United States President Donald Trump said that the Nunes memo revealed how the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) were used to influence the presidential elections in 2016.

The President alleged that the FBI became a &quot;tool of anti-Trump political actors&quot; and dismissed it be a non-partisan enforcer of the law.

In a series of tweets, he said, &quot;The four-page memo released Friday reports the disturbing fact about how the FBI and FISA appear to have been used to influence the 2016 election and its aftermath....The FBI failed to inform the FISA court that the Clinton campaign had funded the dossier....the FBI became....&quot; a tool of anti-Trump political actors.&nbsp;

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&ldquo;The four page memo released Friday reports the disturbing fact about how the FBI and FISA appear to have been used to influence the 2016 election and its aftermath....The FBI failed to inform the FISA court that the Clinton campaign had funded the dossier....the FBI became....
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/959949725028974592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This is unacceptable in a democracy and ought to alarm anyone who wants the FBI to be a nonpartisan enforcer of the law....The FBI wasn&#39;t straight with Congress, as it hid most of these facts from investigators.&quot; Wall Street Journal&quot;, he said in another tweet. Earlier on Saturday, the President had also claimed total vindication from the memo released and alleged that the FBI misused its surveillance powers during the probe of Russian meddling in the elections.He also called the investigation &quot;an American disgrace&quot;.

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...a tool of anti-Trump political actors. This is unacceptable in a democracy and ought to alarm anyone who wants the FBI to be a nonpartisan enforcer of the law....The FBI wasn&rsquo;t straight with Congress, as it hid most of these facts from investigators.&rdquo; Wall Street Journal
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/959952974826098688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He tweeted, &quot;This memo totally vindicates &quot;Trump&quot; in the probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. There was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!&quot;The memo also includes information which could complicate Trump and his allies efforts to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller&#39;s inquiry, said local reports.The possibility of firing Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Special Counsel Robert Mueller also aroused after the release of the memo.

An official of the White House on Saturday, however, said that there were no discussions about firing United States Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.The Democrats, in a letter, said Trump that using the Republican memo as a &quot;pretext&quot; to fire Rosenstein or Special Counsel Robert Mueller would spark a &quot;constitutional crisis&quot;.

&quot;We write to inform you that we would consider such an unwarranted act as an attempt to obstruct justice in the Russia investigation. Firing Rod Rosenstein, DOJ (Department of Justice) leadership or Bob Mueller could result in a constitutional crisis...,&quot; the Democrats said in a letter to the President.White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah said, &quot;I&#39;m saying it on behalf of the White House, and that&#39;s that no changes are going to be made at the Department of Justice.&quot; &quot;There are no discussions or consideration of firing Rod Rosenstein,&quot; the official said to local media.

The controversial Nunes memo was released on Friday after Trump gave a green signal to it.&quot;I think it&#39;s a disgrace. A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves,&quot; Trump said in Oval Office after approving the memo.The decision clears the way for the Intelligence Committee to release the memo, reported The Hill.&quot;It was declassified and let&#39;s see what happens,&quot; Trump added. In a rare public statement on Wednesday, the FBI had said: &quot;We are gravely concerned that critical facts are missing from the documents and has painted an inaccurate picture of how the bureau sought approval to conduct surveillance in the probe.

&quot;The probe grew out of the FBI&#39;s Russia investigation after Trump fired FBI director James Comey and Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the investigation.Russia, however, has denied meddling in the election campaign and Trump has called Mueller&#39;s probe a &quot;political witch hunt&quot;.&nbsp;

The controversial Nunes memo was released on Friday after Trump gave a green signal to it

United States President Donald Trump said that the Nunes memo revealed how the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) were used to influence the presidential elections in 2016. The President alleged that the FBI became a "tool of anti-Trump political actors" and dismissed it be a non-partisan enforcer of the law. In a series of tweets, he said, "The four-page memo released Friday reports the disturbing fact about how the FBI and FISA appear to have been used to influence the 2016 election and its aftermath....The FBI failed to inform the FISA court that the Clinton campaign had funded the dossier....the FBI became...." a tool of anti-Trump political actors. “The four page memo released Friday reports the disturbing fact about how the FBI and FISA appear to have been used to influence the 2016 election and its aftermath....The FBI failed to inform the FISA court that the Clinton campaign had funded the dossier....the FBI became.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2018 × This is unacceptable in a democracy and ought to alarm anyone who wants the FBI to be a nonpartisan enforcer of the law....The FBI wasn't straight with Congress, as it hid most of these facts from investigators." Wall Street Journal", he said in another tweet. Earlier on Saturday, the President had also claimed total vindication from the memo released and alleged that the FBI misused its surveillance powers during the probe of Russian meddling in the elections.He also called the investigation "an American disgrace". ...a tool of anti-Trump political actors. This is unacceptable in a democracy and ought to alarm anyone who wants the FBI to be a nonpartisan enforcer of the law....The FBI wasn’t straight with Congress, as it hid most of these facts from investigators.” Wall Street Journal — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2018 × He tweeted, "This memo totally vindicates "Trump" in the probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. There was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!"The memo also includes information which could complicate Trump and his allies efforts to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's inquiry, said local reports.The possibility of firing Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Special Counsel Robert Mueller also aroused after the release of the memo. An official of the White House on Saturday, however, said that there were no discussions about firing United States Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.The Democrats, in a letter, said Trump that using the Republican memo as a "pretext" to fire Rosenstein or Special Counsel Robert Mueller would spark a "constitutional crisis". "We write to inform you that we would consider such an unwarranted act as an attempt to obstruct justice in the Russia investigation. Firing Rod Rosenstein, DOJ (Department of Justice) leadership or Bob Mueller could result in a constitutional crisis...," the Democrats said in a letter to the President.White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah said, "I'm saying it on behalf of the White House, and that's that no changes are going to be made at the Department of Justice." "There are no discussions or consideration of firing Rod Rosenstein," the official said to local media. The controversial Nunes memo was released on Friday after Trump gave a green signal to it."I think it's a disgrace. A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves," Trump said in Oval Office after approving the memo.The decision clears the way for the Intelligence Committee to release the memo, reported The Hill."It was declassified and let's see what happens," Trump added. In a rare public statement on Wednesday, the FBI had said: "We are gravely concerned that critical facts are missing from the documents and has painted an inaccurate picture of how the bureau sought approval to conduct surveillance in the probe. "The probe grew out of the FBI's Russia investigation after Trump fired FBI director James Comey and Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the investigation.Russia, however, has denied meddling in the election campaign and Trump has called Mueller's probe a "political witch hunt".

FBI was a 'tool of my opponents' during 2016 presidential elections: US president Donald Trump

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday Israel would &quot;do whatever is necessary to defend ourselves&quot; after a report its military has carried out dozens of air strikes against jihadists in Egypt&#39;s Sinai.

Netanyahu did not address the New York Times report published Saturday, commenting only generally on Israel&#39;s stance. Israel&#39;s military also declined to comment.

The report, citing current and former US and British officials, said Israeli forces had carried out more than 100 airstrikes in Egypt over the course of more than two years with Cairo&#39;s approval.

Using unmarked drones, helicopters and jets, the strikes in northern Sinai just over the border with Israel have targeted jihadists linked with the Islamic State group, it said.

Speaking at the start of a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu referred to recent meetings with US President Donald Trump, European leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

&quot;As I also made it clear to President Trump and afterwards to European leaders and President Putin, our presence here is the main element in the Middle East blocking the spread of radical Islam, led by Iran and Islamic State, which also threaten all other elements in the world,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;We are not bent on war, but we will do whatever is necessary to defend ourselves.&quot;

IS-linked militants have waged a deadly insurgency in the Sinai against Egyptian security forces, and Israeli officials have watched the violence with concern.

Egypt and Jordan are the only two Arab nations with peace treaties with Israel, but relations remain sensitive due to hostility toward the Jewish state among their populations.

While there have long been suggestions of behind-the-scenes military and intelligence cooperation between Egypt and Israel, officials from both countries rarely comment publicly on them.

Netanyahu has repeatedly spoken of improving ties with Arab nations in recent months without providing details, with many analysts saying their shared concern over Iran and IS jihadists has drawn them closer together.

The report said Israeli forces had carried out more than 100 airstrikes in Egypt over the course of more than two years

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday Israel would "do whatever is necessary to defend ourselves" after a report its military has carried out dozens of air strikes against jihadists in Egypt's Sinai. Netanyahu did not address the New York Times report published Saturday, commenting only generally on Israel's stance. Israel's military also declined to comment. The report, citing current and former US and British officials, said Israeli forces had carried out more than 100 airstrikes in Egypt over the course of more than two years with Cairo's approval. Using unmarked drones, helicopters and jets, the strikes in northern Sinai just over the border with Israel have targeted jihadists linked with the Islamic State group, it said. Speaking at the start of a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu referred to recent meetings with US President Donald Trump, European leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "As I also made it clear to President Trump and afterwards to European leaders and President Putin, our presence here is the main element in the Middle East blocking the spread of radical Islam, led by Iran and Islamic State, which also threaten all other elements in the world," he said. "We are not bent on war, but we will do whatever is necessary to defend ourselves." IS-linked militants have waged a deadly insurgency in the Sinai against Egyptian security forces, and Israeli officials have watched the violence with concern. Egypt and Jordan are the only two Arab nations with peace treaties with Israel, but relations remain sensitive due to hostility toward the Jewish state among their populations. While there have long been suggestions of behind-the-scenes military and intelligence cooperation between Egypt and Israel, officials from both countries rarely comment publicly on them. Netanyahu has repeatedly spoken of improving ties with Arab nations in recent months without providing details, with many analysts saying their shared concern over Iran and IS jihadists has drawn them closer together.

Netanyahu says will 'defend ourselves' after report of Sinai strikes

The US Congress made no notable progress this week toward a deal on the status of 700,000 &quot;Dreamer&quot; immigrants, with President Donald Trump saying on Friday that one &quot;could very well not happen&quot; by a deadline next month.

Whether the lack of progress signalled the possibility of another federal government shutdown next week was unclear, but it worried the Dreamers, young people who were brought illegally into the United States as children.

Trump said last year that he would end by March 5 a program that was set up by former President Barack Obama to protect the Dreamers from deportation, and he urged Congress to act before that date. No action has resulted.

&quot;We want to make a deal,&quot; Trump said at an event in Virginia with US Customs and Border Protection officials. And he blamed Democratic lawmakers for the impasse.

&quot;I think they want to use it for political purposes for elections. I really am not happy with the way it&#39;s going from the standpoint of the Democrats,&quot; he said.

Democrats have said repeatedly that they want protections written into law for the Dreamers, who were given temporary legal status by Obama&#39;s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which lets them study and work in the United States without fear of deportation.

Republicans, who control Congress, are undecided on what to do about DACA and the Dreamers. They ended a three-day retreat at a mountain resort in West Virginia on Friday not much nearer to consensus than they were a week ago.

The partisan standoff caused a partial shutdown of the federal government for three days last month after Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending measure needed to keep the lights on at federal facilities across the country.

The House of Representatives plans to vote on Tuesday on legislation to keep federal agencies operating beyond Feb. 8, when existing funds expire, a senior House Republican aide said.

The aide did not provide details, however, on the duration of this latest-in-a-series of temporary funding measures.

Democrats have leverage on the immigration issue because their votes are needed to pass spending measures in the Senate.

The next spending deadline looms on Thursday, with Democrats defiant in their demands and Republicans remaining divided.

Four-Part Offer&nbsp;

Trump has offered the Dreamers a path to citizenship, but only on the condition he also gets funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border, as well as other immigration-related measures that Democrats oppose.

Last month, he proposed letting 1.8 million Dreamers stay in the country and become citizens in exchange for $25 billion for the wall, curbs on family-sponsored immigration, and an end to a visa lottery program.

Some lawmakers want Trump&#39;s four-part immigration framework pared back, while others want it approved or made even more strict on future immigration.

&quot;If we can solve DACA and border security that may be the best I can hope for,&quot; Senator John Thune, a member of the Republican leadership, told reporters at the retreat.

Senator James Lankford was among Republicans who said this week that Trump could give Congress more time to reach a deal by extending the Dreamers&#39; deadline beyond March 5.

Trump reiterated on Thursday at the retreat that all four components of his framework must be included in a deal, a stance viewed as unworkable by many lawmakers in both parties.

Some Republicans say the March 5 deadline lost its power last month when a federal court blocked the rescinding of DACA. That meant the law would remain in effect until the Supreme Court resolves the case, which is unlikely by March 5.

In a research note, financial firm Height Analytics set the odds of another shutdown next week at 65 per cent.

Republicans are trying to call Democrats&#39; bluff on DACA, but the Democrats look even more willing to allow a shutdown than they were last month, the analysts said. &quot;What this has become is a very absurd game of chicken,&quot; they said in the note.

The US Congress made no notable progress this week toward a deal on the status of 700,000 'Dreamer' immigrants, with President Donald Trump saying on Friday that one 'could very well not happen' by a deadline next month

The US Congress made no notable progress this week toward a deal on the status of 700,000 "Dreamer" immigrants, with President Donald Trump saying on Friday that one "could very well not happen" by a deadline next month. Whether the lack of progress signalled the possibility of another federal government shutdown next week was unclear, but it worried the Dreamers, young people who were brought illegally into the United States as children. Trump said last year that he would end by March 5 a program that was set up by former President Barack Obama to protect the Dreamers from deportation, and he urged Congress to act before that date. No action has resulted. "We want to make a deal," Trump said at an event in Virginia with US Customs and Border Protection officials. And he blamed Democratic lawmakers for the impasse. "I think they want to use it for political purposes for elections. I really am not happy with the way it's going from the standpoint of the Democrats," he said. Democrats have said repeatedly that they want protections written into law for the Dreamers, who were given temporary legal status by Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which lets them study and work in the United States without fear of deportation. Republicans, who control Congress, are undecided on what to do about DACA and the Dreamers. They ended a three-day retreat at a mountain resort in West Virginia on Friday not much nearer to consensus than they were a week ago. The partisan standoff caused a partial shutdown of the federal government for three days last month after Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending measure needed to keep the lights on at federal facilities across the country. The House of Representatives plans to vote on Tuesday on legislation to keep federal agencies operating beyond Feb. 8, when existing funds expire, a senior House Republican aide said. The aide did not provide details, however, on the duration of this latest-in-a-series of temporary funding measures. Democrats have leverage on the immigration issue because their votes are needed to pass spending measures in the Senate. The next spending deadline looms on Thursday, with Democrats defiant in their demands and Republicans remaining divided. Four-Part Offer Trump has offered the Dreamers a path to citizenship, but only on the condition he also gets funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border, as well as other immigration-related measures that Democrats oppose. Last month, he proposed letting 1.8 million Dreamers stay in the country and become citizens in exchange for $25 billion for the wall, curbs on family-sponsored immigration, and an end to a visa lottery program. Some lawmakers want Trump's four-part immigration framework pared back, while others want it approved or made even more strict on future immigration. "If we can solve DACA and border security that may be the best I can hope for," Senator John Thune, a member of the Republican leadership, told reporters at the retreat. Senator James Lankford was among Republicans who said this week that Trump could give Congress more time to reach a deal by extending the Dreamers' deadline beyond March 5. Trump reiterated on Thursday at the retreat that all four components of his framework must be included in a deal, a stance viewed as unworkable by many lawmakers in both parties. Some Republicans say the March 5 deadline lost its power last month when a federal court blocked the rescinding of DACA. That meant the law would remain in effect until the Supreme Court resolves the case, which is unlikely by March 5. In a research note, financial firm Height Analytics set the odds of another shutdown next week at 65 per cent. Republicans are trying to call Democrats' bluff on DACA, but the Democrats look even more willing to allow a shutdown than they were last month, the analysts said. "What this has become is a very absurd game of chicken," they said in the note.

No progress on 'Dreamers' as another US shutdown looms

US job creation accelerated in January, as labor markets continued to absorb workers at a robust pace, unemployment clung to a record low and wages moved higher, the government reported Friday.

The world&#39;s largest economy added 200,000 net new positions in the month, more than expected, driven by gains in construction, retail, restaurants and health care, the Labour Department reported.

The result beat forecasts, which predicted an increase of 180,000, and helped offset December&#39;s disappointing result.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate remained at 4.1 percent for the fourth month in a row.

Hourly wages continued to rise for the month as labour markets remained tight -- with wages posting their largest 12-month increase in more than nine years. &nbsp;

That will strengthen the case for the Federal Reserve to raise the benchmark interest rate in March, as it is widely expected to do.

Hourly wages rose 0.3 percent from the prior month to $26.74, putting worker pay up 2.9 percent compared to January of last year, the largest 12-month gain since June 2009.

Over the same period, the consumer price index gained 2.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, but rising wages would be expected to put more pressure on prices.

The solid job gains were sure to be a relief for an embattled White House, as President Donald Trump has taken credit for the extended run of good economic news amid political turmoil.

Hiring by speciality trade contractors drove job creation in the construction sector, which added 36,000 new positions, while restaurants and bars added 31,000 new jobs.

The ranks of health care workers swelled for the month as well, adding 21,000 new positions.

Revisions to November and December subtracted a net 24,000 positions, bringing average job creation over the last three months of the year to 192,000, beating the 2017 monthly average of 181,000.

With the 4.1 percent unemployment rate, a 17-year-low, the ranks of the long-term unemployed -- those looking for work for 27 weeks or longer -- continued to drop, falling six percent to 1.4 million.

However, the unemployment rate for African-Americans, which Trump hailed this week in his State of the Union address, rose nine-tenths of a percentage point to 7.7 percent, just below the 7.8 percent in January last year.

Trump took office a year ago, pledging to create 25 million new jobs over a decade or just over 200,000 per month.

However, Labor Department figures released Friday show the economy added 2.17 million jobs in 2017, fewer than 2016 when there were 2.34 million new jobs.

The world's largest economy added 200,000 net new positions in the month, more than expected, driven by gains in construction, retail, restaurants and health care, the Labour Department reported

US job creation accelerated in January, as labor markets continued to absorb workers at a robust pace, unemployment clung to a record low and wages moved higher, the government reported Friday. The world's largest economy added 200,000 net new positions in the month, more than expected, driven by gains in construction, retail, restaurants and health care, the Labour Department reported. The result beat forecasts, which predicted an increase of 180,000, and helped offset December's disappointing result. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate remained at 4.1 percent for the fourth month in a row. Hourly wages continued to rise for the month as labour markets remained tight -- with wages posting their largest 12-month increase in more than nine years. That will strengthen the case for the Federal Reserve to raise the benchmark interest rate in March, as it is widely expected to do. Hourly wages rose 0.3 percent from the prior month to $26.74, putting worker pay up 2.9 percent compared to January of last year, the largest 12-month gain since June 2009. Over the same period, the consumer price index gained 2.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, but rising wages would be expected to put more pressure on prices. The solid job gains were sure to be a relief for an embattled White House, as President Donald Trump has taken credit for the extended run of good economic news amid political turmoil. Hiring by speciality trade contractors drove job creation in the construction sector, which added 36,000 new positions, while restaurants and bars added 31,000 new jobs. The ranks of health care workers swelled for the month as well, adding 21,000 new positions. Revisions to November and December subtracted a net 24,000 positions, bringing average job creation over the last three months of the year to 192,000, beating the 2017 monthly average of 181,000. With the 4.1 percent unemployment rate, a 17-year-low, the ranks of the long-term unemployed -- those looking for work for 27 weeks or longer -- continued to drop, falling six percent to 1.4 million. However, the unemployment rate for African-Americans, which Trump hailed this week in his State of the Union address, rose nine-tenths of a percentage point to 7.7 percent, just below the 7.8 percent in January last year. Trump took office a year ago, pledging to create 25 million new jobs over a decade or just over 200,000 per month. However, Labor Department figures released Friday show the economy added 2.17 million jobs in 2017, fewer than 2016 when there were 2.34 million new jobs.

US adds 200,000 new jobs in January

US President Donald Trump is expected to approve the release of a controversial Republican memo that reportedly shows improper surveillance of one of his campaign aides, which the FBI says is &quot;inaccurate&quot;.

