital. Knives, knives, knives, knives,” he added, making stabbing gestures. London suffered a spike in knife crime early this year and saw more murders during February and March than New York. Last month, trauma surgeon Martin Griffiths told the BBC that some of his colleagues had likened the Royal London Hospital in east London where he works to the former British military base Camp Bastion in Afghanistan. But on Saturday he indicated Trump had drawn the wrong conclusion from his remarks. Griffiths posted his comment next to an animation of a stick figure with the phrase “The Point” flying over its head and also linked to a statement on the hospital’s website by a fellow trauma surgeon, Karim Brohi. “There is more we can all do to combat this violence, but to suggest guns are part of the solution is ridiculous. Gunshot wounds are at least twice as lethal as knife injuries and more difficult to repair,” Brohi said in the statement on Saturday. Britain’s government effectively banned handgun ownership in England, Scotland and Wales after a school shooting in 1996.

Anger in France, Britain over US president Donald Trump's gun law speech

Britain's data privacy watchdog has ordered Cambridge Analytica to hand over all the personal information it holds on a US academic, confirming the right of people abroad to seek data held by a UK firm.

Data privacy activists say that it sets a precedent that would enable millions of other US voters to request information that the company had collected on them.

The Information Commissioner's Office served notice to SCL Elections, Cambridge Analytica's parent, to provide the information it holds on David Carroll, saying failure to do so would be a criminal offence punishable by an unlimited fine.

The order comes days after both firms filed for insolvency after reports that Cambridge Analytica had improperly obtained data on tens of millions of Facebook users without their knowledge or consent.

Cambridge Analytica advised US President Donald Trump's election campaign, building psychographic profiles of the electorate to help micro-target voters with advertising in key swing states.

Its managers have denied, however, using data harvested by Cambridge University psychologist Alexandr Kogan through a personality quiz on Facebook, in the 2016 US election.

"The company has consistently refused to cooperate with our investigation into this case and has refused to answer our specific enquiries in relation to the complainant's personal data," Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said.

"The right to request personal data that an organisation holds about you is a cornerstone right in data protection law and it is important that Professor Carroll, and other members of the public, understand what personal data Cambridge Analytica held and how they analysed it."

The case rests on the principle that, because a British company processed his data, Carroll is entitled under UK data protection law to receive the data a company holds on him even though he is a US resident.

"The ICO's decision will provide us all with answers about what Cambridge Analytica did with people's data, how it was used and who it was given to," said Carroll's UK lawyer Ravi Naik.

Cambridge Analytica and its insolvency administrators did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Sunday.

&nbsp

 
&nbsp

Data privacy activists say that it sets a precedent that would enable millions of other US voters to request information that the company had collected on them

Britain's data privacy watchdog has ordered Cambridge Analytica to hand over all the personal information it holds on a US academic, confirming the right of people abroad to seek data held by a UK firm. Data privacy activists say that it sets a precedent that would enable millions of other US voters to request information that the company had collected on them. The Information Commissioner's Office served notice to SCL Elections, Cambridge Analytica's parent, to provide the information it holds on David Carroll, saying failure to do so would be a criminal offence punishable by an unlimited fine. The order comes days after both firms filed for insolvency after reports that Cambridge Analytica had improperly obtained data on tens of millions of Facebook users without their knowledge or consent. Cambridge Analytica advised US President Donald Trump's election campaign, building psychographic profiles of the electorate to help micro-target voters with advertising in key swing states. Its managers have denied, however, using data harvested by Cambridge University psychologist Alexandr Kogan through a personality quiz on Facebook, in the 2016 US election. "The company has consistently refused to cooperate with our investigation into this case and has refused to answer our specific enquiries in relation to the complainant's personal data," Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said. "The right to request personal data that an organisation holds about you is a cornerstone right in data protection law and it is important that Professor Carroll, and other members of the public, understand what personal data Cambridge Analytica held and how they analysed it." The case rests on the principle that, because a British company processed his data, Carroll is entitled under UK data protection law to receive the data a company holds on him even though he is a US resident. "The ICO's decision will provide us all with answers about what Cambridge Analytica did with people's data, how it was used and who it was given to," said Carroll's UK lawyer Ravi Naik. Cambridge Analytica and its insolvency administrators did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Sunday.

UK watchdog orders Cambridge Analytica to hand over American's personal data

US President Donald Trump on Friday stated that the Second Amendment of the Constitution, that protects Americans' rights to bear arms for self-protection, will never be under siege while he serves as the President. &nbsp;

"Your Second Amendment rights are under siege, but they will never, ever be under siege as long as I'm your President. Your Second Amendment will be protected," Trump noted.&nbsp;

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I want to thank all of our friends and patriots at the <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NRA</a>. We will never fail, and we will always protect your Second Amendment! God Bless you, and God Bless America! <a href="https://t.co/3PoNPV24p4">pic.twitter.com/3PoNPV24p4</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/992538416196804608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Trump also spoke about the recent mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Florida where 17 people lost their lives. He noted that the only solution to such violent incidents is to let "highly trained" teachers carry concealed weapons.&nbsp;

Trump was speaking at the annual National Rifle Association convention in Dallas, Texas.

Trump also spoke about the recent mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Florida where 17 people lost their lives

US President Donald Trump on Friday stated that the Second Amendment of the Constitution, that protects Americans' rights to bear arms for self-protection, will never be under siege while he serves as the President. "Your Second Amendment rights are under siege, but they will never, ever be under siege as long as I'm your President. Your Second Amendment will be protected," Trump noted. I want to thank all of our friends and patriots at the @NRA. We will never fail, and we will always protect your Second Amendment! God Bless you, and God Bless America! pic.twitter.com/3PoNPV24p4 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2018 × Trump also spoke about the recent mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Florida where 17 people lost their lives. He noted that the only solution to such violent incidents is to let "highly trained" teachers carry concealed weapons. Trump was speaking at the annual National Rifle Association convention in Dallas, Texas.

Americans' right to bear arms will never be under siege during my presidency: Trump

Underscoring the importance of diplomacy in resolving major global issues, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for a strong State Department to achieve America's foreign policy goals.

In his first major address at the State Department, Pompeo yesterday said that despite having "strong relationship" with many allies, the US still needed to address the issues of North Korea and Iran, among others.&nbsp

"..There's enormous diplomatic effort to continue to keep the pressure on North Korea and bring them to the negotiating table, to a place where we can successfully eliminate the threat from Kim Jong-un's nuclear arsenal," Pompeo said.&nbsp

Pompeo met Kim last month in Pyongyang, in the build-up to a summit between the North Korean leader and Trump, the date and location for which have been decided and "will be announced soon".&nbsp

Speaking about the US' allies in Europe, Pompeo said apart from the occasional and minor hiccups, these nations had interests similar to America's.&nbsp

"We're blessed to have so many allies with strong relationships. There are, of course, rough times and places that we disagree. But these countries share our values and our interests, and we all have a common effort in ensuring prosperity for our nations moving forward," he said. 
Pompeo called for "strong diplomatic efforts" in the Middle East, especially towards Iran to prevent its "destabilising behaviour".

"We need strong diplomatic efforts there as well to prevent Iran's destabilising behaviour in Syria, in Yemen, and across the region. We have to tackle the threat from jihadist terror and from places with really weak governance," said Pompeo.

"These are all great challenges, but I'm confident that our team can develop strategies and diplomatic footprints capable of resolving them," he said.

Trump is to take a decision on the Iranian nuclear deal on May 12. He has repeatedly criticised the seven-party agreement and long threatened to walk away from the landmark deal unless its European signatories and Congress reconcile his concerns.

