US President Donald Trump is known to land in a pool of controversies over his remarks and statements.

The latest one comes in a report that suggests he has imitated PM Modi.&nbsp;

&quot;According to the Independent, when Modi travelled to the US last year, he supported the decision of sending in more troops to Afghanistan in a bid to tackle terrorism and insurgency,&quot; ANI noted.&nbsp;

Trump reportedly imitated PM Modi stating that the latter said to him, &quot;Never has a country given so much away for so little in return&quot;, referring to US&#39; troops in Afghanistan.&quot;

The Trump administration and its Indian counterpart have not reacted to the report, however, the US President is often seen talking in other accents, imitating others.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Trump previously alluded to &#39;Abki Baar Modi Sarkar&#39; slogan and changed it to &#39;Abki Baar Trump Sarkar&#39; during his presidential election campaign.&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

The Trump administration and its Indian counterpart have not reacted to the report

US President Donald Trump is known to land in a pool of controversies over his remarks and statements. The latest one comes in a report that suggests he has imitated PM Modi. "According to the Independent, when Modi travelled to the US last year, he supported the decision of sending in more troops to Afghanistan in a bid to tackle terrorism and insurgency," ANI noted. Trump reportedly imitated PM Modi stating that the latter said to him, "Never has a country given so much away for so little in return", referring to US' troops in Afghanistan." The Trump administration and its Indian counterpart have not reacted to the report, however, the US President is often seen talking in other accents, imitating others. Trump previously alluded to 'Abki Baar Modi Sarkar' slogan and changed it to 'Abki Baar Trump Sarkar' during his presidential election campaign. (With inputs from ANI)

Donald Trump imitated PM Modi: Report

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/haryana-class-12-student-guns-down-principal-inside-school-30156">Haryana: Class 12 student guns down principal inside school</a> 
In a shocking incident, a Class XII student of Swami Vivekanand School in Haryana&#39;s Yamunanagar was detained for allegedly shooting dead his school&#39;s principal on Saturday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blames-democrats-for-government-shutdown-twitter-30160">Donald Trump blames Democrats for US government shutdown</a> 
US President Donald Trump blamed Democrat lawmakers for a shutdown of the federal government that went into effect on Saturday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/aap-mlas-disqualification-president-should-hear-our-views-as-well-says-manish-sisodia-30162">AAP MLAs disqualification: President should hear our views as well, says Manish Sisodia</a> 
AAP leader and Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia on Saturday lashed out at Centre and Congress saying that no MLAs were holding any office of profit.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/national-herald-case-subramanian-swamy-submits-it-order-against-rahul-sonia-gandhi-30158">National Herald case: Subramanian Swamy submits IT order against Rahul, Sonia Gandhi</a> 
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has produced an IT order in court against the Young Indian company majorly owned by Sonai and Rahul Gandhi.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-finalises-preparations-for-repatriation-of-rohingya-muslims-30159">Myanmar finalises preparations for repatriation of Rohingya Muslims</a> 
Myanmar is making final preparations to take back the first batch of Rohingya Muslims who had fled conflict in troubled Rakhine state, state media said on Saturday.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump blamed Democrat lawmakers for a shutdown of the federal government that went into effect on Saturday.

Haryana: Class 12 student guns down principal inside school In a shocking incident, a Class XII student of Swami Vivekanand School in Haryana's Yamunanagar was detained for allegedly shooting dead his school's principal on Saturday. Donald Trump blames Democrats for US government shutdown US President Donald Trump blamed Democrat lawmakers for a shutdown of the federal government that went into effect on Saturday. AAP MLAs disqualification: President should hear our views as well, says Manish Sisodia AAP leader and Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia on Saturday lashed out at Centre and Congress saying that no MLAs were holding any office of profit. National Herald case: Subramanian Swamy submits IT order against Rahul, Sonia Gandhi BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has produced an IT order in court against the Young Indian company majorly owned by Sonai and Rahul Gandhi. Myanmar finalises preparations for repatriation of Rohingya Muslims Myanmar is making final preparations to take back the first batch of Rohingya Muslims who had fled conflict in troubled Rakhine state, state media said on Saturday.

WION News Brief, December 20, 2018

The Swiss army and police said on Monday, January 22, the Swiss Alpine town of Davos was ready for US President Donald Trump and the security challenges he brings with him when he comes to address the World Economic Forum.

The annual meeting begins on Tuesday, January 23. Trump&#39;s visit to Davos is the first by a sitting US president since Bill Clinton attended in 2000.

Grisons Cantonal police, who coordinate WEF&#39;s $9.3 million security measures and are liaising with US officials, said at a news conference on Monday they were ready.

A total of 4,400 soldiers have been deployed, an increase of 100 from last year, and airspace is open only to aircraft ferrying participants to the forum.

The Swiss army has begun erecting checkpoints on roads leading into town and armed hillside bivouacs down the valley, scenes to those of previous post-September 11 WEF meetings where security has been paramount.

Trump&#39;s policies, including his intention to exit the 2015 Paris climate accord and his &quot;America First&quot; policy, may not sit well with all of Switzerland, which backs the global climate pact and whose economy relies on global trade.

This has prompted some critics to suggest Trump&#39;s polarising persona could resurrect the violent anti-WEF protests seen in the early 2000s. An online petition is circulating telling Trump he is not welcome.

Although an anti-Trump demonstration is planned for Zurich on Tuesday, Swiss police say poor weather could stop protesters planning a demonstration when Trump arrives on Thursday, January 25. He is scheduled to speak on the last day of the forum on Friday, January 26.

The Swiss army and police said on Monday, January 22, the Swiss Alpine town of Davos was ready for US President Donald Trump and the security challenges he brings with him when he comes to address the World Economic Forum

The Swiss army and police said on Monday, January 22, the Swiss Alpine town of Davos was ready for US President Donald Trump and the security challenges he brings with him when he comes to address the World Economic Forum. The annual meeting begins on Tuesday, January 23. Trump's visit to Davos is the first by a sitting US president since Bill Clinton attended in 2000. Grisons Cantonal police, who coordinate WEF's $9.3 million security measures and are liaising with US officials, said at a news conference on Monday they were ready. A total of 4,400 soldiers have been deployed, an increase of 100 from last year, and airspace is open only to aircraft ferrying participants to the forum. The Swiss army has begun erecting checkpoints on roads leading into town and armed hillside bivouacs down the valley, scenes to those of previous post-September 11 WEF meetings where security has been paramount. Trump's policies, including his intention to exit the 2015 Paris climate accord and his "America First" policy, may not sit well with all of Switzerland, which backs the global climate pact and whose economy relies on global trade. This has prompted some critics to suggest Trump's polarising persona could resurrect the violent anti-WEF protests seen in the early 2000s. An online petition is circulating telling Trump he is not welcome. Although an anti-Trump demonstration is planned for Zurich on Tuesday, Swiss police say poor weather could stop protesters planning a demonstration when Trump arrives on Thursday, January 25. He is scheduled to speak on the last day of the forum on Friday, January 26.

Swiss army, police say Davos ready for Trump

US President Donald Trump marked the first anniversary of his inauguration on Saturday with his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-government-shuts-down-as-donald-trump-feuds-with-democrats-30183">government in shutdown</a>, lashing out at Democrats over the collapse of budget negotiations as Congress convened an emergency session to thrash out a deal.

Essential federal services and military activity will continue, but hundreds of thousands of public sector workers will be sent home without wages and even serving soldiers will not be paid until a deal is reached to reopen the US government.

Highlighting the deep political polarisation, people took to the streets of major US cities en masse to march against the president and his policies.

&quot;This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present,&quot; Trump, who is in Washington instead of celebrating the anniversary at his Mar-a-Lago resort, wrote on Twitter in reference to the shutdown.

&quot;Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border,&quot; he tweeted, later accusing the opposition party of &quot;holding our Military hostage.&quot;

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-happens-in-a-us-government-shutdown-30134">impact of the shutdown</a> will be felt more strongly if it lasts into the coming work week.

Signs that the government was not open for business were already appearing on Saturday.

&quot;The Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island are closed due to a lapse in appropriations,&quot; a notice on the National Park Service&#39;s website said, while a sign at US military cemetery in France where 4,409 Americans are buried read: &quot;Due to the US Government shut down, this site is closed to the public.&quot;

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis wrote in a memo that &quot;daily operations around the world&quot; will continue, but &quot;training for reservists must be curtailed&quot; and that &quot;active forces will stay at their posts adapting their training to achieve the least negative impact on our readiness to fight.&quot;

&#39;Holding pattern&#39;

There have been four government shutdowns since 1990. In the last one in 2013, more than 800,000 government workers were put on temporary leave.

&quot;We&#39;re just in a holding pattern. We just have to wait and see. It&#39;s scary,&quot; Noell Joll, a 50-year-old furloughed US government employee, said in Washington.

Joll was also affected by the 2013 shutdown, but &quot;this one feels a lot more ominous,&quot; she said.

&quot;I think our members are frustrated, they&#39;re disappointed in the president and members of Congress that they&#39;re not funding the government - doing their job - as we do our jobs every day,&quot; J David Cox, the president of one of the largest unions representing government workers, said on CNN.

A deal had appeared likely on Friday afternoon, when Trump - who has touted himself as a master negotiator and dealmaker - seemed to be close to an agreement with Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer on a measure to prevent the expulsion of undocumented migrants who arrived in the country as children.

But no such compromise was in the language that reached Congress for a stop-gap motion to keep the government open for four more weeks while a final arrangement is discussed - and Republicans failed to win enough Democratic support to bring it to a vote.

Congress reconvened for a rare Saturday session, where leaders of both sides traded accusations of responsibility for the shutdown.

Schumer said that trying to negotiate with Trump &quot;was like negotiating with Jell-O.&quot;

&quot;It&#39;s impossible to negotiate with a constantly-moving target,&quot; he said. &quot;President Trump is so mercurial it&#39;s been impossible to get him to agree to anything.

The Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said that Schumer &quot;took the extraordinary step&quot; of preventing the legislation from passing and thus &quot;plunging the country into this totally avoidable mess.&quot;

Anti-Trump protests

Democrats have accused Republicans of poisoning chances of a deal and pandering to Trump&#39;s populist base by refusing to fund a program that protects 700,000 &quot;Dreamers&quot; - undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US as children - from deportation.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Republicans have a tenuous one-seat majority in the Senate but would have needed to lure some Democrats to their side to get a 60 vote supermajority to bring the motion forward. They fell ten votes short.

The measure brought to Congress would have extended federal funding until February 16 and reauthorized for six years a health insurance program for poor children - a long-time Democratic objective.

But it would have cut the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, that affects Dreamers.

White House officials insisted there was no urgency to fix DACA, which expires March 5.

As US lawmakers wrangled over government funding, protesters turned out in cities including Washington, New York, Chicago and Denver to express their opposition to Trump and their support for women&#39;s rights.

Protestors hoisted signs with messages such as &quot;Fight like a girl&quot; and &quot;A woman&#39;s place is in the White House.&quot;

Another sign took aim at Trump&#39;s government: &quot;I&#39;ve seen smarter cabinets at IKEA,&quot; it said, referring to a furniture store with items requiring often-tedious and time-consuming assembly.

The impact of the shutdown will be felt more strongly if it lasts into the coming work week.

US President Donald Trump marked the first anniversary of his inauguration on Saturday with his government in shutdown, lashing out at Democrats over the collapse of budget negotiations as Congress convened an emergency session to thrash out a deal. Essential federal services and military activity will continue, but hundreds of thousands of public sector workers will be sent home without wages and even serving soldiers will not be paid until a deal is reached to reopen the US government. Highlighting the deep political polarisation, people took to the streets of major US cities en masse to march against the president and his policies. "This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present," Trump, who is in Washington instead of celebrating the anniversary at his Mar-a-Lago resort, wrote on Twitter in reference to the shutdown. "Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border," he tweeted, later accusing the opposition party of "holding our Military hostage." The impact of the shutdown will be felt more strongly if it lasts into the coming work week. Signs that the government was not open for business were already appearing on Saturday. "The Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island are closed due to a lapse in appropriations," a notice on the National Park Service's website said, while a sign at US military cemetery in France where 4,409 Americans are buried read: "Due to the US Government shut down, this site is closed to the public." Defense Secretary Jim Mattis wrote in a memo that "daily operations around the world" will continue, but "training for reservists must be curtailed" and that "active forces will stay at their posts adapting their training to achieve the least negative impact on our readiness to fight." 'Holding pattern' There have been four government shutdowns since 1990. In the last one in 2013, more than 800,000 government workers were put on temporary leave. "We're just in a holding pattern. We just have to wait and see. It's scary," Noell Joll, a 50-year-old furloughed US government employee, said in Washington. Joll was also affected by the 2013 shutdown, but "this one feels a lot more ominous," she said. "I think our members are frustrated, they're disappointed in the president and members of Congress that they're not funding the government - doing their job - as we do our jobs every day," J David Cox, the president of one of the largest unions representing government workers, said on CNN. A deal had appeared likely on Friday afternoon, when Trump - who has touted himself as a master negotiator and dealmaker - seemed to be close to an agreement with Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer on a measure to prevent the expulsion of undocumented migrants who arrived in the country as children. But no such compromise was in the language that reached Congress for a stop-gap motion to keep the government open for four more weeks while a final arrangement is discussed - and Republicans failed to win enough Democratic support to bring it to a vote. Congress reconvened for a rare Saturday session, where leaders of both sides traded accusations of responsibility for the shutdown. Schumer said that trying to negotiate with Trump "was like negotiating with Jell-O." "It's impossible to negotiate with a constantly-moving target," he said. "President Trump is so mercurial it's been impossible to get him to agree to anything. The Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said that Schumer "took the extraordinary step" of preventing the legislation from passing and thus "plunging the country into this totally avoidable mess." Anti-Trump protests Democrats have accused Republicans of poisoning chances of a deal and pandering to Trump's populist base by refusing to fund a program that protects 700,000 "Dreamers" - undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US as children - from deportation. Republicans have a tenuous one-seat majority in the Senate but would have needed to lure some Democrats to their side to get a 60 vote supermajority to bring the motion forward. They fell ten votes short. The measure brought to Congress would have extended federal funding until February 16 and reauthorized for six years a health insurance program for poor children - a long-time Democratic objective. But it would have cut the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, that affects Dreamers. White House officials insisted there was no urgency to fix DACA, which expires March 5. As US lawmakers wrangled over government funding, protesters turned out in cities including Washington, New York, Chicago and Denver to express their opposition to Trump and their support for women's rights. Protestors hoisted signs with messages such as "Fight like a girl" and "A woman's place is in the White House." Another sign took aim at Trump's government: "I've seen smarter cabinets at IKEA," it said, referring to a furniture store with items requiring often-tedious and time-consuming assembly.

Trump laments 'nice present' of shutdown on inauguration anniversary

United States President Donald Trump has engaged in a telephonic conversation with leaders in Congress and several members of his Cabinet, in hopes of finding a deal to end the government shutdown before it enters a third day.

&quot;We are continuing to work hard towards reopening the government and making sure our great military and their families, vulnerable children and the American people are being taken care of,&quot; the Hill reported, citing, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as saying in a statement.

Chief of staff John Kelly spoke to Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and updated the President on the talks.

The US Government shut down at midnight on Friday after Democrats and Republicans locked in a bitter dispute over immigration and border security and failed to agree on a last-minute deal to fund its operations.

The bill needed 60 votes in the 100-member Senate, but only 50 supported it. Trump immediately moved to blame Democrats.

&quot;Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country`s ability to serve all Americans,&quot; the White House said in a statement.Trump has not made a public appearance since the shutdown began.

United States President Donald Trump has engaged in a telephonic conversation with leaders in Congress

United States President Donald Trump has engaged in a telephonic conversation with leaders in Congress and several members of his Cabinet, in hopes of finding a deal to end the government shutdown before it enters a third day. "We are continuing to work hard towards reopening the government and making sure our great military and their families, vulnerable children and the American people are being taken care of," the Hill reported, citing, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as saying in a statement. Chief of staff John Kelly spoke to Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and updated the President on the talks. The US Government shut down at midnight on Friday after Democrats and Republicans locked in a bitter dispute over immigration and border security and failed to agree on a last-minute deal to fund its operations. The bill needed 60 votes in the 100-member Senate, but only 50 supported it. Trump immediately moved to blame Democrats. "Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country`s ability to serve all Americans," the White House said in a statement.Trump has not made a public appearance since the shutdown began.

Trump tries to fix government shutdown over phone

Oprah Winfrey made it very clear that she will not run in the 2020 United States presidential election, as she does not &quot;have the DNA&quot; for the same. 
 
The talk show host, however, was widely touted as a potential candidate for the Democratic party in the hope that her celebrity brand could rival Donald Trump`s appeal.But in an interview with the InStyle magazine Winfrey said, &quot;I`ve always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not.&quot;

&quot;And so it`s not something that interests me. I don`t have the DNA for it,&quot; she added. 
 
According to the magazine, the 63-year-old gave the interview three weeks before picking up the Cecil B DeMille award at the Golden Globes for outstanding contribution to entertainment and delivering the widely-praised speech that was seen by many as a prelude to a presidential bid. 
 
In her<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-oprah-winfreys-winning-speech-at-the-golden-globes-will-give-you-goosebumps-28844"> Golden Globes speech, </a>she spoke powerfully on themes of race, gender, power and the `Me Too` campaign against sexual harassment.When she told &quot;all the girls watching here... to know that a new day is on the horizon!&quot; many took it to mean that she might consider a bid for the US presidency.The hashtags #Oprah2020 and #OprahForPresident began trending on social media and a number of celebrities gave her their support. 
 
On the same note, a survey, recently published by CNN said, President Trump lags behind Winfrey in the 2020 elections.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

"It`s not something that interests me. I don`t have the DNA for it," said Winfrey.

Oprah Winfrey made it very clear that she will not run in the 2020 United States presidential election, as she does not "have the DNA" for the same. The talk show host, however, was widely touted as a potential candidate for the Democratic party in the hope that her celebrity brand could rival Donald Trump`s appeal.But in an interview with the InStyle magazine Winfrey said, "I`ve always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not." "And so it`s not something that interests me. I don`t have the DNA for it," she added. According to the magazine, the 63-year-old gave the interview three weeks before picking up the Cecil B DeMille award at the Golden Globes for outstanding contribution to entertainment and delivering the widely-praised speech that was seen by many as a prelude to a presidential bid. In her Golden Globes speech, she spoke powerfully on themes of race, gender, power and the `Me Too` campaign against sexual harassment.When she told "all the girls watching here... to know that a new day is on the horizon!" many took it to mean that she might consider a bid for the US presidency.The hashtags #Oprah2020 and #OprahForPresident began trending on social media and a number of celebrities gave her their support. On the same note, a survey, recently published by CNN said, President Trump lags behind Winfrey in the 2020 elections.

