The United States on Sunday made its strongest accusation to date of Moscow&#39;s complicity in civilian deaths in Syria, saying Russian aircraft flew bombing missions over the besieged eastern Ghouta region in defiance of a United Nations ceasefire.

The White House said Russian military aircraft took off from Humaymim Airfield in Syria and carried out at least 20 daily bombing missions in Damascus and eastern Ghouta between February 24 and February 28.

It did not say whether the jets dropped ordinance, which could be harder to determine than tracking the flight paths of Russian aircraft on US&nbsp;radar. But the United States directly accused Russia of killing civilians.&nbsp;

&quot;Russia has gone on to ignore (a UN&nbsp;ceasefire&#39;s) terms and to kill innocent civilians under the false auspices of counter-terrorism operations,&quot; the White House said in a statement.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed on Sunday to continue the offensive in eastern Ghouta, one of the deadliest in the war. A local insurgent group called it a &quot;scorched earth&quot; campaign.

With the war entering its eighth year, capturing eastern Ghouta would be a major victory for Assad, who has steadily regained control of rebel areas with Russian and Iranian support.

Government shelling and air strikes have killed 659 people in eastern Ghouta since February 18, while rebel shelling of Damascus has killed 27, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Friday that Syrian government air-strikes on eastern Ghouta and shelling from the rebel-held zone into Damascus probably constitute war crimes.

The White House called on pro-Assad forces to &quot;immediately cease targeting medical infrastructure and civilians.&quot;

In a separate statement later on Sunday, the White House said President Donald Trump and Egypt&#39;s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi &quot;discussed Russia and Iran&#39;s irresponsible support of the Assad regime&#39;s brutal attacks against innocent civilians.&quot;

&quot;President Trump and President al-Sisi agreed to work together on ending the humanitarian crisis in Syria and achieving Arab unity and security in the region,&quot; the White House statement said.

Russia and Damascus have accused rebels of preventing civilians from leaving eastern Ghouta during daily ceasefires. Rebels have consistently denied the accusation and say people will not leave because they fear the government.

The multi-sided war has killed hundreds of thousands of people since 2011. 
&nbsp;

The White House said Russian military aircraft took off from Humaymim Airfield in Syria and carried out at least 20 daily bombing missions in Damascus

The United States on Sunday made its strongest accusation to date of Moscow's complicity in civilian deaths in Syria, saying Russian aircraft flew bombing missions over the besieged eastern Ghouta region in defiance of a United Nations ceasefire. The White House said Russian military aircraft took off from Humaymim Airfield in Syria and carried out at least 20 daily bombing missions in Damascus and eastern Ghouta between February 24 and February 28. It did not say whether the jets dropped ordinance, which could be harder to determine than tracking the flight paths of Russian aircraft on US radar. But the United States directly accused Russia of killing civilians. "Russia has gone on to ignore (a UN ceasefire's) terms and to kill innocent civilians under the false auspices of counter-terrorism operations," the White House said in a statement. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed on Sunday to continue the offensive in eastern Ghouta, one of the deadliest in the war. A local insurgent group called it a "scorched earth" campaign. With the war entering its eighth year, capturing eastern Ghouta would be a major victory for Assad, who has steadily regained control of rebel areas with Russian and Iranian support. Government shelling and air strikes have killed 659 people in eastern Ghouta since February 18, while rebel shelling of Damascus has killed 27, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Friday that Syrian government air-strikes on eastern Ghouta and shelling from the rebel-held zone into Damascus probably constitute war crimes. The White House called on pro-Assad forces to "immediately cease targeting medical infrastructure and civilians." In a separate statement later on Sunday, the White House said President Donald Trump and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi "discussed Russia and Iran's irresponsible support of the Assad regime's brutal attacks against innocent civilians." "President Trump and President al-Sisi agreed to work together on ending the humanitarian crisis in Syria and achieving Arab unity and security in the region," the White House statement said. Russia and Damascus have accused rebels of preventing civilians from leaving eastern Ghouta during daily ceasefires. Rebels have consistently denied the accusation and say people will not leave because they fear the government. The multi-sided war has killed hundreds of thousands of people since 2011.

White House accuses Russia of killing civilians in Syria

Donald Trump recently expressed his support for the ongoing terror-war in Egypt. According to reports, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi received a phone call from his US counterpart Donald on Sunday.

The two leaders discussed regional issues and relevant developments, especially in connection to the deteriorating regional situation in the country.

In addition to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Middle Eastern countries like Yemen, Syria, Libya and Iraq also grapple with ongoing crises.&nbsp;

The Egypt-US ties witnessed improvements after President Donald Trump assumed office. However, the country rejects Trump&#39;s move to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to relocate Washington&#39;s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv.

Egypt identifies as a US ally; the country receives an annual military aid of $1.3 billion from Washington. The two countries signed the 1979 US-sponsored peace treaty.&nbsp;

Egypt identifies as a US ally; the country receives an annual military aid of $1.3 billion from Washington

Donald Trump recently expressed his support for the ongoing terror-war in Egypt. According to reports, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi received a phone call from his US counterpart Donald on Sunday. The two leaders discussed regional issues and relevant developments, especially in connection to the deteriorating regional situation in the country. In addition to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Middle Eastern countries like Yemen, Syria, Libya and Iraq also grapple with ongoing crises. The Egypt-US ties witnessed improvements after President Donald Trump assumed office. However, the country rejects Trump's move to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to relocate Washington's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv. Egypt identifies as a US ally; the country receives an annual military aid of $1.3 billion from Washington. The two countries signed the 1979 US-sponsored peace treaty.

Trump reiterates US support for Egypt in a telephone call to President Sisi

South Korea will dispatch a delegation led by senior security officials for a two-day visit to North Korea starting Monday, the presidential Blue House announced Sunday, as US&nbsp;President Donald Trump hinted that he is ready to talk to Pyongyang.

For its part, North Korea said it was not begging to talk with Washington and denounced upcoming US-South Korean joint-military exercises, warning that it would take counter measures against the United States if they went ahead.

The drills will take place next month, a South Korean presidential security adviser said according to the Yonhap news agency. They had been delayed until after the Winter Olympics and Paralympic games in South Korea.

South Korea&#39;s presidential Blue House said in a statement that National Security Office (NSO) head Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Suh Hoon, a veteran of past negotiations with the North, will be among the 10-member South Korean delegation visiting Pyongyang.

The visit was part of an effort to lower tensions on the Korean peninsula as well as possibly arrange talks between North Korea and the United States, it said.

After the visit to North Korea the envoys will travel to the United States to brief officials, and Seoul said it would also coordinate closely with officials in Japan and China.

During a joke-filled monologue at a dinner with journalists in Washington on Saturday, Trump suggested that the United States will be meeting with North Korea but has told Pyongyang it must first &quot;denuke.&quot;

&quot;We will be meeting and we&#39;ll see if anything positive happens,&quot; he added.

It was unclear if Trump was joking or if formal US-North Korea talks were imminent.

Speaking on Sunday in Beijing ahead of the opening of China&#39;s parliament, Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui said China hoped the United States and North Korea could begin dialogue too.

&quot;War and chaos on the peninsula in not in the interests of any side,&quot; Zhang said.

Last month, US&nbsp;Vice President Mike Pence was scheduled to meet with North Korean officials, including leader Kim Jong Un&rsquo;s sister, while in South Korea for the Winter Olympics but the North Koreans cancelled at the last minute, US&nbsp;officials said in February.

North Korea reiterated on Saturday that it was willing to talk to the United States but said it would never sit with any precondition.

A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman was quoted by KCNA as saying &quot;we will neither beg for dialogue nor evade the military option claimed by the US&quot;

A commentary published by North Korea&#39;s official KCNA news agency warned that North Korea would &quot;counter the US&quot; if joint military drills go forward.

The Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang last month gave a boost to recent engagement between the two Koreas after more than a year of sharply rising tensions over the North&#39;s missile programme and its sixth and largest nuclear test in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in hopes to capitalize on that thaw in relations by arranging talks over North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programme.

During a phone call on Thursday, Moon told Trump of his plan to send a special envoy to North Korea in response to an invitation from leader Kim Jong Un.

In sending an envoy to Pyongyang, Moon said he would be seeking to reciprocate Kim Jong Un&#39;s decision to send a senior delegation, including his sister, Kim Yo Jong, to the Olympics, marking the first visit by a member of the North&#39;s ruling bloodline since the 1950-53 Korean War.

The White House has said any talks with North Korea must lead to an end of its nuclear programme, and on February 23, the United States said it was imposing its largest package of sanctions to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear and missile programmes.

At the time, Trump also warned of a &quot;phase two&quot; that could be &quot;very, very unfortunate for the world&quot; if the steps did not work.

North Korea said it was not begging to talk with Washington and denounced upcoming US-South Korean joint-military exercises, warning that it would take counter measures against the United States if they went ahead

South Korea will dispatch a delegation led by senior security officials for a two-day visit to North Korea starting Monday, the presidential Blue House announced Sunday, as US President Donald Trump hinted that he is ready to talk to Pyongyang. For its part, North Korea said it was not begging to talk with Washington and denounced upcoming US-South Korean joint-military exercises, warning that it would take counter measures against the United States if they went ahead. The drills will take place next month, a South Korean presidential security adviser said according to the Yonhap news agency. They had been delayed until after the Winter Olympics and Paralympic games in South Korea. South Korea's presidential Blue House said in a statement that National Security Office (NSO) head Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Suh Hoon, a veteran of past negotiations with the North, will be among the 10-member South Korean delegation visiting Pyongyang. The visit was part of an effort to lower tensions on the Korean peninsula as well as possibly arrange talks between North Korea and the United States, it said. After the visit to North Korea the envoys will travel to the United States to brief officials, and Seoul said it would also coordinate closely with officials in Japan and China. During a joke-filled monologue at a dinner with journalists in Washington on Saturday, Trump suggested that the United States will be meeting with North Korea but has told Pyongyang it must first "denuke." "We will be meeting and we'll see if anything positive happens," he added. It was unclear if Trump was joking or if formal US-North Korea talks were imminent. Speaking on Sunday in Beijing ahead of the opening of China's parliament, Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui said China hoped the United States and North Korea could begin dialogue too. "War and chaos on the peninsula in not in the interests of any side," Zhang said. Last month, US Vice President Mike Pence was scheduled to meet with North Korean officials, including leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, while in South Korea for the Winter Olympics but the North Koreans cancelled at the last minute, US officials said in February. North Korea reiterated on Saturday that it was willing to talk to the United States but said it would never sit with any precondition. A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman was quoted by KCNA as saying "we will neither beg for dialogue nor evade the military option claimed by the US" A commentary published by North Korea's official KCNA news agency warned that North Korea would "counter the US" if joint military drills go forward. The Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang last month gave a boost to recent engagement between the two Koreas after more than a year of sharply rising tensions over the North's missile programme and its sixth and largest nuclear test in defiance of United Nations sanctions. South Korean President Moon Jae-in hopes to capitalize on that thaw in relations by arranging talks over North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programme. During a phone call on Thursday, Moon told Trump of his plan to send a special envoy to North Korea in response to an invitation from leader Kim Jong Un. In sending an envoy to Pyongyang, Moon said he would be seeking to reciprocate Kim Jong Un's decision to send a senior delegation, including his sister, Kim Yo Jong, to the Olympics, marking the first visit by a member of the North's ruling bloodline since the 1950-53 Korean War. The White House has said any talks with North Korea must lead to an end of its nuclear programme, and on February 23, the United States said it was imposing its largest package of sanctions to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear and missile programmes. At the time, Trump also warned of a "phase two" that could be "very, very unfortunate for the world" if the steps did not work.

South Korea sending envoys to North Korea as Trump suggests US willing to talk

United States President Donald Trump has been told to cut down on red meat and highly fattening foods since his doctor told him he needs to lose a few pounds.

Trump passed a cognitive test and is in overall excellent health, but needs to lose 10 to 15 pounds (4.5 to 6.8 kg) by eating better and starting to exercise, the White House physician said on Tuesday.

Trump has cut down his red meat intake and is eating more fish, salads and soups. Reports said that the last time he ate a hamburger was about two weeks back.&nbsp;

White House physician Dr Ronny Jackson, who in January announced that Trump at 6&#39;3&quot; and 239 pounds was just one pound below being classified as &ldquo;obese.&rdquo;

President Trump has reportedly embraced the new menu choices he is being offered and is enjoying his new diet.He is said to have had one cheat day this week, when he enjoyed a hearty bacon breakfast.

&quot;We are going to do both (referring to diet and exercise),&quot; the doctor said after administering his physical.

&quot;He is more enthusiastic about the diet part than the exercise part,&rdquo; Jackson said of Trump at the time.

The Navy doctor exhausted reporters&#39; questions during an unusually lengthy hour-long session, at Trump&#39;s request, and said he did not withhold any information in the interests of privacy.

&quot;He said, &#39;I want you to get out there and I want you to talk to them and I want you to answer every single question they have,&#39;&quot; Jackson said of Trump.

Trump, 71, is known to enjoy high-fat foods like fried chicken, hamburgers and steak - and while he plays golf, he does not have a daily exercise routine.

&quot;He had a longtime fear of being poisoned, one reason why he liked to eat at McDonald&#39;s-nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely premade,&quot; Michael Wolff&#39;s book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House stated.

It&#39;s an about-face from his campaign trail regimen, which reportedly included two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and a chocolate milkshake for dinner. One way Trump supposedly justified his love for McDonald&#39; was the reassurance it offered.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m a very clean person. I like cleanliness, and I think you&#39;e better off going there than maybe someplace that you have no idea where the food&#39;s coming from. It&#39;s a certain standard,&quot; Trump had said of McDonald&#39;s.

Trump&#39;s mental fitness for the job had come under intense scrutiny after a controversial, best-selling book, &quot;Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,&quot; portrayed him as childlike and mercurial.

Jackson, who speaks with Trump a few times a day and travels with him, said he did not think the president needed cognitive testing based on medical guidelines - but added the 30-question Montreal Cognitive Assessment at Trump&#39;s request.

Trump scored 30 out of 30 on the test, Jackson said. &quot;The president is mentally very sharp, very intact,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Trump passed a cognitive test and is in overall excellent health, but needs to lose 4.5 to 6.8 kg by eating better and starting to exercise, the White House physician said on Tuesday

United States President Donald Trump has been told to cut down on red meat and highly fattening foods since his doctor told him he needs to lose a few pounds. Trump passed a cognitive test and is in overall excellent health, but needs to lose 10 to 15 pounds (4.5 to 6.8 kg) by eating better and starting to exercise, the White House physician said on Tuesday. Trump has cut down his red meat intake and is eating more fish, salads and soups. Reports said that the last time he ate a hamburger was about two weeks back. White House physician Dr Ronny Jackson, who in January announced that Trump at 6'3" and 239 pounds was just one pound below being classified as “obese.” President Trump has reportedly embraced the new menu choices he is being offered and is enjoying his new diet.He is said to have had one cheat day this week, when he enjoyed a hearty bacon breakfast. "We are going to do both (referring to diet and exercise)," the doctor said after administering his physical. "He is more enthusiastic about the diet part than the exercise part,” Jackson said of Trump at the time. The Navy doctor exhausted reporters' questions during an unusually lengthy hour-long session, at Trump's request, and said he did not withhold any information in the interests of privacy. "He said, 'I want you to get out there and I want you to talk to them and I want you to answer every single question they have,'" Jackson said of Trump. Trump, 71, is known to enjoy high-fat foods like fried chicken, hamburgers and steak - and while he plays golf, he does not have a daily exercise routine. "He had a longtime fear of being poisoned, one reason why he liked to eat at McDonald's-nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely premade," Michael Wolff's book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House stated. It's an about-face from his campaign trail regimen, which reportedly included two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and a chocolate milkshake for dinner. One way Trump supposedly justified his love for McDonald' was the reassurance it offered. "I'm a very clean person. I like cleanliness, and I think you'e better off going there than maybe someplace that you have no idea where the food's coming from. It's a certain standard," Trump had said of McDonald's. Trump's mental fitness for the job had come under intense scrutiny after a controversial, best-selling book, "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," portrayed him as childlike and mercurial. Jackson, who speaks with Trump a few times a day and travels with him, said he did not think the president needed cognitive testing based on medical guidelines - but added the 30-question Montreal Cognitive Assessment at Trump's request. Trump scored 30 out of 30 on the test, Jackson said. "The president is mentally very sharp, very intact," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump told to lose weight by White House doctor

The authorities on Sunday confirmed the death of the gunman, who had shot himself in front of the White House on Saturday.

