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.

Mueller is leading the probe into allegations of collusion between the US president&#39;s campaign team and Russia in the 2016 election, which Trump has repeatedly criticized and views as an attack on the legitimacy of his presidency.

The Republican leader gave the order in June 2017, according to the Times, but White House counsel Don McGahn refused, saying it would have a &quot;catastrophic effect&quot; on Trump&#39;s presidency.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/make-peace-or-lose-aid-trump-to-palestinians-30798" target="_blank">&#39;Make peace&#39; with Israel or lose aid,&nbsp;Trump tells Palestinians</a>

After McGahn threatened to quit, Trump backed down, The Times reported, citing four anonymous sources.

White House counsel Ty Cobb declined to comment on the matter, the newspaper said.

Trump had accused Mueller of three conflicts of interest that he argued disqualified him from running the probe, The Times said.

The alleged conflicts were as follows: Mueller had terminated his membership at a Trump golf course over a dispute about fees, had previously represented the president&#39;s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and had been interviewed for a possible return as director of the FBI before he was appointed as special counsel.

On Wednesday, Trump for the first time directly said that he would cooperate with Mueller, whose investigation he had previously dismissed as a &quot;witch hunt.&quot;

&quot;I would love to do it,&quot; Trump told reporters in the White House when asked about testifying.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-rolls-out-plan-for-path-to-citizenship-for-18-million-dreamers-30797" target="_blank">Trump unveils plan offering citizenship, in 10-12 years, to 1.8 million &#39;Dreamers&#39;</a>

&quot;I would do it under oath, absolutely,&quot; he added.

Any interview of a US president in an investigation is fraught with issues of executive privilege -- how much and in what context the US leader can be forced to disclose information.

In Trump&#39;s case, it also raises deep concerns that his shoot-from-the-hip outspokenness could jeopardize his own legal position.

Mueller is leading the probe into allegations of collusion between the US president's campaign team and Russia in the 2016 election

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. Mueller is leading the probe into allegations of collusion between the US president's campaign team and Russia in the 2016 election, which Trump has repeatedly criticized and views as an attack on the legitimacy of his presidency. The Republican leader gave the order in June 2017, according to the Times, but White House counsel Don McGahn refused, saying it would have a "catastrophic effect" on Trump's presidency. Also read: 'Make peace' with Israel or lose aid, Trump tells Palestinians After McGahn threatened to quit, Trump backed down, The Times reported, citing four anonymous sources. White House counsel Ty Cobb declined to comment on the matter, the newspaper said. Trump had accused Mueller of three conflicts of interest that he argued disqualified him from running the probe, The Times said. The alleged conflicts were as follows: Mueller had terminated his membership at a Trump golf course over a dispute about fees, had previously represented the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and had been interviewed for a possible return as director of the FBI before he was appointed as special counsel. On Wednesday, Trump for the first time directly said that he would cooperate with Mueller, whose investigation he had previously dismissed as a "witch hunt." "I would love to do it," Trump told reporters in the White House when asked about testifying. Also read: Trump unveils plan offering citizenship, in 10-12 years, to 1.8 million 'Dreamers' "I would do it under oath, absolutely," he added. Any interview of a US president in an investigation is fraught with issues of executive privilege -- how much and in what context the US leader can be forced to disclose information. In Trump's case, it also raises deep concerns that his shoot-from-the-hip outspokenness could jeopardize his own legal position.

Trump ordered Mueller's firing but reversed course: NYT

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-aadhaar-to-trade-and-commerce-heres-what-pm-modi-discussed-with-asean-leaders-30752">From Aadhaar to trade and commerce: Here&#39;s what PM Modi discussed with ASEAN leaders</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding bilateral meetings with the leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries who have gathered in New Delhi to join him in the Republic Day celebrations. This will be the biggest ever gathering of foreign leaders at the Republic Day parade that showcases India&#39;s military might and cultural diversity.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/draw-lessons-to-avoid-another-doklam-chinese-military-to-india-30756">Draw lessons to avoid another Doklam: Chinese military to India</a>

The Chinese military on Thursday criticised Army Chief General Bipin Rawat&#39;s recent remarks that Doklam is a disputed territory, asserting that it is very much part of China, and India should draw lessons from the 73-day standoff to avoid similar incidents in the future. Reacting for the first time to General Rawat&#39;s comments, Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Defence, told a media briefing that Doklam is part of China.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-releases-amid-high-security-viewers-wonder-whats-the-fuss-about-30748">Padmaavat</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-releases-amid-high-security-viewers-wonder-whats-the-fuss-about-30748"> releases amid high security; viewers wonder what&#39;s the fuss about</a>

Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s Padmaavat finally opened today amid tight security and palpable tension but audiences streamed into theatres across the country to watch the film that has the nation agog. Initial reports suggested good business for the film, which has been the focal point of protests by various Rajput groups, which allege that it distorts their history and defames their queen Padmavati.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/unites-states-presidents-and-history-of-sex-scandals-30762">Unites States presidents and history of sex scandals</a>

United States president Donald Trump has been accused of a number of sexual allegations in the recent past. But, Trump was perhaps not the only leader under this loop. In 1998, Bill Clinton was accused of having a continuous affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky from 1995 to 1997. However, two decades ago this week he declared that he &quot;did not have sexual relations with that woman,&quot; under oath.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-live-streamed-on-facebook-on-the-first-day-of-its-release-30768">Padmaavat</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-live-streamed-on-facebook-on-the-first-day-of-its-release-30768"> live streamed on Facebook on the first day of its release</a>

Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s controversial Padmaavat released in theatres today amid tight security. While four states- Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh - have decided not to release the film in their states, heavy security could be seen in almost every cinema hall in cities where the film released. Most morning shows saw 40-60% occupancy and trade analysts have predicted that the long weekend ahead will see more footfall.&nbsp;

From Aadhaar to trade and commerce: Here's what PM Modi discussed with ASEAN leaders Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding bilateral meetings with the leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries who have gathered in New Delhi to join him in the Republic Day celebrations. This will be the biggest ever gathering of foreign leaders at the Republic Day parade that showcases India's military might and cultural diversity. Draw lessons to avoid another Doklam: Chinese military to India The Chinese military on Thursday criticised Army Chief General Bipin Rawat's recent remarks that Doklam is a disputed territory, asserting that it is very much part of China, and India should draw lessons from the 73-day standoff to avoid similar incidents in the future. Reacting for the first time to General Rawat's comments, Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Defence, told a media briefing that Doklam is part of China. Padmaavat releases amid high security; viewers wonder what's the fuss about Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat finally opened today amid tight security and palpable tension but audiences streamed into theatres across the country to watch the film that has the nation agog. Initial reports suggested good business for the film, which has been the focal point of protests by various Rajput groups, which allege that it distorts their history and defames their queen Padmavati. Unites States presidents and history of sex scandals United States president Donald Trump has been accused of a number of sexual allegations in the recent past. But, Trump was perhaps not the only leader under this loop. In 1998, Bill Clinton was accused of having a continuous affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky from 1995 to 1997. However, two decades ago this week he declared that he "did not have sexual relations with that woman," under oath. Padmaavat live streamed on Facebook on the first day of its release Sanjay Leela Bhansali's controversial Padmaavat released in theatres today amid tight security. While four states- Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh - have decided not to release the film in their states, heavy security could be seen in almost every cinema hall in cities where the film released. Most morning shows saw 40-60% occupancy and trade analysts have predicted that the long weekend ahead will see more footfall.

WION Evening News Brief, January 25, 2018

Russia rejected Tuesday fresh US accusations that it bears responsibility for recent chemical attacks by the Syrian government, calling instead for a new &quot;truly impartial&quot; international investigation.

During a last-minute United Nations Security Council meeting he called, Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia lashed out at American Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for having &quot;hastily accused the Syrian -- as they call it -- &#39;regime&#39;&quot; of the reported attack in Eastern Ghouta that left its victims struggling to breathe.

&quot;Now they are trying to drag Russia into this as well,&quot; Nebenzia added.

His comments came as diplomats from 29 countries met in Paris to push for sanctions and criminal charges against the perpetrators of chemical attacks in Syria.

Russia and China have blocked Western-backed efforts at the UN to impose sanctions on Damascus over their use.

&quot;Does it not seem strange to anybody that this episode, which has yet to be confirmed, somehow coincided with the meeting in Paris and the forthcoming conference in Sochi? This is a strange coincidence,&quot; Nebenzia added.

During the Security Council meeting, Nebenzia called again for establishing a &quot;new international investigative body which, on the basis of irrefutable information, would be able to establish evidence to identify perpetrators in the use of chemical weapons.&quot;

His plan would replace a chemical weapons panel known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism, whose mandate could not be renewed due to Russian vetoes.

Moscow is also circulating a draft resolution that would establish the new investigative body that would be &quot;truly impartial, independent, professional and credible.&quot; Russia has repeatedly contested the JIM&#39;s legitimacy.

US envoy Nikki Haley quickly indicated the Russian proposal had no chance of being adopted. The United States also holds veto power at the Security Council.

&quot;We&#39;re not going to accept any Russian proposal that undermines our ability to get to the truth or that politicizes what must be an independent and impartial investigation,&quot; she said.

&quot;If they want to work in good faith toward that goal, we are ready to re-establish the JIM, with its original independent and impartial mandate, right now. But anything less is unacceptable.&quot;

She argued that Moscow had supported the JIM as long as its investigators pointed the finger at the so-called Islamic State group, but challenged their conclusions when they blamed the Syrian regime.

&quot;That is not how independent investigations work. You don&#39;t get to question the findings when they don&rsquo;t go your way,&quot; Haley said.

Damascus has been repeatedly accused of using chemical weapons, with the United Nations among those blaming government forces for an April 2017 sarin gas attack on the opposition-held village of Khan Sheikhun that left scores dead.

There have been at least 130 separate chemical weapons attacks in Syria since 2012, according to French estimates, with the Islamic State group also accused of using mustard gas in Syria and Iraq.

A new round of peace talks is due to take place in Vienna on Thursday and Friday, while Moscow has organized negotiations in the Russian city of Sochi next week aimed at ending Syria&#39;s civil war.

Russia has called for for a new 'truly impartial' international investigation

Russia rejected Tuesday fresh US accusations that it bears responsibility for recent chemical attacks by the Syrian government, calling instead for a new "truly impartial" international investigation. During a last-minute United Nations Security Council meeting he called, Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia lashed out at American Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for having "hastily accused the Syrian -- as they call it -- 'regime'" of the reported attack in Eastern Ghouta that left its victims struggling to breathe. "Now they are trying to drag Russia into this as well," Nebenzia added. His comments came as diplomats from 29 countries met in Paris to push for sanctions and criminal charges against the perpetrators of chemical attacks in Syria. Russia and China have blocked Western-backed efforts at the UN to impose sanctions on Damascus over their use. "Does it not seem strange to anybody that this episode, which has yet to be confirmed, somehow coincided with the meeting in Paris and the forthcoming conference in Sochi? This is a strange coincidence," Nebenzia added. During the Security Council meeting, Nebenzia called again for establishing a "new international investigative body which, on the basis of irrefutable information, would be able to establish evidence to identify perpetrators in the use of chemical weapons." His plan would replace a chemical weapons panel known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism, whose mandate could not be renewed due to Russian vetoes. Moscow is also circulating a draft resolution that would establish the new investigative body that would be "truly impartial, independent, professional and credible." Russia has repeatedly contested the JIM's legitimacy. US envoy Nikki Haley quickly indicated the Russian proposal had no chance of being adopted. The United States also holds veto power at the Security Council. "We're not going to accept any Russian proposal that undermines our ability to get to the truth or that politicizes what must be an independent and impartial investigation," she said. "If they want to work in good faith toward that goal, we are ready to re-establish the JIM, with its original independent and impartial mandate, right now. But anything less is unacceptable." She argued that Moscow had supported the JIM as long as its investigators pointed the finger at the so-called Islamic State group, but challenged their conclusions when they blamed the Syrian regime. "That is not how independent investigations work. You don't get to question the findings when they don’t go your way," Haley said. Damascus has been repeatedly accused of using chemical weapons, with the United Nations among those blaming government forces for an April 2017 sarin gas attack on the opposition-held village of Khan Sheikhun that left scores dead. There have been at least 130 separate chemical weapons attacks in Syria since 2012, according to French estimates, with the Islamic State group also accused of using mustard gas in Syria and Iraq. A new round of peace talks is due to take place in Vienna on Thursday and Friday, while Moscow has organized negotiations in the Russian city of Sochi next week aimed at ending Syria's civil war.

Russia says it's not behind Syria chemical attacks

US President Donald Trump is aiming to be the &quot;best salesperson&quot; for American economic interests when he goes to Davos later this week, the White House said Tuesday.

Trump is set to speak Friday at the World Economic Forum, an annual gathering of the global pro-trade elite at the Swiss ski resort, in a move that has raised eyebrows because of his protectionist &quot;America First&quot; policies.

&quot;We&#39;re going to the World Economic Forum to share President Trump&#39;s economic story and to tell the world that America is open for business,&quot; said Trump&#39;s chief economic adviser Gary Cohn.

&quot;We want the world to invest in America and to create jobs for hardworking Americans,&quot; he continued, adding that Trump&#39;s economic agenda -- focused on aggressive deregulation and corporate tax cuts -- had &quot;unleashed the US economy.&quot;

The former real estate tycoon is &quot;firmly committed to being the best salesperson the US has to drive economic growth and drive prosperity and drive a better quality of life for American citizens,&quot; Cohn said.

He continued: &quot;America First is not America alone. I said in my remarks when we grow, the world grows. When the world grows, we grow.&quot;

The Trump administration has repeatedly lashed out at allegedly unfair trade agreements and practices, slapping additional import duties on products from across the world, claiming they benefited from unfair state subsidies.

Soon after he took office, Trump announced the US was pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) signed in 2015 by a dozen nations that accounted for 40 percent of the global economy.

The remaining 11 countries announced Tuesday they would move forward with the deal without Washington.

He has also repeatedly threatened to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which is currently being renegotiated between its three participants -- Canada, Mexico and the US.

Cohn suggested, however, that the US was working on new bilateral agreements, without providing further details.

&quot;The US is pulling back from nothing,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;When the president was in Asia he talked about trade agreements and his willingness to have bilateral trade agreements with many of the countries he visited in Asia. We are more than willing to have bilateral trade agreements.&quot;

Trump is set to speak Friday at the World Economic Forum

US President Donald Trump is aiming to be the "best salesperson" for American economic interests when he goes to Davos later this week, the White House said Tuesday. Trump is set to speak Friday at the World Economic Forum, an annual gathering of the global pro-trade elite at the Swiss ski resort, in a move that has raised eyebrows because of his protectionist "America First" policies. "We're going to the World Economic Forum to share President Trump's economic story and to tell the world that America is open for business," said Trump's chief economic adviser Gary Cohn. "We want the world to invest in America and to create jobs for hardworking Americans," he continued, adding that Trump's economic agenda -- focused on aggressive deregulation and corporate tax cuts -- had "unleashed the US economy." The former real estate tycoon is "firmly committed to being the best salesperson the US has to drive economic growth and drive prosperity and drive a better quality of life for American citizens," Cohn said. He continued: "America First is not America alone. I said in my remarks when we grow, the world grows. When the world grows, we grow." The Trump administration has repeatedly lashed out at allegedly unfair trade agreements and practices, slapping additional import duties on products from across the world, claiming they benefited from unfair state subsidies. Soon after he took office, Trump announced the US was pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) signed in 2015 by a dozen nations that accounted for 40 percent of the global economy. The remaining 11 countries announced Tuesday they would move forward with the deal without Washington. He has also repeatedly threatened to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which is currently being renegotiated between its three participants -- Canada, Mexico and the US. Cohn suggested, however, that the US was working on new bilateral agreements, without providing further details. "The US is pulling back from nothing," he said. "When the president was in Asia he talked about trade agreements and his willingness to have bilateral trade agreements with many of the countries he visited in Asia. We are more than willing to have bilateral trade agreements."

Trump will be 'best salesperson' for US economy at Davos: White House

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions was questioned last week by the special counsel&rsquo;s office investigating potential collusion between Russia and President Donald Trump&rsquo;s 2016 presidential campaign, the US Justice Department said on Tuesday.

The interview marked the first time that Special Counsel Robert Mueller&rsquo;s office is known to have interviewed a member of Trump&rsquo;s Cabinet.

The interview with Sessions, who served as an advisor to Trump&rsquo;s campaign before the president appointed him as the top US law enforcement official, is another serious development in an investigation that has hung like a cloud over Trump&rsquo;s year-old presidency.

Sessions recused himself from overseeing the Russia probe last March after media outlets reported he had failed to disclose several 2016 meetings with Russia&rsquo;s ambassador. His recusal paved the way for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the No. 2 official in the Justice Department, to appoint Mueller as special counsel in May 2017.

