Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a step back on Thursday from comments, challenged by U.S. President Donald Trump, that envisioned a one-year timeframe for the planned relocation of the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

An official in Netanyahu&#39;s office said the prime minister recognised that construction of a new embassy will take years but believes Washington is considering &quot;interim measures that could result in an embassy opening much faster&quot;.

The official, who declined to be named, did not define those steps or mention any dates for a Jerusalem embassy to begin operating. In the past, Israeli media have speculated that, before a building is ready, the U.S. ambassador would operate part of the time out of a temporary location in Jerusalem.

Reversing decades of U.S. policy, Trump in early December recognised Jerusalem as Israel&rsquo;s capital and set in motion the process of moving the embassy from Tel Aviv, imperilling Middle East peace efforts and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies alike.

Netanyahu, according to Israeli reporters travelling with him on a trip to India, said on Wednesday: &quot;My solid assessment is that it will go much faster than you think - within a year from now.&quot;

Asked about Netanyahu&rsquo;s comment, Trump told Reuters in an interview that was not the case. &quot;By the end of the year? We&rsquo;re talking about different scenarios - I mean obviously that would be on a temporary basis. We&rsquo;re not really looking at that. That&#39;s no.&quot;

The Israeli official, responding to Trump&#39;s remarks, said: &quot;The president and the prime minister are not saying anything different&quot;.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said last month the embassy move was &quot;probably no earlier than three years out, and that&rsquo;s pretty ambitious&quot;, a timeframe that administration officials have attributed to the logistics of finding and securing a site as well as arranging housing for diplomats.

Jerusalem is home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed in a move not recognised internationally, as the capital of their future state.

An official in Netanyahu's office said the prime minister recognised that construction of a new embassy will take years

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a step back on Thursday from comments, challenged by U.S. President Donald Trump, that envisioned a one-year timeframe for the planned relocation of the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. An official in Netanyahu's office said the prime minister recognised that construction of a new embassy will take years but believes Washington is considering "interim measures that could result in an embassy opening much faster". The official, who declined to be named, did not define those steps or mention any dates for a Jerusalem embassy to begin operating. In the past, Israeli media have speculated that, before a building is ready, the U.S. ambassador would operate part of the time out of a temporary location in Jerusalem. Reversing decades of U.S. policy, Trump in early December recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and set in motion the process of moving the embassy from Tel Aviv, imperilling Middle East peace efforts and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies alike. Netanyahu, according to Israeli reporters travelling with him on a trip to India, said on Wednesday: "My solid assessment is that it will go much faster than you think - within a year from now." Asked about Netanyahu’s comment, Trump told Reuters in an interview that was not the case. "By the end of the year? We’re talking about different scenarios - I mean obviously that would be on a temporary basis. We’re not really looking at that. That's no." The Israeli official, responding to Trump's remarks, said: "The president and the prime minister are not saying anything different". U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said last month the embassy move was "probably no earlier than three years out, and that’s pretty ambitious", a timeframe that administration officials have attributed to the logistics of finding and securing a site as well as arranging housing for diplomats. Jerusalem is home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed in a move not recognised internationally, as the capital of their future state.

After Trump denial, Netanyahu clarifies remarks on timeframe for US embassy in Jerusalem

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the opening plenary at the WEF&#39;s Davos summit next week, while the keynote address will be given by US President Donald Trump at the annual jamboree of the global elite to be attended by 70 state heads.

Besides, 38 heads of major international organisations such as the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank, as also nearly 2,000 CEOs including over 100 from India will be present at the five-day World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2018, beginning on January 22 with a welcome reception to be hosted by India.

Announcing the official programme in Geneva today, the WEF said the summit will see the largest ever engagement of global leaders this year where the key talking points would include international security, environment and the global economy.

The theme of the meeting, spread over 400 sessions, would be &#39;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&#39;, while the meeting would also see the largest ever proportion of women leaders (21 per cent) including all co-chairs being women this time including social entrepreneur Chetna Sinha from India and IMF&#39;s Christine Lagarde, the WEF said.

Modi will be accompanied by six union ministers, including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Piyush Goyal, Suresh Prabhu, Dharmendra Pradhan, M J Akbar and Jitendra Singh.

Besides, two chief ministers (Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrababu Naidu) and over 100 CEOs would take India&#39;s total presence to 129 -- the fourth highest after the US (780), the UK (266) and Switzerland (233 people). China will have 118 participants.

Women participants would account for 12 per cent of total Indian presence, compared to 27 per cent from the US, 24 per cent from the UK, 22 per cent from Germany, 20 per cent from Switzerland, 19 per cent for China and 18 per cent for France.

The WEF said its 48th Annual Meeting will focus on finding ways to reaffirm international cooperation on crucial shared interests, such as international security, the environment and the global economy.

The meeting comes at a time when geostrategic competition among states is generally seen to be on the rise.

Alongside international cooperation, an additional priority of the meeting will be to overcome divisions within countries, said the WEF which describes itself as an international public-private organisation focussed on improving the state of the world.

The WEF said divisions have often been caused by breakdowns in the social contract as a result of failure to protect societies from the transformational impacts of a succession of shocks, from globalisation to the proliferation of social media and the birth of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

&quot;Collectively, these shocks have caused a loss of trust in institutions and damaged the relationship between business and society,&quot; it added.

&quot;Our world has become fractured by increasing competition between nations and deep divides within societies. Yet the sheer scale of the challenges our world faces makes concerted, collaborative and integrated action more essential than ever,&quot; WEF&#39;s Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said.

He further said the summit aims to overcome these fault lines by reasserting shared interests among nations and securing multistakeholder commitment to renewing social contracts through inclusive growth.

This year&#39;s opening plenary will be delivered by Modi on January 23, Prime Minister of India, while Trump will deliver a keynote address before the close of the meeting on January 26, the WEF said.

This year a record number of leaders from G7 economies will participate, including Paolo Gentiloni, Prime Minister of Italy; Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission; Emmanuel

Macron, President of France; Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; and Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, in addition to President Trump.

Other leaders from the G20 countries would include Liu He, Member of Political Bureau and General Director of CPC Central Committee of the People&#39;s Republic of China; Argentina President Mauricio Macri, South Africa Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil President Michel Temer.

From the host country, Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation, will also participate.

Overall, the summit will have over 340 top political leaders with 10 heads of state/government from Africa, nine from Middle East and North Africa and six from Latin America.

These include Ethiopia Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Nigeria Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Lebanon President Saad Al Hariri, Jordan King

Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Columbia President Juan Manuel Santos.

The summit will also be attended by 40 arts and culture leaders, including Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, Cate Blanchett and Elton John.

One of the key issues to be discussed would be navigating a multipolar and multiconceptual world and the balance between global cooperation and local autonomy to prevent the disintegration of the world order.

Besides, the leaders will also discuss how to overcome divisions in society and if outrage cycles in media and political rhetoric are widening societal fault lines and undermining tolerance, then what solutions can be jointly developed to restore the social compact, the WEF said.

Besides, 38 heads of major international organisations such as the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank, as also nearly 2,000 CEOs including over 100 from India will be present at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the opening plenary at the WEF's Davos summit next week, while the keynote address will be given by US President Donald Trump at the annual jamboree of the global elite to be attended by 70 state heads. Besides, 38 heads of major international organisations such as the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank, as also nearly 2,000 CEOs including over 100 from India will be present at the five-day World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2018, beginning on January 22 with a welcome reception to be hosted by India. Announcing the official programme in Geneva today, the WEF said the summit will see the largest ever engagement of global leaders this year where the key talking points would include international security, environment and the global economy. The theme of the meeting, spread over 400 sessions, would be 'Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World', while the meeting would also see the largest ever proportion of women leaders (21 per cent) including all co-chairs being women this time including social entrepreneur Chetna Sinha from India and IMF's Christine Lagarde, the WEF said. Modi will be accompanied by six union ministers, including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Piyush Goyal, Suresh Prabhu, Dharmendra Pradhan, M J Akbar and Jitendra Singh. Besides, two chief ministers (Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrababu Naidu) and over 100 CEOs would take India's total presence to 129 -- the fourth highest after the US (780), the UK (266) and Switzerland (233 people). China will have 118 participants. Women participants would account for 12 per cent of total Indian presence, compared to 27 per cent from the US, 24 per cent from the UK, 22 per cent from Germany, 20 per cent from Switzerland, 19 per cent for China and 18 per cent for France. The WEF said its 48th Annual Meeting will focus on finding ways to reaffirm international cooperation on crucial shared interests, such as international security, the environment and the global economy. The meeting comes at a time when geostrategic competition among states is generally seen to be on the rise. Alongside international cooperation, an additional priority of the meeting will be to overcome divisions within countries, said the WEF which describes itself as an international public-private organisation focussed on improving the state of the world. The WEF said divisions have often been caused by breakdowns in the social contract as a result of failure to protect societies from the transformational impacts of a succession of shocks, from globalisation to the proliferation of social media and the birth of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. "Collectively, these shocks have caused a loss of trust in institutions and damaged the relationship between business and society," it added. "Our world has become fractured by increasing competition between nations and deep divides within societies. Yet the sheer scale of the challenges our world faces makes concerted, collaborative and integrated action more essential than ever," WEF's Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said. He further said the summit aims to overcome these fault lines by reasserting shared interests among nations and securing multistakeholder commitment to renewing social contracts through inclusive growth. This year's opening plenary will be delivered by Modi on January 23, Prime Minister of India, while Trump will deliver a keynote address before the close of the meeting on January 26, the WEF said. This year a record number of leaders from G7 economies will participate, including Paolo Gentiloni, Prime Minister of Italy; Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission; Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; and Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, in addition to President Trump. Other leaders from the G20 countries would include Liu He, Member of Political Bureau and General Director of CPC Central Committee of the People's Republic of China; Argentina President Mauricio Macri, South Africa Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil President Michel Temer. From the host country, Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation, will also participate. Overall, the summit will have over 340 top political leaders with 10 heads of state/government from Africa, nine from Middle East and North Africa and six from Latin America. These include Ethiopia Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Nigeria Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Lebanon President Saad Al Hariri, Jordan King Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Columbia President Juan Manuel Santos. The summit will also be attended by 40 arts and culture leaders, including Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, Cate Blanchett and Elton John. One of the key issues to be discussed would be navigating a multipolar and multiconceptual world and the balance between global cooperation and local autonomy to prevent the disintegration of the world order. Besides, the leaders will also discuss how to overcome divisions in society and if outrage cycles in media and political rhetoric are widening societal fault lines and undermining tolerance, then what solutions can be jointly developed to restore the social compact, the WEF said.

WEF@Davos: Modi to address opening plenary; Trump on final day

&quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-did-not-want-to-be-us-president-book-28531" target="_blank">Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House</a>&quot; -- the tell-all President Donald Trump has said is &quot;full of lies&quot; -- is to be adapted for television, US media reported today.

Rights to Michael Wolff&#39;s book, an explosive behind-the-scenes account that questions the president&#39;s fitness for office, have been snapped up by Endeavor Content, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

They said Wolff would be executive producer of the series.

Trump has declared the book &quot;phony&quot; while White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders dismissed it as &quot;complete fantasy&quot; and a Trump attorney has sought to halt publication of the &quot;libelous&quot; tome.

Rights to Michael Wolff's book, an explosive behind-the-scenes account that questions the president's fitness for office, have been snapped up by Endeavor Content, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety

"Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House" -- the tell-all President Donald Trump has said is "full of lies" -- is to be adapted for television, US media reported today. Rights to Michael Wolff's book, an explosive behind-the-scenes account that questions the president's fitness for office, have been snapped up by Endeavor Content, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. They said Wolff would be executive producer of the series. Trump has declared the book "phony" while White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders dismissed it as "complete fantasy" and a Trump attorney has sought to halt publication of the "libelous" tome.

'Fire and Fury' to get TV adaptation: Reports

President Donald Trump said on Thursday the US&nbsp;government &quot;could very well&quot; shut down and that would be very harmful to the military.

&quot;If the country shuts down, which could very well be, the budget should be handled a lot different than it has been handled for the last long period of time,&quot; Trump said in answer to reporters` questions as he arrived for a visit at the Pentagon. &quot;If for any reason it shuts down, the worst thing is what happens to our military.&quot;

'If the country shuts down, which could very well be, the budget should be handled a lot differently than it has been for the last long period of time,' Trump said

President Donald Trump said on Thursday the US government "could very well" shut down and that would be very harmful to the military. "If the country shuts down, which could very well be, the budget should be handled a lot different than it has been handled for the last long period of time," Trump said in answer to reporters` questions as he arrived for a visit at the Pentagon. "If for any reason it shuts down, the worst thing is what happens to our military."

Trump says US government 'could very well' shut down

Do not expect<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/president-trump-unveils-fake-news-award-takes-dig-at-nyt-cnn-abc-29900" target="_blank"> US President Donald Trump</a> to hit the gym, despite his doctor&#39;s orders.

He gets plenty of exercise on the golf course and at the White House complex, the president told Reuters on Wednesday.

&quot;I get exercise. I mean I walk, I this, I that,&quot; Trump, 71, said during an Oval Office interview. &quot;I run over to a building next door. I get more exercise than people think.&quot;

Dr Ronny Jackson, the White House physician, said on Tuesday that Trump was in excellent health overall but needed to lose weight, eat better, and break a sweat more often.

The fast-food-loving Trump praised Jackson, who has served as a physician to previous presidents, but seemed wary of taking the not-so-subtle suggestion to use the White House&#39;s exercise facilities.

&quot;A lot of people go to the gym and they&rsquo;ll work out for two hours and all. I&rsquo;ve seen people ... then they get their new knees when they&#39;re 55 years old and they get their new hips and they do all those things. I don&rsquo;t have those problems,&quot; Trump said.

He did say he was open to changing his diet, perhaps with smaller portion sizes on White House meals.

Trump&#39;s predecessors, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican George W. Bush, were fitness enthusiasts, but Trump has no daily workout routine. He gets exercise by playing golf, he said, even though he typically rides around the course in a golf cart.

Walking would leave him on the course longer than he prefers, he said. &quot;I don&rsquo;t want to spend the time.&quot;

Trump is considered overweight and borderline obese at 6 feet 3 inches (1.9 meters) tall and 239 pounds (108 kg).

&quot;Most of us could lose a couple of pounds,&quot; he said, before scanning the Reuters reporters in the room and pronouncing them in &quot;pretty good shape.&quot;

As for his mental acuity, Trump was quick to note his doctor&#39;s pronouncement that he aced a cognitive exam, which he referenced with a dig at predecessors Obama, Bush and Bill Clinton for not doing more to curb threats from North Korea.

&quot;I guess they all realized they&#39;re going to have to leave it to a president that scored the highest on tests. What can I tell you?&quot; he said.

He said he had impressed medical staff with his recent performance on a treadmill, regular workouts or not.

&quot;I was on a treadmill for the first time actually in quite a while, and it was at a very steep angle, and I was there for a very long time,&quot; he said. &quot;They were surprised. And they said, &#39;Well you can stop now, that&rsquo;s amazing.&#39; And I said, &#39;I can go much longer than this if you want me to.&#39;&quot;

Trump said he had dieted successfully before.

&quot;I&#39;ve always been more of a believer in diet &#39;cause I&#39;m strong, you know? I hit the ball far. I mean, I&#39;m strong, physically,&quot; he said.