&quot;Adult male has been declared deceased,&quot; the Washington, DC Police Department said on Twitter. &nbsp;

The gunman has been identified by the Secret service and the Metropolitan Police Department, but his name has not been disclosed citing security reasons.

The Secret Service said a white male approached the fence north of the White House at about 11:46 am, &quot;removed a concealed handgun and fired several rounds, none of which appear at this time to have been directed towards the White House.&quot;

While as many as 100 people -- mostly tourists -- were on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House at the time, no one else was reported hurt &nbsp;confirming that the Gunman did not target any shot towards the White House., the Secret Service said.&nbsp;

At the time, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania were at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The president was set to return to Washington later Saturday to attend the annual Gridiron Club media dinner.

&quot;We are aware of the incident,&quot; deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said. &quot;The president has been briefed.&quot;

Local police will lead an investigation of the shooting, with support from the Secret Service and other agencies, the Secret Service said.

The gunman has been identified by the Secret service and the Metropolitan Police Department, but his name has not been disclosed citing security reasons

The authorities on Sunday confirmed the death of the gunman, who had shot himself in front of the White House on Saturday. "Adult male has been declared deceased," the Washington, DC Police Department said on Twitter. The gunman has been identified by the Secret service and the Metropolitan Police Department, but his name has not been disclosed citing security reasons. The Secret Service said a white male approached the fence north of the White House at about 11:46 am, "removed a concealed handgun and fired several rounds, none of which appear at this time to have been directed towards the White House." While as many as 100 people -- mostly tourists -- were on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House at the time, no one else was reported hurt confirming that the Gunman did not target any shot towards the White House., the Secret Service said. At the time, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania were at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The president was set to return to Washington later Saturday to attend the annual Gridiron Club media dinner. "We are aware of the incident," deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said. "The president has been briefed." Local police will lead an investigation of the shooting, with support from the Secret Service and other agencies, the Secret Service said.

Gunman shoots himself outside White House

Federal investigators are looking into whether Jared Kushner`s business talks with foreigners, as his father-in-law Donald Trump assumed the U.S. presidency, later influenced White House policy, NBC News reported on Friday.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has asked witnesses about Kushner`s attempts to secure financing for his family`s real estate ventures, focusing specifically on his talks with people from Qatar and Turkey, as well as Russia, China and the United Arab Emirates, NBC News said.

NBC cited unnamed people familiar with Mueller`s investigation, as well as witnesses who have been interviewed by Mueller`s team. The special counsel is looking at Russia`s alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and whether there was any collusion with the Trump campaign.

A spokesman for Mueller`s office, Peter Carr, declined to comment on the report. A spokesman for Kushner attorney Abbe Lowell said the report was the &quot;mischief&quot; of unnamed sources conducting a &quot;misinformation campaign&quot; to mislead the news media.

&quot;Mr. Kushner`s role in the campaign and transition was to be a point person for completely appropriate contacts from foreign officials and he did not mix his or his former company`s business in those contacts,&quot; the spokesman, Peter Mirijanian, said in a statement. &quot;Any claim otherwise is false.&quot;

Russia has denied interfering in the election, and Trump has said there was no collusion.

Federal investigators have reached out to Turkish nationals for information on Kushner through the Federal Bureau of Investigation`s legal attache office in Ankara, NBC News said.

Qatari government officials who visited the United States earlier this year considered turning over information to Mueller that they believed demonstrated their neighbours in the Gulf were coordinating with Kushner to hurt Qatar, NBC

News said, citing four people familiar with the matter.

The Qatari officials decided against cooperating with Mueller for now out of fear it would further strain the country`s relations with the White House, the individuals told NBC News.

The Qatari embassy in Washington rejected the assertions, saying in a statement late Friday that its government &ldquo;has not been approached nor has it had any contact with the Special Counsel&rsquo;s Office on any matters.&quot;&nbsp;

Kushner`s family business, Kushner Companies, approached Qatar several times, including last spring, about investing in its troubled flagship property at 666 Fifth Avenue in New York, but Qatar`s sovereign wealth fund declined,

NBC News said, citing two sources familiar with the discussion.

Muller`s team also has expressed interest in a meeting Kushner held at Trump Tower in December 2016 with former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al Thani, people familiar with the meeting told NBC News.

The Kushner Companies` Fifth Avenue property is facing some $1.4 billion in debt that is due in 2019, NBC News cited the sources as saying. Talks with Qatari officials about investing continued after Kushner entered the White

House and stepped away from the business, they said.

After the collapse of talks between Qatar and the Kushner Companies, the White House strongly backed a blockade against Qatar by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which accused Qatar of backing terrorism. Kushner has played a major role in Middle East policy.

The Washington Post reported earlier this week that officials from the UAE, China, Israel and Mexico have talked privately about ways to manipulate Kushner using his business arrangements, financial difficulties and lack of foreign policy experience. The Post report quoted unnamed U.S. officials familiar with intelligence reports on the issue.

Kushner has lost his access to top-secret U.S. intelligence information in recent weeks because of his inability to obtain a security clearance at that level.

Russia has denied interfering in the election, and Trump has said there was no collusion

Federal investigators are looking into whether Jared Kushner`s business talks with foreigners, as his father-in-law Donald Trump assumed the U.S. presidency, later influenced White House policy, NBC News reported on Friday. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has asked witnesses about Kushner`s attempts to secure financing for his family`s real estate ventures, focusing specifically on his talks with people from Qatar and Turkey, as well as Russia, China and the United Arab Emirates, NBC News said. NBC cited unnamed people familiar with Mueller`s investigation, as well as witnesses who have been interviewed by Mueller`s team. The special counsel is looking at Russia`s alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and whether there was any collusion with the Trump campaign. A spokesman for Mueller`s office, Peter Carr, declined to comment on the report. A spokesman for Kushner attorney Abbe Lowell said the report was the "mischief" of unnamed sources conducting a "misinformation campaign" to mislead the news media. "Mr. Kushner`s role in the campaign and transition was to be a point person for completely appropriate contacts from foreign officials and he did not mix his or his former company`s business in those contacts," the spokesman, Peter Mirijanian, said in a statement. "Any claim otherwise is false." Russia has denied interfering in the election, and Trump has said there was no collusion. Federal investigators have reached out to Turkish nationals for information on Kushner through the Federal Bureau of Investigation`s legal attache office in Ankara, NBC News said. Qatari government officials who visited the United States earlier this year considered turning over information to Mueller that they believed demonstrated their neighbours in the Gulf were coordinating with Kushner to hurt Qatar, NBC News said, citing four people familiar with the matter. The Qatari officials decided against cooperating with Mueller for now out of fear it would further strain the country`s relations with the White House, the individuals told NBC News. The Qatari embassy in Washington rejected the assertions, saying in a statement late Friday that its government “has not been approached nor has it had any contact with the Special Counsel’s Office on any matters." Kushner`s family business, Kushner Companies, approached Qatar several times, including last spring, about investing in its troubled flagship property at 666 Fifth Avenue in New York, but Qatar`s sovereign wealth fund declined, NBC News said, citing two sources familiar with the discussion. Muller`s team also has expressed interest in a meeting Kushner held at Trump Tower in December 2016 with former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al Thani, people familiar with the meeting told NBC News. The Kushner Companies` Fifth Avenue property is facing some $1.4 billion in debt that is due in 2019, NBC News cited the sources as saying. Talks with Qatari officials about investing continued after Kushner entered the White House and stepped away from the business, they said. After the collapse of talks between Qatar and the Kushner Companies, the White House strongly backed a blockade against Qatar by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which accused Qatar of backing terrorism. Kushner has played a major role in Middle East policy. The Washington Post reported earlier this week that officials from the UAE, China, Israel and Mexico have talked privately about ways to manipulate Kushner using his business arrangements, financial difficulties and lack of foreign policy experience. The Post report quoted unnamed U.S. officials familiar with intelligence reports on the issue. Kushner has lost his access to top-secret U.S. intelligence information in recent weeks because of his inability to obtain a security clearance at that level.

Investigators looking at whether Kushner business talks affected US policy

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly today admitted the Trump administration&#39;s early handling of classified information and gatekeeping of sensitive secrets was not up to snuff.

Kelly told journalists that he had his &quot;eyes opened,&quot; after joining the White House in July last year, by the way people were treating documents and the number of staff who had access to secrets.

Painting a picture of a neophyte staff of outsiders, unfamiliar with Washington and learning how to run the world&#39;s preeminent superpower, Kelly said he moved to bring habits in line with the Pentagon and military, where he served for decades.

&quot;In terms of the handling of classified material&quot; he said the White House &quot;wasn&#39;t up to the standards that I&#39;d been used to.&quot; &quot;Nothing illegal,&quot; he added. &quot;But it wasn&#39;t quite up to the standards.&quot; &quot;Most of the people here in the White House had never worked in government before,&quot; he explained.

On Donald Trump&#39;s path to the White House he repeatedly pilloried his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, for storing government emails on a private server, suggesting that was a national security risk.

Kelly also admitted that his initial concerns sparked a further crackdown, when he noticed that around 35-40 White House staffers had top secret clearance and did not need it.

That top level of clearance is often used in the Situation Room and for the nation&#39;s most closely guarded secrets.

Kelly also noticed that many staff did not have final clearance and were working as FBI background checks were ongoing.

&quot;I&#39;m having my eyes opened here&quot; he said.

&quot;Of the people who are here, what is the percentage that are still on interim clearances?&quot; he asked, &quot;and the answer to that was a fair number. It was a lot.&quot; &quot;A couple of spreadsheets worth of people,&quot; he added. &quot;More people than I was comfortable with.&quot; The issue of clearances would ultimately engulf the White House, leading to -- according to other sources -- Jared Kushner having his clearance downgraded.

That downgrade raised questions about what may be holding up his background check and whether he can continue to lead Trump&#39;s efforts to negotiate Middle East peace with only &quot;secret&quot; not &quot;top secret&quot; clearance.

Kelly also admitted that the White House&#39;s handling of staff-secretary Rob Porter&#39;s departure amid allegations of domestic abuse was not ideal.

&quot;We didn&#39;t cover ourselves in glory in how we handled that.&quot;

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said that he had his 'eyes opened,' after joining the White House in July last year, by the way people were treating documents and the number of staff who had access to secrets

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly today admitted the Trump administration's early handling of classified information and gatekeeping of sensitive secrets was not up to snuff. Kelly told journalists that he had his "eyes opened," after joining the White House in July last year, by the way people were treating documents and the number of staff who had access to secrets. Painting a picture of a neophyte staff of outsiders, unfamiliar with Washington and learning how to run the world's preeminent superpower, Kelly said he moved to bring habits in line with the Pentagon and military, where he served for decades. "In terms of the handling of classified material" he said the White House "wasn't up to the standards that I'd been used to." "Nothing illegal," he added. "But it wasn't quite up to the standards." "Most of the people here in the White House had never worked in government before," he explained. On Donald Trump's path to the White House he repeatedly pilloried his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, for storing government emails on a private server, suggesting that was a national security risk. Kelly also admitted that his initial concerns sparked a further crackdown, when he noticed that around 35-40 White House staffers had top secret clearance and did not need it. That top level of clearance is often used in the Situation Room and for the nation's most closely guarded secrets. Kelly also noticed that many staff did not have final clearance and were working as FBI background checks were ongoing. "I'm having my eyes opened here" he said. "Of the people who are here, what is the percentage that are still on interim clearances?" he asked, "and the answer to that was a fair number. It was a lot." "A couple of spreadsheets worth of people," he added. "More people than I was comfortable with." The issue of clearances would ultimately engulf the White House, leading to -- according to other sources -- Jared Kushner having his clearance downgraded. That downgrade raised questions about what may be holding up his background check and whether he can continue to lead Trump's efforts to negotiate Middle East peace with only "secret" not "top secret" clearance. Kelly also admitted that the White House's handling of staff-secretary Rob Porter's departure amid allegations of domestic abuse was not ideal. "We didn't cover ourselves in glory in how we handled that."

White House admits lax handling of classified information

The Kremlin insisted US sanctions against Russia were &quot;illegal&quot; today, a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to extend measures put in place during the Ukraine crisis.

&quot;We have never been the initiator of these sanctions, we consider them illegal and harmful not just to the people of our two countries but the whole world,&quot; Russian presidential press spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today, Interfax news agency reported.

Washington imposed sanctions on Moscow following Russia&#39;s 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula and Moscow&#39;s backing of rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin this week set the course for a new arms race with Washington as he boasted of a new generation of &quot;invincible&quot; Russian weapons developed in response to the threat posed by the US.

The moves come as relations between the global powers plummeted to levels not seen since the Cold War, despite candidate Trump&#39;s promises to mend fences.

As well as the Ukraine crisis, Russia and the US have clashed over the conflict in Syria and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US election in 2016.

Washington imposed sanctions on Moscow following Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula and Moscow's backing of rebels in eastern Ukraine

The Kremlin insisted US sanctions against Russia were "illegal" today, a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to extend measures put in place during the Ukraine crisis. "We have never been the initiator of these sanctions, we consider them illegal and harmful not just to the people of our two countries but the whole world," Russian presidential press spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today, Interfax news agency reported. Washington imposed sanctions on Moscow following Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula and Moscow's backing of rebels in eastern Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin this week set the course for a new arms race with Washington as he boasted of a new generation of "invincible" Russian weapons developed in response to the threat posed by the US. The moves come as relations between the global powers plummeted to levels not seen since the Cold War, despite candidate Trump's promises to mend fences. As well as the Ukraine crisis, Russia and the US have clashed over the conflict in Syria and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US election in 2016.

Russia slams 'illegal and harmful' extended US sanctions

The President of United States Donald Trump and Comedian Alec Baldwin on Friday engaged in a Twitter war after the former mocked the comedian for impersonating him on the show &#39;Saturday Night Live&#39;.

Trump took to his Twitter account to call Alec a mediocre comedian and said that Baldwin&#39;s career was saved by impersonating him.

&quot;Alec Baldwin, whose dying mediocre career was saved by his terrible impersonation of me on SNL, now says playing me was agony. Alec, it was agony for those who were forced to watch,&quot; Trump said on Twitter, at first misspelling Baldwin&#39;s name as &quot;Alex&quot; earlier.&nbsp;

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Alec Baldwin, whose dying mediocre career was saved by his terrible impersonation of me on SNL, now says playing me was agony. Alec, it was agony for those who were forced to watch. Bring back Darrell Hammond, funnier and a far greater talent!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/969529668234829825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Baldwin, who made his debut on SNL as Trump during the 2016 campaign, quickly responded.

&quot;Agony though it may be, I&#39;d like to hang in there for the impeachment hearings, the resignation speech, the farewell helicopter ride to Mara-A-Lago. You know. The Good Stuff. That we&#39;ve all been waiting for,&quot; the actor tweeted.