Reuters could not immediately learn details about what kinds of questions Sessions faced during his interview, which was first reported by the New York Times.

But his involvement in Trump&rsquo;s firing of former FBI Director James Comey is likely to be one area of interest for Mueller&rsquo;s team as it looks at potential obstruction of justice by the Republican president.

Ian Prior, a Justice Department spokesman, confirmed that Sessions met with Mueller&rsquo;s team last week, but did not provide any additional details. An attorney representing Sessions could not immediately be reached for comment.

Trump fired Comey last May after both Sessions and Rosenstein penned a memo recommending his ouster over his prior handling of the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton&rsquo;s use of a private email server. Clinton was the Democratic presidential candidate who lost to Trump in 2016.

Trump later said he fired Comey over &ldquo;this Russia thing,&rdquo; a comment that raised questions about whether he was attempting to obstruct the FBI&rsquo;s investigation. Mueller took over the investigation after being appointed special counsel.

Sessions&rsquo; participation in a March 31, 2016, meeting of Trump&rsquo;s national security campaign advisers could also be of interest to Mueller.

At that meeting, which Sessions led, former campaign volunteer and adviser George Papadopoulos offered to help broker a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is now cooperating with Mueller&rsquo;s ongoing investigation.

Sessions had previously testified he was unaware of any contact between campaign associates and Russians.

However, after news of Mueller&rsquo;s criminal charges against Papadopoulos became public, he later testified before Congress that he did now recall the meeting. In that testimony, he said he pushed back against Papadopoulos&rsquo; suggestion of a Putin meeting.

Trump this month refused to commit to being interviewed by Mueller, saying &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll speak to attorneys&rdquo; about the matter and that &ldquo;there was absolutely no collusion.&rdquo;

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 campaign using hacking and propaganda to attempt to tilt the race in favour of Trump. Russia has denied it.

Sessions had previously testified he was unaware of any contact between campaign associates and Russians

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions was questioned last week by the special counsel’s office investigating potential collusion between Russia and President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, the US Justice Department said on Tuesday. The interview marked the first time that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office is known to have interviewed a member of Trump’s Cabinet. The interview with Sessions, who served as an advisor to Trump’s campaign before the president appointed him as the top US law enforcement official, is another serious development in an investigation that has hung like a cloud over Trump’s year-old presidency. Sessions recused himself from overseeing the Russia probe last March after media outlets reported he had failed to disclose several 2016 meetings with Russia’s ambassador. His recusal paved the way for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the No. 2 official in the Justice Department, to appoint Mueller as special counsel in May 2017. Reuters could not immediately learn details about what kinds of questions Sessions faced during his interview, which was first reported by the New York Times. But his involvement in Trump’s firing of former FBI Director James Comey is likely to be one area of interest for Mueller’s team as it looks at potential obstruction of justice by the Republican president. Ian Prior, a Justice Department spokesman, confirmed that Sessions met with Mueller’s team last week, but did not provide any additional details. An attorney representing Sessions could not immediately be reached for comment. Trump fired Comey last May after both Sessions and Rosenstein penned a memo recommending his ouster over his prior handling of the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. Clinton was the Democratic presidential candidate who lost to Trump in 2016. Trump later said he fired Comey over “this Russia thing,” a comment that raised questions about whether he was attempting to obstruct the FBI’s investigation. Mueller took over the investigation after being appointed special counsel. Sessions’ participation in a March 31, 2016, meeting of Trump’s national security campaign advisers could also be of interest to Mueller. At that meeting, which Sessions led, former campaign volunteer and adviser George Papadopoulos offered to help broker a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is now cooperating with Mueller’s ongoing investigation. Sessions had previously testified he was unaware of any contact between campaign associates and Russians. However, after news of Mueller’s criminal charges against Papadopoulos became public, he later testified before Congress that he did now recall the meeting. In that testimony, he said he pushed back against Papadopoulos’ suggestion of a Putin meeting. Trump this month refused to commit to being interviewed by Mueller, saying “I’ll speak to attorneys” about the matter and that “there was absolutely no collusion.” US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 campaign using hacking and propaganda to attempt to tilt the race in favour of Trump. Russia has denied it.

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions questioned in Russia probe

United States President Donald Trump put out an ad on Saturday which called Democrats &quot;complicit in every murder committed by illegal immigrants.&quot;

The ad, part of his campaign for re-election, titled &quot;Complicit&quot; was released on the anniversary of the US elected President&#39;s inauguration.

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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The&nbsp;ad says, &quot;Democrats who stand in our way will be complicit in every murder committed by illegal immigrants.&quot;&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-suggests-nuclear-option-to-end-us-government-shutdown-30280">Trump suggests &#39;nuclear option&#39; to end US government shutdown</a>

The ad focuses on an immigrant Luis Bracamontes who was charged in 2014 for killing two police officers in California.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tries-to-fix-government-shutdown-over-phone-30273">Trump tries to fix government shutdown over phone</a>

The ad has triggered outrage among Democrat&nbsp;leaders.

Blamed for the government shutdown and placing immigrants interests over the American, Democrat&nbsp;senator Chuck Schumer&#39;s spokesperson responded to the ad in an email, &quot;this is a shameless attempt by the president to distract from the Trump shutdown. Rather than campaigning, he should do his job and negotiate a deal to open the government address the needs of the American people,&quot; Reuters reported.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/first-day-of-us-government-shutdown-ends-in-standoff-30197">First</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/first-day-of-us-government-shutdown-ends-in-standoff-30197"> day of US government shutdown ends in standoff</a>

United States Senator Bernie Sanders also reacted on ad calling it&nbsp;unbelievable and sad for the country to have a president that says such outrageous stuff, CNN reported.

Trump had already filed for re-election on his inauguration day in 2017, which was an unusual move as no president has ever done on his inauguration day.

The move allows Trump to begin campaigning long before the November 2020 election, allowing him to raise money and hold rallies paid by his campaign.

On Friday, Senate Democrats opposed a bill that would have avoided the shutdown, because their efforts to include protection&nbsp;for hundreds of thousands of mostly young immigrants, known as Dreamers, were rejected by Trump and Republican leaders.

The US Senate adjourned late Sunday without reaching a deal on re-opening government, as the Republican leadership <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-senate-postpones-vote-on-ending-shutdown-to-noon-monday-30288">postponed a vote</a> on ending the shutdown until noon on Monday.

(Inputs from Reuters)

The ad is part of his re-election campaign for in 2020 presidential elections

United States President Donald Trump put out an ad on Saturday which called Democrats "complicit in every murder committed by illegal immigrants." The ad, part of his campaign for re-election, titled "Complicit" was released on the anniversary of the US elected President's inauguration. × The ad says, "Democrats who stand in our way will be complicit in every murder committed by illegal immigrants." Also read: Trump suggests 'nuclear option' to end US government shutdown The ad focuses on an immigrant Luis Bracamontes who was charged in 2014 for killing two police officers in California. Also read: Trump tries to fix government shutdown over phone The ad has triggered outrage among Democrat leaders. Blamed for the government shutdown and placing immigrants interests over the American, Democrat senator Chuck Schumer's spokesperson responded to the ad in an email, "this is a shameless attempt by the president to distract from the Trump shutdown. Rather than campaigning, he should do his job and negotiate a deal to open the government address the needs of the American people," Reuters reported. Also read: First day of US government shutdown ends in standoff United States Senator Bernie Sanders also reacted on ad calling it unbelievable and sad for the country to have a president that says such outrageous stuff, CNN reported. Trump had already filed for re-election on his inauguration day in 2017, which was an unusual move as no president has ever done on his inauguration day. The move allows Trump to begin campaigning long before the November 2020 election, allowing him to raise money and hold rallies paid by his campaign. On Friday, Senate Democrats opposed a bill that would have avoided the shutdown, because their efforts to include protection for hundreds of thousands of mostly young immigrants, known as Dreamers, were rejected by Trump and Republican leaders. The US Senate adjourned late Sunday without reaching a deal on re-opening government, as the Republican leadership postponed a vote on ending the shutdown until noon on Monday. (Inputs from Reuters)

Trump re-election ad calls Democrats 'complicit' in murder by illegal immigrants

European leaders will be out in force at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week to defend multilateralism before US President Donald Trump arrives to deliver his &quot;America First&quot; message.

Politicians, business chiefs, bankers and celebrities will meet in the Swiss Alps under the banner &quot;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&quot; for the four-day gathering against an unsettling global backdrop.

A decade after the bankruptcy of US investment bank Lehman Brothers helped trigger a global financial crisis, economic growth has returned and stock markets are hitting record highs.

Yet there is a nagging fear among many in Davos that the brighter economic outlook could turn out to be little more than a mirage if the daunting array of geopolitical threats - from protectionism and climate change to cyber attacks and outright war - gather pace in 2018.

&quot;Not all geopolitical threats are threats to financial markets,&quot; Axel Weber, the chairman of Swiss bank UBS and former president of the German Bundesbank told Reuters. &quot;But I agree that there may be a disconnect, which has been going on for some time already and may well continue for some time.&quot;

The Global Risks Report published by the WEF last week showed that many see a heightened risk of political and economic confrontations between major powers this year.

Trump, the first sitting US president to attend the forum since Bill Clinton in 2000, is a source of much of this anxiety after a volatile first year in office in which he has turned American foreign policy on its head.

The forum will open on Tuesday with a speech by India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and end on Friday, when Trump is due to address the massive auditorium where Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke last year, offering to fill the global leadership void created by an inward-looking Washington.

White House officials said over the weekend that a government shutdown in the United States was unlikely to prevent Trump from making the trip, although the budget director Mick Mulvaney said it was now &quot;in flux&quot;.

In the days between Modi and Trump, the leaders of Europe&#39;s biggest countries, absent from Davos last year and emboldened by their own economic recovery, will offer an alternative vision to Trump and Xi, who the Europeans say has failed to deliver on his promise of a year ago to open China up to foreign investment.

Europe&#39;s New Star

The charge will be led by French President Emmanuel Macron, the new star of European politics, who in an audacious move, has invited many of the business leaders who will be in Davos to the Palace of Versailles on Monday to press them to invest in France.

When he speaks in Davos on Wednesday, the former investment banker will offer his own &quot;diagnosis&quot; of globalisation and set out a vision for addressing widening inequalities, global warming and the rise of nationalism, his advisers say.

&quot;I don&#39;t think Macron will be able to resist being the counter-Trump,&quot; said Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think tank in London.

Macron will be joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, returning to the world stage after months of political limbo at home, and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, back in Davos after a 20-year absence, is also due to speak.

The WEF is a marathon of panel discussions, lunches and cocktail parties that delve into subjects as diverse as terrorism, artificial intelligence and wellness.

This year&#39;s conference will include several sessions on sexual harassment, a nod to the #MeToo movement that erupted after allegations of sexual misconduct by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Criticised in past years for not representing women, the WEF appointed seven female co-chairs this year, including Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Ginni Rometty, the CEO of IBM.

Among the other leaders attending are British Prime Minister Theresa May, Israel&#39;s Benjamin Netanyahu and several African leaders, including Zimbabwe&#39;s new president Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Last year, the sole envoy from the Trump camp in the week leading up to his inauguration was Anthony Scaramucci, the New York financier who was sacked after just 10 days as White House communications director.

This year, Trump will be joined by a large US delegation including Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

For the first time in years, Iran will not be represented. WEF officials could not say whether the late cancellation by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif had anything to do with Trump&#39;s decision to speak.

European leaders will be out in force at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week to defend multilateralism before US President Donald Trump arrives to deliver his "America First" message.

European leaders will be out in force at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week to defend multilateralism before US President Donald Trump arrives to deliver his "America First" message. Politicians, business chiefs, bankers and celebrities will meet in the Swiss Alps under the banner "Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World" for the four-day gathering against an unsettling global backdrop. A decade after the bankruptcy of US investment bank Lehman Brothers helped trigger a global financial crisis, economic growth has returned and stock markets are hitting record highs. Yet there is a nagging fear among many in Davos that the brighter economic outlook could turn out to be little more than a mirage if the daunting array of geopolitical threats - from protectionism and climate change to cyber attacks and outright war - gather pace in 2018. "Not all geopolitical threats are threats to financial markets," Axel Weber, the chairman of Swiss bank UBS and former president of the German Bundesbank told Reuters. "But I agree that there may be a disconnect, which has been going on for some time already and may well continue for some time." The Global Risks Report published by the WEF last week showed that many see a heightened risk of political and economic confrontations between major powers this year. Trump, the first sitting US president to attend the forum since Bill Clinton in 2000, is a source of much of this anxiety after a volatile first year in office in which he has turned American foreign policy on its head. The forum will open on Tuesday with a speech by India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and end on Friday, when Trump is due to address the massive auditorium where Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke last year, offering to fill the global leadership void created by an inward-looking Washington. White House officials said over the weekend that a government shutdown in the United States was unlikely to prevent Trump from making the trip, although the budget director Mick Mulvaney said it was now "in flux". In the days between Modi and Trump, the leaders of Europe's biggest countries, absent from Davos last year and emboldened by their own economic recovery, will offer an alternative vision to Trump and Xi, who the Europeans say has failed to deliver on his promise of a year ago to open China up to foreign investment. Europe's New Star The charge will be led by French President Emmanuel Macron, the new star of European politics, who in an audacious move, has invited many of the business leaders who will be in Davos to the Palace of Versailles on Monday to press them to invest in France. When he speaks in Davos on Wednesday, the former investment banker will offer his own "diagnosis" of globalisation and set out a vision for addressing widening inequalities, global warming and the rise of nationalism, his advisers say. "I don't think Macron will be able to resist being the counter-Trump," said Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think tank in London. Macron will be joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, returning to the world stage after months of political limbo at home, and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, back in Davos after a 20-year absence, is also due to speak. The WEF is a marathon of panel discussions, lunches and cocktail parties that delve into subjects as diverse as terrorism, artificial intelligence and wellness. This year's conference will include several sessions on sexual harassment, a nod to the #MeToo movement that erupted after allegations of sexual misconduct by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Criticised in past years for not representing women, the WEF appointed seven female co-chairs this year, including Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Ginni Rometty, the CEO of IBM. Among the other leaders attending are British Prime Minister Theresa May, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and several African leaders, including Zimbabwe's new president Emmerson Mnangagwa. Last year, the sole envoy from the Trump camp in the week leading up to his inauguration was Anthony Scaramucci, the New York financier who was sacked after just 10 days as White House communications director. This year, Trump will be joined by a large US delegation including Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his son-in-law Jared Kushner. For the first time in years, Iran will not be represented. WEF officials could not say whether the late cancellation by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif had anything to do with Trump's decision to speak.

Europe readies riposte to Trump's 'America First' push in Davos

President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers were locked in a standoff with Democrats on Saturday over the U.S. government shutdown, with Republicans saying they would not negotiate on immigration until the government is reopened. Funding for federal agencies ran out at midnight with no agreement in Congress, meaning the second year of Trump&rsquo;s presidency began without a fully functioning government. Democrats stuck to demands that any short-term spending legislation must include protections for young undocumented immigrants known as &ldquo;Dreamers.&rdquo; Republicans in turn said they would not negotiate on immigration until Democrats gave them the votes needed to reopen the government. U.S. government workers were told to stay home or, in some cases, work without pay until new funding is approved in the first federal government shutdown since a 16-day funding lapse in October 2013.

The Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives held rare weekend sessions on Saturday, facing a political crisis that could affect November congressional elections. By about 7 p.m. both chambers resigned themselves to failure and agreed to resume work on Sunday. Both Republicans and Democrats had dug in during the day, each side blaming the other. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would vote at 0100 EST (0600 GMT) Monday on a bill to fund the government through Feb. 8, unless Democrats agree to hold it sooner.

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&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll be right back at this tomorrow and for as long as it takes&rdquo; for Democrats to vote for legislation that would reopen the government, McConnell said.

Outside the U.S. Capitol, parks, open-air monuments and Smithsonian museums were open as a second annual women&rsquo;s rights march took place on the National Mall. But visitors were turned away from the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York Harbor. A scheduled trip by Trump and some Cabinet members to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was being assessed on a day-to-day basis, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said. Republicans said they would refuse to negotiate on immigration until Democrats provide the votes to re-open the government. Democrats insisted they have been willing to compromise but Republicans backed out of deals.

&ldquo;The president will not negotiate on immigration reform until Democrats stop playing games and reopen the government,&rdquo; said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders. Marc Short, the White House&rsquo;s legislative affairs director, said Trump had been in contact with Republican leaders in Congress during the day, but had not reached out to Democrats. Short said the president likely would be most effective making the case for ending the shutdown directly to the American people, and he did not rule out Trump addressing the nation in the coming days. The tough message from the White House and Republicans in Congress led to speculation that Washington could be in for a prolonged political battle.