Oprah Winfrey rules out 2020 US Presidential bid

US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they did not pursue peace with Israel, saying they had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice President Mike Pence during a recent visit.

Trump, speaking after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum, said he wanted peace. However, his remarks could further frustrate the aim of reviving long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian talks.

Palestinians shunned Pence&#39;s visit to the region this month after Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and vowed to begin moving the U.S. embassy to the city, whose status is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Trump&#39;s endorsement in December of Israel&#39;s claim to Jerusalem as its capital drew universal condemnation from Arab leaders and criticism around the world. It also broke with decades of U.S. policy that the city&#39;s status must be decided in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

&quot;When they disrespected us a week ago by not allowing our great vice president to see them, and we give them hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and support, tremendous numbers, numbers that nobody understands -- that money is on the table and that money is not going to them unless they sit down and negotiate peace,&quot; Trump said.

The United States said this month it would withhold $65 million of $125 million it had planned to send to the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees. The UNRWA agency is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from U.N. states and the United states is the largest contributor.

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the United States had taken itself &quot;off the table&quot; as a peace mediator since it recognised Jerusalem as Israel&rsquo;s capital.

&quot;Palestinian rights are not up to any bargain and Jerusalem is not for sale. The United States can&#39;t have any role unless it retreats its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital,&quot; spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah told Reuters by phone from Jordan.

Abbas has called Trump&#39;s Jerusalem declaration a &quot;slap in the face&quot; and has rejected Washington as an honest broker in any future talks with Israel. Abbas left for an overseas visit before Pence arrived.

Abbas has said he would only accept a broad, internationally backed panel to broker any peace talks with Israel. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley also criticized Abbas.

Israel&#39;s government regards Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the country, although that is not recognised internationally. Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Speaking in Davos, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said only the United States could broker a peace deal.

&quot;I think there&#39;s no substitute for the United States. As the honest broker, as a facilitator, there&#39;s no other international body that would do it,&quot; Netanyahu said.

Trump said Palestinians had to come to the negotiating table.

&quot;Because I can tell you that Israel does want to make peace and they&#39;re going to have to want to make peace too or we&#39;re going to have nothing to do with them any longer,&quot; Trump said.

Trump said his administration had a peace proposal in the works that was a &quot;great proposal for Palestinians&quot; which covers &quot;a lot of the things that were over the years discussed or agreed on&quot;, without providing specifics.

Trump said his declaration on Jerusalem took it off the negotiating table &quot;and Israel will pay for that&quot;, adding &quot;they&#39;ll do something that will be a very good thing&quot; without elaborating.

Earlier at the World Economic Forum, Jordanian King Abdullah said Jerusalem had to be part of a comprehensive solution.

He said Trump&#39;s decision had created a backlash, frustrating Palestinians who felt there was no honest broker.

But he added: &quot;I&#39;d like to reserve judgement because we&#39;re still waiting for the Americans to come out with their plan.&quot;

King Abdullah&rsquo;s Hashemite dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, making Jordan particularly sensitive to any changes of status there.

The last talks collapsed in 2014, partly due to Israel&#39;s opposition to an attempted unity pact between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, and because of Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians seek for a state, among other factors.

Palestinians want the West Bank for a future state, along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Most countries consider as illegal the Israeli settlements built in the territory which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Israel denies its settlements are illegal and says their future should be determined in peace talks.

The United States has said it would support a two-state solution if the Israelis and Palestinians agreed to it.

Trump added that the Palestinians had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice-President Mike Pence during a recent visit

US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they did not pursue peace with Israel, saying they had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice President Mike Pence during a recent visit. Trump, speaking after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum, said he wanted peace. However, his remarks could further frustrate the aim of reviving long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian talks. Palestinians shunned Pence's visit to the region this month after Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital and vowed to begin moving the U.S. embassy to the city, whose status is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Trump's endorsement in December of Israel's claim to Jerusalem as its capital drew universal condemnation from Arab leaders and criticism around the world. It also broke with decades of U.S. policy that the city's status must be decided in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. "When they disrespected us a week ago by not allowing our great vice president to see them, and we give them hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and support, tremendous numbers, numbers that nobody understands -- that money is on the table and that money is not going to them unless they sit down and negotiate peace," Trump said. The United States said this month it would withhold $65 million of $125 million it had planned to send to the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees. The UNRWA agency is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from U.N. states and the United states is the largest contributor. A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the United States had taken itself "off the table" as a peace mediator since it recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. "Palestinian rights are not up to any bargain and Jerusalem is not for sale. The United States can't have any role unless it retreats its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital," spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah told Reuters by phone from Jordan. Abbas has called Trump's Jerusalem declaration a "slap in the face" and has rejected Washington as an honest broker in any future talks with Israel. Abbas left for an overseas visit before Pence arrived. Abbas has said he would only accept a broad, internationally backed panel to broker any peace talks with Israel. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley also criticized Abbas. Israel's government regards Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the country, although that is not recognised internationally. Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Speaking in Davos, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said only the United States could broker a peace deal. "I think there's no substitute for the United States. As the honest broker, as a facilitator, there's no other international body that would do it," Netanyahu said. Trump said Palestinians had to come to the negotiating table. "Because I can tell you that Israel does want to make peace and they're going to have to want to make peace too or we're going to have nothing to do with them any longer," Trump said. Trump said his administration had a peace proposal in the works that was a "great proposal for Palestinians" which covers "a lot of the things that were over the years discussed or agreed on", without providing specifics. Trump said his declaration on Jerusalem took it off the negotiating table "and Israel will pay for that", adding "they'll do something that will be a very good thing" without elaborating. Earlier at the World Economic Forum, Jordanian King Abdullah said Jerusalem had to be part of a comprehensive solution. He said Trump's decision had created a backlash, frustrating Palestinians who felt there was no honest broker. But he added: "I'd like to reserve judgement because we're still waiting for the Americans to come out with their plan." King Abdullah’s Hashemite dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, making Jordan particularly sensitive to any changes of status there. The last talks collapsed in 2014, partly due to Israel's opposition to an attempted unity pact between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, and because of Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians seek for a state, among other factors. Palestinians want the West Bank for a future state, along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Most countries consider as illegal the Israeli settlements built in the territory which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel denies its settlements are illegal and says their future should be determined in peace talks. The United States has said it would support a two-state solution if the Israelis and Palestinians agreed to it.

Make peace with Israel or lose aid, Trump tells Palestinians

Donald Trump&rsquo;s comment about &ldquo;shithole countries&rdquo; during the infamous immigration deal on January 11, 2018, has created widespread outrage across the US and the world. He said this in reference to potentially stopping immigration from countries like Haiti and Nigeria. The assertion that was lost in the furor on his disparaging statement was the bit that followed his comment &ndash; that he&rsquo;d rather welcome immigrants from places like Norway. As a sociologist of immigration, this is the part that struck me as the most alarming.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

That remark, substantiated by the numerous anti-immigrant measures taken in the last year by the administration, is heavily reminiscent of the racialized history of American immigration policy of the early late 19th and 20th centuries. This was an era when immigration policies were constructed to protect the American identity as white and European. Any other identity was perceived as a threat to American way of living.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Laws were created to keep Blacks, Asians, refugees and anyone perceived as unassimilable out of the United States. All this changed in 1965 when national origin quotas were abolished and laws were passed to allow humanitarian immigration, family-based immigration and employment-based immigration from most countries in the world.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Trump&rsquo;s rhetoric and actions are uncannily similar to some of the most racist immigration policies the US have had in the last century.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Within days of taking office, Trump with help of his appointees, such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions, signed a series of executive orders that amplified the fears that many immigrants and people of colour were feeling during his controversial presidential campaign. These ranged from the travel ban from six predominantly Muslim countries, trying to cut all federal funding for sanctuary cities for immigrants, to announcing the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program passed by Obama.&nbsp; The latter program helped to protect 800,000 young undocumented immigrant children from deportation who came to the US as children.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Most recently, the Trump administration announced the stripping of the Temporary Protected Status program, an immigration programme that allows immigrants whose countries are affected by war and natural disasters, to stay and work legally in the US. Thousands of Salvadoran refugees are likely to be affected by this ruling.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the new year, Trump has escalated his hardline on immigration, presenting a list of demands, that include construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border, hiring 10,000 immigration agents, cracking down on unaccompanied minors from Latin American countries and stopping family reunification policies for American residents. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

His administration has also threatened to roll back the Obama era ruling that allows spouses of temporary highly-skilled workers on H-1B visa to obtain work permits if they are in a queue for lawful permanent residency or green card approval. The people, who are to be most affected by this rollback, are Indian workers on H-1B visas and their spouses on H-4 visas, as they comprise the largest group in the US on those visas.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

My research on Indian families on employment visas shows that they are definitely in a precarious position. It will further destabilise immigrant families and make them insecure and less optimistic about their futures in the United States. The macro-and micro-economic considerations and fallouts of this policy remain to be examined. The administration seems to have reacted to populist positions, not data-driven ones. Families like Indian families on H-1B and H-4 visa who can leave will probably plan on returning to their home countries or move to other parts of the world with better family-friendly immigration policies. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Trump administration is making clear it&rsquo;s anti-immigrant stance. The actions and threats of this administration are, perceptibly and clearly, directed toward immigrant families of colour and are based in ideologies of American protectionism &ndash; a protectionism that is racialized and based on further othering of already marginalised populations. It has managed to create a constant strain of fear and panic that has deeply destabilised immigrant families of color.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

One positive outcome that I hope for is solidarities across immigrant groups and concerted efforts at organising and resistance. Immigrants with higher social, cultural and economic capital like highly-skilled Indian immigrants in the US often see themselves as model minorities and as more desirable and deserving of rights and privileges. The stance of this administration is forcing all immigrants of colour to reassess their safety and security in the US.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

I hope that more privileged immigrants, American citizens and concerned individuals see this as an opportunity to reach out and form alliances with marginalised immigrant groups, people of colour and those whose rights are being dismantled every day by this administration. As history has shown that the only real way that America stands out in the world is when it comes together to fight against injustices levied at people on whose back the nation was built and on whose backs it runs.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Research on Indian families on employment visas shows that they are definitely in a precarious position. Trump's policies will further destabilise immigrant families and make them insecure and less optimistic about their futures in the United States.

Donald Trump’s comment about “shithole countries” during the infamous immigration deal on January 11, 2018, has created widespread outrage across the US and the world. He said this in reference to potentially stopping immigration from countries like Haiti and Nigeria. The assertion that was lost in the furor on his disparaging statement was the bit that followed his comment – that he’d rather welcome immigrants from places like Norway. As a sociologist of immigration, this is the part that struck me as the most alarming. That remark, substantiated by the numerous anti-immigrant measures taken in the last year by the administration, is heavily reminiscent of the racialized history of American immigration policy of the early late 19th and 20th centuries. This was an era when immigration policies were constructed to protect the American identity as white and European. Any other identity was perceived as a threat to American way of living. Laws were created to keep Blacks, Asians, refugees and anyone perceived as unassimilable out of the United States. All this changed in 1965 when national origin quotas were abolished and laws were passed to allow humanitarian immigration, family-based immigration and employment-based immigration from most countries in the world. Trump’s rhetoric and actions are uncannily similar to some of the most racist immigration policies the US have had in the last century. Within days of taking office, Trump with help of his appointees, such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions, signed a series of executive orders that amplified the fears that many immigrants and people of colour were feeling during his controversial presidential campaign. These ranged from the travel ban from six predominantly Muslim countries, trying to cut all federal funding for sanctuary cities for immigrants, to announcing the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program passed by Obama. The latter program helped to protect 800,000 young undocumented immigrant children from deportation who came to the US as children. Most recently, the Trump administration announced the stripping of the Temporary Protected Status program, an immigration programme that allows immigrants whose countries are affected by war and natural disasters, to stay and work legally in the US. Thousands of Salvadoran refugees are likely to be affected by this ruling. In the new year, Trump has escalated his hardline on immigration, presenting a list of demands, that include construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border, hiring 10,000 immigration agents, cracking down on unaccompanied minors from Latin American countries and stopping family reunification policies for American residents. His administration has also threatened to roll back the Obama era ruling that allows spouses of temporary highly-skilled workers on H-1B visa to obtain work permits if they are in a queue for lawful permanent residency or green card approval. The people, who are to be most affected by this rollback, are Indian workers on H-1B visas and their spouses on H-4 visas, as they comprise the largest group in the US on those visas. My research on Indian families on employment visas shows that they are definitely in a precarious position. It will further destabilise immigrant families and make them insecure and less optimistic about their futures in the United States. The macro-and micro-economic considerations and fallouts of this policy remain to be examined. The administration seems to have reacted to populist positions, not data-driven ones. Families like Indian families on H-1B and H-4 visa who can leave will probably plan on returning to their home countries or move to other parts of the world with better family-friendly immigration policies. The Trump administration is making clear it’s anti-immigrant stance. The actions and threats of this administration are, perceptibly and clearly, directed toward immigrant families of colour and are based in ideologies of American protectionism – a protectionism that is racialized and based on further othering of already marginalised populations. It has managed to create a constant strain of fear and panic that has deeply destabilised immigrant families of color. One positive outcome that I hope for is solidarities across immigrant groups and concerted efforts at organising and resistance. Immigrants with higher social, cultural and economic capital like highly-skilled Indian immigrants in the US often see themselves as model minorities and as more desirable and deserving of rights and privileges. The stance of this administration is forcing all immigrants of colour to reassess their safety and security in the US. I hope that more privileged immigrants, American citizens and concerned individuals see this as an opportunity to reach out and form alliances with marginalised immigrant groups, people of colour and those whose rights are being dismantled every day by this administration. As history has shown that the only real way that America stands out in the world is when it comes together to fight against injustices levied at people on whose back the nation was built and on whose backs it runs. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Trump's racialised immigration policy is a threat to Indians in US

Since the time Donald Trump started campaigning for presidential polls in the US in 2015, his diatribes have been in the news. And the most potent weapon at his disposal has been Twitter.&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s tweets have created controversies and sometimes led to worldwide trends. His critics and the US media has often accused Trump of lowering the stature of the President&#39;s office and often behaving in a manner which is unbecoming of a head of the state.

Though the list is long, here we pick up the top 10 controversial tweets from Donald Trump:

Through this Tweet on March 4, 2017, Trump accused his predecessor Obama of politically motivated surveillance of the Trump Tower, his business centre.

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Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my &quot;wires tapped&quot; in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/837989835818287106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Through this much-criticised Tweet of February 17, 2017, the American President accused America&#39;s leading media houses of being the &quot;&euml;nemy of American people&quot;. All these media houses have been critical of the American President and his style of functioning.

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The FAKE NEWS media (failing <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCNews</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABC</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/CBS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBS</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CNN</a>) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/832708293516632065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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On May 31, 2017, midnight, the US president tweeted, &quot;Despite the constant negative press covfefe&quot; and nothing more. A few hours later the Tweet was deleted and followed with another, &quot;Who can figure out the true meaning of &#39;covfefe&#39; ??? Enjoy!&quot;&nbsp;

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Who can figure out the true meaning of &quot;covfefe&quot; ??? Enjoy!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/869858333477523458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Trump spokesman Sean Spicer later insisted that the president &quot;knew exactly what he meant.&quot;

This tweet came on February 4, 2017, hours after a federal judge in Washington state temporarily blocked enforcement of Trump&rsquo;s ban on entry to the United States for citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries and refugees from around the world.

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When a country is no longer able to say who can, and who cannot , come in &amp; out, especially for reasons of safety &amp;.security - big trouble!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/827864176043376640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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In this Tweet, Trump said illegal border crossings are &#39;way down&#39; and praised Homeland Security chief after February numbers dropped by 40%.

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General Kelly is doing a great job at the border. Numbers are way down. Many are not even trying to come in anymore.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/846166053663191040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

In this Tweet dated, February 10, 2017, he threatened lawyers with taking them to court.

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SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/829836231802515457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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On February 3, 2017, he threatened Iran while accusing his predecessor Obam of being too soft to the Islamic republic.&nbsp;

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Iran is playing with fire - they don&#39;t appreciate how &quot;kind&quot; President Obama was to them. Not me!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/827478751931924480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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On February 1, 2017, he Tweeted this statement after the US administration members argued that the travel ban was not a ban.&nbsp;

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Everybody is arguing whether or not it is a BAN. Call it what you want, it is about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/826774668245946368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
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On November 12, 2017, in the above Tweet, Trump called the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un &quot;Short and fat&quot;.&nbsp;

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Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me &quot;old,&quot; when I would NEVER call him &quot;short and fat?&quot; Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/929511061954297857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal that Mexico could end up paying for his proposed border wall &quot;indirectly.&quot;

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Mexico will pay for the wall!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/771294347501461504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

US media has often accused Trump of lowering the stature of the President's office

Since the time Donald Trump started campaigning for presidential polls in the US in 2015, his diatribes have been in the news. And the most potent weapon at his disposal has been Twitter. Trump's tweets have created controversies and sometimes led to worldwide trends. His critics and the US media has often accused Trump of lowering the stature of the President's office and often behaving in a manner which is unbecoming of a head of the state. Though the list is long, here we pick up the top 10 controversial tweets from Donald Trump: Through this Tweet on March 4, 2017, Trump accused his predecessor Obama of politically motivated surveillance of the Trump Tower, his business centre. Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017 × Through this much-criticised Tweet of February 17, 2017, the American President accused America's leading media houses of being the "ënemy of American people". All these media houses have been critical of the American President and his style of functioning. The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2017 × On May 31, 2017, midnight, the US president tweeted, "Despite the constant negative press covfefe" and nothing more. A few hours later the Tweet was deleted and followed with another, "Who can figure out the true meaning of 'covfefe' ??? Enjoy!" Who can figure out the true meaning of "covfefe" ??? Enjoy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017 × Trump spokesman Sean Spicer later insisted that the president "knew exactly what he meant." This tweet came on February 4, 2017, hours after a federal judge in Washington state temporarily blocked enforcement of Trump’s ban on entry to the United States for citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries and refugees from around the world. When a country is no longer able to say who can, and who cannot , come in & out, especially for reasons of safety &.security - big trouble! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2017 × In this Tweet, Trump said illegal border crossings are 'way down' and praised Homeland Security chief after February numbers dropped by 40%. General Kelly is doing a great job at the border. Numbers are way down. Many are not even trying to come in anymore. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2017 × In this Tweet dated, February 10, 2017, he threatened lawyers with taking them to court. SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017 × On February 3, 2017, he threatened Iran while accusing his predecessor Obam of being too soft to the Islamic republic. Iran is playing with fire - they don't appreciate how "kind" President Obama was to them. Not me! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017 × On February 1, 2017, he Tweeted this statement after the US administration members argued that the travel ban was not a ban. Everybody is arguing whether or not it is a BAN. Call it what you want, it is about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2017 × On November 12, 2017, in the above Tweet, Trump called the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "Short and fat". Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me "old," when I would NEVER call him "short and fat?" Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 12, 2017 × President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal that Mexico could end up paying for his proposed border wall "indirectly." Mexico will pay for the wall! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2016 ×

Top-10 Trump tweets which shook the world

The same day as today, exactly a year back, an event of great political significance took place.

