United States President Donald Trump on Sunday announced on Twitter that there will not be a deal on legalising the status on young adult immigrants known as Dreamers, declaring that the US-Mexico border is becoming more dangerous.

After posting a "Happy Easter" message on the social media platform, Trump followed with: "Border Patrol Agents are not allowed to properly do their job at the Border because of ridiculous liberal (Democrat) laws like Catch & Release. Getting more dangerous. 'Caravans' coming. Republicans must go to Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW. NO MORE DACA DEAL!"

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Border Patrol Agents are not allowed to properly do their job at the Border because of ridiculous liberal (Democrat) laws like Catch & Release. Getting more dangerous. “Caravans” coming. Republicans must go to Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW. NO MORE DACA DEAL!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/980443810529533952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He also threatened to kill the North American Free Trade Agreement, which is currently being renegotiated with Mexico and Canada.

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These big flows of people are all trying to take advantage of DACA. They want in on the act!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/980451798606602241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is the program created in 2012 under Democratic former President Barack Obama that Trump sought to rescind last autumn. Designed for individuals brought to the United States as children by parents who were undocumented immigrants, the program shielded the individuals from deportation and gave them work permits.

Trump is spending the Easter holiday in Palm Beach, Florida, at his Mar-a-Lago resort. He told reporters on his way into Easter services that “Mexico has got to help us at the border.”

Trump has said he was open to brokering a deal with congressional Democrats who want to protect the program in exchange for funding to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall, a frequent campaign trail promise. He insisted during his presidential campaign Mexico would pay for the wall.

Although Trump threatened a veto last month of an omnibus spending bill because it did not address the fate of Dreamers and did not fully fund his border wall, he did sign the bill.

Trump on Sunday continued on Twitter that Mexico is doing "very little, if not NOTHING," to stop the flow of people across the southern border.

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Mexico is doing very little, if not NOTHING, at stopping people from flowing into Mexico through their Southern Border, and then into the U.S. They laugh at our dumb immigration laws. They must stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA. NEED WALL!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/980451155548491777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"They laugh at our dumb immigration laws. They must stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA. NEED WALL!"

&nbsp;

Trump also threatened to kill the North American Free Trade Agreement, which is currently being renegotiated with Mexico and Canada.

United States President Donald Trump on Sunday announced on Twitter that there will not be a deal on legalising the status on young adult immigrants known as Dreamers, declaring that the US-Mexico border is becoming more dangerous. After posting a "Happy Easter" message on the social media platform, Trump followed with: "Border Patrol Agents are not allowed to properly do their job at the Border because of ridiculous liberal (Democrat) laws like Catch & Release. Getting more dangerous. 'Caravans' coming. Republicans must go to Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW. NO MORE DACA DEAL!" Border Patrol Agents are not allowed to properly do their job at the Border because of ridiculous liberal (Democrat) laws like Catch & Release. Getting more dangerous. “Caravans” coming. Republicans must go to Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW. NO MORE DACA DEAL! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2018 × He also threatened to kill the North American Free Trade Agreement, which is currently being renegotiated with Mexico and Canada. These big flows of people are all trying to take advantage of DACA. They want in on the act! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2018 × DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is the program created in 2012 under Democratic former President Barack Obama that Trump sought to rescind last autumn. Designed for individuals brought to the United States as children by parents who were undocumented immigrants, the program shielded the individuals from deportation and gave them work permits. Trump is spending the Easter holiday in Palm Beach, Florida, at his Mar-a-Lago resort. He told reporters on his way into Easter services that “Mexico has got to help us at the border.” Trump has said he was open to brokering a deal with congressional Democrats who want to protect the program in exchange for funding to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall, a frequent campaign trail promise. He insisted during his presidential campaign Mexico would pay for the wall. Although Trump threatened a veto last month of an omnibus spending bill because it did not address the fate of Dreamers and did not fully fund his border wall, he did sign the bill. Trump on Sunday continued on Twitter that Mexico is doing "very little, if not NOTHING," to stop the flow of people across the southern border. Mexico is doing very little, if not NOTHING, at stopping people from flowing into Mexico through their Southern Border, and then into the U.S. They laugh at our dumb immigration laws. They must stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA. NEED WALL! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2018 × "They laugh at our dumb immigration laws. They must stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA. NEED WALL!"

Trump says DACA deal for young adult immigrants is off

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/h-1b-application-process-to-begin-tomorrow-us-to-reject-multiple-filings-for-similar-visa-seeker-127676">H-1B application process to begin tomorrow </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/h-1b-application-process-to-begin-tomorrow-us-to-reject-multiple-filings-for-similar-visa-seeker-127676">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/h-1b-application-process-to-begin-tomorrow-us-to-reject-multiple-filings-for-similar-visa-seeker-127676"> to reject multiple filings for similar visa-seeker</a>

The process of filing petitions for H-1B, considered as the most sought-after work visa among highly skilled Indian professionals, begins tomorrow amidst unprecedented scrutiny by the Trump Administration.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-says-it-has-lost-contact-with-its-communications-satellite-gsat-6a-127601">ISRO says it has lost contact with its communications satellite GSAT-6A</a>

ISRO has said that it has lost communictions links with its GSAT-6A satellite.&nbsp

The GSAT-6A had been launched on board the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) on Thursday.&nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/israel-rejects-calls-for-independent-probe-of-gaza-violence-127662">Israel rejects calls for independent probe of Gaza violence</a>

Israel rejected calls for an independent probe on Sunday after its soldiers killed 16 Palestinians and wounded hundreds more when a major demonstration led to clashes along the border with the Gaza Strip.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/people-around-the-world-celebrate-holy-festival-of-easter-127653#photo-127631">People around the world celebrate holy festival of Easter</a>

Christians in different parts of the world gathered together on Sunday as they attended the holy mass on Easter, the day of resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter festival begins on Good Friday and culminates when Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead, three days after being crucified. During the holy week, devotees observe a 40-day fasting ritual where they avoid having meat and alcohol.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-arrests-five-police-officials-over-deadly-jail-disaster-127620">Venezuela arrests five police officials over deadly jail disaster</a>

Venezuela arrested five state police officials for their alleged role in a riot and fire that killed 68 people in an overcrowded police station cell, the country's public prosecutor said on Saturday.

H-1B application process to begin tomorrow US to reject multiple filings for similar visa-seeker The process of filing petitions for H-1B, considered as the most sought-after work visa among highly skilled Indian professionals, begins tomorrow amidst unprecedented scrutiny by the Trump Administration. ISRO says it has lost contact with its communications satellite GSAT-6A ISRO has said that it has lost communictions links with its GSAT-6A satellite. The GSAT-6A had been launched on board the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) on Thursday. Israel rejects calls for independent probe of Gaza violence Israel rejected calls for an independent probe on Sunday after its soldiers killed 16 Palestinians and wounded hundreds more when a major demonstration led to clashes along the border with the Gaza Strip. People around the world celebrate holy festival of Easter Christians in different parts of the world gathered together on Sunday as they attended the holy mass on Easter, the day of resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter festival begins on Good Friday and culminates when Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead, three days after being crucified. During the holy week, devotees observe a 40-day fasting ritual where they avoid having meat and alcohol. Venezuela arrests five police officials over deadly jail disaster Venezuela arrested five state police officials for their alleged role in a riot and fire that killed 68 people in an overcrowded police station cell, the country's public prosecutor said on Saturday.

WION evening news brief, April 1, 2018

Russian diplomats expelled from the United States arrived in Moscow on Sunday, with post-Cold War tensions peaking in the wake of a nerve agent attack on a former spy in Britain.

A deepening crisis in ties between Russia and the West has over the past weeks seen the biggest wave of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions in recent memory.

In further signs of tension, Russia warned its nationals on Saturday to think twice before travelling to Britain, where it said they could be singled out for harassment by local authorities.

By expelling 60 Russian diplomats, the US joined a score of Britain's allies in responding to the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury on March 4.

Two planes arrived at Moscow's Vnukovo airport on Sunday, bringing home a total of 171 people -- the 60 diplomats and their families -- from Washington and New York.

Russian television showed passengers disembarking from a government plane while several buses waited to pick them up.

More than 150 Russian diplomats have now been ordered out of the US, EU members, NATO countries and other nations.

Britain has said it is "highly likely" that Russia was responsible for the Skripal attack using the Soviet-designed Novichok nerve agent. Russia has angrily denied any involvement.

The US alleged the 60 diplomats were "spies" and sent them home from posts around the country and at the Russian mission to the United Nations, as well as closing Russia's consulate in Seattle.

However Washington has since said that Russia is free to apply to accredit more diplomats to replace those expelled.

Moscow responded by expelling 60 US diplomats and closing Washington's consulate in Saint Petersburg on Saturday.

Work to improve ties

US President Donald Trump has often appeared reluctant to criticise Russian leader Vladimir Putin and has said the two could meet for a summit in the near future.

"Now the consulate is closed but our work to improve Russian-US ties is continuing," the US embassy in Moscow said on Twitter.

Moscow also issued further retaliatory measures against Britain on Saturday, demanding that London further slash its diplomatic presence.

"Russia suggested parity. The British side has more than 50 more people," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told AFP.&nbsp

The call came after 23 British diplomats were expelled from Russia last month.

Moscow also closed a British consulate in Saint Petersburg and suspended all projects of the British Council for the first time in nearly 60 years.

Threatening rhetoric

The Russian embassy in London urged Russians to think carefully before travelling to the UK or sending children to summer school there.

The embassy warned that British authorities including police could single out Russians for additional checks, citing "the anti-Russian policies and an escalation of the British side's threatening rhetoric".

Britain acknowledged Saturday that border officials had searched an incoming Aeroflot flight from Moscow in what Russia blasted as an act of "blatant provocation".

Britain said it conducts routine checks on aircraft to protect the UK from organised crime and people attempting to bring harmful substances into the country.

Earlier this week Moscow summoned British ambassador Laurie Bristow, giving London a month to cut the number of diplomatic staff in Russia to the same number Russia has in Britain.&nbsp

He was handed a protest note over the "provocative and unfounded actions of the British side which instigated the unwarranted expulsion of Russian diplomats from a variety of states," the Russian foreign ministry said.&nbsp

Bristow was summoned along with the heads of missions from 23 other countries -- most of them EU member states -- who were told that some of their diplomats had to leave.

France, Germany, Canada and Poland each said that Russia was expelling four of their diplomats.&nbsp

Other countries including Australia, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania and Norway were also told to pull their envoys.&nbsp

Russian diplomats expelled from the United States arrived in Moscow on Sunday, with post-Cold War tensions peaking in the wake of a nerve agent attack on a former spy in Britain

Russian diplomats expelled from the United States arrived in Moscow on Sunday, with post-Cold War tensions peaking in the wake of a nerve agent attack on a former spy in Britain. A deepening crisis in ties between Russia and the West has over the past weeks seen the biggest wave of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions in recent memory. In further signs of tension, Russia warned its nationals on Saturday to think twice before travelling to Britain, where it said they could be singled out for harassment by local authorities. By expelling 60 Russian diplomats, the US joined a score of Britain's allies in responding to the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. Two planes arrived at Moscow's Vnukovo airport on Sunday, bringing home a total of 171 people -- the 60 diplomats and their families -- from Washington and New York. Russian television showed passengers disembarking from a government plane while several buses waited to pick them up. More than 150 Russian diplomats have now been ordered out of the US, EU members, NATO countries and other nations. Britain has said it is "highly likely" that Russia was responsible for the Skripal attack using the Soviet-designed Novichok nerve agent. Russia has angrily denied any involvement. The US alleged the 60 diplomats were "spies" and sent them home from posts around the country and at the Russian mission to the United Nations, as well as closing Russia's consulate in Seattle. However Washington has since said that Russia is free to apply to accredit more diplomats to replace those expelled. Moscow responded by expelling 60 US diplomats and closing Washington's consulate in Saint Petersburg on Saturday. Work to improve ties US President Donald Trump has often appeared reluctant to criticise Russian leader Vladimir Putin and has said the two could meet for a summit in the near future. "Now the consulate is closed but our work to improve Russian-US ties is continuing," the US embassy in Moscow said on Twitter. Moscow also issued further retaliatory measures against Britain on Saturday, demanding that London further slash its diplomatic presence. "Russia suggested parity. The British side has more than 50 more people," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told AFP. The call came after 23 British diplomats were expelled from Russia last month. Moscow also closed a British consulate in Saint Petersburg and suspended all projects of the British Council for the first time in nearly 60 years. Threatening rhetoric The Russian embassy in London urged Russians to think carefully before travelling to the UK or sending children to summer school there. The embassy warned that British authorities including police could single out Russians for additional checks, citing "the anti-Russian policies and an escalation of the British side's threatening rhetoric". Britain acknowledged Saturday that border officials had searched an incoming Aeroflot flight from Moscow in what Russia blasted as an act of "blatant provocation". Britain said it conducts routine checks on aircraft to protect the UK from organised crime and people attempting to bring harmful substances into the country. Earlier this week Moscow summoned British ambassador Laurie Bristow, giving London a month to cut the number of diplomatic staff in Russia to the same number Russia has in Britain. He was handed a protest note over the "provocative and unfounded actions of the British side which instigated the unwarranted expulsion of Russian diplomats from a variety of states," the Russian foreign ministry said. Bristow was summoned along with the heads of missions from 23 other countries -- most of them EU member states -- who were told that some of their diplomats had to leave. France, Germany, Canada and Poland each said that Russia was expelling four of their diplomats. Other countries including Australia, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania and Norway were also told to pull their envoys.

Expelled Russians arrive home as Moscow warns against travel to UK

President Donald Trump has told advisers he wants an early exit of US troops from Syria, two senior administration officials said on Friday, a stance that may put him at odds with US military officials who see the fight against Islamic State as nowhere near complete.&nbsp;

A National Security Council meeting is set for early next week to discuss the US-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria, according to US officials familiar with the plan.&nbsp;

Two other administration officials confirmed a Wall Street Journal report on Friday that said Trump had ordered the State Department to freeze more than $200 million in funds for recovery efforts in Syria while his administration reassesses Washington`s role in the conflict there.&nbsp;

Trump called for the freeze after reading a news report that the US had recently committed an additional $200 million to stabilize areas recaptured from Islamic State, the paper said.&nbsp;

The funding was announced by departing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in February at a meeting in Kuwait of the global coalition against Islamic State.&nbsp;

The decision to freeze the funds was in line with Trump`s declaration during a speech in Richfield, Ohio, on Thursday, where he said it was time for America to exit Syria.&nbsp;

A spokesperson for the White House`s National Security Council said that "in line with the President`s guidance, the Department of State continually re-evaluates appropriate assistance levels and how best they might be utilized, which they do on an ongoing basis."&nbsp;

Trump is spending Easter weekend at his Palm Beach, Florida, estate.&nbsp;

"We`ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon," Trump said on Thursday, based on allied victories against Islamic State militants.&nbsp;

"Let the other people take care of it now. Very soon, very soon, we`re coming out," Trump said. "We're going to get back to our country, where we belong, where we want to be."