&quot;The people that do the food at the White House are extraordinary, but I think they can maybe make the portions a little bit smaller and maybe we&#39;ll cut out some of the more fattening ingredients,&quot; he said. &quot;And I&#39;m OK with that.&quot;

He gets plenty of exercise on the golf course and at the White House complex, the president said on Wednesday

Do not expect US President Donald Trump to hit the gym, despite his doctor's orders. He gets plenty of exercise on the golf course and at the White House complex, the president told Reuters on Wednesday. "I get exercise. I mean I walk, I this, I that," Trump, 71, said during an Oval Office interview. "I run over to a building next door. I get more exercise than people think." Dr Ronny Jackson, the White House physician, said on Tuesday that Trump was in excellent health overall but needed to lose weight, eat better, and break a sweat more often. The fast-food-loving Trump praised Jackson, who has served as a physician to previous presidents, but seemed wary of taking the not-so-subtle suggestion to use the White House's exercise facilities. "A lot of people go to the gym and they’ll work out for two hours and all. I’ve seen people ... then they get their new knees when they're 55 years old and they get their new hips and they do all those things. I don’t have those problems," Trump said. He did say he was open to changing his diet, perhaps with smaller portion sizes on White House meals. Trump's predecessors, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican George W. Bush, were fitness enthusiasts, but Trump has no daily workout routine. He gets exercise by playing golf, he said, even though he typically rides around the course in a golf cart. Walking would leave him on the course longer than he prefers, he said. "I don’t want to spend the time." Trump is considered overweight and borderline obese at 6 feet 3 inches (1.9 meters) tall and 239 pounds (108 kg). "Most of us could lose a couple of pounds," he said, before scanning the Reuters reporters in the room and pronouncing them in "pretty good shape." As for his mental acuity, Trump was quick to note his doctor's pronouncement that he aced a cognitive exam, which he referenced with a dig at predecessors Obama, Bush and Bill Clinton for not doing more to curb threats from North Korea. "I guess they all realized they're going to have to leave it to a president that scored the highest on tests. What can I tell you?" he said. He said he had impressed medical staff with his recent performance on a treadmill, regular workouts or not. "I was on a treadmill for the first time actually in quite a while, and it was at a very steep angle, and I was there for a very long time," he said. "They were surprised. And they said, 'Well you can stop now, that’s amazing.' And I said, 'I can go much longer than this if you want me to.'" Trump said he had dieted successfully before. "I've always been more of a believer in diet 'cause I'm strong, you know? I hit the ball far. I mean, I'm strong, physically," he said. "The people that do the food at the White House are extraordinary, but I think they can maybe make the portions a little bit smaller and maybe we'll cut out some of the more fattening ingredients," he said. "And I'm OK with that."

Exercise? I get more than people think, Trump says

Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif addressed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance earlier today.

Asif alluded to Pakistan-US ties and noted that the Islamabad government has been trying to balance its relationship with the Trump administration.&nbsp;

He also noted that balancing ties with America would not mean compromising on Pakistan&#39;s integrity.

Pakistan is better off without the US aid, he further added.&nbsp;

The foreign minister also noted the relationship between the two countries were normal before US President Donald Trump&#39;s repeated scathing remarks on Pakistan.&nbsp;

Asif also clarified that Pakistan cannot keep hosting Afghanistan refugees.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump recently announced a cut in aid to Pakistan. The aid estimated around $ 2billion.

The move came in US&#39; bid to force Pakistan to sever support for terror groups.&nbsp;

Asif also clarified that Pakistan cannot keep hosting Afghanistan refugees

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif addressed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance earlier today. Asif alluded to Pakistan-US ties and noted that the Islamabad government has been trying to balance its relationship with the Trump administration. He also noted that balancing ties with America would not mean compromising on Pakistan's integrity. Pakistan is better off without the US aid, he further added. The foreign minister also noted the relationship between the two countries were normal before US President Donald Trump's repeated scathing remarks on Pakistan. Asif also clarified that Pakistan cannot keep hosting Afghanistan refugees. US President Donald Trump recently announced a cut in aid to Pakistan. The aid estimated around $ 2billion. The move came in US' bid to force Pakistan to sever support for terror groups.

Pakistan can do without US aid: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif

Donald Trump&#39;s chief of staff has said the president was not &quot;fully informed&quot; when he pledged last year to build a wall along the border with Mexico, the New York Times reported late last night.

Retired General John Kelly&#39;s remarks were a rare departure from the president on one of the core issues that defined his upstart run for the presidency.

Kelly made the comments to members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Times said.

He told the lawmakers he had persuaded Trump the wall was not necessary and that the president&#39;s opinion on the once-sacred barrier had &quot;evolved.&quot;

Kelly was brought in as chief of staff six months ago in a bid to put order to the command center of Trump&#39;s chaotic presidency.

The Times said that in publicly differing with Trump, Kelly appears to be saying he thinks &quot;that it is his job to tutor a sometimes ill-informed president who has never served in public office before&quot;.

Retired General John Kelly's remarks were a rare departure from the president on one of the core issues that defined his upstart run for the presidency

Donald Trump's chief of staff has said the president was not "fully informed" when he pledged last year to build a wall along the border with Mexico, the New York Times reported late last night. Retired General John Kelly's remarks were a rare departure from the president on one of the core issues that defined his upstart run for the presidency. Kelly made the comments to members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Times said. He told the lawmakers he had persuaded Trump the wall was not necessary and that the president's opinion on the once-sacred barrier had "evolved." Kelly was brought in as chief of staff six months ago in a bid to put order to the command center of Trump's chaotic presidency. The Times said that in publicly differing with Trump, Kelly appears to be saying he thinks "that it is his job to tutor a sometimes ill-informed president who has never served in public office before".

Trump aide says wall idea not 'informed'

The Trump administration has no qualms admitting immigrants who are skilled, employed and can speak English, a top official has said, while giving insight into what its merit-based system would look like.

Such individuals could be from any part of the world given that they fulfil the requirements, the official said.

If such a policy is developed and implemented, it could benefit individuals from countries like India, the majority of whom meet the criterion.

The Trump administration wants to reform the immigration system to serve the US&#39; national interest, the official said.

&quot;..And so, our position, is that a system that prioritises individuals based on their individual skills and merit will certainly produce better results than the system we have now,&quot; said a senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

&quot;We want to bring in individuals, wherever they may be from, who love this country, who love its people, who have skills, who have talent, who have -- who speak English, who are committed to supporting our values and our very way of life,&quot; said the official.

The official said some of the existing programmes for immigrants ignored such requirements which are important for individuals to succeed in the US.

&quot;So, what we have with the Diversity Lottery Program or through chain migration is that in these cases there are identified examples of individuals who were not selected to come to the US based on their love of this country, skills, merit, and individual attributes that will lead them to their success,&quot; the official said.

&quot;We would like to admit individuals from all backgrounds or any place in the world, based on their own individual merit and their likelihood of success, into the US,&quot; the official said.

The admission of any foreign national who goes on to commit a terrorism-related offense or who conspires to support terrorists is simply an unacceptable outcome for the US, no matter what, the official said.

&quot;Our goal is to eliminate terrorism in all of its forms, wherever it may emanate from,&quot; the official said.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Trump administration has no qualms admitting immigrants who are skilled, employed and can speak English, a top official has said while giving insight into what its merit-based system would look like

The Trump administration has no qualms admitting immigrants who are skilled, employed and can speak English, a top official has said, while giving insight into what its merit-based system would look like. Such individuals could be from any part of the world given that they fulfil the requirements, the official said. If such a policy is developed and implemented, it could benefit individuals from countries like India, the majority of whom meet the criterion. The Trump administration wants to reform the immigration system to serve the US' national interest, the official said. "..And so, our position, is that a system that prioritises individuals based on their individual skills and merit will certainly produce better results than the system we have now," said a senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "We want to bring in individuals, wherever they may be from, who love this country, who love its people, who have skills, who have talent, who have -- who speak English, who are committed to supporting our values and our very way of life," said the official. The official said some of the existing programmes for immigrants ignored such requirements which are important for individuals to succeed in the US. "So, what we have with the Diversity Lottery Program or through chain migration is that in these cases there are identified examples of individuals who were not selected to come to the US based on their love of this country, skills, merit, and individual attributes that will lead them to their success," the official said. "We would like to admit individuals from all backgrounds or any place in the world, based on their own individual merit and their likelihood of success, into the US," the official said. The admission of any foreign national who goes on to commit a terrorism-related offense or who conspires to support terrorists is simply an unacceptable outcome for the US, no matter what, the official said. "Our goal is to eliminate terrorism in all of its forms, wherever it may emanate from," the official said.

Trump's new merit-based immigrant policy to benefit individuals from India

Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has announced that she would skip President Donald Trump&#39;s State of the Union address, in protest against his policies and rhetoric against immigrants.

Jayapal, 52, joins more than half a dozen Democratic lawmakers, including the legendary Congressman John Lewis, who will give a miss to the January 30 event.

Other lawmakers who have announced to boycott the event include Frederica Wilson, Maxine Waters, and Earl Blumenauer.

&quot;I would not be attending the State of the Union this year. I join other distinguished members, including Rep. John Lewis, in refusing to dignify a president who has used the platform of the Oval Office to fan the flames of racism, sexism and hatred most recently with his vulgar condemnation of Haiti and other African countries,&quot; Jayapal said in a statement.

Jayapal said she disagrees with Trump&#39;s approach which is &quot;narrow and self-serving&quot;.

&quot;This president has consistently indicated that he has no interest in leading a unified country. He has gone out of his way to play to a small and shrinking base of voters by using language that diminishes and demeans vast swaths of people in our own country and around the world,&quot; Jayapal said.

&quot;His path is dangerous. His path is destructive. His path cannot be normalised. I will not normalise it. This is our own form of non-violent resistance,&quot; she said.

According to Jayapal, her constituents and people across the country are &quot;heartbroken, terrified and demoralized&quot;.

&quot;He does and says things that none of us, as parents, would condone for our children. He consistently uses language that is outright racist. He actively uses the highest office of the land to promote hatred as a political tool for his own benefit,&quot; said Jayapal.

&quot;As a brown immigrant female member of Congress, I feel the impact of these words personally, as well as collectively,&quot; she said.

Jayapal is the only Indian-American lawmaker to have announced boycotting Trump&#39;s State of the Union Address, which is a customary annual address of the US President to a joint session of the Congress.

Other Indian American Congressmen are Dr Ami Bera, Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi. Senator Kamala Harris from California is of mixed African and American heritage.

Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has announced that she would skip President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, in protest against his policies and rhetoric against immigrants

Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has announced that she would skip President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, in protest against his policies and rhetoric against immigrants. Jayapal, 52, joins more than half a dozen Democratic lawmakers, including the legendary Congressman John Lewis, who will give a miss to the January 30 event. Other lawmakers who have announced to boycott the event include Frederica Wilson, Maxine Waters, and Earl Blumenauer. "I would not be attending the State of the Union this year. I join other distinguished members, including Rep. John Lewis, in refusing to dignify a president who has used the platform of the Oval Office to fan the flames of racism, sexism and hatred most recently with his vulgar condemnation of Haiti and other African countries," Jayapal said in a statement. Jayapal said she disagrees with Trump's approach which is "narrow and self-serving". "This president has consistently indicated that he has no interest in leading a unified country. He has gone out of his way to play to a small and shrinking base of voters by using language that diminishes and demeans vast swaths of people in our own country and around the world," Jayapal said. "His path is dangerous. His path is destructive. His path cannot be normalised. I will not normalise it. This is our own form of non-violent resistance," she said. According to Jayapal, her constituents and people across the country are "heartbroken, terrified and demoralized". "He does and says things that none of us, as parents, would condone for our children. He consistently uses language that is outright racist. He actively uses the highest office of the land to promote hatred as a political tool for his own benefit," said Jayapal. "As a brown immigrant female member of Congress, I feel the impact of these words personally, as well as collectively," she said. Jayapal is the only Indian-American lawmaker to have announced boycotting Trump's State of the Union Address, which is a customary annual address of the US President to a joint session of the Congress. Other Indian American Congressmen are Dr Ami Bera, Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi. Senator Kamala Harris from California is of mixed African and American heritage.

Indian-American Congresswoman to boycott Trump's State of the Union address

Donald Trump is in &quot;excellent&quot; health and has passed the cognitive test with flying colours, the White House physician said after the US president underwent his annual medical check-up to quell questions about his mental abilities.

It was Trump&#39;s first physical examination as president amid speculation about his mental fitness for office, spurred by the publication of a damaging book that suggested Trump&#39;s own aides worry about his stability.

Later, Trump, 71, attempted to clarify matters by tweeting he was a &quot;very stable genius&quot;.

&quot;All clinical data indicates that the president is currently very healthy, and that he will remain so for the duration of his presidency... The president&#39;s overall health is excellent,&quot; said Navy Rear Adm Dr Ronny Jackson, who shared the results of Trump&#39;s health report.

Jackson held an extraordinary news conference at the White House that lasted for about an hour.

He said the three-hour examination of Trump conducted by military doctors on Friday had gone &quot;exceptionally well&quot;.

Jackson said that Trump asked him to conduct a cognitive test on him, even though it was not required by law.

&quot;A cognitive screening exam using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment was normal, with a score of 30 over 30,&quot; he said.

This exam is conducted in older patients for cognitive disorders like Alzheimer&#39;s disease.

&quot;There is no indication whatsoever that he has any cognitive issues. And, on a day-to-day basis it has been my experience that the president -- is very sharp, he is very articulate when he speaks to me. And, I have never known him to repeat himself around me,&quot; Jackson said.

Asked about a much-discussed episode in which the president seemed to slur his words during a televised speech in December about the Middle East, Jackson said it might had been caused by Sudafed, a medicine for nasal congestion.

In response to speculation that the president has mental health problems, Jackson said, &quot;In my opinion, that?s just tabloid psychiatry.&quot;

The doctor also said Trump showed &quot;excellent cardiac results ... From a stress test&quot; performed on the president last week.

Jackson said that Trump, who weighs 108 kgs and stands 6 feet 3 inches tall, &quot;would like to lose ... 10 to 15 pounds.&quot;

At his weight and height, the president is borderline obese.

&quot;The president has acknowledged he&#39;d be healthier if he lost a few pounds,&quot; Jackson said.

&quot;He continues to enjoy the significant long-term cardiac and overall health benefits that come from a lifetime of abstinence from tobacco and alcohol,&quot; he said.

Based on the blood profile and other health parameters, Jackson said he has recommended diet and exercise plan for the president for weight loss.

Trump has agreed to get rid of 4.5-6 kg of body fat in the next one year by combining diet, exercise and medication.

&quot;He has a history of elevated cholesterol, and is currently on a low dose of Crestor. In order to further reduce his cholesterol level and further decreases his cardiac risk, we will increase the dose of this particular medication,&quot; Jackson said.

Apart from this, Trump has no problems in vision, head, ears, nose, and throat.

When a reporter asked him how Trump managed to be in such good health despite eating junk food and taking diet coke, the doctor attributed this to his genes.

&quot;It&#39;s called genetics. Some people have just great genes. You know, I told the president that if he had healthier diet over the last 20 years, he might live to be 200 years old. He has incredible genes I just assume,&quot; Jackson said.

He said that while Trump &quot;doesn&#39;t have a daily exercise regiment,&quot; Trump &quot;has a lot of energy, a lot of stamina.&quot;

&quot;I&#39;ve never seen the president stressed out about too much. I would just assume has led to some of his success over the years, he has a very unique ability to just get up in the morning and reset,&quot; the doctor said.

&quot;I would say he sleeps four to five hours a night, and he&#39;s probably been that way his whole life. That&#39;s probably one of the reasons why he&#39;s been successful,&quot; the doctor said.

The White House chefs, Jackson said, are now cooking for him a much healthier diet.

Overall, Jackson said he was impressed by the president&#39;s health, saying tests revealed no evidence of cancer, lung problems, diabetes or joint problems. Tests of the liver, kidney and thyroid were all normal.

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment is conducted in older patients for cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's disease.

Donald Trump is in "excellent" health and has passed the cognitive test with flying colours, the White House physician said after the US president underwent his annual medical check-up to quell questions about his mental abilities. It was Trump's first physical examination as president amid speculation about his mental fitness for office, spurred by the publication of a damaging book that suggested Trump's own aides worry about his stability. Later, Trump, 71, attempted to clarify matters by tweeting he was a "very stable genius". "All clinical data indicates that the president is currently very healthy, and that he will remain so for the duration of his presidency... The president's overall health is excellent," said Navy Rear Adm Dr Ronny Jackson, who shared the results of Trump's health report. Jackson held an extraordinary news conference at the White House that lasted for about an hour. He said the three-hour examination of Trump conducted by military doctors on Friday had gone "exceptionally well". Jackson said that Trump asked him to conduct a cognitive test on him, even though it was not required by law. "A cognitive screening exam using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment was normal, with a score of 30 over 30," he said. This exam is conducted in older patients for cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's disease. "There is no indication whatsoever that he has any cognitive issues. And, on a day-to-day basis it has been my experience that the president -- is very sharp, he is very articulate when he speaks to me. And, I have never known him to repeat himself around me," Jackson said. Asked about a much-discussed episode in which the president seemed to slur his words during a televised speech in December about the Middle East, Jackson said it might had been caused by Sudafed, a medicine for nasal congestion. In response to speculation that the president has mental health problems, Jackson said, "In my opinion, that?s just tabloid psychiatry." The doctor also said Trump showed "excellent cardiac results ... From a stress test" performed on the president last week. Jackson said that Trump, who weighs 108 kgs and stands 6 feet 3 inches tall, "would like to lose ... 10 to 15 pounds." At his weight and height, the president is borderline obese. "The president has acknowledged he'd be healthier if he lost a few pounds," Jackson said. "He continues to enjoy the significant long-term cardiac and overall health benefits that come from a lifetime of abstinence from tobacco and alcohol," he said. Based on the blood profile and other health parameters, Jackson said he has recommended diet and exercise plan for the president for weight loss. Trump has agreed to get rid of 4.5-6 kg of body fat in the next one year by combining diet, exercise and medication. "He has a history of elevated cholesterol, and is currently on a low dose of Crestor. In order to further reduce his cholesterol level and further decreases his cardiac risk, we will increase the dose of this particular medication," Jackson said. Apart from this, Trump has no problems in vision, head, ears, nose, and throat. When a reporter asked him how Trump managed to be in such good health despite eating junk food and taking diet coke, the doctor attributed this to his genes. "It's called genetics. Some people have just great genes. You know, I told the president that if he had healthier diet over the last 20 years, he might live to be 200 years old. He has incredible genes I just assume," Jackson said. He said that while Trump "doesn't have a daily exercise regiment," Trump "has a lot of energy, a lot of stamina." "I've never seen the president stressed out about too much. I would just assume has led to some of his success over the years, he has a very unique ability to just get up in the morning and reset," the doctor said. "I would say he sleeps four to five hours a night, and he's probably been that way his whole life. That's probably one of the reasons why he's been successful," the doctor said. The White House chefs, Jackson said, are now cooking for him a much healthier diet. Overall, Jackson said he was impressed by the president's health, saying tests revealed no evidence of cancer, lung problems, diabetes or joint problems. Tests of the liver, kidney and thyroid were all normal.