There&rsquo;s no denying that that the entire world closely watched American business magnate Donald Trump lock horns with his Democratic counterpart Hilary Clinton in the run up to becoming the 45th President of United States.

As it turned out, most of America voted for the Republican candidate Donald Trump who took the oath to &ldquo;faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States&rdquo;.

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<h5>It wasn&rsquo;t quite a cordial year for the Pakistan-US ties which touched a new low when the White House decided to pull out a whopping $1.9 billion aid to Pakistan.</h5>
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The Trump administration completes a year today and the US President has successfully clocked-in 365 days of governance that, in a nutshell, has been marred by surprises, chaos, upheavals, revelations and controversies, of course.

A look at Trump&rsquo;s maiden year would certainly involve some of his biggest announcements and strongest of stances over international issues and on America&rsquo;s ties with other countries.

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<h5>It all started somewhere halfway down the year with Trump outlining a new strategy on Afghanistan.</h5>
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While Trump&rsquo;s declaration on identifying <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-recognises-jerusalem-as-israels-capital-sparks-firestorm-26072">Jerusalem as Israel&rsquo;s capital</a> was an event that raked many controversies, his positioning on Iran, North Korea and the Arab world came into the limelight time and again.

It wasn&rsquo;t quite a cordial year for the Pakistan-US ties which touched a new low when the White House decided to pull out a whopping $1.9 billion aid to Pakistan.

It all started somewhere halfway down the year with Trump outlining a new strategy on Afghanistan with an aim to resolve more than a decade old conflict.

But &ldquo;a hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for terrorists, including ISIS and Al Qaeda,&rdquo; Trump noted in August 2017.

And thus followed his statement on putting considerable &ldquo;pressure&rdquo; on Pakistan with an aim to dismantle terrorist activism breeding on the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Not to mention, the White House, time and again, called out to Pakistan to adopt stringent measures against terrorism that allegedly bred from within its territories.

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<h5>Trump&rsquo;s reactions on Pakistan came as a shock to the world!</h5>
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Trump recently accused Pakistan of providing &lsquo;safe havens&rsquo; to terrorism and extremist groups.

&ldquo;The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies &amp; deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!,&rdquo; Trump tweeted as the New Year dawned.

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The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies &amp; deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/947802588174577664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Trump administration notes that Pakistan can reverse the aid cut by taking strategic and stringent measures.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-can-do-without-us-aid-foreign-minister-khawaja-asif-29980">Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif</a> recently noted that while the country is trying to better its ties and balance relations with the White House, it will not take anything against its &ldquo;national integrity&rdquo;.

Khawaja also noted that the relationships between the two countries were normal before the US President made scathing remarks against Pakistan. &ldquo;Pakistan can do without the US aid,&rdquo; Asif noted.

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When will Pakistan apologize to us for providing safe sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden for 6 years?! Some &quot;ally.&quot;
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/220976065231863809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2012</a></blockquote>
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Pakistan&rsquo;s retaliatory stance is now been speculated with many fearing that the country could clip US access to routes used to supply American troops in Afghanistan.

US State Department added another twist in its plot with Pakistan when it recently announced placing Pakistan on a special watch list for &ldquo;severe violations of religious freedoms&rdquo; under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

The US defense department <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-defense-department-blocks-military-payments-to-pakistan-18160">froze military payments to Pakistan</a> in July 2017.

&quot;Secretary Mattis has informed congressional defense committees that he was not able to certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient actions against the Haqqani network to permit full reimbursement of Fiscal Year 2016 Coalition Support Funds,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said.

The past year saw Donald Trump sparing no opportunity to hint at the possibility of clamping down on Pakistan with harsher measures.

&ldquo;We make massive payments every year to Pakistan&hellip; They have to help,&rdquo; the President exclaimed recently.

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It&#39;s not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don&rsquo;t even want to negotiate a long overdue...
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/948322496591384576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The recent cut of aid to Pakistan is just a one of the many ways for the White House to put Islamabad under &ldquo;pressure&rdquo;.

The Trump administration has also given a thought to resorting to more stringent measures like removing Pakistan from US non-NATO allies.

Husain Haqqani, a Former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, previously noted that Trump&rsquo;s stance on Pakistan is indicative of his administration&rsquo;s &ldquo;step-by-step plan to indicate that business as usual is no longer possible.&rdquo;

While the US aid cut to Pakistan prevails, the White House celebrates Donald&rsquo;s Trump one year of governance.

Meanwhile, tensions continue to simmer in Islamabad.

Fresh reports suggest that Pakistan can even decide to close air routes to Afghanistan, a move that will cripple US anti-terrorism military operations in Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif recently noted that while the country is trying to better its ties and balance relations with the White House, it will not take anything against its 'national integrity'

The same day as today, exactly a year back, an event of great political significance took place. There’s no denying that that the entire world closely watched American business magnate Donald Trump lock horns with his Democratic counterpart Hilary Clinton in the run up to becoming the 45th President of United States. As it turned out, most of America voted for the Republican candidate Donald Trump who took the oath to “faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States”. It wasn’t quite a cordial year for the Pakistan-US ties which touched a new low when the White House decided to pull out a whopping $1.9 billion aid to Pakistan. × The Trump administration completes a year today and the US President has successfully clocked-in 365 days of governance that, in a nutshell, has been marred by surprises, chaos, upheavals, revelations and controversies, of course. A look at Trump’s maiden year would certainly involve some of his biggest announcements and strongest of stances over international issues and on America’s ties with other countries. It all started somewhere halfway down the year with Trump outlining a new strategy on Afghanistan. × While Trump’s declaration on identifying Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was an event that raked many controversies, his positioning on Iran, North Korea and the Arab world came into the limelight time and again. It wasn’t quite a cordial year for the Pakistan-US ties which touched a new low when the White House decided to pull out a whopping $1.9 billion aid to Pakistan. It all started somewhere halfway down the year with Trump outlining a new strategy on Afghanistan with an aim to resolve more than a decade old conflict. But “a hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for terrorists, including ISIS and Al Qaeda,” Trump noted in August 2017. And thus followed his statement on putting considerable “pressure” on Pakistan with an aim to dismantle terrorist activism breeding on the Afghan-Pakistan border. Not to mention, the White House, time and again, called out to Pakistan to adopt stringent measures against terrorism that allegedly bred from within its territories. Trump’s reactions on Pakistan came as a shock to the world! × Trump recently accused Pakistan of providing ‘safe havens’ to terrorism and extremist groups. “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!,” Trump tweeted as the New Year dawned. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 × The Trump administration notes that Pakistan can reverse the aid cut by taking strategic and stringent measures. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif recently noted that while the country is trying to better its ties and balance relations with the White House, it will not take anything against its “national integrity”. Khawaja also noted that the relationships between the two countries were normal before the US President made scathing remarks against Pakistan. “Pakistan can do without the US aid,” Asif noted. When will Pakistan apologize to us for providing safe sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden for 6 years?! Some "ally." — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2012 × Pakistan’s retaliatory stance is now been speculated with many fearing that the country could clip US access to routes used to supply American troops in Afghanistan. US State Department added another twist in its plot with Pakistan when it recently announced placing Pakistan on a special watch list for “severe violations of religious freedoms” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. The US defense department froze military payments to Pakistan in July 2017. "Secretary Mattis has informed congressional defense committees that he was not able to certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient actions against the Haqqani network to permit full reimbursement of Fiscal Year 2016 Coalition Support Funds," Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said. The past year saw Donald Trump sparing no opportunity to hint at the possibility of clamping down on Pakistan with harsher measures. “We make massive payments every year to Pakistan… They have to help,” the President exclaimed recently. It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don’t even want to negotiate a long overdue... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 × The recent cut of aid to Pakistan is just a one of the many ways for the White House to put Islamabad under “pressure”. The Trump administration has also given a thought to resorting to more stringent measures like removing Pakistan from US non-NATO allies. Husain Haqqani, a Former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, previously noted that Trump’s stance on Pakistan is indicative of his administration’s “step-by-step plan to indicate that business as usual is no longer possible.” While the US aid cut to Pakistan prevails, the White House celebrates Donald’s Trump one year of governance. Meanwhile, tensions continue to simmer in Islamabad. Fresh reports suggest that Pakistan can even decide to close air routes to Afghanistan, a move that will cripple US anti-terrorism military operations in Afghanistan.

Trump & Pakistan: Deceit, lies & games nations play

The world&#39;s most powerful government shut down on Saturday after President Donald Trump and the US Congress failed to reach a deal on funding for federal agencies, highlighting America&#39;s deep political divisions.

For the first time since October 2013 - when a similar standoff that lasted 16 days kept only essential agency operations running - federal workers were being told to stay at home or in some cases to work without pay until new funding is approved.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-government-in-shutdown-as-midnight-deadline-passes-30128" target="_blank">US government in shutdown as midnight deadline passes</a>

Republican and Democratic leaders were expected to renew negotiations on Saturday in the hope of restoring government financing before Monday.

The shutdown began a year to the day after Trump was sworn in as president.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-happens-in-a-us-government-shutdown-30134" target="_blank">What happens in a US government shutdown?</a>

His inability to cut a deal despite having a Republican majority in both houses of Congress marks arguably the most debilitating setback for his administration.

In Twitter posts early on Saturday, Trump blamed Democrat lawmakers.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DemocratShutdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DemocratShutdown</a>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/954678287820902401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present,&quot; he said.

&quot;Democrats are far more concerned with illegal immigrants than they are with our great military or safety at our dangerous southern border,&quot; he said. &quot;They could have easily made a deal but decided to play shutdown politics instead.&quot;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18</a> in order to power through mess!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/954674157144477696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Trump said the shutdown showed the need to win more Republican seats in 2018 mid-term elections.

&quot;We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military &amp; Veterans!&quot; he said.

There had been modest hope on Friday when Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer went to the White House to talk with Trump. One person familiar with the events said the two men agreed to seek a grand deal in which Democrats would win protections from deportation for some 700,000 young undocumented immigrants known as &quot;Dreamers&quot; and Trump would get more money for a border wall and tighter security to stem illegal immigration from Mexico.

By early evening, however, that plan was dead. The source said Trump had spoken with conservative Republicans and been hit with their objections to the deal with Schumer.

Last week, Trump rejected a bipartisan Senate deal that would have protected the Dreamers as well as hand the White House $2.7 billion in new money for immigration enforcement at America&#39;s borders.

In a statement issued minutes before Friday&#39;s midnight deadline for a funding deal, Trump&#39;s White House said: &quot;We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands.&quot;

The shutdown was cemented when the Senate, meeting late into Friday night, blocked a bill to maintain the federal government&#39;s funding through Feb. 16.

The vote was 50-49, well short of the 60 needed in the 100-member chamber to vault the bill over a procedural hurdle.

Four Republicans joined most Democrats in killing the measure. A fifth Republican, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, voted &quot;no&quot; too, but only as part of a parliamentary maneuver to make it easier to bring another bill to the floor.

The breakdown ended a long day of closed-door meetings in Congress and at the White House.

Even as they promised to work on getting the government back up again as soon as possible, Republicans and Democrats blamed each other for the predicament.

&quot;What we&#39;ve just witnessed on the floor was a cynical decision by Senate Democrats to shove aside millions of Americans for the sake of irresponsible political games,&quot; McConnell said.

Schumer said his party took significant steps to reach a deal, including raising the possibility of funding for Trump&#39;s proposed wall along the US border with Mexico, which they have ardently opposed.

&quot;It&#39;s almost as if you were rooting for a shutdown,&quot; Schumer said in comments aimed directly at Trump.

The immediate impact of the government shutdown was eased somewhat by its timing, starting on a weekend when most government employees normally do not work anyway.

The Defense Department said its combat operations in Afghanistan and other military activities would continue, while federal law enforcement officers also would remain on duty.

Trump&#39;s administration also said it planned to keep national parks open with rangers and security guards on duty. The parks were closed during the last shutdown in 2013, which upset many tourists and resulted in the loss of $500 million in visitor spending in areas around the parks and at the Smithsonian museums.

But without a quick deal, most day-to-day operations in the federal government will be disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of government employees will be put on temporary unpaid leave, including many of the White House&#39;s 1,700 workers.

On Monday, government employees ranging from financial regulators and tax collectors to scientists and civilian staff at the Pentagon will have to stay away from work.

Early on Saturday, McConnell offered up a new plan. Instead of the Feb. 16 end date for the temporary spending bill, he proposed Feb. 8.

Senate Democrats had argued this week for an extension of just four or five days to force both sides into serious negotiations on the immigration issue.

Open-air parks and monuments remained open in the US capital and on the National Mall preparations were under way for a second multi-city women&#39;s rights march. Some tourists appeared unaware of the shutdown while others expressed frustration at lawmakers&#39; failure to reach a deal.

&quot;It&#39;s ironic that they get paid - meaning Congress - and the rest of the government doesn&#39;t,&quot; said Dawn Gaither, 57, a Washington teacher. &quot;That&#39;s what we need to do, kick these guys in the tail and get them to work.&quot;

Elke Schmacker, 65, a retired government worker, said she was worried her pension payments and health insurance would be cut off.

&quot;I don&#39;t know what&#39;s going to happen if I have to pay out of pocket,&quot; she said, adding that she had continued to work during the last shutdown under the Obama administration.

The shutdown began a year to the day after Trump was sworn in as president

The world's most powerful government shut down on Saturday after President Donald Trump and the US Congress failed to reach a deal on funding for federal agencies, highlighting America's deep political divisions. For the first time since October 2013 - when a similar standoff that lasted 16 days kept only essential agency operations running - federal workers were being told to stay at home or in some cases to work without pay until new funding is approved. Also read: US government in shutdown as midnight deadline passes Republican and Democratic leaders were expected to renew negotiations on Saturday in the hope of restoring government financing before Monday. The shutdown began a year to the day after Trump was sworn in as president. Also read: What happens in a US government shutdown? His inability to cut a deal despite having a Republican majority in both houses of Congress marks arguably the most debilitating setback for his administration. In Twitter posts early on Saturday, Trump blamed Democrat lawmakers. This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 × "This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present," he said. "Democrats are far more concerned with illegal immigrants than they are with our great military or safety at our dangerous southern border," he said. "They could have easily made a deal but decided to play shutdown politics instead." Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 × Trump said the shutdown showed the need to win more Republican seats in 2018 mid-term elections. "We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans!" he said. There had been modest hope on Friday when Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer went to the White House to talk with Trump. One person familiar with the events said the two men agreed to seek a grand deal in which Democrats would win protections from deportation for some 700,000 young undocumented immigrants known as "Dreamers" and Trump would get more money for a border wall and tighter security to stem illegal immigration from Mexico. By early evening, however, that plan was dead. The source said Trump had spoken with conservative Republicans and been hit with their objections to the deal with Schumer. Last week, Trump rejected a bipartisan Senate deal that would have protected the Dreamers as well as hand the White House $2.7 billion in new money for immigration enforcement at America's borders. In a statement issued minutes before Friday's midnight deadline for a funding deal, Trump's White House said: "We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands." The shutdown was cemented when the Senate, meeting late into Friday night, blocked a bill to maintain the federal government's funding through Feb. 16. The vote was 50-49, well short of the 60 needed in the 100-member chamber to vault the bill over a procedural hurdle. Four Republicans joined most Democrats in killing the measure. A fifth Republican, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, voted "no" too, but only as part of a parliamentary maneuver to make it easier to bring another bill to the floor. The breakdown ended a long day of closed-door meetings in Congress and at the White House. Even as they promised to work on getting the government back up again as soon as possible, Republicans and Democrats blamed each other for the predicament. "What we've just witnessed on the floor was a cynical decision by Senate Democrats to shove aside millions of Americans for the sake of irresponsible political games," McConnell said. Schumer said his party took significant steps to reach a deal, including raising the possibility of funding for Trump's proposed wall along the US border with Mexico, which they have ardently opposed. "It's almost as if you were rooting for a shutdown," Schumer said in comments aimed directly at Trump. The immediate impact of the government shutdown was eased somewhat by its timing, starting on a weekend when most government employees normally do not work anyway. The Defense Department said its combat operations in Afghanistan and other military activities would continue, while federal law enforcement officers also would remain on duty. Trump's administration also said it planned to keep national parks open with rangers and security guards on duty. The parks were closed during the last shutdown in 2013, which upset many tourists and resulted in the loss of $500 million in visitor spending in areas around the parks and at the Smithsonian museums. But without a quick deal, most day-to-day operations in the federal government will be disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of government employees will be put on temporary unpaid leave, including many of the White House's 1,700 workers. On Monday, government employees ranging from financial regulators and tax collectors to scientists and civilian staff at the Pentagon will have to stay away from work. Early on Saturday, McConnell offered up a new plan. Instead of the Feb. 16 end date for the temporary spending bill, he proposed Feb. 8. Senate Democrats had argued this week for an extension of just four or five days to force both sides into serious negotiations on the immigration issue. Open-air parks and monuments remained open in the US capital and on the National Mall preparations were under way for a second multi-city women's rights march. Some tourists appeared unaware of the shutdown while others expressed frustration at lawmakers' failure to reach a deal. "It's ironic that they get paid - meaning Congress - and the rest of the government doesn't," said Dawn Gaither, 57, a Washington teacher. "That's what we need to do, kick these guys in the tail and get them to work." Elke Schmacker, 65, a retired government worker, said she was worried her pension payments and health insurance would be cut off. "I don't know what's going to happen if I have to pay out of pocket," she said, adding that she had continued to work during the last shutdown under the Obama administration.