Trump`s comments came as France said on Friday it could increase its military presence in Syria to bolster the US-led campaign.&nbsp;

While the Pentagon has estimated that Islamic State has lost about 98 per cent of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria, US- military officials have warned that the militants could regain the freed areas quickly unless they are stabilized. 
Trump still needs to be convinced of that, said the US officials with knowledge of the NSC meeting.&nbsp;

US Deliberations

The two administration officials who confirmed the Wall Street Journal report and spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said Trump's comments on Thursday reflected internal deliberations with advisers in which he has wondered aloud why US forces should remain with the militants on their heels.&nbsp;

Trump has made clear that "once ISIS and its remnants are destroyed that the United States would be looking toward having countries in the region playing a larger role in ensuring security and leaving it at that," one official said.

Such a policy is nowhere near complete, however, the official added.&nbsp;

The second official said Trump`s national security advisers have told him US forces should stay in small numbers for at least a couple of years to make sure gains against the militants are held and ensure Syria does not essentially become a permanent Iranian base.&nbsp;

Top national security aides discussed Syria in a White House meeting recently but have yet to settle on a strategy for US forces in Syria to recommend to Trump going forward, the official said.

&nbsp;"So far he has not given an order to just get out," the official said. About 2,000 US troops are deployed in Syria.&nbsp;

Trump last year went through a similar wrenching debate over whether to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan, ultimately agreeing to keep them there but only after repeatedly raising questions of why they should stay.&nbsp;

Trump`s view on Syria may put him at odds with those of former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, named by Trump a week ago to replace H.R. McMaster as White House national security adviser.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A National Security Council meeting is set for early next week to discuss the US-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria, according to US officials familiar with the plan

President Donald Trump has told advisers he wants an early exit of US troops from Syria, two senior administration officials said on Friday, a stance that may put him at odds with US military officials who see the fight against Islamic State as nowhere near complete. A National Security Council meeting is set for early next week to discuss the US-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria, according to US officials familiar with the plan. Two other administration officials confirmed a Wall Street Journal report on Friday that said Trump had ordered the State Department to freeze more than $200 million in funds for recovery efforts in Syria while his administration reassesses Washington`s role in the conflict there. Trump called for the freeze after reading a news report that the US had recently committed an additional $200 million to stabilize areas recaptured from Islamic State, the paper said. The funding was announced by departing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in February at a meeting in Kuwait of the global coalition against Islamic State. The decision to freeze the funds was in line with Trump`s declaration during a speech in Richfield, Ohio, on Thursday, where he said it was time for America to exit Syria. A spokesperson for the White House`s National Security Council said that "in line with the President`s guidance, the Department of State continually re-evaluates appropriate assistance levels and how best they might be utilized, which they do on an ongoing basis." Trump is spending Easter weekend at his Palm Beach, Florida, estate. "We`ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon," Trump said on Thursday, based on allied victories against Islamic State militants. "Let the other people take care of it now. Very soon, very soon, we`re coming out," Trump said. "We're going to get back to our country, where we belong, where we want to be." Trump`s comments came as France said on Friday it could increase its military presence in Syria to bolster the US-led campaign. While the Pentagon has estimated that Islamic State has lost about 98 per cent of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria, US- military officials have warned that the militants could regain the freed areas quickly unless they are stabilized. Trump still needs to be convinced of that, said the US officials with knowledge of the NSC meeting. US Deliberations The two administration officials who confirmed the Wall Street Journal report and spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said Trump's comments on Thursday reflected internal deliberations with advisers in which he has wondered aloud why US forces should remain with the militants on their heels. Trump has made clear that "once ISIS and its remnants are destroyed that the United States would be looking toward having countries in the region playing a larger role in ensuring security and leaving it at that," one official said. Such a policy is nowhere near complete, however, the official added. The second official said Trump`s national security advisers have told him US forces should stay in small numbers for at least a couple of years to make sure gains against the militants are held and ensure Syria does not essentially become a permanent Iranian base. Top national security aides discussed Syria in a White House meeting recently but have yet to settle on a strategy for US forces in Syria to recommend to Trump going forward, the official said. "So far he has not given an order to just get out," the official said. About 2,000 US troops are deployed in Syria. Trump last year went through a similar wrenching debate over whether to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan, ultimately agreeing to keep them there but only after repeatedly raising questions of why they should stay. Trump`s view on Syria may put him at odds with those of former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, named by Trump a week ago to replace H.R. McMaster as White House national security adviser.

Trump tells advisers he wants US out of Syria: Senior officials

US President Donald Trump on Saturday resumed his attacks against online retailing giant Amazon and accused The Washington Post, owned by Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos, of lobbying for the company.

His latest comments, two days after a similar swipe against Amazon, coincided with a report in Saturday's Post about three different legal efforts "trying to pry open" the books of the president's umbrella company, the Trump Organization.

On Twitter, Trump claimed the US Postal Service loses "billions of dollars" delivering packages for Amazon.

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While we are on the subject, it is reported that the U.S. Post Office will lose $1.50 on average for each package it delivers for Amazon. That amounts to Billions of Dollars. The Failing N.Y. Times reports that “the size of the company’s lobbying staff has ballooned,” and that...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/980063581592047617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"This Post Office scam must stop. Amazon must pay real costs (and taxes) now!", he wrote.

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...does not include the Fake Washington Post, which is used as a “lobbyist” and should so REGISTER. If the P.O. “increased its parcel rates, Amazon’s shipping costs would rise by $2.6 Billion.” This Post Office scam must stop. Amazon must pay real costs (and taxes) now!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/980065419632566272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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For the first quarter of the 2018 financial year the US Postal Service reported "strong package growth," with revenue in the segment up 9.3 percent from the same period last year to $505 million.

That did not offset the fall of $557 million in first-class and marketing mail revenue, the post office said.

Trump further alleged Saturday that Amazon's lobbying staff "does not include the Fake Washington Post," and said the Post should register as an official lobbyist.

The Post report on Saturday referred to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's reported subpoena of Trump Organization documents related to Russia.

Mueller is probing whether there was collusion between Trump's 2016 election campaign and Moscow, as well as possible obstruction of justice.

The newspaper also reported that a lawsuit filed by porn actress Stormy Daniels over an alleged a sexual encounter with Trump has brought additional scrutiny to the Trump Organization.&nbsp;

Finally, it mentioned the District of Columbia and State of Maryland's suing of Trump over allegations that his "financial entanglements" violate the Constitution.

Trump is spending Easter weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. He sent his latest tweets while in a motorcade on the way to his Trump International Golf Club.

On Thursday the president tweeted that Amazon uses the post office as its "delivery boy" and alleged that the firm pays "little or no taxes" to state and local governments.

The comments renewed concerns that Amazon could face scrutiny by antitrust regulators.

A day earlier, a report on the Axios news site said Trump`s wealthy friends complain that Amazon is killing shopping malls and brick-and-mortar retailers, and had asked about the possibility of going after the firm using antitrust laws.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday resumed his attacks against online retailing giant Amazon and accused The Washington Post, owned by Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos, of lobbying for the company

US President Donald Trump on Saturday resumed his attacks against online retailing giant Amazon and accused The Washington Post, owned by Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos, of lobbying for the company. His latest comments, two days after a similar swipe against Amazon, coincided with a report in Saturday's Post about three different legal efforts "trying to pry open" the books of the president's umbrella company, the Trump Organization. On Twitter, Trump claimed the US Postal Service loses "billions of dollars" delivering packages for Amazon. While we are on the subject, it is reported that the U.S. Post Office will lose $1.50 on average for each package it delivers for Amazon. That amounts to Billions of Dollars. The Failing N.Y. Times reports that “the size of the company’s lobbying staff has ballooned,” and that... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2018 × "This Post Office scam must stop. Amazon must pay real costs (and taxes) now!", he wrote. ...does not include the Fake Washington Post, which is used as a “lobbyist” and should so REGISTER. If the P.O. “increased its parcel rates, Amazon’s shipping costs would rise by $2.6 Billion.” This Post Office scam must stop. Amazon must pay real costs (and taxes) now! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2018 × For the first quarter of the 2018 financial year the US Postal Service reported "strong package growth," with revenue in the segment up 9.3 percent from the same period last year to $505 million. That did not offset the fall of $557 million in first-class and marketing mail revenue, the post office said. Trump further alleged Saturday that Amazon's lobbying staff "does not include the Fake Washington Post," and said the Post should register as an official lobbyist. The Post report on Saturday referred to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's reported subpoena of Trump Organization documents related to Russia. Mueller is probing whether there was collusion between Trump's 2016 election campaign and Moscow, as well as possible obstruction of justice. The newspaper also reported that a lawsuit filed by porn actress Stormy Daniels over an alleged a sexual encounter with Trump has brought additional scrutiny to the Trump Organization. Finally, it mentioned the District of Columbia and State of Maryland's suing of Trump over allegations that his "financial entanglements" violate the Constitution. Trump is spending Easter weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. He sent his latest tweets while in a motorcade on the way to his Trump International Golf Club. On Thursday the president tweeted that Amazon uses the post office as its "delivery boy" and alleged that the firm pays "little or no taxes" to state and local governments. The comments renewed concerns that Amazon could face scrutiny by antitrust regulators. A day earlier, a report on the Axios news site said Trump`s wealthy friends complain that Amazon is killing shopping malls and brick-and-mortar retailers, and had asked about the possibility of going after the firm using antitrust laws.

Trump targets Amazon again in new tweets

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/trump-freezes-over-200-million-allocated-for-syrias-recovery-fund-127408">Trump freezes over $200 million allocated for Syria's 'recovery fund'</a>

The White House has instructed the State Department to freeze over $200 million in funds earmarked for "recovery efforts" in Syria, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/russia-to-expel-4-french-diplomats-over-spy-row-127407">Russia to expel 4 French diplomats over spy row</a>

Russia will expel four French diplomats in the aftermath of poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal at his home in Britain's Salisbury.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/sports/tearful-warner-sorry-for-ball-tampering-weighing-up-appeal-127414">Tearful Warner sorry for ball-tampering, weighing up </a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/sports/tearful-warner-sorry-for-ball-tampering-weighing-up-appeal-127414">appeal</a>

Former Australia vice-captain David Warner apologised in tears Saturday for his role in a ball-tampering scandal and said he would weigh up an appeal against his 12-month ban.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/india-news/andhra-pradesh-4-killed-30-injured-due-to-rain-hailstorm-127411">Andhra Pradesh: 4 killed, 30 injured due to rain, hailstorm</a>

As many as four people were killed and nearly 30 injured after a sudden downpour and hailstorm hit Vontimitta village&nbsp;in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/south-asia/pok-residents-protest-against-pak-brutalities-127418">PoK residents protest against Pak brutalities</a>

Residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) continue to protest against the Pakistan Army and the government, forcing the latter to stop cross-border firing.

Trump freezes over $200 million allocated for Syria's 'recovery fund' The White House has instructed the State Department to freeze over $200 million in funds earmarked for "recovery efforts" in Syria, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. Russia to expel 4 French diplomats over spy row Russia will expel four French diplomats in the aftermath of poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal at his home in Britain's Salisbury. Tearful Warner sorry for ball-tampering, weighing up appeal Former Australia vice-captain David Warner apologised in tears Saturday for his role in a ball-tampering scandal and said he would weigh up an appeal against his 12-month ban. Andhra Pradesh: 4 killed, 30 injured due to rain, hailstorm As many as four people were killed and nearly 30 injured after a sudden downpour and hailstorm hit Vontimitta village in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. PoK residents protest against Pak brutalities Residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) continue to protest against the Pakistan Army and the government, forcing the latter to stop cross-border firing.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The White House has instructed the State Department to freeze over $200 million in funds earmarked for "recovery efforts" in Syria, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

The report -- which came a day after Trump declared in a speech that the US would be quitting Syria "very soon" -- is another indication the president wants to disengage from the country.

Officials told AFP that Trump's aside in his speech was not a slip, but that for several weeks he had been pushing back against the idea of a long or medium term US commitment to stabilizing eastern Syria.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump called for the spending freeze after reading a news report that said the US had committed the funds for recovery efforts in Syria, which has been wracked by a more than seven-year civil war.

The US has more than 2,000 military personnel in eastern Syria as part of international efforts to defeat the Islamic State group, an extremist organization that once controlled swathes of Syria and neighboring Iraq.

Speaking in Ohio on Thursday, Trump indicated that with the war against IS winding down, he wants American involvement in Syria to do likewise.

"We'll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon. Let the other people take care of it now," he promised.

Trump did not say who the others were who might take care of Syria, but Russia and Iran have sizable forces in the country to support President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

His eagerness to quit the conflict flies in the face of a new US Syria strategy announced in January by then secretary of state Rex Tillerson -- who has since been sacked.

Tillerson argued that US forces must remain engaged in Syria to prevent IS and Al-Qaeda from returning and to deny Iran a chance "to further strengthen its position in Syria."

In a speech at Stanford University, he also warned that "a total withdrawal of American personnel at this time would restore Assad and continue his brutal treatment against his own people."

But Tillerson has gone after being dismissed in a tweet. And Trump, who increasingly makes foreign policy announcements without seeking the advice of US generals or diplomats, wants out.

"We spent $7 trillion in the Middle East. And you know what we have for it? Nothing," Trump declared, promising to focus future US spending on building jobs and infrastructure at home.

The report is another indication the president wants to disengage from the country

The White House has instructed the State Department to freeze over $200 million in funds earmarked for "recovery efforts" in Syria, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. The report -- which came a day after Trump declared in a speech that the US would be quitting Syria "very soon" -- is another indication the president wants to disengage from the country. Officials told AFP that Trump's aside in his speech was not a slip, but that for several weeks he had been pushing back against the idea of a long or medium term US commitment to stabilizing eastern Syria. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump called for the spending freeze after reading a news report that said the US had committed the funds for recovery efforts in Syria, which has been wracked by a more than seven-year civil war. The US has more than 2,000 military personnel in eastern Syria as part of international efforts to defeat the Islamic State group, an extremist organization that once controlled swathes of Syria and neighboring Iraq. Speaking in Ohio on Thursday, Trump indicated that with the war against IS winding down, he wants American involvement in Syria to do likewise. "We'll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon. Let the other people take care of it now," he promised. Trump did not say who the others were who might take care of Syria, but Russia and Iran have sizable forces in the country to support President Bashar al-Assad's regime. His eagerness to quit the conflict flies in the face of a new US Syria strategy announced in January by then secretary of state Rex Tillerson -- who has since been sacked. Tillerson argued that US forces must remain engaged in Syria to prevent IS and Al-Qaeda from returning and to deny Iran a chance "to further strengthen its position in Syria." In a speech at Stanford University, he also warned that "a total withdrawal of American personnel at this time would restore Assad and continue his brutal treatment against his own people." But Tillerson has gone after being dismissed in a tweet. And Trump, who increasingly makes foreign policy announcements without seeking the advice of US generals or diplomats, wants out. "We spent $7 trillion in the Middle East. And you know what we have for it? Nothing," Trump declared, promising to focus future US spending on building jobs and infrastructure at home.