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Agony though it may be, I&rsquo;d like to hang in there for the impeachment hearings, the resignation speech, the farewell helicopter ride to Mara-A-Lago. You know. The Good Stuff. That we&rsquo;ve all been waiting for.
&mdash; ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABFalecbaldwin/status/969552646498643968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This was in response to Baldwin&rsquo;s first salvo in this exchange, in an interview published Thursday by The Hollywood Reporter. Asked how much longer he could continue playing the president,&nbsp;Baldwin answered: &ldquo;Every time I do it now, it&rsquo;s like agony. Agony. I can&rsquo;t.&rdquo;

Next, he wrote, &quot;Looking forward to the Trump Presidential Library. A putting green. Recipes for chocolate cake. A live Twitter feed for visitors to post on. A little black book w the phone numbers of porn stars. You&#39;re in and out in five minutes. Just like...&quot;&nbsp;

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Looking forward to the Trump Presidential Library. 
A putting green. 
Recipes for chocolate cake. 
A live Twitter feed for visitors to post on. 
A little black book w the phone numbers of porn stars. 
You&rsquo;re in and out in five minutes. 
Just like...
&mdash; ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABFalecbaldwin/status/969563908037062657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Finally, Baldwin told Trump, &ldquo;please ask your wife to stop calling me for SNL tickets. (Hey Melania&hellip;we&rsquo;ve got Charles Barkley this Saturday!)&rdquo;

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And Mr President... 
please ask your wife to stop calling me for SNL tickets. 
(Hey, Melania...we&rsquo;ve got Charles Barkley this Saturday!)
&mdash; ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABFalecbaldwin/status/969567042650148864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Over the years, Trump has had a love-hate relationship with &ldquo;Saturday Night Live,&rdquo; where he has also been portrayed by cast members like Darrell Hammond and Taran Killam, and where he has appeared as a guest host.

Trump took to his Twitter account to call Alec a mediocre comedian and said that the latter's career was saved by impersonating the President

The President of United States Donald Trump and Comedian Alec Baldwin on Friday engaged in a Twitter war after the former mocked the comedian for impersonating him on the show 'Saturday Night Live'. Trump took to his Twitter account to call Alec a mediocre comedian and said that Baldwin's career was saved by impersonating him. "Alec Baldwin, whose dying mediocre career was saved by his terrible impersonation of me on SNL, now says playing me was agony. Alec, it was agony for those who were forced to watch," Trump said on Twitter, at first misspelling Baldwin's name as "Alex" earlier. Alec Baldwin, whose dying mediocre career was saved by his terrible impersonation of me on SNL, now says playing me was agony. Alec, it was agony for those who were forced to watch. Bring back Darrell Hammond, funnier and a far greater talent! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 2, 2018 × Baldwin, who made his debut on SNL as Trump during the 2016 campaign, quickly responded. "Agony though it may be, I'd like to hang in there for the impeachment hearings, the resignation speech, the farewell helicopter ride to Mara-A-Lago. You know. The Good Stuff. That we've all been waiting for," the actor tweeted. Agony though it may be, I’d like to hang in there for the impeachment hearings, the resignation speech, the farewell helicopter ride to Mara-A-Lago. You know. The Good Stuff. That we’ve all been waiting for. — ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) March 2, 2018 × This was in response to Baldwin’s first salvo in this exchange, in an interview published Thursday by The Hollywood Reporter. Asked how much longer he could continue playing the president, Baldwin answered: “Every time I do it now, it’s like agony. Agony. I can’t.” Next, he wrote, "Looking forward to the Trump Presidential Library. A putting green. Recipes for chocolate cake. A live Twitter feed for visitors to post on. A little black book w the phone numbers of porn stars. You're in and out in five minutes. Just like..." Looking forward to the Trump Presidential Library. A putting green. Recipes for chocolate cake. A live Twitter feed for visitors to post on. A little black book w the phone numbers of porn stars. You’re in and out in five minutes. Just like... — ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) March 2, 2018 × Finally, Baldwin told Trump, “please ask your wife to stop calling me for SNL tickets. (Hey Melania…we’ve got Charles Barkley this Saturday!)” And Mr President... please ask your wife to stop calling me for SNL tickets. (Hey, Melania...we’ve got Charles Barkley this Saturday!) — ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) March 2, 2018 × Over the years, Trump has had a love-hate relationship with “Saturday Night Live,” where he has also been portrayed by cast members like Darrell Hammond and Taran Killam, and where he has appeared as a guest host.

Donald Trump, Alec Baldwin engage in Twitter war

The Kremlin on Friday rejected US allegation that Russia violated its treaty obligations. The Trump administration had previously accused the Putin regime to have been developing destabilising weapons system for nearly a decade.&nbsp;

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders on Thursday noted the same shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an array of new nuclear weapons.

Putin announced that the new weapons system could hit almost any point in the world and is capable of evading a US-built missile shield.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any breach of international arms control pacts by Russia.&nbsp;

&quot;Russia does not plan to get dragged into any arms race,&quot; said Peskov.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any breach of international arms control pacts by Russia

The Kremlin on Friday rejected US allegation that Russia violated its treaty obligations. The Trump administration had previously accused the Putin regime to have been developing destabilising weapons system for nearly a decade. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders on Thursday noted the same shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an array of new nuclear weapons. Putin announced that the new weapons system could hit almost any point in the world and is capable of evading a US-built missile shield. Meanwhile, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any breach of international arms control pacts by Russia. "Russia does not plan to get dragged into any arms race," said Peskov. (With inputs from Reuters)

Russia does not plan to get dragged into any arms race: Spokesperson

US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel believe that the Syrian regime must take the accountability for the East Ghouta attacks.&nbsp;

The two leaders noted on Friday that Bashar al-Assad&#39;s regime must be held accountable for the humanitarian crisis in the rebel-held enclave.

&quot;This applies both to the Assad regime&#39;s deployment of chemical weapons and for its attacks against civilians and the blockade of humanitarian support,&quot; the leaders noted the statement released by Merkel&#39;s office.

According to reports, apart from the ongoing unrest in Syria, Merkel and Trump also discussed Russia&#39;s recent announcement of new weapons systems and its possible repercussions.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The two leaders noted on Friday that Bashar al-Assad's regime must be held accountable for the humanitarian crisis in the rebel-held enclave

US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel believe that the Syrian regime must take the accountability for the East Ghouta attacks. The two leaders noted on Friday that Bashar al-Assad's regime must be held accountable for the humanitarian crisis in the rebel-held enclave. "This applies both to the Assad regime's deployment of chemical weapons and for its attacks against civilians and the blockade of humanitarian support," the leaders noted the statement released by Merkel's office. According to reports, apart from the ongoing unrest in Syria, Merkel and Trump also discussed Russia's recent announcement of new weapons systems and its possible repercussions. (With inputs from agencies)

Syrian regime must be held accountable for Ghouta attacks: Merkel, Trump

The White House on Thursday faced fresh speculation about the future of National Security Advisor HR McMaster, with officials sending mixed messages about his possible departure.

Amid a stream of staff leaving Donald Trump&#39;s White House, NBC reported that the three-star general tasked with running White House security policy will, within months, be headed for the exit as well.

&quot;We frequently face rumor and innuendo about senior administration officials,&quot; White House spokesman Raj Shah said in response. &quot;There are no personnel announcements at this time.&quot;

That non-denial only fanned the flames -- it was followed up by a more categorical statement from McMaster&#39;s spokesman Michael Anton.

&quot;I was just with President Trump and HR McMaster in the Oval Office. President Trump said that the NBC News story is &#39;fake news,&#39; and told McMaster that he is doing a great job.&quot;

NBC reported that a senior executive at US automaker Ford, Stephen Biegun, was a possible replacement.

Biegun previously worked as national security advisor to former Senate majority leader Bill Frist and worked in the George. W. Bush White House.

Trump and McMaster have had an uneasy relationship.

When the army general recently said there was &quot;incontrovertible&quot; evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, he was publicly upbraided by Trump.

&quot;General McMaster forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians,&quot; Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

McMaster joined the administration in February last year, replacing Michael Flynn, who has since been indicted by Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia&#39;s role in Trump&#39;s election -- and possible collusion between Team Trump and Moscow.

Last week, CNN reported that the Pentagon was looking at moving McMaster back into the military, a move that could net him a fourth star.&nbsp;

'We frequently face rumour and innuendo about senior administration officials,' White House spokesman Raj Shah said in response. 'There are no personnel announcements at this time'

The White House on Thursday faced fresh speculation about the future of National Security Advisor HR McMaster, with officials sending mixed messages about his possible departure. Amid a stream of staff leaving Donald Trump's White House, NBC reported that the three-star general tasked with running White House security policy will, within months, be headed for the exit as well. "We frequently face rumor and innuendo about senior administration officials," White House spokesman Raj Shah said in response. "There are no personnel announcements at this time." That non-denial only fanned the flames -- it was followed up by a more categorical statement from McMaster's spokesman Michael Anton. "I was just with President Trump and HR McMaster in the Oval Office. President Trump said that the NBC News story is 'fake news,' and told McMaster that he is doing a great job." NBC reported that a senior executive at US automaker Ford, Stephen Biegun, was a possible replacement. Biegun previously worked as national security advisor to former Senate majority leader Bill Frist and worked in the George. W. Bush White House. Trump and McMaster have had an uneasy relationship. When the army general recently said there was "incontrovertible" evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, he was publicly upbraided by Trump. "General McMaster forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians," Trump tweeted. McMaster joined the administration in February last year, replacing Michael Flynn, who has since been indicted by Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in Trump's election -- and possible collusion between Team Trump and Moscow. Last week, CNN reported that the Pentagon was looking at moving McMaster back into the military, a move that could net him a fourth star.

US National Security Adviser HR McMaster may be leaving White House: Reports

Canada will retaliate against any U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum products, officials said on Thursday, as Ottawa faced what could be one of the biggest economic threats since Donald Trump became president.

Trump unveiled the tariffs on Thursday but did not make clear whether they would apply to Canada and Mexico, which together with the United States are trying to renegotiate the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement.

&quot;Should restrictions be imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum products, Canada will take responsive measures to defend its trade interests and workers,&quot; Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement, calling any trade restrictions &quot;absolutely unacceptable.&quot;

She did not give details, and Canadian officials were not immediately available for comment on what measures she might have in mind.

Canada sends 75 percent of its goods exports to the United States and would be vulnerable if a trade war erupted. Canada is also the largest supplier of both steel and aluminum to the United States.

Canada buys more American steel than any other country, accounting for 50 percent of U.S. exports, and the steel and aluminum industry is highly integrated, Freeland said.

Trump unveiled the tariffs on Thursday but did not make clear whether they would apply to Canada and Mexico, which together with the United States are trying to renegotiate the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement.

Canada will retaliate against any U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum products, officials said on Thursday, as Ottawa faced what could be one of the biggest economic threats since Donald Trump became president. Trump unveiled the tariffs on Thursday but did not make clear whether they would apply to Canada and Mexico, which together with the United States are trying to renegotiate the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. "Should restrictions be imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum products, Canada will take responsive measures to defend its trade interests and workers," Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement, calling any trade restrictions "absolutely unacceptable." She did not give details, and Canadian officials were not immediately available for comment on what measures she might have in mind. Canada sends 75 percent of its goods exports to the United States and would be vulnerable if a trade war erupted. Canada is also the largest supplier of both steel and aluminum to the United States. Canada buys more American steel than any other country, accounting for 50 percent of U.S. exports, and the steel and aluminum industry is highly integrated, Freeland said.

Canada vows to retaliate against any US steel tariffs

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/amid-cross-broder-firing-pakistan-summons-indias-deputy-high-commissioner-34495">Amid cross-border firing, Pakistan summons India&#39;s deputy high commissioner</a> 
Pakistan today summoned India&#39;s deputy high commissioner J P Singh for the second consecutive day over &nbsp;&quot;unprovoked firing by Indian troops&quot; along the Line of Control(LoC).

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-police-question-netanyahu-in-telecoms-corruption-case-34500">Israeli police question Netanyahu in telecoms corruption case</a> 
Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday for the first time in a corruption case that involves the country&#39;s largest telecommunications company, Israel Radio said.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-regime-must-be-held-accountable-for-ghouta-attacks-merkel-trump-34497">Syrian regime must be held accountable for Ghouta attacks: Merkel, Trump</a> 
The two leaders noted on Friday that Bashar al-Assad&#39;s regime must be held accountable for the humanitarian crisis in the rebel-held enclave

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-ranveer-singh-is-killing-it-with-pharrell-williams-at-his-holi-party-we-have-proof-34496">Ranveer Singh is killing it with Pharrell Williams at his Holi party, we have proof!</a> 
Ranveer Singh had earlier shared a photo on Instagram that read: &#39;Join Pharrell in India. Streaming live from the Holi festival hosted by Ranveer Singh&#39;. The post goes on to reveal that the party will take place on March 2, 2018, starting from 6 pm and the best part if you have noticed, is that it be live for all of us to watch!

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-pak-boys-yorkers-impresses-wasim-akram-video-goes-viral-34502">Watch: &#39;Who is this boy,&#39; asks Wasim Akram, video goes viral</a> 
The boy with left-handed bowling action is seen in the video bowling with such pace and venom that even Pakistani bowling legend Wasim Akram couldn&#39;t resist

Amid cross-border firing, Pakistan summons India's deputy high commissioner Pakistan today summoned India's deputy high commissioner J P Singh for the second consecutive day over "unprovoked firing by Indian troops" along the Line of Control(LoC). Israeli police question Netanyahu in telecoms corruption case Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday for the first time in a corruption case that involves the country's largest telecommunications company, Israel Radio said. Syrian regime must be held accountable for Ghouta attacks: Merkel, Trump The two leaders noted on Friday that Bashar al-Assad's regime must be held accountable for the humanitarian crisis in the rebel-held enclave Ranveer Singh is killing it with Pharrell Williams at his Holi party, we have proof! Ranveer Singh had earlier shared a photo on Instagram that read: 'Join Pharrell in India. Streaming live from the Holi festival hosted by Ranveer Singh'. The post goes on to reveal that the party will take place on March 2, 2018, starting from 6 pm and the best part if you have noticed, is that it be live for all of us to watch! Watch: 'Who is this boy,' asks Wasim Akram, video goes viral The boy with left-handed bowling action is seen in the video bowling with such pace and venom that even Pakistani bowling legend Wasim Akram couldn't resist

WION Evening News Brief, March 2, 2018

Hope Hicks, one of US President Donald Trump&#39;s longest-serving aides, is resigning from her job as White House communications director, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Wednesday.

Sanders told reporters the timeline for Hicks&#39; departure was unclear. She said her departure was not related to her testimony to a congressional committee on Tuesday about an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.

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US President Donald Trump speaks with Hope Hicks during an interview in Washington. (Reuters)
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She is expected to leave in the next few weeks.

Hicks, 29, was caught up in a controversy surrounding former White House staff secretary Rob Porter, whom she had been dating. She worked to defend him when charges of domestic abuse against his two former wives emerged. Porter was ultimately forced to resign.

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File photo: White House Communications Director Hope Hicks. (Reuters)
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She was one of the first people hired by then-businessman Trump when he began his campaign for the presidency and is one of his most trusted advisers. Aides said she had approached the president and told him she wanted to leave so she could start exploring opportunities outside of the White House.

&quot;Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last three years. She is as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person,&quot; Trump said in a statement released by the White House. &quot;I will miss having her by my side but when she approached me about pursuing other opportunities, I totally understood. I am sure we will work together again in the future.&quot;

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Hope Hicks during a news conference at Trump Tower in the Manhattan borough of New York. (Reuters)
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On Tuesday Hicks declined to answer questions about the administration from members of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee investigating Russia and the 2016 US election, lawmakers said. Hicks was Trump&#39;s spokeswoman during the campaign.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said in a statement of Hicks: &quot;To say that she will be missed, is an understatement.&quot;

Hicks took over as communications director in September after the short, difficult tenure of Anthony Scaramucci, who was fired. She is credited behind the scenes for stabilizing the communications operation.