US government shuts down as Donald Trump feuds with Democrats

US President Donald Trump today suggested Republicans to go for the so-called &quot;nuclear-option&quot; which requires a simple majority in the 100-member Senate as against 60, as intense negotiations with the Democrats were on to end the government shutdown, the first in five years.

Rarely used in US Congressional proceedings, the nuclear or constitutional option is a parliamentary procedure that allows the US Senate to override a rule or precedent by majority vote.

However, the Republicans are unlikely to opt for this, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said.

Hundreds of thousands of federal government employees would not return to work tomorrow as the Senate -- the upper chamber of the United States Congress -- did not pass a legislation required to fund the expenses of the federal government beginning yesterday due to opposition from the Democratic Senators.

The last time that a government shutdown happened was in 2013 for more than a fortnight.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tries-to-fix-government-shutdown-over-phone-30273" target="_blank">Trump tries to fix government shutdown over phone</a>

In a procedural vote to fund the government, even for a short-term four-week period till February 16, the Republican last night got 51 votes as against 60 required to move ahead with the legislation.

&quot;Great to see how hard Republicans are fighting for our military and safety at the border. The Democrats just want illegal immigrants to pour into our nation unchecked. If stalemate continues,

Republicans should go to 51 per cent (nuclear-option) and vote on real, long-term budget, no CR&#39;s!&quot; Trump said in a tweet today.

McConnell ruled out using nuclear option in budget legislations.

&quot;The Republican Conference opposes changing the rules on legislation,&quot; his spokesman said.

The issue had come up during internal party deliberations.

Both the Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate said that they were continuing with their negotiations and short out their differences so as to end the government shutdown.

But the White House alleged that the Democrats want to prolong it for days or at least till Trump delivers his State of the Union address on January 30.

&quot;It could go several days because I think there&#39;s other Democrats who want to see the president give the State of the Union during a shutdown,&quot; the Director of Office of Management of Budget Mick Mulvaney told Fox News.

&quot;That&#39;s nine or 10 days, yes,&quot; he said, adding that the ending of the government shutdown depends on Democrats.

&quot;You have to ask the Senate Democrats. They could open this today if they wanted to,&quot; Mulvaney said.

The Democrats were quick in opposing the nuclear option.

&quot;This is another example of President Trump growing a tweet in the middle of bipartisan negotiations that are making progress,&quot; Democratic Senator Chris Coons told the TV channel.

Ending the government shutdown is president&#39;s responsibility, he said.

&quot;He should, instead of throwing tweets from the White House, pull together the four leaders of the House and the Senate on a bipartisan basis today and negotiate.

&quot;I spent all day not going to the floor, not going on cable news, not denouncing Republicans, but meeting with them, listening to them, with a small group that grew and grew, and by the end of the day,

we had 20 Republican and Democratic senators listening to each other, trying to not just get out of the shutdown, but address and fix some of the underlying problems that have left us with so many of the priorities that have stacked up over the last couple of months,&quot; Coons said.

Top Democratic leader Dick Durbin refused to say when the shutdown would end.

&quot;I&#39;m not going to make that prediction,&quot; Durbin told NBC News, adding that Democrats are not willing to extend short- term funding after January.

Meanwhile the White House, on its public telephone and general email, has put an auto-responder which alleges that the Democrats have put the government to hostage.

&quot;Thank you for calling the White House. Unfortunately, we cannot answer your call today because congressional Democrats are holding government funding, including funding for our troops and other national security priorities, hostage to an unrelated immigration debate,&quot; says a woman&#39;s voice when one calls the White House general number.

&quot;Due to this obstruction, the government is shutdown. In the meantime, you can leave a comment for the President. We look forward to taking your calls as soon as the government re-opens,&quot; it said.

A similar email gives an auto reply sent to those White House staffers who are not working due to the shutdown.

&quot;Unfortunately, I am out of the office today because congressional Democrats are holding government funding -- including funding for our troops and other national security priorities -- hostage to an unrelated immigration debate,&quot; one of those emails said.&nbsp;

Rarely used in US Congressional proceedings, the nuclear or constitutional option is a parliamentary procedure that allows the US Senate to override a rule or precedent by majority vote

US President Donald Trump today suggested Republicans to go for the so-called "nuclear-option" which requires a simple majority in the 100-member Senate as against 60, as intense negotiations with the Democrats were on to end the government shutdown, the first in five years. Rarely used in US Congressional proceedings, the nuclear or constitutional option is a parliamentary procedure that allows the US Senate to override a rule or precedent by majority vote. However, the Republicans are unlikely to opt for this, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. Hundreds of thousands of federal government employees would not return to work tomorrow as the Senate -- the upper chamber of the United States Congress -- did not pass a legislation required to fund the expenses of the federal government beginning yesterday due to opposition from the Democratic Senators. The last time that a government shutdown happened was in 2013 for more than a fortnight. Also read: Trump tries to fix government shutdown over phone In a procedural vote to fund the government, even for a short-term four-week period till February 16, the Republican last night got 51 votes as against 60 required to move ahead with the legislation. "Great to see how hard Republicans are fighting for our military and safety at the border. The Democrats just want illegal immigrants to pour into our nation unchecked. If stalemate continues, Republicans should go to 51 per cent (nuclear-option) and vote on real, long-term budget, no CR's!" Trump said in a tweet today. McConnell ruled out using nuclear option in budget legislations. "The Republican Conference opposes changing the rules on legislation," his spokesman said. The issue had come up during internal party deliberations. Both the Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate said that they were continuing with their negotiations and short out their differences so as to end the government shutdown. But the White House alleged that the Democrats want to prolong it for days or at least till Trump delivers his State of the Union address on January 30. "It could go several days because I think there's other Democrats who want to see the president give the State of the Union during a shutdown," the Director of Office of Management of Budget Mick Mulvaney told Fox News. "That's nine or 10 days, yes," he said, adding that the ending of the government shutdown depends on Democrats. "You have to ask the Senate Democrats. They could open this today if they wanted to," Mulvaney said. The Democrats were quick in opposing the nuclear option. "This is another example of President Trump growing a tweet in the middle of bipartisan negotiations that are making progress," Democratic Senator Chris Coons told the TV channel. Ending the government shutdown is president's responsibility, he said. "He should, instead of throwing tweets from the White House, pull together the four leaders of the House and the Senate on a bipartisan basis today and negotiate. "I spent all day not going to the floor, not going on cable news, not denouncing Republicans, but meeting with them, listening to them, with a small group that grew and grew, and by the end of the day, we had 20 Republican and Democratic senators listening to each other, trying to not just get out of the shutdown, but address and fix some of the underlying problems that have left us with so many of the priorities that have stacked up over the last couple of months," Coons said. Top Democratic leader Dick Durbin refused to say when the shutdown would end. "I'm not going to make that prediction," Durbin told NBC News, adding that Democrats are not willing to extend short- term funding after January. Meanwhile the White House, on its public telephone and general email, has put an auto-responder which alleges that the Democrats have put the government to hostage. "Thank you for calling the White House. Unfortunately, we cannot answer your call today because congressional Democrats are holding government funding, including funding for our troops and other national security priorities, hostage to an unrelated immigration debate," says a woman's voice when one calls the White House general number. "Due to this obstruction, the government is shutdown. In the meantime, you can leave a comment for the President. We look forward to taking your calls as soon as the government re-opens," it said. A similar email gives an auto reply sent to those White House staffers who are not working due to the shutdown. "Unfortunately, I am out of the office today because congressional Democrats are holding government funding -- including funding for our troops and other national security priorities -- hostage to an unrelated immigration debate," one of those emails said.

Trump suggests 'nuclear option' to end US government shutdown

The World Economic Forum (WEF) still expects US&nbsp;President Donald Trump to attend its annual meeting in the Swiss Alps this week, the forum&#39;s chairman Klaus Schwab said on Sunday.

Schwab made the comments in an interview with Reuters a day after White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said the trip was up in the air because of the federal government shutdown in the United States.

Trump is due to speak at the gathering of politicians, business chiefs and bankers on Friday, the final day of the four-day event.

Asked if he had any indication that Trump&#39;s trip was in flux, Schwab said: &quot;No, we haven&#39;t. Until now we hope that the trip will be maintained ... we&#39;ll see what the final outcome is.&quot;

Heavy snow in the Alps has made travel difficult in many regions given the heightened danger of avalanches.

The main road leading to Davos was covered with snow. The town&#39;s website for avalanche information advised people in nearly 30 residences to seek more secure dwellings for Sunday evening.

Schwab said he wasn&#39;t worried that weather would prevent attendees from coming to the event, which officially starts on Tuesday.

&quot;No, I&#39;m happy because it provides Davos with what it should be -- the aspect of a global village, but a village where you know nature plays still a very important role and, in our discussion, the whole environmental issue will also be at the forefront of what we do here,&quot; he said.

Klaus Schwab made the comments in an interview day after White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said the trip was up in the air because of the federal government shutdown in the United States

The World Economic Forum (WEF) still expects US President Donald Trump to attend its annual meeting in the Swiss Alps this week, the forum's chairman Klaus Schwab said on Sunday. Schwab made the comments in an interview with Reuters a day after White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said the trip was up in the air because of the federal government shutdown in the United States. Trump is due to speak at the gathering of politicians, business chiefs and bankers on Friday, the final day of the four-day event. Asked if he had any indication that Trump's trip was in flux, Schwab said: "No, we haven't. Until now we hope that the trip will be maintained ... we'll see what the final outcome is." Heavy snow in the Alps has made travel difficult in many regions given the heightened danger of avalanches. The main road leading to Davos was covered with snow. The town's website for avalanche information advised people in nearly 30 residences to seek more secure dwellings for Sunday evening. Schwab said he wasn't worried that weather would prevent attendees from coming to the event, which officially starts on Tuesday. "No, I'm happy because it provides Davos with what it should be -- the aspect of a global village, but a village where you know nature plays still a very important role and, in our discussion, the whole environmental issue will also be at the forefront of what we do here," he said.

Despite shutdown, Davos organiser still counting on Trump to attend

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited the new $1 billion US embassy in London on Monday, just days after his boss Donald Trump criticised the move to new diplomatic premises as part of a bad deal agreed by the administration of Barack Obama.

Trump earlier this month cancelled a trip to London to open the new embassy, saying he did not want to endorse a bad deal agreed by the Obama administration to sell the old one for &quot;peanuts&quot;.

Tillerson was greeted by US Ambassador Woody Johnson as workmen finished planting shrubs in the grounds of the new embassy. America`s top diplomat then met some of the marines who are stationed at the embassy.

&quot;The embassy actually, is gonna really work,&quot; US Ambassador Johnson said ahead of Tillerson`s arrival.

Asked when there would be a ribbon cutting ceremony, Ambassador Johnson said: &quot;At some point we`re going to do it, but there`s no urgency to that. We`ll do it when the time is right.&quot;

The decision to move the US&nbsp;Embassy from its current Grosvenor Square location in the exclusive Mayfair area of London and to a site on the south bank of the Thames was agreed in 2008 under the presidency of George W. Bush.&nbsp;

The American flag was this month removed from Grosvenor Square where the US embassy has been based since 1938 with the area known as &quot;Little America&quot; during World War Two, when the square also housed the military headquarters of General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The new embassy is a veritable fortress set back at least 100 feet (30 metres) from surrounding buildings - mostly newly-erected high-rise residential blocks - and incorporating living quarters for US&nbsp;Marines permanently stationed inside.

The $1 billion construction was funded by the sale of other properties in London.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited the new $1 billion US embassy in London on Monday, just days after his boss Donald Trump criticised the move to new diplomatic premises as part of a bad deal agreed by the administration of Barack Obama

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited the new $1 billion US embassy in London on Monday, just days after his boss Donald Trump criticised the move to new diplomatic premises as part of a bad deal agreed by the administration of Barack Obama. Trump earlier this month cancelled a trip to London to open the new embassy, saying he did not want to endorse a bad deal agreed by the Obama administration to sell the old one for "peanuts". Tillerson was greeted by US Ambassador Woody Johnson as workmen finished planting shrubs in the grounds of the new embassy. America`s top diplomat then met some of the marines who are stationed at the embassy. "The embassy actually, is gonna really work," US Ambassador Johnson said ahead of Tillerson`s arrival. Asked when there would be a ribbon cutting ceremony, Ambassador Johnson said: "At some point we`re going to do it, but there`s no urgency to that. We`ll do it when the time is right." The decision to move the US Embassy from its current Grosvenor Square location in the exclusive Mayfair area of London and to a site on the south bank of the Thames was agreed in 2008 under the presidency of George W. Bush. The American flag was this month removed from Grosvenor Square where the US embassy has been based since 1938 with the area known as "Little America" during World War Two, when the square also housed the military headquarters of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The new embassy is a veritable fortress set back at least 100 feet (30 metres) from surrounding buildings - mostly newly-erected high-rise residential blocks - and incorporating living quarters for US Marines permanently stationed inside. The $1 billion construction was funded by the sale of other properties in London.

Rex Tillerson visits new US embassy in London that Trump criticised

Congress voted on Monday to end a three-day US&nbsp;government shutdown, approving another short-term funding bill as Democrats accepted promises from Republicans for a broad debate later on the future of young illegal immigrants.

The fourth temporary funding bill since October easily passed the Senate and the House of Representatives. That sent it to the White House, which said President Donald Trump was expected to sign the bill, a product chiefly of negotiations among Senate leaders.

Enactment by Trump of the bill will allow the government to reopen fully on Tuesday and keep the lights on through February 8, when Congress will have to revisit the budget and immigration policy, two disparate issues that have become closely linked.

The House approved the funding bill by a vote of 266-150 just hours after it passed the Senate by a vote of 81-18.

Trump&#39;s attempts to negotiate an end to the shutdown with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer collapsed on Friday in recriminations and fingerpointing. The Republican president took a new swipe at Democrats as he celebrated the Senate`s pact.

&quot;I am pleased that Democrats in Congress have come to their senses,&quot; Trump said in a statement. &quot;We will make a long-term deal on immigration if and only if it`s good for the country.&quot;

Immigration and the budget are entangled because of Congress&#39;&nbsp;failure last year to approve a budget on time by October 1, just weeks after Trump summarily ordered an end by March to Obama-era legal protections for young immigrants known as &quot;Dreamers.&quot;

The budget failure has necessitated passage by Congress of a series of temporary funding measures, giving Democrats leverage each step of the way since they hold votes needed to overcome a 60-vote threshold in the Senate for most legislation.

With government spending authority about to expire again at midnight on Friday, Democrats withheld support for a fourth stopgap spending bill and demanded action for the Dreamers.

Dreamers

The roughly 700,000 young people were brought to the United States illegally as children, mainly from Mexico and Central America. They mostly grew up in the United States.

Former President Barack Obama&#39;s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, programme gave the Dreamers legal protections and shielded them from deportation.

Democrats, as a condition of supporting a new spending stopgap, demanded a resolution of the uncertain future Trump created for the Dreamers with his DACA order last year.

But Democratic leaders, worried about being blamed for the disruptive shutdown that resulted, relented in the end and accepted a pledge by Republicans to hold a debate later over the fate of the Dreamers and related immigration issues.

Tens of thousands of federal workers had begun closing down operations for lack of funding on Monday, the first weekday since the shutdown, but essential services such as security and defence operations had continued.&nbsp;

The shutdown undercut Trump`s self-crafted image as a dealmaker who would repair the broken culture in Washington.&nbsp;

It forced Trump to cancel a weekend trip to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and created uncertainty around his scheduled trip this week to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.&nbsp;

The US&nbsp;government cannot fully operate without funding bills that are voted in Congress regularly. Washington has been hampered by frequent threats of a shutdown in recent years as the two parties fight over spending, immigration and other issues. The last US&nbsp;government shutdown was in 2013.&nbsp;

Both sides in Washington had tried to blame each other for the shutdown. The White House on Saturday refused to negotiate on immigration issues until the government reopened.&nbsp;

On Monday, Trump met separately at the White House with Republican senators who have taken a harder line on immigration and with moderate Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Doug Jones.

Why do we have to wait?

Some liberal groups were infuriated by the decision to reopen the government.

&quot;Today&#39;s cave by Senate Democrats - led by weak-kneed, right-of-centre Democrats - is why people don&rsquo;t believe the Democratic Party stands for anything,&quot; said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

Markets have absorbed the shutdown drama over the past week.

US&nbsp;stocks advanced on Monday as each of Wall Street&#39;s main indexes touched a record intraday level after the shutdown deal.&nbsp;

For Jovan Rodriguez of Brooklyn, New York, a Dreamer whose family came from Mexico when he was 3 years old and ultimately settled in Texas, the latest development was more of the same.