America's foreign policy, Pompeo argued, got to be pragmatic while still remaining principled and agile enough to respond to changing circumstances yet anchored in the fundamental ideals and values that ground the nation's history.&nbsp

Following his remarks, Pompeo took part in a memorial ceremony to honour those who lost their lives in service to the country.&nbsp

Speaking about the US' allies in Europe, Pompeo said apart from the occasional and minor hiccups, these nations had interests similar to America's

Underscoring the importance of diplomacy in resolving major global issues, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for a strong State Department to achieve America's foreign policy goals. In his first major address at the State Department, Pompeo yesterday said that despite having "strong relationship" with many allies, the US still needed to address the issues of North Korea and Iran, among others. "..There's enormous diplomatic effort to continue to keep the pressure on North Korea and bring them to the negotiating table, to a place where we can successfully eliminate the threat from Kim Jong-un's nuclear arsenal," Pompeo said. Pompeo met Kim last month in Pyongyang, in the build-up to a summit between the North Korean leader and Trump, the date and location for which have been decided and "will be announced soon". Speaking about the US' allies in Europe, Pompeo said apart from the occasional and minor hiccups, these nations had interests similar to America's. "We're blessed to have so many allies with strong relationships. There are, of course, rough times and places that we disagree. But these countries share our values and our interests, and we all have a common effort in ensuring prosperity for our nations moving forward," he said. Pompeo called for "strong diplomatic efforts" in the Middle East, especially towards Iran to prevent its "destabilising behaviour". "We need strong diplomatic efforts there as well to prevent Iran's destabilising behaviour in Syria, in Yemen, and across the region. We have to tackle the threat from jihadist terror and from places with really weak governance," said Pompeo. "These are all great challenges, but I'm confident that our team can develop strategies and diplomatic footprints capable of resolving them," he said. Trump is to take a decision on the Iranian nuclear deal on May 12. He has repeatedly criticised the seven-party agreement and long threatened to walk away from the landmark deal unless its European signatories and Congress reconcile his concerns. America's foreign policy, Pompeo argued, got to be pragmatic while still remaining principled and agile enough to respond to changing circumstances yet anchored in the fundamental ideals and values that ground the nation's history. Following his remarks, Pompeo took part in a memorial ceremony to honour those who lost their lives in service to the country.

Pompeo pushes for strong diplomatic effort to prevent Iran's 'destabilising' behaviour

Iran is determined to reject demands by US&nbspPresident Donald Trump for changes to its nuclear accord, which amount to bullying, a senior Iranian security official said on Saturday.

Trump has said that unless European allies rectify "flaws" in Tehran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers by May 12 he will refuse to extend US&nbspsanctions relief for Iran.

"This is an international agreement ... and we certainly have the capacity to defeat your bullying," Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said in remarks broadcast on state television.

"You are saying that you do not accept something that was set up under the last president and it should be changed," Shamkhani said, addressing Trump.

"Who, then, guarantees that if something is done with you, the next president won't come and refuse to accept it?"

Trump has said that unless European allies rectify "flaws" in Tehran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers by May 12 he will refuse to extend US sanctions relief for Iran.

Iran is determined to reject demands by US&nbspPresident Donald Trump for changes to its nuclear accord, which amount to bullying, a senior Iranian security official said on Saturday. Trump has said that unless European allies rectify "flaws" in Tehran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers by May 12 he will refuse to extend US&nbspsanctions relief for Iran. "This is an international agreement ... and we certainly have the capacity to defeat your bullying," Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said in remarks broadcast on state television. "You are saying that you do not accept something that was set up under the last president and it should be changed," Shamkhani said, addressing Trump. "Who, then, guarantees that if something is done with you, the next president won't come and refuse to accept it?"

Iran to stand up to Trump 'bullying' over nuclear deal: security official

South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet his American counterpart President Donald Trump at the White House on May 22.

Both the leaders are likely to discuss the upcoming summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the White House stated on Friday.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;on Friday, Trump told reporters that the date and location were set for a meeting with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un. The details of the meeting will be announced soon.

According to the White House, the historic summit between Trump and Kim could take place this month, as long as North Korea fulfils the conditions made by the United States with respect to its nuclear program and other areas of contention.

"We're having very substantive talks with North Korea and a lot of things have already happened with respect to the (US) hostages. I think you're going to see very good things," Trump noted on Friday.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The two leaders are likely to discuss the upcoming summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet his American counterpart President Donald Trump at the White House on May 22. Both the leaders are likely to discuss the upcoming summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the White House stated on Friday. Meanwhile, on Friday, Trump told reporters that the date and location were set for a meeting with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un. The details of the meeting will be announced soon. According to the White House, the historic summit between Trump and Kim could take place this month, as long as North Korea fulfils the conditions made by the United States with respect to its nuclear program and other areas of contention. "We're having very substantive talks with North Korea and a lot of things have already happened with respect to the (US) hostages. I think you're going to see very good things," Trump noted on Friday. (With inputs from Reuters)

South Korea's Moon to meet Trump at White House on May 22

The Trump administration said on Friday it will end temporary protections for immigrants in the United States from Honduras on Jan&nbsp;5, 2020, leaving potentially 57,000 people vulnerable to deportation.

It is the latest in a series of decisions by President Donald Trump to shut down temporary protected status (TPS) granted to immigrants after natural disasters or violent conflicts that would prevent them from safely returning to their home countries.

The government of Honduras said on Friday that it "profoundly regrets the cancellation of the programme" and pledged free legal and consular support for Hondurans living in the United States.

Marlon Tabora, the Honduras ambassador to the United States, said the conditions did not exist in the Central American country to deal with the repatriation of tens of thousands of people.

"These families have lived in the United States for 20 years and re-integrating them into the country will not be easy if they decide to return," he said.

After El Salvador, Hondurans are the second largest nationality with TPS to lose their status, which was granted to the country in 1999 following the devastation of Hurricane Mitch.

The government said it had conducted a review and found "conditions in Honduras that resulted from the hurricane have notably improved." The 18-month timeline to end the programme would allow "individuals with TPS to arrange for their departure or to seek an alternative lawful immigration," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

The Boston-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice said later on Friday that it would amend a legal complaint filed in February to include the Hondurans affected. The original complaint challenged the Trump administration's decision to terminate a similar programme protecting immigrants from Haiti and El Salvador.

In January, the Trump administration ended TPS classification for some 200,000 Salvadorans, who had been allowed to live and work in the United States since 2001. Their status will expire in 2019.

The administration also recently ended the programme for Nepal.

TPS critics complain that repeated extensions in six- to 18-month increments of the status, sometimes for decades, has given beneficiaries de facto residency in the United States.

In November, then-acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke set a deadline of six months to make a decision about TPS for Honduras, which is one of the most violent countries in the Western Hemisphere and recently has been convulsed by protests following a contested presidential election. Duke is no longer in charge, replaced by Kirstjen Nielsen.

Most of the other countries that have come up for TPS review have had the status terminated, except for Syria, which is in the midst of a devastating war.

Canada has become the target of choice for those who fear deportation from the United States. Last year, almost 10,000 Haitians crossed the border illegally amid fears their US&nbsp;temporary protected status might end.

Canadian Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said Hondurans had until 2020 to decide what to do, meaning it was unlikely people would rush north.

"I don't believe we will see that wave of individuals coming to Canada," he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

The decisions on TPS are upending the lives of people who have settled in the United States, sometimes for decades, according to immigration advocates.

"They have made enormous contributions to this nation as workers, small-business owners, homeowners, parents of US&nbsp;citizens and community members," said Frank Sharry, executive director at the Washington-based America's Voice Education Fund.

Some Democratic lawmakers decried the decision and said Congress should act to pass legislation that would allow long-time TPS holders to remain in the United States.

Karen Valladares, the director of the National Forum for Migration, a non-governmental organisation in Honduras, said people continue to leave because of gang and drug-related violence and lack of economic opportunities.

"There have not been concrete improvements in the security situation," Valladares said. In some ways, she added, "Honduras is worse off than when they left."

It is the latest in a series of decisions by President Donald Trump to shut down temporary protected status (TPS) granted to immigrants

