<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/week-after-north-korea-missile-test-us-south-korea-kick-off-largest-air-exercise-25783">Week after North Korea missile test, US &amp; South Korea kick off largest air exercise</a></p>

<p>South Korea and the United States launched their largest-ever joint aerial drills on Monday, officials said, a week after North Korea said it had tested its most advanced missile as part of a weapons program that has raised global tensions</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-hospital-that-declared-newborn-dead-terminates-two-doctors-25775">Delhi hospital that declared newborn dead terminates two doctors</a></p>

<p>The Delhi hospital that incorrectly declared a newborn baby dead has said that it is terminating the services of two doctors involved in the incident.</p>

<p>The decision was taken Sunday night after a meeting of Max Healthcare authorities.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-close-to-decision-on-whether-to-recognise-jerusalem-as-israel-capital-jared-kushner-25782">Trump close to decision on whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel capital: Jared Kushner</a></p>

<p>US President Donald Trump is close to a decision on whether to recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, his son-in-law and Middle East peace envoy Jared Kushner said Sunday.</p>

<p>Palestinian leaders are lobbying desperately against such a move, fearing it could provoke such fury in the Arab world it could sink peace hopes for a generation.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-ockhi-357-fishermen-rescued-so-far-25779">Cyclone </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-ockhi-357-fishermen-rescued-so-far-25779">Ockhi</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-ockhi-357-fishermen-rescued-so-far-25779">: 357 fishermen rescued so far, says defence minister</a></p>

<p>Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday that, so far, 357 fishermen who had been stranded at sea due to Cyclone Ockhi&nbsp;had been rescued.</p>

<p>Sitharaman had reached Kanyakumari on Sunday to take stock of the situation.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/soccer-late-silva-goal-extends-citys-winning-run-to-13-games-25784">EPL: Late Silva goal extends City&#39;s winning run to 13 games</a></p>

<p>David Silva scored a late goal as runaway leaders Manchester City won their 13th successive Premier League game and restored their eight-point lead with a 2-1 victory against West Ham United on Sunday.</p>


Week after North Korea missile test, US & South Korea kick off largest air exercise South Korea and the United States launched their largest-ever joint aerial drills on Monday, officials said, a week after North Korea said it had tested its most advanced missile as part of a weapons program that has raised global tensions Delhi hospital that declared newborn dead terminates two doctors The Delhi hospital that incorrectly declared a newborn baby dead has said that it is terminating the services of two doctors involved in the incident. The decision was taken Sunday night after a meeting of Max Healthcare authorities. Trump close to decision on whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel capital: Jared Kushner US President Donald Trump is close to a decision on whether to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, his son-in-law and Middle East peace envoy Jared Kushner said Sunday. Palestinian leaders are lobbying desperately against such a move, fearing it could provoke such fury in the Arab world it could sink peace hopes for a generation. Cyclone Ockhi: 357 fishermen rescued so far, says defence minister Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday that, so far, 357 fishermen who had been stranded at sea due to Cyclone Ockhi had been rescued. Sitharaman had reached Kanyakumari on Sunday to take stock of the situation. EPL: Late Silva goal extends City's winning run to 13 games David Silva scored a late goal as runaway leaders Manchester City won their 13th successive Premier League game and restored their eight-point lead with a 2-1 victory against West Ham United on Sunday.

WION morning news brief, November 4, 2017

<p>The Arab League chief said on Sunday a decision by United States President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital would boost fanaticism and violence, and not serve the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.</p>

<p>Trump&#39;s son-in-law and Middle East peace envoy Jared Kushner told the Saban Forum on Sunday the president is close to a decision on whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.</p>

<p>&quot;It is unfortunate that some are insisting on carrying out this step without any regard to the dangers it carries to the stability of the Middle East and the whole world,&quot; Ahmed Abul Gheit, head of the Arab League, told reporters in Cairo on Sunday.</p>

<p>Abul Gheit said the Arab League is closely following the issue and is in contact with the Palestinian authorities and Arab states to coordinate the Arab position if Trump takes the step.</p>

<p>Trump must decide on Monday whether to sign a legal waiver that would delay plans to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for another six months.</p>

<p>Every US president has done this since 1995, judging the time not ripe for such a move, and Trump is expected to begrudgingly do so for a second time this week.</p>

<p>But, according to diplomats and observers, he is also now expected to announce in a speech on Wednesday that he supports Israel&#39;s claim on Jerusalem as its capital.</p>

<p>Palestinian leaders are lobbying desperately against such a move, fearing it could provoke such fury in the Arab world it could sink peace hopes for a generation.</p>

<p>&quot;Nothing justifies this act... it will not serve peace or stability, instead it will nourish fanaticism and violence,&quot; said Abul Gheit.</p>

<p>The move would &quot;benefit only one side, which is the anti-peace Israeli government,&quot; he told reporters.</p>

<p>Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community.</p>

<p>The Palestinians see the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.</p>

<p>The traditional United States position is that the status of Jerusalem must be negotiated between the two sides.</p>


Trump's son-in-law and Middle East peace envoy Jared Kushner said on Sunday the president is close to a decision on whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital

The Arab League chief said on Sunday a decision by United States President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital would boost fanaticism and violence, and not serve the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Trump's son-in-law and Middle East peace envoy Jared Kushner told the Saban Forum on Sunday the president is close to a decision on whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "It is unfortunate that some are insisting on carrying out this step without any regard to the dangers it carries to the stability of the Middle East and the whole world," Ahmed Abul Gheit, head of the Arab League, told reporters in Cairo on Sunday. Abul Gheit said the Arab League is closely following the issue and is in contact with the Palestinian authorities and Arab states to coordinate the Arab position if Trump takes the step. Trump must decide on Monday whether to sign a legal waiver that would delay plans to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for another six months. Every US president has done this since 1995, judging the time not ripe for such a move, and Trump is expected to begrudgingly do so for a second time this week. But, according to diplomats and observers, he is also now expected to announce in a speech on Wednesday that he supports Israel's claim on Jerusalem as its capital. Palestinian leaders are lobbying desperately against such a move, fearing it could provoke such fury in the Arab world it could sink peace hopes for a generation. "Nothing justifies this act... it will not serve peace or stability, instead it will nourish fanaticism and violence," said Abul Gheit. The move would "benefit only one side, which is the anti-peace Israeli government," he told reporters. Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community. The Palestinians see the eastern sector as the capital of their future state. The traditional United States position is that the status of Jerusalem must be negotiated between the two sides.