President Trump aces cognitive test, in excellent health: White House

The United States on Tuesday said it would withhold about half the initial aid it planned to give a UN agency that serves the Palestinians, two weeks after President Donald Trump questioned the value of such funding.

In announcing that it would provide $60 million to the UN Relief and Welfare Agency (UNRWA) while withholding a further $65 million, for now, the US State Department said the aid group needed to make unspecified reforms.

Palestine Liberation Organisation official Wasel Abu Youssef immediately criticised the move, casting it as the deliberate US&nbsp;effort to deny the Palestinians their rights and linking it to Trump&#39;s widely criticised December 6 decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was unaware of any cut in aid but he was &quot;very concerned&quot; about the possibility because it &quot;is an important factor of stability.&quot;

UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Kr&auml;henb&uuml;hl said in a statement that the reduced US contribution &quot;threatens one of the most successful and innovative human development endeavours in the Middle East.&quot;

The decision to keep back some money is likely to compound the difficulty of reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and to further undermine Arabs&#39; faith that the United States can act as an impartial arbitrator.

The last talks collapsed in 2014, partly because of Israel&rsquo;s opposition to an attempted unity pact between the Fatah and Hamas Palestinian factions and to Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians seek for a state, among other factors.

&quot;UNRWA has proven time and again to be an agency that misuses the humanitarian aid of the international community and instead supports anti-Israel propaganda, perpetuates the plight of Palestinian refugees and encourages hate,&quot; said Danny Danon, Israel&#39;s ambassador to the United Nations.

Even if Washington provided the additional $65 million, the $125 million total would be well below the $355 million that a US official said it gave UNRWA in the 2017 fiscal year ended September 30.

While saying the decision would sustain schools and health services, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert echoed Trump in calling on other nations to provide more money because he believes the United States pays more than its share.

The State Department wrote a letter notifying UNRWA of the decision, spokeswoman Nauert said. She said that while UNRWA reforms were a condition of releasing more money, the aid decision was &quot;not aimed at punishing&quot; anyone.

In a Twitter post on January 2, Trump said that Washington gives the Palestinians &quot;HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect.&quot; Trump added that &quot;with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?&quot;

While US officials did not link the decision to Trump&#39;s tweet, they made a point often advanced by him, saying the United States had been UNRWA&rsquo;s single largest donor for decades.

Trump&#39;s aides initially debated whether to cut off all UNRWA aid, an unidentified US official said, but those opposed argued that could further destabilise the region.

In announcing that it would provide $60 million to the UN Relief and Welfare Agency (UNRWA) while withholding a further $65 million, for now, the US State Department said the aid group needed to make unspecified reforms.

The United States on Tuesday said it would withhold about half the initial aid it planned to give a UN agency that serves the Palestinians, two weeks after President Donald Trump questioned the value of such funding. In announcing that it would provide $60 million to the UN Relief and Welfare Agency (UNRWA) while withholding a further $65 million, for now, the US State Department said the aid group needed to make unspecified reforms. Palestine Liberation Organisation official Wasel Abu Youssef immediately criticised the move, casting it as the deliberate US effort to deny the Palestinians their rights and linking it to Trump's widely criticised December 6 decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was unaware of any cut in aid but he was "very concerned" about the possibility because it "is an important factor of stability." UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl said in a statement that the reduced US contribution "threatens one of the most successful and innovative human development endeavours in the Middle East." The decision to keep back some money is likely to compound the difficulty of reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and to further undermine Arabs' faith that the United States can act as an impartial arbitrator. The last talks collapsed in 2014, partly because of Israel’s opposition to an attempted unity pact between the Fatah and Hamas Palestinian factions and to Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians seek for a state, among other factors. "UNRWA has proven time and again to be an agency that misuses the humanitarian aid of the international community and instead supports anti-Israel propaganda, perpetuates the plight of Palestinian refugees and encourages hate," said Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations. Even if Washington provided the additional $65 million, the $125 million total would be well below the $355 million that a US official said it gave UNRWA in the 2017 fiscal year ended September 30. While saying the decision would sustain schools and health services, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert echoed Trump in calling on other nations to provide more money because he believes the United States pays more than its share. The State Department wrote a letter notifying UNRWA of the decision, spokeswoman Nauert said. She said that while UNRWA reforms were a condition of releasing more money, the aid decision was "not aimed at punishing" anyone. In a Twitter post on January 2, Trump said that Washington gives the Palestinians "HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect." Trump added that "with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?" While US officials did not link the decision to Trump's tweet, they made a point often advanced by him, saying the United States had been UNRWA’s single largest donor for decades. Trump's aides initially debated whether to cut off all UNRWA aid, an unidentified US official said, but those opposed argued that could further destabilise the region.

US withholds $65 million in Palestinian aid after Trump threat

The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/opinion-new-h1b-rules-may-put-the-promised-land-out-of-bounds-for-indians-28456" target="_blank"> H-1B work visa</a>, which is highly popular among Indian technology professionals, puts American workers at risk, a top Republican Senator has alleged.

The H-1B program offers temporary US visas that allow companies to hire <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/uk-to-extend-6-month-visa-scheme-for-indian-students-to-find-jobs-27135" target="_blank">highly skilled foreign professionals </a>working in areas with shortages of qualified American workers.

But since taking office last January, the Trump administration has been cracking down on the scheme.

&quot;The H-1B visa is one programme that really puts American workers at risk,&quot; Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, said during a Congressional hearing on homeland security yesterday.

Noting that the population of H-1B workers in the US has been growing for decades, Grassely said, with that growth, comes an increased possibility of fraud or abuse.

&quot;..Both of which I have seen and called on the Department of Homeland Security, with the help of Department of Justice, to investigate and prosecute,&quot; he said.

Grassely even looked to put blame on the H-1B workers for &quot;stagnation&quot; of salaries in the technology sector.

&quot;The vast majority of these H-1B workers are employed in the technology sector, and we&#39;ve seen salaries in that industry stagnate for decades, at the same time the number of foreign tech workers keeps growing,&quot; he said.

The senator said he was encouraged that Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced several H-1B initiatives &quot;designed to protect American workers&quot;.

&quot;I hope that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would continue with its efforts to reign in abuses in a variety of foreign worker immigration categories,&quot; said Grassley.

Participating in the Congressional hearing, Senator Orrin Hatch asked Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen on reports of doing away with work authorisation of spouses of H-1B visa holders.

Nielsen did not give a direct answer to this. But did say the Department was looking into all of the visa categories.

Hatch also asked Nielsen about news reports on cancelling three-year extensions for H-1B visa holders who are being sponsored for green cards -- which can be a time-consuming process due to per-country green card limits.

&quot;I believe that Congress previously addressed this issue in 2000, and indicated its intent to allow such extensions. Can you tell me if the department is, in fact, considering ways to stop granting these three-year extensions? And, if so, why? And I&#39;d also be interested in hearing the department&#39;s explanation of how ending these extensions squares with the 2000 law,&quot; Hatch asked.

&quot;I&#39;m not familiar with the very specific example on H-1B, but I will get back to you immediately after this,&quot; replied the Secretary of Homeland Secretary.

The curb on H-1B visa extensions could result in self- deportation of an estimated 500,000-750,000 Indian Americans.

The proposal, which was part of President Donald Trump&#39;s &quot;Buy American, Hire American&quot; initiative that he vowed to launch on the campaign trail, is being drafted by Department of Homeland Security leaders, according to reports.&nbsp;

The H-1B program offers temporary US visas that allow companies to hire highly skilled foreign professionals working in areas with shortages of qualified American workers

The H-1B work visa, which is highly popular among Indian technology professionals, puts American workers at risk, a top Republican Senator has alleged. The H-1B program offers temporary US visas that allow companies to hire highly skilled foreign professionals working in areas with shortages of qualified American workers. But since taking office last January, the Trump administration has been cracking down on the scheme. "The H-1B visa is one programme that really puts American workers at risk," Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, said during a Congressional hearing on homeland security yesterday. Noting that the population of H-1B workers in the US has been growing for decades, Grassely said, with that growth, comes an increased possibility of fraud or abuse. "..Both of which I have seen and called on the Department of Homeland Security, with the help of Department of Justice, to investigate and prosecute," he said. Grassely even looked to put blame on the H-1B workers for "stagnation" of salaries in the technology sector. "The vast majority of these H-1B workers are employed in the technology sector, and we've seen salaries in that industry stagnate for decades, at the same time the number of foreign tech workers keeps growing," he said. The senator said he was encouraged that Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced several H-1B initiatives "designed to protect American workers". "I hope that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would continue with its efforts to reign in abuses in a variety of foreign worker immigration categories," said Grassley. Participating in the Congressional hearing, Senator Orrin Hatch asked Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen on reports of doing away with work authorisation of spouses of H-1B visa holders. Nielsen did not give a direct answer to this. But did say the Department was looking into all of the visa categories. Hatch also asked Nielsen about news reports on cancelling three-year extensions for H-1B visa holders who are being sponsored for green cards -- which can be a time-consuming process due to per-country green card limits. "I believe that Congress previously addressed this issue in 2000, and indicated its intent to allow such extensions. Can you tell me if the department is, in fact, considering ways to stop granting these three-year extensions? And, if so, why? And I'd also be interested in hearing the department's explanation of how ending these extensions squares with the 2000 law," Hatch asked. "I'm not familiar with the very specific example on H-1B, but I will get back to you immediately after this," replied the Secretary of Homeland Secretary. The curb on H-1B visa extensions could result in self- deportation of an estimated 500,000-750,000 Indian Americans. The proposal, which was part of President Donald Trump's "Buy American, Hire American" initiative that he vowed to launch on the campaign trail, is being drafted by Department of Homeland Security leaders, according to reports.

H1B visa puts American workers at risk: Republican Senator

US president Donald Trump has been awarded a &#39;Medal of Bravery&#39; by residents of Afghanistan&#39;s Logar province for his strict actions against Pakistan.&nbsp;

Said Farhad Akbari, a community leader in the province said on January 14 that over 300 people at an informal council agreed to award him the medal, media reports said.&nbsp;

&quot;This is a handmade medal from available gold,&quot; RadioFreeEurope Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported, citing Said Farhad Akbari as saying.

He also presented a handwritten message which said: &nbsp;&ldquo;This Bravery Medal is from the Afghan people to Donald Trump, president of the United States of America.&rdquo;

The medal is made with funds collected by Afghans from the Logar province, 60 kilometres in the south of Kabul.

It is worth 45,000 Afghanis (645 dollars) approximately and has been made out of 15 grams of Gold, according to the reports.

The bravery award has been handed over to the US Embassy in Kabul.

&quot;US Ambassador in Kabul John R. Bass has promised that he will soon hand over the medal to President Trump,&quot; said Akbari.

Akbari also said that the community has &quot;waited 16 years&quot; for someone in the US administration to make comments of that kind concerning Pakistan.&nbsp;

Trump has tweeted earlier this year accusing Pakistan of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/weve-been-fooled-for-15-years-no-more-donald-trumps-tweet-to-pakistan-28253">&quot;lies and deceit</a>&quot; and proving &quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-blocks-usd-255-million-military-aid-to-pakistan-28291" target="_blank">safe haven</a>&quot; to terrorists in return for &nbsp;$33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

Said Farhad Akbari, a community leader in the province said on January 14 that over 300 people at an informal council agreed to award him the medal for his strict action against Pakistan

US president Donald Trump has been awarded a 'Medal of Bravery' by residents of Afghanistan's Logar province for his strict actions against Pakistan. Said Farhad Akbari, a community leader in the province said on January 14 that over 300 people at an informal council agreed to award him the medal, media reports said. "This is a handmade medal from available gold," RadioFreeEurope Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported, citing Said Farhad Akbari as saying. He also presented a handwritten message which said: “This Bravery Medal is from the Afghan people to Donald Trump, president of the United States of America.” The medal is made with funds collected by Afghans from the Logar province, 60 kilometres in the south of Kabul. It is worth 45,000 Afghanis (645 dollars) approximately and has been made out of 15 grams of Gold, according to the reports. The bravery award has been handed over to the US Embassy in Kabul. "US Ambassador in Kabul John R. Bass has promised that he will soon hand over the medal to President Trump," said Akbari. Akbari also said that the community has "waited 16 years" for someone in the US administration to make comments of that kind concerning Pakistan. Trump has tweeted earlier this year accusing Pakistan of "lies and deceit" and proving "safe haven" to terrorists in return for $33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

Donald Trump awarded 'Medal of Bravery' by Afghanistan

Former White House strategist Steve Bannon was expected to be peppered with questions on the Trump campaign`s links to Russia in closed testimony to the House Intelligence Committee Tuesday.

Bannon, who has been mostly quiet since the release of an incendiary book about President Donald Trump in which he figured prominently as a source, was seen arriving in Congress for the hearing early Tuesday.

His insider role during the Trump election campaign and in the White House could provide crucial details to the committee, which is seeking to understand the extent of contact between Trump and his advisors and Russia, which is accused of interfering with the 2016 election.

It come after the release of &quot;Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,&quot; by Michael Wolff, who notably quotes Bannon as saying a pre-election meeting involving Trump`s eldest son Donald Jr. and a Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer was &quot;treasonous.&quot;

Bannon allowed Wolff, who painted a picture of an erratic and poorly informed president, substantial access to the White House during Trump`s first year.

Bannon, 64, was a powerful figure in the Trump election campaign and the White House in the early months of Trump`s presidency, pushing a hard-line nationalism aimed at shaking up US domestic and foreign policy.

But he was forced out from his job advising Trump in August, and his actions since then -- most notably supporting the failed Senate campaign of Alabama Republican Roy Moore, but also his comments in the Wolff book -- have left him increasingly isolated in conservative circles.

Last week he was forced to step down from Breitbart News, which he had helped make a powerful conservative force, and he lost the support of the Mercer family, wealthy conservative power brokers.

Underscoring the break, Trump said Bannon had &quot;lost his mind&quot; and branded him &quot;Sloppy Steve&quot; via Twitter.

Steve Bannon was seen arriving in Congress for the hearing early Tuesday

Former White House strategist Steve Bannon was expected to be peppered with questions on the Trump campaign`s links to Russia in closed testimony to the House Intelligence Committee Tuesday. Bannon, who has been mostly quiet since the release of an incendiary book about President Donald Trump in which he figured prominently as a source, was seen arriving in Congress for the hearing early Tuesday. His insider role during the Trump election campaign and in the White House could provide crucial details to the committee, which is seeking to understand the extent of contact between Trump and his advisors and Russia, which is accused of interfering with the 2016 election. It come after the release of "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," by Michael Wolff, who notably quotes Bannon as saying a pre-election meeting involving Trump`s eldest son Donald Jr. and a Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer was "treasonous." Bannon allowed Wolff, who painted a picture of an erratic and poorly informed president, substantial access to the White House during Trump`s first year. Bannon, 64, was a powerful figure in the Trump election campaign and the White House in the early months of Trump`s presidency, pushing a hard-line nationalism aimed at shaking up US domestic and foreign policy. But he was forced out from his job advising Trump in August, and his actions since then -- most notably supporting the failed Senate campaign of Alabama Republican Roy Moore, but also his comments in the Wolff book -- have left him increasingly isolated in conservative circles. Last week he was forced to step down from Breitbart News, which he had helped make a powerful conservative force, and he lost the support of the Mercer family, wealthy conservative power brokers. Underscoring the break, Trump said Bannon had "lost his mind" and branded him "Sloppy Steve" via Twitter.