At the U.S. Capitol, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer delivered a stinging portrayal of Trump as an unreliable negotiating partner, saying the two sides came close to an agreement several times only to have Trump back out at the urging of anti-immigration conservatives. &ldquo;Negotiating with President Trump is like negotiating with Jell-O,&rdquo; said Schumer, who met Trump at the White House on Friday for a 90-minute meeting that had briefly raised hopes. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s impossible to negotiate with a constantly moving target.&rdquo;

&lsquo;Inches away&rsquo;

The federal government had been running on three consecutive temporary funding bills since the new fiscal year began in October. Democrats had sought to secure permanent legal protections for 700,000 young undocumented immigrants as a condition for new government funding after their attempts to push through the protections in stand-alone bills were rebuffed. Trump ordered the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program to expire in March, requiring Congress to act. Earlier, McConnell said a solution to the crisis was &ldquo;just inches away&rdquo; but he blamed Democrats for blocking legislation to pass the fourth stopgap funding measure.

One idea floated by Republicans was to renew government funding through Feb. 8 to end the shutdown, while working to resolve other issues, including immigration, military and non-military spending, disaster relief and some healthcare matters. U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly, a Democrat whose northern Virginia district has one of the highest concentrations of federal government employees, said there was no sign that serious bipartisan negotiations were taking place and he would be surprised if Congress reached a resolution before Monday. &ldquo;You can hear the crickets chirping in the hallway,&rdquo; Connolly said on Saturday evening. He said if there were negotiations, &ldquo;it would have to be really deep back channels.&rdquo; He attributed the lack of talks to &ldquo;raw feelings&rdquo; and that Trump had walked away on Friday from a deal on immigration.

A video ad released on Saturday by Trump&rsquo;s presidential campaign that says Democrats will be &ldquo;complicit&rdquo; in murders by illegal immigrants could inflame tensions. Trump had portrayed himself as the ultimate dealmaker, but his inability to cut a deal despite having a Republican majority in both houses of Congress marked arguably the most debilitating setback for his administration. &ldquo;This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present,&rdquo; he said on Twitter. The immediate impact of the government shutdown was eased somewhat by it beginning on a weekend. The Defense Department said combat operations in Afghanistan and other military activities would continue, while federal law enforcement officers also would remain on duty.

Talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement will continue, as will major cybersecurity functions, and most of the Environmental Protection Agency will remain open, budget director Mulvaney said. But without a quick deal, hundreds of thousands of government employees will be put on temporary unpaid leave. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s ironic that they get paid &ndash; meaning Congress &ndash; and the rest of the government doesn&rsquo;t,&rdquo; said Dawn Gaither, 57, a Washington teacher. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s what we need to do, kick these guys in the tail and get them to work.&rdquo;

Republicans said they would not negotiate on immigration until the government is reopened

President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers were locked in a standoff with Democrats on Saturday over the U.S. government shutdown, with Republicans saying they would not negotiate on immigration until the government is reopened. Funding for federal agencies ran out at midnight with no agreement in Congress, meaning the second year of Trump’s presidency began without a fully functioning government. Democrats stuck to demands that any short-term spending legislation must include protections for young undocumented immigrants known as “Dreamers.” Republicans in turn said they would not negotiate on immigration until Democrats gave them the votes needed to reopen the government. U.S. government workers were told to stay home or, in some cases, work without pay until new funding is approved in the first federal government shutdown since a 16-day funding lapse in October 2013. The Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives held rare weekend sessions on Saturday, facing a political crisis that could affect November congressional elections. By about 7 p.m. both chambers resigned themselves to failure and agreed to resume work on Sunday. Both Republicans and Democrats had dug in during the day, each side blaming the other. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would vote at 0100 EST (0600 GMT) Monday on a bill to fund the government through Feb. 8, unless Democrats agree to hold it sooner. Funding for federal agencies ran out at midnight with no agreement in Congress, meaning the second year of Trump’s presidency began without a fully functioning government × “We’ll be right back at this tomorrow and for as long as it takes” for Democrats to vote for legislation that would reopen the government, McConnell said. Outside the U.S. Capitol, parks, open-air monuments and Smithsonian museums were open as a second annual women’s rights march took place on the National Mall. But visitors were turned away from the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York Harbor. A scheduled trip by Trump and some Cabinet members to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was being assessed on a day-to-day basis, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said. Republicans said they would refuse to negotiate on immigration until Democrats provide the votes to re-open the government. Democrats insisted they have been willing to compromise but Republicans backed out of deals. “The president will not negotiate on immigration reform until Democrats stop playing games and reopen the government,” said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders. Marc Short, the White House’s legislative affairs director, said Trump had been in contact with Republican leaders in Congress during the day, but had not reached out to Democrats. Short said the president likely would be most effective making the case for ending the shutdown directly to the American people, and he did not rule out Trump addressing the nation in the coming days. The tough message from the White House and Republicans in Congress led to speculation that Washington could be in for a prolonged political battle. At the U.S. Capitol, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer delivered a stinging portrayal of Trump as an unreliable negotiating partner, saying the two sides came close to an agreement several times only to have Trump back out at the urging of anti-immigration conservatives. “Negotiating with President Trump is like negotiating with Jell-O,” said Schumer, who met Trump at the White House on Friday for a 90-minute meeting that had briefly raised hopes. “It’s impossible to negotiate with a constantly moving target.” ‘Inches away’ The federal government had been running on three consecutive temporary funding bills since the new fiscal year began in October. Democrats had sought to secure permanent legal protections for 700,000 young undocumented immigrants as a condition for new government funding after their attempts to push through the protections in stand-alone bills were rebuffed. Trump ordered the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program to expire in March, requiring Congress to act. Earlier, McConnell said a solution to the crisis was “just inches away” but he blamed Democrats for blocking legislation to pass the fourth stopgap funding measure. One idea floated by Republicans was to renew government funding through Feb. 8 to end the shutdown, while working to resolve other issues, including immigration, military and non-military spending, disaster relief and some healthcare matters. U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly, a Democrat whose northern Virginia district has one of the highest concentrations of federal government employees, said there was no sign that serious bipartisan negotiations were taking place and he would be surprised if Congress reached a resolution before Monday. “You can hear the crickets chirping in the hallway,” Connolly said on Saturday evening. He said if there were negotiations, “it would have to be really deep back channels.” He attributed the lack of talks to “raw feelings” and that Trump had walked away on Friday from a deal on immigration. A video ad released on Saturday by Trump’s presidential campaign that says Democrats will be “complicit” in murders by illegal immigrants could inflame tensions. Trump had portrayed himself as the ultimate dealmaker, but his inability to cut a deal despite having a Republican majority in both houses of Congress marked arguably the most debilitating setback for his administration. “This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present,” he said on Twitter. The immediate impact of the government shutdown was eased somewhat by it beginning on a weekend. The Defense Department said combat operations in Afghanistan and other military activities would continue, while federal law enforcement officers also would remain on duty. Talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement will continue, as will major cybersecurity functions, and most of the Environmental Protection Agency will remain open, budget director Mulvaney said. But without a quick deal, hundreds of thousands of government employees will be put on temporary unpaid leave. “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.”

First day of US government shutdown ends in standoff

President Donald Trump will unveil his second budget on Monday - seeking to make good on his promise to bolster military spending and requesting funds for infrastructure, construction of a wall along the border with Mexico and opioid treatment programs.

The budget plan, which is viewed largely as suggestions by Congress, which has the constitutional authority to decide spending levels, will likely draw criticism from conservatives who worry that Republicans are embracing deficit spending.

The proposal will include $200 billion for infrastructure spending and more than $23 billion for border security and immigration enforcement, Mick Mulvaney, who heads the administration`s budget office, said in a statement on Sunday night.

It will also provide &quot;for a robust and rebuilt national defense,&quot; he said.

But the statement added that the proposal would recommend cuts that would lower the deficit by $3 trillion over 10 years.

&quot;The budget does bend the trajectory down,&quot; Mulvaney told the &quot;Fox News Sunday&quot; program earlier on Sunday. &quot;It does move us back towards balance. It does get us away from trillion-dollar deficits.&quot;

The budget request will be delivered to Congress only days after Trump signed off on a bipartisan spending agreement hammered out by lawmakers that will increase domestic spending by $300 billion over two years - including $165 billion in defense spending and $131 billion in non-military domestic spending.

The White House plans to amend its request to take into account the higher spending levels in the agreement that passed on Friday, a senior official in the Office of Management and Budget said.

Mulvaney said on Sunday all that money did not need to be spent.&nbsp;

&quot;These are spending caps,&quot; Mulvaney said. &quot;They are not spending floors. You don&rsquo;t have to spend all that.&quot;

The spending deal will add to the annual budget deficit, which will now exceed $1 trillion in 2019, said the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget watchdog group.

Trump`s previous budget was criticized for recommending cuts to spending to achieve deficit reduction that ultimately even members of his own Republican Party thought were untenable.&nbsp;

&quot;I hope the budget that we see is workable and recognizes the landscape we`re in,&quot; said Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican member of the Appropriations Committee. &quot;A lot of times, what you have is a budget that even the Cabinet secretaries can`t defend.&quot;&nbsp;

Deficit debate

&quot;The president`s budget is always a list of pretty good suggestions. It`s not `the` budget,&quot; said Senate Budget Chairman Mike Enzi.&nbsp;

This year`s budget is likely to stoke debates about deficits that began when Congress passed a tax overhaul in December. The tax cuts in the legislation contained no corresponding reductions in spending and instead relied on arguments that the lower rates would stoke economic growth.

Trump`s budget will include a number of economic forecasts and is expected to rely on estimates that the economy will keep growing at a rapid pace for the foreseeable future.

Such forecasts could obscure the level of deficit spending, said Robert Greenstein, president of the progressive Center for Budget Policy and Priorities.&nbsp;

&quot;It`ll essentially be another budget gimmick, alongside rosy economic assumptions, to make the deficit smaller than it will actually be,&quot; Greenstein said.&nbsp;

The budget proposal will include two key elements - $18 billion over two years for Trump`s long-promised border wall and $200 billion in federal funds to spur $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investments over the next 10 years with state, local and private partners, Mulvaney`s statement said.

Trump promised during the 2016 campaign that Mexico would pay for the border wall, which the Mexican government has insisted it will not do.

Democrats oppose the wall, which Trump has said is aimed at keeping out illegal immigrants and drug smugglers.&nbsp;

The budget will also seek some $13 billion in new funding over the next two years to combat the opioid epidemic.

In addition, it will request $85.5 billion for veterans` health, the administration said.

President Donald Trump will unveil his second budget on Monday

President Donald Trump will unveil his second budget on Monday - seeking to make good on his promise to bolster military spending and requesting funds for infrastructure, construction of a wall along the border with Mexico and opioid treatment programs. The budget plan, which is viewed largely as suggestions by Congress, which has the constitutional authority to decide spending levels, will likely draw criticism from conservatives who worry that Republicans are embracing deficit spending. The proposal will include $200 billion for infrastructure spending and more than $23 billion for border security and immigration enforcement, Mick Mulvaney, who heads the administration`s budget office, said in a statement on Sunday night. It will also provide "for a robust and rebuilt national defense," he said. But the statement added that the proposal would recommend cuts that would lower the deficit by $3 trillion over 10 years. "The budget does bend the trajectory down," Mulvaney told the "Fox News Sunday" program earlier on Sunday. "It does move us back towards balance. It does get us away from trillion-dollar deficits." The budget request will be delivered to Congress only days after Trump signed off on a bipartisan spending agreement hammered out by lawmakers that will increase domestic spending by $300 billion over two years - including $165 billion in defense spending and $131 billion in non-military domestic spending. The White House plans to amend its request to take into account the higher spending levels in the agreement that passed on Friday, a senior official in the Office of Management and Budget said. Mulvaney said on Sunday all that money did not need to be spent. "These are spending caps," Mulvaney said. "They are not spending floors. You don’t have to spend all that." The spending deal will add to the annual budget deficit, which will now exceed $1 trillion in 2019, said the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget watchdog group. Trump`s previous budget was criticized for recommending cuts to spending to achieve deficit reduction that ultimately even members of his own Republican Party thought were untenable. "I hope the budget that we see is workable and recognizes the landscape we`re in," said Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican member of the Appropriations Committee. "A lot of times, what you have is a budget that even the Cabinet secretaries can`t defend." Deficit debate "The president`s budget is always a list of pretty good suggestions. It`s not `the` budget," said Senate Budget Chairman Mike Enzi. This year`s budget is likely to stoke debates about deficits that began when Congress passed a tax overhaul in December. The tax cuts in the legislation contained no corresponding reductions in spending and instead relied on arguments that the lower rates would stoke economic growth. Trump`s budget will include a number of economic forecasts and is expected to rely on estimates that the economy will keep growing at a rapid pace for the foreseeable future. Such forecasts could obscure the level of deficit spending, said Robert Greenstein, president of the progressive Center for Budget Policy and Priorities. "It`ll essentially be another budget gimmick, alongside rosy economic assumptions, to make the deficit smaller than it will actually be," Greenstein said. The budget proposal will include two key elements - $18 billion over two years for Trump`s long-promised border wall and $200 billion in federal funds to spur $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investments over the next 10 years with state, local and private partners, Mulvaney`s statement said. Trump promised during the 2016 campaign that Mexico would pay for the border wall, which the Mexican government has insisted it will not do. Democrats oppose the wall, which Trump has said is aimed at keeping out illegal immigrants and drug smugglers. The budget will also seek some $13 billion in new funding over the next two years to combat the opioid epidemic. In addition, it will request $85.5 billion for veterans` health, the administration said.

Trump budget plan to seek funds for border wall, infrastructure, opioid treatment

Riyadh&#39;s Ritz-Carlton Hotel reopened on Sunday, more than three months after it was converted into a gilded prison for members of Saudi Arabia&#39;s business and political elite detained in an anti-corruption purge.

The gates of the luxury hotel, where US President Donald Trump stayed during his state visit last year, had been shuttered and patrolled by black-uniformed royal guard units while dozens of princes, former ministers and business tycoons were interrogated inside.

The detainees were removed from the hotel two weeks ago, most released after cutting a deal with the authorities or being exonerated, an apparent sign that the corruption investigation, which sent shockwaves through the business community, was winding down.

A handful of smart-suited businessmen, forced to decamp to other hotels since November, returned to the Ritz on Sunday.

&quot;It&#39;s an honour (to be back),&quot; said one foreign consultant as he waited for a luxury car to take him to work.

He said the purge had not left any trace on the 492-room hotel where the lowest rate is 2,439 riyals ($650) a night.

&quot;You forget about it as soon as you&#39;re in your room and you get lost in your own bubble.&quot;

The hotel&#39;s opulent lobby appeared normal. Uniformed waiters milled below crystal chandeliers as acoustic Arabic music filtered through speakers and incense wafted from a gilt burner.

Managers declined an interview request, but the company confirmed in a statement that the hotel had &quot;resumed normal business operations as of today&quot;.

Among the most high-profile occupants during the anti-corruption campaign were global investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender for the throne.

Prince Miteb was freed after agreeing to pay over $1 billion, a Saudi official told Reuters.

Prince Alwaleed maintained his innocence of any corruption in a Reuters interview hours before his release. A senior Saudi official later said he was freed after reaching a financial settlement, without detailing the terms.

The attorney general has said the government had arranged to seize more than $106 billion through such agreements, an assertion Reuters has been unable to verify.

Critics decried the campaign as a shakedown and power play by 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is aiming to overhaul the way the deeply conservative kingdom is run and wean it off dependence on oil revenues.

Ten days before the purge began, the Ritz hosted an international business conference where Prince Mohammed spoke onstage and snapped selfies with admirers. Some participants later ended up as detainees.

In the absence of more information, speculation ran wild about what was happening inside the Ritz. The authorities denied rumours of torture and attempted suicides.

The attorney general has said 56 people remain in custody. They are believed to have been moved to prison after refusing to admit wrongdoing and may end up in court.

Ahmed al-Safer, a Yemeni-American businessman who regularly stays at the Ritz, stopped in on Sunday to have tea with friends.