Arab League chief warns Trump Jerusalem move could fuel violence

<p>The United States has announced that it will not participate in the United Nations&#39;&nbsp;Global Compact on Migration as it does not meet the policies and principles of the Trump administration.</p>

<p>The US participation in the Compact process began in 2016, following the Obama Administration&#39;s decision to join the UN&#39;s New York Declaration on migration.</p>

<p>The New York Declaration contains numerous provisions that are inconsistent with U.S. immigration and refugee policies and the Trump administration&#39;s immigration principles.</p>

<p>As a result, President Donald Trump determined that the United States would end its participation in the Compact process that aims to reach international consensus at the UN in 2018.</p>

<p>&quot;America is proud of our immigrant heritage and our long-standing moral leadership in providing support to migrant and refugee populations across the globe. No country has done more than the United States, and our generosity will continue. But our decisions on immigration policies must always be made by Americans and Americans alone,&quot; said Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations.</p>

<p>&quot;We will decide how best to control our borders and who will be allowed to enter our country. The global approach in the New York Declaration is simply not compatible with U.S. sovereignty,&quot; she added.</p>

<p>On September 19, 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a set of commitments to enhance the protection of refugees and migrants. These commitments are known as the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants.</p>

<p>The New York Declaration reaffirms the importance of the international refugee regime and represents a commitment by member states to strengthen and enhance mechanisms to protect people on the move. It paves the way for the adoption of two new global compacts in 2018: a global compact on refugees and a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration.</p>

<p>The US had earlier this year also announced to withdraw from the Paris agreement which aims at responding to the global climate change threat by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.</p>


The US said the compact contains numerous provisions that are inconsistent with US immigration and refugee policies and the Trump administration's immigration principles

The United States has announced that it will not participate in the United Nations' Global Compact on Migration as it does not meet the policies and principles of the Trump administration. The US participation in the Compact process began in 2016, following the Obama Administration's decision to join the UN's New York Declaration on migration. The New York Declaration contains numerous provisions that are inconsistent with U.S. immigration and refugee policies and the Trump administration's immigration principles. As a result, President Donald Trump determined that the United States would end its participation in the Compact process that aims to reach international consensus at the UN in 2018. "America is proud of our immigrant heritage and our long-standing moral leadership in providing support to migrant and refugee populations across the globe. No country has done more than the United States, and our generosity will continue. But our decisions on immigration policies must always be made by Americans and Americans alone," said Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations. "We will decide how best to control our borders and who will be allowed to enter our country. The global approach in the New York Declaration is simply not compatible with U.S. sovereignty," she added. On September 19, 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a set of commitments to enhance the protection of refugees and migrants. These commitments are known as the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants. The New York Declaration reaffirms the importance of the international refugee regime and represents a commitment by member states to strengthen and enhance mechanisms to protect people on the move. It paves the way for the adoption of two new global compacts in 2018: a global compact on refugees and a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration. The US had earlier this year also announced to withdraw from the Paris agreement which aims at responding to the global climate change threat by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

US ends participation in UN's Global Compact on Migration

<p>On Nov. 29, President Trump retweeted a series of videos that purported to depict violence committed by Muslims. They had originated from the account of a far-right British ultranationalist who had been convicted for harassing a Muslim. The backlash was swift, with British Prime Minister Theresa May saying &ldquo;the President is wrong to have done this.&rdquo;</p>

<p>But Trump&rsquo;s retweeting of controversial (sometimes outright false) content is part of a pattern.</p>

<p>For example, during the 2016 campaign, George Stephanopoulos asked Donald Trump about his retweet of a follower who insisted that both Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz were ineligible for the presidency.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/ResisTyr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ResisTyr</a>: Mr.Trump...BOTH Cruz AND Rubio are ineligible to be POTUS! It&#39;s a SLAM DUNK CASE!! Check it! <a href="https://t.co/NjqWP0pP6X">https://t.co/NjqWP0pP6X</a>&quot;</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/701045567783219201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">20 February 2016</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>

<p>Trump dismissed Stephanopoulos&rsquo; question with &ldquo;it was a retweet&rdquo; &ndash; as if to say that retweeting someone else&rsquo;s claim meant that he wasn&rsquo;t responsible for the content.</p>

<p>When pressed, Trump continued:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>&ldquo;I mean, let people make their own determination. I&rsquo;ve never looked at it, George. I honestly have never looked at it. As somebody said, he&rsquo;s not [eligible]&hellip;and I retweet things and we start dialogue and it&rsquo;s very interesting.&rdquo;</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It&rsquo;s a response that can be reduced to I&rsquo;m not saying it, I&rsquo;m just saying it.</p>

<p>As a scholar of American political rhetoric, I&rsquo;ve previously written about the ways that Donald Trump&rsquo;s rhetorical style mirrors that of polarising figures like George Wallace and Joseph McCarthy.</p>

<p>But it&rsquo;s becoming increasingly clear that what sets Trump apart is his reliance upon paralipsis, a device that enables him to publicly say things that he can later disavow &ndash; without ever having to take responsibility for his words.</p>

<p><strong>Just saying&hellip;</strong></p>

<p>The art of rhetoric &ndash; or persuasive communication &ndash; can include any number of forms: speeches, essays, tweets, images, films and more.</p>

<p>Paralipsis (para, &ldquo;side&rdquo; and leipein, &ldquo;to leave&rdquo;) is a Greek term that translates to &ldquo;leave to the side.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s thought to be an ironic way for a speaker to say two things at once.</p>

<p>For example, say you wanted to imply that your coworker takes too many coffee breaks without actually accusing him wasting time at work. You might say something like, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not saying that he drinks more coffee than anyone else in the office, but every time I go to the break room, he&rsquo;s in there.&rdquo; You might also shrug and make a &ldquo;something seems kind of off&rdquo; facial expression.</p>

<p>Paralipsis is a powerful rhetorical device because it can also allow someone to make a false accusation &ndash; or spread a false rumour &ndash; while skirting consequences.</p>

<p>And Trump has become a master at wielding this tool.</p>

<p>For example, after he was widely condemned for retweeting a graphic of homicide data delineated by race, FactCheck.org found that &ldquo;almost every figure in the graphic is wrong.&rdquo; His response on the Bill O&rsquo;Reilly Show was:<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Bill, I didn&rsquo;t <em>tweet</em>, I <em>retweeted</em> somebody that was supposedly an expert, and it was also a radio show&hellip;am I gonna check every statistic? &hellip;All it was is a retweet. And it wasn&rsquo;t from me. It came out of a radio show, and other places&hellip;This was a retweet. And it comes from sources that are very credible, what can I tell you?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In other words: I&rsquo;m not saying, I&rsquo;m just saying.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly used paralipsis to deflect criticism that he&rsquo;s courting white supremacists.</p>