The Trump administration said on Friday it will end temporary protections for immigrants in the United States from Honduras on Jan 5, 2020, leaving potentially 57,000 people vulnerable to deportation. It is the latest in a series of decisions by President Donald Trump to shut down temporary protected status (TPS) granted to immigrants after natural disasters or violent conflicts that would prevent them from safely returning to their home countries. The government of Honduras said on Friday that it "profoundly regrets the cancellation of the programme" and pledged free legal and consular support for Hondurans living in the United States. Marlon Tabora, the Honduras ambassador to the United States, said the conditions did not exist in the Central American country to deal with the repatriation of tens of thousands of people. "These families have lived in the United States for 20 years and re-integrating them into the country will not be easy if they decide to return," he said. After El Salvador, Hondurans are the second largest nationality with TPS to lose their status, which was granted to the country in 1999 following the devastation of Hurricane Mitch. The government said it had conducted a review and found "conditions in Honduras that resulted from the hurricane have notably improved." The 18-month timeline to end the programme would allow "individuals with TPS to arrange for their departure or to seek an alternative lawful immigration," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. The Boston-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice said later on Friday that it would amend a legal complaint filed in February to include the Hondurans affected. The original complaint challenged the Trump administration's decision to terminate a similar programme protecting immigrants from Haiti and El Salvador. In January, the Trump administration ended TPS classification for some 200,000 Salvadorans, who had been allowed to live and work in the United States since 2001. Their status will expire in 2019. The administration also recently ended the programme for Nepal. TPS critics complain that repeated extensions in six- to 18-month increments of the status, sometimes for decades, has given beneficiaries de facto residency in the United States. In November, then-acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke set a deadline of six months to make a decision about TPS for Honduras, which is one of the most violent countries in the Western Hemisphere and recently has been convulsed by protests following a contested presidential election. Duke is no longer in charge, replaced by Kirstjen Nielsen. Most of the other countries that have come up for TPS review have had the status terminated, except for Syria, which is in the midst of a devastating war. Canada has become the target of choice for those who fear deportation from the United States. Last year, almost 10,000 Haitians crossed the border illegally amid fears their US temporary protected status might end. Canadian Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said Hondurans had until 2020 to decide what to do, meaning it was unlikely people would rush north. "I don't believe we will see that wave of individuals coming to Canada," he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. The decisions on TPS are upending the lives of people who have settled in the United States, sometimes for decades, according to immigration advocates. "They have made enormous contributions to this nation as workers, small-business owners, homeowners, parents of US citizens and community members," said Frank Sharry, executive director at the Washington-based America's Voice Education Fund. Some Democratic lawmakers decried the decision and said Congress should act to pass legislation that would allow long-time TPS holders to remain in the United States. Karen Valladares, the director of the National Forum for Migration, a non-governmental organisation in Honduras, said people continue to leave because of gang and drug-related violence and lack of economic opportunities. "There have not been concrete improvements in the security situation," Valladares said. In some ways, she added, "Honduras is worse off than when they left."

Trump administration moves to expel some 57,000 Hondurans

Oil prices rose about 2 per cent on Friday with US&nbsp;crude hitting its highest in more than three years as global supplies remained tight and the market awaited news from Washington on possible new US&nbsp;sanctions against Iran.

The May 12 deadline for announcements on potential new US&nbsp;sanctions on Iran bolstered the market, said Bob Yawger, director at Mizuho.&nbsp;

"You have the May 12 Iran and Trump headlines that support the market," he said.&nbsp;

US&nbsp;light crude was $1.45 higher at $69.88 per barrel by 12:18 p.m. EDT (1718 GMT), after touching a session high of $69.97, its highest since November 2014. It was on track to gain just over 1.5 per cent on the week.

Brent crude oil was up $1.35 at $74.98 a barrel. The global benchmark hit a 3-1/2-year closing high of $75.17 on Monday. The contract was set to end the week up 0.4 per cent.

Investors are concerned that sanctions against Iran could cut oil supplies.

Iran`s foreign minister said on Thursday that US&nbsp;demands to change its 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers were unacceptable as a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Europeans to "fix" the deal loomed.

Trump has said that unless European allies rectify the "terrible flaws" in the international accord by May 12, he will refuse to extend US&nbsp;sanctions relief for the oil-producing Islamic Republic.

European powers still want to hand Trump a plan to save the Iran nuclear deal next week. But they have also started work on protecting EU-Iranian business ties if the US&nbsp;president makes good on a threat to withdraw.

Iran resumed its role as a major oil exporter in January 2016 when international sanctions against Tehran were lifted in return for curbs on Iran`s nuclear programme.

Aside from security concerns, growing US&nbsp;crude supplies are capping price gains.

Surging production in the Permian shale basin is outpacing pipeline capacity, while local refining issues have exacerbated oversupply in the region.

The United States now produces more crude oil than top exporter Saudi Arabia.

US&nbsp;inventory builds have been bearish for the past two weeks, limiting the market's upside. The weekly rig count from Baker Hughes, an indicator of forward-looking production, is scheduled to be released at 1 pm&nbsp;on Friday.&nbsp;

ANZ analysts Daniel Hynes and Soni Kumari said Brent could reach $80 a barrel by the end of this year, attributing recent strength to rising geopolitical risks and tighter global supply.

"We expect the market to tighten even further in second half 2018," they wrote in a note to clients.

Oil prices rose about 2 per cent on Friday with US crude hitting its highest in more than three years

Oil prices rose about 2 per cent on Friday with US crude hitting its highest in more than three years as global supplies remained tight and the market awaited news from Washington on possible new US sanctions against Iran. The May 12 deadline for announcements on potential new US sanctions on Iran bolstered the market, said Bob Yawger, director at Mizuho. "You have the May 12 Iran and Trump headlines that support the market," he said. US light crude was $1.45 higher at $69.88 per barrel by 12:18 p.m. EDT (1718 GMT), after touching a session high of $69.97, its highest since November 2014. It was on track to gain just over 1.5 per cent on the week. Brent crude oil was up $1.35 at $74.98 a barrel. The global benchmark hit a 3-1/2-year closing high of $75.17 on Monday. The contract was set to end the week up 0.4 per cent. Investors are concerned that sanctions against Iran could cut oil supplies. Iran`s foreign minister said on Thursday that US demands to change its 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers were unacceptable as a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Europeans to "fix" the deal loomed. Trump has said that unless European allies rectify the "terrible flaws" in the international accord by May 12, he will refuse to extend US sanctions relief for the oil-producing Islamic Republic. European powers still want to hand Trump a plan to save the Iran nuclear deal next week. But they have also started work on protecting EU-Iranian business ties if the US president makes good on a threat to withdraw. Iran resumed its role as a major oil exporter in January 2016 when international sanctions against Tehran were lifted in return for curbs on Iran`s nuclear programme. Aside from security concerns, growing US crude supplies are capping price gains. Surging production in the Permian shale basin is outpacing pipeline capacity, while local refining issues have exacerbated oversupply in the region. The United States now produces more crude oil than top exporter Saudi Arabia. US inventory builds have been bearish for the past two weeks, limiting the market's upside. The weekly rig count from Baker Hughes, an indicator of forward-looking production, is scheduled to be released at 1 pm on Friday. ANZ analysts Daniel Hynes and Soni Kumari said Brent could reach $80 a barrel by the end of this year, attributing recent strength to rising geopolitical risks and tighter global supply. "We expect the market to tighten even further in second half 2018," they wrote in a note to clients.

Oil hits highest since November 2014 as Iran tensions mount

Weeks after historic Inter-Korea summit, North Korea has joined the time zone of South Korea bu resetting its clock by 30 minutes on Friday, reported France based news agency AFP citing state media.

The resetting&nbspof time is the first practical step that has been taken after the peace summit between North Korea and South Korea for a reconciliation and unity of both countries.

The different time zone was created in 2015 to mark the 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule after World War Two.

North Korea leader Kim Jong-un and South Korea president Moon Jae-in pledged to take various steps to formally end the 1950-53 Korea war after the&nbsp27 April's&nbspInter-Korea Summit.

North Korea also surprised the world after Kim Jong-un promised to shut down its nuclear test site. It also assured that that denuclearisation process would take place with full transparency in presence of journalists and respective authorities.

Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un will also meet United States president Donald Trump.&nbsp

Trump on Friday told reporters that the date and location were set for a meeting with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un, which would be announced soon.

Another historic summit between the US and North Korea is expected to take place this month.&nbsp 
&nbsp

The resetting of time is the first practical step that has been taken after the peace summit between North Korea and South Korea for a reconciliation and unity of both countries

Weeks after historic Inter-Korea summit, North Korea has joined the time zone of South Korea bu resetting its clock by 30 minutes on Friday, reported France based news agency AFP citing state media. The resetting&nbspof time is the first practical step that has been taken after the peace summit between North Korea and South Korea for a reconciliation and unity of both countries. The different time zone was created in 2015 to mark the 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule after World War Two. North Korea leader Kim Jong-un and South Korea president Moon Jae-in pledged to take various steps to formally end the 1950-53 Korea war after the&nbsp27 April's&nbspInter-Korea Summit. North Korea also surprised the world after Kim Jong-un promised to shut down its nuclear test site. It also assured that that denuclearisation process would take place with full transparency in presence of journalists and respective authorities. Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un will also meet United States president Donald Trump. Trump on Friday told reporters that the date and location were set for a meeting with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un, which would be announced soon. Another historic summit between the US and North Korea is expected to take place this month.

As promised, North Korea joins South Korea time zone

President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to prepare options for reducing the number of US&nbsptroops in South Korea, the New York Times reported on Thursday, citing several people briefed on the deliberations.

Reduced US&nbsptroop levels are not intended to be a bargaining chip in Trump's planned summit in late May or early June with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un about Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, the Times said.

The officials said, however, that a peace treaty between the two Koreas could diminish the need for the 23,500 US&nbspsoldiers currently stationed on the peninsula, the newspaper said.

A full withdrawal of US&nbsptroops was unlikely, the officials said, according to the paper.