Trump freezes over $200 million allocated for Syria's 'recovery fund'

American-Canadian actor Jim Carrey has submitted his latest politically-charged portrait of United States President Donald Trump to Washington-based Museum Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery for consideration as the official presidential portrait.

"Dear Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery @NPG, I know it's early but I`d like to submit this as the official portrait of our 45th President, Donald J. Trump. It's called, `You Scream. I Scream. Will We Ever Stop Screaming?'," Carrey tweeted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb">
Dear Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery <a href="https://twitter.com/NPG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NPG</a>, I know it’s early but I’d like to submit this as the official portrait of our 45th President, Donald J. Trump. It’s called, 'You Scream. I Scream. Will We Ever Stop Screaming?' <a href="https://t.co/LrCmlXXpv7">pic.twitter.com/LrCmlXXpv7</a>
— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimCarrey/status/979394639944867840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">29 March 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The image shows Trump touching his right nipple and hogging from apparently a bowl containing two scoops of ice cream.

The actor's artistic representation has been subjected to the mixed reception."Mediocre painting & totally unsuited to the subject. Trump doesn't scream in public (contrary to his opponents) & indeed tends to speak quietly," tweeted one of the users.

"Trashy art inspired by a trashy human," a user, who goes by the Twitter handle @youaresoLA, replied.

Another user, wrote as a reply to portrait, "Whatever happened to respect these days? You don't have to like the man but at least respect the office he holds. @realDonaldTrump @POTUS . I used to be a @JimCarrey fan. What a disappointment.

"However, Twitterati heaped praises on the portrait as well." this is art!" tweeted a user called Catherine Goldberg.

Another user wrote a reply, "Keep them coming Jim. You on fire boy!"According to the reports, Carrey was most lately seen on the big screen in 'The Bad Batch'&nbsp;last summer and in the Netflix documentary 'Jim and Andy', which is now streaming.

Jim Carrey tweeted on his latest politically-charged portrait of United States President Donald Trump and was criticised by his fans

American-Canadian actor Jim Carrey has submitted his latest politically-charged portrait of United States President Donald Trump to Washington-based Museum Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery for consideration as the official presidential portrait. "Dear Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery @NPG, I know it's early but I`d like to submit this as the official portrait of our 45th President, Donald J. Trump. It's called, `You Scream. I Scream. Will We Ever Stop Screaming?'," Carrey tweeted. Dear Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery @NPG, I know it’s early but I’d like to submit this as the official portrait of our 45th President, Donald J. Trump. It’s called, 'You Scream. I Scream. Will We Ever Stop Screaming?' pic.twitter.com/LrCmlXXpv7 — Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) 29 March 2018 × The image shows Trump touching his right nipple and hogging from apparently a bowl containing two scoops of ice cream. The actor's artistic representation has been subjected to the mixed reception."Mediocre painting & totally unsuited to the subject. Trump doesn't scream in public (contrary to his opponents) & indeed tends to speak quietly," tweeted one of the users. "Trashy art inspired by a trashy human," a user, who goes by the Twitter handle @youaresoLA, replied. Another user, wrote as a reply to portrait, "Whatever happened to respect these days? You don't have to like the man but at least respect the office he holds. @realDonaldTrump @POTUS . I used to be a @JimCarrey fan. What a disappointment. "However, Twitterati heaped praises on the portrait as well." this is art!" tweeted a user called Catherine Goldberg. Another user wrote a reply, "Keep them coming Jim. You on fire boy!"According to the reports, Carrey was most lately seen on the big screen in 'The Bad Batch' last summer and in the Netflix documentary 'Jim and Andy', which is now streaming.

Jim Carrey takes a dig at Donald Trump, tweets a caricature portrait of the US President

US President Donald Trump warned Thursday that he may delay implementation of a renegotiated trade deal with South Korea until after planned nuclear talks with North Korea.&nbsp;

Trump offered no explanation for the apparent threat, which came just a day after he hailed the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) as a victory for his get-tough stance on commerce.

"I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea, does everybody understand that? You know why? Because it`s a very strong card," Trump said in a speech in Ohio.

"South Korea has been wonderful, but we`ll probably hold that deal up for a little while, see how it plays out."

On Wednesday, Trump had seemed to be firmly behind the renegotiated trade deal, which should now give US carmakers greater access to South Korean markets.

"@USTradeRep just announced an agreement in principle with South Korea on KORUS!" he said.&nbsp;

"A great deal for American and Korean workers. Let`s now focus on our important security relationship."

But the president`s remarks in his Ohio speech appeared to suggest he is seeking to hold the deal as leverage over Washington`s ally South Korea ahead of the nuclear talks.

North Korea and South Korea plan to hold a summit on April 27.

Trump is then due to meet North Korea`s Kim Jong Un before the end of May for talks on Pyongyang`s denuclearization.

Trump offered no explanation for the apparent threat, which came just a day after he hailed the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) as a victory for his get-tough stance on commerce

US President Donald Trump warned Thursday that he may delay implementation of a renegotiated trade deal with South Korea until after planned nuclear talks with North Korea. Trump offered no explanation for the apparent threat, which came just a day after he hailed the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) as a victory for his get-tough stance on commerce. "I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea, does everybody understand that? You know why? Because it`s a very strong card," Trump said in a speech in Ohio. "South Korea has been wonderful, but we`ll probably hold that deal up for a little while, see how it plays out." On Wednesday, Trump had seemed to be firmly behind the renegotiated trade deal, which should now give US carmakers greater access to South Korean markets. "@USTradeRep just announced an agreement in principle with South Korea on KORUS!" he said. "A great deal for American and Korean workers. Let`s now focus on our important security relationship." But the president`s remarks in his Ohio speech appeared to suggest he is seeking to hold the deal as leverage over Washington`s ally South Korea ahead of the nuclear talks. North Korea and South Korea plan to hold a summit on April 27. Trump is then due to meet North Korea`s Kim Jong Un before the end of May for talks on Pyongyang`s denuclearization.

Trump may put hold to South Korea trade deal until North Korea talks

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has spoken with US President Donald Trump about the potential use of military funds for a border wall with Mexico, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

Trump, who last week got a fraction of the funding he wanted from Congress to fulfil a campaign promise by building the wall, suggested over the weekend that he might turn to the military for the money.

Mattis and Trump "have talked about the proposal, potentially, but, remember, securing Americans and securing the nation is of paramount importance to the secretary," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White told reporters.

White did not provide any further details, but said these were "initial" conversations.

The $1.3 trillion spending bill passed approved by Congress last week contained $1.6 billion for six months of work on the wall. Trump had sought $25 billion for the project.

The president had threatened to veto the legislation, partly over the wall funding, but relented and signed it last Friday, saying a big increase in military spending had convinced him it was worthwhile.

Trump suggested getting funding for the wall from the military in a weekend Twitter post.

"Because of the $700 & $716 Billion Dollars gotten to rebuild our Military, many jobs are created and our Military is again rich," he wrote. "Building a great Border Wall, with drugs (poison) and enemy combatants pouring into our Country, is all about National Defense. Build WALL through M!," apparently using "M" as shorthand for "military."

Earlier this month, Trump toured the US border with Mexico and examined eight styles of walls, prototypes for the barrier he promised to build to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs.

Building the wall was a main theme of Trump`s 2016 presidential campaign. He said Mexico would pay for the wall, but the United States` southern neighbour has repeatedly said it would not.

The $1.3 trillion spending bill passed approved by Congress last week contained $1.6 billion for six months of work on the wall. Trump had sought $25 billion for the project

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has spoken with US President Donald Trump about the potential use of military funds for a border wall with Mexico, the Pentagon said on Thursday. Trump, who last week got a fraction of the funding he wanted from Congress to fulfil a campaign promise by building the wall, suggested over the weekend that he might turn to the military for the money. Mattis and Trump "have talked about the proposal, potentially, but, remember, securing Americans and securing the nation is of paramount importance to the secretary," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White told reporters. White did not provide any further details, but said these were "initial" conversations. The $1.3 trillion spending bill passed approved by Congress last week contained $1.6 billion for six months of work on the wall. Trump had sought $25 billion for the project. The president had threatened to veto the legislation, partly over the wall funding, but relented and signed it last Friday, saying a big increase in military spending had convinced him it was worthwhile. Trump suggested getting funding for the wall from the military in a weekend Twitter post. "Because of the $700 & $716 Billion Dollars gotten to rebuild our Military, many jobs are created and our Military is again rich," he wrote. "Building a great Border Wall, with drugs (poison) and enemy combatants pouring into our Country, is all about National Defense. Build WALL through M!," apparently using "M" as shorthand for "military." Earlier this month, Trump toured the US border with Mexico and examined eight styles of walls, prototypes for the barrier he promised to build to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs. Building the wall was a main theme of Trump`s 2016 presidential campaign. He said Mexico would pay for the wall, but the United States` southern neighbour has repeatedly said it would not.

Trump has talked to Mattis about US-Mexico wall funding - Pentagon

US President Donald Trump insisted Thursday that US forces would pull out of Syria "very soon" and lamented what he said was Washington`s waste of $7 trillion in Middle East wars.

In a populist address to industrial workers in Ohio, Trump said US forces were close to securing all of the territory that the Islamic State jihadist group once claimed.

"We`ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon. Let the other people take care of it now," he promised, to applause.&nbsp;

Trump did not say who the others were who might take care of Syria, but Russia and Iran have sizable forces in the country to support Bashar al-Assad`s regime.&nbsp;

"Very soon -- very soon we`re coming out. We`re going to have 100 percent of the caliphate, as they call it -- sometimes referred to as `land` -- taking it all back quickly, quickly," he said.&nbsp;

"But we`re going to be coming out of there real soon. Going to get back to our country, where we belong, where we want to be."

The United States has more than 2,000 military personnel in eastern Syria, working with local militia groups to defeat the extremist Islamic State group while trying to keep out of Syria`s broader civil war.

Trump`s eagerness to quit the conflict flies in the face of a new US Syria strategy announced in January by then secretary of state Rex Tillerson -- who has since been sacked.

Tillerson argued that US forces must remain engaged in Syria to prevent IS and Al-Qaeda from returning and to deny Iran a chance "to further strengthen its position in Syria."

In a speech at Stanford University, he also warned that "a total withdrawal of American personnel at this time would restore Assad and continue his brutal treatment against his own people."

But Tillerson has gone after being dismissed in a tweet and Trump, who increasingly makes foreign policy announcements without seeking the advice of US generals or diplomats, wants out.

"We spent $7 trillion in the Middle East. And you know what we have for it? Nothing," Trump declared, promising to focus future US spending on building jobs and infrastructure at home.

'We spent $7 trillion in the Middle East. And you know what we have for it? Nothing,' Trump declared, promising to focus future US spending on building jobs and infrastructure at home

US President Donald Trump insisted Thursday that US forces would pull out of Syria "very soon" and lamented what he said was Washington`s waste of $7 trillion in Middle East wars. In a populist address to industrial workers in Ohio, Trump said US forces were close to securing all of the territory that the Islamic State jihadist group once claimed. "We`ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon. Let the other people take care of it now," he promised, to applause. Trump did not say who the others were who might take care of Syria, but Russia and Iran have sizable forces in the country to support Bashar al-Assad`s regime. "Very soon -- very soon we`re coming out. We`re going to have 100 percent of the caliphate, as they call it -- sometimes referred to as `land` -- taking it all back quickly, quickly," he said. "But we`re going to be coming out of there real soon. Going to get back to our country, where we belong, where we want to be." The United States has more than 2,000 military personnel in eastern Syria, working with local militia groups to defeat the extremist Islamic State group while trying to keep out of Syria`s broader civil war. Trump`s eagerness to quit the conflict flies in the face of a new US Syria strategy announced in January by then secretary of state Rex Tillerson -- who has since been sacked. Tillerson argued that US forces must remain engaged in Syria to prevent IS and Al-Qaeda from returning and to deny Iran a chance "to further strengthen its position in Syria." In a speech at Stanford University, he also warned that "a total withdrawal of American personnel at this time would restore Assad and continue his brutal treatment against his own people." But Tillerson has gone after being dismissed in a tweet and Trump, who increasingly makes foreign policy announcements without seeking the advice of US generals or diplomats, wants out. "We spent $7 trillion in the Middle East. And you know what we have for it? Nothing," Trump declared, promising to focus future US spending on building jobs and infrastructure at home.

US withdrawing from Syria 'very soon': Donald Trump

A US judge on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia`s bid to dismiss lawsuits claiming that it helped plan the September 11, 2001, attacks and should pay billions of dollars in damages to victims.

US District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan said the plaintiffs` allegations "narrowly articulate a reasonable basis" for him to assert jurisdiction over Saudi Arabia under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), a 2016 federal law.

The Saudi government has long denied involvement in the attacks in which hijacked airplanes crashed into New York`s World Trade Center, the Pentagon outside Washington, DC, and a Pennsylvania field. Nearly 3,000 people died.

Lawyers for Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision. At a Saudi stock market event in New York, asked whether the court decision would have a negative impact on Saudi investment in the United States, Capital Market Authority Chairman Mohammed A. ElKuwaiz declined to comment, saying he had not seen the news.

Daniels` decision covers claims by the families of those killed, roughly 25,000 people who suffered injuries, and many businesses and insurers.

The judge also dismissed claims that two Saudi banks, National Commercial Bank and Al Rajhi Bank, and Saudi Binladin Group, a construction company controlled by the bin Laden family, provided funds and financial services for the attacks, saying he lacked jurisdiction.

Saudi Arabia had long had broad immunity from September 11 lawsuits in the United States.

That changed in September 2016, when the US Congress overrode President Barack Obama`s veto of JASTA, allowing such cases to proceed.

Obama had warned that the law could expose US companies, troops and officials to lawsuits in other countries.

Daniels said the plaintiffs could try to prove that Saudi Arabia was liable for the alleged activities of Fahad al Thumairy, an imam at the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, California, and Omar al Bayoumi, said to be an intelligence officer.

They were accused of helping two hijackers acclimate themselves to the United States, and begin preparing for the attacks.

Saudi Arabia had argued that the plaintiffs could not show that any Saudi official, employee or agent planned or carried out the attacks.

James Kreindler, a lawyer for many of the plaintiffs, said he was "delighted" the case can proceed.

"We have been pressing to proceed with the case and conduct discovery from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so that the full story can come to light, and expose the Saudi role in the 9/11 attacks," he said in a phone interview.