<p>In January 2016, Trump retweeted a photoshopped image of Jeb Bush from a user with the handle WhiteGenocideTM. In response to the backlash he received for retweeting a white supremacist, Trump simply shrugged: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know about retweeting. You retweet somebody and they turn out to be white supremacists. I know nothing about these groups that are supporting me.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Likewise, he blamed a faulty earpiece for his unwillingness to disavow David Duke and the KKK in a CNN interview:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>I don&rsquo;t know anything about what you&rsquo;re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So I don&rsquo;t know. I don&rsquo;t know &ndash; did he endorse me, or what&rsquo;s going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<p><em>I&rsquo;m not saying, I&rsquo;m just saying.</em></p>

<p>And when Gawker tricked Trump into retweeting a quote from Benito Mussolini during the campaign, his response was &ldquo;What difference does it make whether it&rsquo;s Mussolini or somebody else? It&rsquo;s certainly a very interesting quote.&rdquo;</p>

<p><strong>Accountability and responsibility</strong></p>

<p>Certainly, it&rsquo;s a good thing to &ldquo;start dialogue.&rdquo; Trump knows that &ldquo;interesting&rdquo; content attracts retweets, followers, audiences and media attention.</p>

<p>However, there&rsquo;s danger in circulating accusations and rumours, even if the purpose is to &ldquo;start dialogue.&rdquo; Research shows that once an accusation or a rumour begins to circulate, it&rsquo;s very difficult to retract. Often, a retraction or clarification doesn&rsquo;t receive as much attention as the initial accusation. Meanwhile, the mere act of retracting misinformation can reaffirm the deceptive assertions as facts, even after the clarification.</p>

<p>So what does it mean when a political figure gains a devoted following and rises to prominence &ndash; yet consistently avoids taking responsibility for the content of his public messages?</p>

<p>Political theorists, rhetoricians and historians have grappled with this exact problem since the rise of the &ldquo;demagogue&rdquo; in Athens in 429 B.C., when Pericles&rsquo; death created a vacuum for &ldquo;unofficial&rdquo; leaders of the people to rise to power.</p>

<p>The danger, according to political scientist Ernest Barker, was that &ldquo;such a leader &ndash; having no official executive position &ndash; could exercise initiative and determine policy without incurring political responsibility, since it was not his duty to execute the policy which he had induced the assembly to accept.&rdquo;</p>

<p>In the Greek context, Barker described the danger of demagogues who weren&rsquo;t tasked with implementing the policies for which they advocated. In our current political context, Trump can argue that he can&rsquo;t be held accountable because he wasn&rsquo;t the one who originally posted the tweet. He can shrug and claim that he&rsquo;s simply giving a voice to an idea.</p>

<p>In both cases, the defining feature of demagogues is their refusal to accept responsibility for their actions.</p>

<p>Yet Donald Trump (the television star) routinely fired people on his show &ldquo;The Apprentice&rdquo; for failing to take responsibility for their team&rsquo;s failures. And he&rsquo;s often given lectures on &ldquo;responsibility&rdquo; to his Twitter followers, like on February 14, 2013 when he invited his followers to &ldquo;take responsibility for yourself &ndash; it&rsquo;s a very empowering attitude.&rdquo;</p>

<p>To use the President&rsquo;s brand of paralipsis: I&rsquo;m not saying that Trump&rsquo;s a hypocrite and a demagogue. I&rsquo;m just saying that he doesn&rsquo;t exactly follow his own advice.</p>

<p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-an-insidious-strategy-behind-donald-trumps-retweets-55615" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).</em></p>

<p>Image Credit:&nbsp;Shutterstock</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


An expert in American political rhetoric explains why Trump's controversial retweets are actually an extremely effective rhetorical device