The approval for release of such a memo, which is being opposed by the FBI, could come as soon as tonight.

A senior administration official told reporters aboard Air Force One that the president is expected to tell Congress that he is OK with releasing the memo.

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-firing-one-trump-on-collision-course-with-new-fbi-director-31533">&nbsp;After firing one, Trump on collision course with new FBI director</a>

Requesting anonymity, the official said it is a Congressional process and that the decision was made after looking at the memo the last few days and making sure &quot;it doesn&#39;t give away too much in terms of classification&quot;.

&quot;The president is ok with it,&quot; the official said.

&quot;I doubt there will be any redactions. It&#39;s in Congress&#39; hands after that,&quot; the official said and refused to answer any further questions.

Trump&#39;s reported decision comes a day after the FBI went public about the release of the memo.

Some White House official fear that this might result in the resignation of FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Once Trump gives his approval, it would be up to the House intelligence committee to take a final call on the report&#39;s release.

House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes is under pressure from the opposition Democrats and some of his own Republican lawmakers not to release the memo.

They side with officials of the FBI and many in the Department of Justice and feel the report is misleading and could expose sensitive and classified information.

On January 31, 2018, the FBI released a rare statement to express their &quot;grave concerns about the material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo&#39;s accuracy&quot;.

A top Democrat lawmaker, Adam Schiff, who is also a ranking member of the intelligence committee, has accused Nunes of altering the memo.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, issued a strong warning to the Republicans against issuing the memo.

&quot;Speaker Paul Ryan, Chairman Nunes and House Republicans? reckless decision to release a bogus, partisan memo, pushes the GOP&#39;s campaign to cover-up for President Trump to a new, completely unacceptable extreme,&quot; she alleged.

&quot;It seems to reflect either a wilful disregard or ignorance of the importance of separation of three branches of government which seem to be eroding right now. So, that on its face is kind of disturbing,&quot; said James Clapper, the former Director of National Intelligence.

Meanwhile, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler, sent a letter to Chairman Bob Goodlatte, to request an emergency briefing with FBI Director Wray, on his concerns regarding the memo.

The memo, Nadler alleged, is &quot;a set of misleading talking points drafted by the Republican staff of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

&quot;The White House plans to release it to the public in an attempt to discredit the FBI and undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller?s Russia investigation,&quot; Nadler said.

House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer said the report was intended &quot;to undermine the Special Counsel&#39;s independent investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia&quot;.

In a separate statement, FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) president Thomas O&#39;Connor opposed the release of the memo.

&quot;The FBI Agents Association appreciates FBI Director Chris Wray standing shoulder to shoulder with the men and women of the FBI as we work together to protect our country from criminal and national security threats,&quot; said O&#39;Connor.

He said the agency&#39;s special agents remain professional and focused on protecting the US from terrorists and criminals.

&quot;Special agents take a solemn oath to our country and to the constitution, and the American public continues to be well-served by the world?s preeminent law enforcement agency,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

A senior administration official told reporters aboard Air Force One that the president is expected to tell Congress that he is OK with releasing the memo.

US President Donald Trump is expected to approve the release of a controversial Republican memo that reportedly shows improper surveillance of one of his campaign aides, which the FBI says is "inaccurate". The approval for release of such a memo, which is being opposed by the FBI, could come as soon as tonight. A senior administration official told reporters aboard Air Force One that the president is expected to tell Congress that he is OK with releasing the memo. Also read: After firing one, Trump on collision course with new FBI director Requesting anonymity, the official said it is a Congressional process and that the decision was made after looking at the memo the last few days and making sure "it doesn't give away too much in terms of classification". "The president is ok with it," the official said. "I doubt there will be any redactions. It's in Congress' hands after that," the official said and refused to answer any further questions. Trump's reported decision comes a day after the FBI went public about the release of the memo. Some White House official fear that this might result in the resignation of FBI Director Christopher Wray. Once Trump gives his approval, it would be up to the House intelligence committee to take a final call on the report's release. House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes is under pressure from the opposition Democrats and some of his own Republican lawmakers not to release the memo. They side with officials of the FBI and many in the Department of Justice and feel the report is misleading and could expose sensitive and classified information. On January 31, 2018, the FBI released a rare statement to express their "grave concerns about the material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy". A top Democrat lawmaker, Adam Schiff, who is also a ranking member of the intelligence committee, has accused Nunes of altering the memo. Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, issued a strong warning to the Republicans against issuing the memo. "Speaker Paul Ryan, Chairman Nunes and House Republicans? reckless decision to release a bogus, partisan memo, pushes the GOP's campaign to cover-up for President Trump to a new, completely unacceptable extreme," she alleged. "It seems to reflect either a wilful disregard or ignorance of the importance of separation of three branches of government which seem to be eroding right now. So, that on its face is kind of disturbing," said James Clapper, the former Director of National Intelligence. Meanwhile, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler, sent a letter to Chairman Bob Goodlatte, to request an emergency briefing with FBI Director Wray, on his concerns regarding the memo. The memo, Nadler alleged, is "a set of misleading talking points drafted by the Republican staff of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. "The White House plans to release it to the public in an attempt to discredit the FBI and undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller?s Russia investigation," Nadler said. House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer said the report was intended "to undermine the Special Counsel's independent investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia". In a separate statement, FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) president Thomas O'Connor opposed the release of the memo. "The FBI Agents Association appreciates FBI Director Chris Wray standing shoulder to shoulder with the men and women of the FBI as we work together to protect our country from criminal and national security threats," said O'Connor. He said the agency's special agents remain professional and focused on protecting the US from terrorists and criminals. "Special agents take a solemn oath to our country and to the constitution, and the American public continues to be well-served by the world?s preeminent law enforcement agency," he said.

Trump likely to approve release of secret surveillance memo

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-firing-one-trump-on-collision-course-with-new-fbi-director-31533" target="_blank">After firing one, Trump on collision course with new FBI director</a>

FBI Director Christopher Wray was hand-picked by Donald Trump to head a law enforcement agency the US president believed was biased against him.

Now, just six months into his tenure, the 50-year-old Wray finds himself on a collision course with a president who has already fired one FBI director.

CNN reported Thursday that Wray could quit if Trump goes ahead and approves the release of a secret memo at the center of a political firestorm in Washington.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/fidel-castros-eldest-son-commits-suicide-cuban-media-31534" target="_blank">Fidel Castro&#39;s eldest son commits suicide: Cuban media</a>

The son of late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart, committed suicide on Thursday after being treated for months for depression, Cuban state-run media reported.

&quot;Diaz-Balart, who had been attended by a group of doctors for several months due to a state of profound depression, committed suicide this morning,&quot; Cubadebate website said.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-says-it-sold-fewer-iphones-but-made-record-profit-31535" target="_blank">Apple says it sold fewer iPhones but made record profit</a>

Apple on Thursday said its earnings in the final three months of last year set new records, with sales of its flagship iPhone X topping its expectations.

The California-based technology giant reported that profit climbed to $20 billion on revenue that increased 13 percent to $88.3 billion during the period.

&quot;We&#39;re thrilled to report the biggest quarter in Apple&#39;s history, with broad-based growth that included the highest revenue ever from a new iPhone lineup,&quot; said Apple chief executive Tim Cook.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-russia-roles-in-americas-alarming-says-rex-tillerson-31537" target="_blank">China, Russia roles in Americas &#39;alarming&#39;, says Rex Tillerson</a>

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned that China and Russia are assuming &quot;alarming&quot; roles in Latin America and urged regional powers to work with the United States instead.

&quot;Latin America doesn&#39;t need new imperial powers that seek only to benefit their own people,&quot; Tillerson said, in a major policy address yesterday before his first tour of South American capitals.

&quot;China&#39;s state-led model of development is reminiscent of the past. It doesn&#39;t have to be the hemisphere&#39;s future,&quot; he said, warning that &quot;unfair trading practices&quot; would cost local jobs.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-turns-down-un-security-council-visit-31539" target="_blank">Myanmar turns down UN Security Council visit</a>

Myanmar&#39;s government has told the Security Council that this month was &quot;not the right time&quot; for a visit by the top UN body to see first-hand the Rohingya refugee crisis, the council president said on Thursday.

Kuwait&#39;s Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said Myanmar authorities were not opposed to such a visit, which could take place in March or April.

&quot;They just think that this is not the right time for a visit,&quot; Otaibi, who holds the council presidency for February, told reporters at UN headquarters.

After firing one, Trump on collision course with new FBI director FBI Director Christopher Wray was hand-picked by Donald Trump to head a law enforcement agency the US president believed was biased against him. Now, just six months into his tenure, the 50-year-old Wray finds himself on a collision course with a president who has already fired one FBI director. CNN reported Thursday that Wray could quit if Trump goes ahead and approves the release of a secret memo at the center of a political firestorm in Washington. Fidel Castro's eldest son commits suicide: Cuban media The son of late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart, committed suicide on Thursday after being treated for months for depression, Cuban state-run media reported. "Diaz-Balart, who had been attended by a group of doctors for several months due to a state of profound depression, committed suicide this morning," Cubadebate website said. Apple says it sold fewer iPhones but made record profit Apple on Thursday said its earnings in the final three months of last year set new records, with sales of its flagship iPhone X topping its expectations. The California-based technology giant reported that profit climbed to $20 billion on revenue that increased 13 percent to $88.3 billion during the period. "We're thrilled to report the biggest quarter in Apple's history, with broad-based growth that included the highest revenue ever from a new iPhone lineup," said Apple chief executive Tim Cook. China, Russia roles in Americas 'alarming', says Rex Tillerson Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned that China and Russia are assuming "alarming" roles in Latin America and urged regional powers to work with the United States instead. "Latin America doesn't need new imperial powers that seek only to benefit their own people," Tillerson said, in a major policy address yesterday before his first tour of South American capitals. "China's state-led model of development is reminiscent of the past. It doesn't have to be the hemisphere's future," he said, warning that "unfair trading practices" would cost local jobs. Myanmar turns down UN Security Council visit Myanmar's government has told the Security Council that this month was "not the right time" for a visit by the top UN body to see first-hand the Rohingya refugee crisis, the council president said on Thursday. Kuwait's Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said Myanmar authorities were not opposed to such a visit, which could take place in March or April. "They just think that this is not the right time for a visit," Otaibi, who holds the council presidency for February, told reporters at UN headquarters.

WION Morning News Brief, February 2, 2018

The US State Department&rsquo;s third-ranking official, Tom Shannon, is stepping down from his post, the department said on Thursday, becoming the latest senior diplomat to exit since President Donald Trump took office a year ago.

Shannon, who serves as under secretary of state for political affairs, is the top US career diplomat and has been a fixture among the nation&rsquo;s diplomatic ranks during more than 34 years of service. In a letter to department staff, Shannon, 60, said he was resigning for personal reasons.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Shannon agreed to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson&rsquo;s request that he stay on until his successor is named. Nauert said Shannon had served under six presidents and 10 secretaries of state.

&ldquo;My decision is personal, and driven by a desire to attend to my family, take stock of my life, and set a new direction for my remaining years,&rdquo; Shannon wrote.

His departure deprives the State Department of a seasoned veteran at a time of pressing diplomatic concerns including the threat posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea.

Tillerson in November said he was offended by claims that the State Department was being hollowed out under Trump, saying it was functioning well despite scathing criticism from former American diplomats including Nicholas Burns and Ryan Crocker.

The forcing out of many senior diplomats, the failure to nominate or to win Senate confirmation for officials to fill key agency roles, and a perception that Tillerson is inaccessible have eroded morale, according to current officials.

Shannon&rsquo;s departure is part of a steady stream of senior career diplomatic officers to leave since Trump became president in January 2017. His departure was first reported by the Associated Press.

Trump kept Shannon on board when he assumed the presidency and must now appoint a successor who would need Senate confirmation.

The US State Department’s third-ranking official, Tom Shannon, is stepping down from his post, the department said on Thursday, becoming the latest senior diplomat to exit since President Donald Trump took office a year ago

The US State Department’s third-ranking official, Tom Shannon, is stepping down from his post, the department said on Thursday, becoming the latest senior diplomat to exit since President Donald Trump took office a year ago. Shannon, who serves as under secretary of state for political affairs, is the top US career diplomat and has been a fixture among the nation’s diplomatic ranks during more than 34 years of service. In a letter to department staff, Shannon, 60, said he was resigning for personal reasons. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Shannon agreed to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s request that he stay on until his successor is named. Nauert said Shannon had served under six presidents and 10 secretaries of state. “My decision is personal, and driven by a desire to attend to my family, take stock of my life, and set a new direction for my remaining years,” Shannon wrote. His departure deprives the State Department of a seasoned veteran at a time of pressing diplomatic concerns including the threat posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea. Tillerson in November said he was offended by claims that the State Department was being hollowed out under Trump, saying it was functioning well despite scathing criticism from former American diplomats including Nicholas Burns and Ryan Crocker. The forcing out of many senior diplomats, the failure to nominate or to win Senate confirmation for officials to fill key agency roles, and a perception that Tillerson is inaccessible have eroded morale, according to current officials. Shannon’s departure is part of a steady stream of senior career diplomatic officers to leave since Trump became president in January 2017. His departure was first reported by the Associated Press. Trump kept Shannon on board when he assumed the presidency and must now appoint a successor who would need Senate confirmation.

No.3 US diplomat quits in latest departure under Trump

FBI Director Christopher Wray was hand-picked by Donald Trump to head a law enforcement agency the US president believed was biased against him.

Now, just six months into his tenure, the 50-year-old Wray finds himself on a collision course with a president who has already fired one FBI director.

CNN reported Thursday that Wray could quit if Trump goes ahead and approves the release of a secret memo at the center of a political firestorm in Washington.

The four-page memo reportedly reveals abuse at the FBI and Justice Department in connection with surveillance of a member of Trump&#39;s 2016 presidential campaign who had ties to Russia.

Wray&#39;s FBI, in an unusual public statement Wednesday, expressed concerns about the document, drafted by the staff of Devin Nunes, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

&quot;We have grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo&#39;s accuracy,&quot; the FBI said.

While the statement was unsigned, it was clear that it would not have been issued without a green light from the new FBI director.

Wray has mostly flown under the radar since replacing the fired Comey as head of the 30,000-strong Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has been the target of Trump&#39;s ire ever since taking office.

Wray was overwhelmingly confirmed by the US Senate in August, three months after Trump sacked Comey amid an FBI probe into whether members of Trump&#39;s campaign had colluded with Russia to get him elected.

That investigation, which Trump has denounced as a &quot;witch hunt,&quot; is now in the hands of special counsel Robert Mueller, himself a former FBI director.

Democratic lawmakers are claiming the Intelligence Committee memo is part of a broader campaign aimed at discrediting the Mueller probe and protecting Trump.

&#39;Strict independence&#39; 
Wray was confirmed by a 92-5 vote, winning bipartisan backing after telling lawmakers he would resign rather than bow to political interference.

&quot;There is only one right way to do this job, and that is with strict independence,&quot; he told the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing.

&quot;You can&#39;t do a job like this without being prepared to either quit or be fired at a moment&#39;s notice you&#39;re asked to do something or confronted with something that is either illegal, unconstitutional or even morally repugnant,&quot; Wray said.

Born on December 17, 1967 in New York, Christopher Asher Wray attended the Phillips Academy boarding school before going on to Yale University.

He was executive editor of the Yale Law Journal and obtained a law degree from the university in 1992.

He joined the Justice Department in 1998 and in 2003, became assistant attorney general in charge of the criminal division, where he worked under then deputy attorney general Comey.

Wray mostly oversaw fraud investigations, including that of Enron, the Texas energy firm that imploded with billions of dollars of losses.

No pulling punches 
In 2005, Wray resigned and went into private practice as a partner at the law firm King &amp; Spalding.

Wray represented major companies in litigation but also worked for Trump ally Chris Christie in the so-called &quot;Bridgegate&quot; political scandal in New Jersey.

Wray&#39;s pledge to act independently is being tested now but his standoff with the White House is not his first encounter with political pressure.

In 2004, Wray&#39;s then-boss Comey was made acting attorney general due to the illness of attorney general John Ashcroft.

When aides to president George W. Bush tried to take advantage of Ashcroft&#39;s illness to push through an extension of a controversial warrantless eavesdropping program, Wray, Comey and then-FBI director Mueller put their jobs on the line and opposed the move.

During his confirmation hearing, Wray also told senators not to be fooled by his soft-spoken manner.

&quot;I&#39;ve heard many people describe me as understated and low key,&quot; he said. &quot;No one should mistake my low-key demeanor as a lack of resolve.

&quot;Anybody who thinks that I would be pulling punches as the FBI director sure doesn&#39;t know me very well.&quot;

News reports said Thursday Christopher Wray could quit if Trump goes ahead and approves the release of a secret memo at the centre of a political firestorm in Washington

FBI Director Christopher Wray was hand-picked by Donald Trump to head a law enforcement agency the US president believed was biased against him. Now, just six months into his tenure, the 50-year-old Wray finds himself on a collision course with a president who has already fired one FBI director. CNN reported Thursday that Wray could quit if Trump goes ahead and approves the release of a secret memo at the center of a political firestorm in Washington. The four-page memo reportedly reveals abuse at the FBI and Justice Department in connection with surveillance of a member of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign who had ties to Russia. Wray's FBI, in an unusual public statement Wednesday, expressed concerns about the document, drafted by the staff of Devin Nunes, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. "We have grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy," the FBI said. While the statement was unsigned, it was clear that it would not have been issued without a green light from the new FBI director. Wray has mostly flown under the radar since replacing the fired Comey as head of the 30,000-strong Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has been the target of Trump's ire ever since taking office. Wray was overwhelmingly confirmed by the US Senate in August, three months after Trump sacked Comey amid an FBI probe into whether members of Trump's campaign had colluded with Russia to get him elected. That investigation, which Trump has denounced as a "witch hunt," is now in the hands of special counsel Robert Mueller, himself a former FBI director. Democratic lawmakers are claiming the Intelligence Committee memo is part of a broader campaign aimed at discrediting the Mueller probe and protecting Trump. 'Strict independence' Wray was confirmed by a 92-5 vote, winning bipartisan backing after telling lawmakers he would resign rather than bow to political interference. "There is only one right way to do this job, and that is with strict independence," he told the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing. "You can't do a job like this without being prepared to either quit or be fired at a moment's notice you're asked to do something or confronted with something that is either illegal, unconstitutional or even morally repugnant," Wray said. Born on December 17, 1967 in New York, Christopher Asher Wray attended the Phillips Academy boarding school before going on to Yale University. He was executive editor of the Yale Law Journal and obtained a law degree from the university in 1992. He joined the Justice Department in 1998 and in 2003, became assistant attorney general in charge of the criminal division, where he worked under then deputy attorney general Comey. Wray mostly oversaw fraud investigations, including that of Enron, the Texas energy firm that imploded with billions of dollars of losses. No pulling punches In 2005, Wray resigned and went into private practice as a partner at the law firm King & Spalding. Wray represented major companies in litigation but also worked for Trump ally Chris Christie in the so-called "Bridgegate" political scandal in New Jersey. Wray's pledge to act independently is being tested now but his standoff with the White House is not his first encounter with political pressure. In 2004, Wray's then-boss Comey was made acting attorney general due to the illness of attorney general John Ashcroft. When aides to president George W. Bush tried to take advantage of Ashcroft's illness to push through an extension of a controversial warrantless eavesdropping program, Wray, Comey and then-FBI director Mueller put their jobs on the line and opposed the move. During his confirmation hearing, Wray also told senators not to be fooled by his soft-spoken manner. "I've heard many people describe me as understated and low key," he said. "No one should mistake my low-key demeanor as a lack of resolve. "Anybody who thinks that I would be pulling punches as the FBI director sure doesn't know me very well."

After firing one, Trump on collision course with new FBI director

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump&#39;s re-election campaign ended 2017 with $22 million in cash helped by $6.9 million in contributions in the fourth quarter of the year, his campaign announced on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s campaign spent $2.8 million in the final quarter of the year. Of that, $1.1 million went to legal fees, about the same amount spent the previous quarter. There were no payments to a lawyer who is representing Donald Trump Jr. and previously received more than $280,000 in payments from the campaign.