The judge also dismissed claims against the state-affiliated charity Saudi High Commission for Relief of Bosnia & Herzegovina, saying the plaintiffs` "guilt-by-association" claims did not overcome its presumption of immunity.

The case is In re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 03-md-01570.

A US judge on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia`s bid to dismiss lawsuits claiming that it helped plan the September 11, 2001, attacks and should pay billions of dollars in damages to victims

A US judge on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia`s bid to dismiss lawsuits claiming that it helped plan the September 11, 2001, attacks and should pay billions of dollars in damages to victims. US District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan said the plaintiffs` allegations "narrowly articulate a reasonable basis" for him to assert jurisdiction over Saudi Arabia under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), a 2016 federal law. The Saudi government has long denied involvement in the attacks in which hijacked airplanes crashed into New York`s World Trade Center, the Pentagon outside Washington, DC, and a Pennsylvania field. Nearly 3,000 people died. Lawyers for Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision. At a Saudi stock market event in New York, asked whether the court decision would have a negative impact on Saudi investment in the United States, Capital Market Authority Chairman Mohammed A. ElKuwaiz declined to comment, saying he had not seen the news. Daniels` decision covers claims by the families of those killed, roughly 25,000 people who suffered injuries, and many businesses and insurers. The judge also dismissed claims that two Saudi banks, National Commercial Bank and Al Rajhi Bank, and Saudi Binladin Group, a construction company controlled by the bin Laden family, provided funds and financial services for the attacks, saying he lacked jurisdiction. Saudi Arabia had long had broad immunity from September 11 lawsuits in the United States. That changed in September 2016, when the US Congress overrode President Barack Obama`s veto of JASTA, allowing such cases to proceed. Obama had warned that the law could expose US companies, troops and officials to lawsuits in other countries. Daniels said the plaintiffs could try to prove that Saudi Arabia was liable for the alleged activities of Fahad al Thumairy, an imam at the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, California, and Omar al Bayoumi, said to be an intelligence officer. They were accused of helping two hijackers acclimate themselves to the United States, and begin preparing for the attacks. Saudi Arabia had argued that the plaintiffs could not show that any Saudi official, employee or agent planned or carried out the attacks. James Kreindler, a lawyer for many of the plaintiffs, said he was "delighted" the case can proceed. "We have been pressing to proceed with the case and conduct discovery from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so that the full story can come to light, and expose the Saudi role in the 9/11 attacks," he said in a phone interview. The judge also dismissed claims against the state-affiliated charity Saudi High Commission for Relief of Bosnia & Herzegovina, saying the plaintiffs` "guilt-by-association" claims did not overcome its presumption of immunity. The case is In re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 03-md-01570.

Saudi Arabia must face US lawsuits over September 11 attacks

Kremlin&nbsp;on Friday said that it was not Russia that unleashed diplomatic war with the West following the mass expulsion of US envoys.

New agency AFP quoted President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov telling journalists that "Russia did not unleash any diplomatic war."

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/poisoned-former-russian-spy-skripals-daughter-is-no-longer-critical-hospital-127116">Poisoned former Russian spy Skripal's daughter is no longer critical&nbsp;</a>

A Kremlin spokesman said: "Russian President Vladimir Putin still favours mending ties with other countries, despite a decision to expel scores of Western diplomats."&nbsp;

The spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said he disagreed with the US government's assessment that Russia's decision to expel 60 U.S. diplomats showed Moscow was not interested in diplomacy.

He also added,&nbsp;"Russia never initiated any exchange of sanctions."

Meanwhile, Russia expelled two Dutch diplomats over spy poisoning, Dutch envoy told Russian TASS news agency.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-action-to-expel-60-us-diplomats-marks-further-deterioration-in-bilateral-ties-white-house-127156">White House </a>&nbsp;reacting to the mass expulsion had said that "Russia's decision to&nbsp;<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/russia-to-expel-60-american-diplomats-close-consulate-in-st-petersburg-foreign-minister-lavrov-127144">expel 60 American diplomats and order closer to the US Consulate</a>&nbsp;in St Petersburg marks a further deterioration in bilateral ties".

Russia on Thursday announced expulsion of 60 American diplomats and decided to close the consulate in Saint Petersburg in a retaliatory move&nbsp;against coordinated moves by Britain and its allies over spy poisoning in the&nbsp;UK.

Trump administration had announced last week that it has expelled 60 Russian diplomats and decided to shutdown the consulate in Seattle.

Russian ambassador Sergey Lavrov said that the US ambassador had been informed of "retaliatory measures".

"They include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate general in Saint Petersburg," Lavrov said.

"The measures would be reciprocal ... They include expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and they include our decision to withdraw our agreement to allow the United States' general consulate to operate in St. Petersburg," Lavrov added.

The Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had earlier said the charges against Russia that it was behind the poisoning of an ex-spy in Salisbury, UK was "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spy-poisoning-row-charges-politically-motivated-says-russia-127094">politically motivated</a>".

"We have answered all the questions raised by UK," the Russian foreign minister had said at a press conference in Moscow.

&nbsp;

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mwa3XoYI10s" width="560"></iframe>

President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists 'Russia did not unleash any diplomatic war' adding 'Russia never initiated any exchange of sanctions'

Kremlin on Friday said that it was not Russia that unleashed diplomatic war with the West following the mass expulsion of US envoys. New agency AFP quoted President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov telling journalists that "Russia did not unleash any diplomatic war." Also read: Poisoned former Russian spy Skripal's daughter is no longer critical A Kremlin spokesman said: "Russian President Vladimir Putin still favours mending ties with other countries, despite a decision to expel scores of Western diplomats." The spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said he disagreed with the US government's assessment that Russia's decision to expel 60 U.S. diplomats showed Moscow was not interested in diplomacy. He also added, "Russia never initiated any exchange of sanctions." Meanwhile, Russia expelled two Dutch diplomats over spy poisoning, Dutch envoy told Russian TASS news agency. The White House reacting to the mass expulsion had said that "Russia's decision to expel 60 American diplomats and order closer to the US Consulate in St Petersburg marks a further deterioration in bilateral ties". Russia on Thursday announced expulsion of 60 American diplomats and decided to close the consulate in Saint Petersburg in a retaliatory move against coordinated moves by Britain and its allies over spy poisoning in the UK. Trump administration had announced last week that it has expelled 60 Russian diplomats and decided to shutdown the consulate in Seattle. Russian ambassador Sergey Lavrov said that the US ambassador had been informed of "retaliatory measures". "They include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate general in Saint Petersburg," Lavrov said. "The measures would be reciprocal ... They include expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and they include our decision to withdraw our agreement to allow the United States' general consulate to operate in St. Petersburg," Lavrov added. The Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had earlier said the charges against Russia that it was behind the poisoning of an ex-spy in Salisbury, UK was "politically motivated". "We have answered all the questions raised by UK," the Russian foreign minister had said at a press conference in Moscow.

President Putin still favours mending ties with other countries despite expulsion of diplomats: Kremlin

US President Donald Trump announced another change to his cabinet on Wednesday by sacking embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominating White House doctor Ronny Jackson as his successor.

"I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs," said Trump, who has also replaced his secretary of state and national security advisor in the last month.

"I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkin's service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!" he said on Twitter, adding that Pentagon official Robert Wilkie would serve as interim department chief until Jackson receives Congressional approval.&nbsp;

Pentagon official Robert Wilkie would serve as interim department chief until Jackson receives Congressional approval, the president added.

Shulkin's sacking had been widely predicted after he was accused of spending $122,000 on a nine-day trip to Europe with his wife, which included sightseeing at castles and taking in professional tennis matches.

He was one of the few senior officials in the Trump administration who had also served during the presidency of Barack Obama.

Jackson's stock with Trump rose after he pronounced in January that the 71-year-old president was in "excellent" health.

After releasing the results from Trump's physical, Jackson said "he has incredible genes and that's the way God made him."

Shulkin's departure caps a dizzying month of changes to the Trump cabinet, most notably the sacking of Rex Tillerson as secretary of state on March 13.

Trump's top economic advisor Gary Cohn also exited the White House after the president announced plans to impose tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, a policy Cohn did not endorse.&nbsp;

And National Security Advisor HR McMaster was axed only six days ago, replaced by the hardline Fox News pundit and former UN ambassador John Bolton.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is the second-largest federal agency after the Pentagon, employing 360,000 people.&nbsp;

The 58-year-old Shulkin had served as undersecretary of veterans affairs for health under Obama.

He previously worked as chief medical officer of the University of Pennsylvania health system.

Jackson's stock with Trump rose after he pronounced in January that the 71-year-old president was in 'excellent' health

US President Donald Trump announced another change to his cabinet on Wednesday by sacking embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominating White House doctor Ronny Jackson as his successor. "I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs," said Trump, who has also replaced his secretary of state and national security advisor in the last month. "I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkin's service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!" he said on Twitter, adding that Pentagon official Robert Wilkie would serve as interim department chief until Jackson receives Congressional approval. Pentagon official Robert Wilkie would serve as interim department chief until Jackson receives Congressional approval, the president added. Shulkin's sacking had been widely predicted after he was accused of spending $122,000 on a nine-day trip to Europe with his wife, which included sightseeing at castles and taking in professional tennis matches. He was one of the few senior officials in the Trump administration who had also served during the presidency of Barack Obama. Jackson's stock with Trump rose after he pronounced in January that the 71-year-old president was in "excellent" health. After releasing the results from Trump's physical, Jackson said "he has incredible genes and that's the way God made him." Shulkin's departure caps a dizzying month of changes to the Trump cabinet, most notably the sacking of Rex Tillerson as secretary of state on March 13. Trump's top economic advisor Gary Cohn also exited the White House after the president announced plans to impose tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, a policy Cohn did not endorse. And National Security Advisor HR McMaster was axed only six days ago, replaced by the hardline Fox News pundit and former UN ambassador John Bolton. The Department of Veterans Affairs is the second-largest federal agency after the Pentagon, employing 360,000 people. The 58-year-old Shulkin had served as undersecretary of veterans affairs for health under Obama. He previously worked as chief medical officer of the University of Pennsylvania health system.

Donald Trump sacks Veterans Affairs Secretary

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-sacks-veterans-affairs-secretary-nominates-white-house-doctor-to-replace-him-126893">Donald Trump sacks Veterans Affairs </a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-sacks-veterans-affairs-secretary-nominates-white-house-doctor-to-replace-him-126893">Secretary,</a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-sacks-veterans-affairs-secretary-nominates-white-house-doctor-to-replace-him-126893"> nominates White House doctor to replace him</a>

US President Donald Trump announced another change to his cabinet on Wednesday by sacking embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominating White House doctor Ronny Jackson as his successor.

"I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs," said Trump, who has also replaced his secretary of state and national security advisor in the last month.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/facebook-overhauls-privacy-settings-to-try-and-give-users-more-control-over-their-info-126892">Facebook overhauls privacy settings to try and give users more control over their info</a>

Facebook on Wednesday launched a fresh effort to quell the firestorm over the hijacking of personal data, unveiling new privacy tools and settings to give users more control over how their information is shared.

The new features follow fierce criticism of the social network giant after it was revealed that the personal data of tens of millions of users was harvested by a British firm linked to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/south-asia/itinerary-kept-secret-but-malala-returns-to-pakistan-six-years-after-she-was-shot-by-taliban-126885">Itinerary 'kept secret' but Malala returns to Pakistan six years after she was shot by Taliban</a>

Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on Thursday, officials said, in her first visit to her native country since she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for advocating education for girls in 2012.

Precise details of her itinerary have been "kept secret in view of the sensitivity surrounding the visit," a government official said of the trip, which is expected to last four days and include a meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/south-asia/al-qaeda-has-been-dismantled-claims-pakistan-military-126898">Al-Qaeda has been 'dismantled', claims Pakistan military</a>

Pakistan's military on Wednesday claimed that the terrorist organisation, the Al-Qaeda has been "dismantled".

Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said the Al-Qaeda threat would have reached India had Pakistan not dismantled the terrorist organisation.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/sports/ball-tampering-cricket-australia-loses-major-sponsor-126896">Ball tampering: Cricket Australia loses </a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/sports/ball-tampering-cricket-australia-loses-major-sponsor-126896">major</a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/sports/ball-tampering-cricket-australia-loses-major-sponsor-126896"> sponsor</a>

Wealth-management company Magellan has terminated its three-year sponsorship agreement with Cricket Australia in response to the ball-tampering scandal.

Magellan's co-founder and chief executive Hamish Douglass said the ball-tampering in South Africa was "so inconsistent with our values that we are left with no option but to terminate our ongoing partnership with Cricket Australia".

Donald Trump sacks Veterans Affairs Secretary, nominates White House doctor to replace him US President Donald Trump announced another change to his cabinet on Wednesday by sacking embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominating White House doctor Ronny Jackson as his successor. "I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs," said Trump, who has also replaced his secretary of state and national security advisor in the last month. Facebook overhauls privacy settings to try and give users more control over their info Facebook on Wednesday launched a fresh effort to quell the firestorm over the hijacking of personal data, unveiling new privacy tools and settings to give users more control over how their information is shared. The new features follow fierce criticism of the social network giant after it was revealed that the personal data of tens of millions of users was harvested by a British firm linked to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Itinerary 'kept secret' but Malala returns to Pakistan six years after she was shot by Taliban Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on Thursday, officials said, in her first visit to her native country since she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for advocating education for girls in 2012. Precise details of her itinerary have been "kept secret in view of the sensitivity surrounding the visit," a government official said of the trip, which is expected to last four days and include a meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Al-Qaeda has been 'dismantled', claims Pakistan military Pakistan's military on Wednesday claimed that the terrorist organisation, the Al-Qaeda has been "dismantled". Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said the Al-Qaeda threat would have reached India had Pakistan not dismantled the terrorist organisation. Ball tampering: Cricket Australia loses major sponsor Wealth-management company Magellan has terminated its three-year sponsorship agreement with Cricket Australia in response to the ball-tampering scandal. Magellan's co-founder and chief executive Hamish Douglass said the ball-tampering in South Africa was "so inconsistent with our values that we are left with no option but to terminate our ongoing partnership with Cricket Australia".

President Donald Trump's approval rating has ticked up, according to two recent polls -- an increase that could be due to rosier US economic data -- but the Republican leader's popularity still remains below that of his predecessors.

Trump's rating moved up from 35 per cent to 42 per cent from February to March, according to CNN's monthly opinion poll and another study jointly conducted by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The two polls have a margin of error of 3.7-4.2 percentage points.

Management of the world's largest economy remains the strong point for the real estate mogul-turned-president -- more Americans (48 per cent) now approve of how he is handling the economy than disapprove (45 per cent), according to the CNN poll.

The sweeping tax cuts adopted by Congress in December are also a high point for Trump: 46 per cent of Americans polled approve of the president's fiscal policy, the AP-NORC study reveals.