Bannon to testify in Congress in wake of explosive book on Trump

North Korea today denounced President Donald Trump&#39;s tweeted message that he has a bigger nuclear button than its leader Kim Jong-Un as the &quot;spasm of a lunatic&quot; and the &quot;bark of a rabid dog&quot;.

Kim used his annual New Year address to warn he has a &quot;nuclear button&quot; on his table, sweetening his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and taking part in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the South next month.

In response, Trump wrote on Twitter: &quot;Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger &amp; more powerful one than his, and my Button works!&quot;

In Pyongyang&#39;s first reaction to the tweet, the North&#39;s official party newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Tuesday dismissed Trump&#39;s &quot;swaggering&quot; as nothing but the &quot;spasm of a lunatic&quot; frightened by North Korea&#39;s power and the &quot;bark of a rabid dog&quot;.

In the days after Kim&#39;s New Year speech the two Koreas underwent a rapid apparent rapprochement, culminating last week in their first official talks for two years when they agreed Pyongyang would attend the Games.

But the North has since issued a series of warnings against both the South and the United States.

Pyongyang has made apocalyptic threats against its enemies for years, but Trump has repeatedly used highly menacing rhetoric towards the nuclear-armed North, sparking criticism that he is ratcheting up already-high tensions on the Korean peninsula.

He has threatened to rain &quot;fire and fury&quot; on the North, warning Kim he was on a &quot;suicide mission&quot; by developing nuclear missiles.

Trump&#39;s &quot;button&quot; tweet &quot;reflects the desperate mental state of a loser,&quot; Rodong Sinmun said in its commentary, diagnosing him as &quot;suffering from anger disorder and schizophrenia&quot;.&nbsp;

Kim Jong-un used his annual New Year address to warn he has a 'nuclear button' on his table

North Korea today denounced President Donald Trump's tweeted message that he has a bigger nuclear button than its leader Kim Jong-Un as the "spasm of a lunatic" and the "bark of a rabid dog". Kim used his annual New Year address to warn he has a "nuclear button" on his table, sweetening his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and taking part in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the South next month. In response, Trump wrote on Twitter: "Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" In Pyongyang's first reaction to the tweet, the North's official party newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Tuesday dismissed Trump's "swaggering" as nothing but the "spasm of a lunatic" frightened by North Korea's power and the "bark of a rabid dog". In the days after Kim's New Year speech the two Koreas underwent a rapid apparent rapprochement, culminating last week in their first official talks for two years when they agreed Pyongyang would attend the Games. But the North has since issued a series of warnings against both the South and the United States. Pyongyang has made apocalyptic threats against its enemies for years, but Trump has repeatedly used highly menacing rhetoric towards the nuclear-armed North, sparking criticism that he is ratcheting up already-high tensions on the Korean peninsula. He has threatened to rain "fire and fury" on the North, warning Kim he was on a "suicide mission" by developing nuclear missiles. Trump's "button" tweet "reflects the desperate mental state of a loser," Rodong Sinmun said in its commentary, diagnosing him as "suffering from anger disorder and schizophrenia".

North Korea calls Trump nuclear button boast the 'bark of a rabid dog'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday Moscow will not support attempts by Washington to modify the Iran nuclear deal, arguing such a move could also complicate diplomacy over North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons programme.

Lavrov spoke days after US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said he would waive nuclear sanctions against Iran for the last time to give Washington and its European allies a chance to fix the &quot;terrible flaws&quot; of the 2015 nuclear deal.

&quot;We will not support what the United States is trying to do, changing the wording of the agreement, incorporating things that will be absolutely unacceptable for Iran,&quot; Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow.

Russia&#39;s top diplomat, who stressed that Russia will work to preserve the existing Iran nuclear deal, also warned that the agreement&#39;s collapse could be detrimental to dialogue with North Korea.

Lavrov suggested Pyongyang would look at how Iran had been treated by Washington and wonder if any deal it did with the United States on its own missile and nuclear programme would hold or also be called into question.

&quot;If the deal is put aside and Iran is told, &#39;you keep up with your obligations or we will impose sanctions again&#39;, then you have to see it from North Korea&#39;s point of view,&quot; saidLavrov, stressing the international community should approach the two countries&#39; nuclear programmes in the same manner.

&quot;They are being promised that sanctions will be lifted if they give up their nuclear programme. They will give it up, but no one will lift the sanctions against Pyongyang.&quot;

In separate comments on Monday, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran&#39;s National Security Council, said Trump&#39;s threats to withdraw from the nuclear deal were fanning &quot;Iranophobia&quot; and meant to deprive Tehran of the agreement&#39;s economic benefits.

&quot;Scaring the international community with the decisions of a mad man is a repetitive tactic that has proved to be ineffective,&quot; Fars news agency quoted Shamkhani as saying.

"We will not support what the United States is trying to do, changing the wording of the agreement, incorporating things that will be absolutely unacceptable for Iran," Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday Moscow will not support attempts by Washington to modify the Iran nuclear deal, arguing such a move could also complicate diplomacy over North Korea's nuclear weapons programme. Lavrov spoke days after US President Donald Trump said he would waive nuclear sanctions against Iran for the last time to give Washington and its European allies a chance to fix the "terrible flaws" of the 2015 nuclear deal. "We will not support what the United States is trying to do, changing the wording of the agreement, incorporating things that will be absolutely unacceptable for Iran," Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow. Russia's top diplomat, who stressed that Russia will work to preserve the existing Iran nuclear deal, also warned that the agreement's collapse could be detrimental to dialogue with North Korea. Lavrov suggested Pyongyang would look at how Iran had been treated by Washington and wonder if any deal it did with the United States on its own missile and nuclear programme would hold or also be called into question. "If the deal is put aside and Iran is told, 'you keep up with your obligations or we will impose sanctions again', then you have to see it from North Korea's point of view," saidLavrov, stressing the international community should approach the two countries' nuclear programmes in the same manner. "They are being promised that sanctions will be lifted if they give up their nuclear programme. They will give it up, but no one will lift the sanctions against Pyongyang." In separate comments on Monday, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's National Security Council, said Trump's threats to withdraw from the nuclear deal were fanning "Iranophobia" and meant to deprive Tehran of the agreement's economic benefits. "Scaring the international community with the decisions of a mad man is a repetitive tactic that has proved to be ineffective," Fars news agency quoted Shamkhani as saying.

Russia will not support US bid to change Iran nuclear deal: Lavrov

Palestinian leaders met Monday to plan a response to what they see as US President Donald Trump&#39;s attack on their long bid for statehood, after Mahmud Abbas denounced White House peace efforts as the &quot;slap of the century&quot;.

The rare meeting of the Palestinian Central Council -- a high-ranking arm of the Palestine Liberation Organisation -- was called after Trump&#39;s controversial December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

Palestinians want the annexed eastern sector of the city as the capital of their future state and president Abbas has said Trump&#39;s stance means the US can no longer be the mediator in peace talks with Israel.

The US president has sought to bring Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table, with talks stalled since 2014.

Speaking Sunday evening at the opening of the council, which brings together Palestinians from multiple political parties, Abbas told delegates: &quot;We said &#39;no&#39; to Trump, &#39;we will not accept your project.&#39;&quot;

&quot;The deal of the century is the slap of the century and we will not accept it,&quot; the 82-year-old leader added, referring to Trump&#39;s pledge to reach the &quot;ultimate deal&quot;.

He instead called for an internationally mediated&nbsp;peace process.

Israel is unlikely to accept any other mediator than the United States, accusing United Nations bodies of systematic bias against it.

The delegates began meeting Monday morning, with talks expected to end in the evening with a joint statement.

The last meeting of the PCC in 2015 called for the ending of security coordination with Israel, but its decisions were non-binding and it was never implemented.

&#39;Israel ended Oslo&#39; 
&nbsp;

The Palestinians&#39; relations with the US leadership have deteriorated rapidly since Trump&#39;s election.

He came to power promising to lead the most pro-Israel administration in history, but also to pursue a peace deal.

His envoys, including&nbsp;senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner, had been shuttling between the two sides in search of common ground.

But Trump also infuriated the Palestinians by refusing to commit to the idea of an independent Palestinian state and recently threatened to cut hundreds of millions of dollars of US aid.

The Jerusalem announcement prompted the Palestinians to freeze ties with the administration, and Abbas is expected to shun Vice President Mike Pence when he visits the region next week.

On Sunday night, Abbas attacked the US ambassadors to Israel and the United Nations, David Friedman and Nikki Haley, calling them a &quot;disgrace&quot;.

Both Trump appointees have been strong supporters of Israel, with Friedman having backed Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

An indignant Abbas also said that Trump had accused them of&nbsp;refusing peace negotiations.

&quot;May God demolish your house. When did we refuse?&quot; he said, using a common Arabic curse.

Israeli media focused heavily on the phrase on Monday, while Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the statement showed Abbas was &quot;losing his wits and giving up negotiations.&quot;

In a speech during a state visit to India, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not mention Abbas&#39;s comments.

Abbas said all options were on the table for responding to Trump&#39;s Jerusalem declaration but did not specifically mention suspending recognition of Israel or ending security coordination with the Jewish state -- both policies mooted in the days before the council.

He did, however, say the Oslo accords that led to the creation of his Palestinian Authority and envisioned a final resolution to the conflict were in effect finished.

&quot;I am saying that Oslo, there is no Oslo. Israel ended Oslo,&quot; he said, referring to persistent Israeli settlement building and other issues seen as eroding the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict.

Hamas, the Islamist party that rules Gaza, is not taking part in the council -- arguing it should have been held abroad to avoid Israeli pressure.

In a statement Monday the party said Abbas&#39;s speech &quot;did not meet the ambitions of our people.&quot;

&quot;The central council must end Oslo and stop security coordination and withdraw the recognition (of Israel).&quot;

Palestinians want the annexed eastern sector of the city as the capital of their future state and president Abbas has said Trump's stance means the US can no longer be the mediator in peace talks with Israel.

Palestinian leaders met Monday to plan a response to what they see as US President Donald Trump's attack on their long bid for statehood, after Mahmud Abbas denounced White House peace efforts as the "slap of the century". The rare meeting of the Palestinian Central Council -- a high-ranking arm of the Palestine Liberation Organisation -- was called after Trump's controversial December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Palestinians want the annexed eastern sector of the city as the capital of their future state and president Abbas has said Trump's stance means the US can no longer be the mediator in peace talks with Israel. The US president has sought to bring Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table, with talks stalled since 2014. Speaking Sunday evening at the opening of the council, which brings together Palestinians from multiple political parties, Abbas told delegates: "We said 'no' to Trump, 'we will not accept your project.'" "The deal of the century is the slap of the century and we will not accept it," the 82-year-old leader added, referring to Trump's pledge to reach the "ultimate deal". He instead called for an internationally mediated peace process. Israel is unlikely to accept any other mediator than the United States, accusing United Nations bodies of systematic bias against it. The delegates began meeting Monday morning, with talks expected to end in the evening with a joint statement. The last meeting of the PCC in 2015 called for the ending of security coordination with Israel, but its decisions were non-binding and it was never implemented. 'Israel ended Oslo' The Palestinians' relations with the US leadership have deteriorated rapidly since Trump's election. He came to power promising to lead the most pro-Israel administration in history, but also to pursue a peace deal. His envoys, including senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner, had been shuttling between the two sides in search of common ground. But Trump also infuriated the Palestinians by refusing to commit to the idea of an independent Palestinian state and recently threatened to cut hundreds of millions of dollars of US aid. The Jerusalem announcement prompted the Palestinians to freeze ties with the administration, and Abbas is expected to shun Vice President Mike Pence when he visits the region next week. On Sunday night, Abbas attacked the US ambassadors to Israel and the United Nations, David Friedman and Nikki Haley, calling them a "disgrace". Both Trump appointees have been strong supporters of Israel, with Friedman having backed Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. An indignant Abbas also said that Trump had accused them of refusing peace negotiations. "May God demolish your house. When did we refuse?" he said, using a common Arabic curse. Israeli media focused heavily on the phrase on Monday, while Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the statement showed Abbas was "losing his wits and giving up negotiations." In a speech during a state visit to India, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not mention Abbas's comments. Abbas said all options were on the table for responding to Trump's Jerusalem declaration but did not specifically mention suspending recognition of Israel or ending security coordination with the Jewish state -- both policies mooted in the days before the council. He did, however, say the Oslo accords that led to the creation of his Palestinian Authority and envisioned a final resolution to the conflict were in effect finished. "I am saying that Oslo, there is no Oslo. Israel ended Oslo," he said, referring to persistent Israeli settlement building and other issues seen as eroding the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict. Hamas, the Islamist party that rules Gaza, is not taking part in the council -- arguing it should have been held abroad to avoid Israeli pressure. In a statement Monday the party said Abbas's speech "did not meet the ambitions of our people." "The central council must end Oslo and stop security coordination and withdraw the recognition (of Israel)."

Palestinians meet to respond to Trump's 'slap of the century'

The name&rsquo;s Drumpf, not Trump, and the man by that name is the most controversial president of the United States.

One of the many things President&nbsp;Donald Trump is in the headlines for is an <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/54-african-countries-demand-trump-apology-over-shithole-remark-29377" target="_blank">expletive</a> he used to describe some of the countries that US immigrants have left behind. But President Trump&rsquo;s grandfather Friedrich Drumpf &ndash; or Frederick Trump --&nbsp;had &nbsp;himself migrated from the tiny town of Kallstadt in southern Germany to start a new life in the United States.

Two years later he returned to Germany wanting to live there forever, but his application for repatriation was refused. &nbsp;

Born in an impoverished family, Friedrich Drumpf initially worked at a &nbsp;barber shop. But he had heard of the land of milk and honey from his sister who had already migrated to the United States. The boy, approaching adulthood, ran away, boarded a ship and sought refuge with his sister&rsquo;s family in New York.

Twenty years later, &nbsp;he returned to Germany. Only to fall in love with Elisabeth Christ and marry her. The couple left for America but Mrs Elisabeth Trump was not impressed.

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Elisabeth Christ and Friedrich Trump. Trump was not allowed to resettle in Germany because he had been a draft dodger. (Image source: Ancestry.com) (Others)
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In the voluminous archives of Germany&rsquo;s state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Franz Meier, who heads the department, tells the tale.&nbsp;

&quot;In the year 1902, Friedrich Drumpf made a trip home and met a woman in his home town, whom he then married,&quot; Meier says, as he reaches for yellowing documents in an archival folder. &quot;He returned to the United States with this woman but she did not enjoy life there too much. She lasted for around two years before making it known that she wanted to return to Germany. That was the reason for Trump Sr to travel to Germany in 1904 to apply for a re-naturalisation.&quot;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
But why did Germany reject the Drumpfs? &nbsp;&nbsp;

Meier says that the authorities had laid down that emigrants wishing to leave the country must de-register properly. Those who had not yet served compulsory military service were required to apply for a permit before going overseas. If people emigrated without that permit it meant that their resettlement in Bavaria -- which Kallstadt was a part of at the time -- would be turned down. This, explains Meier, was meant to act as a deterrent to people moving abroad without a permit. 
&nbsp; 
In other words and by emigrating to the United States at age 16, young Frederick Trump -- or Friedrich Drumpf -- had been a draft dodger. His repeated petitions were dismissed and the couple sent back to the United States.