Hicks said in a statement: &quot;There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump. I wish the President and his administration the very best as he continues to lead our country.&quot;

"Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last three years. She is as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person," Donald Trump said

Hope Hicks, one of US President Donald Trump's longest-serving aides, is resigning from her job as White House communications director, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Wednesday. Sanders told reporters the timeline for Hicks' departure was unclear. She said her departure was not related to her testimony to a congressional committee on Tuesday about an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US election. US President Donald Trump speaks with Hope Hicks during an interview in Washington. (Reuters) × She is expected to leave in the next few weeks. Hicks, 29, was caught up in a controversy surrounding former White House staff secretary Rob Porter, whom she had been dating. She worked to defend him when charges of domestic abuse against his two former wives emerged. Porter was ultimately forced to resign. File photo: White House Communications Director Hope Hicks. (Reuters) × She was one of the first people hired by then-businessman Trump when he began his campaign for the presidency and is one of his most trusted advisers. Aides said she had approached the president and told him she wanted to leave so she could start exploring opportunities outside of the White House. "Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last three years. She is as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person," Trump said in a statement released by the White House. "I will miss having her by my side but when she approached me about pursuing other opportunities, I totally understood. I am sure we will work together again in the future." Hope Hicks during a news conference at Trump Tower in the Manhattan borough of New York. (Reuters) × On Tuesday Hicks declined to answer questions about the administration from members of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee investigating Russia and the 2016 US election, lawmakers said. Hicks was Trump's spokeswoman during the campaign. White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said in a statement of Hicks: "To say that she will be missed, is an understatement." Hicks took over as communications director in September after the short, difficult tenure of Anthony Scaramucci, who was fired. She is credited behind the scenes for stabilizing the communications operation. Hicks said in a statement: "There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump. I wish the President and his administration the very best as he continues to lead our country."

Close Donald Trump aide and White House communications chief Hope Hicks resigns

It&rsquo;s about propping up &ldquo;besieged majorities&rdquo; in multiethnic countries.

Washington and New Delhi are having a mutual lovefest these days. Donald Trump is popular in India &mdash; where only 17% of the population considers the president &ldquo;intolerant,&rdquo; compared to a global average of 65% &mdash; and he has warmly welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House. Both leaders are eager to bump up bilateral security cooperation to the next level.

Even Donald Trump Jr. is getting in on the act. He&rsquo;s visiting India this week as part of the Trump organization&rsquo;s myriad economic connections to the subcontinent. Indians, treating the president&rsquo;s son as a representative of the White House, are paying a lot of rupees to gain access to his ear.

Who can blame them? It&rsquo;s virtually impossible to disaggregate the different components of the Trump megaplex.

The US-India love connection, which predates Trump, is based on mutual economic interest and similar concerns about Pakistan and China. But Trump and Modi bring something else to the equation. Both leaders share a personalistic, business-friendly governing style best captured by Modi&rsquo;s phrase &ldquo;minimum government, maximum governance.&rdquo;

But there&rsquo;s another, underlying similarity. Trump is borrowing a page from Modi&rsquo;s book on how to advance majoritarian politics in a multiethnic country.

&ldquo;Majoritarianism insists on different tiers of citizenship,&rdquo; writes Mukul Kesavan in The New York Review of Books. &ldquo;Members of the majority faith and culture are viewed as the nation&rsquo;s true citizens. The rest are courtesy citizens, guests of the majority, expected to behave well and deferentially.&rdquo;

This kind of majoritarianism is most prominently on display these days in Myanmar &mdash; where the government considers the Rohingya minority to be foreigners, not citizens at all, and thus has no problem expelling them (or, in some cases, killing them). Majoritarianism has also been a major feature of political life in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

In India, meanwhile, Modi heads a right-wing nationalist party that believes the country is essentially Hindu with no particular obligation to guarantee minority rights. Indeed, several disturbing examples of mob rule have taken place during Modi&rsquo;s tenure, and the government has both explicitly and through various dog whistles appealed to Hindus over (and against) Muslims.

As Kesavan points out, majoritarianism is not simply Islamophobia &mdash; in India or Myanmar or anywhere else:

&ldquo;Majoritarian politics results from the patiently constructed self-image of an aggrieved, besieged majority that believes itself to be long-suffering and refuses to suffer in silence anymore. The cultivation of this sense of injury is the necessary precondition for the lynchings, pogroms, and ethnic cleansing that invariably follow.&rdquo;

The besieged majority: What better way of capturing the appeal of Trumpism in the United States? In the looking-glass world of 2018, Donald Trump, too, has a dream: to make white people, regardless of the contents of their character, once again supreme.

Of course, majoritarianism looks a little different in the United States than in South Asia. But this malign philosophy helps explain not only some political dynamics in America, but also the pattern of friendships that Trump has developed around the world.&nbsp;

Deplorables vs. Dreamers? 

The underlying message of &ldquo;Make America Great Again&rdquo; is to return the country to an age of majoritarian politics, when white people controlled everything on behalf of white people and when everyone else was accorded second-class citizenship.&nbsp;

After the victories of the civil rights movement and other social movements, some white people have acquired the mentality of a besieged majority: They fear that they will lose their remaining privileges, like members of an elite frequent flyer program forced to sit back in economy class. Perhaps only a minority of white people &mdash; mostly white men &mdash; feel like a besieged majority. But for the next decade or so, before demographics decisively downgrade white status, this group will continue to flex its political muscle.

Trump&rsquo;s appeals to this group follow in a sordid American tradition of racist and anti-immigrant movements such as the Know-Nothings and the Ku Klux Klan. The conflicts that swept through the United States in the 19th and early 20th century resembled, avant la lettre, the communal strife that accompanied the consolidation of modern nations in South Asia. America narrowly avoided partition in the 1860s, but not the &ldquo;lynchings, pogroms, and ethnic cleansing&rdquo; of majoritarian politics that followed. Even the mass population transfers that took place between India and Pakistan could be detected in the Great Migration of African Americans to the North beginning in the Jim Crow period.

Today, Trump has cleverly given the &ldquo;besieged majority&rdquo; a platform on immigration, economic policy and the &ldquo;history&rdquo; question. On the economy, Trump promised to revive sunset industries that have traditionally been white bastions, such as coal in Appalachia and manufacturing in the Midwest. On history, Trump has argued that by removing the statues of Confederate heroes, &ldquo;they&rsquo;re trying to take away our culture.&rdquo; The &ldquo;our&rdquo; is a telling touch, since it could refer equally to the US or to white people.

The immigration question in particular continues to bedevil the administration and Congress. To get a deal that would allow the Dreamers &mdash; young people brought to the United States as children who remain undocumented &mdash; liberals have even been willing to approve funding for Trump&rsquo;s famous wall along the border with Mexico. Basically, the Democratic Party was poised to pay a ransom of almost $14,000 a head to save the Dreamers (that&rsquo;s $25 billion for the wall in exchange for 1.8 million Dreamers staying in the United States).

Trump, however, said no, despite all sorts of assurances that he cares very deeply about the Dreamers. You&rsquo;d think that the president would be concerned about the public opinion polls that show a large majority of Americans &mdash; around 70% &mdash; in favor of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

But that&rsquo;s the problem with a president who has such low favorability ratings. He doesn&rsquo;t need to compromise to maintain his base of support because that base is so narrow in the first place. Only 18% of Americans support Trump unconditionally, according to a recent CBS poll, and another 23% do so only when he delivers what they want.

Here, then, is the most dangerous consequence of a president embracing majoritarian views held by only a minority of the majority. Trump sees no reason to reach beyond his base. As The Washington Post put it:

&ldquo;The president, along with Mr. McConnell, is intent on a blame game, not a solution. He suggested no compromises and engaged in no negotiations, preferring to stick with maximalist demands. Despite barely mentioning it as a candidate, Mr. Trump has not budged from insisting on a plan to reduce annual legal immigrants to the United States by hundreds of thousands, to the lowest level in decades.&rdquo;

The last line contains the kicker: the population transfer that Trump yearns to orchestrate. In addition to deporting the Dreamers, the undocumented, and those with temporary protected status like Salvadorans and Haitians, Trump wants to keep out as many folks from &ldquo;shithole&rdquo; countries as he can. If he gets his way, the administration is looking to &ldquo;transfer&rdquo; several million people out of the country, nearly comparable to the population transfer out of India at the time of partition in 1947. Going the other way in Trump&rsquo;s dream world would be a trickle of Norwegians and other racially acceptable immigrants.&nbsp;

Majoritarians of a feather 

Trump and Modi are only two of the new global leaders who have come to the forefront championing the interests of the &ldquo;besieged majority.&rdquo;

Vladimir Putin came to power in Russia by going after the Chechens, whom he blamed for a series of suspicious apartment building bombings. Putin has since taken aim at all manner of minorities, from the LGBTQ community to the liberals that oppose his concentration of power. He&rsquo;s emphasized that traditional values serve as a bulwark against what he&rsquo;s called &ldquo;aggressive minorities.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Benjamin Netanyahu has driven Israel into a corner by rejecting Palestinian (and international) demands for a two-state solution. The Jewish majority is fast on its way to becoming a minority within Israel. Once constituting 87 percent of the population in 1950, Jews are now close to parity with Arabs if you count everyone in the Occupied Territories and Gaza (6.1 million Jews and 5.8 million Arabs). Yet Netanyahu continues to advocate on behalf of the &ldquo;besieged majority&rdquo; by supporting illegal settlements, rejoicing in the Trump administration&rsquo;s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and kowtowing to the country&rsquo;s religious right.

Saudi Arabia, a Sunni-majority country, is also home to a large Shia minority of about 10% of the population. Riyadh has systematically discriminated against this minority &mdash; in part because of fears of its links to Iran. The Saudi government has imprisoned and executed leading members of the community and has even effectively waged war against Shias in the city of Awamiya.

I&rsquo;ve chosen these three countries because Donald Trump has formed strong bonds with Putin, Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. But there&rsquo;s no shortage of other leaders that fall into this category: Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines, Viktor Orban in Hungary, Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey. They all aspire to follow the South Asian example.

Majoritarianism has morphed into one of the 21st century&rsquo;s greatest threats. The &ldquo;tyranny of the majority&rdquo; that America&rsquo;s founding fathers warned about has become a reality thanks to the failure of left liberalism to sell multiculturalism more effectively.

Majoritarianism has evolved into a knee-jerk response to what globalization offers, for better or worse &mdash; from increased trade and greater flows of immigrants and refugees to the freer exchange of information behind both rapid technological transformation and the demands of transnational human rights movements. Nationalism, a disguise that the majority dons to make their demands somehow more palatable, is a bunker that a country can crawl into to survive the high winds of change.

The institutions that stand against the majoritarians are old and in need of some serious overhaul.

The United Nations was formed in the aftermath of World War II. The European Union and other regional organizations were in part responses to the Cold War. The international financial institutions were likewise forged in a different era. Meanwhile, the institutions that form the nervous system of our brave new world, like Facebook and Twitter and Google and Amazon, view multiculturalism as a way to maximize profit, like those old &ldquo;United Colors of Benetton&rdquo; ads that featured a multicultural array of models that made the clothes seem chic and edgy. At least Benetton was willing to ruffle some feathers with its campaign.

Combating majoritarianism requires a new campaign and new institutions. That&rsquo;s my dream: a world that recognizes that multiculturalism isn&rsquo;t just cool but essential to democratic politics, strong economies and healthy societies that don&rsquo;t tear themselves apart from the inside.

Where, oh where has this internationalism gone?&nbsp;

This<a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/donald-trump-narendra-modi-latest-news-headlines-today-32320/" rel="nofollow" target="blank"> article</a> was originally published by <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/" rel="nofollow" target="blank">Fair Observer</a>.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Trump and Modi are only two of the new global leaders who have come to the forefront championing the interests of the “besieged majority.”

It’s about propping up “besieged majorities” in multiethnic countries. Washington and New Delhi are having a mutual lovefest these days. Donald Trump is popular in India — where only 17% of the population considers the president “intolerant,” compared to a global average of 65% — and he has warmly welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House. Both leaders are eager to bump up bilateral security cooperation to the next level. Even Donald Trump Jr. is getting in on the act. He’s visiting India this week as part of the Trump organization’s myriad economic connections to the subcontinent. Indians, treating the president’s son as a representative of the White House, are paying a lot of rupees to gain access to his ear. Who can blame them? It’s virtually impossible to disaggregate the different components of the Trump megaplex. The US-India love connection, which predates Trump, is based on mutual economic interest and similar concerns about Pakistan and China. But Trump and Modi bring something else to the equation. Both leaders share a personalistic, business-friendly governing style best captured by Modi’s phrase “minimum government, maximum governance.” But there’s another, underlying similarity. Trump is borrowing a page from Modi’s book on how to advance majoritarian politics in a multiethnic country. “Majoritarianism insists on different tiers of citizenship,” writes Mukul Kesavan in The New York Review of Books. “Members of the majority faith and culture are viewed as the nation’s true citizens. The rest are courtesy citizens, guests of the majority, expected to behave well and deferentially.” This kind of majoritarianism is most prominently on display these days in Myanmar — where the government considers the Rohingya minority to be foreigners, not citizens at all, and thus has no problem expelling them (or, in some cases, killing them). Majoritarianism has also been a major feature of political life in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In India, meanwhile, Modi heads a right-wing nationalist party that believes the country is essentially Hindu with no particular obligation to guarantee minority rights. Indeed, several disturbing examples of mob rule have taken place during Modi’s tenure, and the government has both explicitly and through various dog whistles appealed to Hindus over (and against) Muslims. As Kesavan points out, majoritarianism is not simply Islamophobia — in India or Myanmar or anywhere else: “Majoritarian politics results from the patiently constructed self-image of an aggrieved, besieged majority that believes itself to be long-suffering and refuses to suffer in silence anymore. The cultivation of this sense of injury is the necessary precondition for the lynchings, pogroms, and ethnic cleansing that invariably follow.” The besieged majority: What better way of capturing the appeal of Trumpism in the United States? In the looking-glass world of 2018, Donald Trump, too, has a dream: to make white people, regardless of the contents of their character, once again supreme. Of course, majoritarianism looks a little different in the United States than in South Asia. But this malign philosophy helps explain not only some political dynamics in America, but also the pattern of friendships that Trump has developed around the world. Deplorables vs. Dreamers? The underlying message of “Make America Great Again” is to return the country to an age of majoritarian politics, when white people controlled everything on behalf of white people and when everyone else was accorded second-class citizenship. After the victories of the civil rights movement and other social movements, some white people have acquired the mentality of a besieged majority: They fear that they will lose their remaining privileges, like members of an elite frequent flyer program forced to sit back in economy class. Perhaps only a minority of white people — mostly white men — feel like a besieged majority. But for the next decade or so, before demographics decisively downgrade white status, this group will continue to flex its political muscle. Trump’s appeals to this group follow in a sordid American tradition of racist and anti-immigrant movements such as the Know-Nothings and the Ku Klux Klan. The conflicts that swept through the United States in the 19th and early 20th century resembled, avant la lettre, the communal strife that accompanied the consolidation of modern nations in South Asia. America narrowly avoided partition in the 1860s, but not the “lynchings, pogroms, and ethnic cleansing” of majoritarian politics that followed. Even the mass population transfers that took place between India and Pakistan could be detected in the Great Migration of African Americans to the North beginning in the Jim Crow period. Today, Trump has cleverly given the “besieged majority” a platform on immigration, economic policy and the “history” question. On the economy, Trump promised to revive sunset industries that have traditionally been white bastions, such as coal in Appalachia and manufacturing in the Midwest. On history, Trump has argued that by removing the statues of Confederate heroes, “they’re trying to take away our culture.” The “our” is a telling touch, since it could refer equally to the US or to white people. The immigration question in particular continues to bedevil the administration and Congress. To get a deal that would allow the Dreamers — young people brought to the United States as children who remain undocumented — liberals have even been willing to approve funding for Trump’s famous wall along the border with Mexico. Basically, the Democratic Party was poised to pay a ransom of almost $14,000 a head to save the Dreamers (that’s $25 billion for the wall in exchange for 1.8 million Dreamers staying in the United States). Trump, however, said no, despite all sorts of assurances that he cares very deeply about the Dreamers. You’d think that the president would be concerned about the public opinion polls that show a large majority of Americans — around 70% — in favor of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. But that’s the problem with a president who has such low favorability ratings. He doesn’t need to compromise to maintain his base of support because that base is so narrow in the first place. Only 18% of Americans support Trump unconditionally, according to a recent CBS poll, and another 23% do so only when he delivers what they want. Here, then, is the most dangerous consequence of a president embracing majoritarian views held by only a minority of the majority. Trump sees no reason to reach beyond his base. As The Washington Post put it: “The president, along with Mr. McConnell, is intent on a blame game, not a solution. He suggested no compromises and engaged in no negotiations, preferring to stick with maximalist demands. Despite barely mentioning it as a candidate, Mr. Trump has not budged from insisting on a plan to reduce annual legal immigrants to the United States by hundreds of thousands, to the lowest level in decades.” The last line contains the kicker: the population transfer that Trump yearns to orchestrate. In addition to deporting the Dreamers, the undocumented, and those with temporary protected status like Salvadorans and Haitians, Trump wants to keep out as many folks from “shithole” countries as he can. If he gets his way, the administration is looking to “transfer” several million people out of the country, nearly comparable to the population transfer out of India at the time of partition in 1947. Going the other way in Trump’s dream world would be a trickle of Norwegians and other racially acceptable immigrants. Majoritarians of a feather Trump and Modi are only two of the new global leaders who have come to the forefront championing the interests of the “besieged majority.” Vladimir Putin came to power in Russia by going after the Chechens, whom he blamed for a series of suspicious apartment building bombings. Putin has since taken aim at all manner of minorities, from the LGBTQ community to the liberals that oppose his concentration of power. He’s emphasized that traditional values serve as a bulwark against what he’s called “aggressive minorities.” Benjamin Netanyahu has driven Israel into a corner by rejecting Palestinian (and international) demands for a two-state solution. The Jewish majority is fast on its way to becoming a minority within Israel. Once constituting 87 percent of the population in 1950, Jews are now close to parity with Arabs if you count everyone in the Occupied Territories and Gaza (6.1 million Jews and 5.8 million Arabs). Yet Netanyahu continues to advocate on behalf of the “besieged majority” by supporting illegal settlements, rejoicing in the Trump administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and kowtowing to the country’s religious right. Saudi Arabia, a Sunni-majority country, is also home to a large Shia minority of about 10% of the population. Riyadh has systematically discriminated against this minority — in part because of fears of its links to Iran. The Saudi government has imprisoned and executed leading members of the community and has even effectively waged war against Shias in the city of Awamiya. I’ve chosen these three countries because Donald Trump has formed strong bonds with Putin, Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. But there’s no shortage of other leaders that fall into this category: Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines, Viktor Orban in Hungary, Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey. They all aspire to follow the South Asian example. Majoritarianism has morphed into one of the 21st century’s greatest threats. The “tyranny of the majority” that America’s founding fathers warned about has become a reality thanks to the failure of left liberalism to sell multiculturalism more effectively. Majoritarianism has evolved into a knee-jerk response to what globalization offers, for better or worse — from increased trade and greater flows of immigrants and refugees to the freer exchange of information behind both rapid technological transformation and the demands of transnational human rights movements. Nationalism, a disguise that the majority dons to make their demands somehow more palatable, is a bunker that a country can crawl into to survive the high winds of change. The institutions that stand against the majoritarians are old and in need of some serious overhaul. The United Nations was formed in the aftermath of World War II. The European Union and other regional organizations were in part responses to the Cold War. The international financial institutions were likewise forged in a different era. Meanwhile, the institutions that form the nervous system of our brave new world, like Facebook and Twitter and Google and Amazon, view multiculturalism as a way to maximize profit, like those old “United Colors of Benetton” ads that featured a multicultural array of models that made the clothes seem chic and edgy. At least Benetton was willing to ruffle some feathers with its campaign. Combating majoritarianism requires a new campaign and new institutions. That’s my dream: a world that recognizes that multiculturalism isn’t just cool but essential to democratic politics, strong economies and healthy societies that don’t tear themselves apart from the inside. Where, oh where has this internationalism gone? This article was originally published by Fair Observer. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: The Modi-Trump love connection explained