On Nov. 29, President Trump retweeted a series of videos that purported to depict violence committed by Muslims. They had originated from the account of a far-right British ultranationalist who had been convicted for harassing a Muslim. The backlash was swift, with British Prime Minister Theresa May saying “the President is wrong to have done this.” But Trump’s retweeting of controversial (sometimes outright false) content is part of a pattern. For example, during the 2016 campaign, George Stephanopoulos asked Donald Trump about his retweet of a follower who insisted that both Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz were ineligible for the presidency. "@ResisTyr: Mr.Trump...BOTH Cruz AND Rubio are ineligible to be POTUS! It's a SLAM DUNK CASE!! Check it! https://t.co/NjqWP0pP6X" — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 20 February 2016 × Trump dismissed Stephanopoulos’ question with “it was a retweet” – as if to say that retweeting someone else’s claim meant that he wasn’t responsible for the content. When pressed, Trump continued: “I mean, let people make their own determination. I’ve never looked at it, George. I honestly have never looked at it. As somebody said, he’s not [eligible]…and I retweet things and we start dialogue and it’s very interesting.” It’s a response that can be reduced to I’m not saying it, I’m just saying it. As a scholar of American political rhetoric, I’ve previously written about the ways that Donald Trump’s rhetorical style mirrors that of polarising figures like George Wallace and Joseph McCarthy. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that what sets Trump apart is his reliance upon paralipsis, a device that enables him to publicly say things that he can later disavow – without ever having to take responsibility for his words. Just saying… The art of rhetoric – or persuasive communication – can include any number of forms: speeches, essays, tweets, images, films and more. Paralipsis (para, “side” and leipein, “to leave”) is a Greek term that translates to “leave to the side.” It’s thought to be an ironic way for a speaker to say two things at once. For example, say you wanted to imply that your coworker takes too many coffee breaks without actually accusing him wasting time at work. You might say something like, “I’m not saying that he drinks more coffee than anyone else in the office, but every time I go to the break room, he’s in there.” You might also shrug and make a “something seems kind of off” facial expression. Paralipsis is a powerful rhetorical device because it can also allow someone to make a false accusation – or spread a false rumour – while skirting consequences. And Trump has become a master at wielding this tool. For example, after he was widely condemned for retweeting a graphic of homicide data delineated by race, FactCheck.org found that “almost every figure in the graphic is wrong.” His response on the Bill O’Reilly Show was: Bill, I didn’t tweet, I retweeted somebody that was supposedly an expert, and it was also a radio show…am I gonna check every statistic? …All it was is a retweet. And it wasn’t from me. It came out of a radio show, and other places…This was a retweet. And it comes from sources that are very credible, what can I tell you? In other words: I’m not saying, I’m just saying. Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly used paralipsis to deflect criticism that he’s courting white supremacists. In January 2016, Trump retweeted a photoshopped image of Jeb Bush from a user with the handle WhiteGenocideTM. In response to the backlash he received for retweeting a white supremacist, Trump simply shrugged: “I don’t know about retweeting. You retweet somebody and they turn out to be white supremacists. I know nothing about these groups that are supporting me.” Likewise, he blamed a faulty earpiece for his unwillingness to disavow David Duke and the KKK in a CNN interview: I don’t know anything about what you’re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So I don’t know. I don’t know – did he endorse me, or what’s going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists. I’m not saying, I’m just saying. And when Gawker tricked Trump into retweeting a quote from Benito Mussolini during the campaign, his response was “What difference does it make whether it’s Mussolini or somebody else? It’s certainly a very interesting quote.” Accountability and responsibility Certainly, it’s a good thing to “start dialogue.” Trump knows that “interesting” content attracts retweets, followers, audiences and media attention. However, there’s danger in circulating accusations and rumours, even if the purpose is to “start dialogue.” Research shows that once an accusation or a rumour begins to circulate, it’s very difficult to retract. Often, a retraction or clarification doesn’t receive as much attention as the initial accusation. Meanwhile, the mere act of retracting misinformation can reaffirm the deceptive assertions as facts, even after the clarification. So what does it mean when a political figure gains a devoted following and rises to prominence – yet consistently avoids taking responsibility for the content of his public messages? Political theorists, rhetoricians and historians have grappled with this exact problem since the rise of the “demagogue” in Athens in 429 B.C., when Pericles’ death created a vacuum for “unofficial” leaders of the people to rise to power. The danger, according to political scientist Ernest Barker, was that “such a leader – having no official executive position – could exercise initiative and determine policy without incurring political responsibility, since it was not his duty to execute the policy which he had induced the assembly to accept.” In the Greek context, Barker described the danger of demagogues who weren’t tasked with implementing the policies for which they advocated. In our current political context, Trump can argue that he can’t be held accountable because he wasn’t the one who originally posted the tweet. He can shrug and claim that he’s simply giving a voice to an idea. In both cases, the defining feature of demagogues is their refusal to accept responsibility for their actions. Yet Donald Trump (the television star) routinely fired people on his show “The Apprentice” for failing to take responsibility for their team’s failures. And he’s often given lectures on “responsibility” to his Twitter followers, like on February 14, 2013 when he invited his followers to “take responsibility for yourself – it’s a very empowering attitude.” To use the President’s brand of paralipsis: I’m not saying that Trump’s a hypocrite and a demagogue. I’m just saying that he doesn’t exactly follow his own advice. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity). Image Credit: Shutterstock

Opinion: Why Trump's retweets are so harmful

<p>Former US&nbsp;National Security Adviser Michael Flynn admitted on Friday that he asked Russia to delay a UN&nbsp;vote seen as damaging to Israel, but diplomats said it was not the only country he and presidential adviser Jared Kushner lobbied.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the hours before the vote by the 15-member United Nations Security Council on December 23, Flynn also phoned the UN&nbsp;missions of Uruguay and Malaysia, and Kushner spoke with Kim Darroch, the British ambassador to the United States, according to diplomats familiar with the conversations, who spoke on condition of anonymity.</p>

<p>The lobbying took place before Republican President Donald Trump, who was known for his pro-Israel campaign rhetoric, took office on January 20. It failed, with the Security Council adopting a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlement building on land Palestinians want for an independent state. The vote was 14 in favour and one abstention by the United States.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The efforts made on Israel&#39;s behalf capped several days of unusual diplomacy. In a surprise December 21 move, Egypt had called for a vote the next day on the draft resolution, prompting both Trump and Israel to urge Washington to veto the text.</p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ex-trump-aide-flynn-pleads-guilty-to-lying-about-russia-links-25647">Ex-Trump aide Flynn pleads guilty to lying about Russia links</a></p>

<p>A senior Israeli official told Reuters that Israeli officials contacted Trump&#39;s transition team at a &quot;high level&quot; to ask for help after failing to persuade Democratic President Barack Obama&#39;s administration to veto the draft UN&nbsp;resolution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to court documents made public on Friday, a member of Trump&#39;s presidential transition team, later identified by sources as Trump&#39;s son-in-law Kushner, told Flynn on December 22 to contact officials from foreign governments, including Russia, to convince them to delay the vote or veto the resolution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Flynn spoke with then-Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak that day, and again the following day, according to the court documents.</p>

<p>Also on December 22, Trump discussed the resolution with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Egypt withdrew the text from a council vote the same day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 1799 Logan Act bars unauthorised private US&nbsp;citizens, which Trump, Flynn, and Kushner all were at the time, from negotiating with foreign governments. However, only two Americans have ever been indicted for allegedly violating it &ndash; in 1802 and 1852 &ndash; and neither was convicted.</p>

<p>Abbe Lowell, a lawyer for Kushner, did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Friday about Israel or other issues.</p>

<p><strong>A second go-round</strong></p>

<p>After Egypt withdrew the resolution, its co-sponsors, New Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Senegal, put it forward again for a December 23 vote.</p>

<p>In Washington, Kushner was in contact with Britain&#39;s Darroch, and Flynn spoke with Kislyak - lobbying to delay the vote or veto the resolution.</p>

<p>A resolution needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the council&#39;s five permanent members - China, Britain, France, Russia, and the United States - to be adopted.</p>

<p>Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who died in February, signalled to colleagues behind closed doors on Dec. 23 that he was unhappy with the haste with which the draft resolution was being put to a vote, but he did not ask for the vote to be delayed, diplomats said.</p>

<p>Flynn also tried to speak to Malaysian UN&nbsp;Ambassador Ramlan Bin Ibrahim, but Ibrahim did not take the call. He also called the Uruguayan UN&nbsp;mission, eventually getting through to Deputy Ambassador Luis Bermudez &ndash; who was the charge d&#39;affaires - minutes before the vote.</p>


A member of Trump's presidential transition team, later identified by sources as Trump's son-in-law Kushner, told Flynn on December 22 to contact officials from foreign governments, including Russia, to convince them to delay the vote or veto the resolution