The rest, as they say, is history.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Trump's grandfather Friedrich Drumpf – or Frederick Trump -- was born into an impoverished family in Kallstadt in southern Germany

The name’s Drumpf, not Trump, and the man by that name is the most controversial president of the United States. One of the many things President Donald Trump is in the headlines for is an expletive he used to describe some of the countries that US immigrants have left behind. But President Trump’s grandfather Friedrich Drumpf – or Frederick Trump -- had himself migrated from the tiny town of Kallstadt in southern Germany to start a new life in the United States. Two years later he returned to Germany wanting to live there forever, but his application for repatriation was refused. Born in an impoverished family, Friedrich Drumpf initially worked at a barber shop. But he had heard of the land of milk and honey from his sister who had already migrated to the United States. The boy, approaching adulthood, ran away, boarded a ship and sought refuge with his sister’s family in New York. Twenty years later, he returned to Germany. Only to fall in love with Elisabeth Christ and marry her. The couple left for America but Mrs Elisabeth Trump was not impressed. Elisabeth Christ and Friedrich Trump. Trump was not allowed to resettle in Germany because he had been a draft dodger. (Image source: Ancestry.com) (Others) × In the voluminous archives of Germany’s state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Franz Meier, who heads the department, tells the tale. "In the year 1902, Friedrich Drumpf made a trip home and met a woman in his home town, whom he then married," Meier says, as he reaches for yellowing documents in an archival folder. "He returned to the United States with this woman but she did not enjoy life there too much. She lasted for around two years before making it known that she wanted to return to Germany. That was the reason for Trump Sr to travel to Germany in 1904 to apply for a re-naturalisation." But why did Germany reject the Drumpfs? Meier says that the authorities had laid down that emigrants wishing to leave the country must de-register properly. Those who had not yet served compulsory military service were required to apply for a permit before going overseas. If people emigrated without that permit it meant that their resettlement in Bavaria -- which Kallstadt was a part of at the time -- would be turned down. This, explains Meier, was meant to act as a deterrent to people moving abroad without a permit. In other words and by emigrating to the United States at age 16, young Frederick Trump -- or Friedrich Drumpf -- had been a draft dodger. His repeated petitions were dismissed and the couple sent back to the United States. The rest, as they say, is history.

Trump's grandfather was an immigrant from Germany

A senior US diplomat had talks in Pakistan on Monday following an outcry over President Donald Trump&#39;s accusation that the nuclear-armed South Asian state had engaged in &quot;lies and deceit&quot; as a US ally in the war in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Alice Wells, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, met with Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, the Foreign Ministry and U.S. Embassy said.

A Foreign Ministry statement said Wells &quot;acknowledged Pakistan&#39;s efforts in eradicating terrorism&quot; and &quot;underlined the need for strengthening intelligence cooperation&quot; to fight terrorism.

Relations between United States and Pakistan were already tense when Trump tweeted on Jan. 1 that the United States had foolishly given Pakistan $33 billion in aid over 15 years and was rewarded with &quot;nothing but lies &amp; deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools&quot;.

It is not clear what prompted Trump&#39;s tweet, which infuriated Pakistani officials and caught the rest of the US administration off guard.

The United States has long complained that the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani networks that target American troops inside Afghanistan are allowed to take shelter on Pakistani soil.

Pakistan denies this, and accuses the United States of ignoring its vast sacrifices - casualties have numbered in the tens of thousands - in fighting terrorism.

The Trump administration also last week announced the suspension of about $2 billion in security aid to Pakistan - officially a US ally - over accusations that Islamabad is playing a double game in Afghanistan.

Alice Wells, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, met with Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, the Foreign Ministry and U.S. Embassy said.

A senior US diplomat had talks in Pakistan on Monday following an outcry over President Donald Trump's accusation that the nuclear-armed South Asian state had engaged in "lies and deceit" as a US ally in the war in neighbouring Afghanistan. Alice Wells, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, met with Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, the Foreign Ministry and U.S. Embassy said. A Foreign Ministry statement said Wells "acknowledged Pakistan's efforts in eradicating terrorism" and "underlined the need for strengthening intelligence cooperation" to fight terrorism. Relations between United States and Pakistan were already tense when Trump tweeted on Jan. 1 that the United States had foolishly given Pakistan $33 billion in aid over 15 years and was rewarded with "nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools". It is not clear what prompted Trump's tweet, which infuriated Pakistani officials and caught the rest of the US administration off guard. The United States has long complained that the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani networks that target American troops inside Afghanistan are allowed to take shelter on Pakistani soil. Pakistan denies this, and accuses the United States of ignoring its vast sacrifices - casualties have numbered in the tens of thousands - in fighting terrorism. The Trump administration also last week announced the suspension of about $2 billion in security aid to Pakistan - officially a US ally - over accusations that Islamabad is playing a double game in Afghanistan.

US diplomat holds talks with Pakistan amid tension over Trump's 'deceit' tweet

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Sunday disputed a newspaper&#39;s account of an interview with him last week in which he was quoted as saying he probably has a very good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump said in tweets that in the Wall Street Journal interview on Thursday, he said &quot;I&#39;d probably&quot; have a good relationship with Kim, using a conditional tense.

The White House released a portion of the audio from the interview that it said showed Trump said &quot;I&#39;d.&quot; The Wall Street Journal released its own audio that it said backed up its version of the events.

The Trump comment was key because it suggested he feels he has a good relationship with Kim, who has resisted global pressure to stand down from a series of nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

Trump has derided the North Korean leader as a &ldquo;maniac&rdquo; and referred to him as &ldquo;little rocket man.&rdquo; Kim has responded by calling the U.S. president a &ldquo;mentally deranged U.S. dotard.&rdquo;

Kim has warned the United States that he intends to build a nuclear arsenal capable of hitting the United States, prompting threats of military action by Washington.

In the Wall Street Journal interview, Trump was asked whether he has spoken with the North Korean leader.

&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to comment on it. I&lsquo;m not saying I have or haven&lsquo;t. I just don&rsquo;t want to comment,&quot; he had said.

Trump is spending a long weekend at his oceanfront Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

&quot;Obviously I didn&rsquo;t say that,&quot; tweeted Trump. &quot;I said &#39;I&rsquo;d have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un,&#39; a big difference. Fortunately we now record conversations with reporters ... and they knew exactly what I said and meant. They just wanted a story. FAKE NEWS!&quot;

A White House official said the delay in publicly disputing the Journal&#39;s account was the result of a failed attempt to get the paper to correct the record.

&quot;The reason there was a delay is because we had several calls and emails with WSJ, starting Friday morning, asking them to issue a correction. They refused and so we pushed out our own clarification,&quot; the official said.

Trump was quoted as saying he had a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in an interview in the Wall Street Journal

US President Donald Trump on Sunday disputed a newspaper's account of an interview with him last week in which he was quoted as saying he probably has a very good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said in tweets that in the Wall Street Journal interview on Thursday, he said "I'd probably" have a good relationship with Kim, using a conditional tense. The White House released a portion of the audio from the interview that it said showed Trump said "I'd." The Wall Street Journal released its own audio that it said backed up its version of the events. The Trump comment was key because it suggested he feels he has a good relationship with Kim, who has resisted global pressure to stand down from a series of nuclear and ballistic missile tests. Trump has derided the North Korean leader as a “maniac” and referred to him as “little rocket man.” Kim has responded by calling the U.S. president a “mentally deranged U.S. dotard.” Kim has warned the United States that he intends to build a nuclear arsenal capable of hitting the United States, prompting threats of military action by Washington. In the Wall Street Journal interview, Trump was asked whether he has spoken with the North Korean leader. “I don’t want to comment on it. I‘m not saying I have or haven‘t. I just don’t want to comment," he had said. Trump is spending a long weekend at his oceanfront Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. "Obviously I didn’t say that," tweeted Trump. "I said 'I’d have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un,' a big difference. Fortunately we now record conversations with reporters ... and they knew exactly what I said and meant. They just wanted a story. FAKE NEWS!" A White House official said the delay in publicly disputing the Journal's account was the result of a failed attempt to get the paper to correct the record. "The reason there was a delay is because we had several calls and emails with WSJ, starting Friday morning, asking them to issue a correction. They refused and so we pushed out our own clarification," the official said.

Trump denies saying he probably had good relationship with Kim

Several hundred anti-capitalist demonstrators marched in Switzerland&#39;s capital Bern today to protest against US President Donald Trump&#39;s planned visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

With placards reading &quot;Eat the rich&quot; and &quot;Fight WEF, Trump, capitalism&quot;, the protesters also targeted the annual meeting of the world&#39;s political and business elite at a luxury Swiss ski resort.

Davos often draws small protests against its famous participants and global trade agenda, but with the surprise announcement this week that Trump will attend this year&#39;s January 22-26 meeting, Swiss authorities warned &quot;a high potential for violence must be assumed&quot; at demonstrations across the country.

However today&#39;s unauthorised protest, organised by a group called RJG, remained calm and without incident, Swiss news agency ATS reported.

On its website, RJG said that &quot;despite a strong police presence and significant provocations from civilian police, the protest was organised successfully&quot;.

&quot;The World Economic Forum claims to be a platform for constructive solutions to global problems,&quot; the group said, &quot;however it remains a meeting for the establishment to discuss a neoliberal agenda&quot;.

A petition headlined &quot;Trump not welcome - stay out of Davos&quot; started by another group, Campax, had gathered more than 12,880 signatures by today.

Another protest against Trump&#39;s arrival at Davos, the timing of which remains unclear, is planned for the evening of January 23 in Zurich.&nbsp;

With placards reading 'Eat the rich' and 'Fight WEF, Trump, capitalism', the protesters also targeted the annual meeting of the world's political and business elite at a luxury Swiss ski resort

Several hundred anti-capitalist demonstrators marched in Switzerland's capital Bern today to protest against US President Donald Trump's planned visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos. With placards reading "Eat the rich" and "Fight WEF, Trump, capitalism", the protesters also targeted the annual meeting of the world's political and business elite at a luxury Swiss ski resort. Davos often draws small protests against its famous participants and global trade agenda, but with the surprise announcement this week that Trump will attend this year's January 22-26 meeting, Swiss authorities warned "a high potential for violence must be assumed" at demonstrations across the country. However today's unauthorised protest, organised by a group called RJG, remained calm and without incident, Swiss news agency ATS reported. On its website, RJG said that "despite a strong police presence and significant provocations from civilian police, the protest was organised successfully". "The World Economic Forum claims to be a platform for constructive solutions to global problems," the group said, "however it remains a meeting for the establishment to discuss a neoliberal agenda". A petition headlined "Trump not welcome - stay out of Davos" started by another group, Campax, had gathered more than 12,880 signatures by today. Another protest against Trump's arrival at Davos, the timing of which remains unclear, is planned for the evening of January 23 in Zurich.

Anti-Trump protest in Swiss capital ahead of Davos visit

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is considering joining French President Emmanuel Macron at the World Economic Forum in Davos next week in what could turn into an epic clash of competing world views with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Merkel, who has been struggling to put together a government since a German election in September, had been expected to skip the annual gathering of leaders, CEOs, bankers and celebrities in the Swiss Alps for a third straight year.

But after clinching a preliminary coalition agreement with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Friday, German officials said Merkel could travel to Davos after all, possibly setting up a major confrontation with Trump, who is expected to speak on the final day of the forum.

An appearance would signal Merkel&#39;s return to the world stage after months of political limbo in which she has avoided the limelight and been dismissed by some in the German and international media as a spent force.

It would also allow her and Macron, who is scheduled to speak at the forum on Jan. 24, two days before Trump, to reaffirm their commitment to reforming the European Union after Britain&#39;s decision to leave, and to defend liberal democratic values in the face of Trump&#39;s &quot;America First&quot; policies.

Merkel&#39;s spokesman Steffen Seibert was coy last week when asked whether she might attend the WEF, which will run from Jan. 23-26 under the banner &quot;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&quot; and will attract some 60 heads of state and government.

But after clinching a preliminary deal with the SPD, the chances that she could attend appear to have risen. German officials said no final decision had been taken and that Merkel may wait for the outcome of an SPD congress in Bonn next Sunday - where the party will formally decide whether to enter coalition talks with her conservatives - before committing.

Officials at the WEF said they believed Merkel was still considering whether to attend. If she does, it is unlikely that she or Macron would overlap with Trump, who is expected to arrive on the afternoon of Jan. 25.

This year&#39;s forum will be opened by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Jan. 23. Britain&#39;s Theresa May, Canada&#39;s Justin Trudeau and Israel&#39;s Benjamin Netanyahu are also expected, as well as celebrities such as actress Cate Blanchett and musician Elton John.

Last year&#39;s gathering took place in the week leading up to Trump&#39;s inauguration and was headlined by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who signalled his readiness to fill the vacuum in global leadership created by America&#39;s shift inward.

United in antipathy

Since then, Trump has pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade deal with Asian countries, announced a withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and threatened to torpedo an agreement between Western powers and Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear programme.

He has stirred fears of conflict with North Korea by engaging in an escalating war of words with its leader Kim Jong Un. Last week, he stirred international outrage by referring to Haiti and African nations as &quot;shithole countries&quot;, according to members of Congress who attended a meeting in the White House.

On Saturday, some 500 demonstrators marched in the Swiss capital Bern to protest against Trump&#39;s plans to attend the WEF.

&quot;There are very few things in the world that unite countries as much as their antipathy towards Trump and what he is doing,&quot; said Ian Bremmer, president of political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, and a regular at Davos.

&quot;In the United States he may have 40 percent who approve of what he&#39;s doing. In the Davos crowd it is closer to 5 percent.&quot;

The visit by Trump will be the first by a U.S. president since Bill Clinton in 2000. He will be accompanied by a large delegation that is expected to include his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Merkel has had a frosty relationship with Trump, who accused her during his campaign for the presidency of &quot;ruining Germany&quot; by allowing hundreds of thousands of refugees, many fleeing war in the Middle East, into the country in 2015.

She was hailed in some Western media as the last defender of liberal democratic values after Trump&#39;s victory. Since then, the election of Macron, a pro-European centrist who, like Merkel, supports free trade and the global rules-based order, has given her a powerful ally in the confrontation with Trump.

Macron is slated to speak for 45 minutes in the evening of Jan. 24 in Davos, a ski resort in eastern Switzerland.

&quot;My instinct tells me that Macron will go big,&quot; said Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think tank in London. &quot;He won&#39;t just talk about Europe. He will try to take up the mantle of the free world under Europe&#39;s wing.&quot;

If he is joined by Merkel, who has made seven appearances at the WEF since becoming chancellor in 2005, that message may resonate even louder.

Merkel had been expected to skip the annual gathering of leaders, CEOs, bankers and celebrities in the Swiss Alps for a third straight year.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is considering joining French President Emmanuel Macron at the World Economic Forum in Davos next week in what could turn into an epic clash of competing world views with U.S. President Donald Trump. Merkel, who has been struggling to put together a government since a German election in September, had been expected to skip the annual gathering of leaders, CEOs, bankers and celebrities in the Swiss Alps for a third straight year. But after clinching a preliminary coalition agreement with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Friday, German officials said Merkel could travel to Davos after all, possibly setting up a major confrontation with Trump, who is expected to speak on the final day of the forum. An appearance would signal Merkel's return to the world stage after months of political limbo in which she has avoided the limelight and been dismissed by some in the German and international media as a spent force. It would also allow her and Macron, who is scheduled to speak at the forum on Jan. 24, two days before Trump, to reaffirm their commitment to reforming the European Union after Britain's decision to leave, and to defend liberal democratic values in the face of Trump's "America First" policies. Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert was coy last week when asked whether she might attend the WEF, which will run from Jan. 23-26 under the banner "Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World" and will attract some 60 heads of state and government. But after clinching a preliminary deal with the SPD, the chances that she could attend appear to have risen. German officials said no final decision had been taken and that Merkel may wait for the outcome of an SPD congress in Bonn next Sunday - where the party will formally decide whether to enter coalition talks with her conservatives - before committing. Officials at the WEF said they believed Merkel was still considering whether to attend. If she does, it is unlikely that she or Macron would overlap with Trump, who is expected to arrive on the afternoon of Jan. 25. This year's forum will be opened by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Jan. 23. Britain's Theresa May, Canada's Justin Trudeau and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu are also expected, as well as celebrities such as actress Cate Blanchett and musician Elton John. Last year's gathering took place in the week leading up to Trump's inauguration and was headlined by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who signalled his readiness to fill the vacuum in global leadership created by America's shift inward. United in antipathy Since then, Trump has pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade deal with Asian countries, announced a withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and threatened to torpedo an agreement between Western powers and Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear programme. He has stirred fears of conflict with North Korea by engaging in an escalating war of words with its leader Kim Jong Un. Last week, he stirred international outrage by referring to Haiti and African nations as "shithole countries", according to members of Congress who attended a meeting in the White House. On Saturday, some 500 demonstrators marched in the Swiss capital Bern to protest against Trump's plans to attend the WEF. "There are very few things in the world that unite countries as much as their antipathy towards Trump and what he is doing," said Ian Bremmer, president of political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, and a regular at Davos. "In the United States he may have 40 percent who approve of what he's doing. In the Davos crowd it is closer to 5 percent." The visit by Trump will be the first by a U.S. president since Bill Clinton in 2000. He will be accompanied by a large delegation that is expected to include his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Merkel has had a frosty relationship with Trump, who accused her during his campaign for the presidency of "ruining Germany" by allowing hundreds of thousands of refugees, many fleeing war in the Middle East, into the country in 2015. She was hailed in some Western media as the last defender of liberal democratic values after Trump's victory. Since then, the election of Macron, a pro-European centrist who, like Merkel, supports free trade and the global rules-based order, has given her a powerful ally in the confrontation with Trump. Macron is slated to speak for 45 minutes in the evening of Jan. 24 in Davos, a ski resort in eastern Switzerland. "My instinct tells me that Macron will go big," said Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think tank in London. "He won't just talk about Europe. He will try to take up the mantle of the free world under Europe's wing." If he is joined by Merkel, who has made seven appearances at the WEF since becoming chancellor in 2005, that message may resonate even louder.