But a US&nbspNational Security Council official told a visiting South Korean official in Washington via telephone the report was false, the South Korean presidential office said in a statement.

The White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump has said the United States should consider reducing the number of troops in South Korea unless South Korea shoulders more of the cost.

Then-CIA Director Mike Pompeo, before taking office as US&nbspsecretary of state, met Kim last month and reported the North Korean leader was not demanding the withdrawal of all US&nbspforces as a precondition for a summit with Trump.

South Korea said on Wednesday the issue of US&nbsptroops stationed in the South was unrelated to any future peace treaty with North Korea and that American forces should stay even if such an agreement is signed.

Trump has said the United States should consider reducing the number of troops in South Korea unless South Korea shoulders more of the cost

President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to prepare options for reducing the number of US&nbsptroops in South Korea, the New York Times reported on Thursday, citing several people briefed on the deliberations. Reduced US&nbsptroop levels are not intended to be a bargaining chip in Trump's planned summit in late May or early June with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un about Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, the Times said. The officials said, however, that a peace treaty between the two Koreas could diminish the need for the 23,500 US&nbspsoldiers currently stationed on the peninsula, the newspaper said. A full withdrawal of US&nbsptroops was unlikely, the officials said, according to the paper. But a US&nbspNational Security Council official told a visiting South Korean official in Washington via telephone the report was false, the South Korean presidential office said in a statement. The White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump has said the United States should consider reducing the number of troops in South Korea unless South Korea shoulders more of the cost. Then-CIA Director Mike Pompeo, before taking office as US&nbspsecretary of state, met Kim last month and reported the North Korean leader was not demanding the withdrawal of all US&nbspforces as a precondition for a summit with Trump. South Korea said on Wednesday the issue of US&nbsptroops stationed in the South was unrelated to any future peace treaty with North Korea and that American forces should stay even if such an agreement is signed.

Trump orders Pentagon to consider reducing US troops in South Korea

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/modi-xi-meeting-a-good-thing-always-good-when-world-leaders-get-along-white-house-134483">Modi-Xi meeting a good thing, always good when world leaders get along: White House</a>

The White House said today that PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting last week when they met for an "informal summit" was a "good thing". "I certainly think it's always good when other world leaders are getting along," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-least-106-dead-in-dust-storm-in-uttar-pradesh-rajasthan-134488">At least 106 dead in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-least-106-dead-in-dust-storm-in-uttar-pradesh-rajasthan-134488">dust</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-least-106-dead-in-dust-storm-in-uttar-pradesh-rajasthan-134488"> storm in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan</a>

At least 106 people were killed as a storm barrelled through a swathe of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, leaving a trail of destruction that brought down mud houses, uprooted trees and flattened crops, officials said on Thursday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-could-iran-do-if-trump-pulls-out-of-nuclear-deal-134477">What could Iran do if Trump pulls out of </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-could-iran-do-if-trump-pulls-out-of-nuclear-deal-134477">nuclear</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-could-iran-do-if-trump-pulls-out-of-nuclear-deal-134477"> deal?</a>

President Donald Trump is expected to pull the United States out of the Iran nuclear agreement on May 12. Tehran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain, and the United States in 2015.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/europa-league-wenger-denied-final-flourish-as-atletico-madrids-costa-outlasts-arsenal-134491">Europa League: Wenger denied final flourish as Atletico Madrid's Costa outlasts Arsenal</a>

Diego Costa denied Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger a winning farewell as Atletico Madrid beat the London club 1-0 in the Europa League semi-final second leg at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid on Thursday night.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-praises-chinas-xi-as-trade-talks-begin-in-beijing-134482">Trump praises China's Xi as trade talks begin in Beijing</a>

US President Donald Trump on Thursday praised his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as officials from the world's two largest economies began trade talks in Beijing, while state media said China would stand up to US bullying.

Modi-Xi meeting a good thing, always good when world leaders get along: White House The White House said today that PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting last week when they met for an "informal summit" was a "good thing". "I certainly think it's always good when other world leaders are getting along," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. At least 106 dead in dust storm in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan At least 106 people were killed as a storm barrelled through a swathe of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, leaving a trail of destruction that brought down mud houses, uprooted trees and flattened crops, officials said on Thursday. What could Iran do if Trump pulls out of nuclear deal? President Donald Trump is expected to pull the United States out of the Iran nuclear agreement on May 12. Tehran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain, and the United States in 2015. Europa League: Wenger denied final flourish as Atletico Madrid's Costa outlasts Arsenal Diego Costa denied Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger a winning farewell as Atletico Madrid beat the London club 1-0 in the Europa League semi-final second leg at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid on Thursday night. Trump praises China's Xi as trade talks begin in Beijing US President Donald Trump on Thursday praised his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as officials from the world's two largest economies began trade talks in Beijing, while state media said China would stand up to US bullying.

United States President Donald Trump on Friday told reporters that the date and location were set for a meeting with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un, which would be announced soon.

The White House has said the historic summit with the Asian leader could take place this month, as long as North Korea made certain concessions on its nuclear program and other areas of contention with the United States.

On Friday, while answering reporters' questions before boarding Marine One at the White House, Trump said: "We're having very substantive talks with North Korea and a lot of things have already happened with respect to the (US) hostages. I think you're going to see very good things."

The US government is looking into reports that three Americans arrested in recent years in North Korea had recently been relocated from a labour camp to a hotel near Pyongyang, as expectations grow that they will be released before the summit.

The White House has said the historic summit with the Asian leader could take place this month, as long as North Korea made certain concessions on its nuclear program and other areas of contention with the United States.

United States President Donald Trump on Friday told reporters that the date and location were set for a meeting with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un, which would be announced soon. The White House has said the historic summit with the Asian leader could take place this month, as long as North Korea made certain concessions on its nuclear program and other areas of contention with the United States. On Friday, while answering reporters' questions before boarding Marine One at the White House, Trump said: "We're having very substantive talks with North Korea and a lot of things have already happened with respect to the (US) hostages. I think you're going to see very good things." The US government is looking into reports that three Americans arrested in recent years in North Korea had recently been relocated from a labour camp to a hotel near Pyongyang, as expectations grow that they will be released before the summit.

US President Donald Trump says date, place set for North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un meeting

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump has not asked the Pentagon for options to reduce US&nbspforces based in South Korea, US&nbspNational Security Adviser John Bolton said in a statement on Friday.

His comment comes after the New York Times, citing several people briefed on the deliberations, reported on Thursday that the president was seeking options to curb the number of American troops stationed in South Korea.

His comment comes after the New York Times, citing several people briefed on the deliberations, reported that the president was seeking options to curb the number of American troops stationed in South Korea

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump has not asked the Pentagon for options to reduce US&nbspforces based in South Korea, US&nbspNational Security Adviser John Bolton said in a statement on Friday. His comment comes after the New York Times, citing several people briefed on the deliberations, reported on Thursday that the president was seeking options to curb the number of American troops stationed in South Korea.

Trump not seeking to curb US forces in South Korea: US national security adviser

US President Donald Trump has assured Bangladesh of US&nbspsupport in dealing with the Myanmar Rohingya refugee crisis, a Bangladeshi official said on Friday.

A letter from Trump was handed to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a meeting with US&nbspAmbassador Marcia Bernicat in Dhaka on Thursday, said Ihsanul Karim, the Prime Minister's press secretary, and a US&nbspembassy official.&nbsp

"The United States will continue to pressure Myanmar to create necessary conditions for the safe and voluntary return of the Rohingya people to their homeland," Trump said in the letter, according to Karim.&nbsp 
 
Last month, Hasina said more international pressure was needed on Myanmar to take back Rohingya refugees.&nbsp

UN&nbspofficials say some 700,000 mostly Muslim Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh from Myanmar`s Rakhine state to escape a military crackdown since August, amid reports of murder, rape and arson by Myanmar troops and Buddhist vigilantes in actions which the United Nations has likened to "ethnic cleansing".

Myanmar has denied nearly all allegations, saying it has been waging a legitimate counter-insurgency operation.

In the letter, Trump also said those in Myanmar responsible for instigating the crisis must be held accountable, said Karim.

He said Hasina reiterated her call for the international community to continue to pressure the Myanmar government to repatriate its people from Bangladesh.