On the negative side, Trump earns lower marks for his trade policy and an attitude towards Russia that is seen as "too easy," the CNN poll says.

The apparent upward trend in Trump's approval ratings does not however appear in Gallup's weekly poll, where he has been stuck since last May under 40 per cent approval.

For comparison, after about 430 days in office, Barack Obama enjoyed a 49 per cent approval rating in March 2010, George W. Bush was at 79 percent (in the post-9/11 period) in March 2002 and Bill Clinton was at 51 percent in March 1994.

President Donald Trump's approval rating has ticked up, according to two recent polls -- an increase that could be due to rosier US economic data -- but the Republican leader's popularity still remains below that of his predecessors

President Donald Trump's approval rating has ticked up, according to two recent polls -- an increase that could be due to rosier US economic data -- but the Republican leader's popularity still remains below that of his predecessors. Trump's rating moved up from 35 per cent to 42 per cent from February to March, according to CNN's monthly opinion poll and another study jointly conducted by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The two polls have a margin of error of 3.7-4.2 percentage points. Management of the world's largest economy remains the strong point for the real estate mogul-turned-president -- more Americans (48 per cent) now approve of how he is handling the economy than disapprove (45 per cent), according to the CNN poll. The sweeping tax cuts adopted by Congress in December are also a high point for Trump: 46 per cent of Americans polled approve of the president's fiscal policy, the AP-NORC study reveals. On the negative side, Trump earns lower marks for his trade policy and an attitude towards Russia that is seen as "too easy," the CNN poll says. The apparent upward trend in Trump's approval ratings does not however appear in Gallup's weekly poll, where he has been stuck since last May under 40 per cent approval. For comparison, after about 430 days in office, Barack Obama enjoyed a 49 per cent approval rating in March 2010, George W. Bush was at 79 percent (in the post-9/11 period) in March 2002 and Bill Clinton was at 51 percent in March 1994.

Trump approval rating on the rise

US President Donald Trump took aim Wednesday at Amazon, claiming the US online giant pays too little in taxes and hurts other retailers.

"I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election," Trump tweeted.

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I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election. Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/979326715272065024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the US), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!"

The comments came a day after a report by the news site Axios that Trump was "obsessed" with Amazon, believing the tech giant fails to pay enough taxes and gets preferential treatment from the US Postal Service.

The report said Trump's wealthy friends complain that Amazon is killing shopping malls and brick-and-mortar retailers.

Trump has long been at odds with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, a vocal opponent of the Republican in the 2016 election campaign.

Bezos is also the owner of the Washington Post, a frequent target of Trump over its news coverage.

On Tuesday, a White House official declined to comment specifically on the report but commented that the president "has said he`s always looking to create a level playing field for all businesses."

US President Donald Trump took aim Wednesday at Amazon, claiming the US online giant pays too little in taxes and hurts other retailers

US President Donald Trump took aim Wednesday at Amazon, claiming the US online giant pays too little in taxes and hurts other retailers. "I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election," Trump tweeted. I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election. Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2018 × "Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the US), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!" The comments came a day after a report by the news site Axios that Trump was "obsessed" with Amazon, believing the tech giant fails to pay enough taxes and gets preferential treatment from the US Postal Service. The report said Trump's wealthy friends complain that Amazon is killing shopping malls and brick-and-mortar retailers. Trump has long been at odds with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, a vocal opponent of the Republican in the 2016 election campaign. Bezos is also the owner of the Washington Post, a frequent target of Trump over its news coverage. On Tuesday, a White House official declined to comment specifically on the report but commented that the president "has said he`s always looking to create a level playing field for all businesses."

Trump assails Amazon on taxes, retail competition

Japan's aluminium industry on Thursday called for the United States to scrap import tariffs on aluminium, claiming that they are against international rules and pose a serious problem for the industry and global trade and economic growth.

Last week, US&nbspPresident Donald Trump temporarily excluded six countries, including Canada and Mexico, and the countries of the European Union from higher US&nbspimport duties on steel and aluminium that went into effect on Friday. The exclusion included most US&nbspallies, but not Japan.

"We will ask the Japanese government to continue seeking a country exemption from the new US&nbsptariffs," Mitsuru Okada, chairman of the Japan Aluminium Association told a news conference, adding that Japanese makers will also seek product exemptions.

Japan's production of rolled and extruded aluminium is estimated to be 2.06 million tonnes in the year to March 31, according to association data. Exports to the US&nbspare estimated to be 31,000 tonnes out of total exports of 203,853 tonnes.

"We are also worried that aluminium products that are shut out by the United States may flood the Asian market," Okada said.

The association also issued its outlook for the metal in Japan in the business year starting April, predicting demand for rolled and extruded aluminium to fall 0.1 percent from the current year to 2.05 million tonnes.

Japan's aluminium industry on Thursday called for the United States to scrap import tariffs on aluminium, claiming that they are against international rules and pose a serious problem for the industry and global trade and economic growth

Japan's aluminium industry on Thursday called for the United States to scrap import tariffs on aluminium, claiming that they are against international rules and pose a serious problem for the industry and global trade and economic growth. Last week, US&nbspPresident Donald Trump temporarily excluded six countries, including Canada and Mexico, and the countries of the European Union from higher US&nbspimport duties on steel and aluminium that went into effect on Friday. The exclusion included most US&nbspallies, but not Japan. "We will ask the Japanese government to continue seeking a country exemption from the new US&nbsptariffs," Mitsuru Okada, chairman of the Japan Aluminium Association told a news conference, adding that Japanese makers will also seek product exemptions. Japan's production of rolled and extruded aluminium is estimated to be 2.06 million tonnes in the year to March 31, according to association data. Exports to the US&nbspare estimated to be 31,000 tonnes out of total exports of 203,853 tonnes. "We are also worried that aluminium products that are shut out by the United States may flood the Asian market," Okada said. The association also issued its outlook for the metal in Japan in the business year starting April, predicting demand for rolled and extruded aluminium to fall 0.1 percent from the current year to 2.05 million tonnes.

Japan's aluminium industry calls for US to scrap import tariffs

Colombia, which will hold presidential elections in May, on Wednesday blocked access to a cell phone application it said might be connected with Cambridge Analytica, the political consultancy that has been accused of violating Facebook users' privacy to influence elections in Britain and the United States.

Lawmakers in the United States and Europe are demanding to know more about Facebook's privacy practices after a whistleblower said Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed data to target US&nbsp;and British voters in close-run elections.

Colombia's commerce regulator said in a statement it would block an application called Pig.gi, which gives users free top-ups in exchange for receiving ads and recommending their friends. The app has more than a million downloads in Colombia and Mexico combined, the regulator said.

The app, which users download via the Google Play store and sign into using their Facebook account, is administered by Farrow Colombia SAS and Farrow Mexico SAPI&nbsp;de CV, the statement said.

Attempts to reach Farrow for comment were unsuccessful. A number listed for Farrow in Colombia belongs to another company. There is no listed number for the Mexico branch of the company.

"As a preventative measure and taking into account the potential risk of a wrongful and massive illegal use of the personal data of thousands of Colombians collected via the download of the Pig.gi application, the application Pig.gi is temporarily blocked while appropriate investigations are undertaken and definitive decisions adopted," the regulator said.

The regulator did not specify what evidence it had of a connection between Cambridge Analytica and Farrow. The application will be blocked on the Google Play app store and on social media, as will websites where it can be downloaded.

The regulator added it has requested cooperation and information from its counterparts in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Mexico.

Facebook announced a series of changes on Wednesday to give users more control over their data, after the scandal wiped more than $100 billion from its stock market value.

Cambridge Analytica has said it did not use Facebook data in US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's campaign, and that it had deleted all Facebook data it obtained from a third-party app in 2014 after learning the information did not adhere to data protection rules.

Colombia will hold presidential elections on May 27.

Colombia on Wednesday blocked access to a cell phone application saying might be connected with Cambridge Analytica

Colombia, which will hold presidential elections in May, on Wednesday blocked access to a cell phone application it said might be connected with Cambridge Analytica, the political consultancy that has been accused of violating Facebook users' privacy to influence elections in Britain and the United States. Lawmakers in the United States and Europe are demanding to know more about Facebook's privacy practices after a whistleblower said Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed data to target US and British voters in close-run elections. Colombia's commerce regulator said in a statement it would block an application called Pig.gi, which gives users free top-ups in exchange for receiving ads and recommending their friends. The app has more than a million downloads in Colombia and Mexico combined, the regulator said. The app, which users download via the Google Play store and sign into using their Facebook account, is administered by Farrow Colombia SAS and Farrow Mexico SAPI de CV, the statement said. Attempts to reach Farrow for comment were unsuccessful. A number listed for Farrow in Colombia belongs to another company. There is no listed number for the Mexico branch of the company. "As a preventative measure and taking into account the potential risk of a wrongful and massive illegal use of the personal data of thousands of Colombians collected via the download of the Pig.gi application, the application Pig.gi is temporarily blocked while appropriate investigations are undertaken and definitive decisions adopted," the regulator said. The regulator did not specify what evidence it had of a connection between Cambridge Analytica and Farrow. The application will be blocked on the Google Play app store and on social media, as will websites where it can be downloaded. The regulator added it has requested cooperation and information from its counterparts in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Mexico. Facebook announced a series of changes on Wednesday to give users more control over their data, after the scandal wiped more than $100 billion from its stock market value. Cambridge Analytica has said it did not use Facebook data in US President Donald Trump's campaign, and that it had deleted all Facebook data it obtained from a third-party app in 2014 after learning the information did not adhere to data protection rules. Colombia will hold presidential elections on May 27.

Colombia blocks app it says possibly linked to Cambridge Analytica

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders on Tuesday defended United States President Donald Trump's silence on allegations levelled against him by porn star Stormy Daniels.

Sanders, while throwing light on Daniels branding Trump as a "counter-puncher", clarified that she didn't say he "punches back on every single topic". "If he did he would probably be addressing a lot of the stories that most of you write every single minute of every single day. He also has a country to run. And he is doing a great job with that. ... Sometimes he chooses to specifically engage and punch back and sometimes he doesn't," CNN reported Sanders, as saying to reporters.

According to the report, the President has been advised that "lashing out" on the Daniels story will only make it worse.

Daniels on Monday accused Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen for defamation, amending her lawsuit against the US President.

According to the lawsuit, it now claims that Cohen defamed Daniels by suggesting that she is lying about her alleged 2006 affair with Trump, The Hill reported.

Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford appeared on on CBS'&nbsp;"60 Minutes" where Anderson Cooper interviewed her over her alleged affair with Trump. The White House on Monday dismissed Daniel's claims in the CBS interview as "absolutely inaccurate and incoherent"

Trump has been advised that 'lashing out' on the Daniels story will only make it worse

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders on Tuesday defended United States President Donald Trump's silence on allegations levelled against him by porn star Stormy Daniels. Sanders, while throwing light on Daniels branding Trump as a "counter-puncher", clarified that she didn't say he "punches back on every single topic". "If he did he would probably be addressing a lot of the stories that most of you write every single minute of every single day. He also has a country to run. And he is doing a great job with that. ... Sometimes he chooses to specifically engage and punch back and sometimes he doesn't," CNN reported Sanders, as saying to reporters. According to the report, the President has been advised that "lashing out" on the Daniels story will only make it worse. Daniels on Monday accused Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen for defamation, amending her lawsuit against the US President. According to the lawsuit, it now claims that Cohen defamed Daniels by suggesting that she is lying about her alleged 2006 affair with Trump, The Hill reported. Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford appeared on on CBS' "60 Minutes" where Anderson Cooper interviewed her over her alleged affair with Trump. The White House on Monday dismissed Daniel's claims in the CBS interview as "absolutely inaccurate and incoherent"

Stormy Daniels row: White House defends Trump's silence

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-xi-kim-meeting-trump-says-north-korean-leader-will-do-what-is-right-for-his-people-and-for-humanity-126805">After Xi, Kim meeting, Trump says North Korean leader 'will do what is right for his people and for humanity'</a>

As Kim Jong Un met China's President Xi in Beijing in a secret, President Trump in a tweet said the North Korean leader will do "what is right and move toward peace".

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cbse-exam-paper-leak-pm-modi-asks-hrd-minister-to-take-strict-action-126790">CBSE exam paper leak: PM Modi asks HRD minister to take 'strict action'</a>

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will be reconducting the Economics exam for Class XII and Mathematics exam for Class X after reports of paper leak surfaced.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/king-of-good-times-vijay-mallya-to-get-married-to-girlfriend-pinky-lalwani-126809">'King of Good Times' Vijay Mallya to get married to girlfriend Pinky Lalwani</a>

Vijay Mallya, popularly referred to as the ‘King of Good Times’ who was believed to be going through a rough patch owing to his loan fraud with Indian banks and money laundering issues, is after all not having such a bad time in the UK.&nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/israels-el-al-appeals-against-air-india-flights-over-saudi-arabia-126815">Israel's El Al appeals against Air India flights over Saudi</a>

Israel's national airline El Al appealed to the Supreme Court on Wednesday to cancel the authorisation of direct Air India flights between New Delhi and Tel Aviv via Saudi airspace fearing financial damage to it and view it as aerial discrimination.&nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/now-bcci-snubs-smith-warner-over-ball-tampering-126786">Now, BCCI snubs Smith, Warner over ball-tampering</a>

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has removed Steve Smith and David Warner from the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League and said that the franchises, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, will get the replacements.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-to-introduce-new-privacy-controls-in-wake-of-data-scandal-126804">Facebook to introduce new privacy controls in wake of data scandal</a>

Facebook, embroiled in a huge data scandal which has wiped off over $100 billion in its market value, on Wednesday announced a series of privacy changes it was making to give users more control over their data.

After Xi, Kim meeting, Trump says North Korean leader 'will do what is right for his people and for humanity' As Kim Jong Un met China's President Xi in Beijing in a secret, President Trump in a tweet said the North Korean leader will do "what is right and move toward peace". CBSE exam paper leak: PM Modi asks HRD minister to take 'strict action' The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will be reconducting the Economics exam for Class XII and Mathematics exam for Class X after reports of paper leak surfaced. 'King of Good Times' Vijay Mallya to get married to girlfriend Pinky Lalwani Vijay Mallya, popularly referred to as the ‘King of Good Times’ who was believed to be going through a rough patch owing to his loan fraud with Indian banks and money laundering issues, is after all not having such a bad time in the UK. Israel's El Al appeals against Air India flights over Saudi Israel's national airline El Al appealed to the Supreme Court on Wednesday to cancel the authorisation of direct Air India flights between New Delhi and Tel Aviv via Saudi airspace fearing financial damage to it and view it as aerial discrimination. Now, BCCI snubs Smith, Warner over ball-tampering The Board of Control for Cricket in India has removed Steve Smith and David Warner from the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League and said that the franchises, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, will get the replacements. Facebook to introduce new privacy controls in wake of data scandal Facebook, embroiled in a huge data scandal which has wiped off over $100 billion in its market value, on Wednesday announced a series of privacy changes it was making to give users more control over their data.