Merkel could join Macron in Davos for epic clash with Trump

Donald Trump&#39;s doctor says he is in excellent &nbsp; health, after the 71-year-old president <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-get-first-presidential-physical-exam-amid-questions-on-health-fitness-29349">underwent his first medical examination</a> Friday since taking office, the White House said.

&quot;The president&#39;s physical exam today at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center went exceptionally well,&quot; the doctor, Ronny Jackson, was quoted as saying in a statement released by the White House.

&quot;The president is in excellent health,&quot; Jackson added after the exam was conducted near Washington. He is due to provide a public briefing Tuesday.

Trump, who has faced questions about his diet and his mental health, joked on the eve of his exam that the test had better go well -- for the sake of the stock market.

&quot;I think it&#39;s going to go very well,&quot; he said, adding that he would be &quot;surprised if it doesn&#39;t.&quot;

&quot;It (had) better go well, otherwise the stock market will not be happy,&quot; he quipped.

Past presidential examinations have included vitals such as height, weight, body mass index, resting heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation in the blood.

But they also included more detailed examinations of the heart, lungs, vision, cholesterol and blood glucose that could point to problems.

Amid questions about Trump&#39;s fitness for office, no psychiatric tests are planned, but previous examinations have included neurological examinations, including motor function tests.

They have also listed past medical history, past surgeries and current medications.

Donald Trump's doctor says he is in excellent health, after the 71-year-old president underwent his first medical examination Friday since taking office

Donald Trump's doctor says he is in excellent health, after the 71-year-old president underwent his first medical examination Friday since taking office, the White House said. "The president's physical exam today at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center went exceptionally well," the doctor, Ronny Jackson, was quoted as saying in a statement released by the White House. "The president is in excellent health," Jackson added after the exam was conducted near Washington. He is due to provide a public briefing Tuesday. Trump, who has faced questions about his diet and his mental health, joked on the eve of his exam that the test had better go well -- for the sake of the stock market. "I think it's going to go very well," he said, adding that he would be "surprised if it doesn't." "It (had) better go well, otherwise the stock market will not be happy," he quipped. Past presidential examinations have included vitals such as height, weight, body mass index, resting heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation in the blood. But they also included more detailed examinations of the heart, lungs, vision, cholesterol and blood glucose that could point to problems. Amid questions about Trump's fitness for office, no psychiatric tests are planned, but previous examinations have included neurological examinations, including motor function tests. They have also listed past medical history, past surgeries and current medications.

Exam shows Trump in 'excellent health': White House

US Ambassador to Panama John Feeley has resigned, telling the State Department he no longer feels able to serve President Donald Trump.

&quot;As a junior foreign service officer, I signed an oath to serve faithfully the president and his administration in an apolitical fashion, even when I might not agree with certain policies,&quot; Feeley said, according to an excerpt of his resignation letter read to Reuters on Friday.

&quot;My instructors made clear that if I believed I could not do that, I would be honour bound to resign. That time has come.&quot;

Under Secretary of State, Steve Goldstein confirmed that he knew of Feeley&#39;s planned departure ahead of the president&#39;s alleged remarks on Thursday.

He said the ambassador, a career diplomat who spent most of his life working on Latin American issues, was resigning due to &quot;personal reasons&quot;.

Feeley was appointed to the diplomatic post by former US President Barack Obama in July 2015.

President Donald Trump on Thursday questioned why the United States would want to have immigrants from Haiti and African nations, referring to some as &quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/why-do-we-want-people-from-these-shithole-countries-trump-over-immigrants-from-africa-haiti-29278">shithole countries</a>&quot;, which created a lot of stir.&nbsp;

Speaking to reporters, Goldstein said that he was aware of Feeley&#39;s planned departure 24 months in advance, before Trump&#39;s alleged use of the term&nbsp;&quot;shithole countries.&quot;

&quot;Everyone has a line that they will not cross,&quot; Goldstein told reporters at the State Department. &quot;If the ambassador feels that he can no longer serve ... then he has made the right decision for himself and we respect that.&quot;

A State Department spokeswoman confirmed Feeley's departure, saying that he 'has informed the White House, the Department of State, and the Government of Panama of his decision to retire for personal reasons, as of March 9 of this year.'

US Ambassador to Panama John Feeley has resigned, telling the State Department he no longer feels able to serve President Donald Trump. "As a junior foreign service officer, I signed an oath to serve faithfully the president and his administration in an apolitical fashion, even when I might not agree with certain policies," Feeley said, according to an excerpt of his resignation letter read to Reuters on Friday. "My instructors made clear that if I believed I could not do that, I would be honour bound to resign. That time has come." Under Secretary of State, Steve Goldstein confirmed that he knew of Feeley's planned departure ahead of the president's alleged remarks on Thursday. He said the ambassador, a career diplomat who spent most of his life working on Latin American issues, was resigning due to "personal reasons". Feeley was appointed to the diplomatic post by former US President Barack Obama in July 2015. President Donald Trump on Thursday questioned why the United States would want to have immigrants from Haiti and African nations, referring to some as "shithole countries", which created a lot of stir. Speaking to reporters, Goldstein said that he was aware of Feeley's planned departure 24 months in advance, before Trump's alleged use of the term "shithole countries." "Everyone has a line that they will not cross," Goldstein told reporters at the State Department. "If the ambassador feels that he can no longer serve ... then he has made the right decision for himself and we respect that."

US ambassador to Panama resigns, says he cannot work with Trump anymore

Pakistan&rsquo;s army chief told a top US general the nation &ldquo;felt betrayed&rdquo; at criticism that it was not doing enough to fight terrorism, the military said on Friday, after US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of &ldquo;lies and deceit&rdquo;.

US Central Command chief General Joseph Votel told General Qamar Javed Bajwa during a telephone call this week that the United States was not contemplating any unilateral action inside Pakistan, the Pakistani army said in a statement.

Tension between the United States and Pakistan has grown over US complaints that the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network that target American troops in Afghanistan are allowed to take shelter on Pakistani soil.

Trump&rsquo;s administration last week announced the suspension of about $2 billion in security aid to nuclear-armed Pakistan - officially a US ally - over accusations Islamabad is playing a double game in Afghanistan.

Islamabad denies this and accuses the United States of disrespecting its vast sacrifices - casualties have numbered in the tens of thousands - in fighting terrorism.

The US aid suspension was announced days after Trump tweeted on Jan. 1 that the United States had foolishly given Pakistan $33 billion in aid over 15 years and was rewarded with &ldquo;nothing but lies &amp; deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools&rdquo;.

It is not clear what prompted Trump&rsquo;s tweet, which infuriated Pakistani officials and caught the rest of the US administration off guard.

The Pakistani statement on Friday did not directly refer to Trump&rsquo;s tweet.

&ldquo;(Bajwa) said that entire Pakistani nation felt betrayed over US recent statements despite decades of cooperation,&rdquo; the army said, referring to the phone call between Bajwa and Votel.

The Pakistani assertion that Votel said no unilateral action inside Pakistan was being considered may have referred to the possibility of cross-border US drone strikes and other military missions targeting Taliban and other militant figures outside the border area.

In 2016, a US drone killed the then-leader of the Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, prompting protests from Islamabad of a violation of sovereignty.

And in 2011, a secret American raid in the military garrison city of Abbottabad killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the architect of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on American cities that prompted the US-led invasion to topple the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Since Trump took office, there have been several drone strikes in Pakistan&rsquo;s border region but they have not so far gone deeper into Pakistani territory, though Islamabad believes that is on a menu of punitive actions the US administration is considering.

However, the US military is also concerned that the Pakistani army, which effectively runs foreign policy, might close the air and land corridors on which US-led troops and Afghan forces in landlocked Afghanistan depend for supplies. So far, Pakistan has not done so.

Islamabad accuses the United States of disrespecting its vast sacrifices

Pakistan’s army chief told a top US general the nation “felt betrayed” at criticism that it was not doing enough to fight terrorism, the military said on Friday, after US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of “lies and deceit”. US Central Command chief General Joseph Votel told General Qamar Javed Bajwa during a telephone call this week that the United States was not contemplating any unilateral action inside Pakistan, the Pakistani army said in a statement. Tension between the United States and Pakistan has grown over US complaints that the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network that target American troops in Afghanistan are allowed to take shelter on Pakistani soil. Trump’s administration last week announced the suspension of about $2 billion in security aid to nuclear-armed Pakistan - officially a US ally - over accusations Islamabad is playing a double game in Afghanistan. Islamabad denies this and accuses the United States of disrespecting its vast sacrifices - casualties have numbered in the tens of thousands - in fighting terrorism. The US aid suspension was announced days after Trump tweeted on Jan. 1 that the United States had foolishly given Pakistan $33 billion in aid over 15 years and was rewarded with “nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools”. It is not clear what prompted Trump’s tweet, which infuriated Pakistani officials and caught the rest of the US administration off guard. The Pakistani statement on Friday did not directly refer to Trump’s tweet. “(Bajwa) said that entire Pakistani nation felt betrayed over US recent statements despite decades of cooperation,” the army said, referring to the phone call between Bajwa and Votel. The Pakistani assertion that Votel said no unilateral action inside Pakistan was being considered may have referred to the possibility of cross-border US drone strikes and other military missions targeting Taliban and other militant figures outside the border area. In 2016, a US drone killed the then-leader of the Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, prompting protests from Islamabad of a violation of sovereignty. And in 2011, a secret American raid in the military garrison city of Abbottabad killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the architect of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on American cities that prompted the US-led invasion to topple the Taliban in Afghanistan. Since Trump took office, there have been several drone strikes in Pakistan’s border region but they have not so far gone deeper into Pakistani territory, though Islamabad believes that is on a menu of punitive actions the US administration is considering. However, the US military is also concerned that the Pakistani army, which effectively runs foreign policy, might close the air and land corridors on which US-led troops and Afghan forces in landlocked Afghanistan depend for supplies. So far, Pakistan has not done so.

Pakistan army chief says nation felt 'betrayed' at US criticism

Donald Trump has his first medical exam as US president on Friday after a week in which his mental fitness for the job has come under intense scrutiny.

A new best-selling book portrays Trump, 71, as unfocused and childlike. The White House has faced a barrage of questions over his contradictory messages on key policies and an incident last month where he slurred some words while giving a speech.

Trump, who has been openly exasperated with the coverage, told reporters on Thursday he expected his exam would go well. &quot;It better go well, otherwise the stock market will not be happy,&quot; Trump said with a smile. [nL1N1P61S0]

The White House will determine what data will be released from the exam, which will take place at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in nearby Bethesda, Maryland.

Trump is not compelled to release any information, though the White House said the presidential physician, Ronny Jackson, will provide a statement on Friday and take questions from reporters on Tuesday.

There is no set template for the presidential exam. Past presidents are not known to have been tested for mental acuity while in office - including Ronald Reagan, who five years after leaving the White House was diagnosed with Alzheimer&#39;s disease.

Trump&#39;s examination will not include a psychiatric exam, a White House spokesman said this week. Results of past presidential physicals have included basic data like weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

There is a long history of the White House picking and choosing what to reveal about the commander in chief&#39;s health, said Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia&rsquo;s Miller Center.

For example, John F. Kennedy disclosed war injuries but not the fact that he suffered from Addison&#39;s disease, a degenerative condition.

Perry said she believes presidents should be subject to a raft of tests to establish they are fit to serve.

When he was running for office, Trump released a glowing report from his personal physician in New York, who said Trump would be &quot;the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.&quot;

The public report from Trump&#39;s upcoming exam is also likely to be short and sweet, said George Annas, head of the Center for Health Law, Ethics and Human Rights at Boston University School of Public Health.

&quot;I don&rsquo;t think you could expect to see anything else, unless it&rsquo;s something that makes him look good,&quot; Annas said.

Trump told reporters on Thursday he expected his exam would go well

Donald Trump has his first medical exam as US president on Friday after a week in which his mental fitness for the job has come under intense scrutiny. A new best-selling book portrays Trump, 71, as unfocused and childlike. The White House has faced a barrage of questions over his contradictory messages on key policies and an incident last month where he slurred some words while giving a speech. Trump, who has been openly exasperated with the coverage, told reporters on Thursday he expected his exam would go well. "It better go well, otherwise the stock market will not be happy," Trump said with a smile. [nL1N1P61S0] The White House will determine what data will be released from the exam, which will take place at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in nearby Bethesda, Maryland. Trump is not compelled to release any information, though the White House said the presidential physician, Ronny Jackson, will provide a statement on Friday and take questions from reporters on Tuesday. There is no set template for the presidential exam. Past presidents are not known to have been tested for mental acuity while in office - including Ronald Reagan, who five years after leaving the White House was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Trump's examination will not include a psychiatric exam, a White House spokesman said this week. Results of past presidential physicals have included basic data like weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There is a long history of the White House picking and choosing what to reveal about the commander in chief's health, said Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. For example, John F. Kennedy disclosed war injuries but not the fact that he suffered from Addison's disease, a degenerative condition. Perry said she believes presidents should be subject to a raft of tests to establish they are fit to serve. When he was running for office, Trump released a glowing report from his personal physician in New York, who said Trump would be "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency." The public report from Trump's upcoming exam is also likely to be short and sweet, said George Annas, head of the Center for Health Law, Ethics and Human Rights at Boston University School of Public Health. "I don’t think you could expect to see anything else, unless it’s something that makes him look good," Annas said.

Trump to get first presidential physical exam amid questions on health, fitness

Working with countries like India, Russia, and China is a good, not bad thing, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

He was responding to criticism of his desire to improve the relationship with Moscow.

&quot;Working with countries, whether it&#39;s Russia or China or India, or any of the countries that surround this world and encompass this world, is a very good thing. That&#39;s not a bad thing,&quot; he told reporters at a joint White House news conference with Prime Minister, Norway, Erna Solberg.

Trump said he was for strongest military, massive oil and gas and a lot of energy. &quot;Putin (Russian President Vladimir Putin) can&#39;t love that,&quot; he added.

Trump said it was &quot;very much better&quot; having to do with North Korea where the US currently has a problem.

&quot;That should have never been my problem. It should have been a problem solved many years ago when it was much less dangerous. But it was given to him, along with a big mess of other things,&quot; he noted.

He blamed former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, his presidential rival in 2016 elections, saying she &quot;was not was not for a strong military&quot;.

&quot;Hillary, my opponent, was for windmills, and she was for other types of energy that don&#39;t have the same capacities at this moment certainly,&quot; he said.

Trump said it was a &quot;lot better&quot; to work with other countries.

&quot;We&#39;re working with China on North Korea. We&#39;re working with various other countries, and I think we&#39;re doing very well. We had a great talk, as you know and as you reported.

&quot;We had a great talk this morning with President Moon (of South Korea), and I think that a lot of good things are happening. We&#39;re going to see what happens,&quot; the US president said.

Solberg said Norway has a &quot;very good&quot; relationship with Russia.

&quot;As a neighbouring country we do day-to-day work on things that we have to solve for the people and the economic activity that is in that area, which is a fragile area for the whole world,&quot; she said.

Norway share border with Russia.

Responding to a question on allegations of Russian interference in elections in European countries, Solberg said her government has found no such evidence in Norway.

&quot;I think that it&#39;s up to every political system and countries to scrutinise and discuss their own political agenda in their countries. And I respect that very much and that this is an issue for American politics,&quot; she said.