Asked if the purge had affected the hotel&#39;s reputation, he said: &quot;Right now it&#39;s famous. Everyone will visit just to take a picture.&quot;

The detainees were removed from the hotel two weeks ago

Riyadh's Ritz-Carlton Hotel reopened on Sunday, more than three months after it was converted into a gilded prison for members of Saudi Arabia's business and political elite detained in an anti-corruption purge. The gates of the luxury hotel, where US President Donald Trump stayed during his state visit last year, had been shuttered and patrolled by black-uniformed royal guard units while dozens of princes, former ministers and business tycoons were interrogated inside. The detainees were removed from the hotel two weeks ago, most released after cutting a deal with the authorities or being exonerated, an apparent sign that the corruption investigation, which sent shockwaves through the business community, was winding down. A handful of smart-suited businessmen, forced to decamp to other hotels since November, returned to the Ritz on Sunday. "It's an honour (to be back)," said one foreign consultant as he waited for a luxury car to take him to work. He said the purge had not left any trace on the 492-room hotel where the lowest rate is 2,439 riyals ($650) a night. "You forget about it as soon as you're in your room and you get lost in your own bubble." The hotel's opulent lobby appeared normal. Uniformed waiters milled below crystal chandeliers as acoustic Arabic music filtered through speakers and incense wafted from a gilt burner. Managers declined an interview request, but the company confirmed in a statement that the hotel had "resumed normal business operations as of today". Among the most high-profile occupants during the anti-corruption campaign were global investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender for the throne. Prince Miteb was freed after agreeing to pay over $1 billion, a Saudi official told Reuters. Prince Alwaleed maintained his innocence of any corruption in a Reuters interview hours before his release. A senior Saudi official later said he was freed after reaching a financial settlement, without detailing the terms. The attorney general has said the government had arranged to seize more than $106 billion through such agreements, an assertion Reuters has been unable to verify. Critics decried the campaign as a shakedown and power play by 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is aiming to overhaul the way the deeply conservative kingdom is run and wean it off dependence on oil revenues. Ten days before the purge began, the Ritz hosted an international business conference where Prince Mohammed spoke onstage and snapped selfies with admirers. Some participants later ended up as detainees. In the absence of more information, speculation ran wild about what was happening inside the Ritz. The authorities denied rumours of torture and attempted suicides. The attorney general has said 56 people remain in custody. They are believed to have been moved to prison after refusing to admit wrongdoing and may end up in court. Ahmed al-Safer, a Yemeni-American businessman who regularly stays at the Ritz, stopped in on Sunday to have tea with friends. Asked if the purge had affected the hotel's reputation, he said: "Right now it's famous. Everyone will visit just to take a picture."

Saudi Ritz reopens after stint as gilded prison of princes

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas visits Russia on Monday in a bid to secure Russian President Vladimir Putin&#39;s support following Washington&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

The Palestinian leader was set to visit Moscow two weeks after a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Abbas has refused any contact with US President Donald Trump&#39;s administration since Washington&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital at the end of last year. Abbas is due to speak at the United Nations Security Council on February 20.

Palestinians see the US decision, which broke with years of international diplomacy, as a denial of their claim to East Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual Palestinian state.

Israel took control of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War, annexed it and later declared it the indivisible capital of Israel.

The US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, has accused Abbas of lacking the courage needed to forge a peace deal with Israel.&nbsp;

Abbas in turn has rejected any mediation by Washington in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has promised his people to work towards full recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Nations.

Alexander Shumilin, a Middle East scholar at the Institute for US and Canadian Studies, called Abbas&#39;s visit &quot;an attempt to cosy up to Russia, a consistent ally, and to stop Netanyahu leading Moscow astray during an improvement in Russia-Israeli ties&quot;.

Netanyahu visited Russia on January 29 and along with Putin attended a memorial ceremony at the Jewish museum in Moscow for the victims of Nazi camps. He took the opportunity to accuse Iran of wanting to &quot;destroy&quot; the Jewish state.

In turn, the Russian president likened antisemitism to &quot;Russophobia&quot; and said Russia and Israel were &quot;cooperating closely&quot;, particularly against &quot;attempts to falsify history&quot;.

Chances &#39;close to zero

For Shumilin, Monday&#39;s visit &quot;is a necessary political gesture for Abbas but can do little in the practical sense&quot;.

&quot;It is also definitely not worth expecting a breakthrough from this visit,&quot; he added.

In 2016 Russia offered to host one-on-one talks without preconditions between Abbas and Netanyahu but these never materialised.

In January, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov estimated that chances of resuming direct talks between the two sides in the current situation were &quot;close to zero&quot;.

Lavrov also said &quot;we understand the emotions&quot; Palestinians feel towards Trump.

&quot;We keep hearing in recent months that the US is about to publish some &#39;major deal&#39; that... will satisfy everyone,&quot; he said. But he added that Russia &quot;has not seen or heard of such a document or even any statement&quot;.

With relations between Washington and Moscow at a record low for the post-Cold War era, Abbas may be expecting that &quot;Russia-US relations will get even worse and then Russia could do something to spite the US&quot;, Shumilin said.

On November 29, 2012, the United Nations designated Palestine as a non-member observer state after a vote by the General Assembly.

That enabled the Palestinians to join international organisations and the International Criminal Court, though they did not become a full UN member state.

Palestinian statehood is recognised by more than 130 countries.

Abbas has refused any contact with US President Donald Trump's administration since Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital at the end of last year

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas visits Russia on Monday in a bid to secure Russian President Vladimir Putin's support following Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The Palestinian leader was set to visit Moscow two weeks after a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Abbas has refused any contact with US President Donald Trump's administration since Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital at the end of last year. Abbas is due to speak at the United Nations Security Council on February 20. Palestinians see the US decision, which broke with years of international diplomacy, as a denial of their claim to East Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual Palestinian state. Israel took control of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War, annexed it and later declared it the indivisible capital of Israel. The US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, has accused Abbas of lacking the courage needed to forge a peace deal with Israel. Abbas in turn has rejected any mediation by Washington in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has promised his people to work towards full recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Nations. Alexander Shumilin, a Middle East scholar at the Institute for US and Canadian Studies, called Abbas's visit "an attempt to cosy up to Russia, a consistent ally, and to stop Netanyahu leading Moscow astray during an improvement in Russia-Israeli ties". Netanyahu visited Russia on January 29 and along with Putin attended a memorial ceremony at the Jewish museum in Moscow for the victims of Nazi camps. He took the opportunity to accuse Iran of wanting to "destroy" the Jewish state. In turn, the Russian president likened antisemitism to "Russophobia" and said Russia and Israel were "cooperating closely", particularly against "attempts to falsify history". Chances 'close to zero For Shumilin, Monday's visit "is a necessary political gesture for Abbas but can do little in the practical sense". "It is also definitely not worth expecting a breakthrough from this visit," he added. In 2016 Russia offered to host one-on-one talks without preconditions between Abbas and Netanyahu but these never materialised. In January, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov estimated that chances of resuming direct talks between the two sides in the current situation were "close to zero". Lavrov also said "we understand the emotions" Palestinians feel towards Trump. "We keep hearing in recent months that the US is about to publish some 'major deal' that... will satisfy everyone," he said. But he added that Russia "has not seen or heard of such a document or even any statement". With relations between Washington and Moscow at a record low for the post-Cold War era, Abbas may be expecting that "Russia-US relations will get even worse and then Russia could do something to spite the US", Shumilin said. On November 29, 2012, the United Nations designated Palestine as a non-member observer state after a vote by the General Assembly. That enabled the Palestinians to join international organisations and the International Criminal Court, though they did not become a full UN member state. Palestinian statehood is recognised by more than 130 countries.

Jerusalem row: After Netanyahu's meeting, Mahmud Abbas to also meet Putin seeking Russia's support

Could the International Space Station become a commercial venture run by private industry?&nbsp;

That is the wish of the White House, which hopes to end funding for the costly program within a few years, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

The US plan, the paper said, involves privatising the ISS, a low-orbit space station piloted by the US space agency NASA and developed jointly with its Russian counterpart.

The station has allowed international crews -- notably in collaboration with the Canadian, European and Japanese space agencies -- to pursue scientific research in the environment of a low Earth orbit.

&quot;The decision to end direct federal support for the ISS in 2025 does not imply that the platform itself will be deorbited at that time,&quot; says an internal NASA document obtained by the Post. &quot;It is possible that industry could continue to operate certain elements or capabilities of the ISS as part of a future commercial platform.&quot;

&quot;NASA will expand international and commercial partnerships over the next seven years in order to ensure continued human access to and presence in low Earth orbit,&quot; the document says.

A budget request to be issued Monday by the Trump administration will call for $150 million to be spent on the ISS in the 2019 fiscal year, and more in succeeding years, &quot;to enable the development and maturation of commercial entities and capabilities which will ensure that commercial successors to the ISS... are operational when they are needed.&quot;

To ensure a smooth transition, the White House would ask the private sector to provide market analyses and development plans, the Post reported.

The plan is expected to face stiff opposition. The United States has already spent some $100 billion to launch, operate and support the orbital station.

Beginning during the presidency of George W Bush (2001-2009), NASA has subcontracted certain ISS support operations, starting with the supply flights now carried out by the SpaceX and Orbital ATK companies -- a trend that gained speed during the Obama presidency.

It was not clear, however, how private companies might profit from taking over the aging station -- its first section was launched in 1998.

NASA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

White House hopes to end funding for the costly program within a few years

Could the International Space Station become a commercial venture run by private industry? That is the wish of the White House, which hopes to end funding for the costly program within a few years, The Washington Post reported Sunday. The US plan, the paper said, involves privatising the ISS, a low-orbit space station piloted by the US space agency NASA and developed jointly with its Russian counterpart. The station has allowed international crews -- notably in collaboration with the Canadian, European and Japanese space agencies -- to pursue scientific research in the environment of a low Earth orbit. "The decision to end direct federal support for the ISS in 2025 does not imply that the platform itself will be deorbited at that time," says an internal NASA document obtained by the Post. "It is possible that industry could continue to operate certain elements or capabilities of the ISS as part of a future commercial platform." "NASA will expand international and commercial partnerships over the next seven years in order to ensure continued human access to and presence in low Earth orbit," the document says. A budget request to be issued Monday by the Trump administration will call for $150 million to be spent on the ISS in the 2019 fiscal year, and more in succeeding years, "to enable the development and maturation of commercial entities and capabilities which will ensure that commercial successors to the ISS... are operational when they are needed." To ensure a smooth transition, the White House would ask the private sector to provide market analyses and development plans, the Post reported. The plan is expected to face stiff opposition. The United States has already spent some $100 billion to launch, operate and support the orbital station. Beginning during the presidency of George W Bush (2001-2009), NASA has subcontracted certain ISS support operations, starting with the supply flights now carried out by the SpaceX and Orbital ATK companies -- a trend that gained speed during the Obama presidency. It was not clear, however, how private companies might profit from taking over the aging station -- its first section was launched in 1998. NASA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

US wants to privatise International Space Station: Report

India&#39;s improved relations with Israel could actually benefit Palestine, experts said here, underlining that the Palestinian leadership sees an opportunity in Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s visit in reviving the peace process with Israel.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine, is reaching Ramallah amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

India has consistently voted in favour of resolutions supporting the Palestinian cause at international forums, an issue that has bothered strategic partner Israel.

Ahmad Majdalani, a Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee member, said improved relations between Israel and India could help the Palestinians.

&quot;The growing ties between them could be positive, because now India has more leverage with Israel and can pressure it in our favour,&quot; Majdalani was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post. 
In discussions with several officials in Ramallah, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, it appears that the Palestinian leadership sees in the Indian prime minister&#39;s visit an opportunity to seek his assistance in pushing forward the deadlocked peace process.

&quot;India today enjoys wider acceptance in the global community. The recent participation of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders in its Republic Day function is a clear demonstration of its enhanced status. Its membership in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and visibility at several leading international forums, clearly shows that it is today a global player&quot;, an official said.

Another official pointed at the &quot;moral standing&quot; India enjoys in the international community which can be put to good use.

The hype around India&#39;s strategic ties with Israel and the bonhomie around Modi&#39;s visit to Israel and its prime minister&#39;s visit to India also does not seem to perturb the Palestinians.

&quot;Well even Jordan and Egypt have full diplomatic relations with Israel so why can&#39;t India have,&quot; said Ayman, a university student.

His friends seem to back the same contention displaying a great degree of acquaintance of international politics. Some appreciated India&#39;s support for the Palestinians at the UN despite all the publicity around the personal chemistry between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu.

When asked about India&#39;s growing engagement with Israel, President Mahmoud Abbas himself emphaticlally asserted that &quot;any state has the right to establish relations with other countries&quot;.

The Indian prime minister would be skipping Israel during his tour of the Middle East in a clear message that New Delhi is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi had visited Israel last year in July in a standalone visit that had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

The question that arises out of Abbas&#39; effort is if Israel would accept a multilateral forum of the sort being promoted by him to seek negotiated peace. Israel has made it clear that it will only work under a US-led peace process.

India has also consistently voted in favour of the Palestinians at all international forums and Netanyahu clearly expressed his &quot;disappointment&quot; at New Delhi&#39;s recent vote at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations rejected US&#39; unilateral declaration of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

As Modi embarks on the three-hour hectic trip to Palestine today, he kickstarts his engagement by laying a wreath at the Mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The Israeli press has highlighted the event with some reports expressing disappointment over the gesture. Many Israelis see Arafat responsible for th killing of several innocent civilians and stoking violence in the region.

Modi will be accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah during the ceremony.

The Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqata&#39;a here.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister will take a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum.

He will spend some 20 minutes touring the 15-month-old Yasser Arafat Museum, which chronicles the life of the former Palestinian leader.

According to Muhammad Halayka, the director of the Arafat Museum, Modi will be the first Prime Minister to visit the site.

Modi will then be received by President Abbas before the ceremonial welcome at the Muqata&#39;a.

The two leaders will then have discussions, sign bilateral agreements, hold a joint press conference and share lunch before Modi leaves for Amman in a chopper following a farewell ceremony.

Modi will then leave for the UAE later in the day for a two-day visit.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine, is reaching Ramallah amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

India's improved relations with Israel could actually benefit Palestine, experts said here, underlining that the Palestinian leadership sees an opportunity in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in reviving the peace process with Israel. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine, is reaching Ramallah amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. India has consistently voted in favour of resolutions supporting the Palestinian cause at international forums, an issue that has bothered strategic partner Israel. Ahmad Majdalani, a Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee member, said improved relations between Israel and India could help the Palestinians. "The growing ties between them could be positive, because now India has more leverage with Israel and can pressure it in our favour," Majdalani was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post. In discussions with several officials in Ramallah, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, it appears that the Palestinian leadership sees in the Indian prime minister's visit an opportunity to seek his assistance in pushing forward the deadlocked peace process. "India today enjoys wider acceptance in the global community. The recent participation of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders in its Republic Day function is a clear demonstration of its enhanced status. Its membership in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and visibility at several leading international forums, clearly shows that it is today a global player", an official said. Another official pointed at the "moral standing" India enjoys in the international community which can be put to good use. The hype around India's strategic ties with Israel and the bonhomie around Modi's visit to Israel and its prime minister's visit to India also does not seem to perturb the Palestinians. "Well even Jordan and Egypt have full diplomatic relations with Israel so why can't India have," said Ayman, a university student. His friends seem to back the same contention displaying a great degree of acquaintance of international politics. Some appreciated India's support for the Palestinians at the UN despite all the publicity around the personal chemistry between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu. When asked about India's growing engagement with Israel, President Mahmoud Abbas himself emphaticlally asserted that "any state has the right to establish relations with other countries". The Indian prime minister would be skipping Israel during his tour of the Middle East in a clear message that New Delhi is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine. Modi had visited Israel last year in July in a standalone visit that had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties. The question that arises out of Abbas' effort is if Israel would accept a multilateral forum of the sort being promoted by him to seek negotiated peace. Israel has made it clear that it will only work under a US-led peace process. India has also consistently voted in favour of the Palestinians at all international forums and Netanyahu clearly expressed his "disappointment" at New Delhi's recent vote at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations rejected US' unilateral declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. As Modi embarks on the three-hour hectic trip to Palestine today, he kickstarts his engagement by laying a wreath at the Mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The Israeli press has highlighted the event with some reports expressing disappointment over the gesture. Many Israelis see Arafat responsible for th killing of several innocent civilians and stoking violence in the region. Modi will be accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah during the ceremony. The Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a here. After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister will take a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum. He will spend some 20 minutes touring the 15-month-old Yasser Arafat Museum, which chronicles the life of the former Palestinian leader. According to Muhammad Halayka, the director of the Arafat Museum, Modi will be the first Prime Minister to visit the site. Modi will then be received by President Abbas before the ceremonial welcome at the Muqata'a. The two leaders will then have discussions, sign bilateral agreements, hold a joint press conference and share lunch before Modi leaves for Amman in a chopper following a farewell ceremony. Modi will then leave for the UAE later in the day for a two-day visit.

India's improved ties with Israel could benefit Palestine

The collapse of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would not be a disaster for Mexico, the top foreign policy advisor to leftist presidential election frontrunner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said, adding that Mexico should depend less on the United States and not interfere with regional neighbours.