&quot;Why do we have to wait - again? It`s like our lives are suspended in limbo,&quot; he said. And they have been for months. I don&#39;t trust the Republicans and I don&#39;t trust (Senate Majority Leader Mitch) McConnell with just a promise. That&#39;s not good enough any more.&quot;

The fourth temporary funding bill since October easily passed the Senate and the House of Representatives

Congress voted on Monday to end a three-day US government shutdown, approving another short-term funding bill as Democrats accepted promises from Republicans for a broad debate later on the future of young illegal immigrants. The fourth temporary funding bill since October easily passed the Senate and the House of Representatives. That sent it to the White House, which said President Donald Trump was expected to sign the bill, a product chiefly of negotiations among Senate leaders. Enactment by Trump of the bill will allow the government to reopen fully on Tuesday and keep the lights on through February 8, when Congress will have to revisit the budget and immigration policy, two disparate issues that have become closely linked. The House approved the funding bill by a vote of 266-150 just hours after it passed the Senate by a vote of 81-18. Trump's attempts to negotiate an end to the shutdown with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer collapsed on Friday in recriminations and fingerpointing. The Republican president took a new swipe at Democrats as he celebrated the Senate`s pact. "I am pleased that Democrats in Congress have come to their senses," Trump said in a statement. "We will make a long-term deal on immigration if and only if it`s good for the country." Immigration and the budget are entangled because of Congress' failure last year to approve a budget on time by October 1, just weeks after Trump summarily ordered an end by March to Obama-era legal protections for young immigrants known as "Dreamers." The budget failure has necessitated passage by Congress of a series of temporary funding measures, giving Democrats leverage each step of the way since they hold votes needed to overcome a 60-vote threshold in the Senate for most legislation. With government spending authority about to expire again at midnight on Friday, Democrats withheld support for a fourth stopgap spending bill and demanded action for the Dreamers. Dreamers The roughly 700,000 young people were brought to the United States illegally as children, mainly from Mexico and Central America. They mostly grew up in the United States. Former President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, programme gave the Dreamers legal protections and shielded them from deportation. Democrats, as a condition of supporting a new spending stopgap, demanded a resolution of the uncertain future Trump created for the Dreamers with his DACA order last year. But Democratic leaders, worried about being blamed for the disruptive shutdown that resulted, relented in the end and accepted a pledge by Republicans to hold a debate later over the fate of the Dreamers and related immigration issues. Tens of thousands of federal workers had begun closing down operations for lack of funding on Monday, the first weekday since the shutdown, but essential services such as security and defence operations had continued. The shutdown undercut Trump`s self-crafted image as a dealmaker who would repair the broken culture in Washington. It forced Trump to cancel a weekend trip to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and created uncertainty around his scheduled trip this week to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The US government cannot fully operate without funding bills that are voted in Congress regularly. Washington has been hampered by frequent threats of a shutdown in recent years as the two parties fight over spending, immigration and other issues. The last US government shutdown was in 2013. Both sides in Washington had tried to blame each other for the shutdown. The White House on Saturday refused to negotiate on immigration issues until the government reopened. On Monday, Trump met separately at the White House with Republican senators who have taken a harder line on immigration and with moderate Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Doug Jones. Why do we have to wait? Some liberal groups were infuriated by the decision to reopen the government. "Today's cave by Senate Democrats - led by weak-kneed, right-of-centre Democrats - is why people don’t believe the Democratic Party stands for anything," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Markets have absorbed the shutdown drama over the past week. US stocks advanced on Monday as each of Wall Street's main indexes touched a record intraday level after the shutdown deal. For Jovan Rodriguez of Brooklyn, New York, a Dreamer whose family came from Mexico when he was 3 years old and ultimately settled in Texas, the latest development was more of the same. "Why do we have to wait - again? It`s like our lives are suspended in limbo," he said. And they have been for months. I don't trust the Republicans and I don't trust (Senate Majority Leader Mitch) McConnell with just a promise. That's not good enough any more."

Government shutdown fizzles on spending, immigration deal in US Congress

Congress put the US government back in business Monday by voting to end a three-day shutdown, as President Donald Trump claimed victory in his standoff with Democrats in Washington.

The House voted 266 to 150 to extend federal funding, hours after Senate Democrats dropped their opposition to the plan after winning Republican assurances of a vote on immigration in the coming weeks.

Trump signed the measure into law Monday night, and government operations would essentially return to normal on Tuesday.

&quot;I know there&#39;s great relief that this episode is coming to an end,&quot; House Speaker Paul Ryan told colleagues. &quot;But this is not a moment to pat ourselves on the back. Not even close.&quot;

The stalemate consumed Washington for the better part of a week, as lawmakers and the White House feuded over immigration policy and the nation&#39;s two main political parties exchanged bitter barbs before finally reaching a deal.

&quot;I am pleased Democrats in Congress have come to their senses,&quot; Trump said in a defiant statement, as lawmakers moved to get hundreds of thousands of federal government employees back to work.

Also read: <a href="http://Government shutdown fizzles on spending, immigration deal in US Congress" target="_blank">Government shutdown fizzles on spending, immigration deal in US Congress</a>

Democrats decided to end the three-day shutdown after making progress with ruling Republicans toward securing the fate of hundreds of thousands of so-called &quot;Dreamers&quot; brought to America as children, many of them illegally.

With Democratic support, a bill keeping the government funded until February 8 easily passed the Senate, where different versions of the funding had languished for days.

Word of the compromise deal struck in Washington sent US stocks surging to new highs.

But the White House appeared in no mood for bipartisanship or magnanimity after a shutdown that overshadowed Trump&#39;s first anniversary in office.

Trump moved to undercut Democrats, saying he would only accept a comprehensive immigration reform -- one that notably addresses his demands for a border wall with Mexico as well as the fate of the &quot;Dreamers.&quot;

&quot;We will make a long-term deal on immigration if, and only if, it is good for our country,&quot; he said.

Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer earlier announced his party would vote with Republicans to end the shutdown, but in a sign of the poisoned politics of Washington he pilloried Trump in the process.

&quot;The White House refused to engage in negotiations over the weekend. The great deal-making president sat on the sidelines,&quot; Schumer said.

Trump spent the weekend stewing at the White House when he had planned to be among friends and family at his home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida for his anniversary bash.

And with the fundamental row on immigration and funding of Trump&#39;s border wall unresolved, Republicans and Democrats may very well find themselves back in a similar stalemate come February 9.

- High-profile holdouts - 
Schumer told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that he expected Republicans to make good on a pledge to address Democrats&#39; concerns over the Deferred Action on Child Arrivals (DACA) program that shields immigrants brought to the country as children from deportation, but expires on March 5.

There are an estimated 700,000 &quot;Dreamers&quot; whose fates are up in the air.&nbsp;

&quot;If he does not, of course, and I expect he will, he will have breached the trust of not only the Democratic senators but members of his own party as well,&quot; Schumer said.

Trump has staked his political fortunes on taking a hard line on immigrants, painting them as criminals and scroungers.

Senator Tim Kaine summed up the view of the more optimistic Democrats: &quot;We got a commitment that I feel very, very good about.&quot;&nbsp;

But if no progress is made on an immigration bill, Molly Reynolds of the Brookings Institution warned, &quot;Democrats still have the ability to potentially force another shutdown over the issue.&quot;

The House is under no obligation to pass any Senate bill generated as a result of McConnell&#39;s pledge to cooperate with Democrats -- although Speaker Ryan did say his chamber needs to &quot;move forward in good faith&quot; on DACA and immigration.

Notably, many of the Senate Democrats who voted against the funding agreement included a litany of potential 2020 presidential candidates, including Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren.

- Dealmaker on sidelines - 
Ahead of the deal, Trump had goaded Democrats from the sidelines, accusing them of shutting down the government to win concessions on immigration, in service of &quot;their far left base.&quot;

There have been four government shutdowns since 1990. During the last one, in October 2013, more than 800,000 government workers were put on temporary leave.

Essential federal services and the military were operational on Monday.

The House voted 266 to 150 to extend federal funding, hours after Senate Democrats dropped their opposition to the plan after winning Republican assurances of a vote on immigration in the coming weeks

Congress put the US government back in business Monday by voting to end a three-day shutdown, as President Donald Trump claimed victory in his standoff with Democrats in Washington. The House voted 266 to 150 to extend federal funding, hours after Senate Democrats dropped their opposition to the plan after winning Republican assurances of a vote on immigration in the coming weeks. Trump signed the measure into law Monday night, and government operations would essentially return to normal on Tuesday. "I know there's great relief that this episode is coming to an end," House Speaker Paul Ryan told colleagues. "But this is not a moment to pat ourselves on the back. Not even close." The stalemate consumed Washington for the better part of a week, as lawmakers and the White House feuded over immigration policy and the nation's two main political parties exchanged bitter barbs before finally reaching a deal. "I am pleased Democrats in Congress have come to their senses," Trump said in a defiant statement, as lawmakers moved to get hundreds of thousands of federal government employees back to work. Also read: Government shutdown fizzles on spending, immigration deal in US Congress Democrats decided to end the three-day shutdown after making progress with ruling Republicans toward securing the fate of hundreds of thousands of so-called "Dreamers" brought to America as children, many of them illegally. With Democratic support, a bill keeping the government funded until February 8 easily passed the Senate, where different versions of the funding had languished for days. Word of the compromise deal struck in Washington sent US stocks surging to new highs. But the White House appeared in no mood for bipartisanship or magnanimity after a shutdown that overshadowed Trump's first anniversary in office. Trump moved to undercut Democrats, saying he would only accept a comprehensive immigration reform -- one that notably addresses his demands for a border wall with Mexico as well as the fate of the "Dreamers." "We will make a long-term deal on immigration if, and only if, it is good for our country," he said. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer earlier announced his party would vote with Republicans to end the shutdown, but in a sign of the poisoned politics of Washington he pilloried Trump in the process. "The White House refused to engage in negotiations over the weekend. The great deal-making president sat on the sidelines," Schumer said. Trump spent the weekend stewing at the White House when he had planned to be among friends and family at his home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida for his anniversary bash. And with the fundamental row on immigration and funding of Trump's border wall unresolved, Republicans and Democrats may very well find themselves back in a similar stalemate come February 9. - High-profile holdouts - Schumer told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that he expected Republicans to make good on a pledge to address Democrats' concerns over the Deferred Action on Child Arrivals (DACA) program that shields immigrants brought to the country as children from deportation, but expires on March 5. There are an estimated 700,000 "Dreamers" whose fates are up in the air. "If he does not, of course, and I expect he will, he will have breached the trust of not only the Democratic senators but members of his own party as well," Schumer said. Trump has staked his political fortunes on taking a hard line on immigrants, painting them as criminals and scroungers. Senator Tim Kaine summed up the view of the more optimistic Democrats: "We got a commitment that I feel very, very good about." But if no progress is made on an immigration bill, Molly Reynolds of the Brookings Institution warned, "Democrats still have the ability to potentially force another shutdown over the issue." The House is under no obligation to pass any Senate bill generated as a result of McConnell's pledge to cooperate with Democrats -- although Speaker Ryan did say his chamber needs to "move forward in good faith" on DACA and immigration. Notably, many of the Senate Democrats who voted against the funding agreement included a litany of potential 2020 presidential candidates, including Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren. - Dealmaker on sidelines - Ahead of the deal, Trump had goaded Democrats from the sidelines, accusing them of shutting down the government to win concessions on immigration, in service of "their far left base." There have been four government shutdowns since 1990. During the last one, in October 2013, more than 800,000 government workers were put on temporary leave. Essential federal services and the military were operational on Monday.

Congress votes to end US shutdown, Trump claims victory

Government shutdowns are rare.

This one is unique because the U.S. has never before experienced a shutdown under a unified government, a time when the White House and Congress are controlled by the same party.

The policy consequences of this shutdown are likely to be minimal. And, the shutdown itself will also probably be short-lived.

However, the political consequences and long-term &ldquo;optics&rdquo; may be significant &ndash; and are more likely to negatively impact Republicans than Democrats.

Politics are key

A government shutdown occurs when Congress and the president fail to pass required annual appropriations into law, and they also fail to pass a temporary funding mechanism known as a &ldquo;continuing resolution&rdquo; to keep the government funded. Without these authorizations, the agencies and departments of the federal government literally have no legal authority to spend funds &ndash; even though the law allows some &ldquo;essential&rdquo; government functions to keep running.

This time around, the politics of federal government appropriations are tied to the fate of two other controversial issues.

The first is DACA. Trump gave Congress six months to provide a legislative fix for the approximately 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and whose legal status is in jeopardy because the Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era executive action allowing them to stay in the country. Time is ticking for these so-called Dreamers, some of whom will lose their protective status beginning on March 5, 2018.

The second issue intertwined with the budget politics is funding of a health insurance program known as CHIP that provides services to 8.9 million children.

Republican congressional party leaders tried to push Democrats into an uncomfortable vote by forcing them to choose between negotiating a solution for DACA or funding CHIP. This maneuver had the potential to score important political points for Republicans during an election year.

But the plan was thwarted by none other than the leader of the Republican Party, President Trump. Whether it was inadvertent or not, the president&rsquo;s tweets made many Republicans nervous that the president might not support the deal that congressional leaders had fashioned to fund the government and CHIP.

The House passed the bill anyway, but the Senate balked.

One might say that the federal government shutdown represents a significant miscalculation by the Republican Party. The GOP is not operating as an effective governing coalition, in part because its leader does not provide a consistent strategic vision for the party.

There&rsquo;s nothing new about Trump being a thorn in the side of Republican party leaders. As a Republican candidate he ran against the party as an outsider and used that image to his benefit. As president, he often seems more concerned about personal advantage than effective party functioning.

Despite all efforts to blame the Democrats, the political consequences of a shutdown, even a brief one, will be more likely to hurt Republicans than Democrats who have much less power in government now. In an election year that is already seeing a huge uptick in Republican retirements and a growing enthusiasm for Democratic candidates, the last thing Republicans need is a loss like this.

There are 290 days until Election Day.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/shutdown-under-a-unified-government-blame-trump-90423" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This government shutdown is unique because the U.S. has never before experienced a shutdown under a unified government, a time when the White House and Congress are controlled by the same party.

Government shutdowns are rare. This one is unique because the U.S. has never before experienced a shutdown under a unified government, a time when the White House and Congress are controlled by the same party. The policy consequences of this shutdown are likely to be minimal. And, the shutdown itself will also probably be short-lived. However, the political consequences and long-term “optics” may be significant – and are more likely to negatively impact Republicans than Democrats. Politics are key A government shutdown occurs when Congress and the president fail to pass required annual appropriations into law, and they also fail to pass a temporary funding mechanism known as a “continuing resolution” to keep the government funded. Without these authorizations, the agencies and departments of the federal government literally have no legal authority to spend funds – even though the law allows some “essential” government functions to keep running. This time around, the politics of federal government appropriations are tied to the fate of two other controversial issues. The first is DACA. Trump gave Congress six months to provide a legislative fix for the approximately 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and whose legal status is in jeopardy because the Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era executive action allowing them to stay in the country. Time is ticking for these so-called Dreamers, some of whom will lose their protective status beginning on March 5, 2018. The second issue intertwined with the budget politics is funding of a health insurance program known as CHIP that provides services to 8.9 million children. Republican congressional party leaders tried to push Democrats into an uncomfortable vote by forcing them to choose between negotiating a solution for DACA or funding CHIP. This maneuver had the potential to score important political points for Republicans during an election year. But the plan was thwarted by none other than the leader of the Republican Party, President Trump. Whether it was inadvertent or not, the president’s tweets made many Republicans nervous that the president might not support the deal that congressional leaders had fashioned to fund the government and CHIP. The House passed the bill anyway, but the Senate balked. One might say that the federal government shutdown represents a significant miscalculation by the Republican Party. The GOP is not operating as an effective governing coalition, in part because its leader does not provide a consistent strategic vision for the party. There’s nothing new about Trump being a thorn in the side of Republican party leaders. As a Republican candidate he ran against the party as an outsider and used that image to his benefit. As president, he often seems more concerned about personal advantage than effective party functioning. Despite all efforts to blame the Democrats, the political consequences of a shutdown, even a brief one, will be more likely to hurt Republicans than Democrats who have much less power in government now. In an election year that is already seeing a huge uptick in Republican retirements and a growing enthusiasm for Democratic candidates, the last thing Republicans need is a loss like this. There are 290 days until Election Day. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why Trump is to be blamed for the US government shutdown

US Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday the timing of a long-awaited US Middle East peace initiative depends on the return of Palestinians to negotiations.

President Donald Trump&#39;s advisers have been working on the outlines of a plan for some time. But Palestinians ruled out Washington as a peace broker after the US leader&#39;s December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

&quot;The White House has been working with our partners in the region to see if we can develop a framework for peace,&quot; Pence told Reuters in an interview in Jerusalem on the last leg of his three-day Middle East trip. &quot;It all just depends now on when the Palestinians are going to come back to the table.&quot;

Trump&#39;s Jerusalem move angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern among Western countries that it could further destabilize the region.

Pence said he and the president believed the decision, under which the United States also plans to move its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, would improve peacemaking prospects.

Pence discussed the Jerusalem issue during talks with Egypt&#39;s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday and Jordan&#39;s King Abdullah on Sunday. He said the two leaders had agreed to convey to the Palestinians that the United States was eager to resume peace talks.

&quot;We want them (the Palestinians) to know the door is open. We understand they&#39;re unhappy with that decision but the president wanted me to convey our willingness and desire to be a part of the peace process going forward,&quot; Pence said.

Pence said the US State Department would spell out details in the coming weeks about a plan to move the US embassy to Jerusalem by the end of 2019.

Israeli media have speculated that a 2019 embassy move could help Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu win reelection in a vote scheduled for November of that year.

Asked if he hoped for Netanyahu&#39;s reelection, Pence said: &quot;I&#39;m a strong supporter of Benjamin Netanyahu, but I don&#39;t get a vote here.&quot;

US Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday the timing of a long-awaited US Middle East peace initiative depends on the return of Palestinians to negotiations

US Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday the timing of a long-awaited US Middle East peace initiative depends on the return of Palestinians to negotiations. President Donald Trump's advisers have been working on the outlines of a plan for some time. But Palestinians ruled out Washington as a peace broker after the US leader's December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "The White House has been working with our partners in the region to see if we can develop a framework for peace," Pence told Reuters in an interview in Jerusalem on the last leg of his three-day Middle East trip. "It all just depends now on when the Palestinians are going to come back to the table." Trump's Jerusalem move angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern among Western countries that it could further destabilize the region. Pence said he and the president believed the decision, under which the United States also plans to move its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, would improve peacemaking prospects. Pence discussed the Jerusalem issue during talks with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday and Jordan's King Abdullah on Sunday. He said the two leaders had agreed to convey to the Palestinians that the United States was eager to resume peace talks. "We want them (the Palestinians) to know the door is open. We understand they're unhappy with that decision but the president wanted me to convey our willingness and desire to be a part of the peace process going forward," Pence said. Pence said the US State Department would spell out details in the coming weeks about a plan to move the US embassy to Jerusalem by the end of 2019. Israeli media have speculated that a 2019 embassy move could help Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu win reelection in a vote scheduled for November of that year. Asked if he hoped for Netanyahu's reelection, Pence said: "I'm a strong supporter of Benjamin Netanyahu, but I don't get a vote here."

Timing of Trump peace plan depends on Palestinians: Pence

Eleven countries aiming to forge an Asia-Pacific trade pact after the United States pulled out of an earlier version will sign an agreement in Chile in March, Japan&#39;s economy minister said on Tuesday, in a big win for Tokyo.

Trade officials had been meeting in Tokyo to resolve rifts including Canada&#39;s insistence on protections for its cultural industries such as movies, TV and music.

An agreement is a win for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe&#39;s government, which has been lobbying hard to save the pact, originally called the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

In one of his first acts as US&nbsp;president in January 2017, Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the original 12-nation treaty.