The US president was responding to criticism of his desire to improve relationship with Moscow

Working with countries like India, Russia, and China is a good, not bad thing, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday. He was responding to criticism of his desire to improve the relationship with Moscow. "Working with countries, whether it's Russia or China or India, or any of the countries that surround this world and encompass this world, is a very good thing. That's not a bad thing," he told reporters at a joint White House news conference with Prime Minister, Norway, Erna Solberg. Trump said he was for strongest military, massive oil and gas and a lot of energy. "Putin (Russian President Vladimir Putin) can't love that," he added. Trump said it was "very much better" having to do with North Korea where the US currently has a problem. "That should have never been my problem. It should have been a problem solved many years ago when it was much less dangerous. But it was given to him, along with a big mess of other things," he noted. He blamed former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, his presidential rival in 2016 elections, saying she "was not was not for a strong military". "Hillary, my opponent, was for windmills, and she was for other types of energy that don't have the same capacities at this moment certainly," he said. Trump said it was a "lot better" to work with other countries. "We're working with China on North Korea. We're working with various other countries, and I think we're doing very well. We had a great talk, as you know and as you reported. "We had a great talk this morning with President Moon (of South Korea), and I think that a lot of good things are happening. We're going to see what happens," the US president said. Solberg said Norway has a "very good" relationship with Russia. "As a neighbouring country we do day-to-day work on things that we have to solve for the people and the economic activity that is in that area, which is a fragile area for the whole world," she said. Norway share border with Russia. Responding to a question on allegations of Russian interference in elections in European countries, Solberg said her government has found no such evidence in Norway. "I think that it's up to every political system and countries to scrutinise and discuss their own political agenda in their countries. And I respect that very much and that this is an issue for American politics," she said.

Working with countries like India a good thing, says Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump&#39;s notoriously threatening rhetoric towards nuclear-armed North Korea - which has drawn comparisons with Richard Nixon&#39;s &quot;madman theory&quot; of diplomacy - may deserve some credit for bringing Pyongyang to talks, analysts have said.

The two Koreas held their first official dialogue in more than two years this week, agreeing the North would send its athletes to next month&#39;s Winter Olympics in the South and paving the way for further discussions.

The meeting represented a significant improvement after months of confrontation, during which Pyongyang carried out multiple missile tests and by far its biggest nuclear detonation to date.

At the same time Trump was blamed for heightening tensions with his threats to rain &quot;fire and fury&quot; on the North - now the title of an incendiary book on his presidency - and assertions that its leader Kim Jong-Un was on a &quot;suicide mission&quot;.

Since Kim inherited power in 2011, North Korea has made rapid progress towards its goal of developing a missile that can deliver an atomic warhead to the United States, which significantly strengthens its negotiating position.

In his New Year speech, Kim said Pyongyang had accomplished &quot;the great, historic cause of perfecting the national nuclear forces&quot;.

But some analysts now say that despite the hermit state&#39;s achievements and the defiance of its propaganda, Trump&#39;s chest-thumping provoked real fears within the North&#39;s elites, pushing them to seek ways to dial down tension.

Alexander Vorontsov, head of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was in Pyongyang for meetings towards the end of last year.

While there, he spoke to officials who &quot;feared that the US was already trying to shape the battlefield for a military operation against the North&quot;, he wrote Wednesday on the website 38North.

They seemed &quot;truly baffled&quot; that the South was unaware Trump was inching closer to war, Vorontsov said, while &quot;Pyongyang, they maintained, is under no such illusions&quot;.

Trump administration officials have repeatedly said that a military action is an option on the table. Washington has held several joint exercises with allies South Korea and Japan this year and deployed three aircraft carriers to the area at the same time.

There was &quot;growing concern&quot; in Pyongyang, Vorontsov said, that &quot;different elements of a combined arms operation against North Korea are being methodically rehearsed and that &#39;zero hour&#39;, as they put it, is not too far away&quot;.

The unpredictable US president is believed by some to be employing the playbook of his predecessor Richard Nixon, whose &quot;madman theory&quot; aimed to scare opponents into concessions by cultivating an image of recklessness.

It was Nixon himself who coined the term, according to his chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, whose autobiography quotes the disgraced president describing his intended message as: &quot;We can&#39;t restrain him when he is angry - and he has his hand on the nuclear button.&quot;

At times, Trump has appeared to echo the approach wholeheartedly.

As his top diplomat sought an opening with Pyongyang in October, the president tweeted: &quot;I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man&quot; - his nickname for Kim.

&quot;Save your energy Rex, we&#39;ll do what needs to be done!&quot; he added.

At the UN General Assembly, he raised the prospect the US would &quot;totally destroy&quot; North Korea, prompting Kim to respond with a personal pledge to &quot;surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire&quot;.

&quot;Never before have two leaders in command of nuclear arsenals more closely evoked a professional wrestling match,&quot; wrote a New Yorker columnist at the time.

Go Myong-Hyun, an analyst at the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, said US actions had &quot;instilled considerable fear in Pyongyang unlike in South Korea&quot;.

&quot;So, they came to talks to secure strategic space,&quot; he said.

North Korea&#39;s refusal to expand the agenda of Tuesday&#39;s talks was intended to draw out the process &quot;to avoid possible US military action&quot;, Go added.

Despite a handful of agreements reached Tuesday, the North Korean delegation did not respond to Seoul&#39;s proposal for talks on family reunions, and said its nuclear and missile programmes - which it says it needs to defend itself - were not up for discussion with the South.

South Korean President Moon Jae-In on Wednesday thanked Trump for his efforts, saying he had played a &quot;very big&quot; role in realising the talks.

But former US secretary of state John Kerry has described Trump&#39;s tweets as creating &quot;chaos politics&quot; and many analysts say that in the long term, the US leader&#39;s approach will be counterproductive.

The president had been &quot;talking to the world&#39;s most dangerous state like a petulant man-child&quot;, Robert Kelly of Pusan National University wrote at the weekend.

&quot;Honestly, Trump just made everything worse, and his rhetoric almost certainly convinced the Kimist elite that going for nukes was wise.&quot;

The 45th president of the United States, though, has no doubts where the credit lies for getting the two Koreas together.

&quot;We were the ones,&quot; he told a cabinet meeting Wednesday. &quot;Without our attitude, that would have never happened.&quot;

Analysts now say that despite the defiance of its propaganda, Trump's chest-thumping provoked real fears within the North Korea's elites

US President Donald Trump's notoriously threatening rhetoric towards nuclear-armed North Korea - which has drawn comparisons with Richard Nixon's "madman theory" of diplomacy - may deserve some credit for bringing Pyongyang to talks, analysts have said. The two Koreas held their first official dialogue in more than two years this week, agreeing the North would send its athletes to next month's Winter Olympics in the South and paving the way for further discussions. The meeting represented a significant improvement after months of confrontation, during which Pyongyang carried out multiple missile tests and by far its biggest nuclear detonation to date. At the same time Trump was blamed for heightening tensions with his threats to rain "fire and fury" on the North - now the title of an incendiary book on his presidency - and assertions that its leader Kim Jong-Un was on a "suicide mission". Since Kim inherited power in 2011, North Korea has made rapid progress towards its goal of developing a missile that can deliver an atomic warhead to the United States, which significantly strengthens its negotiating position. In his New Year speech, Kim said Pyongyang had accomplished "the great, historic cause of perfecting the national nuclear forces". But some analysts now say that despite the hermit state's achievements and the defiance of its propaganda, Trump's chest-thumping provoked real fears within the North's elites, pushing them to seek ways to dial down tension. Alexander Vorontsov, head of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was in Pyongyang for meetings towards the end of last year. While there, he spoke to officials who "feared that the US was already trying to shape the battlefield for a military operation against the North", he wrote Wednesday on the website 38North. They seemed "truly baffled" that the South was unaware Trump was inching closer to war, Vorontsov said, while "Pyongyang, they maintained, is under no such illusions". Trump administration officials have repeatedly said that a military action is an option on the table. Washington has held several joint exercises with allies South Korea and Japan this year and deployed three aircraft carriers to the area at the same time. There was "growing concern" in Pyongyang, Vorontsov said, that "different elements of a combined arms operation against North Korea are being methodically rehearsed and that 'zero hour', as they put it, is not too far away". The unpredictable US president is believed by some to be employing the playbook of his predecessor Richard Nixon, whose "madman theory" aimed to scare opponents into concessions by cultivating an image of recklessness. It was Nixon himself who coined the term, according to his chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, whose autobiography quotes the disgraced president describing his intended message as: "We can't restrain him when he is angry - and he has his hand on the nuclear button." At times, Trump has appeared to echo the approach wholeheartedly. As his top diplomat sought an opening with Pyongyang in October, the president tweeted: "I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man" - his nickname for Kim. "Save your energy Rex, we'll do what needs to be done!" he added. At the UN General Assembly, he raised the prospect the US would "totally destroy" North Korea, prompting Kim to respond with a personal pledge to "surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire". "Never before have two leaders in command of nuclear arsenals more closely evoked a professional wrestling match," wrote a New Yorker columnist at the time. Go Myong-Hyun, an analyst at the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, said US actions had "instilled considerable fear in Pyongyang unlike in South Korea". "So, they came to talks to secure strategic space," he said. North Korea's refusal to expand the agenda of Tuesday's talks was intended to draw out the process "to avoid possible US military action", Go added. Despite a handful of agreements reached Tuesday, the North Korean delegation did not respond to Seoul's proposal for talks on family reunions, and said its nuclear and missile programmes - which it says it needs to defend itself - were not up for discussion with the South. South Korean President Moon Jae-In on Wednesday thanked Trump for his efforts, saying he had played a "very big" role in realising the talks. But former US secretary of state John Kerry has described Trump's tweets as creating "chaos politics" and many analysts say that in the long term, the US leader's approach will be counterproductive. The president had been "talking to the world's most dangerous state like a petulant man-child", Robert Kelly of Pusan National University wrote at the weekend. "Honestly, Trump just made everything worse, and his rhetoric almost certainly convinced the Kimist elite that going for nukes was wise." The 45th president of the United States, though, has no doubts where the credit lies for getting the two Koreas together. "We were the ones," he told a cabinet meeting Wednesday. "Without our attitude, that would have never happened."

Donald Trump's 'madman' rhetoric may have scared North Korea to talks: Analysts

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday after the first intra-Korean talks in over two years that the United States was willing to speak to North Korea &quot;under the right circumstances,&quot; although it was far from clear whether this would pay dividends.

South Korea said Trump had also said in a phone call with its President Moon Jae-in that there would be no military action while North-South talks were going on and that a Wall Street Journal article saying he was contemplating a military strike against North Korea was &quot;completely wrong.&quot;

&quot;Who knows where it leads?&quot; Trump told reporters at the White House after his call with Moon to discuss Tuesday&#39;s North-South talks, the first since 2015.

He said Moon told him the talks went well, and added: &quot;Hopefully it will lead to success for the world, not just for our country, but for the world. And we&#39;ll be seeing over the next number of weeks and months what happens.&quot;

At a later news conference with the visiting Norwegian prime minister, Trump said the United States had problems with North Korea, but &quot;a lot of good talks are going on right now.&quot;

&quot;I see a lot of good energy. I like it very much ... So, hopefully, a lot of good things are going to work out.&quot;

&quot;I think that we will have peace through strength,&quot; he said, a reference to his policy of maintaining a powerful U.S. military.

South Korea&#39;s Presidential Blue House said both men had said the dialogue &quot;could naturally lead to talks between the United States and North Korea for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula after the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.&quot;

At Tuesday&#39;s intra-Korea talks, North Korea said it would attend the Olympics, which South Korea will host next month, while both sides agreed to resolve problems between them through dialogue and to revive military consultations to avoid accidental conflict.

However, Pyongyang said it would not discuss its nuclear weapons because they were aimed only at the United States and not its &quot;brethren&quot; in South Korea, or Russia or China, showing that a diplomatic breakthrough to the crisis remained far off.

While Washington has welcomed the talks as a first step towards solving the crisis over North Korea&#39;s programme to develop nuclear missiles capable of reaching the United States, it has reiterated that any talks involving the United States must be aimed at North Korea&#39;s denuclearisation.

The White House said Trump told Moon the United States was willing to talk to North Korea &quot;at the appropriate time and under the right circumstances.&quot;

Trump, who has swung between hurling insults and threats at North Korea to expressing a willingness to talk, said on Saturday he would be willing to speak to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though not without pre-conditions.

An unsourced article in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday said U.S. officials were debating whether it was possible to mount a limited military strike against North Korea without igniting an all-out war.

The Trump administration has said it prefers a diplomatic solution, but that all options are on the table, including military ones.

U.S. officials say Trump has been considering a number of military options, including a preemptive strike on a missile or nuclear facility, but officials and analysts have warned of the risks of triggering a catastrophic wider conflict.

Moon credits Trump for talks&nbsp;

Earlier on Tuesday, Moon made a point of crediting Trump for the Korean talks and also said he himself was open to meeting with Kim at any time if conditions were right and &quot;certain achievements are guaranteed&quot;.

&quot;The purpose of it shouldn&rsquo;t be talks for the sake of talks,&quot; he told a news conference, while warning that Pyongyang would face stronger sanctions if &quot;provocations&quot; continued.

North Korea ramped up missile launches last year and conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, prompting a U.S.-led campaign to impose some of the strongest international sanctions yet, which Pyongyang dubbed an &quot;act of war&quot;.

Trump and Kim have exchanged threats and insults over the past year, raising fears of war. South Korea and the United States are technically still at war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty.

Washington and Seoul opened the way for the talks last week when they announced the postponement of joint military exercises that Pyongyang has denounced as a rehearsal for invasion.

Washington had raised concerns that a New Year overture from Kim that led to the talks could be aimed at driving a wedge between the allies, but Moon said he and Washington did not differ over how to respond to North Korean threats.

&quot;This initial round of talks is for the improvement of relations between North and South Korea. Our task ... is to draw North Korea to talks aimed at the denuclearisation of the North,&quot; Moon said. &quot;(It&#39;s) our basic stance that will never be given up.&quot;

The United Nations Security Council said following a briefing on the talks that it hopes &quot;that such interactions will lead towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.&quot;

Olof Skoog, Swedish ambassador to the U.N., said his nation had called for the briefing because it was important for the Security Council to remain active and united in its efforts to resolve the Korean conflict.

On an agreement on continued military-to-military talks and the reopened inter-Korean military hotline, Skoog said: &quot;We have consistently underlined the importance of these channels of communication to avoid misunderstanding and to reduce tensions.&quot;

North Korea&#39;s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said all problems would be resolved through the efforts of the Korean people alone.

&quot;If the North and South abandon external forces and cooperate together, we will be able to fully solve all problems to match our people&#39;s needs and our joint prosperity,&quot; it said.

In spite of the hopeful words about the potential for future talks, the U.S. intelligence assessment of North Korea&rsquo;s weapons programs has not altered, officials say.

U.S. officials familiar with the classified analysis say the consensus is that Kim remains convinced that the United States is determined to overthrow him and that only a nuclear arsenal that threatens America can deter that.

One official said the North-South talks were likely to follow the pattern of past diplomatic efforts, in which North Korea has benefited from aid without making concessions.

Lee Woo-young, a professor at Seoul&#39;s University of North Korean Studies, said it was wise of Moon to praise Trump.

&quot;By doing that, he can help the U.S. build logic for moving toward negotiations,&quot; he said.

The United States and Canada are due to host a conference of about 20 foreign ministers next week in Vancouver to discuss North Korea, without the participation of China, Pyongyang&#39;s sole major ally and biggest trade partner.

The State Department said the talks, which will involve countries that supported South Korea in the Korean War, would look at ways both to increase the U.S.-led pressure campaign on North Korea and take diplomatic efforts forward.

&quot;The pressure campaign is intended to lead to credible negotiations on denuclearisation,&quot; a spokesman said.

China said it was opposed to the meeting as it would not help reduce tensions

South Korea's Presidential Blue House said both men had said the dialogue "could naturally lead to talks between the United States and North Korea for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula after the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics."