The bulk of the legal spending went to the firm Jones Day, which provides the routine legal services required by the campaign.

And $1.1 million was spent on digital advertising through the firm of Brad Parscale, who ran the campaign website and online fundraising during the 2016 election.

The remainder of Trump&#39;s expenses went to payroll for a small staff, travel and event costs.

Trump filed for re-election the day he took office, an unusual move for an incumbent president. Traditionally, incumbent presidents have waited until after their second year in office to begin their re-election campaign. Trump will stand for re-election in November 2020.&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s campaign has a joint fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee, which accounted for about $3.5 million raised in the final quarter of the year.

More than half of the donations made directly to his campaign came from contributors who donated less than $200.&nbsp;

&quot;Never before has a president&#39;s campaign committee raised so much in his first year in office, and never has a president enjoyed so much support from small donors who continue to rally around him,&quot; Lara Trump, the president`s daughter-in-law and adviser to his re-election campaign, said in a statement.&nbsp;

At the end of former President Barack Obama&#39;s first year in office, his campaign had about $8 million in cash, most of which was left over from his previous campaign and not the product of new fundraising efforts.

Obama spent about $852,000 in the last quarter of his first year in office - $2 million less than Trump spent in the same time period.

Obama did not begin running for re-election until after completing two full years in office.

Obama did not begin running for re-election until after completing two full years in office

US President Donald Trump's re-election campaign ended 2017 with $22 million in cash helped by $6.9 million in contributions in the fourth quarter of the year, his campaign announced on Wednesday. Trump's campaign spent $2.8 million in the final quarter of the year. Of that, $1.1 million went to legal fees, about the same amount spent the previous quarter. There were no payments to a lawyer who is representing Donald Trump Jr. and previously received more than $280,000 in payments from the campaign. The bulk of the legal spending went to the firm Jones Day, which provides the routine legal services required by the campaign. And $1.1 million was spent on digital advertising through the firm of Brad Parscale, who ran the campaign website and online fundraising during the 2016 election. The remainder of Trump's expenses went to payroll for a small staff, travel and event costs. Trump filed for re-election the day he took office, an unusual move for an incumbent president. Traditionally, incumbent presidents have waited until after their second year in office to begin their re-election campaign. Trump will stand for re-election in November 2020. Trump's campaign has a joint fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee, which accounted for about $3.5 million raised in the final quarter of the year. More than half of the donations made directly to his campaign came from contributors who donated less than $200. "Never before has a president's campaign committee raised so much in his first year in office, and never has a president enjoyed so much support from small donors who continue to rally around him," Lara Trump, the president`s daughter-in-law and adviser to his re-election campaign, said in a statement. At the end of former President Barack Obama's first year in office, his campaign had about $8 million in cash, most of which was left over from his previous campaign and not the product of new fundraising efforts. Obama spent about $852,000 in the last quarter of his first year in office - $2 million less than Trump spent in the same time period. Obama did not begin running for re-election until after completing two full years in office.

Trump's re-election campaign ended 2017 with $22 million in cash

The Trump administration said on Wednesday that it would allow some 7,000 Syrians to remain in the United States for at least another 18 months under protected status as civil war rages in their native country.

The decision was a relief for the Syrians who would have faced the prospect of returning to a fractured country racked with violence if the administration had rescinded their temporary protected status (TPS) when it ran out in March. Instead, they are allowed to stay through September 30, 2019.

&quot;After carefully considering conditions on the ground, I have determined that it is necessary to extend the Temporary Protected Status designation for Syria,&quot; said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in a statement.

&quot;It is clear that the conditions upon which Syria&#39;s designation was based continue to exist, therefore an extension is warranted under the statute,&quot; she added.

The administration stopped short of re-designating Syria&#39;s status, which means that it will continue to benefit only Syrians who have been in the United States since 2016 or earlier.

&quot;It fell short that they didn`t re-designate it but I think it&#39;s a positive action nonetheless that should be praised,&quot; said Monzer Shakally, 21, a Syrian student at the University of Iowa with the temporary status. &quot;I&#39;m happy this decision came out now and I don`t have to worry about this for another 18 months at least.&quot;

The Obama administration granted Syrians temporary protected status in 2012, the year after the war in Syria began, and extended it through the end of March. The Obama administration re-designated Syria&#39;s protected status several times so that waves of Syrians who had arrived in later years of the conflict could qualify.

There is no end in sight to the Syria conflict. A peace conference in Russia ended on Tuesday with a call for democratic elections, but key opposition demands were ignored after squabbles and heckling of the Russian foreign minister.

The Trump administration has shown a deep scepticism toward the protected status program, announcing its end for immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan since President Donald Trump took office last year. Some of those countries were granted the protections more than a decade ago, and the administration argued that their crises had since been resolved.

Refugee advocates criticized the Trump administration&#39;s decision not to re-designate Syria&#39;s status, saying it ignored the fact that Syria&#39;s conflict continues to produce new refugees.

&quot;The Trump administration&#39;s decision means that many Syrians who are already here in the U.S. will not be able to apply for TPS status,&quot; said Lia Lindsey, Oxfam America`s senior humanitarian policy advisor.

Some groups that favour immigration restrictions had opposed an 18-month extension of the humanitarian benefits for Syrians, saying six months would be more appropriate.

&nbsp;

The Trump administration allowed some 7,000 Syrians to remain in the US for at least another 18 months under protected status as civil war rages in their native country

The Trump administration said on Wednesday that it would allow some 7,000 Syrians to remain in the United States for at least another 18 months under protected status as civil war rages in their native country. The decision was a relief for the Syrians who would have faced the prospect of returning to a fractured country racked with violence if the administration had rescinded their temporary protected status (TPS) when it ran out in March. Instead, they are allowed to stay through September 30, 2019. "After carefully considering conditions on the ground, I have determined that it is necessary to extend the Temporary Protected Status designation for Syria," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in a statement. "It is clear that the conditions upon which Syria's designation was based continue to exist, therefore an extension is warranted under the statute," she added. The administration stopped short of re-designating Syria's status, which means that it will continue to benefit only Syrians who have been in the United States since 2016 or earlier. "It fell short that they didn`t re-designate it but I think it's a positive action nonetheless that should be praised," said Monzer Shakally, 21, a Syrian student at the University of Iowa with the temporary status. "I'm happy this decision came out now and I don`t have to worry about this for another 18 months at least." The Obama administration granted Syrians temporary protected status in 2012, the year after the war in Syria began, and extended it through the end of March. The Obama administration re-designated Syria's protected status several times so that waves of Syrians who had arrived in later years of the conflict could qualify. There is no end in sight to the Syria conflict. A peace conference in Russia ended on Tuesday with a call for democratic elections, but key opposition demands were ignored after squabbles and heckling of the Russian foreign minister. The Trump administration has shown a deep scepticism toward the protected status program, announcing its end for immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan since President Donald Trump took office last year. Some of those countries were granted the protections more than a decade ago, and the administration argued that their crises had since been resolved. Refugee advocates criticized the Trump administration's decision not to re-designate Syria's status, saying it ignored the fact that Syria's conflict continues to produce new refugees. "The Trump administration's decision means that many Syrians who are already here in the U.S. will not be able to apply for TPS status," said Lia Lindsey, Oxfam America`s senior humanitarian policy advisor. Some groups that favour immigration restrictions had opposed an 18-month extension of the humanitarian benefits for Syrians, saying six months would be more appropriate.

US allows Syrians to stay for another 18 months

African leaders say they have decided to refrain from issuing a resolution to criticise Donald Trump&#39;s alleged reference to their nations as &quot;shithole countries&quot; because the US president sent them a letter expressing respect for the continent.

The leaders who met at an African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital were initially set to demand an apology from Trump over the remark reported by sources at a meeting on immigration with him this month.

Trump denies making the comment.

Reports of the comment touched a nerve because they come on top of decisions by the Trump administration, particularly on visa restrictions, that many Africans say unfairly penalize the continent.&nbsp;

As the summit was being held at ministerial level, the gathering drafted a resolution calling on Trump to &quot;publicly apologise to all Africans&quot;.

Anything short of that would force them to suspend a cooperation deal signed between Washington and the bloc, said the draft seen by Reuters.

African leaders are &quot;dismayed and shocked by the increasingly consistent trend by the Trump Administration to denigrate of African descent ... thereby promoting racism, xenophobia and bigotry,&quot; it said.

But a Jan. 25 letter sent by Trump prompted a change of tack at the presidential level.

One summit official said the final resolution that is yet to be released contains no reference to the issue after the leaders concluded the meeting late on Monday.

&quot;I want to underscore that the United States deeply respects the people of Africa and my commitment to strong and respectful relationships with African states as sovereign states is firm,&quot; Trump said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would &quot;travel to Africa for an extended visit,&quot; he said.

The AU Commission had &quot;taken due note&quot; of the letter, which wished the summit success, Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said during the closing press conference.

Rwanda&#39;s President Paul Kagame, who met Trump last week on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said Trump&#39;s reported comment had no impact on the AU summit.

&quot;When the United States decided to give us Trump as their president we deal with that president of the United States. It is not an issue of whether you appreciate him for this or for that, it is a job that he is doing for his country,&quot; added Kagame, who assumed the African Union&#39;s chairmanship this year.

He said both he and Trump had stressed the need for more cooperation.&nbsp;

African leaders say they have decided, after the letter, to refrain from issuing a resolution criticising Trump

African leaders say they have decided to refrain from issuing a resolution to criticise Donald Trump's alleged reference to their nations as "shithole countries" because the US president sent them a letter expressing respect for the continent. The leaders who met at an African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital were initially set to demand an apology from Trump over the remark reported by sources at a meeting on immigration with him this month. Trump denies making the comment. Reports of the comment touched a nerve because they come on top of decisions by the Trump administration, particularly on visa restrictions, that many Africans say unfairly penalize the continent. As the summit was being held at ministerial level, the gathering drafted a resolution calling on Trump to "publicly apologise to all Africans". Anything short of that would force them to suspend a cooperation deal signed between Washington and the bloc, said the draft seen by Reuters. African leaders are "dismayed and shocked by the increasingly consistent trend by the Trump Administration to denigrate of African descent ... thereby promoting racism, xenophobia and bigotry," it said. But a Jan. 25 letter sent by Trump prompted a change of tack at the presidential level. One summit official said the final resolution that is yet to be released contains no reference to the issue after the leaders concluded the meeting late on Monday. "I want to underscore that the United States deeply respects the people of Africa and my commitment to strong and respectful relationships with African states as sovereign states is firm," Trump said. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would "travel to Africa for an extended visit," he said. The AU Commission had "taken due note" of the letter, which wished the summit success, Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said during the closing press conference. Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, who met Trump last week on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said Trump's reported comment had no impact on the AU summit. "When the United States decided to give us Trump as their president we deal with that president of the United States. It is not an issue of whether you appreciate him for this or for that, it is a job that he is doing for his country," added Kagame, who assumed the African Union's chairmanship this year. He said both he and Trump had stressed the need for more cooperation.

'Shithole' countries: Trump writes letter saying he respects Africa

Adult film star Stormy Daniels has denied claims of a 2006 sexual relationship with Donald Trump.

&ldquo;Over the past few weeks I&rsquo;ve been asked countless times to comment on reports of an alleged sexual relationship wit Donald Trump many, many, many years ago,&rdquo; she said in a statement.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Stormy Daniels (going on Kimmel tonight after Trump&#39;s State of the Union) issues a new statement saying she is denying having an affair with Trump not because of a settlement but because &ldquo;it never happened.&rdquo; 
 
She would also like you to follow her on Instagram. 
 
From <a href="https://twitter.com/a_cormier_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@a_cormier_</a> <a href="https://t.co/J11O3WGGz3">pic.twitter.com/J11O3WGGz3</a>
&mdash; Tom Namako (@TomNamako) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomNamako/status/958458685197611013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&ldquo;The fact of the matter is that each party to this alleged affair denied its existence in 2006, 2011, 2017 and again in 2018. I am not denying this affair because I was paid &ldquo;hush money&rdquo; as has been reported in overseas-owned tabloids. I am denying this affair because it never happened,&rdquo; Pornstar added.

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that a month before the 2016 election Michael Cohen, an attorney for Donald Trump, arranged to pay Daniels $130,000 in exchange for her silence about the alleged affair.

Adult actress has denied that any such relationship took place

Adult film star Stormy Daniels has denied claims of a 2006 sexual relationship with Donald Trump. “Over the past few weeks I’ve been asked countless times to comment on reports of an alleged sexual relationship wit Donald Trump many, many, many years ago,” she said in a statement. Stormy Daniels (going on Kimmel tonight after Trump's State of the Union) issues a new statement saying she is denying having an affair with Trump not because of a settlement but because “it never happened.” She would also like you to follow her on Instagram. From @a_cormier_ pic.twitter.com/J11O3WGGz3 — Tom Namako (@TomNamako) January 30, 2018 × “The fact of the matter is that each party to this alleged affair denied its existence in 2006, 2011, 2017 and again in 2018. I am not denying this affair because I was paid “hush money” as has been reported in overseas-owned tabloids. I am denying this affair because it never happened,” Pornstar added. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that a month before the 2016 election Michael Cohen, an attorney for Donald Trump, arranged to pay Daniels $130,000 in exchange for her silence about the alleged affair.

Pornstar Stormy Daniels denies affair with Donald Trump

Donald J. Trump was the first candidate to become president of the United States without prior experience as a military leader, a politician or ever having held a senior government post.

As he delivered his State of the Union address with the promise of a &ldquo;new American moment,&rdquo; the president had the lowest approval rating of any modern-day commander-in-chief.

Yet he carries enough appeal to illustrate that what people say to pollsters isn&rsquo;t always how they cast their ballots. After all, polls overwhelmingly predicted Trump&rsquo;s electoral defeat in 2016, yet he won. Polls are now indicating a failed presidency. Is it?

Election rhetoric, more often than not, withers in the face of reality once a candidate becomes the sitting president. Not the case with Trump.

Henry Kissinger noted that Trump is different from most because he owes very few favours and debts to others. In that regard, Trump has had a freer hand than most politicians.

The Trump administration has seen more than its share of problems, not surprising given that an outsider group &mdash; separate and distinct from the political class of both dominant parties &mdash; has taken power.

Candidate Trump went through three sets of top campaign officials, and two top transitional team leaders, before he assumed office. He&rsquo;s now on his second set of White House staff and cabinet members. And today&rsquo;s Team Trump is beginning to deliver eyebrow-raising change in many areas, from defence to the economy.

Trump&rsquo;s message unfiltered

What has stayed constant, however, is Trump&rsquo;s approach to governing by bringing his message directly to his constituents by means that include Twitter and political rallies.

His speech and mannerisms not only reflect the aforementioned free hand, but also a fundamental break from the carefully crafted, controlled politician-speak that became dominant in the late 20th century in most industrialized democracies.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/203703/original/file-20180129-100893-k3ptsb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" />
<figcaption>U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters upon arrival at the White House from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)</figcaption>
</figure>

&nbsp;

Trump-speak has barely changed since his campaign began. It&rsquo;s not classical politician-speak, which prioritizes an avoidance of publicly offending anyone. Making offensive comments, after all, can cost votes that could tip an election or derail a legislative agenda. Internationally, if a president routinely offends the country&rsquo;s foes and allies alike, delicate relationships are put at risk.

Measured and controlled speech that carefully avoids upsetting anyone and not playing fast and loose with readily disproved facts is what politician-speak is all about.

Politicians usually deal with any significant, legitimate domestic concerns by appeasement: Using &ldquo;motherhood and apple pie&rdquo; references in public statements, and delivering speeches that more often than not don&rsquo;t result in any substantive action unless it&rsquo;s a bona fide priority of their administration.

As long as not openly spoken of approvingly by those in authority, many alleged universal evils, like systemic racial discrimination, can quietly continue.

No spit-and-polish

Other ongoing concerns, like the investigation into Trump&rsquo;s alleged ties to Russia, allow opposing politicians to appear righteous and therefore exempt from the civility of politician-speak. Their targets can be openly denigrated, insulted and vilified.

Candidate Trump, and now President Trump, made a clean break from this 20th-century tradition by speaking to Americans and the world in a plain-spoken, homey and at times explicit manner free of the spit-and-polish that all democracies have come to expect of their politicians.

Frank Bruni, the New York Times columnist and no friend of the president, termed him a radically honest politician in some ways. Bruni observes there is more transparency into the president&rsquo;s beliefs and ideas, and his thought processes &mdash;however wrong or misled he might be &mdash; than there has been for any previous president in recent memory.

We know that some politicians aren&rsquo;t much different from Trump privately because there is a long trail of what they really thought and said during unguarded moments.

On tape, Richard Nixon was profane and angry about his perceived enemies, including Canada&rsquo;s Pierre Trudeau. Lyndon Johnson was much warier in private comments about the Vietnam war than he was in public.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/203806/original/file-20180129-41450-6ro53o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" />
<figcaption>President Richard Nixon and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau talk in Trudeau&rsquo;s office on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in this April 1972 photo. Tapes released decades later revealed Nixon speaking scornfully about Trudeau privately. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chuck Mitchell</figcaption>
</figure>

&nbsp;

The difference is that past presidents and establishment politicians hid their true beliefs better, and a less critical media helped.

Trump, on the other hand, has faced hostile media worldwide that amplify every &ldquo;misstep.&rdquo;

Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;open source&rdquo; thoughts are unprecedented in any modern politician. This radical transparency allows us to understand the president in a way that no other modern politician can be understood.

Trump supporters hear and see a man whose thoughts and beliefs are similar to theirs, whom they know expresses ideas that they cannot speak out loud unless in safe, like-minded and trusted company &mdash; or they risk being branded racist, sexist, homophobic and xenophobic, or, as Hillary Clinton termed them, &ldquo;deplorables.&rdquo;

Such accusations are not just rhetorical. In the #MeToo era, they&rsquo;re now more than sufficient grounds to cause careers and lives to go up in smoke, to cause politicians to be forced from their posts, to be denied equal protection under the law and to be vilified in public in a way that can never be erased in the age of the internet.

The internet-amplified accusations, often dating back decades, are enough to derail many prominent people&rsquo;s careers, whether they&rsquo;re guilty or not.

Trump&rsquo;s tweets, comments are a goldmine

Trump-speak, therefore, is a goldmine for those making accusations. The president&rsquo;s unfiltered, often anger-fuelled tweets and public remarks have lead to charges that, to name just a few examples, he&rsquo;s an enemy of prosperity due to his protectionism, that he&rsquo;s racist, sexist, Islamaphobic or just plain boorish.

But to date, none of these accusations have bothered his base &mdash; or the American economy. Business confidence in America is at an all-time high since 2008, while unemployment is down.

Trump, by breaking from the &ldquo;offend no one&rdquo; style of political discourse, still appeals to those Americans who share beliefs with him that are largely overlooked by the incumbent political class that the president is dismantling.

But it is not &ldquo;populism,&rdquo; per se. Most populists, like the Nicol&aacute;s Maduro regime of Venezuela, do not have an agenda for radical change. Trump, on the other hand, insists he&rsquo;s all about remaking America, and reiterated that intention in his first State of the Union address.

The question is, remake America in what way?

Trump&rsquo;s beliefs do not fit neatly into existing and established factions of the Republican or Democratic party. His ideas are a mix from both parties that is more than pragmatism &mdash; defined as expedient ad hoc solutions that most politicians end up practising with a slight tilt to the traditional &ldquo;left&rdquo; or &ldquo;right.&rdquo;

Trump is about more than muddling through, or incremental change. He is a president of radical change.

His takeover of the Republican Party was a hostile one that paid lip service to most of the party&rsquo;s ideological dogma.

That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s been so difficult for any political class to coalesce around Trump. He is not really a Republican or a Democrat, but a cross-dresser with new, radical ideas.

Remaking politics

What Trump is about is remaking the American body politic. And it is happening, subtly, behind the scenes; it&rsquo;s beginning to emerge how radical the changes are that he&rsquo;s bringing about in defence, taxation and regulation, to name a few. No wonder the political class, tied to the perquisites from the established order, is revolting.