Abe has painted the deal as a spur to growth and reform in Japan and a symbol of commitment to free and multilateral trade at a time when Trump stresses &quot;America First&quot; policies.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Canada&#39;s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the agreement the &quot;right deal&quot;.

Canada&#39;s trade minister said in a statement it included an improved arrangement on autos with Japan and the suspension of intellectual property provisions that had been a concern.

The timing of the deal is significant for Canada, which is trying to diversify its exports. US, Canadian and Mexican negotiators opened a key week-long round of talks to modernize NAFTA on Tuesday.

The US&nbsp;Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) expressed concern the pact could put overseas demand for US&nbsp;wheat &quot;at serious risk,&quot; saying Japan imports an average of 3.1 million tonnes of wheat from the United States a year.&nbsp;

After TPP-11 is fully implemented Japanese import tariffs on Canadian and Australian wheat would fall by some $65 per tonne, they said in a statement.

&quot;If nothing else, this announcement should serve as a rallying cry for farmers, ranchers and dairy producers calling for the new trade deals we were promised when the president walked away from TPP,&quot; said NAWG&#39;s president Gordon Stoner.

Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), or TPP-11, would be an &quot;engine to overcome protectionism&quot; emerging in parts of the world.

He added Japan would explain the importance of the deal to Washington in hopes of persuading it to join.

Ministers from the 11 countries, including Japan, Australia and Canada, agreed in November on core elements to move ahead without the United States, but demands by countries including Canada for measures to ensure the deal protects jobs blocked a final agreement.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said last week the new agreement would leave a door open for eventual US&nbsp;participation.

Canada, which wanted protection of its cultural industries, and Vietnam, which has worried about labour protection rules, will exchange separate side letters with other members on those topics at the time of the signing, Motegi said.

Trade officials had been meeting in Tokyo to resolve rifts

Eleven countries aiming to forge an Asia-Pacific trade pact after the United States pulled out of an earlier version will sign an agreement in Chile in March, Japan's economy minister said on Tuesday, in a big win for Tokyo. Trade officials had been meeting in Tokyo to resolve rifts including Canada's insistence on protections for its cultural industries such as movies, TV and music. An agreement is a win for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government, which has been lobbying hard to save the pact, originally called the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In one of his first acts as US president in January 2017, Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the original 12-nation treaty. Abe has painted the deal as a spur to growth and reform in Japan and a symbol of commitment to free and multilateral trade at a time when Trump stresses "America First" policies. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the agreement the "right deal". Canada's trade minister said in a statement it included an improved arrangement on autos with Japan and the suspension of intellectual property provisions that had been a concern. The timing of the deal is significant for Canada, which is trying to diversify its exports. US, Canadian and Mexican negotiators opened a key week-long round of talks to modernize NAFTA on Tuesday. The US Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) expressed concern the pact could put overseas demand for US wheat "at serious risk," saying Japan imports an average of 3.1 million tonnes of wheat from the United States a year. After TPP-11 is fully implemented Japanese import tariffs on Canadian and Australian wheat would fall by some $65 per tonne, they said in a statement. "If nothing else, this announcement should serve as a rallying cry for farmers, ranchers and dairy producers calling for the new trade deals we were promised when the president walked away from TPP," said NAWG's president Gordon Stoner. Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), or TPP-11, would be an "engine to overcome protectionism" emerging in parts of the world. He added Japan would explain the importance of the deal to Washington in hopes of persuading it to join. Ministers from the 11 countries, including Japan, Australia and Canada, agreed in November on core elements to move ahead without the United States, but demands by countries including Canada for measures to ensure the deal protects jobs blocked a final agreement. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said last week the new agreement would leave a door open for eventual US participation. Canada, which wanted protection of its cultural industries, and Vietnam, which has worried about labour protection rules, will exchange separate side letters with other members on those topics at the time of the signing, Motegi said.

Trans-Pacific trade pact, without US, to be signed in March: Japan

Democrats said on Tuesday they had withdrawn an offer to fund US&nbsp;President Donald Trump&#39;s border wall, as tough negotiations over the future of young illegal immigrants known as &quot;Dreamers&quot; resumed in the Senate.

A day after the end of a government shutdown linked to wrangling over immigration, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he pulled the offer because of what he said was Trump&#39;s failure to follow through on the outlines of an agreement the two men discussed on Friday.

&quot;So we&#39;re going to have to start on a new basis and the wall offer is off the table,&quot; Schumer told reporters. An aide said the offer was withdrawn on Sunday.

Trump said on Twitter late on Tuesday night: &quot;Cryin&rsquo; Chuck Schumer fully understands, especially after his humiliating defeat, that if there is no Wall, there is no DACA. We must have safety and security, together with a strong Military, for our great people!&quot;

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Cryin&rsquo; Chuck Schumer fully understands, especially after his humiliating defeat, that if there is no Wall, there is no DACA. We must have safety and security, together with a strong Military, for our great people!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/956015565776277510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Congressional Hispanic Caucus expressed fears on Tuesday that Republicans in the House of Representatives would pursue a harsh immigration bill written by Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte.

The House measure would allow Dreamers to renew their legal status for three years, instead of putting them on a pathway to citizenship, and would call for hiring 10,000 more agents at US&nbsp;borders while shutting down some visa programs and taking other steps to find people who are in the country illegally.

Republican Trump said during the 2016 election campaign Mexico would pay the cost of building a wall along the southwestern border of the United States to keep out illegal immigrants. Mexico has rejected the idea.

As a result, Trump has been forced to ask Congress for US&nbsp;taxpayer funds for the wall. Government estimates are that it could cost more than $21 billion.

With Democrats and many Republicans arguing there are more effective border enforcement tools than a wall, the proposal has become a major sticking point in immigration negotiations, which in turn have complicated talks about funding federal agencies.

The Senate&#39;s No. 2 Democrat, Dick Durbin, asked by a reporter whether Schumer offered Trump $25 billion for the wall in a major concession to the president, did not dispute the figure, but said: &quot;He did it in the context of a negotiation.&quot;

Protecting the &#39;dreamers&#39;

Democrats have been spearheading an effort to protect about 700,000 young Dreamers after Trump announced in September the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program instituted by his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama.

The program, which began in 2012, gave qualified Dreamers, who were brought illegally to the United States as children, temporary protection from deportation and the ability to study and work in the United States.

Senator John Cornyn, the No. 2 Senate Republican, criticized Schumer for pulling the wall funding offer.

&quot;That basically sets the DACA discussion back,&quot; he told reporters.

Cornyn said there had been discussions of he and Durbin being a &quot;clearing house&quot; for suggestions from senators on legislation to rescue Dreamers from the threat of deportation and provide permanent protections for them.

In agreeing on Monday to end a three-day government shutdown - the first since 2013 - and fund the government until Feb. 8, Senate Democrats got a promise from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that he would allow an immigration debate on the Senate floor in the near future.

Durbin said a similar commitment was now needed from Paul Ryan, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, where a Dreamer bill would presumably face a much harder path to passage than in the Senate.

The White House on Tuesday rejected the idea that a bipartisan bill sponsored by Durbin and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham could be the core of a solution.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the proposal was &quot;totally unacceptable to the president and should be declared dead on arrival.&quot;

Trump himself has vacillated on immigration between tough rhetoric demanding a US&nbsp;border wall and a softer tone urging a &quot;bill of love&quot; for Dreamers.

&quot;Nobody knows for sure that the Republicans &amp; Democrats will be able to reach a deal on DACA by February 8, but everyone will be trying,&quot; Trump tweeted. 
&nbsp;

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he pulled the offer because of what he said was Trump's failure to follow through on the outlines of an agreement the two men discussed on Friday

Democrats said on Tuesday they had withdrawn an offer to fund US President Donald Trump's border wall, as tough negotiations over the future of young illegal immigrants known as "Dreamers" resumed in the Senate. A day after the end of a government shutdown linked to wrangling over immigration, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he pulled the offer because of what he said was Trump's failure to follow through on the outlines of an agreement the two men discussed on Friday. "So we're going to have to start on a new basis and the wall offer is off the table," Schumer told reporters. An aide said the offer was withdrawn on Sunday. Trump said on Twitter late on Tuesday night: "Cryin’ Chuck Schumer fully understands, especially after his humiliating defeat, that if there is no Wall, there is no DACA. We must have safety and security, together with a strong Military, for our great people!" Cryin’ Chuck Schumer fully understands, especially after his humiliating defeat, that if there is no Wall, there is no DACA. We must have safety and security, together with a strong Military, for our great people! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2018 × The Congressional Hispanic Caucus expressed fears on Tuesday that Republicans in the House of Representatives would pursue a harsh immigration bill written by Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte. The House measure would allow Dreamers to renew their legal status for three years, instead of putting them on a pathway to citizenship, and would call for hiring 10,000 more agents at US borders while shutting down some visa programs and taking other steps to find people who are in the country illegally. Republican Trump said during the 2016 election campaign Mexico would pay the cost of building a wall along the southwestern border of the United States to keep out illegal immigrants. Mexico has rejected the idea. As a result, Trump has been forced to ask Congress for US taxpayer funds for the wall. Government estimates are that it could cost more than $21 billion. With Democrats and many Republicans arguing there are more effective border enforcement tools than a wall, the proposal has become a major sticking point in immigration negotiations, which in turn have complicated talks about funding federal agencies. The Senate's No. 2 Democrat, Dick Durbin, asked by a reporter whether Schumer offered Trump $25 billion for the wall in a major concession to the president, did not dispute the figure, but said: "He did it in the context of a negotiation." Protecting the 'dreamers' Democrats have been spearheading an effort to protect about 700,000 young Dreamers after Trump announced in September the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program instituted by his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama. The program, which began in 2012, gave qualified Dreamers, who were brought illegally to the United States as children, temporary protection from deportation and the ability to study and work in the United States. Senator John Cornyn, the No. 2 Senate Republican, criticized Schumer for pulling the wall funding offer. "That basically sets the DACA discussion back," he told reporters. Cornyn said there had been discussions of he and Durbin being a "clearing house" for suggestions from senators on legislation to rescue Dreamers from the threat of deportation and provide permanent protections for them. In agreeing on Monday to end a three-day government shutdown - the first since 2013 - and fund the government until Feb. 8, Senate Democrats got a promise from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that he would allow an immigration debate on the Senate floor in the near future. Durbin said a similar commitment was now needed from Paul Ryan, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, where a Dreamer bill would presumably face a much harder path to passage than in the Senate. The White House on Tuesday rejected the idea that a bipartisan bill sponsored by Durbin and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham could be the core of a solution. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the proposal was "totally unacceptable to the president and should be declared dead on arrival." Trump himself has vacillated on immigration between tough rhetoric demanding a US border wall and a softer tone urging a "bill of love" for Dreamers. "Nobody knows for sure that the Republicans & Democrats will be able to reach a deal on DACA by February 8, but everyone will be trying," Trump tweeted.

US Democrats withdraw offer to fund Trump's border wall

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was prepared to back a deal that would provide a pathway to citizenship to America&#39;s so-called &quot;Dreamer&quot; immigrants over a period of 10 to 12 years.

The latest approach by the White House suggests a key development in negotiations over some 700,000 immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children, and face deportation as early as March.

&quot;We are going to morph into it,&quot; Trump told reporters about the citizenship provision. &quot;It&#39;s going to happen, at some point in the future, over a period of 10 to 12 years.&quot;

In exchange, Trump said he is seeking $25 billion to build a border wall, one of the main pledges of his 2016 presidential campaign, plus an additional $5 billion in other border security measures including electronic surveillance and extra border agents.

US lawmakers have struggled for months to negotiate a compromise over the status of the dreamers. An impasse over the issue, a source of bitter partisan tension in Washington, recently shut down the government for three days.

&quot;Tell them not to be concerned&quot; as the March 5 deadline approaches, Trump said of the Dreamers. &quot;It&#39;s up to the Democrats, but they should not be worried.&quot;

In reaching a deal to resume federal operations, the Senate&#39;s Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Congress would aim to negotiate an immigration agreement by February 8, and if a deal is not struck by then, the issue would be taken up in debate on the Senate floor.

Although Trump did not provide full details on the pathway to citizenship, his comments are perhaps the most telling sign that a broader deal might be within reach.&nbsp;

They came just hours after the White House announced it will release a &quot;legislative framework&quot; for immigration reform on Monday that it said is acceptable to both Democrats and Republicans.

&quot;After decades of inaction by Congress, it&#39;s time we work together to solve this issue once and for all,&quot; White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told journalists.

&quot;The White House will release a legislative framework on Monday that represents a compromise that members of both parties can support,&quot; which is based on &quot;dozens&quot; of meetings with Republican and Democratic leadership and legislators, she said.

&#39;Moral obligation&#39;

The plan would fulfil &quot;four agreed-upon pillars&quot; of immigration reform, she added: border security including all funding, curbing extended family reunification known as &quot;chain migration,&quot; cancelling the green-card visa lottery, and providing a permanent solution on DACA.

The first three pillars are largely Republican priorities, while the last -- fixing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program -- is a cause championed by the Democrats.

DACA, which was instituted by Trump&#39;s predecessor Barack Obama in 2012, protects the Dreamers from deportation.

Trump said in September he was scrapping DACA, throwing the future of those it covers into doubt, but delayed enforcement to give Congress until March to craft a lasting solution.

Democrats unsuccessfully sought to tie a solution to the DACA issue to a stop-gap measure to fund the federal government, but Republicans rejected the effort, leading to a shutdown from Saturday to Monday.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican point man on the immigration negotiations, hailed Trump&#39;s comments as a major breakthrough.

&quot;With this strong statement by President Trump, I have never felt better about our chances of finding a solution on immigration,&quot; Graham said in a statement.

Trump&#39;s &quot;support for a pathway to citizenship will help us get strong border security measures as we work to modernize a broken immigration system.&quot;

Trump&#39;s remarks signified key movement in a debate that appeared to stall Tuesday after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer withdrew an offer to fund the president&#39;s border wall.

&quot;Cryin&#39; Chuck Schumer fully understands, especially after his humiliating defeat, that if there is no Wall, there is no DACA,&quot; Trump tweeted late Tuesday.

Exactly how a pathway to citizenship will sit with conservative Republicans remains unclear. Several have opposed the process as &quot;amnesty&quot; for undocumented immigrants.

In a speech to colleagues, Democrat Schumer said it was &quot;our moral obligation&quot; to protect dreamers, and that the Senate was in the spotlight over crafting a deal by February 8.

&quot;If we don&#39;t solve this problem in 14 days, the Republicans are going to have to explain to dreamers what their plan is to prevent them from being deported,&quot; Schumer said.&nbsp;

The latest approach by the White House suggests a key development in negotiations over some 700,000 immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children, and face deportation as early as March

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was prepared to back a deal that would provide a pathway to citizenship to America's so-called "Dreamer" immigrants over a period of 10 to 12 years. The latest approach by the White House suggests a key development in negotiations over some 700,000 immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children, and face deportation as early as March. "We are going to morph into it," Trump told reporters about the citizenship provision. "It's going to happen, at some point in the future, over a period of 10 to 12 years." In exchange, Trump said he is seeking $25 billion to build a border wall, one of the main pledges of his 2016 presidential campaign, plus an additional $5 billion in other border security measures including electronic surveillance and extra border agents. US lawmakers have struggled for months to negotiate a compromise over the status of the dreamers. An impasse over the issue, a source of bitter partisan tension in Washington, recently shut down the government for three days. "Tell them not to be concerned" as the March 5 deadline approaches, Trump said of the Dreamers. "It's up to the Democrats, but they should not be worried." In reaching a deal to resume federal operations, the Senate's Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Congress would aim to negotiate an immigration agreement by February 8, and if a deal is not struck by then, the issue would be taken up in debate on the Senate floor. Although Trump did not provide full details on the pathway to citizenship, his comments are perhaps the most telling sign that a broader deal might be within reach. They came just hours after the White House announced it will release a "legislative framework" for immigration reform on Monday that it said is acceptable to both Democrats and Republicans. "After decades of inaction by Congress, it's time we work together to solve this issue once and for all," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told journalists. "The White House will release a legislative framework on Monday that represents a compromise that members of both parties can support," which is based on "dozens" of meetings with Republican and Democratic leadership and legislators, she said. 'Moral obligation' The plan would fulfil "four agreed-upon pillars" of immigration reform, she added: border security including all funding, curbing extended family reunification known as "chain migration," cancelling the green-card visa lottery, and providing a permanent solution on DACA. The first three pillars are largely Republican priorities, while the last -- fixing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program -- is a cause championed by the Democrats. DACA, which was instituted by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama in 2012, protects the Dreamers from deportation. Trump said in September he was scrapping DACA, throwing the future of those it covers into doubt, but delayed enforcement to give Congress until March to craft a lasting solution. Democrats unsuccessfully sought to tie a solution to the DACA issue to a stop-gap measure to fund the federal government, but Republicans rejected the effort, leading to a shutdown from Saturday to Monday. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican point man on the immigration negotiations, hailed Trump's comments as a major breakthrough. "With this strong statement by President Trump, I have never felt better about our chances of finding a solution on immigration," Graham said in a statement. Trump's "support for a pathway to citizenship will help us get strong border security measures as we work to modernize a broken immigration system." Trump's remarks signified key movement in a debate that appeared to stall Tuesday after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer withdrew an offer to fund the president's border wall. "Cryin' Chuck Schumer fully understands, especially after his humiliating defeat, that if there is no Wall, there is no DACA," Trump tweeted late Tuesday. Exactly how a pathway to citizenship will sit with conservative Republicans remains unclear. Several have opposed the process as "amnesty" for undocumented immigrants. In a speech to colleagues, Democrat Schumer said it was "our moral obligation" to protect dreamers, and that the Senate was in the spotlight over crafting a deal by February 8. "If we don't solve this problem in 14 days, the Republicans are going to have to explain to dreamers what their plan is to prevent them from being deported," Schumer said.

'Don't worry': Trump lays out path to citizenship for Dreamers

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would be willing to be interviewed under oath by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 US&nbsp;election.

&quot;I&#39;m looking forward to it, actually,&quot; Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said of an interview with Mueller. &quot;I would do it under oath.&quot;

Although Trump has pledged cooperation with Mueller&#39;s probe before, Trump made his assertion as the White House and allies in Congress have stepped up attacks on the investigation&#39;s credibility and Trump himself has hedged on whether he would answer questions.