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday after the first intra-Korean talks in over two years that the United States was willing to speak to North Korea "under the right circumstances," although it was far from clear whether this would pay dividends. South Korea said Trump had also said in a phone call with its President Moon Jae-in that there would be no military action while North-South talks were going on and that a Wall Street Journal article saying he was contemplating a military strike against North Korea was "completely wrong." "Who knows where it leads?" Trump told reporters at the White House after his call with Moon to discuss Tuesday's North-South talks, the first since 2015. He said Moon told him the talks went well, and added: "Hopefully it will lead to success for the world, not just for our country, but for the world. And we'll be seeing over the next number of weeks and months what happens." At a later news conference with the visiting Norwegian prime minister, Trump said the United States had problems with North Korea, but "a lot of good talks are going on right now." "I see a lot of good energy. I like it very much ... So, hopefully, a lot of good things are going to work out." "I think that we will have peace through strength," he said, a reference to his policy of maintaining a powerful U.S. military. South Korea's Presidential Blue House said both men had said the dialogue "could naturally lead to talks between the United States and North Korea for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula after the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics." At Tuesday's intra-Korea talks, North Korea said it would attend the Olympics, which South Korea will host next month, while both sides agreed to resolve problems between them through dialogue and to revive military consultations to avoid accidental conflict. However, Pyongyang said it would not discuss its nuclear weapons because they were aimed only at the United States and not its "brethren" in South Korea, or Russia or China, showing that a diplomatic breakthrough to the crisis remained far off. While Washington has welcomed the talks as a first step towards solving the crisis over North Korea's programme to develop nuclear missiles capable of reaching the United States, it has reiterated that any talks involving the United States must be aimed at North Korea's denuclearisation. The White House said Trump told Moon the United States was willing to talk to North Korea "at the appropriate time and under the right circumstances." Trump, who has swung between hurling insults and threats at North Korea to expressing a willingness to talk, said on Saturday he would be willing to speak to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though not without pre-conditions. An unsourced article in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday said U.S. officials were debating whether it was possible to mount a limited military strike against North Korea without igniting an all-out war. The Trump administration has said it prefers a diplomatic solution, but that all options are on the table, including military ones. U.S. officials say Trump has been considering a number of military options, including a preemptive strike on a missile or nuclear facility, but officials and analysts have warned of the risks of triggering a catastrophic wider conflict. Moon credits Trump for talks Earlier on Tuesday, Moon made a point of crediting Trump for the Korean talks and also said he himself was open to meeting with Kim at any time if conditions were right and "certain achievements are guaranteed". "The purpose of it shouldn’t be talks for the sake of talks," he told a news conference, while warning that Pyongyang would face stronger sanctions if "provocations" continued. North Korea ramped up missile launches last year and conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, prompting a U.S.-led campaign to impose some of the strongest international sanctions yet, which Pyongyang dubbed an "act of war". Trump and Kim have exchanged threats and insults over the past year, raising fears of war. South Korea and the United States are technically still at war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. Washington and Seoul opened the way for the talks last week when they announced the postponement of joint military exercises that Pyongyang has denounced as a rehearsal for invasion. Washington had raised concerns that a New Year overture from Kim that led to the talks could be aimed at driving a wedge between the allies, but Moon said he and Washington did not differ over how to respond to North Korean threats. "This initial round of talks is for the improvement of relations between North and South Korea. Our task ... is to draw North Korea to talks aimed at the denuclearisation of the North," Moon said. "(It's) our basic stance that will never be given up." The United Nations Security Council said following a briefing on the talks that it hopes "that such interactions will lead towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula." Olof Skoog, Swedish ambassador to the U.N., said his nation had called for the briefing because it was important for the Security Council to remain active and united in its efforts to resolve the Korean conflict. On an agreement on continued military-to-military talks and the reopened inter-Korean military hotline, Skoog said: "We have consistently underlined the importance of these channels of communication to avoid misunderstanding and to reduce tensions." North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said all problems would be resolved through the efforts of the Korean people alone. "If the North and South abandon external forces and cooperate together, we will be able to fully solve all problems to match our people's needs and our joint prosperity," it said. In spite of the hopeful words about the potential for future talks, the U.S. intelligence assessment of North Korea’s weapons programs has not altered, officials say. U.S. officials familiar with the classified analysis say the consensus is that Kim remains convinced that the United States is determined to overthrow him and that only a nuclear arsenal that threatens America can deter that. One official said the North-South talks were likely to follow the pattern of past diplomatic efforts, in which North Korea has benefited from aid without making concessions. Lee Woo-young, a professor at Seoul's University of North Korean Studies, said it was wise of Moon to praise Trump. "By doing that, he can help the U.S. build logic for moving toward negotiations," he said. The United States and Canada are due to host a conference of about 20 foreign ministers next week in Vancouver to discuss North Korea, without the participation of China, Pyongyang's sole major ally and biggest trade partner. The State Department said the talks, which will involve countries that supported South Korea in the Korean War, would look at ways both to increase the U.S.-led pressure campaign on North Korea and take diplomatic efforts forward. "The pressure campaign is intended to lead to credible negotiations on denuclearisation," a spokesman said. China said it was opposed to the meeting as it would not help reduce tensions

Trump, on possibility of North Korea talks, says: 'Who knows where it leads?'

France&rsquo;s most revered actress Catherine Deneuve declared Tuesday that men should be &quot;free to hit on&quot; women, condemning a new &quot;puritanism&quot; she claimed has been sparked by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-top-hollywood-stars-join-hands-against-harassment-7738" target="_blank">sexual harassment scandals</a>.&nbsp;

She was one of around 100 French women writers, performers and academics who wrote an open letter deploring the wave of &quot;denunciations&quot; that has followed claims that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hollywood-mogul-weinstein-accused-of-rape-21257" target="_blank">Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted</a> and harassed women over decades.

They branded it a &quot;witch-hunt&quot; that they claim threatens sexual freedom.

&quot;Rape is a crime, but trying to seduce someone, even persistently or cack-handedly, is not -- nor is being gentlemanly a macho attack,&quot; said the letter published in the daily Le Monde.

&quot;Men have been punished summarily, forced out of their jobs when all they did was touch someone`s knee or try to steal a kiss,&quot; said the letter, which was also signed by Catherine Millet, author of the hugely explicit 2002 memoir, &quot;The Sexual Life of Catherine M.&quot;.

Men had been dragged through the mud, they argued, for &quot;talking about intimate subjects during professional dinners or for sending sexually-charged messages to women who did not return their attentions&quot;. The letter attacked feminist social media campaigns like #MeToo and its French equivalent #Balancetonporc (Call out your pig) for unleashing this &quot;puritanical... wave of purification&quot;.

It claimed that &quot;legitimate and necessary protest against the sexual violence that women are subject to, particularly in their professional lives&quot;, had turned into a witch-hunt.

&quot;What began as freeing women up to speak has today turned into the opposite -- we intimidate people into speaking `correctly`, shout down those who don`t fall into line, and those women who refused to bend (to the new realities) are regarded as complicit and traitors.&quot;

&quot;The accidents of life that might touch a woman`s body should not necessarily affect her dignity, and should not -- no matter how hard they are -- make her a perpetual victim,&quot; the letter argued.

Some women who were strong enough to demand equal pay, it claimed, would &quot;not be traumatised forever by a fondler on the metro&quot;, even if it is a crime, preferring to see it as a &quot;non-event&quot;.

The signatories -- which included a porn star-turned-agony aunt -- claimed they were defending sexual freedom, for which &quot;the liberty to seduce and importune was essential.&quot;

Oscar-nominated Deneuve, 74, is best known internationally for playing a bored housewife who spends her afternoons as a prostitute in Luis Bunuel classic 1967 film &quot;Belle du Jour&quot;.

The letter got a mostly hostile reception on social media, quickly becoming the most tweeted story on Twitter in France.

Deneuve had earlier expressed annoyance with the #MeToo social media campaign to shame men accused of harassing women.

&quot;I don`t think it is the right method to change things, it is excessive,&quot; she said last year. &quot;After `Calling out your pig` what are we going to have, `Call out your whore?`&quot; she said.&quot;Instead of helping women, this frenzy to send (male chauvinist) `pigs` to the abattoir actually helps the enemies of sexual liberty -- religious extremists and the worst sort of reactionaries,&quot; the collective of women who signed the letter said.

&quot;As women we do not recognise ourselves in this feminism, which beyond denouncing the abuse of power, takes on a hatred of men and of sexuality.&quot;

They insisted that women were &quot;sufficiently aware that the sexual urge is by its nature wild and aggressive. But we are also clear-eyed enough not to confuse an awkward attempt to pick someone up with a sexual attack.&quot;

The spectacle of men being forced into &quot;public confessions... and having to rack their brains and apologise for `inappropriate behaviour` that might have happened 10, 20 or 30 years before... recalled totalitarian societies,&quot; the letter went on.

This &quot;puritan wave&quot; was already bringing censorship in its wake, the women insisted, claiming that some of them had already been asked to make the male characters in their writing &quot;less sexist&quot;, and told to tone down certain scenes to &quot;better show the trauma suffered by female characters&quot;.&nbsp;

Deneuve sparked an outcry last March for her fulsome support of French-based director Roman Polanski, who is still wanted in the United States for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

While his victim Samantha Geimer wants the case dropped so she can get on with her life, Deneuve told French television that she &quot;always found the word `rape` excessive&quot; in the circumstances. 
The French broadcasting watchdog later called her comments &quot;retrograde&quot;.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

She was one of around 100 French women writers, performers and academics who wrote an open letter deploring the wave of 'denunciations' that has followed claims that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted and harassed women over decades.

France’s most revered actress Catherine Deneuve declared Tuesday that men should be "free to hit on" women, condemning a new "puritanism" she claimed has been sparked by sexual harassment scandals. She was one of around 100 French women writers, performers and academics who wrote an open letter deploring the wave of "denunciations" that has followed claims that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted and harassed women over decades. They branded it a "witch-hunt" that they claim threatens sexual freedom. "Rape is a crime, but trying to seduce someone, even persistently or cack-handedly, is not -- nor is being gentlemanly a macho attack," said the letter published in the daily Le Monde. "Men have been punished summarily, forced out of their jobs when all they did was touch someone`s knee or try to steal a kiss," said the letter, which was also signed by Catherine Millet, author of the hugely explicit 2002 memoir, "The Sexual Life of Catherine M.". Men had been dragged through the mud, they argued, for "talking about intimate subjects during professional dinners or for sending sexually-charged messages to women who did not return their attentions". The letter attacked feminist social media campaigns like #MeToo and its French equivalent #Balancetonporc (Call out your pig) for unleashing this "puritanical... wave of purification". It claimed that "legitimate and necessary protest against the sexual violence that women are subject to, particularly in their professional lives", had turned into a witch-hunt. "What began as freeing women up to speak has today turned into the opposite -- we intimidate people into speaking `correctly`, shout down those who don`t fall into line, and those women who refused to bend (to the new realities) are regarded as complicit and traitors." "The accidents of life that might touch a woman`s body should not necessarily affect her dignity, and should not -- no matter how hard they are -- make her a perpetual victim," the letter argued. Some women who were strong enough to demand equal pay, it claimed, would "not be traumatised forever by a fondler on the metro", even if it is a crime, preferring to see it as a "non-event". The signatories -- which included a porn star-turned-agony aunt -- claimed they were defending sexual freedom, for which "the liberty to seduce and importune was essential." Oscar-nominated Deneuve, 74, is best known internationally for playing a bored housewife who spends her afternoons as a prostitute in Luis Bunuel classic 1967 film "Belle du Jour". The letter got a mostly hostile reception on social media, quickly becoming the most tweeted story on Twitter in France. Deneuve had earlier expressed annoyance with the #MeToo social media campaign to shame men accused of harassing women. "I don`t think it is the right method to change things, it is excessive," she said last year. "After `Calling out your pig` what are we going to have, `Call out your whore?`" she said."Instead of helping women, this frenzy to send (male chauvinist) `pigs` to the abattoir actually helps the enemies of sexual liberty -- religious extremists and the worst sort of reactionaries," the collective of women who signed the letter said. "As women we do not recognise ourselves in this feminism, which beyond denouncing the abuse of power, takes on a hatred of men and of sexuality." They insisted that women were "sufficiently aware that the sexual urge is by its nature wild and aggressive. But we are also clear-eyed enough not to confuse an awkward attempt to pick someone up with a sexual attack." The spectacle of men being forced into "public confessions... and having to rack their brains and apologise for `inappropriate behaviour` that might have happened 10, 20 or 30 years before... recalled totalitarian societies," the letter went on. This "puritan wave" was already bringing censorship in its wake, the women insisted, claiming that some of them had already been asked to make the male characters in their writing "less sexist", and told to tone down certain scenes to "better show the trauma suffered by female characters". Deneuve sparked an outcry last March for her fulsome support of French-based director Roman Polanski, who is still wanted in the United States for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl in 1977. While his victim Samantha Geimer wants the case dropped so she can get on with her life, Deneuve told French television that she "always found the word `rape` excessive" in the circumstances. The French broadcasting watchdog later called her comments "retrograde".

French star Catherine Deneuve says men should be 'free to hit on' women

Vice President of Twitter Bruce Daisley has clarified that if Trump tweets any personal information such as phone number or address of any individual it will caution him to remove that tweet.

Bruce Daisley said this in an interview with BBC radio.

Twitter has been in questions recently for applying terms and conditions selectively, as they refused to delete Trump&#39;s account over hate speech he gives through his tweets.

Daisley said&nbsp;any person who posts personal number or address of anyone would be asked to delete that tweet on which Daisley was asked whether the rule applies on Donald Trump also to that he responded saying yes.

Many tweets of Donald Trump should have been taken seriously by the social media giant which could be equivalent to threats but Twitter has always refused to take any action or even ask Trump to delete his tweets as he is a world leader.

People on social media has been asking to ban Trump&#39;s account or Dorsey to resign after he compared Kim Jong-un nuclear button to his calling it much bigger and more powerful.&quot;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the &ldquo;Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.&rdquo; Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger &amp; more powerful one than his, and my Button works!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/948355557022420992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 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>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I&#39;m beginning to suspect Twitter of being a brilliant Russian psy op. How else to explain their reluctance to ban Trump &amp; other malefactors? <a href="https://t.co/1OUaDwjNFK">https://t.co/1OUaDwjNFK</a>
&mdash; Traci Degerman (@TraciDegerman) <a href="https://twitter.com/TraciDegerman/status/950964279968120832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 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>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-lang="en">
Activist Group Demands That &lsquo;Complicit&rsquo; Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Resign or Ban Trump <a href="https://t.co/14IGBKbOMc">https://t.co/14IGBKbOMc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#gay</a>
&mdash; Judge_Falazar (@falazar) <a href="https://twitter.com/falazar/status/950838455289827328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 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>

In 2017, November Trump tweeted Kim Jong-Un&#39;s number on Twitter and asked people to call him and say &quot;he is sloppy and low energy sad rocket man.&quot;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/trump%20tweet-20180110054236.JPG" />
<div class="media-description">
Trump has often been seen insulting&nbsp;his opponents. (Twitter)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

However, the tweet has now been deleted.

Trump has often seen insulting&nbsp;his opponents such as always referring Hillary Clinton as &quot;crooked Hillary,&quot; or calling Kim Jong-Un rocket man, Twitter said that in such cases twitter would now step in and take action.

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Vice President of Twitter Bruce Daisley has clarified that if Trump tweets any personal information such as Phone number or address of any individual it will caution him to remove that tweet

Vice President of Twitter Bruce Daisley has clarified that if Trump tweets any personal information such as phone number or address of any individual it will caution him to remove that tweet. Bruce Daisley said this in an interview with BBC radio. Twitter has been in questions recently for applying terms and conditions selectively, as they refused to delete Trump's account over hate speech he gives through his tweets. Daisley said any person who posts personal number or address of anyone would be asked to delete that tweet on which Daisley was asked whether the rule applies on Donald Trump also to that he responded saying yes. Many tweets of Donald Trump should have been taken seriously by the social media giant which could be equivalent to threats but Twitter has always refused to take any action or even ask Trump to delete his tweets as he is a world leader. People on social media has been asking to ban Trump's account or Dorsey to resign after he compared Kim Jong-un nuclear button to his calling it much bigger and more powerful." North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 × I'm beginning to suspect Twitter of being a brilliant Russian psy op. How else to explain their reluctance to ban Trump & other malefactors? https://t.co/1OUaDwjNFK — Traci Degerman (@TraciDegerman) January 10, 2018 × Activist Group Demands That ‘Complicit’ Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Resign or Ban Trump https://t.co/14IGBKbOMc #gay — Judge_Falazar (@falazar) January 9, 2018 × In 2017, November Trump tweeted Kim Jong-Un's number on Twitter and asked people to call him and say "he is sloppy and low energy sad rocket man." Trump has often been seen insulting his opponents. (Twitter) × However, the tweet has now been deleted. Trump has often seen insulting his opponents such as always referring Hillary Clinton as "crooked Hillary," or calling Kim Jong-Un rocket man, Twitter said that in such cases twitter would now step in and take action.

Twitter Vice President clarifies on Trump tweets

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