Trump is attempting to remake government in a manner that has not been done since President Franklin D. Roosevelt. And Trump-speak is a key component of that overhaul, because it allows for the open discussion of the many problems America and the world is facing but are usually only spoken about in whispers behind closed doors.

Trump&rsquo;s greatest achievement is breaking the old political order &mdash; its stranglehold on power and its control of political discourse.

This will be the legacy of Trumpism as it reinvents how politics is conducted in the 21st century.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-donald-trump-is-retooling-politics-for-the-21st-century-90836" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Trump-speak is a key component of that overhaul, because it allows for the open discussion of the many problems America and the world is facing but are usually only spoken about in whispers behind closed doors.

Donald J. Trump was the first candidate to become president of the United States without prior experience as a military leader, a politician or ever having held a senior government post. As he delivered his State of the Union address with the promise of a “new American moment,” the president had the lowest approval rating of any modern-day commander-in-chief. Yet he carries enough appeal to illustrate that what people say to pollsters isn’t always how they cast their ballots. After all, polls overwhelmingly predicted Trump’s electoral defeat in 2016, yet he won. Polls are now indicating a failed presidency. Is it? Election rhetoric, more often than not, withers in the face of reality once a candidate becomes the sitting president. Not the case with Trump. Henry Kissinger noted that Trump is different from most because he owes very few favours and debts to others. In that regard, Trump has had a freer hand than most politicians. The Trump administration has seen more than its share of problems, not surprising given that an outsider group — separate and distinct from the political class of both dominant parties — has taken power. Candidate Trump went through three sets of top campaign officials, and two top transitional team leaders, before he assumed office. He’s now on his second set of White House staff and cabinet members. And today’s Team Trump is beginning to deliver eyebrow-raising change in many areas, from defence to the economy. Trump’s message unfiltered What has stayed constant, however, is Trump’s approach to governing by bringing his message directly to his constituents by means that include Twitter and political rallies. His speech and mannerisms not only reflect the aforementioned free hand, but also a fundamental break from the carefully crafted, controlled politician-speak that became dominant in the late 20th century in most industrialized democracies. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters upon arrival at the White House from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Trump-speak has barely changed since his campaign began. It’s not classical politician-speak, which prioritizes an avoidance of publicly offending anyone. Making offensive comments, after all, can cost votes that could tip an election or derail a legislative agenda. Internationally, if a president routinely offends the country’s foes and allies alike, delicate relationships are put at risk. Measured and controlled speech that carefully avoids upsetting anyone and not playing fast and loose with readily disproved facts is what politician-speak is all about. Politicians usually deal with any significant, legitimate domestic concerns by appeasement: Using “motherhood and apple pie” references in public statements, and delivering speeches that more often than not don’t result in any substantive action unless it’s a bona fide priority of their administration. As long as not openly spoken of approvingly by those in authority, many alleged universal evils, like systemic racial discrimination, can quietly continue. No spit-and-polish Other ongoing concerns, like the investigation into Trump’s alleged ties to Russia, allow opposing politicians to appear righteous and therefore exempt from the civility of politician-speak. Their targets can be openly denigrated, insulted and vilified. Candidate Trump, and now President Trump, made a clean break from this 20th-century tradition by speaking to Americans and the world in a plain-spoken, homey and at times explicit manner free of the spit-and-polish that all democracies have come to expect of their politicians. Frank Bruni, the New York Times columnist and no friend of the president, termed him a radically honest politician in some ways. Bruni observes there is more transparency into the president’s beliefs and ideas, and his thought processes —however wrong or misled he might be — than there has been for any previous president in recent memory. We know that some politicians aren’t much different from Trump privately because there is a long trail of what they really thought and said during unguarded moments. On tape, Richard Nixon was profane and angry about his perceived enemies, including Canada’s Pierre Trudeau. Lyndon Johnson was much warier in private comments about the Vietnam war than he was in public. President Richard Nixon and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau talk in Trudeau’s office on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in this April 1972 photo. Tapes released decades later revealed Nixon speaking scornfully about Trudeau privately. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chuck Mitchell The difference is that past presidents and establishment politicians hid their true beliefs better, and a less critical media helped. Trump, on the other hand, has faced hostile media worldwide that amplify every “misstep.” Trump’s “open source” thoughts are unprecedented in any modern politician. This radical transparency allows us to understand the president in a way that no other modern politician can be understood. Trump supporters hear and see a man whose thoughts and beliefs are similar to theirs, whom they know expresses ideas that they cannot speak out loud unless in safe, like-minded and trusted company — or they risk being branded racist, sexist, homophobic and xenophobic, or, as Hillary Clinton termed them, “deplorables.” Such accusations are not just rhetorical. In the #MeToo era, they’re now more than sufficient grounds to cause careers and lives to go up in smoke, to cause politicians to be forced from their posts, to be denied equal protection under the law and to be vilified in public in a way that can never be erased in the age of the internet. The internet-amplified accusations, often dating back decades, are enough to derail many prominent people’s careers, whether they’re guilty or not. Trump’s tweets, comments are a goldmine Trump-speak, therefore, is a goldmine for those making accusations. The president’s unfiltered, often anger-fuelled tweets and public remarks have lead to charges that, to name just a few examples, he’s an enemy of prosperity due to his protectionism, that he’s racist, sexist, Islamaphobic or just plain boorish. But to date, none of these accusations have bothered his base — or the American economy. Business confidence in America is at an all-time high since 2008, while unemployment is down. Trump, by breaking from the “offend no one” style of political discourse, still appeals to those Americans who share beliefs with him that are largely overlooked by the incumbent political class that the president is dismantling. But it is not “populism,” per se. Most populists, like the Nicolás Maduro regime of Venezuela, do not have an agenda for radical change. Trump, on the other hand, insists he’s all about remaking America, and reiterated that intention in his first State of the Union address. The question is, remake America in what way? Trump’s beliefs do not fit neatly into existing and established factions of the Republican or Democratic party. His ideas are a mix from both parties that is more than pragmatism — defined as expedient ad hoc solutions that most politicians end up practising with a slight tilt to the traditional “left” or “right.” Trump is about more than muddling through, or incremental change. He is a president of radical change. His takeover of the Republican Party was a hostile one that paid lip service to most of the party’s ideological dogma. That’s why it’s been so difficult for any political class to coalesce around Trump. He is not really a Republican or a Democrat, but a cross-dresser with new, radical ideas. Remaking politics What Trump is about is remaking the American body politic. And it is happening, subtly, behind the scenes; it’s beginning to emerge how radical the changes are that he’s bringing about in defence, taxation and regulation, to name a few. No wonder the political class, tied to the perquisites from the established order, is revolting. Trump is attempting to remake government in a manner that has not been done since President Franklin D. Roosevelt. And Trump-speak is a key component of that overhaul, because it allows for the open discussion of the many problems America and the world is facing but are usually only spoken about in whispers behind closed doors. Trump’s greatest achievement is breaking the old political order — its stranglehold on power and its control of political discourse. This will be the legacy of Trumpism as it reinvents how politics is conducted in the 21st century. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Trump wants to remake America. But in what way?

First Lady Melania Trump made a very visible return to the public stage Tuesday by attending her husband&#39;s maiden State of the Union address, her first official appearance since accusations of infidelity surfaced about the president.

The enigmatic wife of Donald Trump emerged publicly for the first time since she fed the Washington rumor mill by cancelling her trip to Davos, Switzerland, leaving her husband to attend last week&#39;s World Economic Forum on his own.

Melania&#39;s no-show in Davos came on the heels of a bombshell report that Trump had a fling with porn star Stormy Daniels in 2006, just months after his wife gave birth to their son.

But for Trump&#39;s big night in Congress, Melania arrived smiling and waving, to warm and extended applause -- dressed in a crisp cream white pantsuit that stood in contrast to the black donned by Democratic lawmakers in solidarity with the victims of sexual harassment.

Minutes later, her husband took the floor and exchanged waves with his wife.

Among Trumps&#39; guests in the first lady&#39;s box were a US Marine corporal who stepped on an explosive device and lost both legs while deployed in Iraq in 2007; first responders who helped save hurricane victims in Louisiana and Texas, and parents of children killed by the gang MS-13.

Breaking with tradition, the first couple arrived separately to the Capitol, because, according to the first lady&#39;s spokesperson Stephanie Grisham, she was accompanying guests.

Afterwards, the first lady was seen being escorted out of the gallery by a military officer, as Trump spoke with lawmakers and administration officials on the House floor.

It was not immediately clear whether the Trumps returned together to the White House.

The Melania mystery

As the 47-year-old wife of a 71-year-old man known for past lewd remarks about women, and whose two past divorces became public spectacles, Melania Trump is dogged by speculation that they lead largely separate lives.

Speculation flared anew when The Wall Street Journal reported on January 12 that Trump had paid Daniels $130,000, one month before the November 2016 election, to keep their adulterous liaison quiet.

The porn star was questioned anew about the reports as a guest given star billing Tuesday on late night ABC talk show &quot;Jimmy Kimmel Live!&quot;

But Daniels, reportedly bound by the non-disclosure agreement about the alleged fling, revealed little -- laughing awkwardly, flashing tight-lipped smiles and deflecting Kimmel&#39;s questions at every chance.

&quot;I thought this was a talk show, not a horror movie,&quot; she said as Kimmel read from the transcript of a 2011 In Touch magazine interview, only recently published and reportedly about the liaison.

As for Melania, her opinions and goals have remained a mystery to millions of Americans.

She is a former model who once posed nude in her husband&#39;s private jet, and the first foreign-born wife of a US president in nearly 200 years.

She spent her first months as first lady living in New York, and refused to move to the White House until their young son Barron finished the school year.

She makes few public speeches, and is rarely seen in Washington.

Breaking with tradition, the first couple arrived separately to the Capitol.

First Lady Melania Trump made a very visible return to the public stage Tuesday by attending her husband's maiden State of the Union address, her first official appearance since accusations of infidelity surfaced about the president. The enigmatic wife of Donald Trump emerged publicly for the first time since she fed the Washington rumor mill by cancelling her trip to Davos, Switzerland, leaving her husband to attend last week's World Economic Forum on his own. Melania's no-show in Davos came on the heels of a bombshell report that Trump had a fling with porn star Stormy Daniels in 2006, just months after his wife gave birth to their son. But for Trump's big night in Congress, Melania arrived smiling and waving, to warm and extended applause -- dressed in a crisp cream white pantsuit that stood in contrast to the black donned by Democratic lawmakers in solidarity with the victims of sexual harassment. Minutes later, her husband took the floor and exchanged waves with his wife. Among Trumps' guests in the first lady's box were a US Marine corporal who stepped on an explosive device and lost both legs while deployed in Iraq in 2007; first responders who helped save hurricane victims in Louisiana and Texas, and parents of children killed by the gang MS-13. Breaking with tradition, the first couple arrived separately to the Capitol, because, according to the first lady's spokesperson Stephanie Grisham, she was accompanying guests. Afterwards, the first lady was seen being escorted out of the gallery by a military officer, as Trump spoke with lawmakers and administration officials on the House floor. It was not immediately clear whether the Trumps returned together to the White House. The Melania mystery As the 47-year-old wife of a 71-year-old man known for past lewd remarks about women, and whose two past divorces became public spectacles, Melania Trump is dogged by speculation that they lead largely separate lives. Speculation flared anew when The Wall Street Journal reported on January 12 that Trump had paid Daniels $130,000, one month before the November 2016 election, to keep their adulterous liaison quiet. The porn star was questioned anew about the reports as a guest given star billing Tuesday on late night ABC talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" But Daniels, reportedly bound by the non-disclosure agreement about the alleged fling, revealed little -- laughing awkwardly, flashing tight-lipped smiles and deflecting Kimmel's questions at every chance. "I thought this was a talk show, not a horror movie," she said as Kimmel read from the transcript of a 2011 In Touch magazine interview, only recently published and reportedly about the liaison. As for Melania, her opinions and goals have remained a mystery to millions of Americans. She is a former model who once posed nude in her husband's private jet, and the first foreign-born wife of a US president in nearly 200 years. She spent her first months as first lady living in New York, and refused to move to the White House until their young son Barron finished the school year. She makes few public speeches, and is rarely seen in Washington.

State of Union address: Melania braves public eye after Trump cheating claim

As the 45th President of the United States delivered his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/state-of-the-union-address-us-president-donald-trump-bids-for-safe-strong-and-united-america-31271">first State of the Union address</a>&nbsp;today, Donald Trump touched upon the themes of building a stronger, safer and united America, and pacing towards realising the &#39;American dream&#39;.

As he went on talking about growing America&#39;s economy and empowering its citizens, comparisons were leveled between every word that he uttered with what his predecessor Barack Obama noted in his address last year.&nbsp;

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<h5>Obama took the opportunity and the platform provided by SOTU to propagate the idea of government programmes like Obamacare.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

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Barack Obama, in his much-lauded Union speech, last year focussed on the poor and middle-class. More or less, his address brimmed to full with ideas that aimed at enabling the weaker American lot to succeed.&nbsp;

Obama took the opportunity and the platform provided by SOTU to propagate the idea of government programmes like Obamacare. Trump went ahead and repealed Obamacare soon after he assumed his office.

&quot;We repealed the core of disastrous Obamacare &ndash; the individual mandate is now gone,&quot; Trump shared today.&nbsp;

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<h5>Trump went ahead and repealed Obamacare soon after he assumed his office.</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Trump went ahead and repealed Obamacare soon after he assumed his office." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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Trump&#39;s address, that ended a short while ago, focussed more on loading the pockets of an average American with newer tax cuts in place.

&quot;We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day&rsquo;s work; we want every child to be safe in their home at night, and we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love,&quot; said Trump noting that the key to a stronger nation is closely tied to economic growth and prosperity.&nbsp;

While terms like &quot;middle-class&quot; emerged at the top of Obama&#39;s address, Trump&#39;s was painted with the idea of realising the &quot;American dream&quot;.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-state-of-the-union-address-31215">What is the State of the Union Address?</a>

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<h5>Obama put regulations in place, Trump&#39;s approach seems to depend less on them.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Obama put regulations in place, Trump's approach seems to depend less on them." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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Obama put regulations in place, Trump&#39;s approach seems to depend less on them. According to reports, the Trump administration scrapped over 1,500 incomplete Obama rules in 2017.

&quot;In our drive to make Washington accountable, we have eliminated more regulations in our first year than any administration in history,&quot; exclaimed Trump during his address.&nbsp;

Obama and Trump, both addressed the immigration policy of the land.&nbsp;

&quot;I believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration. That&#39;s why my Administration has put more boots on the border than ever before. That&#39;s why there are fewer illegal crossings than when I took office,&quot; noted Obama in his 2017 address.

&quot;Struggling communities, especially immigrant communities, will also be helped by immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American Workers and American Families,&quot; Trump shared today.&nbsp;

And while economic prosperity, for Obama, was manifested in providing equal opportunities to all.

&quot;You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country. That means women should earn equal pay for equal work. It means we should support everyone who&#39;s willing to work; and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs,&quot; spoke Obama.&nbsp;

The Trump administration bats for &quot;privatisation&quot; and infrastructural boost. &nbsp;

&quot;Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment we need,&quot; Trump&#39;s address noted.&nbsp;

Barack Obama is his much-lauded Union speech last year focussed on the poor and middle-class

As the 45th President of the United States delivered his first State of the Union address today, Donald Trump touched upon the themes of building a stronger, safer and united America, and pacing towards realising the 'American dream'. As he went on talking about growing America's economy and empowering its citizens, comparisons were leveled between every word that he uttered with what his predecessor Barack Obama noted in his address last year. Obama took the opportunity and the platform provided by SOTU to propagate the idea of government programmes like Obamacare. × Barack Obama, in his much-lauded Union speech, last year focussed on the poor and middle-class. More or less, his address brimmed to full with ideas that aimed at enabling the weaker American lot to succeed. Obama took the opportunity and the platform provided by SOTU to propagate the idea of government programmes like Obamacare. Trump went ahead and repealed Obamacare soon after he assumed his office. "We repealed the core of disastrous Obamacare – the individual mandate is now gone," Trump shared today. Trump went ahead and repealed Obamacare soon after he assumed his office. × Trump's address, that ended a short while ago, focussed more on loading the pockets of an average American with newer tax cuts in place. "We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day’s work; we want every child to be safe in their home at night, and we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love," said Trump noting that the key to a stronger nation is closely tied to economic growth and prosperity. While terms like "middle-class" emerged at the top of Obama's address, Trump's was painted with the idea of realising the "American dream". Also read: What is the State of the Union Address? Obama put regulations in place, Trump's approach seems to depend less on them. × Obama put regulations in place, Trump's approach seems to depend less on them. According to reports, the Trump administration scrapped over 1,500 incomplete Obama rules in 2017. "In our drive to make Washington accountable, we have eliminated more regulations in our first year than any administration in history," exclaimed Trump during his address. Obama and Trump, both addressed the immigration policy of the land. "I believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration. That's why my Administration has put more boots on the border than ever before. That's why there are fewer illegal crossings than when I took office," noted Obama in his 2017 address. "Struggling communities, especially immigrant communities, will also be helped by immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American Workers and American Families," Trump shared today. And while economic prosperity, for Obama, was manifested in providing equal opportunities to all. "You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country. That means women should earn equal pay for equal work. It means we should support everyone who's willing to work; and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs," spoke Obama. The Trump administration bats for "privatisation" and infrastructural boost. "Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment we need," Trump's address noted.

State of the Union address: Barack Obama versus Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday delivered his first State of the Union address and provided his assessment of his first year in office with a look ahead at his agenda as he continues to work towards fulfilling his campaign promise to &quot;make America great again.&quot;

In the hour-long address, Donald Trump spoke about the American economy and the tax cuts undertaken by his government. He also talked about &quot;decades of unfair trade deals&quot;, &quot;immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American Workers and American Families&quot;, &quot;what kind of nation&quot; America will be, and America&#39;s &quot;fight until ISIS is defeated&quot; among others.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-state-of-the-union-speech-full-text-31279" target="_blank">Full text of Donald Trump&#39;s State of the Union speech</a>

The State of the Union Address is an annual message presented by President of United States to a joint session of the United States Congress after the president completes one year of his term.&nbsp;

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US President Trump said that &quot;together, we are building a safe, strong and proud America. The state of our union is strong, because our people are strong.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a> <a href="https://t.co/FOEqVUyHho">pic.twitter.com/FOEqVUyHho</a>
&mdash; AFP news agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/958533775742328832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;So let us begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a>: <a href="https://t.co/Njo52YOlc2">https://t.co/Njo52YOlc2</a>
&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/958524829233184768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America.&nbsp;

As Trump took the stage, amid cheer and jubilation, he talked about issues of prime importance and utmost significance to the country, its prosperity and its ties with allies. Here is a quick look at some of the key points from Trump&#39;s first State of the Union address.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-state-of-the-union-address-31215">What is the State of the Union Address?</a>

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&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/958523660683415554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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United America&nbsp;

&quot;Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of nation we are going to be. All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family.&quot;

Trump emphasised the importance of a &quot;united America&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;As we rebuild America&rsquo;s strength and confidence at home, we are also restoring our strength and standing abroad,&quot; Trump noted.&nbsp;

A staunch believer and propagator of the idea of the &quot;American dream&quot;, Trump further added, &quot;This is our New American Moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American dream.&quot;

Trump noted that the citizens of America love their country and deserve a government that shows them the same love and loyalty in return.&nbsp;

&quot;Tonight I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, color, and creed,&quot; Trump said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America. (WION)
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Fight until ISIS is defeated

Reinstating America&#39;s zero tolerance on terrorism, the US President noted that as he assumed office last year, he had pledged to work with allies to extinguish ISIS from the face of the earth.

&quot;One year later, I&rsquo;m proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated almost 100 percent of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria. But there is much more work to be done,&quot; he shared.