WION evening news brief, March 28, 2018

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday said the historic meeting between the leaders of China and North Korea had gone 'very well' and that Kim Jong Un is eager to hold a summit with Trump.

"Received message last night from XI JINPING of China that his meeting with KIM JONG UN went very well and that KIM looks forward to his meeting with me," Trump tweeted.

"In the meantime, and unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost!," he added after Kim concluded a secretive three-day meeting in Beijing with President Xi Jinping.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday said the historic meeting between the leaders of China and North Korea had gone 'very well' and that Kim Jong Un is eager to hold a summit with Trump

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday said the historic meeting between the leaders of China and North Korea had gone 'very well' and that Kim Jong Un is eager to hold a summit with Trump. "Received message last night from XI JINPING of China that his meeting with KIM JONG UN went very well and that KIM looks forward to his meeting with me," Trump tweeted. "In the meantime, and unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost!," he added after Kim concluded a secretive three-day meeting in Beijing with President Xi Jinping.

Trump says Xi-Kim meeting went 'very well,' Kim eager to meet him

Israeli tanks hit two Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after activists set fire to the base of the security fence on the volatile frontier, the army said.

The army said the two suspected arsonists had not crossed the fence and infiltrated Israel but it retaliated with tank fire against two Hamas observation posts.

"The (army) views with great severity any attempt to damage the security fence, as well as security infrastructure," it said.

The incident comes a day after Israeli soldiers detained three Palestinians who had slipped across the border from Gaza in possession of knives and grenades.

The army said the trio were apprehended near an army base some 20 kilometres (12 miles) inside Israel, while police distributed pictures of hand grenades, knives and wire cutters found on them.

There had already been an uptick in incidents along the border as Palestinian anger runs high over US President Donald Trump's decision in December to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

On Saturday, a number of Palestinians breached the frontier and tried to torch heavy equipment.

In response, Israeli jets attacked positions of Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza.

A day later gunfire from Gaza set off Israel's Iron Dome air defence system and in response a tank fired at a Hamas position.

The incidents come as Israel braces for the annual Palestinian Land Day protests, commemorating the killing of six unarmed Arab demonstrators in Israel in 1976, set to begin in Gaza on Friday.

Gazans are being called to march towards the border fence en masse.

Israeli tanks hit two Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after activists set fire to the base of the security fence on the volatile frontier, the army said

Israeli tanks hit two Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after activists set fire to the base of the security fence on the volatile frontier, the army said. The army said the two suspected arsonists had not crossed the fence and infiltrated Israel but it retaliated with tank fire against two Hamas observation posts. "The (army) views with great severity any attempt to damage the security fence, as well as security infrastructure," it said. The incident comes a day after Israeli soldiers detained three Palestinians who had slipped across the border from Gaza in possession of knives and grenades. The army said the trio were apprehended near an army base some 20 kilometres (12 miles) inside Israel, while police distributed pictures of hand grenades, knives and wire cutters found on them. There had already been an uptick in incidents along the border as Palestinian anger runs high over US President Donald Trump's decision in December to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. On Saturday, a number of Palestinians breached the frontier and tried to torch heavy equipment. In response, Israeli jets attacked positions of Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza. A day later gunfire from Gaza set off Israel's Iron Dome air defence system and in response a tank fired at a Hamas position. The incidents come as Israel braces for the annual Palestinian Land Day protests, commemorating the killing of six unarmed Arab demonstrators in Israel in 1976, set to begin in Gaza on Friday. Gazans are being called to march towards the border fence en masse.

Israel strikes Hamas positions in Gaza: Army

In his effort to improve Saudi Arabia’s badly tarnished image and project the kingdom as embracing an unidentified form of moderate Islam, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has hinted that he envisions a conservative rather than an ultra-conservative society. But this is not one in which citizens are fully free to make personal, let alone political choices of their own. Prince Mohammed’s vision, although not spelled out in great detail, seemed evident in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS News, his first with a Western television program, on the eve of a three-week trip that is taking him across the United States.

The trip is designed to cement relations with the Trump administration following the dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Prince Mohammed and his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed, viewed Tillerson as unenthusiastic about their hegemonic designs for a swath of land stretching across the Middle East from the Horn of Africa to South Asia, including the Saudi-Emirati-led boycott of Qatar.

The visit comes barely a month before President Donald Trump has to decide whether to pull the US out of the 2015 international agreement with Iran designed to curb the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. A withdrawal could lead to the agreement’s collapse and spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible,” Prince Mohammed told CBS.

The prince’s trip is also intended to project the kingdom as a beacon of moderation - rather than a promoter of ultra-conservatism - and cutting-edge modernity led by a young reformist but autocratic king-in-waiting. 
Prince Mohammed and President Trump

In a meeting at the White House, Prince Mohammed and President Trump touted the economic benefits of the two countries’ relationship, with massive US arms sales and other deals, including nuclear sales that would involve reducing US safeguards by giving the kingdom the right to enrich uranium. Both leaders asserted that the deals would significantly boost employment in both Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Prince Mohammed is also scheduled to meet members of Congress, think tanks and academics, oil executives, businessmen and representatives of Silicon Valley’s high-tech industry and Hollywood.

Both Prince Mohammed and Trump need to demonstrate economic progress to boost or cement their popularity at home. The crown prince needs to show to Saudis that he is feted as a leader despite mounting international criticism of his conduct in the Yemen war, his domestic power and asset grab under the mum of an anti-corruption campaign, the kingdom’s long-standing political and social restrictions, and its four-decade-long global support for ultra-conservative Sunni Islam.

Beyond concern about the high civilian casualty rate in Yemen and the war having sparked one of the worst humanitarian crises of today, many fear that potentially destabilizing anti-Saudi sentiment in the ravaged country will persist long after the guns fall silent. Those fears are reinforced by contradictory Saudi measures. While on the one hand pledging billions of dollars in aid and allowing at least some relief to get into Yemen, Saudi Arabia has aggravated the crisis by expelling tens of thousands of Yemeni workers in recent months.

Prince Mohammed also needs to demonstrate that he can attract foreign investment despite the arbitrary nature of the arrest in November 2017 of hundreds of senior members of the ruling al-Saud family, prominent businessmen and high-ranking officials, and reports that at least some of them were abused and tortured during their detention.

Most of the detainees were released after surrendering control of assets and/or paying substantial amounts of money. The government said it expects to raise $100 billion from the asset grab. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the most prominent detainees and the kingdom’s most-high-profile businessman, who seemed to put up a fight during his detention, has since his release in January said that he would be investing in some of Prince Mohammed’s pet projects. 
Reform in Saudi Arabia

Prince Mohammed has bolstered his image by vowing to return Saudi Arabia to an unidentified form of moderate Islam forcing the country’s ultra-conservative religious establishment to endorse his reforms suggesting that the kingdom may halt its massive global funding of Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism to counter Iran’s revolutionary zeal surrendering control of the Saudi-managed Great Mosque in Brussels granting women the right to drive, join the military and attend male sporting events and creating a modern entertainment sector.

Despite the boldness of his moves, the crown prince has sent mixed messages about how far he is prepared to go. Women and men mix at concerts and theater plays but are segregated in the three sport stadiums that have been declared open to women.

While the crown prince has been decisive in his power and asset grab, he has yet to say a clear word about lifting Saudi Arabia’s system of male guardianship that gives male relatives control of their lives. Similarly, there is no indication that gender segregation in restaurants and other public places will be lifted. Asked about the guardianship, Prince Mohammed evaded specifics. “Today, Saudi women still have not received their full rights. There are rights stipulated in Islam that they still don’t have. We have come a very long way and have a short way to go,” he said to CBS News.

Middle East scholar As’ad Abu Khalil, whose blog is named The Angry Arab News Service, posted a picture of Prince Mohammed meeting with President Trump, noting that there was not one woman on either side of the conference table.

Speaking Arabic despite having learned to speak English by watching movies, Prince Mohammed appeared in his CBS interview to defend allowing a mingling of the sexes in the workplace, while shying away from ultra-conservative Islam’s ban on a man meeting a woman unaccompanied by a male relative in non-professional or non-public settings. “We have extremists who forbid mixing between the two sexes and are unable to differentiate between a man and a woman alone together and their being together in a workplace,” Prince Mohammed said.

The crown prince conceded that women had the right to determine what to wear if their clothes were “decent, respectful clothing, like men.” He did not define what would constitute decent but insisted that it did not have to be a “black abaya or a black head cover.”

No doubt, Prince Mohammed’s social reforms and promised economic change provide him significant arrows in his multimillion-dollar PR blitz. That is getting him the support of the White House. “Getting a strong presidential endorsement of the crown prince's trip to the US. to encourage investment in Saudi Arabia, that, I think, could be something that could be done," said Anthony H Cordesman, the Arleigh A Burke chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Translating that into real policy and dollars could, however, prove to be a harder sell.

This <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/middle_east_north_africa/mohammed-bin-salman-us-trip-gulf-news-saudi-arabia-07978/">article</a> was originally published in <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/">Fair Observer</a>.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp

Prince Mohammed’s social reforms and promised economic change in Saudi Arabia provide him significant arrows in his multimillion-dollar PR blitz.

In his effort to improve Saudi Arabia’s badly tarnished image and project the kingdom as embracing an unidentified form of moderate Islam, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has hinted that he envisions a conservative rather than an ultra-conservative society. But this is not one in which citizens are fully free to make personal, let alone political choices of their own. Prince Mohammed’s vision, although not spelled out in great detail, seemed evident in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS News, his first with a Western television program, on the eve of a three-week trip that is taking him across the United States. The trip is designed to cement relations with the Trump administration following the dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Prince Mohammed and his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed, viewed Tillerson as unenthusiastic about their hegemonic designs for a swath of land stretching across the Middle East from the Horn of Africa to South Asia, including the Saudi-Emirati-led boycott of Qatar. The visit comes barely a month before President Donald Trump has to decide whether to pull the US out of the 2015 international agreement with Iran designed to curb the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. A withdrawal could lead to the agreement’s collapse and spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible,” Prince Mohammed told CBS. The prince’s trip is also intended to project the kingdom as a beacon of moderation - rather than a promoter of ultra-conservatism - and cutting-edge modernity led by a young reformist but autocratic king-in-waiting. Prince Mohammed and President Trump In a meeting at the White House, Prince Mohammed and President Trump touted the economic benefits of the two countries’ relationship, with massive US arms sales and other deals, including nuclear sales that would involve reducing US safeguards by giving the kingdom the right to enrich uranium. Both leaders asserted that the deals would significantly boost employment in both Saudi Arabia and the United States. Prince Mohammed is also scheduled to meet members of Congress, think tanks and academics, oil executives, businessmen and representatives of Silicon Valley’s high-tech industry and Hollywood. Both Prince Mohammed and Trump need to demonstrate economic progress to boost or cement their popularity at home. The crown prince needs to show to Saudis that he is feted as a leader despite mounting international criticism of his conduct in the Yemen war, his domestic power and asset grab under the mum of an anti-corruption campaign, the kingdom’s long-standing political and social restrictions, and its four-decade-long global support for ultra-conservative Sunni Islam. Beyond concern about the high civilian casualty rate in Yemen and the war having sparked one of the worst humanitarian crises of today, many fear that potentially destabilizing anti-Saudi sentiment in the ravaged country will persist long after the guns fall silent. Those fears are reinforced by contradictory Saudi measures. While on the one hand pledging billions of dollars in aid and allowing at least some relief to get into Yemen, Saudi Arabia has aggravated the crisis by expelling tens of thousands of Yemeni workers in recent months. Prince Mohammed also needs to demonstrate that he can attract foreign investment despite the arbitrary nature of the arrest in November 2017 of hundreds of senior members of the ruling al-Saud family, prominent businessmen and high-ranking officials, and reports that at least some of them were abused and tortured during their detention. Most of the detainees were released after surrendering control of assets and/or paying substantial amounts of money. The government said it expects to raise $100 billion from the asset grab. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the most prominent detainees and the kingdom’s most-high-profile businessman, who seemed to put up a fight during his detention, has since his release in January said that he would be investing in some of Prince Mohammed’s pet projects. Reform in Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed has bolstered his image by vowing to return Saudi Arabia to an unidentified form of moderate Islam forcing the country’s ultra-conservative religious establishment to endorse his reforms suggesting that the kingdom may halt its massive global funding of Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism to counter Iran’s revolutionary zeal surrendering control of the Saudi-managed Great Mosque in Brussels granting women the right to drive, join the military and attend male sporting events and creating a modern entertainment sector. Despite the boldness of his moves, the crown prince has sent mixed messages about how far he is prepared to go. Women and men mix at concerts and theater plays but are segregated in the three sport stadiums that have been declared open to women. While the crown prince has been decisive in his power and asset grab, he has yet to say a clear word about lifting Saudi Arabia’s system of male guardianship that gives male relatives control of their lives. Similarly, there is no indication that gender segregation in restaurants and other public places will be lifted. Asked about the guardianship, Prince Mohammed evaded specifics. “Today, Saudi women still have not received their full rights. There are rights stipulated in Islam that they still don’t have. We have come a very long way and have a short way to go,” he said to CBS News. Middle East scholar As’ad Abu Khalil, whose blog is named The Angry Arab News Service, posted a picture of Prince Mohammed meeting with President Trump, noting that there was not one woman on either side of the conference table. Speaking Arabic despite having learned to speak English by watching movies, Prince Mohammed appeared in his CBS interview to defend allowing a mingling of the sexes in the workplace, while shying away from ultra-conservative Islam’s ban on a man meeting a woman unaccompanied by a male relative in non-professional or non-public settings. “We have extremists who forbid mixing between the two sexes and are unable to differentiate between a man and a woman alone together and their being together in a workplace,” Prince Mohammed said. The crown prince conceded that women had the right to determine what to wear if their clothes were “decent, respectful clothing, like men.” He did not define what would constitute decent but insisted that it did not have to be a “black abaya or a black head cover.” No doubt, Prince Mohammed’s social reforms and promised economic change provide him significant arrows in his multimillion-dollar PR blitz. That is getting him the support of the White House. “Getting a strong presidential endorsement of the crown prince's trip to the US. to encourage investment in Saudi Arabia, that, I think, could be something that could be done," said Anthony H Cordesman, the Arleigh A Burke chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Translating that into real policy and dollars could, however, prove to be a harder sell. This article was originally published in Fair Observer. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: How far will crown prince Mohammed go?

The White House on Monday dismissed adult star Stormy Daniels&#39&nbspclaims of having an alleged sexual affair with US President Donald Trump and being threatened to keep quiet in a TV interview on Sunday as "absolutely inaccurate and incoherent".

White House spokesman Raj Shah dismissed the entirety of Daniels&#39&nbspstory, aired Sunday on CBS&#39s "60 Minutes."