Former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn admitted on Friday that he asked Russia to delay a UN vote seen as damaging to Israel, but diplomats said it was not the only country he and presidential adviser Jared Kushner lobbied. In the hours before the vote by the 15-member United Nations Security Council on December 23, Flynn also phoned the UN missions of Uruguay and Malaysia, and Kushner spoke with Kim Darroch, the British ambassador to the United States, according to diplomats familiar with the conversations, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The lobbying took place before Republican President Donald Trump, who was known for his pro-Israel campaign rhetoric, took office on January 20. It failed, with the Security Council adopting a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlement building on land Palestinians want for an independent state. The vote was 14 in favour and one abstention by the United States. The efforts made on Israel's behalf capped several days of unusual diplomacy. In a surprise December 21 move, Egypt had called for a vote the next day on the draft resolution, prompting both Trump and Israel to urge Washington to veto the text. Also read: Ex-Trump aide Flynn pleads guilty to lying about Russia links A senior Israeli official told Reuters that Israeli officials contacted Trump's transition team at a "high level" to ask for help after failing to persuade Democratic President Barack Obama's administration to veto the draft UN resolution. According to court documents made public on Friday, a member of Trump's presidential transition team, later identified by sources as Trump's son-in-law Kushner, told Flynn on December 22 to contact officials from foreign governments, including Russia, to convince them to delay the vote or veto the resolution. Flynn spoke with then-Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak that day, and again the following day, according to the court documents. Also on December 22, Trump discussed the resolution with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Egypt withdrew the text from a council vote the same day. The 1799 Logan Act bars unauthorised private US citizens, which Trump, Flynn, and Kushner all were at the time, from negotiating with foreign governments. However, only two Americans have ever been indicted for allegedly violating it – in 1802 and 1852 – and neither was convicted. Abbe Lowell, a lawyer for Kushner, did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Friday about Israel or other issues. A second go-round After Egypt withdrew the resolution, its co-sponsors, New Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Senegal, put it forward again for a December 23 vote. In Washington, Kushner was in contact with Britain's Darroch, and Flynn spoke with Kislyak - lobbying to delay the vote or veto the resolution. A resolution needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the council's five permanent members - China, Britain, France, Russia, and the United States - to be adopted. Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who died in February, signalled to colleagues behind closed doors on Dec. 23 that he was unhappy with the haste with which the draft resolution was being put to a vote, but he did not ask for the vote to be delayed, diplomats said. Flynn also tried to speak to Malaysian UN Ambassador Ramlan Bin Ibrahim, but Ibrahim did not take the call. He also called the Uruguayan UN mission, eventually getting through to Deputy Ambassador Luis Bermudez – who was the charge d'affaires - minutes before the vote.

Flynn, Kushner targeted several states in failed UN lobbying: Diplomats

<p>Donald Trump&#39;s former top advisor Michael Flynn pleaded guilty Friday to lying to the FBI over his contacts with Russia, in a dramatic escalation of the probe into possible collusion between the president&#39;s campaign team and Moscow.</p>

<p>The 58-year-old Flynn, a retired three-star Army general, is the most senior figure indicted in special prosecutor Robert Mueller&#39;s sprawling investigation into Russian interference in last year&#39;s election.</p>

<p>Flynn&#39;s admission that he had secret discussions in December 2016 with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, with direction from top officials in Trump&#39;s presidential transition team, set Washington abuzz with speculation as to who in the Republican leader&#39;s inner circle might next be in Mueller&#39;s sights.</p>

<p>The Washington Post reported, citing unnamed sources, that one of the &quot;very senior&quot; officials advising Flynn to contact the Russian envoy was Trump&#39;s son-in-law and senior aide Jared Kushner.</p>

<p>Flynn&#39;s guilty plea, on one federal charge of making false statements to investigators, came with a pledge to cooperate with Mueller, whose focus goes beyond possible collusion with Russia to shady business dealings and whether Trump himself tried to thwart the investigation.</p>

<p>The White House rejected the idea that Flynn could implicate &quot;anyone&quot; else, as ABC News reported that Flynn would testify that Trump ordered him to reach out to Moscow, news that sent Wall Street shares tumbling.</p>

<p>&quot;I recognise that the actions I acknowledged in court today were wrong,&quot; Flynn said in a statement after a brief appearance in federal court in the US capital.</p>

<p>&quot;My guilty plea and agreement to cooperate with the special counsel&#39;s office reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country. I accept full responsibility for my actions.&quot;</p>

<p>The charge normally carries up to five years in prison, but under the terms of the plea deal, Mueller says he has recommended a lighter sentence of only up to six months in jail, court filings show.</p>

<p><strong>Flynn lied over Russia contacts&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Flynn admitted he lied to FBI investigators about his private discussions at the end of December 2016 with Kislyak about US sanctions imposed on Moscow by the administration of then President Barack Obama.</p>

<p>At the time, Flynn was a campaign and transition advisor with no official US government role, but he was clearly a top candidate to become Trump&#39;s White House national security advisor.</p>

<p>Flynn eventually was given that post but was forced to resign in February, just weeks after the president took office, due to public concerns over his contacts with Russia.</p>

<p>According to court documents released by prosecutors, on December 28 last year, Flynn asked Kislyak to moderate Russia&#39;s response to new sanctions and the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats, announced by Obama in retaliation for Moscow&#39;s interference in the 2016 election.</p>

<p>The documents say he took that action based on discussions with &quot;a senior official of the Presidential Transition Team.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the December 29 announcement, the Obama administration was openly puzzled by Moscow&#39;s decision not to retaliate and began investigating possible interference by Flynn and the Trump campaign.</p>

<p>A week earlier, under the instruction of &quot;a very senior member&quot; of the transition team, Flynn also secretly asked Kislyak to defeat or delay a looming UN Security Council resolution to condemn Israel&#39;s settlements in Palestinian territory, according to court filings.</p>

<p>While the two interactions do not clearly suggest collusion, they raise questions about the Trump team&#39;s dealings with Moscow before taking office and whether they actively worked to undermine Obama&#39;s policies.</p>

<p>The White House, which has long denied any wrongdoing in relation to Moscow, said Flynn&#39;s admitted lies about those meetings &quot;mirror the false statements to White House officials which resulted in his resignation.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;Nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr Flynn,&quot; said White House attorney Ty Cobb.</p>

<p><strong>Trump still denies Russian interference&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Since the first allegations of Russian interference last year, and despite reports from top US intelligence officials concluding it happened, Trump has dismissed the notion as &quot;fake news&quot; and an excuse for Democratic rival Hillary Clinton&#39;s loss at the polls.</p>