The three principal characters in Afghanistan theatre &ndash; the government, Taliban and the United States &ndash; are in favour of talks to end the more than 16-year-old bloody war. But so deep runs the suspicion that the dominant parties do not want to enter into a direct dialogue. The Taliban is ready to talk to the United States but is opposed to dialogue with President Ashraf Ghani government. The US, on the other hand, does not want direct talks with the Taliban. It wants the Taliban to hold talks with the &ldquo;legitimate&rdquo; Afghanistan government. President Ghani has once again reiterated his government&rsquo;s desire to hold talks with Taliban, but the militant organisation is not amused. So, where does that lead to?

The US, which has renewed its offensive on the Taliban in recent months after President Donald Trump committed to an open-ended conflict in Afghanistan in August last year, would not like to be seen as surrendering and admitting defeat if it were to hold talks with the Taliban. In a marked departure from his call during presidential electioneering for an early US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Trump has sent more troops in recent months as he vowed &ldquo;a fight to win&rdquo; when he unveiled his administration&rsquo;s strategy for the war-torn country. President Trump stands to invite ridicule if his administration jumps the gun and enters into a direct dialogue with the Taliban at this stage. Therefore, the US wants Afghanistan to do the bidding on its behalf. &nbsp;

President Ghani knows too well that the US forces would not be there forever as there is increasing pressure from the families of the American soldiers and the people to make an early exit from Afghanistan. Since 2001, when the Taliban were dislodged from power, the Afghan war has cost 2,400 American lives and $1 trillion. Ghani has gone on record admitting that the Afghan National Army will not last more than six months if the US were to withdraw its forces. He even feared the collapse of the government. Aware of this danger, President Ghani is desperate to start negotiations with the Taliban. By offering to recognise the Taliban as a legitimate political group, proposing a ceasefire and release of prisoners and holding &ldquo;unconditional&rdquo; talks, shows his desperation.

The Taliban, which is facing an onslaught from the US forces, wants an early ceasefire to have a much-needed breather. Since last year, it has lost several of its top commanders besides a large number of foot soldiers. It smells twin advantages if talks with the US became a reality. Not only will it escape the intensified fury, it will put the US on the back foot. For the Taliban, it will be a win-win solution as it will enter into dialogue with an upper hand. If the dialogue reaches its logical conclusion, it stands a chance to be accepted as a political group and who knows return to power. But if talks collapse, it will have enough time to recoup and recalibrate its strategy. Moreover, the Taliban does not consider Ghani government as a powerful adversary which it can easily run over in the event of US troop withdrawal.

It remains to be seen if all the major parties are prepared to shift their stance. And even if they do, the chances of an early solution look unlikely as long as Pakistan does not relinquish its support to groups like the Haqqani network.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

President Ghani is desperate to start negotiations with the Taliban by offering to recognise the Taliban as a legitimate political group, proposing a ceasefire and release of prisoners and holding “unconditional” talks.

The three principal characters in Afghanistan theatre – the government, Taliban and the United States – are in favour of talks to end the more than 16-year-old bloody war. But so deep runs the suspicion that the dominant parties do not want to enter into a direct dialogue. The Taliban is ready to talk to the United States but is opposed to dialogue with President Ashraf Ghani government. The US, on the other hand, does not want direct talks with the Taliban. It wants the Taliban to hold talks with the “legitimate” Afghanistan government. President Ghani has once again reiterated his government’s desire to hold talks with Taliban, but the militant organisation is not amused. So, where does that lead to? The US, which has renewed its offensive on the Taliban in recent months after President Donald Trump committed to an open-ended conflict in Afghanistan in August last year, would not like to be seen as surrendering and admitting defeat if it were to hold talks with the Taliban. In a marked departure from his call during presidential electioneering for an early US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Trump has sent more troops in recent months as he vowed “a fight to win” when he unveiled his administration’s strategy for the war-torn country. President Trump stands to invite ridicule if his administration jumps the gun and enters into a direct dialogue with the Taliban at this stage. Therefore, the US wants Afghanistan to do the bidding on its behalf. President Ghani knows too well that the US forces would not be there forever as there is increasing pressure from the families of the American soldiers and the people to make an early exit from Afghanistan. Since 2001, when the Taliban were dislodged from power, the Afghan war has cost 2,400 American lives and $1 trillion. Ghani has gone on record admitting that the Afghan National Army will not last more than six months if the US were to withdraw its forces. He even feared the collapse of the government. Aware of this danger, President Ghani is desperate to start negotiations with the Taliban. By offering to recognise the Taliban as a legitimate political group, proposing a ceasefire and release of prisoners and holding “unconditional” talks, shows his desperation. The Taliban, which is facing an onslaught from the US forces, wants an early ceasefire to have a much-needed breather. Since last year, it has lost several of its top commanders besides a large number of foot soldiers. It smells twin advantages if talks with the US became a reality. Not only will it escape the intensified fury, it will put the US on the back foot. For the Taliban, it will be a win-win solution as it will enter into dialogue with an upper hand. If the dialogue reaches its logical conclusion, it stands a chance to be accepted as a political group and who knows return to power. But if talks collapse, it will have enough time to recoup and recalibrate its strategy. Moreover, the Taliban does not consider Ghani government as a powerful adversary which it can easily run over in the event of US troop withdrawal. It remains to be seen if all the major parties are prepared to shift their stance. And even if they do, the chances of an early solution look unlikely as long as Pakistan does not relinquish its support to groups like the Haqqani network. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Afghanistan wants peace with Taliban but will it come?

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States would impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on imported aluminium next week.

At a meeting with US&nbsp;industry officials at the White House, Trump vowed to rebuild American steel and aluminium industries, saying they had been treaded unfairly by other countries for decades.

The move is likely to increase tensions with China, whose top trade official Lui He is in Washington for trade talks.

An early morning tweet from Trump that said the steel and aluminium sectors needed protecting from unfair trade drove shares in domestic industries sharply higher.&nbsp;

AK Steel Holding was up 2.8 percent, US&nbsp;Steel Corp was up 2.3 percent and Nucor rose 1 percent. By contrast, industrial stocks such as Boeing fell, with traders citing tariffs, which would hit manufacturers.

The administration says duties would protect US&nbsp;industry, but critics say they would raise costs for industry and fail to deliver on a campaign pledge to boost domestic jobs.

Trump tweeted on Thursday that American steel and aluminium companies needed &quot;free, fair and smart trade&quot;. Trump has indicated he favors a duty of 24 percent on steel imports.

The administration has also cited national security interests for its action, saying the United States needs domestic supply for its tanks and warships. The Department of Defense has recommended targeted steel tariffs and a delay in aluminium duties.

Although China only accounts for two percent of US&nbsp;steel imports, its massive industry expansion has helped produce a global glut of steel that has driven down prices.

China has indicated it could retaliate against US&nbsp;steel tariffs by targeting imports of US&nbsp;agricultural commodities, such as soybeans of which America is the largest supplier.&nbsp;

Trade tensions between the United States and China have risen since Trump took office in 2017 and the administration is also pushing on what it regards as forced technology transfers to China.&nbsp;

Shares of Asian steel producers such as South Korea&#39;s POSCO and Nippon Steel fell overnight.

Few more jons from tariffs

While American steelmakers have lost three quarters of their jobs between 1962 and 2005, a major study by the American Economic Association showed that much of this had been due to improved production technology as output per worker rose fivefold.

&quot;Thus, even if trade protection leads to increased domestic production, increases in employment may be far less than many hope,&quot; a report from the highly-regarded independent Econofact economist network said last week.

Consumers of steel and aluminium have lobbied hard against the tariffs. Econofact said in its report that two million jobs were in industries that use steel &quot;intensively&quot;, including auto parts, household appliances, farm machinery and oil equipment.

Jobs in the consuming industries are concentrated in California, Texas, the Northeastern and Midwestern states that comprise the rust belt and states in the Southeast.

&quot;Across many states, the number of jobs adversely affected in these steel-using industries could far exceed any steel jobs saved,&quot; Econofact warned.

&quot;Past experience also shows that unilateral action like Section 232 tariffs will invite retaliation &mdash; the Bush-era steel tariffs led many countries to target politically sensitive US&nbsp;exports like Florida oranges and North Carolina textiles.&quot; 
&nbsp;

The move is likely to increase tensions with China, whose top trade official Lui He is in Washington for trade talks

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States would impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on imported aluminium next week. At a meeting with US industry officials at the White House, Trump vowed to rebuild American steel and aluminium industries, saying they had been treaded unfairly by other countries for decades. The move is likely to increase tensions with China, whose top trade official Lui He is in Washington for trade talks. An early morning tweet from Trump that said the steel and aluminium sectors needed protecting from unfair trade drove shares in domestic industries sharply higher. AK Steel Holding was up 2.8 percent, US Steel Corp was up 2.3 percent and Nucor rose 1 percent. By contrast, industrial stocks such as Boeing fell, with traders citing tariffs, which would hit manufacturers. The administration says duties would protect US industry, but critics say they would raise costs for industry and fail to deliver on a campaign pledge to boost domestic jobs. Trump tweeted on Thursday that American steel and aluminium companies needed "free, fair and smart trade". Trump has indicated he favors a duty of 24 percent on steel imports. The administration has also cited national security interests for its action, saying the United States needs domestic supply for its tanks and warships. The Department of Defense has recommended targeted steel tariffs and a delay in aluminium duties. Although China only accounts for two percent of US steel imports, its massive industry expansion has helped produce a global glut of steel that has driven down prices. China has indicated it could retaliate against US steel tariffs by targeting imports of US agricultural commodities, such as soybeans of which America is the largest supplier. Trade tensions between the United States and China have risen since Trump took office in 2017 and the administration is also pushing on what it regards as forced technology transfers to China. Shares of Asian steel producers such as South Korea's POSCO and Nippon Steel fell overnight. Few more jons from tariffs While American steelmakers have lost three quarters of their jobs between 1962 and 2005, a major study by the American Economic Association showed that much of this had been due to improved production technology as output per worker rose fivefold. "Thus, even if trade protection leads to increased domestic production, increases in employment may be far less than many hope," a report from the highly-regarded independent Econofact economist network said last week. Consumers of steel and aluminium have lobbied hard against the tariffs. Econofact said in its report that two million jobs were in industries that use steel "intensively", including auto parts, household appliances, farm machinery and oil equipment. Jobs in the consuming industries are concentrated in California, Texas, the Northeastern and Midwestern states that comprise the rust belt and states in the Southeast. "Across many states, the number of jobs adversely affected in these steel-using industries could far exceed any steel jobs saved," Econofact warned. "Past experience also shows that unilateral action like Section 232 tariffs will invite retaliation — the Bush-era steel tariffs led many countries to target politically sensitive US exports like Florida oranges and North Carolina textiles."

US to impose tariffs on steel, aluminium imports

South Korean President Moon Jae-in Thursday told Donald Trump that he plans to send a special envoy to Pyongyang, his office said, the latest in the Olympic-driven detente between the two Koreas.

An intense rapprochement saw the two Koreas march into the Games opening ceremony together behind a unification flag, and Moon shared a historic handshake with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un&#39;s sister Kim Yo Jong.

&quot;In response to the visit by North Korea&#39;s special envoy Kim Yo Jong, ... Moon conveyed to Trump his plans to dispatch a special envoy to the North soon,&quot; Seoul&#39;s presidential office said in a statement following their phone conversation.

The two presidents also &quot;agreed to maintain the momentum in inter-Korean dialogue and to continue efforts so it leads to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,&quot; it said.

Moon has sought to use the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics that ended Sunday to open dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang in the hopes of easing a nuclear standoff that has sparked global security fears.

Pyongyang mounted a charm offensive during the Games, sending athletes, cheerleaders and high-level delegations following months of tensions over its nuclear and missile programmes.

Moon, who advocates dialogue with the North to defuse tension, said on Monday that Washington needs to &quot;lower the threshold for talks&quot; with the North.&nbsp;

In a meeting with North Korean General Kim Yong Chol on Sunday, Moon also urged the North to open dialogue with the US as soon as possible -- to which Kim responded by saying the North was &quot;very willing&quot; to hold talks.

But the US has ruled out any possibility of talks before Pyongyang -- which last year staged multiple missile and nuclear tests -- takes steps towards denuclearisation.

There was no known interaction between the North and the US during the Games and Washington last week imposed what Trump described as the &quot;heaviest ever&quot; sanctions on the isolated regime.