A letter from Trump was handed to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a meeting with US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat in Dhaka on Thursday

US President Donald Trump has assured Bangladesh of US&nbspsupport in dealing with the Myanmar Rohingya refugee crisis, a Bangladeshi official said on Friday. A letter from Trump was handed to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a meeting with US&nbspAmbassador Marcia Bernicat in Dhaka on Thursday, said Ihsanul Karim, the Prime Minister's press secretary, and a US&nbspembassy official. "The United States will continue to pressure Myanmar to create necessary conditions for the safe and voluntary return of the Rohingya people to their homeland," Trump said in the letter, according to Karim. Last month, Hasina said more international pressure was needed on Myanmar to take back Rohingya refugees. UN&nbspofficials say some 700,000 mostly Muslim Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh from Myanmar`s Rakhine state to escape a military crackdown since August, amid reports of murder, rape and arson by Myanmar troops and Buddhist vigilantes in actions which the United Nations has likened to "ethnic cleansing". Myanmar has denied nearly all allegations, saying it has been waging a legitimate counter-insurgency operation. In the letter, Trump also said those in Myanmar responsible for instigating the crisis must be held accountable, said Karim. He said Hasina reiterated her call for the international community to continue to pressure the Myanmar government to repatriate its people from Bangladesh.

Trump assures Bangladesh of US support amid Rohingya crisis

Top officials from China and the United States reached a consensus on some aspects of the countries'&nbsptrade row, but disagreements over other issues remain "relatively big", China said on Friday.&nbsp

A statement from the nation's state-run Xinhua news agency at the end of the talks gave little indication that there had been agreements on the biggest issues, stressing instead that there had been exchanges of opinion. The two sides, though, committed to resolving their trade disputes through dialogue, Xinhua said.&nbsp

The Americans have yet to give their account of the talks.&nbsp

In one specific sign of progress, US&nbspnegotiators agreed to bring up with US&nbspPresident Donald Trump the question of a ban on US&nbspcompanies selling goods and software to Chinese telecommunication equipment maker ZTE Cororation&nbspafter

representations from the Chinese side, the report said. ZTE faced the seven-year ban after the US&nbspsaid it failed to keep to an agreement it made after breaching US&nbspsanctions.

The talks over the past two days have involved a high-level US&nbsptrade delegation led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and top Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Liu He, following months of threats and counter threats from both sides in a series of disputes over trade practices.&nbsp

The US&nbspteam has already left Beijing and is heading back to the US, a US&nbspofficial told Reuters early on Friday evening.&nbsp

The trade discussions had been "candid, efficient and constructive," Xinhua said, but gave almost no details on what the officials had agreed.&nbsp

The officials exchanged opinions on resolving tariffs and non-tariffs measures, on expanding two-way investment and the protection of intellectual property, and on expanding US&nbspexports to China and bilateral services trade, Xinhua reported. It gave no indication of what actions might be taken based on those exchanges.

"My impression was that (the talks) didn't go well given the rhetoric," said Kevin Lai, senior economist at Daiwa Capital markets in Hong Kong. "I think the divide is still very big."

In an editorial on its website, widely-read Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times cited people close to the talks as saying the Chinese "hit back hard" at US&nbspcriticism, letting them know that China won't give in.&nbsp

The United States has proposed tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese goods under its so-called "Section 301" intellectual property probe. Those could go into effect in June following the completion of a 60-day consultation period, but activation plans have been kept vague.

China has said its own retaliatory tariffs on US&nbspgoods, including soybeans and aircraft, will go into effect if the US&nbspduties are imposed.&nbsp

The US&nbsptariffs focus heavily on technology products benefiting from the "Made in China 2025" programme, which promotes the development of 10 sectors including aerospace, robotics and clean-energy cars.

Punitive action

A breakthrough deal to fundamentally change China's economic policies was viewed as highly unlikely during the two-day visit, though any signs of meaningful progress in the dispute could delay any punitive action from the US

"We are having very good conversations," Mnuchin told reporters earlier on Friday as he left his hotel.&nbsp

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump on Thursday praised his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as the US delegation began their talks, which were held at a state guest house in the western part of the Chinese capital.&nbsp

Trump has targeted China's massive trade surplus with the United States, in recent months demanding a $100 billion annual reduction in the $375 billion US&nbspgoods trade deficit with China.&nbsp

According to two sources with knowledge of the matter, the US&nbspdelegation submitted a document to the Chinese before the talks asking China to cut its trade surplus with the United States by $200 billion by 2020 and lower tariffs on all products to levels no higher than those imposed by the United States.

The delegation also asked China to halt subsidies for advanced technology, the sources said.&nbsp

Chinese officials believed the proposal was "unfair," the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting people with knowledge of the negotiations.

"I think the US&nbspis asking for the impossible. Reducing the deficit by $200 billion by 2020 is quite an unrealistic demand, but it may also be a negotiation tactic to start high first," said Tommy Xie, economist at OCBC Bank in Singapore.&nbsp

In a proposal submitted by the Chinese side, Beijing offered to increase US&nbspimports and lower tariffs on some goods, including cars, according to the sources.

But China requested that the US&nbsptreat Chinese investment equally under national security reviews, stop issuing any new restrictions on investment, and halt a proposal to implement 25 per cent tariffs under its Section 301 probe.&nbsp

China also offered to reconsider anti-dumping duties on US&nbspsorghum, according to the proposal.&nbsp

No illusions

US-based trade experts have said they expected Beijing to offer Trump's team a package of policy changes that may include some previously announced moves, such as a phase-out of joint venture requirements for some sectors, autos tariff reductions and increased purchases of US&nbspgoods.

US&nbspcomplaints about Chinese intellectual property abuses are at the core of the current dispute. The Trump administration says US&nbspcompanies lose hundreds of billions of dollars annually to China's theft of trade secrets.

Members of the Trump administration's delegation to Beijing for talks to try to stave off a trade war between the world's two largest economies included US&nbspTrade Representative Robert Lighthizer, a hard-line and experienced trade negotiator.&nbsp

Lighthizer said on Tuesday it was not his objective to change China's economic system, but that he would try to find ways to limit the damage it causes to the United States and open it further for US&nbspcompanies.&nbsp

Some economists noted that the deficit with China was the natural result of the large amount of manufacturing assembly of US&nbspproducts, such as iPhones, that takes place in China.

"As long as China remains the assembly hub of the world, it's always going to have a large trade surplus with developed consumer countries like the US&nbspand the EU&nbspand that's not necessarily a problem," said Julian Evans-Pritchard, senior China economist at Capital Economics.&nbsp

The US&nbspdelegation also included Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and White House trade and manufacturing adviser Peter Navarro, a noted China trade hawk.

Navarro advised Trump throughout his 2016 election campaign, during which the candidate routinely threatened to impose a 45 per cent across-the-board tariff on Chinese goods as a way to level the playing field for American workers. 
&nbsp

The Americans have yet to give their account of the talks.