<p>&quot;Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phoney Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia, Russia.&nbsp;Despite this I have the economy booming and have possibly done more than any 10 month President. Make America great again!&quot;.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phony Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia,Russia. Despite this I have the economy booming and have possibly done more than any 10 month President. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/934896989539586054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>But Friday&#39;s news made clear that Trump&#39;s inner circle could increasingly come under the microscope.</p>

<p>For Trump, the focus is on whether he has tried to stifle the investigation, including by firing FBI chief James Comey in May, which could draw obstruction of justice charges, the same charges that forced President Richard Nixon from office in 1974.</p>

<p>On social media: Comey posted a biblical verse: &quot;But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;The one individual that still seems to deny that this is a major issue is Donald Trump. And I just kind of wonder why&quot; Democratic Senator Mark Warner told CNN.</p>

<p><strong>Fourth person charged by Mueller&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Three others have been charged in the Mueller probe.</p>

<p>In October, Trump&#39;s one-time campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates were arrested on money laundering and tax-related charges.</p>

<p>George Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign foreign policy advisor, pleaded guilty to a charge of lying to investigators in a deal that made clear he was cooperating with investigators.</p>


The 58-year-old Flynn, a retired three-star Army general, is the most senior figure indicted in special prosecutor Robert Mueller's sprawling investigation into Russian interference in last year's election.

Donald Trump's former top advisor Michael Flynn pleaded guilty Friday to lying to the FBI over his contacts with Russia, in a dramatic escalation of the probe into possible collusion between the president's campaign team and Moscow. The 58-year-old Flynn, a retired three-star Army general, is the most senior figure indicted in special prosecutor Robert Mueller's sprawling investigation into Russian interference in last year's election. Flynn's admission that he had secret discussions in December 2016 with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, with direction from top officials in Trump's presidential transition team, set Washington abuzz with speculation as to who in the Republican leader's inner circle might next be in Mueller's sights. The Washington Post reported, citing unnamed sources, that one of the "very senior" officials advising Flynn to contact the Russian envoy was Trump's son-in-law and senior aide Jared Kushner. Flynn's guilty plea, on one federal charge of making false statements to investigators, came with a pledge to cooperate with Mueller, whose focus goes beyond possible collusion with Russia to shady business dealings and whether Trump himself tried to thwart the investigation. The White House rejected the idea that Flynn could implicate "anyone" else, as ABC News reported that Flynn would testify that Trump ordered him to reach out to Moscow, news that sent Wall Street shares tumbling. "I recognise that the actions I acknowledged in court today were wrong," Flynn said in a statement after a brief appearance in federal court in the US capital. "My guilty plea and agreement to cooperate with the special counsel's office reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country. I accept full responsibility for my actions." The charge normally carries up to five years in prison, but under the terms of the plea deal, Mueller says he has recommended a lighter sentence of only up to six months in jail, court filings show. Flynn lied over Russia contacts Flynn admitted he lied to FBI investigators about his private discussions at the end of December 2016 with Kislyak about US sanctions imposed on Moscow by the administration of then President Barack Obama. At the time, Flynn was a campaign and transition advisor with no official US government role, but he was clearly a top candidate to become Trump's White House national security advisor. Flynn eventually was given that post but was forced to resign in February, just weeks after the president took office, due to public concerns over his contacts with Russia. According to court documents released by prosecutors, on December 28 last year, Flynn asked Kislyak to moderate Russia's response to new sanctions and the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats, announced by Obama in retaliation for Moscow's interference in the 2016 election. The documents say he took that action based on discussions with "a senior official of the Presidential Transition Team." After the December 29 announcement, the Obama administration was openly puzzled by Moscow's decision not to retaliate and began investigating possible interference by Flynn and the Trump campaign. A week earlier, under the instruction of "a very senior member" of the transition team, Flynn also secretly asked Kislyak to defeat or delay a looming UN Security Council resolution to condemn Israel's settlements in Palestinian territory, according to court filings. While the two interactions do not clearly suggest collusion, they raise questions about the Trump team's dealings with Moscow before taking office and whether they actively worked to undermine Obama's policies. The White House, which has long denied any wrongdoing in relation to Moscow, said Flynn's admitted lies about those meetings "mirror the false statements to White House officials which resulted in his resignation." "Nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr Flynn," said White House attorney Ty Cobb. Trump still denies Russian interference Since the first allegations of Russian interference last year, and despite reports from top US intelligence officials concluding it happened, Trump has dismissed the notion as "fake news" and an excuse for Democratic rival Hillary Clinton's loss at the polls. "Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phoney Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia, Russia. Despite this I have the economy booming and have possibly done more than any 10 month President. Make America great again!". Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phony Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia,Russia. Despite this I have the economy booming and have possibly done more than any 10 month President. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2017 × But Friday's news made clear that Trump's inner circle could increasingly come under the microscope. For Trump, the focus is on whether he has tried to stifle the investigation, including by firing FBI chief James Comey in May, which could draw obstruction of justice charges, the same charges that forced President Richard Nixon from office in 1974. On social media: Comey posted a biblical verse: "But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." "The one individual that still seems to deny that this is a major issue is Donald Trump. And I just kind of wonder why" Democratic Senator Mark Warner told CNN. Fourth person charged by Mueller Three others have been charged in the Mueller probe. In October, Trump's one-time campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates were arrested on money laundering and tax-related charges. George Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign foreign policy advisor, pleaded guilty to a charge of lying to investigators in a deal that made clear he was cooperating with investigators.