In an interview with Reuters on Thursday (February 08), veteran diplomat Hector Vasconcelos echoed Lopez Obrador&#39;s position that Mexico should suspend talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement until a new government is elected in July, and said Mexico had other trade options.

The United States takes about 80 percent of Mexico&#39;s exports, despite numerous international trade deals. The current government has stepped up efforts to diversify to other markets in response to US&nbsp;President Donald Trump&#39;s threats to scrap the 1990s-era NAFTA, which also includes Canada.

Vasconcelos emphasised that Mexico would keep close ties to the United States if Lopez Obrador were to win, saying his government would seek an alliance for economic growth instead of a focus on police and military relations.

The diplomat pushed back at political rivals who say that Lopez Obrador&#39;s policies would take Mexico down a route similar to crisis-hit Venezuela, but said he did not support US&nbsp;sanctions on Venezuela&#39;s socialist government.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, on a five-nation tour of Latin America and the Caribbean this week, said the United States was moving closer to a decision on imposing sanctions on Venezuelan oil.

Canada, Mexico, and the United States agreed to form a working group to study how to mitigate any fallout from the potential sanctions.

The top foreign policy advisor told this to leftist presidential election frontrunner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and added that Mexico should depend less on the United States and not interfere with regional neighbours

The collapse of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would not be a disaster for Mexico, the top foreign policy advisor to leftist presidential election frontrunner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said, adding that Mexico should depend less on the United States and not interfere with regional neighbours. In an interview with Reuters on Thursday (February 08), veteran diplomat Hector Vasconcelos echoed Lopez Obrador's position that Mexico should suspend talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement until a new government is elected in July, and said Mexico had other trade options. The United States takes about 80 percent of Mexico's exports, despite numerous international trade deals. The current government has stepped up efforts to diversify to other markets in response to US President Donald Trump's threats to scrap the 1990s-era NAFTA, which also includes Canada. Vasconcelos emphasised that Mexico would keep close ties to the United States if Lopez Obrador were to win, saying his government would seek an alliance for economic growth instead of a focus on police and military relations. The diplomat pushed back at political rivals who say that Lopez Obrador's policies would take Mexico down a route similar to crisis-hit Venezuela, but said he did not support US sanctions on Venezuela's socialist government. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, on a five-nation tour of Latin America and the Caribbean this week, said the United States was moving closer to a decision on imposing sanctions on Venezuelan oil. Canada, Mexico, and the United States agreed to form a working group to study how to mitigate any fallout from the potential sanctions.

End of NAFTA wouldn't be 'end of world': Mexican leftist's top diplomat

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/prime-minister-narendra-modi-in-palestine-all-you-need-to-know-32379">Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Palestine: All you need to know</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s first engagement after arriving in Ramallah on Saturday morning will be to lay a wreath at the Mausoleum of Late President Yasser Arafat.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blocks-release-of-russia-memo-drafted-by-democrats-32375">Trump blocks release of Russia memo drafted by Democrats</a>

US President Donald Trump on Friday blocked the release of a classified memo written by congressional Democrats to rebut a Republican document that he allowed to be made public last week that claimed FBI and Justice Department bias against him in the federal probe of Russia and the 2016 U.S. election.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/terrorist-attack-sunjwan-army-camp-in-jammu-and-kashmir-2-injured-32376">2 injured in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/terrorist-attack-sunjwan-army-camp-in-jammu-and-kashmir-2-injured-32376">terrorist</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/terrorist-attack-sunjwan-army-camp-in-jammu-and-kashmir-2-injured-32376"> attack at Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir</a>

Terrorist attacked Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday morning. According to Army sources, gunshots were heard early in morning around 4:55 inside Army camp. Two people have sustained injuries in the ongoing operations, according to news agency ANI.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/olympics-awkward-diplomacy-on-show-as-peace-games-begin-32370">Olympics: Awkward diplomacy on show as &#39;peace&#39; Games begin</a>

The Winter Olympics sparked to life in a vivid, colourful ceremony of fire and ice in South Korea on Friday, though the diplomacy was tougher to choreograph in the stadium where leaders from nations that are sworn enemies sat close together.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-wishes-disgraced-aide-well-after-domestic-abuse-allegations-32378">Trump wishes disgraced aide well after domestic abuse allegations</a>

President Donald Trump on Friday praised White House aide Rob Porter, who resigned this week after allegations that he abused two former wives, and stressed that Porter has maintained his innocence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Palestine: All you need to know Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first engagement after arriving in Ramallah on Saturday morning will be to lay a wreath at the Mausoleum of Late President Yasser Arafat. Trump blocks release of Russia memo drafted by Democrats US President Donald Trump on Friday blocked the release of a classified memo written by congressional Democrats to rebut a Republican document that he allowed to be made public last week that claimed FBI and Justice Department bias against him in the federal probe of Russia and the 2016 U.S. election. 2 injured in terrorist attack at Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir Terrorist attacked Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday morning. According to Army sources, gunshots were heard early in morning around 4:55 inside Army camp. Two people have sustained injuries in the ongoing operations, according to news agency ANI. Olympics: Awkward diplomacy on show as 'peace' Games begin The Winter Olympics sparked to life in a vivid, colourful ceremony of fire and ice in South Korea on Friday, though the diplomacy was tougher to choreograph in the stadium where leaders from nations that are sworn enemies sat close together. Trump wishes disgraced aide well after domestic abuse allegations President Donald Trump on Friday praised White House aide Rob Porter, who resigned this week after allegations that he abused two former wives, and stressed that Porter has maintained his innocence.

WION Morning News Brief, February 10, 2018

President Donald Trump on Friday praised White House aide Rob Porter, who resigned this week after allegations that he abused two former wives, and stressed that Porter has maintained his innocence.

&quot;He says he&#39;s innocent, and I think you have to remember that. He said very strongly yesterday that he&#39;s innocent,&quot; Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Trump did not express sympathy for the two women who this week gave graphic accounts of the verbal and physical abuse they said they suffered while married to Porter, who resigned on Wednesday.

But he was supportive of his former staff secretary.

&quot;It&#39;s obviously a tough time for him. He did a very good job in the White House. And we hope he has a wonderful career,&quot; Trump said. &quot;But we absolutely wish him well.&quot;

Later on Friday, the White House said a second Trump administration official had resigned over allegations of domestic abuse.

David Sorensen, a speechwriter who worked at the Council on Environmental Quality, resigned after being confronted by White House officials, spokesman Raj Shah said.

&quot;Before we were contacted by the media, we learned last night that there were allegations. We immediately confronted the staffer, he denied the allegations and he resigned today,&quot; Shah said in a statement.

The Washington Post reported on Friday that Sorensen&#39;s former wife claimed he was violent and emotionally abusive during their two-and-a-half-year marriage, accusations that he denied, saying that she had in fact victimized him.

Sorensen told the Post in a text message that he stepped down because he &quot;didn&#39;t want the White House to have to deal with this distraction.&quot;

&quot;It should be able to focus on continuing President Trump&#39;s historic accomplishments for the American People,&quot; he said in the text message, the paper reported.

Porter&#39;s abrupt departure has raised questions about how long it took Trump&#39;s team to act on the accusations.

Some senior White House officials were generally aware of the allegations before Trump found out a report surfaced on DailyMail.com, a source familiar with the matter said.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly has so far taken the brunt of the blame. Kelly told reporters on Friday that he was informed in November that Porter had allegations against him that were delaying his security clearance, but that he did not know the full extent until this week, MSNBC said.

Kelly and Press Secretary Sarah Sanders both issued statements calling Porter a man of &quot;integrity&quot; in response to the initial Daily Mail report that Porter&#39;s two former wives had accused him of abuse.

Kelly later said in a statement he was shocked by &quot;new&quot; allegations against Porter, stressing that domestic violence is unacceptable.

Trump has been privately complaining about Kelly and wondering whether to replace him, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

&quot;If he (Trump) draws scrutiny to himself, he&#39;s OK with that. But when the staff draws scrutiny to him, he does not appreciate that,&quot; said one of the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.

This source said Kelly had offered to resign, but the White House denied that, with one official saying Kelly &quot;is doing fine in terms of where he stands with the president.&quot;

White House spokesman Raj Shah had said on Thursday that Kelly was not &quot;fully aware&quot; of the extent of the allegations against Porter until photographs of one of his former wives with a black eye emerged on Wednesday.

Shah also conceded the crisis could have been better handled by senior White House officials. A source said Trump gave Shah a mild rebuke for the comment, advising him never to apologise.

Over the past two years, more than a dozen women have accused US&nbsp;President Donald Trump of making unwanted sexual advances against them. In all instances, they claimed the purported misconduct occurred years before he entered politics.

Trump denied the allegations, accused rival Democrats and the media of a smear campaign, and went on to win the 2016 election.

Reuters has not independently confirmed the allegations against Porter, or against Trump.

As White House staff secretary, Porter was responsible for reviewing all documents signed by the president. Trump named Derek Lyons acting staff secretary to replace Porter.

The position put Porter in close contact with the president and required a security clearance. But Porter, a Harvard Law School graduate, had not yet received that clearance because the required background check was still ongoing.

Jennie Willoughby, one of Porter&#39;s ex-wives, told NBC&#39;s &quot;Today&quot; show on Friday that she told the Federal Bureau of Investigation during Porter&#39;s background check that he had been abusive toward her.

&quot;Of course, I was part of the background check and I was completely honest with what my experience of the marriage, including telling the police instances of abuse or police contact,&quot; said Willoughby.

Trump did not express sympathy for the two women who this week gave graphic accounts of the verbal and physical abuse by Rob Porte

President Donald Trump on Friday praised White House aide Rob Porter, who resigned this week after allegations that he abused two former wives, and stressed that Porter has maintained his innocence. "He says he's innocent, and I think you have to remember that. He said very strongly yesterday that he's innocent," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Trump did not express sympathy for the two women who this week gave graphic accounts of the verbal and physical abuse they said they suffered while married to Porter, who resigned on Wednesday. But he was supportive of his former staff secretary. "It's obviously a tough time for him. He did a very good job in the White House. And we hope he has a wonderful career," Trump said. "But we absolutely wish him well." Later on Friday, the White House said a second Trump administration official had resigned over allegations of domestic abuse. David Sorensen, a speechwriter who worked at the Council on Environmental Quality, resigned after being confronted by White House officials, spokesman Raj Shah said. "Before we were contacted by the media, we learned last night that there were allegations. We immediately confronted the staffer, he denied the allegations and he resigned today," Shah said in a statement. The Washington Post reported on Friday that Sorensen's former wife claimed he was violent and emotionally abusive during their two-and-a-half-year marriage, accusations that he denied, saying that she had in fact victimized him. Sorensen told the Post in a text message that he stepped down because he "didn't want the White House to have to deal with this distraction." "It should be able to focus on continuing President Trump's historic accomplishments for the American People," he said in the text message, the paper reported. Porter's abrupt departure has raised questions about how long it took Trump's team to act on the accusations. Some senior White House officials were generally aware of the allegations before Trump found out a report surfaced on DailyMail.com, a source familiar with the matter said. White House Chief of Staff John Kelly has so far taken the brunt of the blame. Kelly told reporters on Friday that he was informed in November that Porter had allegations against him that were delaying his security clearance, but that he did not know the full extent until this week, MSNBC said. Kelly and Press Secretary Sarah Sanders both issued statements calling Porter a man of "integrity" in response to the initial Daily Mail report that Porter's two former wives had accused him of abuse. Kelly later said in a statement he was shocked by "new" allegations against Porter, stressing that domestic violence is unacceptable. Trump has been privately complaining about Kelly and wondering whether to replace him, according to two sources familiar with the matter. "If he (Trump) draws scrutiny to himself, he's OK with that. But when the staff draws scrutiny to him, he does not appreciate that," said one of the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity. This source said Kelly had offered to resign, but the White House denied that, with one official saying Kelly "is doing fine in terms of where he stands with the president." White House spokesman Raj Shah had said on Thursday that Kelly was not "fully aware" of the extent of the allegations against Porter until photographs of one of his former wives with a black eye emerged on Wednesday. Shah also conceded the crisis could have been better handled by senior White House officials. A source said Trump gave Shah a mild rebuke for the comment, advising him never to apologise. Over the past two years, more than a dozen women have accused US President Donald Trump of making unwanted sexual advances against them. In all instances, they claimed the purported misconduct occurred years before he entered politics. Trump denied the allegations, accused rival Democrats and the media of a smear campaign, and went on to win the 2016 election. Reuters has not independently confirmed the allegations against Porter, or against Trump. As White House staff secretary, Porter was responsible for reviewing all documents signed by the president. Trump named Derek Lyons acting staff secretary to replace Porter. The position put Porter in close contact with the president and required a security clearance. But Porter, a Harvard Law School graduate, had not yet received that clearance because the required background check was still ongoing. Jennie Willoughby, one of Porter's ex-wives, told NBC's "Today" show on Friday that she told the Federal Bureau of Investigation during Porter's background check that he had been abusive toward her. "Of course, I was part of the background check and I was completely honest with what my experience of the marriage, including telling the police instances of abuse or police contact," said Willoughby.

Trump wishes disgraced aide well after domestic abuse allegations

US President Donald Trump on Friday blocked the release of a classified memo written by congressional Democrats to rebut a Republican document that he allowed to be made public last week that claimed FBI and Justice Department bias against him in the federal probe of Russia and the 2016 U.S. election.

The White House said the Justice Department had identified portions of the memo that &quot;would create especially significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests&quot; of the country.

A week earlier, Trump had overruled objections from the Federal Bureau of Investigation about releasing the Republican memo that took aim at senior law enforcement officials.

The House of Representatives Intelligence Committee voted unanimously on Monday to release the 10-page document drafted by the panel&#39;s Democrats, contingent on the Republican president agreeing to reclassify it.

Trump on Feb. 2 allowed the release of the earlier memo written by the committee&#39;s Republicans, escalating a campaign criticizing current and former senior law enforcement officials. Democrats said the Republican memo mischaracterised highly sensitive classified information and was intended to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller&#39;s investigation of potential collusion between Trump&#39;s 2016 campaign and Russia.

Mueller is also investigating whether Trump has committed obstruction of justice in trying to impede the Russia probe.

Trump met on Friday afternoon with officials from the Justice Department, White House Counsel&#39;s Office and the FBI director, Christopher Wray, to get their input on the Democratic memo, the White House said.

&quot;Although the President is inclined to declassify the Feb. 5 Memorandum, because the memorandum contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages, he is unable to do so at this time,&quot; White House Counsel Don McGahn said in a letter to Devin Nunes, the Republican chairman of the House panel.

The White House also released a letter sent to McGahn by Wray and to Rod Rosenstein, the No. 2 Justice Department official, expressing concerns about the memo&#39;s release &quot;in light of longstanding principles regarding the protection of intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations, and other similar sensitive information.&quot;

The Republican memo portrayed the Russia investigation as a product of political bias at the FBI and Justice Department against Trump. The president said the document &quot;totally vindicates&quot; him in the Russia investigation, a claim disputed by Democrats and some Republicans.

Democrats last week warned Trump against using the Republican memo as a pretext to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who hired Mueller and oversees the investigation, or to remove Mueller himself. The Republican memo singled out Rosenstein and several other officials by name, including former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, who Trump fired in May 2017, as the agency investigated the Russia matter.

Mueller took over the investigation from the FBI.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential campaign using hacking and propaganda, an effort that eventually included attempting to tilt the race in Trump&#39;s favour. Russia denies interfering in the election. Trump denies collusion with Moscow.

The White House said the Justice Department had identified portions of the memo that "would create especially significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests" of the country.