Top officials from China and the United States reached a consensus on some aspects of the countries'&nbsptrade row, but disagreements over other issues remain "relatively big", China said on Friday. A statement from the nation's state-run Xinhua news agency at the end of the talks gave little indication that there had been agreements on the biggest issues, stressing instead that there had been exchanges of opinion. The two sides, though, committed to resolving their trade disputes through dialogue, Xinhua said. The Americans have yet to give their account of the talks. In one specific sign of progress, US&nbspnegotiators agreed to bring up with US&nbspPresident Donald Trump the question of a ban on US&nbspcompanies selling goods and software to Chinese telecommunication equipment maker ZTE Cororation&nbspafter representations from the Chinese side, the report said. ZTE faced the seven-year ban after the US&nbspsaid it failed to keep to an agreement it made after breaching US&nbspsanctions. The talks over the past two days have involved a high-level US&nbsptrade delegation led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and top Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Liu He, following months of threats and counter threats from both sides in a series of disputes over trade practices. The US&nbspteam has already left Beijing and is heading back to the US, a US&nbspofficial told Reuters early on Friday evening. The trade discussions had been "candid, efficient and constructive," Xinhua said, but gave almost no details on what the officials had agreed. The officials exchanged opinions on resolving tariffs and non-tariffs measures, on expanding two-way investment and the protection of intellectual property, and on expanding US&nbspexports to China and bilateral services trade, Xinhua reported. It gave no indication of what actions might be taken based on those exchanges. "My impression was that (the talks) didn't go well given the rhetoric," said Kevin Lai, senior economist at Daiwa Capital markets in Hong Kong. "I think the divide is still very big." In an editorial on its website, widely-read Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times cited people close to the talks as saying the Chinese "hit back hard" at US&nbspcriticism, letting them know that China won't give in. The United States has proposed tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese goods under its so-called "Section 301" intellectual property probe. Those could go into effect in June following the completion of a 60-day consultation period, but activation plans have been kept vague. China has said its own retaliatory tariffs on US&nbspgoods, including soybeans and aircraft, will go into effect if the US&nbspduties are imposed. The US&nbsptariffs focus heavily on technology products benefiting from the "Made in China 2025" programme, which promotes the development of 10 sectors including aerospace, robotics and clean-energy cars. Punitive action A breakthrough deal to fundamentally change China's economic policies was viewed as highly unlikely during the two-day visit, though any signs of meaningful progress in the dispute could delay any punitive action from the US "We are having very good conversations," Mnuchin told reporters earlier on Friday as he left his hotel. US&nbspPresident Donald Trump on Thursday praised his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as the US delegation began their talks, which were held at a state guest house in the western part of the Chinese capital. Trump has targeted China's massive trade surplus with the United States, in recent months demanding a $100 billion annual reduction in the $375 billion US&nbspgoods trade deficit with China. According to two sources with knowledge of the matter, the US&nbspdelegation submitted a document to the Chinese before the talks asking China to cut its trade surplus with the United States by $200 billion by 2020 and lower tariffs on all products to levels no higher than those imposed by the United States. The delegation also asked China to halt subsidies for advanced technology, the sources said. Chinese officials believed the proposal was "unfair," the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting people with knowledge of the negotiations. "I think the US&nbspis asking for the impossible. Reducing the deficit by $200 billion by 2020 is quite an unrealistic demand, but it may also be a negotiation tactic to start high first," said Tommy Xie, economist at OCBC Bank in Singapore. In a proposal submitted by the Chinese side, Beijing offered to increase US&nbspimports and lower tariffs on some goods, including cars, according to the sources. But China requested that the US&nbsptreat Chinese investment equally under national security reviews, stop issuing any new restrictions on investment, and halt a proposal to implement 25 per cent tariffs under its Section 301 probe. China also offered to reconsider anti-dumping duties on US&nbspsorghum, according to the proposal. No illusions US-based trade experts have said they expected Beijing to offer Trump's team a package of policy changes that may include some previously announced moves, such as a phase-out of joint venture requirements for some sectors, autos tariff reductions and increased purchases of US&nbspgoods. US&nbspcomplaints about Chinese intellectual property abuses are at the core of the current dispute. The Trump administration says US&nbspcompanies lose hundreds of billions of dollars annually to China's theft of trade secrets. Members of the Trump administration's delegation to Beijing for talks to try to stave off a trade war between the world's two largest economies included US&nbspTrade Representative Robert Lighthizer, a hard-line and experienced trade negotiator. Lighthizer said on Tuesday it was not his objective to change China's economic system, but that he would try to find ways to limit the damage it causes to the United States and open it further for US&nbspcompanies. Some economists noted that the deficit with China was the natural result of the large amount of manufacturing assembly of US&nbspproducts, such as iPhones, that takes place in China. "As long as China remains the assembly hub of the world, it's always going to have a large trade surplus with developed consumer countries like the US&nbspand the EU&nbspand that's not necessarily a problem," said Julian Evans-Pritchard, senior China economist at Capital Economics. The US&nbspdelegation also included Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and White House trade and manufacturing adviser Peter Navarro, a noted China trade hawk. Navarro advised Trump throughout his 2016 election campaign, during which the candidate routinely threatened to impose a 45 per cent across-the-board tariff on Chinese goods as a way to level the playing field for American workers.

China, US reach some deals in trade row but Beijing says differences still relatively big

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Thursday praised his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as officials from the world's two largest economies began trade talks in Beijing, while state media said China would stand up to US&nbsp;bullying.

A breakthrough deal to fundamentally change China's economic policies is viewed as highly unlikely during the two days of talks, though a package of short-term Chinese measures could delay Washington's decision to impose tariffs on about $50 billion worth of Chinese exports.

The discussions, led by US&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, are expected to cover a wide range of US&nbsp;complaints about China's trade practices, from accusations of forced technology transfers to state subsidies for technology development.

"Thrilled to be here. Thank you," Mnuchin told Reuters at his hotel when asked if he expected progress. He made no other comments.

As Mnuchin arrived, Trump tweeted: "Our great financial team is in China trying to negotiate a level playing field on trade! I look forward to being with President Xi in the not too distant future. We will always have a good (great) relationship!"

It was not clear when Trump and Xi might meet again next, though both will likely attend some of the same multilateral summits this year, including those of the G20 and APEC.

Throughout his 2016 election campaign, Trump routinely threatened to impose a 45 percent across-the-board tariff on Chinese goods as a way to level the playing field for American workers. At the time, he was also accusing China of manipulating its currency to gain an export advantage, a claim that his administration has since dropped.

The US&nbsp;Embassy in Beijing said the US&nbsp;delegation planned to meet Chinese officials on both days, in addition to US&nbsp;Ambassador Terry Branstad, before leaving on Friday evening.

The delegation returned to their hotel late on Thursday evening without taking questions from reporters, though, when asked how the talks were going, one unidentified US&nbsp;official said "Well."

In Washington, the US-China Business Council, which represents American companies doing business in China, said it was pleased the two governments were talking and urged a deal to end forced technology transfers and improve China's intellectual property protections.

"USCBC believes it is unlikely that the issues will be fully resolved in this meeting, but we hope the two sides will be able to lay out a path for continued negotiations that will lead to a solution and avoid tariffs and other commerce-slowing sanctions," the group said in a statement.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a briefing in Beijing: "The outcome should be mutually beneficial and win-win."

In a commentary widely cited in Chinese media on Thursday, the official Xinhua news agency said if things went poorly and a trade war did break out, China would never yield and would hit back strongly.

"China will inevitably suffer losses, but China has the political advantage of a centralised and unified leadership and support of a massive domestic market," it said.

The official China Daily said in an editorial that China would "stand up to the US' bullying as necessary."

"The US&nbsp;wants greater access to China's market, but it should not use trade actions as a battering ram to force China to open its doors. It is already in the process of opening them wider," the English-language newspaper said.

In doing so, China expected Washington to reciprocate and open its market to Chinese investment and competition, it said.

US&nbsp;tariffs ready in&nbsp;June

The first round of threatened tariffs under the US&nbsp;government's "Section 301" intellectual property probe focused heavily on technology products benefiting from a "Made in China 2025" programme to upgrade China's domestic manufacturing base with more advanced products.

The US&nbsp;tariffs could go into effect in June following the completion of a 60-day consultation period.

US-based trade experts said they expected Beijing to offer Trump's team a package of policy changes that may include some previously announced moves, such as a phase-out of joint venture requirements for some sectors, auto tariff reductions and increased purchases of US&nbsp;goods.

Trump has demanded a $100 billion annual reduction in the $375 billion US&nbsp;goods trade deficit with China.

But members of the diverse US&nbsp;trade delegation, which includes US&nbsp;Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, both of whom have been critical of China, are likely to have differing views on the merits of such an offer. 
&nbsp;

A breakthrough deal to fundamentally change China's economic policies is viewed as highly unlikely during the two days of talks

US President Donald Trump on Thursday praised his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as officials from the world's two largest economies began trade talks in Beijing, while state media said China would stand up to US bullying. A breakthrough deal to fundamentally change China's economic policies is viewed as highly unlikely during the two days of talks, though a package of short-term Chinese measures could delay Washington's decision to impose tariffs on about $50 billion worth of Chinese exports. The discussions, led by US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, are expected to cover a wide range of US complaints about China's trade practices, from accusations of forced technology transfers to state subsidies for technology development. "Thrilled to be here. Thank you," Mnuchin told Reuters at his hotel when asked if he expected progress. He made no other comments. As Mnuchin arrived, Trump tweeted: "Our great financial team is in China trying to negotiate a level playing field on trade! I look forward to being with President Xi in the not too distant future. We will always have a good (great) relationship!" It was not clear when Trump and Xi might meet again next, though both will likely attend some of the same multilateral summits this year, including those of the G20 and APEC. Throughout his 2016 election campaign, Trump routinely threatened to impose a 45 percent across-the-board tariff on Chinese goods as a way to level the playing field for American workers. At the time, he was also accusing China of manipulating its currency to gain an export advantage, a claim that his administration has since dropped. The US Embassy in Beijing said the US delegation planned to meet Chinese officials on both days, in addition to US Ambassador Terry Branstad, before leaving on Friday evening. The delegation returned to their hotel late on Thursday evening without taking questions from reporters, though, when asked how the talks were going, one unidentified US official said "Well." In Washington, the US-China Business Council, which represents American companies doing business in China, said it was pleased the two governments were talking and urged a deal to end forced technology transfers and improve China's intellectual property protections. "USCBC believes it is unlikely that the issues will be fully resolved in this meeting, but we hope the two sides will be able to lay out a path for continued negotiations that will lead to a solution and avoid tariffs and other commerce-slowing sanctions," the group said in a statement. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a briefing in Beijing: "The outcome should be mutually beneficial and win-win." In a commentary widely cited in Chinese media on Thursday, the official Xinhua news agency said if things went poorly and a trade war did break out, China would never yield and would hit back strongly. "China will inevitably suffer losses, but China has the political advantage of a centralised and unified leadership and support of a massive domestic market," it said. The official China Daily said in an editorial that China would "stand up to the US' bullying as necessary." "The US wants greater access to China's market, but it should not use trade actions as a battering ram to force China to open its doors. It is already in the process of opening them wider," the English-language newspaper said. In doing so, China expected Washington to reciprocate and open its market to Chinese investment and competition, it said. US tariffs ready in June The first round of threatened tariffs under the US government's "Section 301" intellectual property probe focused heavily on technology products benefiting from a "Made in China 2025" programme to upgrade China's domestic manufacturing base with more advanced products. The US tariffs could go into effect in June following the completion of a 60-day consultation period. US-based trade experts said they expected Beijing to offer Trump's team a package of policy changes that may include some previously announced moves, such as a phase-out of joint venture requirements for some sectors, auto tariff reductions and increased purchases of US goods. Trump has demanded a $100 billion annual reduction in the $375 billion US goods trade deficit with China. But members of the diverse US trade delegation, which includes US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, both of whom have been critical of China, are likely to have differing views on the merits of such an offer.