"The President strongly, clearly and has consistently denied these underlying claims. The only person who has been inconsistent is the one making the claims," Shah said in a statement.

"President Trump doesn&#39t believe that any of the claims that Ms Daniels made are accurate. There is nothing to corroborate her claim," he added.

In a highly-anticipated interview on CBS&#39s news magazine, hosted by American journalist Anderson Cooper, &#3960 Minutes&#39, Daniels on Sunday claimed that she was &#39threatened&#39 publicly by a man, who told her - "Leave Trump alone."

The adult star, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, recalled an encounter she said took place in a Las Vegas parking lot in 2011.

Daniels was on her way to a fitness class with her infant daughter when she said she was approached by a man.

"A guy walked up on me and said to me, &#39Leave Trump alone. Forget the story. It was then at that point that the alleged threat of physical violence was made," Daniels recalled.

The adult star added that the man, whom she could not identify, leaned around and looked at my daughter and said, "That&#39s a beautiful little girl. It&#39d be a shame if something happened to her mom."

After such comments, the man disappeared from the scene, according to Daniels.

That alleged altercation occurred months after Daniels agreed to tell a sister publication of &#39In Touch magazine&#39 her story about the alleged affair in exchange for USD 15,000, The Hill reported.

When pressed specifically on the alleged threat, Shah clarified that President Trump "doesn&#39t believe any of her claims are accurate."

The "60 Minutes" interview breathed new life into Daniels&#39s story, which has dogged the US president for months. It drew 22 million viewers on Sunday night, the program&#39s highest ratings in a decade.

She acknowledged that she started her "intimate relationship" with President Trump at Lake Tahoe in 2006 and continued it in 2007 as well. Further, Daniels claimed that she had a sexual encounter with the US President "just once with consent".

With days to go before the November 2016 presidential election, Daniels signed the non-disclosure agreement in return for USD 130,000 in hush money arranged by the US President&#39s attorney Michael Cohen.

Daniels told CBS that she agreed to the gagging contract because "I was concerned for my family and their safety".

Daniels&#39 lawyer Michael Avenatti complained in the course of the 60 Minutes film that the veiled threat that was allegedly made against his client in 2011 was effectively repeated in the filing of a lawsuit earlier this month by Trump&#39s legal team claiming USD 20 million in damages against her with a further USD 1 million penalties for any further violation of the non-disclosure agreement.

Avenatti said the suit was a form of intimidation. "You threaten someone with a USD 20 million lawsuit, it&#39s a thuggish tactic. It&#39s no different than what happened in the parking lot in Las Vegas."

Daniels refused to answer a question from Cooper about whether she had handed over all digital images, email messages and text messages relating to Trump as part of the 2016 gagging contract. She then replied that her lawyer had advised her not to discuss "those things".

On Thursday, Avenatti posted a tweet that featured a picture of a digital disc in a safe deposit box with the words "If &#39a picture is worth a thousand words&#39, how many words is this worth?"

On March 6, Daniels filed a civil lawsuit against President Trump claiming the nondisclosure agreement, which contains details about her alleged nine-month affair with the latter is "invalid" because the US President had "never signed it."

In response, President Trump&#39s team sued Daniels, claiming that "she violated the agreement."

On Friday, former Playboy model named Karen McDougal in a CNN interview claimed that President Trump had tried to offer her money after they allegedly went intimate.

Further, McDougal expressed regret and apologised to Melania for her alleged encounter with the US President.

Both McDougal and Daniels claim that President Trump had allegedly had a sexual encounter, when the latter&#39s wife and First Lady Melania Trump, had given birth to his son, Barron.

Many women have in the past have alleged that they had allegedly gone intimate with the US President.

However, the White House has refuted claims that President Trump had affairs with other women, including Daniels and McDougal. (ANI)

The adult star, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, recalled an encounter she said took place in a Las Vegas parking lot in 2011

The White House on Monday dismissed adult star Stormy Daniels'&nbspclaims of having an alleged sexual affair with US President Donald Trump and being threatened to keep quiet in a TV interview on Sunday as "absolutely inaccurate and incoherent". White House spokesman Raj Shah dismissed the entirety of Daniels'&nbspstory, aired Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes." "The President strongly, clearly and has consistently denied these underlying claims. The only person who has been inconsistent is the one making the claims," Shah said in a statement. "President Trump doesn't believe that any of the claims that Ms Daniels made are accurate. There is nothing to corroborate her claim," he added. In a highly-anticipated interview on CBS's news magazine, hosted by American journalist Anderson Cooper, ླྀ Minutes', Daniels on Sunday claimed that she was 'threatened' publicly by a man, who told her - "Leave Trump alone." The adult star, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, recalled an encounter she said took place in a Las Vegas parking lot in 2011. Daniels was on her way to a fitness class with her infant daughter when she said she was approached by a man. "A guy walked up on me and said to me, 'Leave Trump alone. Forget the story. It was then at that point that the alleged threat of physical violence was made," Daniels recalled. The adult star added that the man, whom she could not identify, leaned around and looked at my daughter and said, "That's a beautiful little girl. It'd be a shame if something happened to her mom." After such comments, the man disappeared from the scene, according to Daniels. That alleged altercation occurred months after Daniels agreed to tell a sister publication of 'In Touch magazine' her story about the alleged affair in exchange for USD 15,000, The Hill reported. When pressed specifically on the alleged threat, Shah clarified that President Trump "doesn't believe any of her claims are accurate." The "60 Minutes" interview breathed new life into Daniels's story, which has dogged the US president for months. It drew 22 million viewers on Sunday night, the program's highest ratings in a decade. She acknowledged that she started her "intimate relationship" with President Trump at Lake Tahoe in 2006 and continued it in 2007 as well. Further, Daniels claimed that she had a sexual encounter with the US President "just once with consent". With days to go before the November 2016 presidential election, Daniels signed the non-disclosure agreement in return for USD 130,000 in hush money arranged by the US President's attorney Michael Cohen. Daniels told CBS that she agreed to the gagging contract because "I was concerned for my family and their safety". Daniels' lawyer Michael Avenatti complained in the course of the 60 Minutes film that the veiled threat that was allegedly made against his client in 2011 was effectively repeated in the filing of a lawsuit earlier this month by Trump's legal team claiming USD 20 million in damages against her with a further USD 1 million penalties for any further violation of the non-disclosure agreement. Avenatti said the suit was a form of intimidation. "You threaten someone with a USD 20 million lawsuit, it's a thuggish tactic. It's no different than what happened in the parking lot in Las Vegas." Daniels refused to answer a question from Cooper about whether she had handed over all digital images, email messages and text messages relating to Trump as part of the 2016 gagging contract. She then replied that her lawyer had advised her not to discuss "those things". On Thursday, Avenatti posted a tweet that featured a picture of a digital disc in a safe deposit box with the words "If 'a picture is worth a thousand words', how many words is this worth?" On March 6, Daniels filed a civil lawsuit against President Trump claiming the nondisclosure agreement, which contains details about her alleged nine-month affair with the latter is "invalid" because the US President had "never signed it." In response, President Trump's team sued Daniels, claiming that "she violated the agreement." On Friday, former Playboy model named Karen McDougal in a CNN interview claimed that President Trump had tried to offer her money after they allegedly went intimate. Further, McDougal expressed regret and apologised to Melania for her alleged encounter with the US President. Both McDougal and Daniels claim that President Trump had allegedly had a sexual encounter, when the latter's wife and First Lady Melania Trump, had given birth to his son, Barron. Many women have in the past have alleged that they had allegedly gone intimate with the US President. However, the White House has refuted claims that President Trump had affairs with other women, including Daniels and McDougal. (ANI)

Stormy Daniels' claims absolutely 'inaccurate', says White House

Stormy Daniels sued Donald Trump`s lawyer Michael Cohen on Monday for defamation, according to court documents, escalating a legal battle between the American president and the porn star that the White House was struggling to contain.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, made the claim a day after her widely watched TV interview on "60 Minutes" on CBS. Daniels said she was threatened with violence to keep quiet about her alleged 2006 tryst with Trump.

At the White House, a spokesman in a briefing with reporters cast aspersions on her account. The White House has denied allegations that Trump had a sexual relationship with Daniels.

CBS Corp said the show drew its biggest audience in more than eight years, with 21.3 million Americans tuning in, more than double the previous week`s edition of "60 Minutes."&nbsp;

Presidential spokesman Raj Shah told the briefing, "The president doesn`t believe any of the claims Ms. Daniels made in the interview last night were accurate."

Asked if Trump believed Daniels was threatened, Shah said, "No, he does not. ... There`s nothing to corroborate her claim."

Daniels` "60 Minutes" appearance also drew a denial from the president`s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, that he was involved in the alleged threat of violence against her.

Daniels originally sued Trump on March 6, saying he never signed an agreement for her to stay silent about what she called their "intimate" relationship. Monday`s filing in US District Court in Los Angeles amended the original lawsuit to say Daniels was defamed.

Her attorney, Michael Avenatti, said Cohen "meant to convey that Ms. Clifford is a liar, someone who should not be trusted, and that her claims about her relationship with Mr. Trump" were not true.

Daniels` defamation allegation was based on a February 13 statement by Cohen that she said hurt her reputation.

The latest filing also said $130,000 Cohen paid Daniels in October 2016 just before the presidential election to secure her silence amounted to an illegal campaign contribution, and that the agreement should be declared void.&nbsp;

Cohen has said he paid Daniels out of his own pocket, but has not explained why or if Trump was aware of the payment.

In filings with the Justice Department and Federal Election Commission, watchdog groups have said the $130,000 may have exceeded campaign contribution limits, violating US law. Cohen has denied this.

California attorney Michael Overing, who specializes in defamation law, said it would be difficult for Daniels to prevail on her defamation claim because she is a public figure.

To prove libel, she would have to show that a false statement was made with either reckless or purposeful disregard for the truth, Overing said.

Trump attorney Cohen`s denial of involvement in the alleged threat against Daniels came in a "cease-and-desist" letter sent to Avenatti shortly after "60 Minutes" aired that demanded a retraction and an apology. A copy of the letter was seen by Reuters on Monday.

The letter said, "Mr. Cohen had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with any such person or incident, and does not even believe that any such person exists, or that such incident ever occurred."

Daniels said the threat of harm was made by a stranger in a Las Vegas parking lot in 2011.&nbsp;

Avenatti said on NBC on Monday that the man who threatened her while she was with her infant daughter was not Cohen, but "had to be someone that is related to Mr. Trump or Mr. Cohen."&nbsp;

Last week CNN interviewed former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who described a 10-month affair with Trump starting in 2006.

Trump was married to his wife, Melania, during both alleged relationships. In addition to denying Trump had sex with Daniels, the White House has said he denies having an affair with McDougal.&nbsp;

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, made the claim a day after her widely watched TV interview on '60 Minutes' on CBS. Daniels said she was threatened with violence to keep quiet about her alleged 2006 tryst with Trump

Stormy Daniels sued Donald Trump`s lawyer Michael Cohen on Monday for defamation, according to court documents, escalating a legal battle between the American president and the porn star that the White House was struggling to contain. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, made the claim a day after her widely watched TV interview on "60 Minutes" on CBS. Daniels said she was threatened with violence to keep quiet about her alleged 2006 tryst with Trump. At the White House, a spokesman in a briefing with reporters cast aspersions on her account. The White House has denied allegations that Trump had a sexual relationship with Daniels. CBS Corp said the show drew its biggest audience in more than eight years, with 21.3 million Americans tuning in, more than double the previous week`s edition of "60 Minutes." Presidential spokesman Raj Shah told the briefing, "The president doesn`t believe any of the claims Ms. Daniels made in the interview last night were accurate." Asked if Trump believed Daniels was threatened, Shah said, "No, he does not. ... There`s nothing to corroborate her claim." Daniels` "60 Minutes" appearance also drew a denial from the president`s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, that he was involved in the alleged threat of violence against her. Daniels originally sued Trump on March 6, saying he never signed an agreement for her to stay silent about what she called their "intimate" relationship. Monday`s filing in US District Court in Los Angeles amended the original lawsuit to say Daniels was defamed. Her attorney, Michael Avenatti, said Cohen "meant to convey that Ms. Clifford is a liar, someone who should not be trusted, and that her claims about her relationship with Mr. Trump" were not true. Daniels` defamation allegation was based on a February 13 statement by Cohen that she said hurt her reputation. The latest filing also said $130,000 Cohen paid Daniels in October 2016 just before the presidential election to secure her silence amounted to an illegal campaign contribution, and that the agreement should be declared void. Cohen has said he paid Daniels out of his own pocket, but has not explained why or if Trump was aware of the payment. In filings with the Justice Department and Federal Election Commission, watchdog groups have said the $130,000 may have exceeded campaign contribution limits, violating US law. Cohen has denied this. California attorney Michael Overing, who specializes in defamation law, said it would be difficult for Daniels to prevail on her defamation claim because she is a public figure. To prove libel, she would have to show that a false statement was made with either reckless or purposeful disregard for the truth, Overing said. Trump attorney Cohen`s denial of involvement in the alleged threat against Daniels came in a "cease-and-desist" letter sent to Avenatti shortly after "60 Minutes" aired that demanded a retraction and an apology. A copy of the letter was seen by Reuters on Monday. The letter said, "Mr. Cohen had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with any such person or incident, and does not even believe that any such person exists, or that such incident ever occurred." Daniels said the threat of harm was made by a stranger in a Las Vegas parking lot in 2011. Avenatti said on NBC on Monday that the man who threatened her while she was with her infant daughter was not Cohen, but "had to be someone that is related to Mr. Trump or Mr. Cohen." Last week CNN interviewed former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who described a 10-month affair with Trump starting in 2006. Trump was married to his wife, Melania, during both alleged relationships. In addition to denying Trump had sex with Daniels, the White House has said he denies having an affair with McDougal.

Porn star sues Trump's personal lawyer for defamation

Porn actress Stormy Daniels said she was threatened in a bid to keep her silent about her alleged fling with Donald Trump, which she detailed in a highly-anticipated primetime TV interview broadcast Sunday.

She is seeking to be released from a non-disclosure agreement she signed 11 days before the 2016 presidential election that brought Trump to power, for which she was paid $130,000 -- leading to allegations that the payment amounted to an illicit contribution to his campaign.

Daniels told Anderson Cooper on CBS's "60 Minutes" that Trump had not asked her to keep their 2006 sexual encounter secret, but said she was approached by a man in a Las Vegas parking lot after agreeing to sell her story for $15,000 in 2011.

"I was in a parking lot, going to a fitness class with my infant daughter. Taking, you know, the seats facing backwards in the back seat, diaper bag, you know, gettin' all the stuff out," she said.

"And a guy walked up on me and said to me, 'Leave Trump alone. Forget the story.' And then he leaned around and looked at my daughter and said, 'That's a beautiful little girl. It'd be a shame if something happened to her mom,'" Daniels said.