The two presidents also 'agreed to maintain the momentum in inter-Korean dialogue and to continue efforts so it leads to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula'

South Korean President Moon Jae-in Thursday told Donald Trump that he plans to send a special envoy to Pyongyang, his office said, the latest in the Olympic-driven detente between the two Koreas. An intense rapprochement saw the two Koreas march into the Games opening ceremony together behind a unification flag, and Moon shared a historic handshake with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong. "In response to the visit by North Korea's special envoy Kim Yo Jong, ... Moon conveyed to Trump his plans to dispatch a special envoy to the North soon," Seoul's presidential office said in a statement following their phone conversation. The two presidents also "agreed to maintain the momentum in inter-Korean dialogue and to continue efforts so it leads to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula," it said. Moon has sought to use the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics that ended Sunday to open dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang in the hopes of easing a nuclear standoff that has sparked global security fears. Pyongyang mounted a charm offensive during the Games, sending athletes, cheerleaders and high-level delegations following months of tensions over its nuclear and missile programmes. Moon, who advocates dialogue with the North to defuse tension, said on Monday that Washington needs to "lower the threshold for talks" with the North. In a meeting with North Korean General Kim Yong Chol on Sunday, Moon also urged the North to open dialogue with the US as soon as possible -- to which Kim responded by saying the North was "very willing" to hold talks. But the US has ruled out any possibility of talks before Pyongyang -- which last year staged multiple missile and nuclear tests -- takes steps towards denuclearisation. There was no known interaction between the North and the US during the Games and Washington last week imposed what Trump described as the "heaviest ever" sanctions on the isolated regime.

Will send special envoy to North Korea: South Korea to Trump

Nastya Rybka, an escort from Russia, has urged the Trump administration to free her from the arrest. Rybka was arrested by Thai police on Sunday for offering sex lessons without a permit. Rybka has offered to reveal sensitive information linking Russia and Donald Trump&#39;s presidential campaign.&nbsp;

Rybka, also known by the name Anastasia Vashukevich, came into prominence after a Russian business Oleg Deripaska demanded Rybka to remove their pictures and videos from her social accounts. He also obtained a court order for the same and threatened that Russia will block Instagram access in the country if his demands are not met by Rybka. &nbsp;

Deripaska is believed to have close ties with Paul Manafort who briefly headed Trump&#39;s presidential campaign.&nbsp;

Rybka, in a social media post, claimed that she has evidence linking Manafort to Russia and US presidential elections. She also noted that she will not disclose anything until she is freed and in a &quot;safe&quot; place where she is not &quot;worried&quot; about her life.&nbsp;

Rybka describes herself as Deripaska&#39;s mistress on her Instagram account.&nbsp;

Deripaska is believed to have close ties with Paul Manafort who briefly headed Trump's presidential campaign

Nastya Rybka, an escort from Russia, has urged the Trump administration to free her from the arrest. Rybka was arrested by Thai police on Sunday for offering sex lessons without a permit. Rybka has offered to reveal sensitive information linking Russia and Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Rybka, also known by the name Anastasia Vashukevich, came into prominence after a Russian business Oleg Deripaska demanded Rybka to remove their pictures and videos from her social accounts. He also obtained a court order for the same and threatened that Russia will block Instagram access in the country if his demands are not met by Rybka. Deripaska is believed to have close ties with Paul Manafort who briefly headed Trump's presidential campaign. Rybka, in a social media post, claimed that she has evidence linking Manafort to Russia and US presidential elections. She also noted that she will not disclose anything until she is freed and in a "safe" place where she is not "worried" about her life. Rybka describes herself as Deripaska's mistress on her Instagram account.

Russian 'escort' open to trade Russia-Trump secrets: Report

US President will now travel in a new plane. It is just not any Boeing with Super-Luxuries Features and High- End protection. The Pentagon has ordered the fastest and biggest Boeing ever made for the President&#39;s travel.&nbsp;

The White House will soon have two brand new aircrafts for the president. The US president will have two Boeing 747-8, which is the longest commercial jet in the world.&nbsp;

The new Air Force one Planes will replace the aging Boeing 747-200 Aircrafts-that currently serve as the presidential air force one fleet.&nbsp;

The new airborne white house will have similar modifications as the existing presidential plane. But it will also have significant upgrades to communications systems.

It means the new flying white house will be able to fly in worst-case security scenarios, such as nuclear war.

They will be modified with military avionics, advanced communications and a self-defense system. Also, it will offer a much larger upper deck than its predecessor.

Apart from the advanced features, the new presidential aircraft will be equipped with other standard air force one amenities such as over 4000 square feet of interior space, a conference room, a dining room, an oval office, armoured windows, galleys to prepare over a hundred meals for one sitting, a medical facility, plenty of phones for classified and unclassified use, and work and rest areas for the presidential staff, media representatives and air force crews.

The white house says it has signed a deal with Boeing for two new air force one planes at 3.9 billion us dollars. As per the original plan, the new aircraft will be in service by 2024, but the president has asked for the planes to be ready by 2021 - which would mark the beginning of another presidential term.&nbsp;

The new Air Force one Planes will replace the aging Boeing 747-200 Aircrafts-that currently serve as the presidential air force one fleet

US President will now travel in a new plane. It is just not any Boeing with Super-Luxuries Features and High- End protection. The Pentagon has ordered the fastest and biggest Boeing ever made for the President's travel. The White House will soon have two brand new aircrafts for the president. The US president will have two Boeing 747-8, which is the longest commercial jet in the world. The new Air Force one Planes will replace the aging Boeing 747-200 Aircrafts-that currently serve as the presidential air force one fleet. The new airborne white house will have similar modifications as the existing presidential plane. But it will also have significant upgrades to communications systems. It means the new flying white house will be able to fly in worst-case security scenarios, such as nuclear war. They will be modified with military avionics, advanced communications and a self-defense system. Also, it will offer a much larger upper deck than its predecessor. Apart from the advanced features, the new presidential aircraft will be equipped with other standard air force one amenities such as over 4000 square feet of interior space, a conference room, a dining room, an oval office, armoured windows, galleys to prepare over a hundred meals for one sitting, a medical facility, plenty of phones for classified and unclassified use, and work and rest areas for the presidential staff, media representatives and air force crews. The white house says it has signed a deal with Boeing for two new air force one planes at 3.9 billion us dollars. As per the original plan, the new aircraft will be in service by 2024, but the president has asked for the planes to be ready by 2021 - which would mark the beginning of another presidential term.

US President to soon have longest commercial jet

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/close-donald-trump-aide-and-white-house-communications-chief-hope-hicks-resigns-34376">Close Donald Trump aide and White House communications chief Hope Hicks resigns</a>

Hope Hicks, one of US President Donald Trump&#39;s longest-serving aides, is resigning from her job as White House communications director, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Wednesday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/aircel-files-for-bankruptcy-blames-competition-financial-woes-34390">Aircel files for bankruptcy;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/aircel-files-for-bankruptcy-blames-competition-financial-woes-34390">blames</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/aircel-files-for-bankruptcy-blames-competition-financial-woes-34390"> competition, financial woes</a>

Malaysian billionaire T Ananda Krishnan&#39;s mobile firm Aircel today filed for bankruptcy protection from creditors, saying high debt and mounting losses, following a price war triggered by a new entrant, have led the company to troubled times.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/terrorist-killed-in-encounter-in-jks-bandipora-district-34385">Terrorist killed in encounter in J&amp;K&#39;s Bandipora district</a>

One terrorist has been killed in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident took place in Hajin area of the district.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/walmart-raises-to-21-minimum-age-to-buy-firearms-ammo-34379">Walmart raises to 21 minimum age to buy firearms, ammo</a>

US retail giant Walmart announced Wednesday that it was raising to 21 its minimum age to buy firearms and ammunition, the latest US company to recalibrate its stance on weapons after a deadly Florida school shooting.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cops-to-be-deployed-near-schools-to-deter-eve-teasers-kejriwal-34383">Cops to be deployed near schools to deter eve-teasers: Kejriwal</a>

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said a beat constable would be deployed near every school during the closing hours to ensure the safety of the girl students from eve-teasers.

Hicks, 29, was caught up in a controversy surrounding former White House staff secretary Rob Porter, whom she had been dating.

Close Donald Trump aide and White House communications chief Hope Hicks resigns Hope Hicks, one of US President Donald Trump's longest-serving aides, is resigning from her job as White House communications director, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Wednesday. Aircel files for bankruptcy;blames competition, financial woes Malaysian billionaire T Ananda Krishnan's mobile firm Aircel today filed for bankruptcy protection from creditors, saying high debt and mounting losses, following a price war triggered by a new entrant, have led the company to troubled times. Terrorist killed in encounter in J&K's Bandipora district One terrorist has been killed in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident took place in Hajin area of the district. Walmart raises to 21 minimum age to buy firearms, ammo US retail giant Walmart announced Wednesday that it was raising to 21 its minimum age to buy firearms and ammunition, the latest US company to recalibrate its stance on weapons after a deadly Florida school shooting. Cops to be deployed near schools to deter eve-teasers: Kejriwal Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said a beat constable would be deployed near every school during the closing hours to ensure the safety of the girl students from eve-teasers.

WION News Brief, March 1, 2018

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday went his furthest yet toward endorsing restrictions on gun sales, challenging lawmakers to go big on legislation to help prevent more school shootings.

During a freewheeling hour-long discussion, Trump spoke approvingly of several ideas opposed by the powerful National Rifle Association gun lobby, which endorsed his 2016 candidacy, including raising the legal age to buy rifles to 21 from 18, and proposals to expand background checks for gun buyers.

&quot;I will sign it,&quot; Trump said as he urged the group of lawmakers - some favouring more gun restrictions, others averse to gun control - to avoid tailored attempts to fix holes in gun laws and embrace a comprehensive fix.

Trump had been cautiously considering changes in gun laws since a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14, igniting a wave of national student activism in support of firearms restrictions.

The Republican president, long a champion of gun rights, had also been wary of angering voters who oppose curbs on gun ownership, particularly ahead of the November elections in which his party&#39;s control of Congress will be at stake.

But Trump said at the televised session on Wednesday: &quot;You have to be very, very powerful on background checks. Don&#39;t be shy.&quot;

He added that he told NRA officials during a private luncheon on Sunday: &quot;It&#39;s time. We&#39;ve got to stop this nonsense. It&#39;s time.&quot;

Trump urged lawmakers not to lose momentum. But the Senate is not expected to bring up any gun legislation this week, and next week&#39;s agenda is also unclear.

One bipartisan bill to improve background checks on prospective gun buyers was gaining steam in the Senate. But Trump, Democrats and some other Republicans, are now pushing for broader measures to be added, which could stall progress.

&#39;Going to have to be you&#39;

Seventeen Republican and Democratic senators and representatives were invited to the White House for the fourth such gun policy discussion that Trump has hosted in a week.

Previous roundtables - also open to cameras - included students and parents, law enforcement officials and state governors. The White House is set to present a list of Trump&#39;s policy decisions on school safety as early as Thursday.

Trump continued to express support for training and arming certain teachers in schools to protect students in the event of a mass shooting - an idea promoted by the NRA.

Some lawmakers flatly rejected the concept, which Trump previously said should be left up to states and school boards.

But Trump ruled out an NRA-backed proposal from his close ally, Steve Scalise, the No. 3 Republican in the House of Representatives, who was wounded in a mass shooting at a baseball practice last June.

Scalise said background check legislation should include a measure allowing people to bring legal concealed guns across state lines. The House has already passed a background check bill with that provision, which Democrats oppose.

Trump said he personally agreed with the idea but that it wold sink a comprehensive bill in the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow 51-49 majority.

&quot;I think that maybe that bill will someday pass, but it will pass as a separate. If you&rsquo;re going to put concealed carry between states into this bill, we&#39;re talking about a whole new ball game,&quot; he said.

Trump pressed Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania on whether he supported raising the age to buy rifles. Toomey said it would hurt young adults who enjoy hunting or target shooting without addressing the issue of mass shootings.

&quot;To deny them their Second Amendment right is not going to make anyone safer,&quot; said Toomey, referring to the constitutional rights for Americans to own guns.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut told Trump that previous efforts to pass background check bills had been foiled by the NRA, and warned the president against underestimating the group&#39;s political clout.

&quot;The reason that nothing&#39;s gotten done here is because the gun lobby has had a veto power over any legislation that comes before Congress,&quot; Murphy said, pressing Trump to use the power of his office on the issue.

&quot;Mr. President, it&#39;s going to have to be you that brings Republicans to the table on this because right now the gun lobby will stop it in its tracks,&quot; Murphy said.

Seventeen Republican and Democratic senators and representatives were invited to the White House for the fourth such gun policy discussion that Trump has hosted in a week.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday went his furthest yet toward endorsing restrictions on gun sales, challenging lawmakers to go big on legislation to help prevent more school shootings. During a freewheeling hour-long discussion, Trump spoke approvingly of several ideas opposed by the powerful National Rifle Association gun lobby, which endorsed his 2016 candidacy, including raising the legal age to buy rifles to 21 from 18, and proposals to expand background checks for gun buyers. "I will sign it," Trump said as he urged the group of lawmakers - some favouring more gun restrictions, others averse to gun control - to avoid tailored attempts to fix holes in gun laws and embrace a comprehensive fix. Trump had been cautiously considering changes in gun laws since a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14, igniting a wave of national student activism in support of firearms restrictions. The Republican president, long a champion of gun rights, had also been wary of angering voters who oppose curbs on gun ownership, particularly ahead of the November elections in which his party's control of Congress will be at stake. But Trump said at the televised session on Wednesday: "You have to be very, very powerful on background checks. Don't be shy." He added that he told NRA officials during a private luncheon on Sunday: "It's time. We've got to stop this nonsense. It's time." Trump urged lawmakers not to lose momentum. But the Senate is not expected to bring up any gun legislation this week, and next week's agenda is also unclear. One bipartisan bill to improve background checks on prospective gun buyers was gaining steam in the Senate. But Trump, Democrats and some other Republicans, are now pushing for broader measures to be added, which could stall progress. 'Going to have to be you' Seventeen Republican and Democratic senators and representatives were invited to the White House for the fourth such gun policy discussion that Trump has hosted in a week. Previous roundtables - also open to cameras - included students and parents, law enforcement officials and state governors. The White House is set to present a list of Trump's policy decisions on school safety as early as Thursday. Trump continued to express support for training and arming certain teachers in schools to protect students in the event of a mass shooting - an idea promoted by the NRA. Some lawmakers flatly rejected the concept, which Trump previously said should be left up to states and school boards. But Trump ruled out an NRA-backed proposal from his close ally, Steve Scalise, the No. 3 Republican in the House of Representatives, who was wounded in a mass shooting at a baseball practice last June. Scalise said background check legislation should include a measure allowing people to bring legal concealed guns across state lines. The House has already passed a background check bill with that provision, which Democrats oppose. Trump said he personally agreed with the idea but that it wold sink a comprehensive bill in the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow 51-49 majority. "I think that maybe that bill will someday pass, but it will pass as a separate. If you’re going to put concealed carry between states into this bill, we're talking about a whole new ball game," he said. Trump pressed Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania on whether he supported raising the age to buy rifles. Toomey said it would hurt young adults who enjoy hunting or target shooting without addressing the issue of mass shootings. "To deny them their Second Amendment right is not going to make anyone safer," said Toomey, referring to the constitutional rights for Americans to own guns. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut told Trump that previous efforts to pass background check bills had been foiled by the NRA, and warned the president against underestimating the group's political clout. "The reason that nothing's gotten done here is because the gun lobby has had a veto power over any legislation that comes before Congress," Murphy said, pressing Trump to use the power of his office on the issue. "Mr. President, it's going to have to be you that brings Republicans to the table on this because right now the gun lobby will stop it in its tracks," Murphy said.

Trump pushes Congress for broad bill on guns after school shooting

President Donald Trump has not yet ordered his spy chiefs to retaliate against Russian interference in US elections, the head of the National Security Agency has told lawmakers.