US President Donald Trump on Friday blocked the release of a classified memo written by congressional Democrats to rebut a Republican document that he allowed to be made public last week that claimed FBI and Justice Department bias against him in the federal probe of Russia and the 2016 U.S. election. The White House said the Justice Department had identified portions of the memo that "would create especially significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests" of the country. A week earlier, Trump had overruled objections from the Federal Bureau of Investigation about releasing the Republican memo that took aim at senior law enforcement officials. The House of Representatives Intelligence Committee voted unanimously on Monday to release the 10-page document drafted by the panel's Democrats, contingent on the Republican president agreeing to reclassify it. Trump on Feb. 2 allowed the release of the earlier memo written by the committee's Republicans, escalating a campaign criticizing current and former senior law enforcement officials. Democrats said the Republican memo mischaracterised highly sensitive classified information and was intended to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of potential collusion between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia. Mueller is also investigating whether Trump has committed obstruction of justice in trying to impede the Russia probe. Trump met on Friday afternoon with officials from the Justice Department, White House Counsel's Office and the FBI director, Christopher Wray, to get their input on the Democratic memo, the White House said. "Although the President is inclined to declassify the Feb. 5 Memorandum, because the memorandum contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages, he is unable to do so at this time," White House Counsel Don McGahn said in a letter to Devin Nunes, the Republican chairman of the House panel. The White House also released a letter sent to McGahn by Wray and to Rod Rosenstein, the No. 2 Justice Department official, expressing concerns about the memo's release "in light of longstanding principles regarding the protection of intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations, and other similar sensitive information." The Republican memo portrayed the Russia investigation as a product of political bias at the FBI and Justice Department against Trump. The president said the document "totally vindicates" him in the Russia investigation, a claim disputed by Democrats and some Republicans. Democrats last week warned Trump against using the Republican memo as a pretext to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who hired Mueller and oversees the investigation, or to remove Mueller himself. The Republican memo singled out Rosenstein and several other officials by name, including former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, who Trump fired in May 2017, as the agency investigated the Russia matter. Mueller took over the investigation from the FBI. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential campaign using hacking and propaganda, an effort that eventually included attempting to tilt the race in Trump's favour. Russia denies interfering in the election. Trump denies collusion with Moscow.

Trump blocks release of Russia memo drafted by Democrats

A brief US&nbsp;government shutdown ended on Friday after Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed into law a temporary spending deal expected to push budget deficits past $1 trillion annually with new military and domestic outlays.

But Trump is expected to unveil on Monday a fiscal 2019 budget plan that will be based on rosy assumptions, including the economic growth of 3.2 percent next year, a White House official said.

That level is well above the 2.5 percent growth achieved in 2017 and the 2.5 to 2.7 percent range of economists&#39; forecasts for this year. The White House&#39;s plan also anticipates that the strong growth will go on for years, the official said, with 3 percent growth in 2021, only tapering to 2.8 percent in 2026.

The growth assumptions in Trump&#39;s budget were first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The Trump budget also assumes very low-interest rates, with the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield averaging 2.6 percent this year. But the 10-year yield closed at 2.86 percent on Friday, and the Federal Reserve is expected to hike rates three times this year.

Such optimistic assumptions would make deficits look smaller in Trump&#39;s budget plan after Republicans in December approved massive tax cuts expected to add about $1.5 trillion in new debt over a decade. Republicans contend that the tax cuts will fuel a spike in economic growth.

The White House also will amend the budget plan to take into account the higher spending levels in the budget deal passed just before dawn on Friday, a senior official in the Office of Management and Budget said.

Friday&#39;s spending measure, which ended an hours-long partial government shutdown, was approved by a wide margin in the Senate and survived a rebellion from conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives who objected to non-military spending increases.

It was the second shutdown this year under the Republican-controlled Congress and Trump, who played little role in attempts by party leaders this week to end months of fiscal squabbling.

In a Twitter post that acknowledged the misgivings of fiscal conservatives, the Republican president said after signing the measure, &quot;Without more Republicans in Congress, we were forced to increase spending on things we do not like or want in order to finally, after many years of depletion, take care of our Military&quot; with additional funding.

Trump also wrote that negotiations will &quot;start now!&quot; on an immigration measure that he and Democrats have been battling over for months.

The deal, the fifth temporary funding measure for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, replenishes federal coffers until March 23, giving lawmakers more time to write a full-year budget.

It also extends the U.S. government&#39;s borrowing authority until March 2019, sparing Washington politicians difficult votes on debt and deficits until after mid-term congressional elections in November.

&nbsp;

Deficit spurge

The Republican Party was once known for fiscal conservatism, but congressional Republicans and Trump are now quickly expanding the U.S. budget deficit and its $20 trillion national debt.

Nearly $300 billion in new spending included in the bill approved on Friday will mean the annual budget deficit will exceed $1 trillion in 2019, said the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a private fiscal policy watchdog group.

Friday&#39;s deal allows for $165 billion in additional defence spending over two years, helping Trump deliver on his promise to boost the military. That won over many Republicans, but some were furious over the $131 billion extra allocated for non-military spending, including health and infrastructure.

None of the added spendings will be offset by budget savings elsewhere or revenue increases, relying instead on government borrowing. There also is no offset reduction for nearly $90 billion in new disaster aid for U.S. states and territories ravaged by hurricanes or wildfires last year.

The brief shutdown came at a sensitive time for financial markets, with world stock markets diving in the past week. Markets barely flinched at the last shutdown in January, but that was before a selloff that started on Jan. 30 amid concerns about inflation and higher interest rates.

Wall Street&#39;s main stock indexes climbed more than 1 percent on Friday, giving investors some solace after a week of huge swings that shook the market out of months of calm.

Republican Senator Rand Paul, objecting to deficit spending in the bill, launched a nine-hour, on-again, off-again protest and floor speech late on Thursday that delayed passage of the deal past midnight, when funding for the government ran out. He had harsh words for his own party.

&quot;Now we have Republicans hand in hand with Democrats offering us trillion-dollar deficits,&quot; Paul said.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and others in her party had opposed Friday&#39;s bill because Republican House leaders would not guarantee her a debate later on bipartisan steps to protect about 700,000 &quot;Dreamer&quot; immigrants from deportation.

These young adults were brought illegally to the country as children, mostly from Mexico. Trump said in September that he would end by March 5 former Democratic President Barack Obama&#39;s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that protects the Dreamers from deportation.

The White House also will amend the budget plan to take into account the higher spending levels in the budget deal passed just before dawn on Friday, a senior official in the Office of Management and Budget said.

A brief US government shutdown ended on Friday after Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed into law a temporary spending deal expected to push budget deficits past $1 trillion annually with new military and domestic outlays. But Trump is expected to unveil on Monday a fiscal 2019 budget plan that will be based on rosy assumptions, including the economic growth of 3.2 percent next year, a White House official said. That level is well above the 2.5 percent growth achieved in 2017 and the 2.5 to 2.7 percent range of economists' forecasts for this year. The White House's plan also anticipates that the strong growth will go on for years, the official said, with 3 percent growth in 2021, only tapering to 2.8 percent in 2026. The growth assumptions in Trump's budget were first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The Trump budget also assumes very low-interest rates, with the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield averaging 2.6 percent this year. But the 10-year yield closed at 2.86 percent on Friday, and the Federal Reserve is expected to hike rates three times this year. Such optimistic assumptions would make deficits look smaller in Trump's budget plan after Republicans in December approved massive tax cuts expected to add about $1.5 trillion in new debt over a decade. Republicans contend that the tax cuts will fuel a spike in economic growth. The White House also will amend the budget plan to take into account the higher spending levels in the budget deal passed just before dawn on Friday, a senior official in the Office of Management and Budget said. Friday's spending measure, which ended an hours-long partial government shutdown, was approved by a wide margin in the Senate and survived a rebellion from conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives who objected to non-military spending increases. It was the second shutdown this year under the Republican-controlled Congress and Trump, who played little role in attempts by party leaders this week to end months of fiscal squabbling. In a Twitter post that acknowledged the misgivings of fiscal conservatives, the Republican president said after signing the measure, "Without more Republicans in Congress, we were forced to increase spending on things we do not like or want in order to finally, after many years of depletion, take care of our Military" with additional funding. Trump also wrote that negotiations will "start now!" on an immigration measure that he and Democrats have been battling over for months. The deal, the fifth temporary funding measure for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, replenishes federal coffers until March 23, giving lawmakers more time to write a full-year budget. It also extends the U.S. government's borrowing authority until March 2019, sparing Washington politicians difficult votes on debt and deficits until after mid-term congressional elections in November. Deficit spurge The Republican Party was once known for fiscal conservatism, but congressional Republicans and Trump are now quickly expanding the U.S. budget deficit and its $20 trillion national debt. Nearly $300 billion in new spending included in the bill approved on Friday will mean the annual budget deficit will exceed $1 trillion in 2019, said the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a private fiscal policy watchdog group. Friday's deal allows for $165 billion in additional defence spending over two years, helping Trump deliver on his promise to boost the military. That won over many Republicans, but some were furious over the $131 billion extra allocated for non-military spending, including health and infrastructure. None of the added spendings will be offset by budget savings elsewhere or revenue increases, relying instead on government borrowing. There also is no offset reduction for nearly $90 billion in new disaster aid for U.S. states and territories ravaged by hurricanes or wildfires last year. The brief shutdown came at a sensitive time for financial markets, with world stock markets diving in the past week. Markets barely flinched at the last shutdown in January, but that was before a selloff that started on Jan. 30 amid concerns about inflation and higher interest rates. Wall Street's main stock indexes climbed more than 1 percent on Friday, giving investors some solace after a week of huge swings that shook the market out of months of calm. Republican Senator Rand Paul, objecting to deficit spending in the bill, launched a nine-hour, on-again, off-again protest and floor speech late on Thursday that delayed passage of the deal past midnight, when funding for the government ran out. He had harsh words for his own party. "Now we have Republicans hand in hand with Democrats offering us trillion-dollar deficits," Paul said. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and others in her party had opposed Friday's bill because Republican House leaders would not guarantee her a debate later on bipartisan steps to protect about 700,000 "Dreamer" immigrants from deportation. These young adults were brought illegally to the country as children, mostly from Mexico. Trump said in September that he would end by March 5 former Democratic President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that protects the Dreamers from deportation.

Trump signs deal to end brief agency shutdown, boost US spending

Puerto Rico said on Friday it will receive $16 billion in federal aid under a disaster recovery package signed on Friday by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

That money includes nearly $7 billion announced on Wednesday and will help the bankrupt US&nbsp;territory recover from September&#39;s Hurricane Maria, according to a statement on Friday from Governor Ricardo Rossello and Jenniffer Gonzalez, Puerto Rico&#39;s nonvoting member of the US&nbsp;Congress.

Rossello said on Wednesday that Puerto Rico would get $4.9 billion to shore up its near-insolvent Medicaid system and another $2 billion or so under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to repair its destroyed electric grid.

On Friday, Rossello and Gonzalez said the island would receive a total of $11 billion under CDBG, a program run by the US&nbsp;Department of Housing and Urban Development. The additional portion would be used to help local businesses and repair and build new homes, they said.

In addition to a slow recovery from Hurricane Maria, its worst natural disaster in 90 years, Puerto Rico is navigating the largest bankruptcy in US&nbsp;government history, with a combined $120 billion in bond and pension debt.

The aid announced on Friday provides just a fraction of the $94.4 billion Rossello has said the island needs to recover from cataclysmic damage to its infrastructure and housing stock, although Puerto Rico is eligible to participate in other programs that could increase the aid to $45 billion, according to Friday&#39;s statement.

Congress could also appropriate more money later.

The governor has asked Congress for $46 billion in CDBG funding alone. Home damage in Puerto Rico, where the poverty rate is around 46 percent, was exacerbated by the existence of hundreds of thousands of sub-standard &quot;informal&quot; homes, which are typically built by the owners themselves, without permits and often in squatter communities.

&quot;The work carried out in Washington - together with resident commissioner Jenniffer Gonz&aacute;lez - was able to deliver the message of the urgency of an allocation of funds that meets the needs of the Island,&rdquo; the governor said in Friday&#39;s statement.

The disaster aid package signed by Trump on Friday - around $90 billion in total - covers a number of major disasters, including Hurricanes Irma, Harvey and Maria, as well as the recent California wildfires.

Puerto Rico said on Friday it will receive $16 billion in federal aid under a disaster recovery package signed on Friday by US President Donald Trump

Puerto Rico said on Friday it will receive $16 billion in federal aid under a disaster recovery package signed on Friday by US President Donald Trump. That money includes nearly $7 billion announced on Wednesday and will help the bankrupt US territory recover from September's Hurricane Maria, according to a statement on Friday from Governor Ricardo Rossello and Jenniffer Gonzalez, Puerto Rico's nonvoting member of the US Congress. Rossello said on Wednesday that Puerto Rico would get $4.9 billion to shore up its near-insolvent Medicaid system and another $2 billion or so under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to repair its destroyed electric grid. On Friday, Rossello and Gonzalez said the island would receive a total of $11 billion under CDBG, a program run by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The additional portion would be used to help local businesses and repair and build new homes, they said. In addition to a slow recovery from Hurricane Maria, its worst natural disaster in 90 years, Puerto Rico is navigating the largest bankruptcy in US government history, with a combined $120 billion in bond and pension debt. The aid announced on Friday provides just a fraction of the $94.4 billion Rossello has said the island needs to recover from cataclysmic damage to its infrastructure and housing stock, although Puerto Rico is eligible to participate in other programs that could increase the aid to $45 billion, according to Friday's statement. Congress could also appropriate more money later. The governor has asked Congress for $46 billion in CDBG funding alone. Home damage in Puerto Rico, where the poverty rate is around 46 percent, was exacerbated by the existence of hundreds of thousands of sub-standard "informal" homes, which are typically built by the owners themselves, without permits and often in squatter communities. "The work carried out in Washington - together with resident commissioner Jenniffer González - was able to deliver the message of the urgency of an allocation of funds that meets the needs of the Island,” the governor said in Friday's statement. The disaster aid package signed by Trump on Friday - around $90 billion in total - covers a number of major disasters, including Hurricanes Irma, Harvey and Maria, as well as the recent California wildfires.

Puerto Rico says to receive $16 billion in federal disaster aid

Quincy Jones, American record producer and actor now claims to know who killed late US President John F. Kennedy and also to have once dated Ivanka Trump.&nbsp;

In an explosive interview with Vulture, the legendary record producer bared his heart and let out all the secrets. Quincy, who is famous for having worked with legendary pop artist Micheal Jackson, did not mince words and gave many controversial statements about musicians and the current music industry scene.&nbsp;

To start with, he called The Beatles&nbsp;&ldquo;the worst musicians in the world&rdquo; and that U2 &quot;are not writing good songs anymore&quot;.

He also alleged that Richard Pryor once had sex with Marlon Brando.

Coming to one of the most debatable explosives he let out, when asked&nbsp;&ldquo;what&rsquo;s something you wish you didn&rsquo;t know,&rdquo; he replied: &ldquo;Who killed Kennedy&rdquo;.

Quincy claimed that&nbsp;Sam Giancana was behind the late US President&rsquo;s murder. He said, &ldquo;The connection was there between Sinatra and the Mafia and Kennedy. Joe Kennedy &mdash; he was a bad man &mdash; he came to Frank to have him talk to Giancana about getting votes&quot; and quickly added, &quot;We shouldn&rsquo;t talk about this publicly.&rdquo;

He moved to the topic of Ivanka Trump when he was prodded to speak about the current&nbsp;US President&nbsp;Donald Trump. He said, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s Trump and uneducated rednecks. Trump is just telling them what they want to hear. I used to hang out with him. He&rsquo;s a crazy motherfucker. Limited mentally &mdash; a megalomaniac, narcissistic. I can&rsquo;t stand him.&rdquo;

&ldquo;I used to date Ivanka, you know,&rdquo; he added, elaborating: &ldquo;Twelve years ago. Tommy Hilfiger, who was working with my daughter Kidada said, &lsquo;Ivanka wants to have dinner with you.&rsquo; I said, &lsquo;No problem. She&rsquo;s a fine motherfucker.&rsquo; She had the most beautiful legs I ever saw in my life. Wrong father, though.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In an explosive interview with Vulture, the American entertainer spills beans on Trumps and some other 'secrets'

Quincy Jones, American record producer and actor now claims to know who killed late US President John F. Kennedy and also to have once dated Ivanka Trump. In an explosive interview with Vulture, the legendary record producer bared his heart and let out all the secrets. Quincy, who is famous for having worked with legendary pop artist Micheal Jackson, did not mince words and gave many controversial statements about musicians and the current music industry scene. To start with, he called The Beatles “the worst musicians in the world” and that U2 "are not writing good songs anymore". He also alleged that Richard Pryor once had sex with Marlon Brando. Coming to one of the most debatable explosives he let out, when asked “what’s something you wish you didn’t know,” he replied: “Who killed Kennedy”. Quincy claimed that Sam Giancana was behind the late US President’s murder. He said, “The connection was there between Sinatra and the Mafia and Kennedy. Joe Kennedy — he was a bad man — he came to Frank to have him talk to Giancana about getting votes" and quickly added, "We shouldn’t talk about this publicly.” He moved to the topic of Ivanka Trump when he was prodded to speak about the current US President Donald Trump. He said, “It’s Trump and uneducated rednecks. Trump is just telling them what they want to hear. I used to hang out with him. He’s a crazy motherfucker. Limited mentally — a megalomaniac, narcissistic. I can’t stand him.” “I used to date Ivanka, you know,” he added, elaborating: “Twelve years ago. Tommy Hilfiger, who was working with my daughter Kidada said, ‘Ivanka wants to have dinner with you.’ I said, ‘No problem. She’s a fine motherfucker.’ She had the most beautiful legs I ever saw in my life. Wrong father, though.”