&quot;We will continue our fight until ISIS is defeated,&quot; Trump exclaimed.&nbsp;

Economically strong America

&quot;We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day&rsquo;s work; we want every child to be safe in their home at night, and we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love,&quot; said Trump noting that the key to a stronger nation is closely tied to economic growth and prosperity.&nbsp;

&quot;I am asking both parties to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve,&quot; he noted.&nbsp;

Trump furthered his statement by talking about tax relief provided to the US citizens.&nbsp;

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&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/958525971765907456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Just as I promised the American People from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reform in American history.&quot;

He shared that since the tax cuts were passed, roughly 3 million workers have received tax cut bonuses &ndash; thousands of dollars per worker for many.

&quot;&Uuml;nemployment has hit a 45-year low,&quot; Trump shared.

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Unemployment claims have hit a 45-year low.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a>: <a href="https://t.co/nT5Y9ywiwb">https://t.co/nT5Y9ywiwb</a> <a href="https://t.co/lZeqog5Zd3">pic.twitter.com/lZeqog5Zd3</a>
&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/958525610141343744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Trump also touched upon issues like the immigration policy and trade practices, among others.&nbsp;

&quot;America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals that sacrificed our prosperity and shipped away our companies, our jobs and our nation&rsquo;s wealth,&quot; Trump shared.&nbsp;

Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday delivered his first State of the Union address and provided his assessment of his first year in office with a look ahead at his agenda as he continues to work towards fulfilling his campaign promise to "make America great again." In the hour-long address, Donald Trump spoke about the American economy and the tax cuts undertaken by his government. He also talked about "decades of unfair trade deals", "immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American Workers and American Families", "what kind of nation" America will be, and America's "fight until ISIS is defeated" among others. Also read: Full text of Donald Trump's State of the Union speech The State of the Union Address is an annual message presented by President of United States to a joint session of the United States Congress after the president completes one year of his term. US President Trump said that "together, we are building a safe, strong and proud America. The state of our union is strong, because our people are strong." #SOTU pic.twitter.com/FOEqVUyHho — AFP news agency (@AFP) January 31, 2018 × "So let us begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong." #SOTU: https://t.co/Njo52YOlc2 — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 31, 2018 × Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America. As Trump took the stage, amid cheer and jubilation, he talked about issues of prime importance and utmost significance to the country, its prosperity and its ties with allies. Here is a quick look at some of the key points from Trump's first State of the Union address. Also read: What is the State of the Union Address? #SOTU: https://t.co/nJF9j414YL pic.twitter.com/9akH7raQta — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 31, 2018 × United America "Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of nation we are going to be. All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family." Trump emphasised the importance of a "united America". "As we rebuild America’s strength and confidence at home, we are also restoring our strength and standing abroad," Trump noted. A staunch believer and propagator of the idea of the "American dream", Trump further added, "This is our New American Moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American dream." Trump noted that the citizens of America love their country and deserve a government that shows them the same love and loyalty in return. "Tonight I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, color, and creed," Trump said. Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America. (WION) × Fight until ISIS is defeated Reinstating America's zero tolerance on terrorism, the US President noted that as he assumed office last year, he had pledged to work with allies to extinguish ISIS from the face of the earth. "One year later, I’m proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated almost 100 percent of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria. But there is much more work to be done," he shared. "We will continue our fight until ISIS is defeated," Trump exclaimed. Economically strong America "We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day’s work; we want every child to be safe in their home at night, and we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love," said Trump noting that the key to a stronger nation is closely tied to economic growth and prosperity. "I am asking both parties to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve," he noted. Trump furthered his statement by talking about tax relief provided to the US citizens. #SOTU: https://t.co/nT5Y9ywiwb pic.twitter.com/Ppd1dRB6Hm — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 31, 2018 × "Just as I promised the American People from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reform in American history." He shared that since the tax cuts were passed, roughly 3 million workers have received tax cut bonuses – thousands of dollars per worker for many. "Ünemployment has hit a 45-year low," Trump shared. Unemployment claims have hit a 45-year low.#SOTU: https://t.co/nT5Y9ywiwb pic.twitter.com/lZeqog5Zd3 — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 31, 2018 × Trump also touched upon issues like the immigration policy and trade practices, among others. "America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals that sacrificed our prosperity and shipped away our companies, our jobs and our nation’s wealth," Trump shared.

Never been a better time to start living the American dream, says US President Donald Trump

Branding North Korea&rsquo;s leadership &ldquo;depraved,&rdquo; President Donald Trump told Americans on Tuesday that Pyongyang&rsquo;s pursuit of nuclear missiles could &ldquo;very soon threaten our homeland&rdquo; and vowed a continued campaign of maximum pressure to keep that from happening.

In his first State of the Union speech to the US&nbsp;Congress, Trump&rsquo;s tough rhetoric underscored persistent tensions despite recent talks between North and South Korea that led to Pyongyang&rsquo;s agreement to participate in next month&rsquo;s Winter Olympic games in South Korea.

&ldquo;North Korea&#39;s reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland,&rdquo; Trump said.

&ldquo;We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from ever happening.&rdquo; &ldquo;We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and to our allies,&rdquo; he said.

North-South negotiations earlier this month have eased fears of war on the Korean peninsula that were in part stoked by an exchange of insults and threats between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump and top advisers have publicly welcomed the talks but US&nbsp;officials have said privately that Pyongyang might be trying to drive a wedge between allies Washington and Seoul.&nbsp;

Attending the State of the Union address as Trump&rsquo;s guests were the parents of Otto Warmbier, the American college student who died in June shortly after he was released by North Korea in a coma. &ldquo;Tonight, we pledge to honour Otto&#39;s memory with total American resolve,&rdquo; Trump said.

But he offered no new prescription or specifics on how he intended to rein in North Korea.

The Trump administration has repeatedly stressed its preference for a diplomatic solution to the Korea tensions while saying all options are on the table.

But US&nbsp;officials have said the internal debate on military action, including the possibility of a limited pre-emptive strike on a nuclear or missile site, has lost some momentum in recent weeks after the North-South talks ahead of ahead of the Olympics. 
 
North Korea Missiles&nbsp;

Earlier on Tuesday, the vice chairman of the US&nbsp;Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea&#39;s nuclear program had made strides in recent months but the country has not yet demonstrated all the components of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), including a survivable re-entry vehicle that can deliver a nuclear weapon.

Air Force General Paul Selva also said he was confident that if required the United States would be able to destroy &quot;most&quot; of North Korea&#39;s nuclear missile infrastructure.&nbsp;

In November, North Korea said it had successfully tested a new type of ICBM that could reach all of the US&nbsp;mainlands. US-based experts said data from the test appeared to support that.

Trump refrained from referring to Kim as &ldquo;Rocket Man,&rdquo; a disparaging nickname he has used before. But he insisted that &ldquo;no regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.&rdquo;

Trump said that among the witnesses to the &ldquo;ominous&rdquo; nature of the North Korean government was Ji Seong-ho, a defector who escaped from North Korea after being run over by a train while trying to steal coal and suffering torture and starvation.&nbsp;

Joining Trump&rsquo;s guests in the gallery, Ji, who lost a hand and foot, now heads a group that rescues and resettles North Korean refugees.

Trump had recently held back on harsher language after having threatened last year to unleash &quot;fire and fury&rdquo; on North Korea.

Pyongyang, in turn, has threatened to target the US&nbsp;territory of Guam in the Pacific Ocean. Kim has shown no sign of willingness to give in to US&nbsp;demands and negotiate away a weapons program he sees as vital to his survival.

North-South negotiations earlier this month have eased fears of war on the Korean peninsula

Branding North Korea’s leadership “depraved,” President Donald Trump told Americans on Tuesday that Pyongyang’s pursuit of nuclear missiles could “very soon threaten our homeland” and vowed a continued campaign of maximum pressure to keep that from happening. In his first State of the Union speech to the US Congress, Trump’s tough rhetoric underscored persistent tensions despite recent talks between North and South Korea that led to Pyongyang’s agreement to participate in next month’s Winter Olympic games in South Korea. “North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland,” Trump said. “We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from ever happening.” “We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and to our allies,” he said. North-South negotiations earlier this month have eased fears of war on the Korean peninsula that were in part stoked by an exchange of insults and threats between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump and top advisers have publicly welcomed the talks but US officials have said privately that Pyongyang might be trying to drive a wedge between allies Washington and Seoul. Attending the State of the Union address as Trump’s guests were the parents of Otto Warmbier, the American college student who died in June shortly after he was released by North Korea in a coma. “Tonight, we pledge to honour Otto's memory with total American resolve,” Trump said. But he offered no new prescription or specifics on how he intended to rein in North Korea. The Trump administration has repeatedly stressed its preference for a diplomatic solution to the Korea tensions while saying all options are on the table. But US officials have said the internal debate on military action, including the possibility of a limited pre-emptive strike on a nuclear or missile site, has lost some momentum in recent weeks after the North-South talks ahead of ahead of the Olympics. North Korea Missiles Earlier on Tuesday, the vice chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea's nuclear program had made strides in recent months but the country has not yet demonstrated all the components of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), including a survivable re-entry vehicle that can deliver a nuclear weapon. Air Force General Paul Selva also said he was confident that if required the United States would be able to destroy "most" of North Korea's nuclear missile infrastructure. In November, North Korea said it had successfully tested a new type of ICBM that could reach all of the US mainlands. US-based experts said data from the test appeared to support that. Trump refrained from referring to Kim as “Rocket Man,” a disparaging nickname he has used before. But he insisted that “no regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.” Trump said that among the witnesses to the “ominous” nature of the North Korean government was Ji Seong-ho, a defector who escaped from North Korea after being run over by a train while trying to steal coal and suffering torture and starvation. Joining Trump’s guests in the gallery, Ji, who lost a hand and foot, now heads a group that rescues and resettles North Korean refugees. Trump had recently held back on harsher language after having threatened last year to unleash "fire and fury” on North Korea. Pyongyang, in turn, has threatened to target the US territory of Guam in the Pacific Ocean. Kim has shown no sign of willingness to give in to US demands and negotiate away a weapons program he sees as vital to his survival.

State of the Union address: Trump calls North Korea leadership 'depraved,' warns of nuclear missile threat

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/state-of-the-union-address-us-president-donald-trump-bids-for-safe-strong-and-united-america-31271">State of the Union address: US President Donald Trump bids for &#39;safe, strong and united America&#39;</a>

Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-active-in-70-per-cent-of-afghanistan-bbc-study-finds-31274">Taliban active in 70 </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-active-in-70-per-cent-of-afghanistan-bbc-study-finds-31274">per cent</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-active-in-70-per-cent-of-afghanistan-bbc-study-finds-31274"> of Afghanistan, BBC study finds</a>

The BBC study said the Afghan government controlled 122 districts, or about 30 percent of the country. Still, it noted that did not mean that they were free from Taliban attacks.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/president-donald-trump-urges-us-parties-set-aside-differences-31272">President Donald Trump urges US parties set aside differences</a>

President Donald Trump gives his first official State of the Union Address from the United States Capitol in front of a joint session of Congress.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/im-not-a-quitter-says-uks-may-as-leadership-questions-stack-up-31270">I&#39;m not a quitter, says UK&#39;s May as leadership questions stack up</a>

May has come under fire in recent days from several factions within her own party.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/facebook-to-ban-cryptocurrency-related-ads-31275">Facebook to ban cryptocurrency-related ads</a>

The new policy will be implemented across its platforms, including Facebook, Audience Network, and Instagram, the company said.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

State of the Union address: US President Donald Trump bids for 'safe, strong and united America' Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America. Taliban active in 70 per cent of Afghanistan, BBC study finds The BBC study said the Afghan government controlled 122 districts, or about 30 percent of the country. Still, it noted that did not mean that they were free from Taliban attacks. President Donald Trump urges US parties set aside differences President Donald Trump gives his first official State of the Union Address from the United States Capitol in front of a joint session of Congress. I'm not a quitter, says UK's May as leadership questions stack up May has come under fire in recent days from several factions within her own party. Facebook to ban cryptocurrency-related ads The new policy will be implemented across its platforms, including Facebook, Audience Network, and Instagram, the company said.

WION Morning News Brief, January 31, 2018

The State of the Union Address is an annual message presented by President of United States to a joint session of the United States Congress which starts after the president completes one year of his term and as it is broadcast live across the country, it is a platform for President to directly communicate to the people of America

The president address held in the house of representative before a joint session of the United States Congress, it usually takes&nbsp;place around evening.

The address&nbsp;includes an economic report of the nation, legislative agenda that needs Congress cooperation, national priorities and administrations&#39; accomplishments over the previous year.

The event&nbsp;is seen as one of the most important in the US political calendar, during the address president also use it as an opportunity to honour the achievements of ordinary Americans who are invited by the president to sit with the first lady.

The practice was started by Woodrow Wilson, the 28th US President before him&nbsp;Presidents would only submit a written report to the Congress for his agenda.

It started from communication between presidents and Congress only however after the emergence of broadcast media, the address now works as communication between the president and its people of the country.&nbsp;

The practice of the State of The Union address arises from a duty given to the president in in article II of section 3 of the United States Constitution, which says,

&quot;He shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.&quot;

Presidents who are newly elected address Congress after holding the presidential office which isn&#39;t&nbsp;considered as the State of the Union address, it is only considered the state of the union address after president completes its one year of the term.

Before each State of the Union address, a formal invitation is sent to the president made by the speaker of the house.

The live audience of the address includes President with the first lady and his invited guests; every member of Congress and their guests which each can bring one; the speaker of the house and his guests, the cabinet, supreme court justices, member of diplomatic corps and joint chiefs.

Current United States president Donald Trump will give his state of the union speech on Tuesday, January 30 with the theme set on &quot;building a safe strong and proud America.&quot;

United States president Donald Trump will give his state of the union speech on Tuesday, January 30 with the theme set on 'building a safe strong and proud America'

The State of the Union Address is an annual message presented by President of United States to a joint session of the United States Congress which starts after the president completes one year of his term and as it is broadcast live across the country, it is a platform for President to directly communicate to the people of America The president address held in the house of representative before a joint session of the United States Congress, it usually takes place around evening. The address includes an economic report of the nation, legislative agenda that needs Congress cooperation, national priorities and administrations' accomplishments over the previous year. The event is seen as one of the most important in the US political calendar, during the address president also use it as an opportunity to honour the achievements of ordinary Americans who are invited by the president to sit with the first lady. The practice was started by Woodrow Wilson, the 28th US President before him Presidents would only submit a written report to the Congress for his agenda. It started from communication between presidents and Congress only however after the emergence of broadcast media, the address now works as communication between the president and its people of the country. The practice of the State of The Union address arises from a duty given to the president in in article II of section 3 of the United States Constitution, which says, "He shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." Presidents who are newly elected address Congress after holding the presidential office which isn't considered as the State of the Union address, it is only considered the state of the union address after president completes its one year of the term. Before each State of the Union address, a formal invitation is sent to the president made by the speaker of the house. The live audience of the address includes President with the first lady and his invited guests; every member of Congress and their guests which each can bring one; the speaker of the house and his guests, the cabinet, supreme court justices, member of diplomatic corps and joint chiefs. Current United States president Donald Trump will give his state of the union speech on Tuesday, January 30 with the theme set on "building a safe strong and proud America."

What is the State of the Union Address?

The US president Donald Trump will be delivering his State of the Union (SOTU) speech on Jan 30, 2018. Given the promises made during Trump&rsquo;s campaign and the trajectory of the events since he took office, the White House has been gearing up to prepare for a trade crackdown on China. During his Asia Trip, Trump addressed the problems the US is suffering due to unfair and unfavorable trade practices by the other countries. In his &lsquo;America First&rsquo; policy, Trump vowed to only engage in fair and reciprocal trade, revisiting several trade pacts made under previous administrations.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The National Security Strategy (NSS), released in December 2017, unabashedly saw the global trade practices as unfit for the US objectives of making &lsquo;America great again&rsquo;. The NSS categorised China as a strategic and economic competitor, which took advantage of the US-led globalisation initiative.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The US and China have continued to express displeasure at each other&rsquo;s trade practices. In the last World Economic Forum, 2017, the keynote speech delivered by Xi Jinping expressed a different side of Chinese thinking where Xi prompted liberal and free trade for a globalised world while accusing the US of protectionism. The speech came after Trump Administration took over from Obama administration.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the period of Trump&rsquo;s campaign, several allegations were made against China&rsquo;s unfair, regressive and harmful trade practices, currency manipulation, and imbalance of trade, against which a vision of &lsquo;America First&rsquo; policy was promoted. Trump promised to &lsquo;fix&rsquo; the trade deficit, engage only in reciprocal and far trade instead of free trade.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

As politico published&mdash;according to the three administration officials&mdash;the crackdown is likely to include new tariffs directed at China. The tariffs are to involve everything from imports of steel and solar panels to intellectual property theft.

&nbsp;

The White House was seen keen on addressing the trade issue with China since Trump&rsquo;s Asia Trips. The events that followed, suggest that Trump administration is past the question of &lsquo;should&rsquo; and reached precise measures on &lsquo;how&rsquo; to rectify trade imbalance with China. Moreover, trade is one of the policy areas where the President can act without reliance on the Congress.

&nbsp;

Underlining the development, there have been serious debates between the Trump senior advisors on the course of trade policy against China as the consequences may be severe. The officials said that even though Trump is undecided on specific policies, there are chances that these tariffs will be sanctioned, attracting severe retaliation from the targeted countries.

&nbsp;

Trump&rsquo;s meeting with Republican Congressional Leaders, at Camp David on 6th Jan 2018, drew caution from going too far on a trade war. The meetings included key Cabinet Secretaries and senior administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, trade advisor Peter Navarro, Council Economic Advisers chairman Kevin Hassett and National Economic Council director Gary Cohn. The Politico reported, a clear divide between the senior members, Cohn and group, calling for more moderate, targeted approach and Navarro, advocating harsh and sweeping actions.

&nbsp;

The current administration is known for reversing the actions taken during Obama administration. Trump pulled out from Trans-Pacific Partnership, Paris Agreement on Climate Change, demanded allies to pay their share for security provided under the US and announced renegotiation of two major trade agreements&mdash;North Atlantic Free Trade Association (NAFTA) and Free Trade Agreement with South Korea. Not to forget the upcoming World Economic Forum, from 23-26 Jan 2018, will also condense US policy on trade (with China) and face real-time response from the attending nations.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

China has already received certain blows on trade, complicating an overwrought relationship. The Congressional Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) blocked Ant Financial, Jack Ma&rsquo;s company, from acquiring MoneyGram due to concerns for national security. In the cases of import of solar power and washing machines, the US Trade Commission concluded that increased imports are a &ldquo;substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry&rdquo;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

On 22 Jan 2018, White House decided to enforce tariffs on solar panels and washing machines. Chinese Commerce Ministry criticised the move saying, &ldquo;the US side once again has abused its trade remedy measures&hellip;will resolutely defend its [China&rsquo;s] legitimate interests&rdquo;.

&nbsp;

Trump has a wide berth for maneuvers in deciding tariffs and import quotas. It can be speculated that he may only choose to target China to signify the US attempt and resolve at punishing China for trade malpractice. It&rsquo;s likely that his attempts may face challenges at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and may also trigger mirrored actions by countries, barring the US products in their respective markets. The prospects of such tariffs are likely to result in loss of tens of thousands of jobs, alarming the booming solar energy sector in the US, created under the Obama administration. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The reason given behind these tariffs, is to provide much required impetus to the indigenous solar manufacturing, significant for national security and economy.