Trump praises China's Xi as trade talks begin in Beijing

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said on Thursday his lawyer Michael Cohen did not use presidential campaign funds to pay Stormy Daniels as part of a contract he said was aimed at stopping the adult-film star from making "false and extortionist accusations" about an affair.

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"Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll (sic) in this transaction," Trump wrote in one of a series of posts on Twitter early on Thursday.

His comments come after former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who joined Trump's legal team last month, said on Wednesday Trump had reimbursed Cohen the $130,000 that was given to Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged affair with the president.

Trump had told reporters on Air Force One last month that he did not know about the payment or the source of the money.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has filed two lawsuits against Trump, one to get out of the non-disclosure agreement she signed in October 2016 in exchange for the $130,000, and another for defamation.

Asked about the president's Thursday morning tweets, her lawyer Michael Avenatti told MSNBC the president had opened himself up to another possible lawsuit for defamation.

'Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll (sic) in this transaction,' Trump wrote in one of a series of posts on Twitter early on Thursday.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday his lawyer Michael Cohen did not use presidential campaign funds to pay Stormy Daniels as part of a contract he said was aimed at stopping the adult-film star from making "false and extortionist accusations" about an affair. × "Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll (sic) in this transaction," Trump wrote in one of a series of posts on Twitter early on Thursday. His comments come after former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who joined Trump's legal team last month, said on Wednesday Trump had reimbursed Cohen the $130,000 that was given to Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged affair with the president. Trump had told reporters on Air Force One last month that he did not know about the payment or the source of the money. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has filed two lawsuits against Trump, one to get out of the non-disclosure agreement she signed in October 2016 in exchange for the $130,000, and another for defamation. Asked about the president's Thursday morning tweets, her lawyer Michael Avenatti told MSNBC the president had opened himself up to another possible lawsuit for defamation.

Porn star Stormy Daniels was not paid with campaign money: Trump

North Korea must commit to dismantling its nuclear weapons programme, new US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday during a swearing-in ceremony at the State Department where he was strongly endorsed by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

It was Trump's first visit to the State Department, where he was greeted by loud applause from several hundred people gathered in the Benjamin Franklin state dining room.

"That's more spirit than I've heard from the State Department in a long time," Trump joked, praising Pompeo's credentials and record as CIA director.

Trump fired his first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, in March after public disagreements over North Korea, Iran and Russia. The department had been sidelined on major foreign policy issues and shaken by the resignation of senior diplomats.

"I have no doubt that you will make America proud as our nation's chief diplomat," Trump told Pompeo before Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath in a ceremonial swearing in.

Pompeo, who secretly met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over the Easter weekend, said North Korea must commit to immediately dismantling its weapons programme, adding that efforts to denuclearize Pyongyang were still in the "beginning stages" and the outcomes "unknown."

"We are committed to the permanent, verifiable, irreversible dismantling of North Korea's weapons of mass destruction programme and to do so without delay," he said as Trump prepares for a historic meeting with Kim to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear missile programme.

In a statement later marking North Korea Freedom Week, the State Department said it was gravely concerned about human rights abuses by what it called one of the most repressive and abusive governments in the world.

"We remain gravely concerned and deeply troubled by these abuses," the department said. "In tandem with the maximum pressure campaign, we will continue to press for accountability for those responsible."

Listing major challenges ahead, Pompeo said the United States was deciding on next steps of a "flawed" nuclear deal with Iran and confronting Moscow's "acts of aggression".

"My team and I will be unrelenting in confronting those threats," said Pompeo. "We will deploy tough diplomacy when necessary to put the interest of the American people first," he added.

Pompeo sought to quickly put his mark on his new role as secretary of state by rushing off to meet allies in Europe and the Middle East moments after he was confirmed on Thursday.

In his talks with NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, Pompeo emphasized Russian aggression and pushed for higher defence spending.

In the Middle East, he warned of Iran's "malign behaviour" as he discussed changes to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

He stressed that the United States had not decided whether to withdraw from the deal struck with Iran and six major powers including France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China.

It was Trump's first visit to the State Department, where he was greeted by loud applause from several hundred people gathered in the Benjamin Franklin state dining room

North Korea must commit to dismantling its nuclear weapons programme, new US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday during a swearing-in ceremony at the State Department where he was strongly endorsed by US President Donald Trump. It was Trump's first visit to the State Department, where he was greeted by loud applause from several hundred people gathered in the Benjamin Franklin state dining room. "That's more spirit than I've heard from the State Department in a long time," Trump joked, praising Pompeo's credentials and record as CIA director. Trump fired his first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, in March after public disagreements over North Korea, Iran and Russia. The department had been sidelined on major foreign policy issues and shaken by the resignation of senior diplomats. "I have no doubt that you will make America proud as our nation's chief diplomat," Trump told Pompeo before Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath in a ceremonial swearing in. Pompeo, who secretly met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over the Easter weekend, said North Korea must commit to immediately dismantling its weapons programme, adding that efforts to denuclearize Pyongyang were still in the "beginning stages" and the outcomes "unknown." "We are committed to the permanent, verifiable, irreversible dismantling of North Korea's weapons of mass destruction programme and to do so without delay," he said as Trump prepares for a historic meeting with Kim to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear missile programme. In a statement later marking North Korea Freedom Week, the State Department said it was gravely concerned about human rights abuses by what it called one of the most repressive and abusive governments in the world. "We remain gravely concerned and deeply troubled by these abuses," the department said. "In tandem with the maximum pressure campaign, we will continue to press for accountability for those responsible." Listing major challenges ahead, Pompeo said the United States was deciding on next steps of a "flawed" nuclear deal with Iran and confronting Moscow's "acts of aggression". "My team and I will be unrelenting in confronting those threats," said Pompeo. "We will deploy tough diplomacy when necessary to put the interest of the American people first," he added. Pompeo sought to quickly put his mark on his new role as secretary of state by rushing off to meet allies in Europe and the Middle East moments after he was confirmed on Thursday. In his talks with NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, Pompeo emphasized Russian aggression and pushed for higher defence spending. In the Middle East, he warned of Iran's "malign behaviour" as he discussed changes to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. He stressed that the United States had not decided whether to withdraw from the deal struck with Iran and six major powers including France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China.

North Korea must denuclearise: Pompeo

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/many-killed-as-bus-catches-fire-in-bihars-motihari-134410">27 killed after bus overturns, catches fire in Bihar's Motihari</a>

At least 27 people died afer a bus overturned and caught fire in Bihar's Motihari district.&nbsp;

The bus reportedly fell into a ditch, after which it caught fire.&nbsp;

The government has announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the families of each of the victims.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-national-film-awards-2018-68-winners-skip-ceremony-janhvi-kapoor-a-r-rahman-attend-134403">National Film Awards: 68 winners skip ceremony because President Kovind does not present all awards</a>

Sixty-eight winners of the National Film Awards skipped the awards ceremony this afternoon in Delhi.&nbsp;

The winners were miffed that President Ram Nath Kovind was handing out only 11 of the National Awards, and that the rest would be handed out by Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/dust-storm-kills-close-to-100-in-uttar-pradesh-rajasthan-134406">Dust storm kills close to 100 in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan</a>

A severe dust storm followed by thunder showers hit parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan overnight, killing nearly 100 people and leaving a trail of destruction.