More recently, Trump&#39;s attorneys have been talking to Mueller&#39;s team about an interview, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation. &quot;I would like to do it as soon as possible,&quot; Trump said.&nbsp;

Trump, however, said that setting a date certain for an interview would be &quot;subject to my lawyers and all of that.&quot; Asked whether he thought Mueller would treat him fairly, Trump replied, &quot;We&#39;re going to find out.&quot;

Sources told Reuters earlier Wednesday that senior U.S. intelligence officers including CIA Director Mike Pompeo have been questioned by the special counsel&#39;s team about whether Trump tried to obstruct justice in the Russia probe.

Such questioning is further indication that Mueller&#39;s criminal investigation into purported Russian interference in the US&nbsp;election and potential collusion by Trump&#39;s campaign includes examining the president&#39;s actions around the probe.

In his remarks to reporters on Wednesday, Trump repeated past statements that there was no collusion between the campaign and Russia and &quot;there&#39;s no obstruction whatsoever.&quot;

In interviews last year with Pompeo, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and National Security Agency Director Admiral Mike Rogers, Mueller&#39;s team focused on whether Trump had asked them to lean on former FBI Director James Comey, the sources said.

Comey said after he was dismissed by Trump in May that the president had fired him to try to undermine the agency&#39;s Russia investigation. His dismissal led to Mueller&#39;s appointment to take over the FBI probe and is central to whether Trump may have committed obstruction of justice.

Mueller also asked the officials if Trump tried to shut down intelligence investigations into Russian election meddling and into contacts between Russian officials connected with President Vladimir Putin&#39;s government and associates of Trump or his campaign, the sources said on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;

Representatives for the CIA declined to comment on whether Pompeo had been interviewed.

US&nbsp;intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the election campaign using hacking and propaganda to try to tilt the race in Trump&#39;s favour.

Russia has denied it. Trump has denied collusion with Russia and calls the probe a witch hunt. After Comey&#39;s accusation in June about the circumstances of his firing, Trump also denied any obstruction of justice.

Former White House strategist and Trump campaign aide Steve Bannon is expected to be questioned by Mueller&#39;s team about Flynn and Comey by the end of the month, NBC and CNN reported.

'I would like to do it as soon as possible,' Trump added

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would be willing to be interviewed under oath by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 US election. "I'm looking forward to it, actually," Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said of an interview with Mueller. "I would do it under oath." Although Trump has pledged cooperation with Mueller's probe before, Trump made his assertion as the White House and allies in Congress have stepped up attacks on the investigation's credibility and Trump himself has hedged on whether he would answer questions. More recently, Trump's attorneys have been talking to Mueller's team about an interview, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation. "I would like to do it as soon as possible," Trump said. Trump, however, said that setting a date certain for an interview would be "subject to my lawyers and all of that." Asked whether he thought Mueller would treat him fairly, Trump replied, "We're going to find out." Sources told Reuters earlier Wednesday that senior U.S. intelligence officers including CIA Director Mike Pompeo have been questioned by the special counsel's team about whether Trump tried to obstruct justice in the Russia probe. Such questioning is further indication that Mueller's criminal investigation into purported Russian interference in the US election and potential collusion by Trump's campaign includes examining the president's actions around the probe. In his remarks to reporters on Wednesday, Trump repeated past statements that there was no collusion between the campaign and Russia and "there's no obstruction whatsoever." In interviews last year with Pompeo, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and National Security Agency Director Admiral Mike Rogers, Mueller's team focused on whether Trump had asked them to lean on former FBI Director James Comey, the sources said. Comey said after he was dismissed by Trump in May that the president had fired him to try to undermine the agency's Russia investigation. His dismissal led to Mueller's appointment to take over the FBI probe and is central to whether Trump may have committed obstruction of justice. Mueller also asked the officials if Trump tried to shut down intelligence investigations into Russian election meddling and into contacts between Russian officials connected with President Vladimir Putin's government and associates of Trump or his campaign, the sources said on condition of anonymity. Representatives for the CIA declined to comment on whether Pompeo had been interviewed. US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the election campaign using hacking and propaganda to try to tilt the race in Trump's favour. Russia has denied it. Trump has denied collusion with Russia and calls the probe a witch hunt. After Comey's accusation in June about the circumstances of his firing, Trump also denied any obstruction of justice. Former White House strategist and Trump campaign aide Steve Bannon is expected to be questioned by Mueller's team about Flynn and Comey by the end of the month, NBC and CNN reported.

'Looking forward' to being interviewed by Special Counsel Mueller, says Trump

The UN Security Council will travel to Washington on Monday to inspect debris from missiles allegedly provided by Iran to Yemen&#39;s Huthi rebels and hold meetings at the White House, diplomats said.

The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran, diplomats said.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley last month presented the fragments as &quot;undeniable&quot; evidence that a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-intercepts-yemen-rebel-missile-over-riyadh-state-media-27194" target="_blank">ballistic missile fired by Yemen&#39;s Huthi rebels at Saudi Arabia</a> in November was Iranian-made.

That claim was bolstered when a UN panel of experts concluded in a recent report to the council that Iran had violated the arms embargo on Yemen by failing to block supplies of missiles to the rebels.

Haley has invited her UN counterparts to see the missile debris stored in a warehouse at a Washington military base.&nbsp;

&quot;The evidence is undeniable. The weapons might as well have had &#39;Made in Iran&#39; stickers all over it,&quot; Haley told a press conference last month.

The &quot;evidence&quot; stored in Washington includes other pieces of military material allegedly provided by Iran including fragments of an anti-tank missile and drones.

Iran has strongly denied arming the Huthis and last month accused Haley of presenting &quot;fabricated&quot; evidence that the November 4 missile fired at Riyadh airport was Iranian-made.

Haley is seeking to persuade the Security Council to take action against Iran, possibly by imposing sanctions, but will likely face opposition from Russia, which has friendly ties with Tehran.

A separate report last month said UN officials had examined the missile fragments and found that they were of &quot;common origin&quot; but they were unable to reach any firm conclusions about whether Iran was the source.

The US mission did not immediately respond to a request for information about the council visit to Washington.

It will be the second time that the top UN envoys meet with Trump, who sat down for a lunch meeting with the ambassadors in April last year.

Relations between the United Nations and the US administration have been strained over Trump&#39;s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, his threats to scrap the Iran nuclear deal and funding cuts.

The council voted 14-1 to reject Trump&#39;s Jerusalem decision, prompting Haley to resort to the US veto to block the condemnation.

The General Assembly later approved by a vote of 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions, the same resolution.

The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran

The UN Security Council will travel to Washington on Monday to inspect debris from missiles allegedly provided by Iran to Yemen's Huthi rebels and hold meetings at the White House, diplomats said. The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran, diplomats said. US Ambassador Nikki Haley last month presented the fragments as "undeniable" evidence that a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Huthi rebels at Saudi Arabia in November was Iranian-made. That claim was bolstered when a UN panel of experts concluded in a recent report to the council that Iran had violated the arms embargo on Yemen by failing to block supplies of missiles to the rebels. Haley has invited her UN counterparts to see the missile debris stored in a warehouse at a Washington military base. "The evidence is undeniable. The weapons might as well have had 'Made in Iran' stickers all over it," Haley told a press conference last month. The "evidence" stored in Washington includes other pieces of military material allegedly provided by Iran including fragments of an anti-tank missile and drones. Iran has strongly denied arming the Huthis and last month accused Haley of presenting "fabricated" evidence that the November 4 missile fired at Riyadh airport was Iranian-made. Haley is seeking to persuade the Security Council to take action against Iran, possibly by imposing sanctions, but will likely face opposition from Russia, which has friendly ties with Tehran. A separate report last month said UN officials had examined the missile fragments and found that they were of "common origin" but they were unable to reach any firm conclusions about whether Iran was the source. The US mission did not immediately respond to a request for information about the council visit to Washington. It will be the second time that the top UN envoys meet with Trump, who sat down for a lunch meeting with the ambassadors in April last year. Relations between the United Nations and the US administration have been strained over Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, his threats to scrap the Iran nuclear deal and funding cuts. The council voted 14-1 to reject Trump's Jerusalem decision, prompting Haley to resort to the US veto to block the condemnation. The General Assembly later approved by a vote of 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions, the same resolution.

UN Security Council to inspect 'Iranian-made' missile debris

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/deadly-fire-hits-south-korea-hospital-30795">South Korean hospital fire kills 33, over 70 injured: Firefighters</a>

At least 33 people were killed in a blaze at a hospital in South Korea on Friday, firefighters said, with more than 70 injured.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-ordered-muellers-firing-but-reversed-course-nyt-30801">Trump ordered Mueller&#39;s firing but reversed course: NYT</a>

US President Donald Trump ordered the firing of Russia investigation special counsel Robert Mueller last year but later reversed course, The New York Times reported Thursday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-million-people-watched-padmaavat-on-day-1-viacom-30799">One million people watched </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-million-people-watched-padmaavat-on-day-1-viacom-30799">Padmaavat</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-million-people-watched-padmaavat-on-day-1-viacom-30799"> on opening day: Viacom</a>

Over one million people watched Padmaavat on opening day, the film&#39;s producer Viacom 18 Motion Pictures has said.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/make-peace-or-lose-aid-trump-to-palestinians-30798">Make peace with Israel or lose aid, Trump tells Palestinians</a>

US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they did not pursue peace with Israel, saying they had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice President Mike Pence during a recent visit.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/video-nutella-riots-in-france-after-supermarket-offers-heavy-discount-on-sweet-spread-30802">Video: Nutella &#39;riots&#39; in France after supermarket offers heavy discount on sweet spread</a>

According to reports, Intermarch&eacute; supermarkets offered a 70 per cent discount on Nutella, bringing the price down from &euro;4.50 (&pound;3.90) to &euro;1.40.

Videos posted on social media showed a patient hanging on to a rope dangling from a helicopter above the hospital in Miryang, and another crawling out of a window to climb down a ladder.

South Korean hospital fire kills 33, over 70 injured: Firefighters At least 33 people were killed in a blaze at a hospital in South Korea on Friday, firefighters said, with more than 70 injured. Trump ordered Mueller's firing but reversed course: NYT US President Donald Trump ordered the firing of Russia investigation special counsel Robert Mueller last year but later reversed course, The New York Times reported Thursday. One million people watched Padmaavat on opening day: Viacom Over one million people watched Padmaavat on opening day, the film's producer Viacom 18 Motion Pictures has said. Make peace with Israel or lose aid, Trump tells Palestinians US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they did not pursue peace with Israel, saying they had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice President Mike Pence during a recent visit. Video: Nutella 'riots' in France after supermarket offers heavy discount on sweet spread According to reports, Intermarché supermarkets offered a 70 per cent discount on Nutella, bringing the price down from €4.50 (£3.90) to €1.40.

Wion News Brief, January 26, 2018

US President Donald Trump strode into the lion&#39;s den to confront the world&#39;s political and business elite on Thursday, as his &quot;America First&quot; administration executes an anti-globalist manifesto in trade, taxes and currency rates.

A year after taking office, Trump joined the World Economic Forum in Davos with foreign exchange markets in turmoil and Washington&#39;s trading partners in uproar.

Taking on one storm, he insisted that he wants to see &quot;a strong dollar,&quot; after comments by his treasury secretary appearing to signal the opposite sent the US currency plunging to three-year lows and provoked anger in Europe.

Trump smiled and waved on his arrival at the gathering in the Swiss Alps, as crowds of onlookers held up camera phones. One woman admirer grabbed Trump&#39;s autograph while other delegates muttered -- out of his earshot -- about wanting to pelt him with fruit.

The former property mogul held one-on-one meetings with the British and Israeli prime ministers. Then, having demonised the globalist Davos crowd on his unorthodox march to the White House, he went on to a gala reception and dinner with European business chiefs attending the gathering.

Interviewed on CNBC, Trump said there was no contradiction between his populist campaign and his decision to come to the headquarters of the global elite.

&quot;When I decided to come to Davos, I didn&#39;t think in terms of elitist or globalist, I thought in terms of lots of people that want to invest lots of money and they&#39;re all coming back to the United States, they&#39;re coming back to America,&quot; he said.

Basking in near-daily highs on Wall Street and accelerating US growth, he added: &quot;It&#39;s about coming to America, investing in money, creating jobs, companies coming in, we&#39;re setting records every week, every day, we&#39;re setting records.&quot;

Anti-Trump messages 
Seeking to demonise the president in turn was Swiss activist group Campax, which hung a giant banner on an Alpine peak near Davos reading &quot;Trump not welcome&quot;, and Greenpeace, which beamed anti-Trump laser messages onto another mountain.

At an annual dinner he hosts in Davos, billionaire financier George Soros was equally blunt. &quot;I consider the Trump administration a danger to the world,&quot; he said. &nbsp;

Trump is due to address the forum on its closing day Friday, at the end of a week that saw his administration announce a new package of trade tariffs targeting China and South Korea, and spark upheaval on the currency markets.

&quot;I think the most fascinating thing with President Trump is that he has the capacity to surprise, and I&#39;m sure we will be surprised tomorrow,&quot; Alexander Stubb, former prime minister of Finland and the new vice president of the European Investment Bank, told AFP in Davos.

Forex rows 
Traders and US partners already had one surprise in Davos this week when Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin appeared to back away from decades of support by his predecessors for a &quot;strong dollar&quot; policy. He declared &quot;a weaker dollar is good for us&quot;, flouting US commitments in international fora such as the G20.

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde on Thursday urged Mnuchin to &quot;clarify&quot; his stance on the dollar. European Central Bank head Mario Draghi reminded trading partners to &quot;refrain&quot; from language that could cause currency volatility.

A weak dollar would potentially boost US exporters but cause headaches for all other trading nations.

In comments to CNBC that helped the dollar recover some lost ground, Trump said Mnuchin had been misquoted.

The Treasury secretary told reporters Thursday: &quot;We are not concerned with where the dollar is in the short term, it is a very liquid market and we believe in free currencies.&quot;

But Mnuchin&#39;s apparently hands-off approach was taken as reinforcing a broad offensive in trade built on the &quot;America First&quot; platform.

It drew the ire of French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire.

&quot;We want exchange rates to reflect economic fundamentals... and we shouldn&#39;t play with these rates,&quot; Le Maire said in Davos.

Business leaders in Davos have this week offered a broad welcome to controversial tax reforms enacted by Trump&#39;s Republicans, which slashed the headline rate of US corporate tax. But European political leaders fear a &quot;race to the bottom&quot; as the United States jockeys for an edge among foreign investors.

Nice or nasty? 
A year ago, the Davos spotlight was claimed by China&#39;s communist leader Xi Jinping, who took up the torch of global trade to the delight of the well-heeled audience then anxious about Trump&#39;s inauguration.

The Davos elite are keen now to see which version of Trump will speak on Friday -- the business-friendly tycoon or the leader who berated the rest of the world at the UN General Assembly last September.

&quot;I think they&#39;ve already built down their expectations so far that anything he may say that&#39;s conciliatory, they&#39;ll be grateful for,&quot; Robert Kaplan, senior fellow at Washington&#39;s Center for a New American Security, told AFP at the forum.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel &quot;stole the show&quot; at Davos already, Kaplan added, after the European leaders used separate speeches on Wednesday to push back hard against the Trump manifesto.

Trump smiled and waved on his arrival at the gathering in the Swiss Alps, as crowds of onlookers held up camera phones

US President Donald Trump strode into the lion's den to confront the world's political and business elite on Thursday, as his "America First" administration executes an anti-globalist manifesto in trade, taxes and currency rates. A year after taking office, Trump joined the World Economic Forum in Davos with foreign exchange markets in turmoil and Washington's trading partners in uproar. Taking on one storm, he insisted that he wants to see "a strong dollar," after comments by his treasury secretary appearing to signal the opposite sent the US currency plunging to three-year lows and provoked anger in Europe. Trump smiled and waved on his arrival at the gathering in the Swiss Alps, as crowds of onlookers held up camera phones. One woman admirer grabbed Trump's autograph while other delegates muttered -- out of his earshot -- about wanting to pelt him with fruit. The former property mogul held one-on-one meetings with the British and Israeli prime ministers. Then, having demonised the globalist Davos crowd on his unorthodox march to the White House, he went on to a gala reception and dinner with European business chiefs attending the gathering. Interviewed on CNBC, Trump said there was no contradiction between his populist campaign and his decision to come to the headquarters of the global elite. "When I decided to come to Davos, I didn't think in terms of elitist or globalist, I thought in terms of lots of people that want to invest lots of money and they're all coming back to the United States, they're coming back to America," he said. Basking in near-daily highs on Wall Street and accelerating US growth, he added: "It's about coming to America, investing in money, creating jobs, companies coming in, we're setting records every week, every day, we're setting records." Anti-Trump messages Seeking to demonise the president in turn was Swiss activist group Campax, which hung a giant banner on an Alpine peak near Davos reading "Trump not welcome", and Greenpeace, which beamed anti-Trump laser messages onto another mountain. At an annual dinner he hosts in Davos, billionaire financier George Soros was equally blunt. "I consider the Trump administration a danger to the world," he said. Trump is due to address the forum on its closing day Friday, at the end of a week that saw his administration announce a new package of trade tariffs targeting China and South Korea, and spark upheaval on the currency markets. "I think the most fascinating thing with President Trump is that he has the capacity to surprise, and I'm sure we will be surprised tomorrow," Alexander Stubb, former prime minister of Finland and the new vice president of the European Investment Bank, told AFP in Davos. Forex rows Traders and US partners already had one surprise in Davos this week when Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin appeared to back away from decades of support by his predecessors for a "strong dollar" policy. He declared "a weaker dollar is good for us", flouting US commitments in international fora such as the G20. International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde on Thursday urged Mnuchin to "clarify" his stance on the dollar. European Central Bank head Mario Draghi reminded trading partners to "refrain" from language that could cause currency volatility. A weak dollar would potentially boost US exporters but cause headaches for all other trading nations. In comments to CNBC that helped the dollar recover some lost ground, Trump said Mnuchin had been misquoted. The Treasury secretary told reporters Thursday: "We are not concerned with where the dollar is in the short term, it is a very liquid market and we believe in free currencies." But Mnuchin's apparently hands-off approach was taken as reinforcing a broad offensive in trade built on the "America First" platform. It drew the ire of French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire. "We want exchange rates to reflect economic fundamentals... and we shouldn't play with these rates," Le Maire said in Davos. Business leaders in Davos have this week offered a broad welcome to controversial tax reforms enacted by Trump's Republicans, which slashed the headline rate of US corporate tax. But European political leaders fear a "race to the bottom" as the United States jockeys for an edge among foreign investors. Nice or nasty? A year ago, the Davos spotlight was claimed by China's communist leader Xi Jinping, who took up the torch of global trade to the delight of the well-heeled audience then anxious about Trump's inauguration. The Davos elite are keen now to see which version of Trump will speak on Friday -- the business-friendly tycoon or the leader who berated the rest of the world at the UN General Assembly last September. "I think they've already built down their expectations so far that anything he may say that's conciliatory, they'll be grateful for," Robert Kaplan, senior fellow at Washington's Center for a New American Security, told AFP at the forum. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel "stole the show" at Davos already, Kaplan added, after the European leaders used separate speeches on Wednesday to push back hard against the Trump manifesto.