&quot;We have not opted to engage in some of the same behaviours we are seeing,&quot; said Admiral Michael Rogers, who heads both the NSA -- the leading US electronic eavesdropping agency -- and the new US Cyber Command, the military body charged with online combat.

Asked in a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing if he had received orders from Trump to fight back against Moscow&#39;s meddling, Rogers said: &quot;No, I have not.&quot;

Rogers denied claims that the agency is doing nothing to push back against Russian hacking, theft of US cyber secrets and other activities.

However, he acknowledged: &quot;They have not paid a price that is sufficient to change their behaviour.&quot;

Rogers echoed the comments he and five other US intelligence chiefs made two weeks ago at the House Intelligence Committee, where all said they had not been ordered by Trump to counter the Russians.

The US has accused Russia of actively interfering in the 2016 presidential election, stealing Democratic party communications and pushing out disinformation through social media.

It also accuses Moscow of stealing hacking secrets of the US intelligence community.

Rogers said an order for Trump is needed before the US intelligence community and military can undertake offensive online operations against the Russians.

&quot;What I see on the Cyber Command side leads me to believe that if we don&#39;t change the dynamic here, that this is going to continue, and 2016 won&#39;t be viewed as isolated,&quot; he said.

But he said that at a lower level, the NSA and Cyber Command could take some unspecified actions to rebuff attackers.

Asked about the exchange in Congress, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders suggested the president does not need to act.

&quot;Nobody is denying him the authority,&quot; she said of Rogers.&nbsp;

Asked in a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing if he had received orders from Trump to fight back against Moscow's meddling, Admiral Michael Rogers said: 'No, I have not'

President Donald Trump has not yet ordered his spy chiefs to retaliate against Russian interference in US elections, the head of the National Security Agency has told lawmakers. "We have not opted to engage in some of the same behaviours we are seeing," said Admiral Michael Rogers, who heads both the NSA -- the leading US electronic eavesdropping agency -- and the new US Cyber Command, the military body charged with online combat. Asked in a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing if he had received orders from Trump to fight back against Moscow's meddling, Rogers said: "No, I have not." Rogers denied claims that the agency is doing nothing to push back against Russian hacking, theft of US cyber secrets and other activities. However, he acknowledged: "They have not paid a price that is sufficient to change their behaviour." Rogers echoed the comments he and five other US intelligence chiefs made two weeks ago at the House Intelligence Committee, where all said they had not been ordered by Trump to counter the Russians. The US has accused Russia of actively interfering in the 2016 presidential election, stealing Democratic party communications and pushing out disinformation through social media. It also accuses Moscow of stealing hacking secrets of the US intelligence community. Rogers said an order for Trump is needed before the US intelligence community and military can undertake offensive online operations against the Russians. "What I see on the Cyber Command side leads me to believe that if we don't change the dynamic here, that this is going to continue, and 2016 won't be viewed as isolated," he said. But he said that at a lower level, the NSA and Cyber Command could take some unspecified actions to rebuff attackers. Asked about the exchange in Congress, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders suggested the president does not need to act. "Nobody is denying him the authority," she said of Rogers.

Trump yet to order spies to retaliate against Russia: NSA chief

The Taliban in Afghanistan does not seem to be ready for peace talks, the Trump administration said today, asserting that any such talks have to be &quot;Afghan-led and Afghan-owned&quot;.

In a way, the Trump administration, ruled out direct talks with the Taliban, which was being sought by the terrorist outfit <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-taliban-want-to-end-war-through-dialogue-33026" target="_blank">in a letter</a> to the US.

&quot;We certainly saw this letter and are aware of this letter. Any peace talks with Afghanistan have to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned. That has long been our policy,&quot; State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters.

She said the Taliban, &quot;unfortunately&quot;, does not seem ready at this point to sit down and have conversations about peace talks.

&quot;We hope eventually they will, because that is the best way to be able to have peace in Afghanistan,&quot; Nauert said responding to a question on the letter released by the Taliban.

&quot;Ultimately, we don&#39;t see there being a military solution to the situation in Afghanistan. Ultimately, it has to be a political situation,&quot; she said.

&quot;That can best be done,&quot; she said if the Taliban was willing to sit down and have talks.

&quot;Certainly the United States could have a role in that. But that&#39;s really up to Afghanistan, but it has to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned,&quot; Nauert asserted. PTI&nbsp;

The Taliban has said, in a letter to the US, that it would like to discuss peace

The Taliban in Afghanistan does not seem to be ready for peace talks, the Trump administration said today, asserting that any such talks have to be "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned". In a way, the Trump administration, ruled out direct talks with the Taliban, which was being sought by the terrorist outfit in a letter to the US. "We certainly saw this letter and are aware of this letter. Any peace talks with Afghanistan have to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned. That has long been our policy," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters. She said the Taliban, "unfortunately", does not seem ready at this point to sit down and have conversations about peace talks. "We hope eventually they will, because that is the best way to be able to have peace in Afghanistan," Nauert said responding to a question on the letter released by the Taliban. "Ultimately, we don't see there being a military solution to the situation in Afghanistan. Ultimately, it has to be a political situation," she said. "That can best be done," she said if the Taliban was willing to sit down and have talks. "Certainly the United States could have a role in that. But that's really up to Afghanistan, but it has to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned," Nauert asserted. PTI

Taliban doesn't seem ready for peace talks: US

Republican leaders of the US Congress said on Tuesday they would not raise the minimum age for gun buyers, in a sign that one of President Donald Trump&#39;s proposals likely will not get far on Capitol Hill after a deadly Florida school shooting.

The second-deadliest shooting at a US public school has reignited the long-running national debate over gun rights, pitting many of the students who survived the February 14 high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, against powerful gun rights groups like the National Rifle Association.

Several of those students visited lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to press Congress to enact new restrictions on gun ownership.

Republicans in Congress have rejected those efforts after similar mass shootings in the past, and party leaders said they were not likely to act this time either.

&quot;We shouldn&#39;t be banning guns from law-abiding citizens. We should be focusing on making sure that citizens who should not get guns in the first place don&#39;t get those guns,&quot; House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan told a news conference.

Trump has suggested arming teachers and raising the minimum age to buy semiautomatic rifles to 21 from 18, but Ryan said Congress was not likely to act on either idea.

Local governments, not Congress, should decide whether to arm teachers, he said.

Trump still supports raising the age limit and will release specific policy proposals this week, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Ryan&#39;s comments made it clear that more aggressive gun limits, like a ban on the military-style rifle used by the 19-year-old Parkland shooter, were unlikely to gain traction in Congress.

Ryan met later in the day with Parkland students, who pushed for a ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, as well as other school-safety features, said Representative Ted Deutch, a Democrat who represents the district.

&quot;This isn&#39;t the last time they&#39;re going to come to Washington,&quot; Deutch said. &quot;It&#39;s really just the beginning of that effort.&quot;

BACKGROUND CHECKS

Prosecutors have said Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland with a legally purchased rifle. Federal and local law enforcement agencies have acknowledged receiving multiple warnings about Cruz&#39;s potential for violence.

Trump and his fellow Republicans are under pressure to act following the massacre, but they also must avoid angering Republican voters who broadly support gun rights as well as interest groups like the NRA, which spent $55 million in the 2016 election. 
The House voted in December to bolster a database of people not legally allowed to buy guns and to spur federal agencies and states to upload more data into the system after the Air Force failed to provide records that could have flagged a former service member who killed 26 people at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in November.

That legislation has broad support in the Senate as well, and Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the chamber&#39;s No. 2 Republican, said he wanted a vote to take place this week.

Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer said that measure by itself would not be adequate. He called for Congress to expand the background check system to cover all gun sales, including those conducted at gun shows and over the internet.

That legislation has failed in Congress twice over the past five years, and it fell short again in the House on Tuesday as Republicans rejected an effort by Democrats to bring it up for a vote.

&quot;We Democrats, at a minimum, believe we should be passing a universal background check legislation that assures that guns don&#39;t fall into the wrong hands,&quot; Schumer told reporters. 
The White House does not back that idea, Sanders said.

ACTION IN FLORIDA

As Congress has failed to tighten gun laws after other mass shootings, states have taken action on their own.

A House of Representatives committee of the Republican-controlled Florida legislature voted on Tuesday to raise the minimum legal age for purchasing all rifles to 21 from 18 and impose a three-day waiting period for any gun purchases. Buyers of handguns must already be at least 21 and submit to a three-day wait.

The measure would also create a statewide program to arm specially trained teachers - subject to school district approval - while assigning more police as school resource officers and allowing police to confiscate weapons from people who are involuntarily committed as a danger to themselves or others.

In addition, the measure would outlaw the sale of bump stocks, devices that enable semiautomatic rifles to be operated as fully automatic machine guns. The panel rejected a Democratic-backed amendment to ban assault-style weapons.

The package must now win approval in the full legislature before it goes to Republican Governor Rick Scott for signature.

Cruz, charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder, was due back in court on Wednesday for a hearing to determine whether he has sufficient assets to pay for his own lawyer. His mother died in November.

Stoneman Douglas students were scheduled to return to class on Wednesday for the first time since the massacre. The building where most of the bloodshed occurred will remain closed. The bill adopted by a state House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday would provide funding to demolish the building and replace it with a memorial to shooting victims.

The second-deadliest shooting at a US public school has reignited the long-running national debate over gun rights

Republican leaders of the US Congress said on Tuesday they would not raise the minimum age for gun buyers, in a sign that one of President Donald Trump's proposals likely will not get far on Capitol Hill after a deadly Florida school shooting. The second-deadliest shooting at a US public school has reignited the long-running national debate over gun rights, pitting many of the students who survived the February 14 high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, against powerful gun rights groups like the National Rifle Association. Several of those students visited lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to press Congress to enact new restrictions on gun ownership. Republicans in Congress have rejected those efforts after similar mass shootings in the past, and party leaders said they were not likely to act this time either. "We shouldn't be banning guns from law-abiding citizens. We should be focusing on making sure that citizens who should not get guns in the first place don't get those guns," House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan told a news conference. Trump has suggested arming teachers and raising the minimum age to buy semiautomatic rifles to 21 from 18, but Ryan said Congress was not likely to act on either idea. Local governments, not Congress, should decide whether to arm teachers, he said. Trump still supports raising the age limit and will release specific policy proposals this week, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. Ryan's comments made it clear that more aggressive gun limits, like a ban on the military-style rifle used by the 19-year-old Parkland shooter, were unlikely to gain traction in Congress. Ryan met later in the day with Parkland students, who pushed for a ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, as well as other school-safety features, said Representative Ted Deutch, a Democrat who represents the district. "This isn't the last time they're going to come to Washington," Deutch said. "It's really just the beginning of that effort." BACKGROUND CHECKS Prosecutors have said Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland with a legally purchased rifle. Federal and local law enforcement agencies have acknowledged receiving multiple warnings about Cruz's potential for violence. Trump and his fellow Republicans are under pressure to act following the massacre, but they also must avoid angering Republican voters who broadly support gun rights as well as interest groups like the NRA, which spent $55 million in the 2016 election. The House voted in December to bolster a database of people not legally allowed to buy guns and to spur federal agencies and states to upload more data into the system after the Air Force failed to provide records that could have flagged a former service member who killed 26 people at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in November. That legislation has broad support in the Senate as well, and Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the chamber's No. 2 Republican, said he wanted a vote to take place this week. Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer said that measure by itself would not be adequate. He called for Congress to expand the background check system to cover all gun sales, including those conducted at gun shows and over the internet. That legislation has failed in Congress twice over the past five years, and it fell short again in the House on Tuesday as Republicans rejected an effort by Democrats to bring it up for a vote. "We Democrats, at a minimum, believe we should be passing a universal background check legislation that assures that guns don't fall into the wrong hands," Schumer told reporters. The White House does not back that idea, Sanders said. ACTION IN FLORIDA As Congress has failed to tighten gun laws after other mass shootings, states have taken action on their own. A House of Representatives committee of the Republican-controlled Florida legislature voted on Tuesday to raise the minimum legal age for purchasing all rifles to 21 from 18 and impose a three-day waiting period for any gun purchases. Buyers of handguns must already be at least 21 and submit to a three-day wait. The measure would also create a statewide program to arm specially trained teachers - subject to school district approval - while assigning more police as school resource officers and allowing police to confiscate weapons from people who are involuntarily committed as a danger to themselves or others. In addition, the measure would outlaw the sale of bump stocks, devices that enable semiautomatic rifles to be operated as fully automatic machine guns. The panel rejected a Democratic-backed amendment to ban assault-style weapons. The package must now win approval in the full legislature before it goes to Republican Governor Rick Scott for signature. Cruz, charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder, was due back in court on Wednesday for a hearing to determine whether he has sufficient assets to pay for his own lawyer. His mother died in November. Stoneman Douglas students were scheduled to return to class on Wednesday for the first time since the massacre. The building where most of the bloodshed occurred will remain closed. The bill adopted by a state House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday would provide funding to demolish the building and replace it with a memorial to shooting victims.

US congressional Republicans reject new limits on guns

Has Donald Trump really been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize? The Norwegian Nobel Institute said Wednesday it had filed a police report after receiving a seemingly fraudulent nomination for the US president.

&quot;We have good reason to believe that a nomination we received concerning Trump has been falsified,&quot; Nobel Institute director Olav Njolstad told AFP. He refused to provide further details, saying it was for the police to give more information.

Each year, nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize must be submitted by January 31. Among those entitled to propose names are members of parliament and government, former laureates and some university professors.

While the list of candidates is kept secret for at least 50 years, those who nominate are however allowed to disclose their choice.

The Peace Research Institute of Oslo (Prio) said in early February that Trump&#39;s name was on the list.

Like last year, Trump was nominated for his &quot;ideology of peace by force&quot; by an American who did not want his identity revealed, according to Prio, a body independent of the Nobel organisation which closely monitors the nominations revealed publicly.

It is possible that this nomination was submitted by a person suspected of committing identity fraud to appear eligible to nominate.

The Nobel Institute said it had received 329 valid nominations for the 2018 Peace Prize. The five members of the Nobel committee that selects the winner are also allowed to submit names during their first meeting of the year, which was held on Monday.

The name of the 2018 winner will be announced in early October.

Has Donald Trump really been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?

Has Donald Trump really been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize? The Norwegian Nobel Institute said Wednesday it had filed a police report after receiving a seemingly fraudulent nomination for the US president. "We have good reason to believe that a nomination we received concerning Trump has been falsified," Nobel Institute director Olav Njolstad told AFP. He refused to provide further details, saying it was for the police to give more information. Each year, nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize must be submitted by January 31. Among those entitled to propose names are members of parliament and government, former laureates and some university professors. While the list of candidates is kept secret for at least 50 years, those who nominate are however allowed to disclose their choice. The Peace Research Institute of Oslo (Prio) said in early February that Trump's name was on the list. Like last year, Trump was nominated for his "ideology of peace by force" by an American who did not want his identity revealed, according to Prio, a body independent of the Nobel organisation which closely monitors the nominations revealed publicly. It is possible that this nomination was submitted by a person suspected of committing identity fraud to appear eligible to nominate. The Nobel Institute said it had received 329 valid nominations for the 2018 Peace Prize. The five members of the Nobel committee that selects the winner are also allowed to submit names during their first meeting of the year, which was held on Monday. The name of the 2018 winner will be announced in early October.

Is Trump's Nobel Peace Prize nomination fake?

The US Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that immigrants can be detained indefinitely without bond hearings, in a setback for immigrant rights.

The five-to-three decision was carried by the court&#39;s conservative justices, who said immigrants detained in the United States had no right to periodic bond hearings.

It reversed a ruling by the San Francisco 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which had set a six-month limit for detention without a bond hearing as long as the person did not pose a flight risk or a danger to national security.

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<h5>All parties appear to agree that the text of these provisions, when read most naturally, does not give detained aliens the right to periodic bond hearings during the course of their detention&#39;</h5>
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Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito argued that the appeals court had overstepped its authority by re-writing rather than interpreting the law.