Houses collapsed and trees and poles were uprooted in the storm that also led to power outages.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-money-for-his-lawyer-cohen-not-from-the-campaign-134417">Porn star</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-money-for-his-lawyer-cohen-not-from-the-campaign-134417"> Stormy Daniels was not paid with campaign money: Trump</a>

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday his lawyer Michael Cohen did not use presidential campaign funds to pay Stormy Daniels as part of a contract he said was aimed at stopping the adult-film star from making "false and extortionist accusations" about an affair.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-45-youth-including-mba-phd-scholar-join-terrorist-ranks-in-2018-134419">Kashmir: 45 youths including MBA, PhD scholar join terrorist ranks in 2018</a>

At least 45 youths from the Kashmir Valley, including an MBA graduate and a PhD scholar, have joined militancy this year till mid-April, according to officials. The unusual surge in numbers has taken the security establishment by surprise.

27 killed after bus overturns, catches fire in Bihar's Motihari At least 27 people died afer a bus overturned and caught fire in Bihar's Motihari district. The bus reportedly fell into a ditch, after which it caught fire. The government has announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the families of each of the victims. National Film Awards: 68 winners skip ceremony because President Kovind does not present all awards Sixty-eight winners of the National Film Awards skipped the awards ceremony this afternoon in Delhi. The winners were miffed that President Ram Nath Kovind was handing out only 11 of the National Awards, and that the rest would be handed out by Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani. Dust storm kills close to 100 in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan A severe dust storm followed by thunder showers hit parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan overnight, killing nearly 100 people and leaving a trail of destruction. Houses collapsed and trees and poles were uprooted in the storm that also led to power outages. Porn star Stormy Daniels was not paid with campaign money: Trump US President Donald Trump said on Thursday his lawyer Michael Cohen did not use presidential campaign funds to pay Stormy Daniels as part of a contract he said was aimed at stopping the adult-film star from making "false and extortionist accusations" about an affair. Kashmir: 45 youths including MBA, PhD scholar join terrorist ranks in 2018 At least 45 youths from the Kashmir Valley, including an MBA graduate and a PhD scholar, have joined militancy this year till mid-April, according to officials. The unusual surge in numbers has taken the security establishment by surprise.

Loyal supporters of Donald Trump in House of Representatives have nominated the US President's name for Nobel Peace Prize.

The members from House of Representatives have sent a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee for their proposal.&nbsp;

The nomination was headed by Indiana's Rep. Luke Messer, who is locked in a fierce GOP primary battle in the Hoosier State for a Senate seat.Besides Messer, other members endorsing the proposal are Freedom Caucus leader Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina and Rep. Steve King of Iowa.&nbsp;

The members have advocated the nomination by stating that the President deserves the award because of his efforts to end the Korean War and ensuring peace in the peninsula.

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Before Trump, four US Presidents have been bestowed with the award including Barack Obama, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter.

While addressing a re-election rally in Michigan on Saturday, US President Donald Trump was welcomed with chants of "Nobel, Nobel" by the crowd.&nbsp;The crowd's&nbsp;chant was in response to Trump's discussion on his efforts in North Korea.

The members have advocated the nomination by stating that the President deserves the award because of his efforts to end the Korean War and ensuring peace in the peninsula

Loyal supporters of Donald Trump in House of Representatives have nominated the US President's name for Nobel Peace Prize. The members from House of Representatives have sent a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee for their proposal. The nomination was headed by Indiana's Rep. Luke Messer, who is locked in a fierce GOP primary battle in the Hoosier State for a Senate seat.Besides Messer, other members endorsing the proposal are Freedom Caucus leader Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina and Rep. Steve King of Iowa. The members have advocated the nomination by stating that the President deserves the award because of his efforts to end the Korean War and ensuring peace in the peninsula. × Before Trump, four US Presidents have been bestowed with the award including Barack Obama, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter. While addressing a re-election rally in Michigan on Saturday, US President Donald Trump was welcomed with chants of "Nobel, Nobel" by the crowd. The crowd's chant was in response to Trump's discussion on his efforts in North Korea.

House of Representatives nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

Donald Trump reimbursed his personal attorney Michael Cohen $ 130,000 he had given to the adult-film star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election to buy her silence over an alleged affair with the then US presidential candidate, one of the president's lawyers said today.

Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York mayor and a recent addition to President Trump's legal team dealing with the Russian investigation, let out the bombshell detail during an interview on Fox News.

The disclosure contradicts Trump's own firm statement, made on Air Force One last month, that he had no knowledge of his private lawyer Michael Cohen having paid Daniels the&nbsp $130,000 sum.&nbsp

"That money was not campaign&nbspmoney. It's not campaign&nbspmoney. No campaign finance violation," Giuliani said.

He said that the money was funnelled through the law firm and the President repaid him.&nbsp

"He (Trump) paid him back. No campaign finance violations, no crime of any kind. Michael had the discretion to solve these," Giuliani told The Wall Street Journal in another interview.&nbsp

When the daily asked whether the fact that Trump had repaid his lawyer conflicted with the president's previous statements that he was unaware of the payment, Giuliani said it was "not [an] issue".&nbsp

"Cohen was his lawyer and had discretion to settle, as I have had for clients ultimately paying for it," he said.&nbsp

Trump was "probably not aware" of the payment at the time it was made, he said.

The former New York Mayor later told Fox News that Trump repaid Cohen "over several months" by putting him on a "retainer of $ 35,000 when he was doing no work for the president."&nbsp

Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said, "This is exactly what we predicted would ultimately be shown. Every American, regardless of their politics, should be outraged."

Asked if Giuliani's admission is evidence of a campaign finance violation, Avenatti simply said, "Yes."

The president has repeatedly denied that he had an affair Daniels, who has described having intimate contact with Trump before he became president.

Giuliani's comments are also in direct contrast to what Cohen has been saying for months that he used his own money to pay the actress.

Cohen is under investigation by the FBI, which raided his home and office last month and seized documents that included information about the payment to Daniels.&nbsp

The hush-money payment to Daniels is reportedly a focus of a federal investigation into Cohen's private finances and business interests. Investigators are likely to examine whether the payment was legal under election campaign finance laws and whether Cohen disclosed the true reason for borrowing the funds.&nbsp

Donald Trump reimbursed his personal attorney Michael Cohen $ 130,000 he had given to the adult-film star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election to buy her silence over an alleged affair with the then US presidential candidate, one of the president's lawyers said today

Donald Trump reimbursed his personal attorney Michael Cohen $ 130,000 he had given to the adult-film star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election to buy her silence over an alleged affair with the then US presidential candidate, one of the president's lawyers said today. Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York mayor and a recent addition to President Trump's legal team dealing with the Russian investigation, let out the bombshell detail during an interview on Fox News. The disclosure contradicts Trump's own firm statement, made on Air Force One last month, that he had no knowledge of his private lawyer Michael Cohen having paid Daniels the $130,000 sum. "That money was not campaign&nbspmoney. It's not campaign&nbspmoney. No campaign finance violation," Giuliani said. He said that the money was funnelled through the law firm and the President repaid him. "He (Trump) paid him back. No campaign finance violations, no crime of any kind. Michael had the discretion to solve these," Giuliani told The Wall Street Journal in another interview. When the daily asked whether the fact that Trump had repaid his lawyer conflicted with the president's previous statements that he was unaware of the payment, Giuliani said it was "not [an] issue". "Cohen was his lawyer and had discretion to settle, as I have had for clients ultimately paying for it," he said. Trump was "probably not aware" of the payment at the time it was made, he said. The former New York Mayor later told Fox News that Trump repaid Cohen "over several months" by putting him on a "retainer of $ 35,000 when he was doing no work for the president." Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said, "This is exactly what we predicted would ultimately be shown. Every American, regardless of their politics, should be outraged." Asked if Giuliani's admission is evidence of a campaign finance violation, Avenatti simply said, "Yes." The president has repeatedly denied that he had an affair Daniels, who has described having intimate contact with Trump before he became president. Giuliani's comments are also in direct contrast to what Cohen has been saying for months that he used his own money to pay the actress. Cohen is under investigation by the FBI, which raided his home and office last month and seized documents that included information about the payment to Daniels. The hush-money payment to Daniels is reportedly a focus of a federal investigation into Cohen's private finances and business interests. Investigators are likely to examine whether the payment was legal under election campaign finance laws and whether Cohen disclosed the true reason for borrowing the funds.

Trump repaid Cohen for Stormy Daniels hush money: Rudolph Giuliani

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