Trump touts 'America First' to sceptical Davos elite

Donald Trump&rsquo;s huge tax cuts are a threat to the stability of the global economy, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund has warned.

Christine Lagarde singled out Trump&rsquo;s tax reforms as one of three risks that could destabilise the current economic recovery, especially given the boom in stock markets in the past year, reported The Guardian.

&ldquo;While the US tax reforms certainly will have positive effects in the short term, for the US and other countries around, it might also lead to serious risks,&rdquo; Lagarde told the World Economic Forum in Davos.

 
&ldquo;That has an impact on financial vulnerability, particularly given the high asset prices that we see around the world, and the easy financing that it still available,&rdquo; the newspaper quoted as she saying.

She was speaking shortly after the US president told Davos that his tax reforms had created &ldquo;a big, beautiful waterfall&rdquo; of pay rises for US workers, as American companies passed the tax cut on.

However, the IMF is concerned that cutting taxes will lead to a bigger US budget deficit, and that extra borrowing by the US Treasury will force up long-term American interest rates. As a result, it fears growth could be choked off in the longer term, making the stock market vulnerable to a sudden downward lurch.

Lagarde cautioned against people becoming too complacent about the pick-up in global growth reported by the IMF at the start of the WEF&rsquo;s annual meeting. The IMF raised its forecasts for global expansion to 3.9% this year and in 2019, reporting that all major economies &ndash; the US, the eurozone and Japan &ndash; are doing better.

 
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think that we&rsquo;ve completed the job,&rdquo; said Lagarde, who fears that the growing economic inequality in many countries is creating &ldquo;fractures&rdquo;.

&ldquo;Having growth is good, improving productive is good, but [policymakers should] make sure that the results of that growth are properly allocated,&rdquo; said the IMF chief, adding that inequality is growing in many advanced economies, and very high in emerging markets.

In addition to financial instability and inequality, Lagarde said a third risk was the lack of international cooperation and the geopolitical risks that could be created as a result.

Christine Lagarde singled out Trump’s tax reforms as one of three risks that could destabilise the current economic recovery, especially given the boom in stock markets in the past year

Donald Trump’s huge tax cuts are a threat to the stability of the global economy, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund has warned. Christine Lagarde singled out Trump’s tax reforms as one of three risks that could destabilise the current economic recovery, especially given the boom in stock markets in the past year, reported The Guardian. “While the US tax reforms certainly will have positive effects in the short term, for the US and other countries around, it might also lead to serious risks,” Lagarde told the World Economic Forum in Davos. “That has an impact on financial vulnerability, particularly given the high asset prices that we see around the world, and the easy financing that it still available,” the newspaper quoted as she saying. She was speaking shortly after the US president told Davos that his tax reforms had created “a big, beautiful waterfall” of pay rises for US workers, as American companies passed the tax cut on. However, the IMF is concerned that cutting taxes will lead to a bigger US budget deficit, and that extra borrowing by the US Treasury will force up long-term American interest rates. As a result, it fears growth could be choked off in the longer term, making the stock market vulnerable to a sudden downward lurch. Lagarde cautioned against people becoming too complacent about the pick-up in global growth reported by the IMF at the start of the WEF’s annual meeting. The IMF raised its forecasts for global expansion to 3.9% this year and in 2019, reporting that all major economies – the US, the eurozone and Japan – are doing better. “I don’t think that we’ve completed the job,” said Lagarde, who fears that the growing economic inequality in many countries is creating “fractures”. “Having growth is good, improving productive is good, but [policymakers should] make sure that the results of that growth are properly allocated,” said the IMF chief, adding that inequality is growing in many advanced economies, and very high in emerging markets. In addition to financial instability and inequality, Lagarde said a third risk was the lack of international cooperation and the geopolitical risks that could be created as a result.

Trump's tax cuts could destabilise global economy: IMF

US President Donald on Sunday asked countries to take decisive action against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them, in an indirect but obvious reference to Pakistan.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-explosion-un-us-condemn-terrorist-attack-eiffel-tower-to-go-dark-30938" target="_blank">UN, US condemn terrorist attack, Eiffel Tower to go dark</a>

In one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years, an explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul yesterday, killing at least 95 people and wounding 158 others.

Trump issued a strong statement in the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack claimed by the Taliban, which is second such assault in the Afghan capital in a week.

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-explosion-the-perpetrators-of-these-dastardly-attacks-should-be-brought-to-justice-says-ministry-of-external-affairs-30922" target="_blank"> India reacts to Kabul explosion &mdash; &#39;The perpetrators should be brought to justice,&#39; says MEA</a>

&quot;Now, all countries should take decisive action against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them,&quot; Trump said.

Both the US and Afghanistan claim that the Taliban has been successful in carrying out such attacks with impunity because of the continued existence of terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan, a charge repeatedly denied by Islamabad.

But the Trump administration early this month suspended nearly USD 2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan alleging that Islamabad is not taking appropriate actions against the Taliban and the Haqqani network.

&quot;I condemn the despicable car bombing attack in Kabul today (Saturday) that has left scores of innocent civilians dead and hundreds injured. This murderous attack renews our resolve and that of our Afghan partners,&quot; he said.

&quot;The Taliban&#39;s cruelty will not prevail,&quot; Trump said as he reiterated his commitment to free Aghanistan from terrorists.

&quot;The United States is committed to a secure Afghanistan that is free from terrorists who would target Americans, our allies, and anyone who does not share their wicked ideology,&quot; the US President said.

In his address to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said on Friday that his administration was committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never becomes a safe haven for terrorists.

&quot;We are committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who want to commit mass murder to our civilian populations,&quot; Trump said.

Trump issued a strong statement in the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack claimed by the Taliban

US President Donald on Sunday asked countries to take decisive action against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them, in an indirect but obvious reference to Pakistan. Also read: UN, US condemn terrorist attack, Eiffel Tower to go dark In one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years, an explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul yesterday, killing at least 95 people and wounding 158 others. Trump issued a strong statement in the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack claimed by the Taliban, which is second such assault in the Afghan capital in a week. Also read: India reacts to Kabul explosion — 'The perpetrators should be brought to justice,' says MEA "Now, all countries should take decisive action against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them," Trump said. Both the US and Afghanistan claim that the Taliban has been successful in carrying out such attacks with impunity because of the continued existence of terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan, a charge repeatedly denied by Islamabad. But the Trump administration early this month suspended nearly USD 2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan alleging that Islamabad is not taking appropriate actions against the Taliban and the Haqqani network. "I condemn the despicable car bombing attack in Kabul today (Saturday) that has left scores of innocent civilians dead and hundreds injured. This murderous attack renews our resolve and that of our Afghan partners," he said. "The Taliban's cruelty will not prevail," Trump said as he reiterated his commitment to free Aghanistan from terrorists. "The United States is committed to a secure Afghanistan that is free from terrorists who would target Americans, our allies, and anyone who does not share their wicked ideology," the US President said. In his address to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said on Friday that his administration was committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never becomes a safe haven for terrorists. "We are committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who want to commit mass murder to our civilian populations," Trump said.

Kabul attack: Donald Trump seeks decisive action against Taliban

President Donald Trump would be willing to sign the US back up to the Paris climate accord, but only if the treaty undergoes major change, he said in comments published today.

Trump was met with global condemnation when he announced in June 2017 that the United States was pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, painting it a &quot;bad deal&quot; for the US economy.

While the president remains firm in his criticism of the historic accord, which was signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, he said he would be willing to sign up to a revamped deal.

&quot;The Paris accord, for us, would have been a disaster,&quot; he told Britain&#39;s ITV channel in an interviewed to be aired late Sunday.

&quot;If they made a good deal... there&#39;s always a chance we&#39;d get back,&quot; Trump added, describing the current agreement as &quot;terrible&quot; and &quot;unfair&quot; to the US.

The landmark treaty was agreed by 197 nations in 2015 after intense negotiations in Paris, where all countries made voluntary carbon-cutting pledges running to 2030.

&quot;If somebody said, go back into the Paris accord, it would have to be a completely different deal because we had a horrible deal,&quot; Trump said, according to extracts of the interview.

&quot;Would I go back in? Yeah, I&#39;d go back in... I would love to.&quot;

Earlier this month Trump said the US could &quot;conceivably&quot; return to the deal under more favourable terms, raising questions about whether he was bluffing about pulling out of the Paris deal in a bid for easier emissions targets.

The landmark treaty was agreed by 197 nations in 2015 after intense negotiations in Paris, where all countries made voluntary carbon-cutting pledges running to 2030

President Donald Trump would be willing to sign the US back up to the Paris climate accord, but only if the treaty undergoes major change, he said in comments published today. Trump was met with global condemnation when he announced in June 2017 that the United States was pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, painting it a "bad deal" for the US economy. While the president remains firm in his criticism of the historic accord, which was signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, he said he would be willing to sign up to a revamped deal. "The Paris accord, for us, would have been a disaster," he told Britain's ITV channel in an interviewed to be aired late Sunday. "If they made a good deal... there's always a chance we'd get back," Trump added, describing the current agreement as "terrible" and "unfair" to the US. The landmark treaty was agreed by 197 nations in 2015 after intense negotiations in Paris, where all countries made voluntary carbon-cutting pledges running to 2030. "If somebody said, go back into the Paris accord, it would have to be a completely different deal because we had a horrible deal," Trump said, according to extracts of the interview. "Would I go back in? Yeah, I'd go back in... I would love to." Earlier this month Trump said the US could "conceivably" return to the deal under more favourable terms, raising questions about whether he was bluffing about pulling out of the Paris deal in a bid for easier emissions targets.

Donald Trump willing to sign a revamped Paris climate deal

Air Force One will be upgraded with two new refrigerators that will cost the United States taxpayers nearly $24 million.

In December, the US&nbsp;Air Force approved a $23.6 million contract with Boeing to replace two of the five &quot;cold chiller units&quot; aboard the aircraft used by President Donald Trump, reported CNN.

According to the Department of Defense (DOD) contract, the $24 million contract will cover the costs of engineering support services for the new chillers -- including prototype design, manufacturing and installation.

One reason the refrigerators cost so much is that Air Force One is a heavily modified and customized 747 jets, according to Defense One.

It is reported that the refrigerators and &quot;many other items on the aircraft&quot; are unique and not found on commercial or business aircraft.

Additionally, contractors that work on the presidential jet must also have high-level security clearances.

The $24 million price tag amounts to enough taxpayer money to fund an estimated eight weekends for the president at Mar-a-Lago in Florida&#39;s Palm Beach, where Trump visited 11 times in his first year as president, according to the media reports.

In December, the US Air Force approved a $23.6 million contract with Boeing to replace two of the five "cold chiller units" aboard the aircraft used by President Donald Trump

Air Force One will be upgraded with two new refrigerators that will cost the United States taxpayers nearly $24 million. In December, the US Air Force approved a $23.6 million contract with Boeing to replace two of the five "cold chiller units" aboard the aircraft used by President Donald Trump, reported CNN. According to the Department of Defense (DOD) contract, the $24 million contract will cover the costs of engineering support services for the new chillers -- including prototype design, manufacturing and installation. One reason the refrigerators cost so much is that Air Force One is a heavily modified and customized 747 jets, according to Defense One. It is reported that the refrigerators and "many other items on the aircraft" are unique and not found on commercial or business aircraft. Additionally, contractors that work on the presidential jet must also have high-level security clearances. The $24 million price tag amounts to enough taxpayer money to fund an estimated eight weekends for the president at Mar-a-Lago in Florida's Palm Beach, where Trump visited 11 times in his first year as president, according to the media reports.

Air Force One's new refrigerators cost $24 million

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met Swiss President Alain Berset here and discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual summit.

&quot;On reaching Davos, held talks with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr @alain_berset. We reviewed the scope of our bilateral cooperation and discussed ways to deepen it even further,&quot; Modi said in a tweet.

Berset said the discussions marked the meeting of the biggest and the oldest democracies in the world.

Thanking Modi, the Swiss President said he would continue to strengthen &quot;our relations&quot; with India.

&quot;First engagement in snowing #Davos, PM @narendramodi met with Swiss President @alain_berset. Two leaders had productive discussions on steps to further deepen our bilateral cooperation built upon our shared values of democracy and diversity. #IndiaMeansBusiness,&quot; an external affairs ministry spokesperson said in a tweet.

Sources said the two leaders are also believed to have discussed the progress on automatic exchange of tax information.

A legislation in this regard was passed by the Swiss Parliament, following which banks and financial institutions have begun collecting data for the first exchange that is to begin from next year.

Negotiations on EFTA (European Free Trade Association) trade pact and the bilateral investment protection agreement were also discussed, among various business and trade matters, they added.

Modi, who arrived at the ski-resort today, would be delivering the keynote address at the summit&#39;s plenary session today.&nbsp;

Berset said the discussions marked the meeting of the biggest and the oldest democracies in the world

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met Swiss President Alain Berset here and discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual summit. "On reaching Davos, held talks with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr @alain_berset. We reviewed the scope of our bilateral cooperation and discussed ways to deepen it even further," Modi said in a tweet. Berset said the discussions marked the meeting of the biggest and the oldest democracies in the world. Thanking Modi, the Swiss President said he would continue to strengthen "our relations" with India. "First engagement in snowing #Davos, PM @narendramodi met with Swiss President @alain_berset. Two leaders had productive discussions on steps to further deepen our bilateral cooperation built upon our shared values of democracy and diversity. #IndiaMeansBusiness," an external affairs ministry spokesperson said in a tweet. Sources said the two leaders are also believed to have discussed the progress on automatic exchange of tax information. A legislation in this regard was passed by the Swiss Parliament, following which banks and financial institutions have begun collecting data for the first exchange that is to begin from next year. Negotiations on EFTA (European Free Trade Association) trade pact and the bilateral investment protection agreement were also discussed, among various business and trade matters, they added. Modi, who arrived at the ski-resort today, would be delivering the keynote address at the summit's plenary session today.

At Davos, PM Modi and Swiss President discuss ways to deepen bilateral ties

Jay-Z is leading nominations Sunday for the Grammys, was feted Saturday by music industry heavyweights -- and, in between, was taken to task by the president of the United States.

President Donald Trump criticized Jay-Z on his Twitter feed, likely in response to the rap mogul&#39;s denunciations of the US leader in an interview.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Somebody please inform Jay-Z that because of my policies, Black Unemployment has just been reported to be at the LOWEST RATE EVER RECORDED!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/957603800579297280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Trump was accurately pointing to record-low unemployment for US minorities, although critics note that the US economic expansion began well before under his predecessor Barack Obama.

Jay-Z, who along with his wife Beyonce became friends and political allies of Obama, in the interview broadcast Saturday on CNN, said that Trump&#39;s belittling remarks toward people of colour overshadowed any employment data.

&quot;Money doesn&#39;t equate to happiness. It doesn&#39;t. That&#39;s missing the whole point,&quot; said Jay-Z, no stranger to flashing his material wealth.

&quot;You treat people like human beings, then that&#39;s the main point,&quot; he told host Van Jones, a former aide to Obama.

Jay-Z said that Trump&#39;s election laid bare the persistence of racism in the United States and voiced dismay at the president&#39;s reported quip that he did not want immigrants coming from &quot;shithole&quot; countries in Africa or predominantly black Haiti.

&quot;It&#39;s real hurtful. Because it&#39;s looking down at a whole population of people and it&#39;s so misinformed because these places have beautiful people and beautiful everything,&quot; Jay-Z said.

Jay-Z is in the running for eight Grammys on Sunday amid acclaim for his latest album &quot;4:44,&quot; a strikingly introspective work in which he addresses institutional racism, apologizes to Beyonce for infidelity and supports his mother as she comes out as a lesbian.

Jay-Z on Saturday night received an award as an &quot;industry icon&quot; at a pre-Grammy gala, where the rapper voiced contrition for boycotting the music industry&#39;s prize night two decades earlier.

President Donald Trump criticized Jay-Z on his Twitter feed, likely in response to the rap mogul's denunciations of the US leader in an interview

Jay-Z is leading nominations Sunday for the Grammys, was feted Saturday by music industry heavyweights -- and, in between, was taken to task by the president of the United States. President Donald Trump criticized Jay-Z on his Twitter feed, likely in response to the rap mogul's denunciations of the US leader in an interview. Somebody please inform Jay-Z that because of my policies, Black Unemployment has just been reported to be at the LOWEST RATE EVER RECORDED! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2018 × Trump was accurately pointing to record-low unemployment for US minorities, although critics note that the US economic expansion began well before under his predecessor Barack Obama. Jay-Z, who along with his wife Beyonce became friends and political allies of Obama, in the interview broadcast Saturday on CNN, said that Trump's belittling remarks toward people of colour overshadowed any employment data. "Money doesn't equate to happiness. It doesn't. That's missing the whole point," said Jay-Z, no stranger to flashing his material wealth. "You treat people like human beings, then that's the main point," he told host Van Jones, a former aide to Obama. Jay-Z said that Trump's election laid bare the persistence of racism in the United States and voiced dismay at the president's reported quip that he did not want immigrants coming from "shithole" countries in Africa or predominantly black Haiti. "It's real hurtful. Because it's looking down at a whole population of people and it's so misinformed because these places have beautiful people and beautiful everything," Jay-Z said. Jay-Z is in the running for eight Grammys on Sunday amid acclaim for his latest album "4:44," a strikingly introspective work in which he addresses institutional racism, apologizes to Beyonce for infidelity and supports his mother as she comes out as a lesbian. Jay-Z on Saturday night received an award as an "industry icon" at a pre-Grammy gala, where the rapper voiced contrition for boycotting the music industry's prize night two decades earlier.

Jay-Z, leading on Grammy Day, attacked by Trump

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