&nbsp;

The attack on solar power has also lead to a debate questioning the intentions behind tariffs against a green, renewable alternative to fossil fuels. The Trump administration increased efforts to repeal Obama administration&rsquo;s climate rules on the power industry, it proposed measures to give financial support to coal-fired power plants. The administration has also pushed to increase US exports of liquefied natural gas.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the Obama Administration, the solar power sector enjoyed its boom years resulting in cost competitiveness with natural gas and coal-based power plants. The cost declination in prices of solar panels will be reversed with the execution of the tariffs. Chinese companies hold about 80 percent of the solar manufacturing capacity, the US being the second largest.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The US congressional policies have already reduced Chinese investments from about US$ 50 Billion in 2016 to less than half in 2017. The US&rsquo;s barring of Chinese investment in US high-tech sector has, ironically, accelerated the pace of tech innovation in China, increasing expenditure on R&amp;D from 1% in 2000 to 2% in 2017.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

On Jan 22nd 2018, Pentagon released its National Defense Strategy (NDS), calling for aggressive steps towards the strategic competitors&mdash;China and Russia. Previously, the NSS 2017, had already categorised the two nations as a danger to the US national security and international order.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Post the release of NDS, Jim Mattis Secretary of Defense said, &quot;this required some tough choices ... and we made them&hellip;based upon a fundamental precept: namely, that America can afford survival.&rdquo; The paper called China and Russia &lsquo;principal priorities&rsquo;. China reprimanded the document, calling it &lsquo;a cold war mentality&rsquo; and &lsquo;full of unreal assertions of zero-sum games and confrontations.&rsquo;

&nbsp;

On the eve of the release, USS Hopper sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal, occupied by China from Philippines in 2012, reviving the Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOP) after months.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

On reports of continued militarisation in the South China Sea, Brian Hook, US State Department, vowed to resume FNOPs. The revival of Quad and the new term &lsquo;Indo-Pacific&rsquo; and its amplified use by the US and allies have alarmed China into increasing its military presence on the artificial islands.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Moreover, from Trump&rsquo;s Asia visit, increasing US arms sale have also fueled speculations enticing conflict between China and the neighbors. The US is deploying more military assets in the region, blaming North Korea, but China remains unsure of the US intentions. Seeking closer ties with the Southeast Asian nations against China&rsquo;s growing militarisation on the South China Sea, Jim Mattis is on his Southeast Asia visit from 22-26 Jan 2018. He visited Indonesia and vowed continued efforts to expand maritime cooperation and make Indonesia as &lsquo;a sort of fulcrum between Indian and Pacific Ocean&rsquo;.

&nbsp;

While aggressive military and diplomatic actions by China has provided legitimacy to the US presence in East Asia, the US naval exercises in South China has also had a reverse effect. China never stopped militarising in the South China Sea, in fact, it increased the deployment of military assets, encouraging tension and disputes.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tensions in US-China relations have global consequences and Trump&rsquo;s response to China in both defense and trade will also have inevitable underpinnings for the rest of the world. Under his administration, the US has acknowledged revival of the great power competition and its reduced leverage on land, in the air, and space and nuclear.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Even though Trump may levy strict tariffs on imports from China, will it improve the US standing in the globalized world? Trump&rsquo;s insistence on &lsquo;America First&rsquo; takes away the US credits as the leader of the globalised world. Moving away from multilateral forums, when it is perhaps required most, the US may isolate itself but at the cost of its supremacy.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tensions in US-China relations have global consequences and Trump’s response to China in both defense and trade will also have inevitable underpinnings for the rest of the world.

The US president Donald Trump will be delivering his State of the Union (SOTU) speech on Jan 30, 2018. Given the promises made during Trump’s campaign and the trajectory of the events since he took office, the White House has been gearing up to prepare for a trade crackdown on China. During his Asia Trip, Trump addressed the problems the US is suffering due to unfair and unfavorable trade practices by the other countries. In his ‘America First’ policy, Trump vowed to only engage in fair and reciprocal trade, revisiting several trade pacts made under previous administrations. The National Security Strategy (NSS), released in December 2017, unabashedly saw the global trade practices as unfit for the US objectives of making ‘America great again’. The NSS categorised China as a strategic and economic competitor, which took advantage of the US-led globalisation initiative. The US and China have continued to express displeasure at each other’s trade practices. In the last World Economic Forum, 2017, the keynote speech delivered by Xi Jinping expressed a different side of Chinese thinking where Xi prompted liberal and free trade for a globalised world while accusing the US of protectionism. The speech came after Trump Administration took over from Obama administration. In the period of Trump’s campaign, several allegations were made against China’s unfair, regressive and harmful trade practices, currency manipulation, and imbalance of trade, against which a vision of ‘America First’ policy was promoted. Trump promised to ‘fix’ the trade deficit, engage only in reciprocal and far trade instead of free trade. As politico published—according to the three administration officials—the crackdown is likely to include new tariffs directed at China. The tariffs are to involve everything from imports of steel and solar panels to intellectual property theft. The White House was seen keen on addressing the trade issue with China since Trump’s Asia Trips. The events that followed, suggest that Trump administration is past the question of ‘should’ and reached precise measures on ‘how’ to rectify trade imbalance with China. Moreover, trade is one of the policy areas where the President can act without reliance on the Congress. Underlining the development, there have been serious debates between the Trump senior advisors on the course of trade policy against China as the consequences may be severe. The officials said that even though Trump is undecided on specific policies, there are chances that these tariffs will be sanctioned, attracting severe retaliation from the targeted countries. Trump’s meeting with Republican Congressional Leaders, at Camp David on 6th Jan 2018, drew caution from going too far on a trade war. The meetings included key Cabinet Secretaries and senior administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, trade advisor Peter Navarro, Council Economic Advisers chairman Kevin Hassett and National Economic Council director Gary Cohn. The Politico reported, a clear divide between the senior members, Cohn and group, calling for more moderate, targeted approach and Navarro, advocating harsh and sweeping actions. The current administration is known for reversing the actions taken during Obama administration. Trump pulled out from Trans-Pacific Partnership, Paris Agreement on Climate Change, demanded allies to pay their share for security provided under the US and announced renegotiation of two major trade agreements—North Atlantic Free Trade Association (NAFTA) and Free Trade Agreement with South Korea. Not to forget the upcoming World Economic Forum, from 23-26 Jan 2018, will also condense US policy on trade (with China) and face real-time response from the attending nations. China has already received certain blows on trade, complicating an overwrought relationship. The Congressional Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) blocked Ant Financial, Jack Ma’s company, from acquiring MoneyGram due to concerns for national security. In the cases of import of solar power and washing machines, the US Trade Commission concluded that increased imports are a “substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry”. On 22 Jan 2018, White House decided to enforce tariffs on solar panels and washing machines. Chinese Commerce Ministry criticised the move saying, “the US side once again has abused its trade remedy measures…will resolutely defend its [China’s] legitimate interests”. Trump has a wide berth for maneuvers in deciding tariffs and import quotas. It can be speculated that he may only choose to target China to signify the US attempt and resolve at punishing China for trade malpractice. It’s likely that his attempts may face challenges at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and may also trigger mirrored actions by countries, barring the US products in their respective markets. The prospects of such tariffs are likely to result in loss of tens of thousands of jobs, alarming the booming solar energy sector in the US, created under the Obama administration. The reason given behind these tariffs, is to provide much required impetus to the indigenous solar manufacturing, significant for national security and economy. The attack on solar power has also lead to a debate questioning the intentions behind tariffs against a green, renewable alternative to fossil fuels. The Trump administration increased efforts to repeal Obama administration’s climate rules on the power industry, it proposed measures to give financial support to coal-fired power plants. The administration has also pushed to increase US exports of liquefied natural gas. In the Obama Administration, the solar power sector enjoyed its boom years resulting in cost competitiveness with natural gas and coal-based power plants. The cost declination in prices of solar panels will be reversed with the execution of the tariffs. Chinese companies hold about 80 percent of the solar manufacturing capacity, the US being the second largest. The US congressional policies have already reduced Chinese investments from about US$ 50 Billion in 2016 to less than half in 2017. The US’s barring of Chinese investment in US high-tech sector has, ironically, accelerated the pace of tech innovation in China, increasing expenditure on R&D from 1% in 2000 to 2% in 2017. On Jan 22nd 2018, Pentagon released its National Defense Strategy (NDS), calling for aggressive steps towards the strategic competitors—China and Russia. Previously, the NSS 2017, had already categorised the two nations as a danger to the US national security and international order. Post the release of NDS, Jim Mattis Secretary of Defense said, "this required some tough choices ... and we made them…based upon a fundamental precept: namely, that America can afford survival.” The paper called China and Russia ‘principal priorities’. China reprimanded the document, calling it ‘a cold war mentality’ and ‘full of unreal assertions of zero-sum games and confrontations.’ On the eve of the release, USS Hopper sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal, occupied by China from Philippines in 2012, reviving the Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOP) after months. On reports of continued militarisation in the South China Sea, Brian Hook, US State Department, vowed to resume FNOPs. The revival of Quad and the new term ‘Indo-Pacific’ and its amplified use by the US and allies have alarmed China into increasing its military presence on the artificial islands. Moreover, from Trump’s Asia visit, increasing US arms sale have also fueled speculations enticing conflict between China and the neighbors. The US is deploying more military assets in the region, blaming North Korea, but China remains unsure of the US intentions. Seeking closer ties with the Southeast Asian nations against China’s growing militarisation on the South China Sea, Jim Mattis is on his Southeast Asia visit from 22-26 Jan 2018. He visited Indonesia and vowed continued efforts to expand maritime cooperation and make Indonesia as ‘a sort of fulcrum between Indian and Pacific Ocean’. While aggressive military and diplomatic actions by China has provided legitimacy to the US presence in East Asia, the US naval exercises in South China has also had a reverse effect. China never stopped militarising in the South China Sea, in fact, it increased the deployment of military assets, encouraging tension and disputes. Tensions in US-China relations have global consequences and Trump’s response to China in both defense and trade will also have inevitable underpinnings for the rest of the world. Under his administration, the US has acknowledged revival of the great power competition and its reduced leverage on land, in the air, and space and nuclear. Even though Trump may levy strict tariffs on imports from China, will it improve the US standing in the globalized world? Trump’s insistence on ‘America First’ takes away the US credits as the leader of the globalised world. Moving away from multilateral forums, when it is perhaps required most, the US may isolate itself but at the cost of its supremacy. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion:  Will US see Trade War with China? Trump's State of the Union Speech will have the answer

Donald Trump&#39;s misspellings have become legendary -- &quot;covfefe,&quot; anyone? -- but a glaring typo on tickets for the president&#39;s State of the Union speech Tuesday has some lawmakers crying for spell check.

Tickets to the prime-time speech before a joint session of Congress were printed inviting lawmakers and guests to the State of the &quot;Uniom,&quot; lawmakers and officials said Monday.

&quot;Just received my ticket for the State of the Union. Looks like @BetsyDeVosED was in charge of spell checking... #SOTUniom,&quot; tweeted House Democrat Raul Grijalva, referring to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who has advocated policies that critics say undermine the public education system.

Grijalva&#39;s tweet also included a photograph of the offending ticket.

The White House is not responsible for the error. The printing is overseen by the Sergeant at Arms of the US House of Representatives, whose office on Monday acknowledged the snafu.&nbsp;

&quot;There was a misprint on the ticket,&quot; a Sergeant at Arms spokesman told AFP.

&quot;It was corrected immediately, and our office is redistributing the tickets.&quot;

But not before a few lawmakers got some ribbing in.

&quot;Looking forward to tomorrow&#39;s State of the Uniom,&quot; tweeted Republican Senator Marco Rubio.

On the spelling front, Trump has been a presidential trailblazer. He has routinely posted tweets containing errors, including one on the day after his January 20, 2017 inauguration, in which he wrote he was &quot;honered to serve&quot; as the nation&#39;s 45th president.

Grijalva's tweet also included a photograph of the offending ticket

Donald Trump's misspellings have become legendary -- "covfefe," anyone? -- but a glaring typo on tickets for the president's State of the Union speech Tuesday has some lawmakers crying for spell check. Tickets to the prime-time speech before a joint session of Congress were printed inviting lawmakers and guests to the State of the "Uniom," lawmakers and officials said Monday. "Just received my ticket for the State of the Union. Looks like @BetsyDeVosED was in charge of spell checking... #SOTUniom," tweeted House Democrat Raul Grijalva, referring to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who has advocated policies that critics say undermine the public education system. Grijalva's tweet also included a photograph of the offending ticket. The White House is not responsible for the error. The printing is overseen by the Sergeant at Arms of the US House of Representatives, whose office on Monday acknowledged the snafu. "There was a misprint on the ticket," a Sergeant at Arms spokesman told AFP. "It was corrected immediately, and our office is redistributing the tickets." But not before a few lawmakers got some ribbing in. "Looking forward to tomorrow's State of the Uniom," tweeted Republican Senator Marco Rubio. On the spelling front, Trump has been a presidential trailblazer. He has routinely posted tweets containing errors, including one on the day after his January 20, 2017 inauguration, in which he wrote he was "honered to serve" as the nation's 45th president.

Oops: Guests invited to Trump's State of the 'Uniom'

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-lifts-ban-on-refugees-from-11-countries-31145" target="_blank">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-lifts-ban-on-refugees-from-11-countries-31145" target="_blank">&nbsp;lifts ban on refugees from 11 countries</a>

The United States announced Monday it was lifting its ban on refugees from 11 &quot;high-risk&quot; countries, but said those seeking to enter the US would come under much tougher scrutiny than in the past.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-is-aiming-to-interfere-in-coming-us-elections-warns-cia-chief-31153" target="_blank">Russia is aiming to interfere </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-is-aiming-to-interfere-in-coming-us-elections-warns-cia-chief-31153" target="_blank">in coming</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-is-aiming-to-interfere-in-coming-us-elections-warns-cia-chief-31153" target="_blank"> US elections, warns CIA chief</a>

Russian election interference has not stopped and Moscow can be expected to meddle in the 2018 US vote, Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo said in an interview published Monday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-says-su-27-fighter-jet-intercepted-us-spy-plane-us-protests-31164" target="_blank">Russia says Su-27 fighter jet intercepted US spy plane; US protests</a>

A Russian Su-27 fighter jet intercepted a US surveillance plane over the Black Sea on Monday, prompting the US State Department to protest the maneuver as &ldquo;an unsafe interaction.&rdquo;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/punishments-in-1984-anti-sikh-riots-cases-would-have-led-to-a-different-india-delhi-high-court-31163" target="_blank">Punishments in 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases would have led to a different India: Delhi High Court</a>

If those responsible for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots had been punished back then, India would have been different now, the Delhi High Court today said, while asking the police to take action against those involved in the recent attacks on properties of lawyers.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-lashes-out-at-iran-in-talks-with-putin-31154" target="_blank">Netanyahu lashes out at Iran in talks with Putin</a>

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday after accusing Iran of wanting &quot;to turn Lebanon into one giant missile site&quot;.

US lifts ban on refugees from 11 countries The United States announced Monday it was lifting its ban on refugees from 11 "high-risk" countries, but said those seeking to enter the US would come under much tougher scrutiny than in the past. Russia is aiming to interfere in coming US elections, warns CIA chief Russian election interference has not stopped and Moscow can be expected to meddle in the 2018 US vote, Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo said in an interview published Monday. Russia says Su-27 fighter jet intercepted US spy plane; US protests A Russian Su-27 fighter jet intercepted a US surveillance plane over the Black Sea on Monday, prompting the US State Department to protest the maneuver as “an unsafe interaction.” Punishments in 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases would have led to a different India: Delhi High Court If those responsible for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots had been punished back then, India would have been different now, the Delhi High Court today said, while asking the police to take action against those involved in the recent attacks on properties of lawyers. Netanyahu lashes out at Iran in talks with Putin Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday after accusing Iran of wanting "to turn Lebanon into one giant missile site".

WION Morning News Brief, January 30, 2018

The Trump administration said on Monday it would not immediately impose additional sanctions on Russia under a new law designed to punish Moscow&#39;s alleged meddling in the 2016 US&nbsp;election, insisting the measure was already hitting Russian companies.

&quot;Today, we have informed Congress that this legislation and its implementation are deterring Russian defence sales,&quot; State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. &quot;Since the enactment of the ... the, we estimate that foreign governments have abandoned planned or announced purchases of several billion dollars in Russian defence acquisitions.&quot;

The administration faced a deadline on Monday to impose sanctions on anyone determined to conduct significant business with Russian defence and intelligence sectors, already sanctioned for their alleged role in the election.&nbsp;

But citing long time frames associated with major defence deals, Nauert said it was too soon to tell how effective the law had been, so it was better to wait to impose those sanctions.

&quot;From that perspective, if the law is working, sanctions on specific entities or individuals will not need to be imposed because the legislation is, in fact, serving as a deterrent,&quot; she said in a statement.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump&#39;s administration also did not make public reports required by Monday under the bill he reluctantly signed into law on August 2, just six months into his presidency.

The measure, known as the &quot;Countering America&#39;s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act,&quot; or CAATSA, required the administration to list &quot;oligarchs&quot; close to President Vladimir Putin&#39;s government and issue a report detailing possible consequences of penalizing Russia&#39;s sovereign debt.

Reports may stay classified&nbsp;

The administration said it would release at least some of that information to Congress, but it was not immediately clear whether it would be made public, or kept classified.&nbsp;

Trump, who said he wanted warmer ties with Russia, had opposed the legislation as it made its way through Congress last year. Monday&#39;s deadline was seen as a test of his willingness to crack down on Russia.

Members of Congress, including Democrats and some of Trump&#39;s fellow Republicans, have been clamouring for his administration to use sanctions to punish Moscow for past election interference and prevent future meddling in US&nbsp;polls.

Several congressional committees, as well as Special Counsel Robert Mueller, are investigating whether Russia tried to tilt last November&#39;s election in Trump&#39;s favour, using means such as hacking into the emails of senior Democrats and promoting divisive social and political messages online. Trump and the Kremlin have separately denied any collusion.&nbsp;

Senator Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, one of the main congressional architects of the sanctions law, said he was not concerned that the administration did not announce sanctions or release all of the required reports on Monday.

&quot;This is when sanctions season begins, and so they&#39;ll be rolling them out,&quot; he told reporters.

&quot;We feel pretty good about the process,&quot; Corker said. &quot;They&#39;re rushing the information over to us today, and by the close of business, they&#39;re going to have two of the three, as I understand it. So they&#39;re taking it very seriously.&quot;&nbsp;

The administration faced a deadline on Monday to impose sanctions on anyone determined to conduct significant business with Russian defence

The Trump administration said on Monday it would not immediately impose additional sanctions on Russia under a new law designed to punish Moscow's alleged meddling in the 2016 US election, insisting the measure was already hitting Russian companies. "Today, we have informed Congress that this legislation and its implementation are deterring Russian defence sales," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. "Since the enactment of the ... the, we estimate that foreign governments have abandoned planned or announced purchases of several billion dollars in Russian defence acquisitions." The administration faced a deadline on Monday to impose sanctions on anyone determined to conduct significant business with Russian defence and intelligence sectors, already sanctioned for their alleged role in the election. But citing long time frames associated with major defence deals, Nauert said it was too soon to tell how effective the law had been, so it was better to wait to impose those sanctions. "From that perspective, if the law is working, sanctions on specific entities or individuals will not need to be imposed because the legislation is, in fact, serving as a deterrent," she said in a statement. President Donald Trump's administration also did not make public reports required by Monday under the bill he reluctantly signed into law on August 2, just six months into his presidency. The measure, known as the "Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act," or CAATSA, required the administration to list "oligarchs" close to President Vladimir Putin's government and issue a report detailing possible consequences of penalizing Russia's sovereign debt. Reports may stay classified The administration said it would release at least some of that information to Congress, but it was not immediately clear whether it would be made public, or kept classified. Trump, who said he wanted warmer ties with Russia, had opposed the legislation as it made its way through Congress last year. Monday's deadline was seen as a test of his willingness to crack down on Russia. Members of Congress, including Democrats and some of Trump's fellow Republicans, have been clamouring for his administration to use sanctions to punish Moscow for past election interference and prevent future meddling in US polls. Several congressional committees, as well as Special Counsel Robert Mueller, are investigating whether Russia tried to tilt last November's election in Trump's favour, using means such as hacking into the emails of senior Democrats and promoting divisive social and political messages online. Trump and the Kremlin have separately denied any collusion. Senator Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, one of the main congressional architects of the sanctions law, said he was not concerned that the administration did not announce sanctions or release all of the required reports on Monday. "This is when sanctions season begins, and so they'll be rolling them out," he told reporters. "We feel pretty good about the process," Corker said. "They're rushing the information over to us today, and by the close of business, they're going to have two of the three, as I understand it. So they're taking it very seriously."