Ex-Trump aide Flynn pleads guilty to lying about Russia links

<p><br />
A British woman who was wrongly tagged by US President Donald Trump on Twitter mistaking her for UK Prime Minister Theresa May, has sought an apology from the White House,&nbsp;</p>

<p>Theresa May Scrivener, a housewife, said she has been unable to leave her home.</p>

<p>Scrivener, who lives in the coastal town of Bognor in West Sussex, used her middle name when she set up her Twitter handle @TheresaMay in 2009.</p>

<p>Trump tagged that handle instead of the British Prime Minister&#39;s handle before deleting the message to send it to the correct handle: &quot;@Theresa_May don&#39;t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!&quot;.</p>

<p>Trump&#39;s tweet was a response to the British Prime Minister&#39;s rebuke that the US President was &quot;wrong&quot; to re-tweet controversial anti-Muslim videos posted by British far-right group Britain First.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/theresa_may?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Theresa_May</a>, don&rsquo;t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/936037588372283392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;It&#39;s amazing to think that the world&#39;s most powerful man managed to press the wrong button. I&#39;m just waiting for a call from the White House with an apology,&quot; said Scrivener, who has been bombarded by messages from contrite Americans apologising for their President.</p>

<p>&quot;I haven&#39;t been able to leave my house. I&#39;ve been bombarded and been contacted by press from around the world... I&#39;m just glad he was not contacting me to say he was going to war with North Korea,&quot; the 41-year-old said.</p>

<p>Scrivener, whose Twitter account has just six followers compared with Prime Minister May&#39;s 427,000, has said she has no plans of changing her social media account name.</p>

<p>&quot;He [Trump] needs to think before he tweets. We - Theresa May and I - are so different. Our profiles are completely different. She runs the country, I&#39;m a mum from Bognor,&quot; she said, refusing to be drawn any further into the controversy over the content of Us President&#39;s tweets.</p>

<p>Trump&#39;s re-tweet of three videos first posted by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First, has created a major uproar in the UK.</p>

<p>Several MPs have demanded that a state visit invitation, extended to the US President on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, be withdrawn in protest.&nbsp;</p>


Scrivener, who lives in the coastal town of Bognor in West Sussex, used her middle name when she set up her Twitter handle @TheresaMay in 2009.

A British woman who was wrongly tagged by US President Donald Trump on Twitter mistaking her for UK Prime Minister Theresa May, has sought an apology from the White House, Theresa May Scrivener, a housewife, said she has been unable to leave her home. Scrivener, who lives in the coastal town of Bognor in West Sussex, used her middle name when she set up her Twitter handle @TheresaMay in 2009. Trump tagged that handle instead of the British Prime Minister's handle before deleting the message to send it to the correct handle: "@Theresa_May don't focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!". Trump's tweet was a response to the British Prime Minister's rebuke that the US President was "wrong" to re-tweet controversial anti-Muslim videos posted by British far-right group Britain First. .@Theresa_May, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2017 × "It's amazing to think that the world's most powerful man managed to press the wrong button. I'm just waiting for a call from the White House with an apology," said Scrivener, who has been bombarded by messages from contrite Americans apologising for their President. "I haven't been able to leave my house. I've been bombarded and been contacted by press from around the world... I'm just glad he was not contacting me to say he was going to war with North Korea," the 41-year-old said. Scrivener, whose Twitter account has just six followers compared with Prime Minister May's 427,000, has said she has no plans of changing her social media account name. "He [Trump] needs to think before he tweets. We - Theresa May and I - are so different. Our profiles are completely different. She runs the country, I'm a mum from Bognor," she said, refusing to be drawn any further into the controversy over the content of Us President's tweets. Trump's re-tweet of three videos first posted by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First, has created a major uproar in the UK. Several MPs have demanded that a state visit invitation, extended to the US President on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, be withdrawn in protest.

Wrong 'Theresa May' tagged by Trump on Twitter demands apology

<p>Former US president Barack Obama launched a veiled barb at his successor Donald Trump on Friday, saying there is &quot;a pause in American leadership&quot; on climate change.</p>

<p>Since leaving office in January, Obama has been relatively restrained in his comments about Trump, who frequently fires broadsides at his predecessor&#39;s policies.</p>

<p>But he took aim at the Republican president in a New Delhi speech over Trump&#39;s threat to leave the 2015 <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/world-leaders-react-to-trumps-paris-climate-accord-withdrawal-3600">Paris climate accord on slashing global carbon emissions</a>.</p>

<p>&quot;It is an agreement that -- even though we have a little bit of a pause in American leadership --&nbsp;is giving our children a fighting chance,&quot; Obama told a symposium organised by the Hindustan Times newspaper.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;And the good news is that in the United States, there are states, companies and universities and cities that are continuing to work to make sure that America lives up to that agreements that we made in the Paris accords,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>Trump has threatened several times to withdraw from the Paris accord saying it is crippling US business. He has called for the agreement to be renegotiated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Obama would not be drawn into other questions about the US administration during his appearance in New Delhi, but the former president did attack &quot;destructive populism from the left or the right&quot; that he called a threat to modern democracy.</p>

<p>&quot;The thing I love about America and I suspect the thing you love about India is just this cacophony of life and it throws up all kinds of variety,&quot; Obama said in response to one attempt to force a comment on Trump.</p>

<p>&quot;There are political trends in American that I don&#39;t agree with and abide by but I recognise as part of a running thread in American life.&quot;</p>

<p>The two-term leader said he has become &quot;obsessed&quot; with the way news is handled and consumed, particularly by the young.</p>

<p>&quot;We are more connected than ever before but ... more and more we are fitting facts to suit our opinions rather than formulating our opinions based on facts,&quot; said Obama, who was in China before visiting India, and next goes to Paris.</p>

<p>&quot;This poses a great danger because democracies can&#39;t function if we can&#39;t agree on a basic baseline of what is true and what is false.&quot;</p>


'It is an agreement that -- even though we have a little bit of a pause in American leadership --?is giving our children a fighting chance,' Obama told a symposium organised by the Hindustan Times newspaper

Former US president Barack Obama launched a veiled barb at his successor Donald Trump on Friday, saying there is "a pause in American leadership" on climate change. Since leaving office in January, Obama has been relatively restrained in his comments about Trump, who frequently fires broadsides at his predecessor's policies. But he took aim at the Republican president in a New Delhi speech over Trump's threat to leave the 2015 Paris climate accord on slashing global carbon emissions. "It is an agreement that -- even though we have a little bit of a pause in American leadership -- is giving our children a fighting chance," Obama told a symposium organised by the Hindustan Times newspaper. "And the good news is that in the United States, there are states, companies and universities and cities that are continuing to work to make sure that America lives up to that agreements that we made in the Paris accords," he added. Trump has threatened several times to withdraw from the Paris accord saying it is crippling US business. He has called for the agreement to be renegotiated. Obama would not be drawn into other questions about the US administration during his appearance in New Delhi, but the former president did attack "destructive populism from the left or the right" that he called a threat to modern democracy. "The thing I love about America and I suspect the thing you love about India is just this cacophony of life and it throws up all kinds of variety," Obama said in response to one attempt to force a comment on Trump. "There are political trends in American that I don't agree with and abide by but I recognise as part of a running thread in American life." The two-term leader said he has become "obsessed" with the way news is handled and consumed, particularly by the young. "We are more connected than ever before but ... more and more we are fitting facts to suit our opinions rather than formulating our opinions based on facts," said Obama, who was in China before visiting India, and next goes to Paris. "This poses a great danger because democracies can't function if we can't agree on a basic baseline of what is true and what is false."