Quincy Jones: 'Used to date Ivanka' and know 'Who killed Kennedy'

Twitter had a field day when it learned that the official Twitter handle of Melania Trump -- run by the Office of First Lady Melania Trump -- follows only five people including Former US President Barack Obama.&nbsp;

The first lady follows her husband Donald Trump&#39;s private Twitter account, his presidential account along with Vice President Mike Pence and his wife&#39;s Twitter account.

In a comic tweet, British novelist Matt Haig noted that &quot;It&rsquo;s a lovely bit of husband-trolling that Melania Trump only follows five people and one of them is Barack Obama,&rdquo; she tweeted last Friday.

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It&#39;s a lovely bit of husband-trolling that Melania Trump only follows five people and one of them is Barack Obama.
&mdash; Matt Haig (@matthaig1) <a href="https://twitter.com/matthaig1/status/959443139588231168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It is not clear when did the first lady start following Obama.

Melania Trump&#39;s @FLOTUS Twitter account has 240 tweets with a whopping 9.78 million followers.&nbsp;

&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

It is not clear when did the first lady start following Obama

Twitter had a field day when it learned that the official Twitter handle of Melania Trump -- run by the Office of First Lady Melania Trump -- follows only five people including Former US President Barack Obama. The first lady follows her husband Donald Trump's private Twitter account, his presidential account along with Vice President Mike Pence and his wife's Twitter account. In a comic tweet, British novelist Matt Haig noted that "It’s a lovely bit of husband-trolling that Melania Trump only follows five people and one of them is Barack Obama,” she tweeted last Friday. It's a lovely bit of husband-trolling that Melania Trump only follows five people and one of them is Barack Obama. — Matt Haig (@matthaig1) February 2, 2018 × It is not clear when did the first lady start following Obama. Melania Trump's @FLOTUS Twitter account has 240 tweets with a whopping 9.78 million followers.

Melania Trump's first lady Twitter handle follows five people including former President Obama

A suspected drunk driver who killed Indianapolis Colts player Edwin Jackson in a car accident was charged Wednesday by a prosecutor who also chastised President Donald Trump for comments that &quot;politicized the tragedy.&quot;

Jackson and the driver of his ride-share car Jeffrey Monroe were killed Sunday morning after a black Ford F-150 pickup driven by a 37-year-old undocumented immigrant man struck both of them as they were standing on the side of a highway, according to police. &nbsp;

Manuel Orrego-Zavala was charged Wednesday by prosecutors in the state of Indianapolis with four felony counts of failing to remain at the scene of an accident and causing a deadly accident while drunk.

His immigration status prompted Trump on Tuesday to tie the tragedy to his political battle to tighten immigration laws. But the Indiana prosecutor in charge of the case rebuked the president and others who have made such a connection.&nbsp;

&quot;We are disheartened that ghoulish and inappropriate public commentary has politicized this tragedy,&quot; Marion County prosecutor Terry Curry said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;Much of such commentary, including tweets by the President, fails to acknowledge that both Edwin Jackson and Jeffrey Monroe lost their lives on Sunday. We will simply seek justice on behalf of the families of those two victims.&quot;

Orrego-Zavala allegedly tried to flee the scene of the crash, but was caught by a state police officer. He is an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala who previously had been deported twice and was arrested several times in California for drunk driving.&nbsp;

Since taking office, Trump has repeatedly tried to link immigration with crime, and demanded that Democrats in Congress agree to more spending to build a wall on the Mexican border and on America&#39;s ICE deportation force.

&quot;So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson. This is just one of many such preventable tragedies. We must get the Dems to get tough on the Border, and with illegal immigration, FAST!&quot; Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

Federal prosecutors on Tuesday charged Orrego-Zavala with illegal re-entry into the US, a crime for which he could face 10 years in prison. According to the complaint, immigration officers arrested and deported him in October 2006 and again in March 2009.

Edwin Jackson and the driver of his ride-share car Jeffrey Monroe were killed Sunday morning

A suspected drunk driver who killed Indianapolis Colts player Edwin Jackson in a car accident was charged Wednesday by a prosecutor who also chastised President Donald Trump for comments that "politicized the tragedy." Jackson and the driver of his ride-share car Jeffrey Monroe were killed Sunday morning after a black Ford F-150 pickup driven by a 37-year-old undocumented immigrant man struck both of them as they were standing on the side of a highway, according to police. Manuel Orrego-Zavala was charged Wednesday by prosecutors in the state of Indianapolis with four felony counts of failing to remain at the scene of an accident and causing a deadly accident while drunk. His immigration status prompted Trump on Tuesday to tie the tragedy to his political battle to tighten immigration laws. But the Indiana prosecutor in charge of the case rebuked the president and others who have made such a connection. "We are disheartened that ghoulish and inappropriate public commentary has politicized this tragedy," Marion County prosecutor Terry Curry said in a statement. "Much of such commentary, including tweets by the President, fails to acknowledge that both Edwin Jackson and Jeffrey Monroe lost their lives on Sunday. We will simply seek justice on behalf of the families of those two victims." Orrego-Zavala allegedly tried to flee the scene of the crash, but was caught by a state police officer. He is an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala who previously had been deported twice and was arrested several times in California for drunk driving. Since taking office, Trump has repeatedly tried to link immigration with crime, and demanded that Democrats in Congress agree to more spending to build a wall on the Mexican border and on America's ICE deportation force. "So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson. This is just one of many such preventable tragedies. We must get the Dems to get tough on the Border, and with illegal immigration, FAST!" Trump tweeted. Federal prosecutors on Tuesday charged Orrego-Zavala with illegal re-entry into the US, a crime for which he could face 10 years in prison. According to the complaint, immigration officers arrested and deported him in October 2006 and again in March 2009.

Prosecutor charges suspect in NFL player's death, criticises Trump

US President Donald Trump commented on the recent stock market volatility on Wednesday. Trump attributed the slump in markets to &#39;good news&#39; about the economy.

&quot;In the &#39;old days,&#39; when good news was reported, the stock market would go up,&quot; Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

&quot;Today, when good news is reported, the stock market goes down.&quot;

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In the &ldquo;old days,&rdquo; when good news was reported, the Stock Market would go up. Today, when good news is reported, the Stock Market goes down. Big mistake, and we have so much good (great) news about the economy!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/961253168968622086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;We have so much good (great) news about the economy!&quot; Trump noted.

This is not the first time when the US President made such a remark. Throughout his presidency, Trump has sought to portray record rises on Wall Street as indicative of the broader economy.

Throughout his presidency, Trump has sought to portray record rises on Wall Street as indicative of the broader economy

US President Donald Trump commented on the recent stock market volatility on Wednesday. Trump attributed the slump in markets to 'good news' about the economy. "In the 'old days,' when good news was reported, the stock market would go up," Trump tweeted. "Today, when good news is reported, the stock market goes down." In the “old days,” when good news was reported, the Stock Market would go up. Today, when good news is reported, the Stock Market goes down. Big mistake, and we have so much good (great) news about the economy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 7, 2018 × "We have so much good (great) news about the economy!" Trump noted. This is not the first time when the US President made such a remark. Throughout his presidency, Trump has sought to portray record rises on Wall Street as indicative of the broader economy.

When good news is reported, markets go down: US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has asked for a military parade to showcase American muscle and underscore his role as commander-in-chief, the White House said on Wednesday.

Trump, who has toyed with the idea of a parade in Washington since before being sworn in, has made the request to officers, who are looking for a date.

&quot;President Trump is incredibly supportive of America&#39;s great service members who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe. He has asked the Department of Defense to explore a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation,&quot; said press secretary Sarah Sanders.

The Washington Post first reported Trump told top Pentagon brass last month he wants a military parade.

&quot;The marching orders were: I want a parade like the one in France,&quot; the military official said, according to the Post.

&quot;This is being worked at the highest levels of the military,&quot; the official added.

After the Post published its story, the White House issued a statement that said Trump &quot;has asked the Department of Defense to explore a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation.&quot;

A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the parade planning was in the &quot;brainstorming&quot; stage and nothing had been decided, the Post reported.

President Trump requests that military begins preparations for a military parade in the nation's capital

US President Donald Trump has asked for a military parade to showcase American muscle and underscore his role as commander-in-chief, the White House said on Wednesday. Trump, who has toyed with the idea of a parade in Washington since before being sworn in, has made the request to officers, who are looking for a date. "President Trump is incredibly supportive of America's great service members who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe. He has asked the Department of Defense to explore a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation," said press secretary Sarah Sanders. The Washington Post first reported Trump told top Pentagon brass last month he wants a military parade. "The marching orders were: I want a parade like the one in France," the military official said, according to the Post. "This is being worked at the highest levels of the military," the official added. After the Post published its story, the White House issued a statement that said Trump "has asked the Department of Defense to explore a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation." A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the parade planning was in the "brainstorming" stage and nothing had been decided, the Post reported.

Donald Trump tells Pentagon to plan a military parade

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sought to use the death of a NFL player in a car crash -- which police say was caused by an undocumented migrant -- to bolster his campaign to tighten border security.

Two days after Indianapolis Colts player Edwin Jackson and another man were killed, Trump highlighted that the suspected drunk driver -- who had been deported twice in the past -- was again in the country illegally.

&quot;So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson. This is just one of many such preventable tragedies. We must get the Dems to get tough on the Border, and with illegal immigration, FAST!&quot; Trump tweeted.

Jackson and the driver of his ride-share car were killed after a black Ford F-150 pickup driven by a 37-year-old man struck both of them as they were standing on the side of a highway by their stopped vehicle.&nbsp;

Indiana police identified the suspect as Manuel Orrego-Savala, a Guatemalan national. Immigration authorities are working with local police on the case.

Since coming to office, Trump has repeatedly tried to link migration with crime.

Later on Tuesday, he is scheduled to host law enforcement agents at the White House for a roundtable on the violent MS-13 gang, which originated in California, but has ties to several countries in Central America.

Most of the estimated 10,000 members in the US trace their heritage to El Salvador, Honduras or Guatemala.

Trump has demanded that Democrats in Congress agree more spending to build a &quot;wall&quot; on the Mexican border and on America&#39;s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation force.

Linebacker Jackson, 26, was signed by the Colts in January 2016 and played parts of one season in the league. He started eight games for Indianapolis, making 66 tackles.

Police said after the truck hit them, Orrego-Savala then tried to flee the scene on foot before being arrested.

&quot;My prayers and best wishes are with the family of Edwin Jackson, a wonderful young man whose life was so senselessly taken,&quot; Trump also tweeted.

'So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson,' Trump tweeted

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sought to use the death of a NFL player in a car crash -- which police say was caused by an undocumented migrant -- to bolster his campaign to tighten border security. Two days after Indianapolis Colts player Edwin Jackson and another man were killed, Trump highlighted that the suspected drunk driver -- who had been deported twice in the past -- was again in the country illegally. "So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson. This is just one of many such preventable tragedies. We must get the Dems to get tough on the Border, and with illegal immigration, FAST!" Trump tweeted. Jackson and the driver of his ride-share car were killed after a black Ford F-150 pickup driven by a 37-year-old man struck both of them as they were standing on the side of a highway by their stopped vehicle. Indiana police identified the suspect as Manuel Orrego-Savala, a Guatemalan national. Immigration authorities are working with local police on the case. Since coming to office, Trump has repeatedly tried to link migration with crime. Later on Tuesday, he is scheduled to host law enforcement agents at the White House for a roundtable on the violent MS-13 gang, which originated in California, but has ties to several countries in Central America. Most of the estimated 10,000 members in the US trace their heritage to El Salvador, Honduras or Guatemala. Trump has demanded that Democrats in Congress agree more spending to build a "wall" on the Mexican border and on America's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation force. Linebacker Jackson, 26, was signed by the Colts in January 2016 and played parts of one season in the league. He started eight games for Indianapolis, making 66 tackles. Police said after the truck hit them, Orrego-Savala then tried to flee the scene on foot before being arrested. "My prayers and best wishes are with the family of Edwin Jackson, a wonderful young man whose life was so senselessly taken," Trump also tweeted.

Trump ties NFL death to illegal migrants

US President Donald Trump on Monday accused Democrats of being &quot;un-American&quot; and &quot;treasonous&quot; for their lack of applause during his State of the Union address last week when he spoke of rising wages and historically low African-American unemployment.

&quot;They would rather see Trump do badly than our country do well. That&#39;s what it means,&quot; Trump said during an address on tax reform at a manufacturing plant in Ohio. &quot;It&#39;s very selfish. It was bad energy.&quot;

&quot;They were like death and un-American,&quot; said Trump. &quot;Somebody said &#39;treasonous.&#39; I mean, eh. I guess, why not? Can we call that treason, why not? I mean they certainly didn&#39;t seem to love our country very much,&quot; he said.

Treason is a capital offence and punishable by death in the United States.

Democrats gave Trump a decidedly cool reaction during the State of the Union. While falling unemployment has begun to lift wages, business executives are mixed on how much to credit Trump.

&quot;The freedom not to clap for ideas you disagree with is called the 1st Amendment,&quot; Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon said on Twitter.

The two top Republicans in Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, declined to comment.

Over the past four years, the US economy has added 10 million jobs and the overall unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level since 2000. Wage growth, however, has been sluggish, although it has shown signs of picking up recently.

During last Tuesday`s address, the president touted his tax cuts and regulation rollbacks as the reason Americans are finally seeing more wages after &quot;years and years&quot; of stagnation.

&quot;Every American should be alarmed by how @realDonaldTrump is working to make loyalty to him synonymous with loyalty to our country,&quot; Representative Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, said in a tweet. &quot;That is not how democracy works.&quot;

Pelosi&#39;s counterpart in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, declined a request for comment.

Treason is a capital offence and punishable by death in the United States

US President Donald Trump on Monday accused Democrats of being "un-American" and "treasonous" for their lack of applause during his State of the Union address last week when he spoke of rising wages and historically low African-American unemployment. "They would rather see Trump do badly than our country do well. That's what it means," Trump said during an address on tax reform at a manufacturing plant in Ohio. "It's very selfish. It was bad energy." "They were like death and un-American," said Trump. "Somebody said 'treasonous.' I mean, eh. I guess, why not? Can we call that treason, why not? I mean they certainly didn't seem to love our country very much," he said. Treason is a capital offence and punishable by death in the United States. Democrats gave Trump a decidedly cool reaction during the State of the Union. While falling unemployment has begun to lift wages, business executives are mixed on how much to credit Trump. "The freedom not to clap for ideas you disagree with is called the 1st Amendment," Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon said on Twitter. The two top Republicans in Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, declined to comment. Over the past four years, the US economy has added 10 million jobs and the overall unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level since 2000. Wage growth, however, has been sluggish, although it has shown signs of picking up recently. During last Tuesday`s address, the president touted his tax cuts and regulation rollbacks as the reason Americans are finally seeing more wages after "years and years" of stagnation. "Every American should be alarmed by how @realDonaldTrump is working to make loyalty to him synonymous with loyalty to our country," Representative Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, said in a tweet. "That is not how democracy works." Pelosi's counterpart in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, declined a request for comment.

Donald Trump accuses Democrats of 'treasonous' behaviour for not applauding State of the Union address

Britain reacted angrily on Monday to a tweet from US President Donald Trump attacking its public healthcare system in the latest spat to strain US-UK ties, casting further doubt on his possible visit to London.

&quot;The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working,&quot; Trump wrote in an early morning tweet.

&quot;Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!&quot;

The tweet came after thousands of people marched through central London on Saturday in support of the state-funded National Health Service (NHS), which is straining under the weight of winter demand.

One possible explanation for Trump&#39;s criticism was an appearance by Brexit champion Nigel Farage, a personal friend of the president, on Fox News earlier Monday where he talked about the NHS.

British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt issued a sharp rebuke, tweeting: &quot;I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover.

&quot;NHS may have challenges but I&#39;m proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage -- where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance,&quot; he wrote.

NHS staffing levels have been in crisis for months, an issue made worse by a winter flu outbreak.

Despite its current woes, the NHS, which was created after World War II, is a revered institution and Trump&#39;s comments prompted widespread resentment.

&quot;Wrong. People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it,&quot; tweeted Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, in a reference to the ruling conservatives.&nbsp;

&quot;Healthcare is a human right,&quot; he added.

&nbsp;&#39;Divisive, incorrect rhetoric&#39;&nbsp;

The People&#39;s Assembly, an anti-austerity campaign group that organised the demonstration, also wrote an open letter to Trump defending the NHS.

&quot;It has been a shining example to the world of what can be achieved when we put the needs of the collective good over the interests of a few wealthy individuals,&quot; the letter read.

&quot;Unfortunately our current government have been persuaded to increasingly adopt policies which represent those of your government,&quot; it said.