Trump administration declines to apply new Russia sanctions, for now

Building on the theme of a safe, strong and proud America, President Donald Trump will deliver his first <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-state-of-the-union-address-31215">State of the Union address</a> to Congress tomorrow, which among others would be attended by Sunayana Dumala, the widow of an Indian engineer&nbsp;Srinivas Kuchibhotla who was shot dead in a hate crime.

The State of the Union address is a traditional annual speech of the US president to a joint session of the Congress where he gives an account of the situation in the country.

President Trump yesterday said he will focus largely on trade and immigration during his first speech.

&quot;It&#39;s a big speech, an important speech, we covered immigration,&quot; Trump said.

&quot;We worked on it hard, covered a lot of territory, including our great success with the markets and with the tax cut,&quot; he added.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that the theme of the address is, &#39;Building a safe, strong, and proud America,&#39; which is exactly what the president has worked to do during his first year in office.

It will be must-watch TV, she said as she gave details of the guests who will be sitting in the First Lady&#39;s Box.

&quot;Some of these individuals&#39; stories are heroic, some are patriotic, others are tragic. But all of them represent the unbreakable American spirit, and will inspire our nation to continue growing stronger, prouder, and more prosperous,&quot; Sanders said.

The State of the Union address is a traditional annual speech of the US president to a joint session of the Congress where he gives an account of the situation in the country

Building on the theme of a safe, strong and proud America, President Donald Trump will deliver his first State of the Union address to Congress tomorrow, which among others would be attended by Sunayana Dumala, the widow of an Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla who was shot dead in a hate crime. The State of the Union address is a traditional annual speech of the US president to a joint session of the Congress where he gives an account of the situation in the country. President Trump yesterday said he will focus largely on trade and immigration during his first speech. "It's a big speech, an important speech, we covered immigration," Trump said. "We worked on it hard, covered a lot of territory, including our great success with the markets and with the tax cut," he added. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that the theme of the address is, 'Building a safe, strong, and proud America,' which is exactly what the president has worked to do during his first year in office. It will be must-watch TV, she said as she gave details of the guests who will be sitting in the First Lady's Box. "Some of these individuals' stories are heroic, some are patriotic, others are tragic. But all of them represent the unbreakable American spirit, and will inspire our nation to continue growing stronger, prouder, and more prosperous," Sanders said.

In Trump's first State of the Union address, Indian techie's widow will be among guests

US President Donald Trump on Monday rejected the idea of talks with the Taliban after a series of deadly attacks in Afghanistan, in an apparent contradiction of his own strategy to end America&#39;s longest foreign war.

Trump condemned the militant group for the carnage in Kabul and pledged to &quot;finish what we have to finish.&quot;

Trump&#39;s comments suggest he sees a military victory over the Taliban, an outcome that military and diplomatic officials say cannot be achieved with the resources and manpower he has authorised.

When he announced an increase in US troops to Afghanistan in August, US officials said the goal was to force the Taliban to negotiate a political settlement.

&quot;I don&#39;t see any talking taking place,&quot; Trump told reporters as he began meeting at the White House with members of the United Nations Security Council.

&quot;I don&#39;t think we&#39;re prepared to talk right now. It&#39;s a whole different fight over there. They&#39;re killing people left and right. Innocent people are being killed left and right.&quot;

Trump last year ordered an increase in US troops to Afghanistan, air strikes and other assistance to Afghan forces. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said earlier this month the strategy was working and pushing the insurgents closer to peace talks.

That was before a suicide bomber penetrated the highly guarded centre of Kabul on Saturday and detonated an explosives-laden ambulance, killing more than 100 people and wounding at least 235. That attack followed a brazen Taliban assault on the city&#39;s Intercontinental Hotel and other acts of violence.

Four US citizens were killed and two wounded in the January 20 attack on the Intercontinental Hotel, the US State Department said last week. At least 20 people were killed in the hotel assault.

No evidence of military victory

&quot;When you see what they&#39;re doing and the atrocities that they&#39;re committing, and killing their own people, and those people are women and children ... it is horrible,&quot; Trump said.

&quot;We don&#39;t want to talk to the Taliban. We&#39;re going to finish what we have to finish, what nobody else has been able to finish, we&#39;re going to be able to do it,&quot; Trump said.

Current and former US officials said that despite the carnage, the United States had no choice but to promote peace talks.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed surprise at Trump&rsquo;s comments and said there was an understanding that defeating the Taliban was not purely a military problem.

&ldquo;You can never really take talks off the table,&rdquo; the official said.

Laurel Miller, who served as acting US special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan until June, said the stated goal of Trump&#39;s Afghanistan strategy was &quot;to increase military pressure on the Taliban in order to motivate them to engage in a political settlement.&quot;

There is no evidence, she said, &quot;that suggests that the US and Afghan forces can defeat the Taliban on the battlefield.&quot;

Afghanistan&#39;s UN ambassador, Mahmoud Saikal, told Reuters on Monday that fighting needed to continue against certain elements of the Taliban.

&quot;There are two categories of Taliban: One is the reconcilable elements who are in touch with us, who are talking to us, and one is the irreconcilable,&quot; Saikal said.

&ldquo;The irreconcilables and those who have chosen to fight, we need to fight. We need to fight against them, we need to have the capability to withstand against them and to defend our people,&quot; he said.

'We don't want to talk to the Taliban. We're going to finish what we have to finish, what nobody else has been able to finish, we're going to be able to do it,'Trump said

US President Donald Trump on Monday rejected the idea of talks with the Taliban after a series of deadly attacks in Afghanistan, in an apparent contradiction of his own strategy to end America's longest foreign war. Trump condemned the militant group for the carnage in Kabul and pledged to "finish what we have to finish." Trump's comments suggest he sees a military victory over the Taliban, an outcome that military and diplomatic officials say cannot be achieved with the resources and manpower he has authorised. When he announced an increase in US troops to Afghanistan in August, US officials said the goal was to force the Taliban to negotiate a political settlement. "I don't see any talking taking place," Trump told reporters as he began meeting at the White House with members of the United Nations Security Council. "I don't think we're prepared to talk right now. It's a whole different fight over there. They're killing people left and right. Innocent people are being killed left and right." Trump last year ordered an increase in US troops to Afghanistan, air strikes and other assistance to Afghan forces. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said earlier this month the strategy was working and pushing the insurgents closer to peace talks. That was before a suicide bomber penetrated the highly guarded centre of Kabul on Saturday and detonated an explosives-laden ambulance, killing more than 100 people and wounding at least 235. That attack followed a brazen Taliban assault on the city's Intercontinental Hotel and other acts of violence. Four US citizens were killed and two wounded in the January 20 attack on the Intercontinental Hotel, the US State Department said last week. At least 20 people were killed in the hotel assault. No evidence of military victory "When you see what they're doing and the atrocities that they're committing, and killing their own people, and those people are women and children ... it is horrible," Trump said. "We don't want to talk to the Taliban. We're going to finish what we have to finish, what nobody else has been able to finish, we're going to be able to do it," Trump said. Current and former US officials said that despite the carnage, the United States had no choice but to promote peace talks. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed surprise at Trump’s comments and said there was an understanding that defeating the Taliban was not purely a military problem. “You can never really take talks off the table,” the official said. Laurel Miller, who served as acting US special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan until June, said the stated goal of Trump's Afghanistan strategy was "to increase military pressure on the Taliban in order to motivate them to engage in a political settlement." There is no evidence, she said, "that suggests that the US and Afghan forces can defeat the Taliban on the battlefield." Afghanistan's UN ambassador, Mahmoud Saikal, told Reuters on Monday that fighting needed to continue against certain elements of the Taliban. "There are two categories of Taliban: One is the reconcilable elements who are in touch with us, who are talking to us, and one is the irreconcilable," Saikal said. “The irreconcilables and those who have chosen to fight, we need to fight. We need to fight against them, we need to have the capability to withstand against them and to defend our people," he said.

Trump rejects peace talks with Taliban in departure from Afghan strategy

Ajit Rai, chairman of US federal communications commission (FCC) has issued a statement opposing federal government move to build a super-fast 5G wireless network on Monday.

He called running a national super-fast network &quot;costly and counterproductive.&quot;

&quot;Any federal effort to construct a nationalized 5G network would be a costly and counterproductive distraction from the policies we need to help the United States win the 5G future,&quot; FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement.&nbsp;

The reaction of chairman could be taken as a response to the report of the senior national security council to have the government build a 5G wireless network.

The report was published on Axios.com.

Earlier in the day, a senior administration official was reported saying that Donald Trump&#39;s national security team is looking at options to counter the threat of China spying on US phone calls that include the government building the 5G wireless network.

5G network upgraded from 4g is expected to have faster speed, more capacity and shorter response times which could be utilized for new technologies ranging from self-driving cars to remote surgeries. Telecom companies and their suppliers consider it to be a multibillion-dollar revenue opportunity. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)

'Any federal effort to construct a nationalized 5G network would be a costly and counterproductive distraction from the policies we need to help the United States win the 5G future,' FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement

Ajit Rai, chairman of US federal communications commission (FCC) has issued a statement opposing federal government move to build a super-fast 5G wireless network on Monday. He called running a national super-fast network "costly and counterproductive." "Any federal effort to construct a nationalized 5G network would be a costly and counterproductive distraction from the policies we need to help the United States win the 5G future," FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement. The reaction of chairman could be taken as a response to the report of the senior national security council to have the government build a 5G wireless network. The report was published on Axios.com. Earlier in the day, a senior administration official was reported saying that Donald Trump's national security team is looking at options to counter the threat of China spying on US phone calls that include the government building the 5G wireless network. 5G network upgraded from 4g is expected to have faster speed, more capacity and shorter response times which could be utilized for new technologies ranging from self-driving cars to remote surgeries. Telecom companies and their suppliers consider it to be a multibillion-dollar revenue opportunity. (With inputs from Reuters)

FCC chairman opposes 5G network, calls it 'costly and counterproductive'

US President Donald Trump, who has garnered a large following on social media with rambunctious postings, said he sometimes tweets from bed, though he occasionally allows others to post his words.

Trump frequently uses Twitter to announce policy, assail his adversaries and to tangle with countries, including North Korea, over world affairs. The @realDonaldTrump account had 47.2 million users as of Sunday.

In an interview with Britain&#39;s ITV channel, he appeared to appreciate the wide impact of his postings in Twitter and said that he needed social media to communicate with voters in the era of what he termed fake news.

&quot;If I don&#39;t have that form of communication I can&#39;t defend myself,&quot; Trump said in an interview broadcast on Sunday. &quot;I get a lot of fake news, a lot of news that is very false or made up.&quot;

It was a crazy situation, he said, that many people in the world waited for his tweets. He usually tweets himself, sometimes from bed.

When asked about whether he was lying in bed with his phone thinking of how to wind people up, Trump said: &quot;Well, perhaps sometimes in bed, perhaps sometimes at breakfast or lunch or whatever, but generally speaking during the early morning, or during the evening I can do whatever, but I am very busy during the day, very long hours. I am busy.&quot;

&quot;I will sometimes just dictate out something really quickly and give it to one of my people to put it on,&quot; he said.

Asked about eating burgers and drinking Coke, Trump, 71, said: &quot;I eat fine food, really from some of the finest chefs in the world, I eat healthy food, I also have some of that food on occasion... I think I eat actually quite well.&quot;

Trump said that he was very popular in the United Kingdom. Some British politicians have called for Trump not to visit and 1.86 million people have signed a petition asking for him to be banned from entering the United Kingdom.

&quot;I get so much fan mail from people in your country - they love my sense of security, they love what I am saying about many different things,&quot; Trump said.

BREXIT

Trump would take a &quot;tougher&quot; approach to Brexit negotiations than British Prime Minister Theresa May.

When asked if May was in a &quot;good position&quot; regarding the ongoing Brexit talks, Trump replied: &quot;Would it be the way I negotiate? No, I wouldn&#39;t negotiate it the way it&#39;s [being] negotiated ... I would have had a different attitude.&quot;

Pressed on how his approach would be different, he said: &quot;I would have said the European Union is not cracked up to what it&#39;s supposed to be. I would have taken a tougher stand in getting out.&quot;

He said the United States would do a post-Brexit trade deal with the United Kingdom.

He was pressed on how some women opposed him and he said he supported women and that many women understood that.

Trump said women, in particular, liked his support for a strong military as they often wanted to feel safe at home.

&quot;There&#39;s nobody better than me on the military... I think women really like that. I think they want to be safe at home,&quot; Trump said. &quot;I have tremendous respect for women.&quot;

&quot;No, I wouldn&#39;t say I am a feminist. I mean, I think that would be maybe going too far: I am for women, I am for men, I am for everyone.&quot;

He said French President Emmanuel Macron was a friend and that he liked him a lot.

Trump frequently uses Twitter to announce policy, assail his adversaries and to tangle with countries, including North Korea, over world affairs.

US President Donald Trump, who has garnered a large following on social media with rambunctious postings, said he sometimes tweets from bed, though he occasionally allows others to post his words. Trump frequently uses Twitter to announce policy, assail his adversaries and to tangle with countries, including North Korea, over world affairs. The @realDonaldTrump account had 47.2 million users as of Sunday. In an interview with Britain's ITV channel, he appeared to appreciate the wide impact of his postings in Twitter and said that he needed social media to communicate with voters in the era of what he termed fake news. "If I don't have that form of communication I can't defend myself," Trump said in an interview broadcast on Sunday. "I get a lot of fake news, a lot of news that is very false or made up." It was a crazy situation, he said, that many people in the world waited for his tweets. He usually tweets himself, sometimes from bed. When asked about whether he was lying in bed with his phone thinking of how to wind people up, Trump said: "Well, perhaps sometimes in bed, perhaps sometimes at breakfast or lunch or whatever, but generally speaking during the early morning, or during the evening I can do whatever, but I am very busy during the day, very long hours. I am busy." "I will sometimes just dictate out something really quickly and give it to one of my people to put it on," he said. Asked about eating burgers and drinking Coke, Trump, 71, said: "I eat fine food, really from some of the finest chefs in the world, I eat healthy food, I also have some of that food on occasion... I think I eat actually quite well." Trump said that he was very popular in the United Kingdom. Some British politicians have called for Trump not to visit and 1.86 million people have signed a petition asking for him to be banned from entering the United Kingdom. "I get so much fan mail from people in your country - they love my sense of security, they love what I am saying about many different things," Trump said. BREXIT Trump would take a "tougher" approach to Brexit negotiations than British Prime Minister Theresa May. When asked if May was in a "good position" regarding the ongoing Brexit talks, Trump replied: "Would it be the way I negotiate? No, I wouldn't negotiate it the way it's [being] negotiated ... I would have had a different attitude." Pressed on how his approach would be different, he said: "I would have said the European Union is not cracked up to what it's supposed to be. I would have taken a tougher stand in getting out." He said the United States would do a post-Brexit trade deal with the United Kingdom. He was pressed on how some women opposed him and he said he supported women and that many women understood that. Trump said women, in particular, liked his support for a strong military as they often wanted to feel safe at home. "There's nobody better than me on the military... I think women really like that. I think they want to be safe at home," Trump said. "I have tremendous respect for women." "No, I wouldn't say I am a feminist. I mean, I think that would be maybe going too far: I am for women, I am for men, I am for everyone." He said French President Emmanuel Macron was a friend and that he liked him a lot.

I tweet from bed sometimes, US President Trump says

The European Union`s trade policy with America is &quot;very unfair&quot;, President Donald Trump said in an interview to be aired Sunday, warning that his many problems with Brussels &quot;may morph into something very big&quot;.

&quot;We cannot get our product in. It`s very, very tough. And yet, they send their product to us -- no taxes, very little taxes. It`s very unfair,&quot; Trump told ITV News in the interview conducted Thursday.

&quot;I`ve had a lot of problems with (the) European Union, and it may morph into something very big from that standpoint -- from a trade standpoint.&quot;

Trump delivered the warning during a wide-ranging interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he took his &quot;America First&quot; agenda to the global business elite.

In a speech Friday he told the forum that his mantra &quot;does not mean America alone&quot; and hinted that the US could rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a deal he withdrew from a year ago.

But earlier this month the Trump Administration imposed steep tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels, and his comments in the interview to air Sunday may cause alarm in European capitals over future trade with the US.

The Trump Administration last year vowed to impose nearly 300 percent punitive tariffs on airplanes manufactured by Canada`s Bombardier.

A bipartisan US trade panel blocked that decision on Friday but the dispute, which has inflamed relations with Ottawa -- and to a lesser degree Britain, where Bombardier has a large workforce -- could be a harbinger for the EU.In other remarks released ahead of the interview`s airing, Trump appeared to slight British Prime Minister Theresa May`s handling of fraught Brexit negotiations, declaring that he would have &quot;negotiated it differently&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;I would have had a different attitude,&quot; he said of the talks, which have followed Britain`s June 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU, and will continue through to its planned departure in March 2019.

&quot;I think I would have said that the European Union is not cracked up to what it`s supposed to be. And I would have taken a tougher stand in getting out,&quot; Trump added.

In excerpts of the discussion screened in Britain Friday, the US president apologised for the first time for retweeting a British far-right group`s videos apparently showing Islamist violence.&nbsp;

&quot;If you`re telling me they`re horrible racist people, I would certainly apologise if you`d like me to do that,&quot; the president said.

Trump confirmed he will visit Britain later this year, where he believes he is &quot;very popular&quot;, according to the interviewer Piers Morgan, who wrote an account of the sit-down in the Mail on Sunday newspaper.&nbsp;

The president said he does not care about those opposed to his British visit, who include London mayor Sadiq Khan and the opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, amid predictions of large protests.

&quot;I think a lot of people in your country like what I stand for, they respect what I stand for,&quot; he told Morgan, according to the presenter.

Asked if he had received an invitation to the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle later this year, Trump replied &quot;not that I know of&quot;.

&quot;I really want them to be happy. They look like a lovely couple,&quot; he added when pressed if he would like to attend the ceremony.During the interview -- billed as the first of his presidency with a non-US international broadcaster -- Trump was asked if he identifies as a feminist.

&quot;No, I wouldn`t say I`m a feminist,&quot; he replied.

&quot;I mean, I think that would be, maybe, going too far. I`m for women, I`m for men, I`m for everyone.&quot;

Trump also signalled he would be willing to sign the US back up to the Paris climate accord, but only if the treaty undergoes major change.

He was met with global condemnation when he announced in June 2017 that America was pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, painting it a &quot;bad deal&quot; for its economy.

&quot;The Paris accord, for us, would have been a disaster,&quot; he said in the interview to run Sunday.

&quot;If they made a good deal... there`s always a chance we`d get back.&quot;

'We cannot get our product in. It`s very, very tough. And yet, they send their product to us -- no taxes, very little taxes. It`s very unfair,' Trump told ITV News in the interview conducted Thursday

The European Union`s trade policy with America is "very unfair", President Donald Trump said in an interview to be aired Sunday, warning that his many problems with Brussels "may morph into something very big". "We cannot get our product in. It`s very, very tough. And yet, they send their product to us -- no taxes, very little taxes. It`s very unfair," Trump told ITV News in the interview conducted Thursday. "I`ve had a lot of problems with (the) European Union, and it may morph into something very big from that standpoint -- from a trade standpoint." Trump delivered the warning during a wide-ranging interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he took his "America First" agenda to the global business elite. In a speech Friday he told the forum that his mantra "does not mean America alone" and hinted that the US could rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a deal he withdrew from a year ago. But earlier this month the Trump Administration imposed steep tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels, and his comments in the interview to air Sunday may cause alarm in European capitals over future trade with the US. The Trump Administration last year vowed to impose nearly 300 percent punitive tariffs on airplanes manufactured by Canada`s Bombardier. A bipartisan US trade panel blocked that decision on Friday but the dispute, which has inflamed relations with Ottawa -- and to a lesser degree Britain, where Bombardier has a large workforce -- could be a harbinger for the EU.In other remarks released ahead of the interview`s airing, Trump appeared to slight British Prime Minister Theresa May`s handling of fraught Brexit negotiations, declaring that he would have "negotiated it differently". "I would have had a different attitude," he said of the talks, which have followed Britain`s June 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU, and will continue through to its planned departure in March 2019. "I think I would have said that the European Union is not cracked up to what it`s supposed to be. And I would have taken a tougher stand in getting out," Trump added. In excerpts of the discussion screened in Britain Friday, the US president apologised for the first time for retweeting a British far-right group`s videos apparently showing Islamist violence. "If you`re telling me they`re horrible racist people, I would certainly apologise if you`d like me to do that," the president said. Trump confirmed he will visit Britain later this year, where he believes he is "very popular", according to the interviewer Piers Morgan, who wrote an account of the sit-down in the Mail on Sunday newspaper. The president said he does not care about those opposed to his British visit, who include London mayor Sadiq Khan and the opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, amid predictions of large protests. "I think a lot of people in your country like what I stand for, they respect what I stand for," he told Morgan, according to the presenter. Asked if he had received an invitation to the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle later this year, Trump replied "not that I know of". "I really want them to be happy. They look like a lovely couple," he added when pressed if he would like to attend the ceremony.During the interview -- billed as the first of his presidency with a non-US international broadcaster -- Trump was asked if he identifies as a feminist. "No, I wouldn`t say I`m a feminist," he replied. "I mean, I think that would be, maybe, going too far. I`m for women, I`m for men, I`m for everyone." Trump also signalled he would be willing to sign the US back up to the Paris climate accord, but only if the treaty undergoes major change. He was met with global condemnation when he announced in June 2017 that America was pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, painting it a "bad deal" for its economy. "The Paris accord, for us, would have been a disaster," he said in the interview to run Sunday. "If they made a good deal... there`s always a chance we`d get back."