Cooper asked: "You took it as a direct threat?"

"Absolutely," Daniels said.

"I was rattled, I remember going into the workout class and my hands were shaking so much I was afraid I was gonna drop her," she said of her daughter.

Magazine spanking 
Daniels said she was introduced to Trump at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe in July 2006. He invited her to his hotel suite, the only time they had sex.

The conversation "started off all about him, just talking about himself," with Trump asking if Daniels had seen his picture on the cover of a magazine, she said.

"I was like, does this, does this normally work for you? And he looked very taken back."

She told him: "Someone should take that magazine and spank you with it."

She took the magazine and told Trump to drop his pants, which he did -- with underwear still on -- "and I just gave him a couple swats," said Daniels.

The real estate mogul "was a completely different person" after that, and he stopped talking about himself.

Trump told her, "'Wow, you, you are special. You remind me of my daughter.' You know, he's like, 'You're smart, beautiful and a woman to be reckoned with,'" she said.

Trump's wife Melania -- who had recently given birth to their son -- came up only briefly: "I asked, and he brushed it aside, said, 'Oh yeah, yeah, you know, don't worry about that, we have separate rooms,'" Daniels said.

She said she and Trump had unprotected sex, despite the fact that she was not attracted to a man who was over 30 years her senior.

But "I didn't say no. I'm not a victim," Daniels said.

She stayed in contact with Trump after the encounter because the tycoon said he would try to get her on "The Apprentice," the reality TV show he hosted at the time.

"I thought of it as a business deal," she said, but it did not pan out.

'I'm telling the truth' 
Daniels said her main motive for speaking out now was to set the record straight.

"I'm not okay with being made out to be a liar," she insisted.

Asked what she would say to Trump if he were watching the interview, she said: "He knows I'm telling the truth."

While Trump has been uncharacteristically quiet about the alleged fling, the White House has denied any sexual encounter between him and Daniels.

Trump arrived back at the White House shortly before the interview aired on Sunday. Melania remained in Florida for spring break.

Daniels declined to discuss evidence to back her encounter with Trump, the possibility of which was teased by her lawyer prior to the interview.

Michael Avenatti posted a picture on Twitter of a computer disc along with the text: "If 'a picture is worth a thousand words,' how many words is this worth????? #60minutes #pleasedenyit."

Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels -- whose real name is Stephanie Clifford -- earlier this month seeking to toss out her non-disclosure agreement, for which she was paid by Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.

Cohen claimed that Daniels is liable for at least $20 million for violating the agreement -- $1 million for each time she did so -- in a court filing made prior to the CBS interview.

"This is about the cover-up," Avenatti said on "60 Minutes."

"This is about the extent that Mr Cohen and the president have gone to intimidate this woman, to silence her."

Stormy Daniels spoke about the affair early Monday morning to Anderson Cooper on CBS's '60 Minutes'. She added that she had been threatened to keep quiet about the affair

Porn actress Stormy Daniels said she was threatened in a bid to keep her silent about her alleged fling with Donald Trump, which she detailed in a highly-anticipated primetime TV interview broadcast Sunday. She is seeking to be released from a non-disclosure agreement she signed 11 days before the 2016 presidential election that brought Trump to power, for which she was paid $130,000 -- leading to allegations that the payment amounted to an illicit contribution to his campaign. Daniels told Anderson Cooper on CBS's "60 Minutes" that Trump had not asked her to keep their 2006 sexual encounter secret, but said she was approached by a man in a Las Vegas parking lot after agreeing to sell her story for $15,000 in 2011. "I was in a parking lot, going to a fitness class with my infant daughter. Taking, you know, the seats facing backwards in the back seat, diaper bag, you know, gettin' all the stuff out," she said. "And a guy walked up on me and said to me, 'Leave Trump alone. Forget the story.' And then he leaned around and looked at my daughter and said, 'That's a beautiful little girl. It'd be a shame if something happened to her mom,'" Daniels said. Cooper asked: "You took it as a direct threat?" "Absolutely," Daniels said. "I was rattled, I remember going into the workout class and my hands were shaking so much I was afraid I was gonna drop her," she said of her daughter. Magazine spanking Daniels said she was introduced to Trump at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe in July 2006. He invited her to his hotel suite, the only time they had sex. The conversation "started off all about him, just talking about himself," with Trump asking if Daniels had seen his picture on the cover of a magazine, she said. "I was like, does this, does this normally work for you? And he looked very taken back." She told him: "Someone should take that magazine and spank you with it." She took the magazine and told Trump to drop his pants, which he did -- with underwear still on -- "and I just gave him a couple swats," said Daniels. The real estate mogul "was a completely different person" after that, and he stopped talking about himself. Trump told her, "'Wow, you, you are special. You remind me of my daughter.' You know, he's like, 'You're smart, beautiful and a woman to be reckoned with,'" she said. Trump's wife Melania -- who had recently given birth to their son -- came up only briefly: "I asked, and he brushed it aside, said, 'Oh yeah, yeah, you know, don't worry about that, we have separate rooms,'" Daniels said. She said she and Trump had unprotected sex, despite the fact that she was not attracted to a man who was over 30 years her senior. But "I didn't say no. I'm not a victim," Daniels said. She stayed in contact with Trump after the encounter because the tycoon said he would try to get her on "The Apprentice," the reality TV show he hosted at the time. "I thought of it as a business deal," she said, but it did not pan out. 'I'm telling the truth' Daniels said her main motive for speaking out now was to set the record straight. "I'm not okay with being made out to be a liar," she insisted. Asked what she would say to Trump if he were watching the interview, she said: "He knows I'm telling the truth." While Trump has been uncharacteristically quiet about the alleged fling, the White House has denied any sexual encounter between him and Daniels. Trump arrived back at the White House shortly before the interview aired on Sunday. Melania remained in Florida for spring break. Daniels declined to discuss evidence to back her encounter with Trump, the possibility of which was teased by her lawyer prior to the interview. Michael Avenatti posted a picture on Twitter of a computer disc along with the text: "If 'a picture is worth a thousand words,' how many words is this worth????? #60minutes #pleasedenyit." Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels -- whose real name is Stephanie Clifford -- earlier this month seeking to toss out her non-disclosure agreement, for which she was paid by Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. Cohen claimed that Daniels is liable for at least $20 million for violating the agreement -- $1 million for each time she did so -- in a court filing made prior to the CBS interview. "This is about the cover-up," Avenatti said on "60 Minutes." "This is about the extent that Mr Cohen and the president have gone to intimidate this woman, to silence her."

'You remind me of my daughter,' Trump told porn actress he had affair with

Iran on Saturday slammed new US sanctions against 10 of its citizens and an Iranian company over their alleged involvement in a massive state-sponsored hacking and intellectual property theft scheme.

The US Treasury Department unveiled charges on Friday against nine Iranians along with sanctions against 10 individuals and the Mabna Institute, which it accused of hacking hundreds of universities on behalf of Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guards.

Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi called the accusations &quot;false&quot;.

&quot;Iran condemns the United States&#39; provocative, illegal and unjustified actions, which are a major new sign of the hostility and animosity of US leaders towards the Iranian people,&quot; he said in a statement on the ministry&#39;s website.

&quot;They will not prevent the scientific development of the Iranian people.&quot;

The two founders of the Mabna Institute, Gholamreza Rafatnejad, 38, and Ehsan Mohammadi, 37, were among the nine Iranians indicted in New York and whose assets are subject to US seizure.

Since 2013, the Mabna Institute carried out cyber intrusions into the computer systems of 144 US universities, the Treasury Department said, and 176 universities in 21 foreign countries.

Mabna Institute employees and contractors &quot;engaged in the theft of valuable intellectual property and data from hundreds of US and third-country universities... for private financial gain,&quot; it said.

&quot;For many of these intrusions, the defendants acted at the behest of the Iranian government and, specifically, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps,&quot; Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said.

The US Department of Labour, the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, dozens of private firms and non-governmental organisations such as the United Nations Children&#39;s Fund were also allegedly targeted.

Geoffrey Berman, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the Iranians conducted &quot;spearphishing&quot; attacks designed to steal passwords from email accounts in what he called one of the largest state-sponsored hacking schemes ever uncovered.

Since taking office in January 2017, US President Donald Trump has adopted a tough stance against Iran and repeatedly denounced a landmark deal that Tehran reached with world powers to curb its nuclear programme.

Trump said in January that the 2015 deal must be &quot;fixed&quot; by May 12 or the United States will walk away.

Iran on Saturday slammed new US sanctions against 10 of its citizens and an Iranian company over their alleged involvement in a massive state-sponsored hacking and intellectual property theft scheme

Iran on Saturday slammed new US sanctions against 10 of its citizens and an Iranian company over their alleged involvement in a massive state-sponsored hacking and intellectual property theft scheme. The US Treasury Department unveiled charges on Friday against nine Iranians along with sanctions against 10 individuals and the Mabna Institute, which it accused of hacking hundreds of universities on behalf of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi called the accusations "false". "Iran condemns the United States' provocative, illegal and unjustified actions, which are a major new sign of the hostility and animosity of US leaders towards the Iranian people," he said in a statement on the ministry's website. "They will not prevent the scientific development of the Iranian people." The two founders of the Mabna Institute, Gholamreza Rafatnejad, 38, and Ehsan Mohammadi, 37, were among the nine Iranians indicted in New York and whose assets are subject to US seizure. Since 2013, the Mabna Institute carried out cyber intrusions into the computer systems of 144 US universities, the Treasury Department said, and 176 universities in 21 foreign countries. Mabna Institute employees and contractors "engaged in the theft of valuable intellectual property and data from hundreds of US and third-country universities... for private financial gain," it said. "For many of these intrusions, the defendants acted at the behest of the Iranian government and, specifically, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps," Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said. The US Department of Labour, the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, dozens of private firms and non-governmental organisations such as the United Nations Children's Fund were also allegedly targeted. Geoffrey Berman, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the Iranians conducted "spearphishing" attacks designed to steal passwords from email accounts in what he called one of the largest state-sponsored hacking schemes ever uncovered. Since taking office in January 2017, US President Donald Trump has adopted a tough stance against Iran and repeatedly denounced a landmark deal that Tehran reached with world powers to curb its nuclear programme. Trump said in January that the 2015 deal must be "fixed" by May 12 or the United States will walk away.

Iran slams US sanctions over hacking scheme

Apple Inc&#39;s Chief Executive Tim Cook on Saturday called for &quot;calm heads&quot; and more open trade, amid rising fears of a trade war between the United States and China.

Trade tension between China and the United States flared this week when President Donald Trump unveiled plans on Thursday to slap tariffs on potentially up to $60 billion in Chinese goods.

China&#39;s Commerce Ministry on Friday urged the United States to &quot;pull back from the brink&quot;, saying it was not afraid to engage in a trade war.

&quot;I&#39;m cognizant that in both the U.S. and China, there have been cases where everyone hasn&#39;t benefited, where the benefit hasn&#39;t been balanced,&quot; Cook said.

Speaking at the annual China Development Forum in Beijing, Cook said he hoped &quot;calm heads&quot; would prevail.

The sparring has cast a spotlight on hardware makers such as Apple, which assemble the majority of their products in China for export to other countries. Electrical goods and tech are the largest U.S. import item from China.

In the past year, Apple and other foreign tech firms have grappled with a string of new regulatory requirements in China, including a controversial law requiring firms to house user data in data centers overseen by Chinese firms.

Last month, Apple officially moved to store keys for its iCloud data in China, provoking intense criticism from rights groups who say the decision makes it easier for Chinese officials to tap and collect private data.

Despite challenges, the company has sought to expand its services in China, its third-largest market, where roughly 1.8 million developers use its platform.

&quot;My belief is that businesses should be engaged with governments in countries where they are doing business, whether they agree or disagree,&quot; Cook said.

Cook has come to China several times in the past year, and was among executives who met Chinese President Xi Jinping last October.

&quot;My belief is that one plus one equals three. The pie gets larger, working together,&quot; Cook said.

Others attending the three-day forum include the chief executives of IBM Group , Google Inc and Qualcomm Inc.

Cook, who this year co-chaired the event, also attended last year when he called for China to increase trade and continue opening itself up to the world.

Cook was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual China Development Forum in Beijing.

Apple Inc's Chief Executive Tim Cook on Saturday called for "calm heads" and more open trade, amid rising fears of a trade war between the United States and China. Trade tension between China and the United States flared this week when President Donald Trump unveiled plans on Thursday to slap tariffs on potentially up to $60 billion in Chinese goods. China's Commerce Ministry on Friday urged the United States to "pull back from the brink", saying it was not afraid to engage in a trade war. "I'm cognizant that in both the U.S. and China, there have been cases where everyone hasn't benefited, where the benefit hasn't been balanced," Cook said. Speaking at the annual China Development Forum in Beijing, Cook said he hoped "calm heads" would prevail. The sparring has cast a spotlight on hardware makers such as Apple, which assemble the majority of their products in China for export to other countries. Electrical goods and tech are the largest U.S. import item from China. In the past year, Apple and other foreign tech firms have grappled with a string of new regulatory requirements in China, including a controversial law requiring firms to house user data in data centers overseen by Chinese firms. Last month, Apple officially moved to store keys for its iCloud data in China, provoking intense criticism from rights groups who say the decision makes it easier for Chinese officials to tap and collect private data. Despite challenges, the company has sought to expand its services in China, its third-largest market, where roughly 1.8 million developers use its platform. "My belief is that businesses should be engaged with governments in countries where they are doing business, whether they agree or disagree," Cook said. Cook has come to China several times in the past year, and was among executives who met Chinese President Xi Jinping last October. "My belief is that one plus one equals three. The pie gets larger, working together," Cook said. Others attending the three-day forum include the chief executives of IBM Group , Google Inc and Qualcomm Inc. Cook, who this year co-chaired the event, also attended last year when he called for China to increase trade and continue opening itself up to the world.

Apple CEO calls for 'calm heads' and open trade, amid fears of US, China trade war

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Friday that limits transgender individuals from serving in the US military, but gives the armed forces some latitude in implementing policies.

The memorandum said that transgender individuals with a history of &quot;gender dysphoria&quot; are disqualified from military service &quot;except under certain limited circumstances.&quot;

It added that the secretaries of defence and homeland security &quot;may exercise their authority to implement any appropriate policies concerning military service by transgender individuals.&quot;

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Friday that limits transgender individuals from serving in the US military, but gives the armed forces some latitude in implementing policies

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Friday that limits transgender individuals from serving in the US military, but gives the armed forces some latitude in implementing policies. The memorandum said that transgender individuals with a history of "gender dysphoria" are disqualified from military service "except under certain limited circumstances." It added that the secretaries of defence and homeland security "may exercise their authority to implement any appropriate policies concerning military service by transgender individuals."

Trump moves to limit transgender individuals from military service

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