&quot;All parties appear to agree that the text of these provisions, when read most naturally, does not give detained aliens the right to periodic bond hearings during the course of their detention,&quot; he wrote.

In a dissent, Justice Stephen Breyer cited the Declaration of Independence, &quot;in particular its insistence that all men and women have &#39;certain unalienable Rights,&#39; and that among them is the right to &#39;Liberty.&#39;&quot;

&quot;We need merely remember that the Constitution&#39;s Due Process Clause protects each person&#39;s liberty from arbitrary deprivation,&quot; he wrote.

Justice Elena Kagan recused herself from the decision.

The case involved a Mexican immigrant, Alejandro Rodriguez, who had legal US residence and worked as a dental assistant.

He was convicted of a drug offense and theft of a vehicle in 2004, prompting an immigration judge&#39;s order for his deportation to Mexico, which Rodriguez appealed.

He spent three years in detention while appealing his case, arguing that the relevant laws do not authorize prolonged detention unless the government proves it is justified. Otherwise, it would violate due process.

In the end, Rodriguez won his case against deportation.&nbsp;

&quot;We look forward to going back to the lower courts to show that these statutes, now interpreted by the Supreme Court to require detention without any hearing, violate the Due Process Clause,&quot; Ahilan Arulanantham, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union who argued the case, said after the ruling.

The five-to-three decision was carried by the court's conservative justices, who said immigrants detained in the United States had no right to periodic bond hearings

The US Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that immigrants can be detained indefinitely without bond hearings, in a setback for immigrant rights. The five-to-three decision was carried by the court's conservative justices, who said immigrants detained in the United States had no right to periodic bond hearings. It reversed a ruling by the San Francisco 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which had set a six-month limit for detention without a bond hearing as long as the person did not pose a flight risk or a danger to national security. All parties appear to agree that the text of these provisions, when read most naturally, does not give detained aliens the right to periodic bond hearings during the course of their detention' × Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito argued that the appeals court had overstepped its authority by re-writing rather than interpreting the law. "All parties appear to agree that the text of these provisions, when read most naturally, does not give detained aliens the right to periodic bond hearings during the course of their detention," he wrote. In a dissent, Justice Stephen Breyer cited the Declaration of Independence, "in particular its insistence that all men and women have 'certain unalienable Rights,' and that among them is the right to 'Liberty.'" "We need merely remember that the Constitution's Due Process Clause protects each person's liberty from arbitrary deprivation," he wrote. Justice Elena Kagan recused herself from the decision. The case involved a Mexican immigrant, Alejandro Rodriguez, who had legal US residence and worked as a dental assistant. He was convicted of a drug offense and theft of a vehicle in 2004, prompting an immigration judge's order for his deportation to Mexico, which Rodriguez appealed. He spent three years in detention while appealing his case, arguing that the relevant laws do not authorize prolonged detention unless the government proves it is justified. Otherwise, it would violate due process. In the end, Rodriguez won his case against deportation. "We look forward to going back to the lower courts to show that these statutes, now interpreted by the Supreme Court to require detention without any hearing, violate the Due Process Clause," Ahilan Arulanantham, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union who argued the case, said after the ruling.

US Supreme Court rules immigrants can be held indefinitely

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump&#39;s son-in-law and close adviser,&nbsp;Jared Kushner,&nbsp;has lost access to the most valued US&nbsp;intelligence report, the President&#39;s Daily Brief, as the White House imposes greater discipline on access to secrets, two US&nbsp;officials familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Kushner, who has been operating under an interim security clearance for about a year, had his access to the highly classified briefing cut off in the past few weeks, said the sources.

A third official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein recently passed new information to White House Counsel Don McGahn that led to the slowing or stopping of&nbsp;Kushner&#39;s pending clearance application. The nature of that information was not clear.

It also is unclear if and when&nbsp;Kushner&#39;s access to the briefing, known as the PDB, which requires clearance higher than the Top Secret level, would be reinstated.

Kushner, a wealthy New York businessman married to Trump&#39;s daughter Ivanka, has not received his full security clearance because of his extensive financial links, which have taken a long time to examine. He has revised his security clearance form, called an SF-86, several times.

A White House spokesman for&nbsp;Kushner&nbsp;did not immediately return a phone call and email seeking comment. Trump ignored reporters&#39; shouted questions about&nbsp;Kushner&nbsp;and his clearance at an event on Tuesday afternoon.

Kushner&#39;s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement: &quot;Mr.&nbsp;Kushner&nbsp;has done more than what is expected of him in this process.&quot;

&quot;My inquiries ... have confirmed that there are a dozen or more people at Mr.&nbsp;Kushner&#39;s level whose process is delayed, that it is not uncommon for this process to take this long in a new administration, that the current backlogs are being addressed, and no concerns were raised about Mr.&nbsp;Kushner&#39;s application,&quot; Lowell said.

Trump&#39;s White House has been grappling with the security clearance issue since it emerged this month that staff secretary Rob Porter worked for Trump for a year with a temporary clearance despite accusations by his two former wives of domestic abuse. Porter has maintained his innocence.

The President&#39;s Daily Brief is distributed to a small number of top-level US&nbsp;officials. It includes highly classified intelligence analysis, information about CIA covert operations and reports from the most sensitive US&nbsp;sources or those shared by allied intelligence agencies.

New security clearance policies announced by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly &quot;will not affect Mr.&nbsp;Kushner&#39;s ability to continue to do the very important work he has been assigned by the President,&quot; Lowell said.

But one of the US&nbsp;officials who said&nbsp;Kushner&nbsp;had lost access to the daily brief said that without it, his role in some major policy deliberations, including on China and Russia, could be limited.

Broad portfolio&nbsp;

Kushner&nbsp;has had a broad portfolio in the White House. He has taken the lead on Trump&#39;s plan to forge a Middle East peace deal and led the Office of American Innovation, which is intended to modernize and downsize government programs.

Kelly, whose handling of the Porter case was heavily criticized, decreed on Feb. 16 that any interim security clearances for staffers whose background investigations had been pending since June 1 or before would be discontinued within a week.

A source familiar with the matter said the situation had caused tensions between&nbsp;Kushner&nbsp;and Kelly.

On Friday, Trump said he would leave it to Kelly to settle the security clearance dispute with Kushner, but left little doubt he wanted the case settled in a way that allowed&nbsp;Kushner&nbsp;to keep his job. As president, Trump could grant&nbsp;Kushner&nbsp;a full security clearance on his own authority.

White House spokesman Sarah Sanders would not comment on whether&nbsp;Kushner&#39;s security clearance issues had been resolved.

&quot;He&#39;s a valued member of the team and he will continue to do the important work that he&#39;s been doing since he started in the administration,&quot; she told a briefing.

A top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote to McGahn and FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday, asking for more information on the number of White House officials with interim clearances.

The letter by Senator Chuck Grassley, the committee&#39;s Republican chairman, and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, suggested bipartisan concern over the issue.

Citing reports that dozens of officials are operating with interim clearances, the two lawmakers wrote: &quot;If true, this raises significant concerns that ineligible individuals, who hold positions of public trust, may have access to sensitive or classified information.&quot;

The President's Daily Brief is distributed to a small number of top-level US officials

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, has lost access to the most valued US intelligence report, the President's Daily Brief, as the White House imposes greater discipline on access to secrets, two US officials familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Kushner, who has been operating under an interim security clearance for about a year, had his access to the highly classified briefing cut off in the past few weeks, said the sources. A third official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein recently passed new information to White House Counsel Don McGahn that led to the slowing or stopping of Kushner's pending clearance application. The nature of that information was not clear. It also is unclear if and when Kushner's access to the briefing, known as the PDB, which requires clearance higher than the Top Secret level, would be reinstated. Kushner, a wealthy New York businessman married to Trump's daughter Ivanka, has not received his full security clearance because of his extensive financial links, which have taken a long time to examine. He has revised his security clearance form, called an SF-86, several times. A White House spokesman for Kushner did not immediately return a phone call and email seeking comment. Trump ignored reporters' shouted questions about Kushner and his clearance at an event on Tuesday afternoon. Kushner's attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement: "Mr. Kushner has done more than what is expected of him in this process." "My inquiries ... have confirmed that there are a dozen or more people at Mr. Kushner's level whose process is delayed, that it is not uncommon for this process to take this long in a new administration, that the current backlogs are being addressed, and no concerns were raised about Mr. Kushner's application," Lowell said. Trump's White House has been grappling with the security clearance issue since it emerged this month that staff secretary Rob Porter worked for Trump for a year with a temporary clearance despite accusations by his two former wives of domestic abuse. Porter has maintained his innocence. The President's Daily Brief is distributed to a small number of top-level US officials. It includes highly classified intelligence analysis, information about CIA covert operations and reports from the most sensitive US sources or those shared by allied intelligence agencies. New security clearance policies announced by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly "will not affect Mr. Kushner's ability to continue to do the very important work he has been assigned by the President," Lowell said. But one of the US officials who said Kushner had lost access to the daily brief said that without it, his role in some major policy deliberations, including on China and Russia, could be limited. Broad portfolio Kushner has had a broad portfolio in the White House. He has taken the lead on Trump's plan to forge a Middle East peace deal and led the Office of American Innovation, which is intended to modernize and downsize government programs. Kelly, whose handling of the Porter case was heavily criticized, decreed on Feb. 16 that any interim security clearances for staffers whose background investigations had been pending since June 1 or before would be discontinued within a week. A source familiar with the matter said the situation had caused tensions between Kushner and Kelly. On Friday, Trump said he would leave it to Kelly to settle the security clearance dispute with Kushner, but left little doubt he wanted the case settled in a way that allowed Kushner to keep his job. As president, Trump could grant Kushner a full security clearance on his own authority. White House spokesman Sarah Sanders would not comment on whether Kushner's security clearance issues had been resolved. "He's a valued member of the team and he will continue to do the important work that he's been doing since he started in the administration," she told a briefing. A top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote to McGahn and FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday, asking for more information on the number of White House officials with interim clearances. The letter by Senator Chuck Grassley, the committee's Republican chairman, and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, suggested bipartisan concern over the issue. Citing reports that dozens of officials are operating with interim clearances, the two lawmakers wrote: "If true, this raises significant concerns that ineligible individuals, who hold positions of public trust, may have access to sensitive or classified information."

Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner loses access to top intelligence briefing: Sources

Trump is reported to have mimicked -- not for the first time -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

Trump was at the time speaking to a gathering of US governors at the White House at which he brought up -- not for the first time -- <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/harley-davidson-issue-after-india-reduces-import-duty-by-half-trump-says-us-gets-nothing-34174" target="_blank">the Harley Davidson issue</a>. (Trump had earlier in February complained about the 100% import duty companies in India have to pay on high-end motorcycles.)&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/harley-davidson-issue-after-india-reduces-import-duty-by-half-trump-says-us-gets-nothing-34174" target="_blank">After India reduces import duty by half, Trump says </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/harley-davidson-issue-after-india-reduces-import-duty-by-half-trump-says-us-gets-nothing-34174" target="_blank">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/harley-davidson-issue-after-india-reduces-import-duty-by-half-trump-says-us-gets-nothing-34174" target="_blank"> gets &#39;nothing&#39;</a>

&quot;When they (Harley Davidson) send a motorcycle to India, as an example, they have to pay 100 per cent tax -- 100 per cent,&quot; PTI reported Trump as saying to the gathering of governors.

&quot;Now, the prime minister, who I think is a fantastic man, called me the other day and said we are lowering it to 50 per cent. I said okay, but so far we&#39;re getting nothing. So we get nothing. He gets 50 (per cent), and they think we&#39;re doing -- like they&#39;re doing us a favour. That&#39;s not a favour,&quot; he said.

Trump then, ANI reported, went on to fold his hands, take on a soft and serious tone, and say: &quot;He said it beautifully, he is a beautiful man and he said I just want to inform you that we have reduced it to 75 and we have further reduced it to 50. And I further said, huh, what do I say? Am I supposed to be thrilled?&quot;

Trump, while taking on the soft and serious tone, is thought to have been imitating Modi.&nbsp;

It is not the first time Trump is thought to have done so.&nbsp;

In January this year too Trump was reported to have <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/donald-trump-reportedly-imitates-pm-modi-report-30436" target="_blank">mimicked Modi and his accent</a>.

Back then, Trump was reported to have mimicked Modi as telling him, &quot;Never has a country given so much away for so little in return.&quot; (The reference was to US troop deployment in Afghanistan.)&nbsp;

This time Trump did not copy Modi&#39;s accent.&nbsp;

In January this year too Trump was reported to have mimicked Modi and his accent

Trump is reported to have mimicked -- not for the first time -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump was at the time speaking to a gathering of US governors at the White House at which he brought up -- not for the first time -- the Harley Davidson issue. (Trump had earlier in February complained about the 100% import duty companies in India have to pay on high-end motorcycles.) Also read: After India reduces import duty by half, Trump says US gets 'nothing' "When they (Harley Davidson) send a motorcycle to India, as an example, they have to pay 100 per cent tax -- 100 per cent," PTI reported Trump as saying to the gathering of governors. "Now, the prime minister, who I think is a fantastic man, called me the other day and said we are lowering it to 50 per cent. I said okay, but so far we're getting nothing. So we get nothing. He gets 50 (per cent), and they think we're doing -- like they're doing us a favour. That's not a favour," he said. Trump then, ANI reported, went on to fold his hands, take on a soft and serious tone, and say: "He said it beautifully, he is a beautiful man and he said I just want to inform you that we have reduced it to 75 and we have further reduced it to 50. And I further said, huh, what do I say? Am I supposed to be thrilled?" Trump, while taking on the soft and serious tone, is thought to have been imitating Modi. It is not the first time Trump is thought to have done so. In January this year too Trump was reported to have mimicked Modi and his accent. Back then, Trump was reported to have mimicked Modi as telling him, "Never has a country given so much away for so little in return." (The reference was to US troop deployment in Afghanistan.) This time Trump did not copy Modi's accent.

Watch: Trump complains about Harley-Davidson import duties in India, calls Modi 'beautiful man', then mimics him

In an interview to a news channel, the daughter and adviser to the US President Donald <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/melania-trump-threatens-people-magazine-with-lawsuit-7446" target="_blank">Trump</a>, Ivanka Trump has said that she believes the denials of her father on the accusations of sexual misconduct.&nbsp;

She said that the question posed to her was &quot;inappropriate&quot; and added that as a daughter she had the right to believe her father.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/second-woman-alleges-trump-affair-and-cover-up-33112" target="_blank">US President Donald Trump</a> has been accused of sexual assault and sexual harassment including non-consensual kissing and groping by several women.

She also spoke about Donald Trump&#39;s proposal of arming teachers after the Florida gun attack where 17 people were killed.

She said that there was not a single solution for creating safety and that the solution needed to be discussed.

Ivanka Trump was interviewed in South Korea where she had gone to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games on behalf of US delegation.&nbsp;

She&nbsp;reached South Korea on Friday to attend the closing ceremony on February 25.

A media report said that Ivanka had assured that she would utilise her time in South Korea to convince North Korea to stop its nuclear program.

Ivanka, who was speaking to a news channel, said the question posed to her was 'inappropriate' and added that as a daughter she had the right to believe her father

In an interview to a news channel, the daughter and adviser to the US President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump has said that she believes the denials of her father on the accusations of sexual misconduct. She said that the question posed to her was "inappropriate" and added that as a daughter she had the right to believe her father. US President Donald Trump has been accused of sexual assault and sexual harassment including non-consensual kissing and groping by several women. She also spoke about Donald Trump's proposal of arming teachers after the Florida gun attack where 17 people were killed. She said that there was not a single solution for creating safety and that the solution needed to be discussed. Ivanka Trump was interviewed in South Korea where she had gone to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games on behalf of US delegation. She reached South Korea on Friday to attend the closing ceremony on February 25. A media report said that Ivanka had assured that she would utilise her time in South Korea to convince North Korea to stop its nuclear program.

Ivanka Trump says she believes father's denials of sexual misconduct

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