Trump blasts EU trade policy with US as 'very unfair'

Women&#39;s march that brought million people to the streets of USA will mark its one year this weekend on Saturday.

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The march will take place on January 20&nbsp;in Washington and many other places of the United States.

The rally is scheduled to start at 11:30 from 72 and Central Park West.

The full block in front of the stage will be reserved for those with disabilities. The march will go past Columbus Circle, East on 59th Street, and South on 6th Avenue with exits at 45th/44th/43rd streets.

Focussed on standing together for each other and protesting against Trump in 2017, this year women&#39;s march will be focussing on women&#39;s participation in elections titled &quot;power to the polls.&quot;&nbsp;

According to media reports,&nbsp;last year&#39;s rally brought three times of crowd than President Donald Trump&#39;s inauguration with many people wearing a pink knitted caps in solidarity.

The reports say that so far about 85,000 people have registered to come to the event.

Last year the march to Washington drew 440,000 to 500,000 people. Between 3,267,134 and 5,246,670 people participated in the Women&#39;s March in the United States. In total, worldwide participation has been estimated at over five million.

The women&#39;s march in 2017 was largest single political demonstration since the anti-Vietnam war protests in the 1960s and 1970s.

&nbsp;

It will take place on January 20, in Washington and many other places of the United States.

Women's march that brought million people to the streets of USA will mark its one year this weekend on Saturday. × The march will take place on January 20 in Washington and many other places of the United States. The rally is scheduled to start at 11:30 from 72 and Central Park West. The full block in front of the stage will be reserved for those with disabilities. The march will go past Columbus Circle, East on 59th Street, and South on 6th Avenue with exits at 45th/44th/43rd streets. Focussed on standing together for each other and protesting against Trump in 2017, this year women's march will be focussing on women's participation in elections titled "power to the polls." According to media reports, last year's rally brought three times of crowd than President Donald Trump's inauguration with many people wearing a pink knitted caps in solidarity. The reports say that so far about 85,000 people have registered to come to the event. Last year the march to Washington drew 440,000 to 500,000 people. Between 3,267,134 and 5,246,670 people participated in the Women's March in the United States. In total, worldwide participation has been estimated at over five million. The women's march in 2017 was largest single political demonstration since the anti-Vietnam war protests in the 1960s and 1970s.

Second edition of Women's march on Saturday

President Donald Trump heaped pressure on Democrats Friday to yield in an acrimonious funding showdown that threatens to shut down the US government when money runs out at midnight -- a year to the day after the Republican president took office.

&quot;Shutdown coming?&quot; Trump tweeted, seeming to revel in the chaotic, high stakes brinksmanship.

The president has put on hold plans to fly to Florida for an anniversary dinner at his Mar-a-Lago estate to be close by for what was expected to be a night of down-to-the-wire votes in the US Senate.

A White House official said the president would remain in Washington &quot;until we pass a government funding measure.&quot;

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives pushed through a measure late Thursday, 230-197, to extend funding for the federal government through February 16.

But Democrats appeared determined to block it in the Senate, where Republicans hold a slender majority and may need as many as a dozen Democratic crossover votes to reach a 60-vote majority.

&quot;Democrats are needed if it is to pass in the Senate - but they want illegal immigration and weak borders,&quot; Trump said on Twitter.

White House budget director Mick Mulvaney put the odds of a shutdown at &quot;50-50.&quot;

&quot;We were operating under sort of a 30 percent shutdown&quot; assumption on Thursday, he told reporters. &quot;I think we&#39;re ratcheting it up now.&quot;

Political risks&nbsp;

With mid-term elections looming later this year, Democrats and Republicans both risk being blamed by voters if the government grinds to a halt over lack of funds.

The finger-pointing already has begun as the sides maneuver to lay blame and put their own role in the best possible light.

There have been four government shutdowns since 1990. In the last one in 2013, more than 800,000 government workers were put on temporary leave.

Essential functions like the military, law enforcement, the White House and Congress would continue working but with reduced staff. Some agencies, museums and national parks, would shut down altogether.

The Pentagon issued a guidance confirming that active duty military, including those in combat, would work without pay as will essential civilians. But others in the massive bureaucracy will be sent home without pay.

&quot;The Department will, of course, continue to prosecute the war in Afghanistan and ongoing operations against Al-Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, including preparation of forces for deployment into those conflicts,&quot; said Patrick Shanahan, the Pentagon&#39;s number two.&nbsp;

Shorter extension

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said if agreement is not reached by Friday night, Democrats would support a shorter-term funding measure that would &quot;give the president a few days to come to the table.&quot;

But House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy was quoted as telling reporters the chamber would adjourn as planned on Friday afternoon -- all but guaranteeing a shutdown unless a last-minute deal is struck on the existing bill.

Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican Majority Leader, said the House bill provides for four weeks of funding, enough to allow talks to continue &quot;without throwing the government into disarray for no reason.&quot;

Schumer wants to &quot;hold the entire country hostage,&quot; McConnell said.

&quot;The leader is looking to deflect blame, but it just won&#39;t work,&quot; said Schumer.

Democrats are hoping to force a compromise that would protect from deportation the so-called &quot;Dreamers,&quot; the more than 700,000 immigrants who entered the country illegally as children and are now in a legal limbo.

Negotiations with the White House on a bipartisan compromise blew up last week after Trump reportedly referred to African nations and Haiti as &quot;shithole countries.&quot;

Friday morning, Paul Ryan hit out at the Democrats on Twitter, accusing them of &quot;taking funding for the government and funding for our troops hostage&quot; over &quot;unrelated policy.&quot;

&quot;They are treating our men and women in uniform like bargaining chips,&quot; he fumed.

Like a Sphinx

Trump&#39;s unpredictable Twitter outbursts and sudden changes of position also have bedeviled Republican leaders as they maneuver to cut a deal.

Schumer described Trump as &quot;like a Sphinx on this issue,&quot; a sentiment Republicans also appeared to share.

&quot;Thinking people change their minds all the time. You do, I do, most Americans do when they test their assumptions against the arguments of others,&quot; Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana said on CNN Friday.

&quot;Having said that, we need to know where the president stands. Let&#39;s suppose we reach an agreement with the Democrats, and I think we will, I want to know the president is going to sign it.&quot;

President Donald Trump heaped pressure on Democrats Friday to yield in an acrimonious funding showdown that threatens to shut down the US government when money runs out at midnight

President Donald Trump heaped pressure on Democrats Friday to yield in an acrimonious funding showdown that threatens to shut down the US government when money runs out at midnight -- a year to the day after the Republican president took office. "Shutdown coming?" Trump tweeted, seeming to revel in the chaotic, high stakes brinksmanship. The president has put on hold plans to fly to Florida for an anniversary dinner at his Mar-a-Lago estate to be close by for what was expected to be a night of down-to-the-wire votes in the US Senate. A White House official said the president would remain in Washington "until we pass a government funding measure." The Republican-controlled House of Representatives pushed through a measure late Thursday, 230-197, to extend funding for the federal government through February 16. But Democrats appeared determined to block it in the Senate, where Republicans hold a slender majority and may need as many as a dozen Democratic crossover votes to reach a 60-vote majority. "Democrats are needed if it is to pass in the Senate - but they want illegal immigration and weak borders," Trump said on Twitter. White House budget director Mick Mulvaney put the odds of a shutdown at "50-50." "We were operating under sort of a 30 percent shutdown" assumption on Thursday, he told reporters. "I think we're ratcheting it up now." Political risks With mid-term elections looming later this year, Democrats and Republicans both risk being blamed by voters if the government grinds to a halt over lack of funds. The finger-pointing already has begun as the sides maneuver to lay blame and put their own role in the best possible light. There have been four government shutdowns since 1990. In the last one in 2013, more than 800,000 government workers were put on temporary leave. Essential functions like the military, law enforcement, the White House and Congress would continue working but with reduced staff. Some agencies, museums and national parks, would shut down altogether. The Pentagon issued a guidance confirming that active duty military, including those in combat, would work without pay as will essential civilians. But others in the massive bureaucracy will be sent home without pay. "The Department will, of course, continue to prosecute the war in Afghanistan and ongoing operations against Al-Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, including preparation of forces for deployment into those conflicts," said Patrick Shanahan, the Pentagon's number two. Shorter extension Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said if agreement is not reached by Friday night, Democrats would support a shorter-term funding measure that would "give the president a few days to come to the table." But House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy was quoted as telling reporters the chamber would adjourn as planned on Friday afternoon -- all but guaranteeing a shutdown unless a last-minute deal is struck on the existing bill. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican Majority Leader, said the House bill provides for four weeks of funding, enough to allow talks to continue "without throwing the government into disarray for no reason." Schumer wants to "hold the entire country hostage," McConnell said. "The leader is looking to deflect blame, but it just won't work," said Schumer. Democrats are hoping to force a compromise that would protect from deportation the so-called "Dreamers," the more than 700,000 immigrants who entered the country illegally as children and are now in a legal limbo. Negotiations with the White House on a bipartisan compromise blew up last week after Trump reportedly referred to African nations and Haiti as "shithole countries." Friday morning, Paul Ryan hit out at the Democrats on Twitter, accusing them of "taking funding for the government and funding for our troops hostage" over "unrelated policy." "They are treating our men and women in uniform like bargaining chips," he fumed. Like a Sphinx Trump's unpredictable Twitter outbursts and sudden changes of position also have bedeviled Republican leaders as they maneuver to cut a deal. Schumer described Trump as "like a Sphinx on this issue," a sentiment Republicans also appeared to share. "Thinking people change their minds all the time. You do, I do, most Americans do when they test their assumptions against the arguments of others," Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana said on CNN Friday. "Having said that, we need to know where the president stands. Let's suppose we reach an agreement with the Democrats, and I think we will, I want to know the president is going to sign it."

 'Shutdown coming?': crunch time as US funding deadline nears

As influential voices within the US&nbsp;business community warn China that US&nbsp;President Donald Trump is serious about tough action over Beijing&#39;s trade practices, there is little sense of a crisis in the Chinese capital, where officials think he is bluffing.

In Beijing, many experts think Washington is unwilling to pay the heavy economic price needed to upset prevailing trade dynamics between the world&#39;s two largest economies.

Hanging over trade relations are several inquiries into whether steel and aluminium imports - including those from China - are harming US&nbsp;national security, possible tariffs on imported solar panels, as well as an investigation into potential Chinese abuse of intellectual property.

&quot;I think this might be a threat to ask for deals from China,&quot; said He Weiwen, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, a government-affiliated research organisation in Beijing.

Results in most, if not all, of the investigations are seen as imminent. Trump warned in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday of potentially &quot;big damages&quot; against China as a result of the intellectual property inquiry under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

&nbsp;People in the US&nbsp;business community say this growing gulf in expectations between Washington and Beijing is fuelled in part by the dwindling frequency of talks on commercial issues. The resulting vacuum could set the two governments on a collision course over trade.

&quot;Dialogue is a shadow, a shell, a trickle of what it was, particularly on the economic and commercial issues,&quot; said one US&nbsp;industry source who accompanied a business delegation to Beijing last week to warn senior Chinese officials that time was running out.

The bipartisan group of mostly former senior US&nbsp;officials, including George W. Bush administration veterans Stephen Hadley and Carlos Gutierrez, met with Wang Yang, a member of China&#39;s ruling seven-man Politburo Standing Committee, and Liu He, an economist and ally of President Xi Jinping, among other senior Chinese leaders, the person said.

They delivered a message that trade frictions &quot;are not under control&quot; and that there was a high likelihood of &quot;significant actions&quot; coming soon, according the person who was present at the meetings.

&quot;We hear everything from: both sides will lose, to you&#39;ll lose more,&quot; the person said, characterizing the reception the delegation received from Chinese leaders.

&nbsp;Resilent to a trade war

US&nbsp;businesses operating in China have long chafed at government policies they see as intended to assimilate and supplant foreign technology.

At stake is who controls intellectual property, and how you protect it, said Tim Adams, former US&nbsp;Treasury undersecretary for international affairs in the Bush administration.

&quot;The question is, how do you use a scalpel to respond to it, and does the scalpel actually change behaviour because it&#39;s a scalpel and not a sledgehammer,&quot; said Adams, who now leads the Washington-based Institute of International Finance.

He said China would probably retaliate by weighing whether the actions were in line with World Trade Organization rules before slowly ratcheting up pressure on US&nbsp;businesses, for example by buying from a European company such as Airbus instead of Boeing.

Meanwhile, China&#39;s 2017 trade surplus with the United States reached an all-time high of $275.81 billion, Chinese Customs data showed last week.

The growing likelihood of US&nbsp;trade remedies against China comes amid a bipartisan push in Washington to tighten national security reviews of Chinese companies&#39; efforts to scoop up US&nbsp;technology firms, often in industries closed to US&nbsp;companies in China.

But many in China see such efforts as sure to backfire.

&quot;Politically, the administration of President Donald Trump can&#39;t afford to see China-US&nbsp;economic and trade ties become strained. China is more resilient to a trade war,&quot; China&#39;s state-run Global Times said on Sunday.

China&#39;s Ministry of Commerce did not comment on the US&nbsp;business delegation or the risk of major trade friction. But it said last week that China would take all necessary measures to defend itself.

Kibbles and bits

Beijing suspects that even if Trump implements &quot;targeted tariffs,&quot; as some in the US&nbsp;tech sector expect, they would likely amount to just a few percentage points of the more than $600 billion annual goods and services trade, Chinese experts have said.

For local governments in export-dependent areas, the threat is more worrying. One official in the export powerhouse of Zhejiang province expressed concern to Reuters about Trump&#39;s possible actions, but declined to speak on the record.

&nbsp;The government in Beijing, however, remains stoic.

&quot;Are Chinese officials getting nervous now amid a coming US-China trade war? I don&#39;t think so,&quot; said Wang Jiangyu, a trade expert at the National University of Singapore.

The country has negotiated its way out of previous Section 301 investigations, including in 1992 and 1995.

And a person close to China&#39;s Commerce Ministry, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, said tariffs from the Section 301 case would be self-defeating, and urged negotiation instead.

&quot;We should sit down and discuss this. If their demands are reasonable, we don&#39;t want to go to the WTO,&quot; the person said.

That inclination to fall back on talks and the WTO to resolve frictions may be China&#39;s miscalculation this time, people in the US&nbsp;business community say.

What the Chinese government doesn&#39;t understand is that the Trump administration is &quot;deadly serious,&quot; the member of the US&nbsp;business delegation said. &quot;They aren&#39;t going to settle for kibbles and bits.&quot;

In Beijing, many experts think Washington is unwilling to pay the heavy economic price needed to upset prevailing trade dynamics between the world's two largest economies

As influential voices within the US business community warn China that US President Donald Trump is serious about tough action over Beijing's trade practices, there is little sense of a crisis in the Chinese capital, where officials think he is bluffing. In Beijing, many experts think Washington is unwilling to pay the heavy economic price needed to upset prevailing trade dynamics between the world's two largest economies. Hanging over trade relations are several inquiries into whether steel and aluminium imports - including those from China - are harming US national security, possible tariffs on imported solar panels, as well as an investigation into potential Chinese abuse of intellectual property. "I think this might be a threat to ask for deals from China," said He Weiwen, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, a government-affiliated research organisation in Beijing. Results in most, if not all, of the investigations are seen as imminent. Trump warned in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday of potentially "big damages" against China as a result of the intellectual property inquiry under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. People in the US business community say this growing gulf in expectations between Washington and Beijing is fuelled in part by the dwindling frequency of talks on commercial issues. The resulting vacuum could set the two governments on a collision course over trade. "Dialogue is a shadow, a shell, a trickle of what it was, particularly on the economic and commercial issues," said one US industry source who accompanied a business delegation to Beijing last week to warn senior Chinese officials that time was running out. The bipartisan group of mostly former senior US officials, including George W. Bush administration veterans Stephen Hadley and Carlos Gutierrez, met with Wang Yang, a member of China's ruling seven-man Politburo Standing Committee, and Liu He, an economist and ally of President Xi Jinping, among other senior Chinese leaders, the person said. They delivered a message that trade frictions "are not under control" and that there was a high likelihood of "significant actions" coming soon, according the person who was present at the meetings. "We hear everything from: both sides will lose, to you'll lose more," the person said, characterizing the reception the delegation received from Chinese leaders. Resilent to a trade war US businesses operating in China have long chafed at government policies they see as intended to assimilate and supplant foreign technology. At stake is who controls intellectual property, and how you protect it, said Tim Adams, former US Treasury undersecretary for international affairs in the Bush administration. "The question is, how do you use a scalpel to respond to it, and does the scalpel actually change behaviour because it's a scalpel and not a sledgehammer," said Adams, who now leads the Washington-based Institute of International Finance. He said China would probably retaliate by weighing whether the actions were in line with World Trade Organization rules before slowly ratcheting up pressure on US businesses, for example by buying from a European company such as Airbus instead of Boeing. Meanwhile, China's 2017 trade surplus with the United States reached an all-time high of $275.81 billion, Chinese Customs data showed last week. The growing likelihood of US trade remedies against China comes amid a bipartisan push in Washington to tighten national security reviews of Chinese companies' efforts to scoop up US technology firms, often in industries closed to US companies in China. But many in China see such efforts as sure to backfire. "Politically, the administration of President Donald Trump can't afford to see China-US economic and trade ties become strained. China is more resilient to a trade war," China's state-run Global Times said on Sunday. China's Ministry of Commerce did not comment on the US business delegation or the risk of major trade friction. But it said last week that China would take all necessary measures to defend itself. Kibbles and bits Beijing suspects that even if Trump implements "targeted tariffs," as some in the US tech sector expect, they would likely amount to just a few percentage points of the more than $600 billion annual goods and services trade, Chinese experts have said. For local governments in export-dependent areas, the threat is more worrying. One official in the export powerhouse of Zhejiang province expressed concern to Reuters about Trump's possible actions, but declined to speak on the record. The government in Beijing, however, remains stoic. "Are Chinese officials getting nervous now amid a coming US-China trade war? I don't think so," said Wang Jiangyu, a trade expert at the National University of Singapore. The country has negotiated its way out of previous Section 301 investigations, including in 1992 and 1995. And a person close to China's Commerce Ministry, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, said tariffs from the Section 301 case would be self-defeating, and urged negotiation instead. "We should sit down and discuss this. If their demands are reasonable, we don't want to go to the WTO," the person said. That inclination to fall back on talks and the WTO to resolve frictions may be China's miscalculation this time, people in the US business community say. What the Chinese government doesn't understand is that the Trump administration is "deadly serious," the member of the US business delegation said. "They aren't going to settle for kibbles and bits."

China looks to call bluff on Trump trade action

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