&quot;We don&#39;t agree with your divisive and incorrect rhetoric. No thanks,&quot; the letter said.

Trump&#39;s own attempts to reverse his predecessor&#39;s healthcare reform -- known as Obamacare -- twice ended in failure, before his party succeeded in eliminating a key element, the so-called &quot;individual mandate&quot; as part of tax reform.

The measure required individuals to buy health insurance as a way to lower costs by ensuring that healthy people were part of insurance pools.

The &quot;special relationship&quot; between Britain and the United States has shown some signs of strain since Trump came to office a year ago.

Prime Minister Theresa May was the first foreign leader to visit Trump following his inauguration in January last year, when she invited him to make a state visit to Britain, hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.

The trip has been delayed, however, and Trump recently pulled out of a plan to open the new US embassy in London, a move British officials blamed on threats of mass protests.

Trump has also angered the British with previous controversial tweets, including retweeting an extremist group&#39;s anti-Muslim propaganda and sparring with London mayor Sadiq Khan following a terror attack.

'The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working,' Trump wrote in an early morning tweet

Britain reacted angrily on Monday to a tweet from US President Donald Trump attacking its public healthcare system in the latest spat to strain US-UK ties, casting further doubt on his possible visit to London. "The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working," Trump wrote in an early morning tweet. "Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!" The tweet came after thousands of people marched through central London on Saturday in support of the state-funded National Health Service (NHS), which is straining under the weight of winter demand. One possible explanation for Trump's criticism was an appearance by Brexit champion Nigel Farage, a personal friend of the president, on Fox News earlier Monday where he talked about the NHS. British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt issued a sharp rebuke, tweeting: "I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover. "NHS may have challenges but I'm proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage -- where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance," he wrote. NHS staffing levels have been in crisis for months, an issue made worse by a winter flu outbreak. Despite its current woes, the NHS, which was created after World War II, is a revered institution and Trump's comments prompted widespread resentment. "Wrong. People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it," tweeted Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, in a reference to the ruling conservatives. "Healthcare is a human right," he added. 'Divisive, incorrect rhetoric' The People's Assembly, an anti-austerity campaign group that organised the demonstration, also wrote an open letter to Trump defending the NHS. "It has been a shining example to the world of what can be achieved when we put the needs of the collective good over the interests of a few wealthy individuals," the letter read. "Unfortunately our current government have been persuaded to increasingly adopt policies which represent those of your government," it said. "We don't agree with your divisive and incorrect rhetoric. No thanks," the letter said. Trump's own attempts to reverse his predecessor's healthcare reform -- known as Obamacare -- twice ended in failure, before his party succeeded in eliminating a key element, the so-called "individual mandate" as part of tax reform. The measure required individuals to buy health insurance as a way to lower costs by ensuring that healthy people were part of insurance pools. The "special relationship" between Britain and the United States has shown some signs of strain since Trump came to office a year ago. Prime Minister Theresa May was the first foreign leader to visit Trump following his inauguration in January last year, when she invited him to make a state visit to Britain, hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. The trip has been delayed, however, and Trump recently pulled out of a plan to open the new US embassy in London, a move British officials blamed on threats of mass protests. Trump has also angered the British with previous controversial tweets, including retweeting an extremist group's anti-Muslim propaganda and sparring with London mayor Sadiq Khan following a terror attack.

Britain hits back at Trump over attack on healthcare system

Any congressional immigration plan that does not provide for his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border &#39;is a total waste of time,&#39; U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday as two top senators planned to unveil a bipartisan compromise plan.

&quot;Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time. March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal!&quot; Trump wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time. March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/960522569492426753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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'Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time,' Trump tweeted

Any congressional immigration plan that does not provide for his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border 'is a total waste of time,' U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday as two top senators planned to unveil a bipartisan compromise plan. "Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time. March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal!" Trump wrote on Twitter. Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time. March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018 ×

Trump: Any immigration plan without border wall 'waste of time'

Tayyip Erdogan made the first visit by a Turkish president to see the Pope in the Vatican in 59 years on Monday as Rome was put under heavy security measures for fear of violent demonstrations.

Erdogan said before he left Turkey that he would discuss the Middle East situation and Jerusalem in particular. The Vatican was due to issue a statement about the meeting later.

Both Erdogan and Pope Francis are opposed to US&nbsp;President Donald Trump&#39;s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which many US&nbsp;allies say could doom Middle East peace efforts.

Erdogan, returning a visit made by the pope to Turkey in 2014, spoke privately with Francis for about 50 minutes in the pontiff&#39;s frescoed study in the Vatican&#39;s Apostolic Palace, which he uses mostly for ceremonial purposes.

At the end of the private part of the meeting, the pope gave Erdogan a bronze medallion showing an angel embracing the northern and southern hemispheres while overcoming the opposition of a dragon.

&quot;This is the angel of peace who strangles the demon of war,&quot; the pope told Erdogan as he gave him the medallion, made by the Italian artist Guido Verol. &quot;(It is) a symbol of a world based on peace an justice.&quot;

The public part of the meeting, with reporters and Erdogan&#39;s entourage, was cordial, although both men seemed stiff at the start while seated at the pope&#39;s desk before journalists were ushered out.

Erdogan&#39;s motorcade entered a virtually deserted St. Peter&#39;s Square after the streets that are usually bustling with tourists were closed due to security fears.

A small, authorised demonstration of Kurds and their supporters was held outside nearby Castel Sant&#39;Angelo, a fortress on the banks of the River Tiber.

Some 3,500 police and security forces were on duty in Rome and authorities declared a no-go area for unauthorised demonstrations that included the Vatican, Erdogan&#39;s hotel and Italian palaces where he is meeting the president and prime minister.

Matteo Salvini, head of Italy&#39;s anti-immigrant Northern League, said in a tweet that it was &quot;shameful&quot; that the government was receiving Erdogan, calling him &quot;the head of a bloody, freedom-killing Islamic regime&quot;.

Erdogan and the pope spoke by phone in December after Trump made his announcement on Jerusalem and agreed that any change to the city&#39;s status quo should be avoided.

The Vatican backs a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, with both sides agreeing on the status of Jerusalem - home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions - as part of the peace process.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state, whereas Israel has declared the whole city to be its &quot;united and eternal&quot; capital.

Among Erdogan&#39;s delegation was the Mehmet Pacaci, Turkey&#39;s ambassador to the Vatican. Erdogan recalled Pacaci to Turkey in 2015 when Francis became the head of the Roman Catholic Church and called the 1915 killing of as many as 1.5 million Armenians &quot;genocide&quot; - something Turkey has always denied.

The ambassador stayed away for nearly 10 months.

Erdogan said before he left Turkey that he would discuss the Middle East situation and Jerusalem in particular

Tayyip Erdogan made the first visit by a Turkish president to see the Pope in the Vatican in 59 years on Monday as Rome was put under heavy security measures for fear of violent demonstrations. Erdogan said before he left Turkey that he would discuss the Middle East situation and Jerusalem in particular. The Vatican was due to issue a statement about the meeting later. Both Erdogan and Pope Francis are opposed to US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which many US allies say could doom Middle East peace efforts. Erdogan, returning a visit made by the pope to Turkey in 2014, spoke privately with Francis for about 50 minutes in the pontiff's frescoed study in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, which he uses mostly for ceremonial purposes. At the end of the private part of the meeting, the pope gave Erdogan a bronze medallion showing an angel embracing the northern and southern hemispheres while overcoming the opposition of a dragon. "This is the angel of peace who strangles the demon of war," the pope told Erdogan as he gave him the medallion, made by the Italian artist Guido Verol. "(It is) a symbol of a world based on peace an justice." The public part of the meeting, with reporters and Erdogan's entourage, was cordial, although both men seemed stiff at the start while seated at the pope's desk before journalists were ushered out. Erdogan's motorcade entered a virtually deserted St. Peter's Square after the streets that are usually bustling with tourists were closed due to security fears. A small, authorised demonstration of Kurds and their supporters was held outside nearby Castel Sant'Angelo, a fortress on the banks of the River Tiber. Some 3,500 police and security forces were on duty in Rome and authorities declared a no-go area for unauthorised demonstrations that included the Vatican, Erdogan's hotel and Italian palaces where he is meeting the president and prime minister. Matteo Salvini, head of Italy's anti-immigrant Northern League, said in a tweet that it was "shameful" that the government was receiving Erdogan, calling him "the head of a bloody, freedom-killing Islamic regime". Erdogan and the pope spoke by phone in December after Trump made his announcement on Jerusalem and agreed that any change to the city's status quo should be avoided. The Vatican backs a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, with both sides agreeing on the status of Jerusalem - home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions - as part of the peace process. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state, whereas Israel has declared the whole city to be its "united and eternal" capital. Among Erdogan's delegation was the Mehmet Pacaci, Turkey's ambassador to the Vatican. Erdogan recalled Pacaci to Turkey in 2015 when Francis became the head of the Roman Catholic Church and called the 1915 killing of as many as 1.5 million Armenians "genocide" - something Turkey has always denied. The ambassador stayed away for nearly 10 months.

Erdogan and Pope hold talks as Rome locked down in tight security

US President Donald Trump indirectly warned players in Sunday&#39;s Super Bowl not to kneel in protest during the national anthem - at the end of a National Football League season marked by his simmering feud with the athletes.

In a pre-game statement issued by the White House, Mr Trump expressed appreciation &quot;for those who make occasions like this possible, particularly the brave men and women of our Armed Forces.&quot;

&quot;We hold them in our hearts and thank them for our freedom as we proudly stand for the national anthem,&quot; Mr Trump said -- an allusion to the sporadic protests that began in 2016 when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee for the anthem in a protest aimed at drawing attention to injustices suffered by minorities at the hands of law enforcement.&nbsp;

A handful of players continued to kneel for the anthem in National Football League games this season, prompting Mr Trump&#39;s ire.

He said NFL owners should respond to players who kneel by saying, &quot;Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, he&#39;s fired. He&#39;s fired!&quot;

NFL team owners issued statements condemning Mr Trump&#39;s comments.

But the most resounding statement came two days after Mr Trump&#39;s criticisms when a wave of player protests erupted across the league in the biggest single demonstration of political activism in NFL history.

About 150 players across the league took to one knee during the playing of the national anthem, instantly reigniting Kaepernick&#39;s cause.

After talks with protesting players, the league pledged nearly $100 million to charities which deal with criminal justice reform, law enforcement/community relations and education.

The NFL hopes its pledge will help draw a line under its season of protest, although there is no explicit requirement for players to refrain from demonstrating during the anthem.

&quot;We send our best wishes for an enjoyable Super Bowl Sunday,&quot; Mr Trump said in his message ahead of the game between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles.

&quot;May God bless and protect our troops,&quot; he continued.

"May God bless and protect our troops," Trump said

US President Donald Trump indirectly warned players in Sunday's Super Bowl not to kneel in protest during the national anthem - at the end of a National Football League season marked by his simmering feud with the athletes. In a pre-game statement issued by the White House, Mr Trump expressed appreciation "for those who make occasions like this possible, particularly the brave men and women of our Armed Forces." "We hold them in our hearts and thank them for our freedom as we proudly stand for the national anthem," Mr Trump said -- an allusion to the sporadic protests that began in 2016 when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee for the anthem in a protest aimed at drawing attention to injustices suffered by minorities at the hands of law enforcement. A handful of players continued to kneel for the anthem in National Football League games this season, prompting Mr Trump's ire. He said NFL owners should respond to players who kneel by saying, "Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, he's fired. He's fired!" NFL team owners issued statements condemning Mr Trump's comments. But the most resounding statement came two days after Mr Trump's criticisms when a wave of player protests erupted across the league in the biggest single demonstration of political activism in NFL history. About 150 players across the league took to one knee during the playing of the national anthem, instantly reigniting Kaepernick's cause. After talks with protesting players, the league pledged nearly $100 million to charities which deal with criminal justice reform, law enforcement/community relations and education. The NFL hopes its pledge will help draw a line under its season of protest, although there is no explicit requirement for players to refrain from demonstrating during the anthem. "We send our best wishes for an enjoyable Super Bowl Sunday," Mr Trump said in his message ahead of the game between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. "May God bless and protect our troops," he continued.

We proudly stand for national anthem: Trump's veiled attack on kneelers

Europe must lead the way in pushing for nuclear disarmament after Washington proposed upgrading and expanding the United States` nuclear arsenal, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Sunday.

&quot;As in the times of the Cold War, we in Europe are especially endangered&quot; by &quot;a renewed nuclear arms race&quot;, Gabriel said.

&quot;That is why precisely we in Europe must begin new initiatives for arms control and disarmament.&quot;

Gabriel was responding to a so-called Nuclear Posture Review released Friday by the Pentagon that details the US military`s vision of nuclear threats and its response in the coming decades.

Upgrading the US arsenal and complementing massive &quot;strategic&quot; bombs with smaller &quot;tactical&quot; weapons was &quot;aimed at making use of nuclear weapons less likely&quot;, President Donald Trump said in a statement.

American nuclear planners believe potential adversaries abroad, especially Russia, assume America would never use its existing arsenal as the effects would be too devastating and provoke globally catastrophic retaliation.

&quot;The US and NATO require a wider range of credible low-yield nuclear options&quot; to deter Russia from using its own smaller nuclear weapons, Greg Weaver, the deputy director of strategic capabilities for the military`s Joint Staff, told reporters Friday.

Gabriel acknowledged that Russia`s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine had led to a &quot;dramatic loss of trust towards Russia&quot; in Europe as well as Washington, and that &quot;signs that Russia is re-arming, not only conventionally but with nuclear weapons, are obvious&quot;.

But instead of developing new weapons, Germany`s top diplomat called for &quot;existing arms control treaties to be upheld unconditionally&quot;.

Berlin would press &quot;with its allies and partners&quot; for further worldwide disarmament, he said.

&quot;Our long-term aim must continue to be a world without nuclear weapons,&quot; Gabriel continued -- the stated aim of US nuclear policy under former president Barack Obama.

Historically a close US ally and key NATO member, nuclear weapons were a divisive issue in Germany`s Cold War politics.

Berlin does not have its own arsenal, but the Pentagon maintained nuclear warheads in Germany as part of a gigantic military presence designed to deter Soviet invasion of western Europe.

The issue has been rediscovered by frontline politicians in the wake of Trump`s election.

Martin Schulz, a failed challenger to Chancellor Angela Merkel in elections last September, called during the campaign for remaining American bombs to be removed from Germany.

The German response to the US nuclear review comes on the heels of condemnations from Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.

'As in the times of the Cold War, we in Europe are especially endangered' by 'a renewed nuclear arms race', Sigmar Gabriel said

Europe must lead the way in pushing for nuclear disarmament after Washington proposed upgrading and expanding the United States` nuclear arsenal, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Sunday. "As in the times of the Cold War, we in Europe are especially endangered" by "a renewed nuclear arms race", Gabriel said. "That is why precisely we in Europe must begin new initiatives for arms control and disarmament." Gabriel was responding to a so-called Nuclear Posture Review released Friday by the Pentagon that details the US military`s vision of nuclear threats and its response in the coming decades. Upgrading the US arsenal and complementing massive "strategic" bombs with smaller "tactical" weapons was "aimed at making use of nuclear weapons less likely", President Donald Trump said in a statement. American nuclear planners believe potential adversaries abroad, especially Russia, assume America would never use its existing arsenal as the effects would be too devastating and provoke globally catastrophic retaliation. "The US and NATO require a wider range of credible low-yield nuclear options" to deter Russia from using its own smaller nuclear weapons, Greg Weaver, the deputy director of strategic capabilities for the military`s Joint Staff, told reporters Friday. Gabriel acknowledged that Russia`s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine had led to a "dramatic loss of trust towards Russia" in Europe as well as Washington, and that "signs that Russia is re-arming, not only conventionally but with nuclear weapons, are obvious". But instead of developing new weapons, Germany`s top diplomat called for "existing arms control treaties to be upheld unconditionally". Berlin would press "with its allies and partners" for further worldwide disarmament, he said. "Our long-term aim must continue to be a world without nuclear weapons," Gabriel continued -- the stated aim of US nuclear policy under former president Barack Obama. Historically a close US ally and key NATO member, nuclear weapons were a divisive issue in Germany`s Cold War politics. Berlin does not have its own arsenal, but the Pentagon maintained nuclear warheads in Germany as part of a gigantic military presence designed to deter Soviet invasion of western Europe. The issue has been rediscovered by frontline politicians in the wake of Trump`s election. Martin Schulz, a failed challenger to Chancellor Angela Merkel in elections last September, called during the campaign for remaining American bombs to be removed from Germany. The German response to the US nuclear review comes on the heels of condemnations from Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.

Europe must brake mounting nuclear arms race: Germany

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