Obama digs at Trump over climate change

<p>The White House has responded to the speculations surrounding replacing of Secretary of state, Rex Tillerson on Thursday.</p>

<p>The White House said that he is still in the job and there are no personnel announcements at this time.</p>

<p>&quot;Secretary Tillerson continues to lead the State Department and the entire cabinet is focused on completing this incredibly successful first year of President Trump&#39;s administration,&quot; AFP reported press secretary Sarah Sanders as saying.</p>

<p>The dismissal by White House came after several media reports were doing rounds that plans are being drawn up to replace him with CIA chief Mike Pompeo.</p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-has-plan-to-replace-secretary-of-state-rex-tillerson-with-cia-chief-us-official-25545">White House has plan to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with CIA chief: US official</a></p>

<p>US President Donald Trump and Rex Tillerson also had policy differences.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man...</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/914497877543735296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/whos-the-moron-trump-challenges-tillerson-to-iq-test-21258">Who&#39;s the moron? Trump challenges Tillerson to IQ test</a></p>


The White House said that he is still in the job and there are no personnel announcements at this time

The White House has responded to the speculations surrounding replacing of Secretary of state, Rex Tillerson on Thursday. The White House said that he is still in the job and there are no personnel announcements at this time. "Secretary Tillerson continues to lead the State Department and the entire cabinet is focused on completing this incredibly successful first year of President Trump's administration," AFP reported press secretary Sarah Sanders as saying. The dismissal by White House came after several media reports were doing rounds that plans are being drawn up to replace him with CIA chief Mike Pompeo. Also read: White House has plan to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with CIA chief: US official US President Donald Trump and Rex Tillerson also had policy differences. I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2017 × Also read: Who's the moron? Trump challenges Tillerson to IQ test

White House dismisses reports of Tillerson replacement

<p>US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday dismissed reports that President Donald Trump wants him to resign.</p>

<p>Asked by reporters whether leaks from the White House were designed to force him out, Tillerson said: &quot;It&#39;s laughable.&quot;</p>

<p>The Newyork Times first reported that the White House had developed a plan to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Mike Pompeo, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, within weeks, a senior Trump administration official said on Thursday.</p>

<p>Under the plan, Republican Senator Tom Cotton would be tapped to replace Pompeo at the CIA, the New York Times reported, citing senior officials.</p>

<p>The Times, the first to report the plan, said it was not immediately clear whether President Donald Trump had given final approval to the shakeup.</p>


Asked by reporters whether leaks from the White House were designed to force him out, Tillerson said: "It`s laughable."

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday dismissed reports that President Donald Trump wants him to resign. Asked by reporters whether leaks from the White House were designed to force him out, Tillerson said: "It's laughable." The Newyork Times first reported that the White House had developed a plan to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Mike Pompeo, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, within weeks, a senior Trump administration official said on Thursday. Under the plan, Republican Senator Tom Cotton would be tapped to replace Pompeo at the CIA, the New York Times reported, citing senior officials. The Times, the first to report the plan, said it was not immediately clear whether President Donald Trump had given final approval to the shakeup.

'It's laughable,' says Tillerson on Trump firing him

<p>London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Thursday accused the United States president Donald Trump of using Twitter to promote a &#39;&#39;vile and extremist group&#39;&#39; after latter retweeted three inflammatory videos posted online by a British far-right group. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;President <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-attacks-british-pm-may-after-she-criticises-his-retweeting-of-anti-islam-videos-25473">Trump yesterday used Twitter to promote a vile,</a> extremist group that exists solely to sow division and hatred in our country,&#39;&#39; the London Mayor said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">President Trump has used Twitter to promote a vile, extremist group that exists solely to sow division and hatred in our country. It&#39;s increasingly clear that any official visit from President Trump to Britain would not be welcomed. <a href="https://t.co/rwJJ5saSAb">https://t.co/rwJJ5saSAb</a> <a href="https://t.co/bus3kMWIfk">pic.twitter.com/bus3kMWIfk</a></p>
&mdash; Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorofLondon/status/936172490283503616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p><br />
Many Brits who love America and Americans will see this as a betrayal of the special relationship between our two countries, Khan said and added &#39;&#39;It beggars belief that the President of our closest ally doesn&#39;t see that his support of this extremist group actively undermines the values of tolerance and diversity that makes Britain so great.&#39;&#39;&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
The London Mayor earlier asked the British Prime Minister Theresa May to cancel her offer to US president for a state visit. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/theresa_may?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Theresa_May</a>, don&rsquo;t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/936037588372283392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&#39;&#39;As the Mayor of this great diverse city, I have previously called on Theresa May to cancel her ill-judged offer of a state visit to President Trump. After this latest incident, it is increasingly clear that any official visit at all from President Trump to Britain would not be welcomed,&#39;&#39; he said. &nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
The Prime Minister of our country should be using any influence she and her government claim to have with the President and his administration to ask him to delete these tweets and to apologise to the British people, Khan concluded his statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Lond Mayor also tweeted the statement on his official Twitter handle. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
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Trump retweeted three inflammatory videos posted online by a British far-right group.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Thursday accused the United States president Donald Trump of using Twitter to promote a ''vile and extremist group'' after latter retweeted three inflammatory videos posted online by a British far-right group. ''President Trump yesterday used Twitter to promote a vile, extremist group that exists solely to sow division and hatred in our country,'' the London Mayor said in a statement. President Trump has used Twitter to promote a vile, extremist group that exists solely to sow division and hatred in our country. It's increasingly clear that any official visit from President Trump to Britain would not be welcomed. https://t.co/rwJJ5saSAb pic.twitter.com/bus3kMWIfk — Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) November 30, 2017 × Many Brits who love America and Americans will see this as a betrayal of the special relationship between our two countries, Khan said and added ''It beggars belief that the President of our closest ally doesn't see that his support of this extremist group actively undermines the values of tolerance and diversity that makes Britain so great.'' The London Mayor earlier asked the British Prime Minister Theresa May to cancel her offer to US president for a state visit. .@Theresa_May, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2017 × ''As the Mayor of this great diverse city, I have previously called on Theresa May to cancel her ill-judged offer of a state visit to President Trump. After this latest incident, it is increasingly clear that any official visit at all from President Trump to Britain would not be welcomed,'' he said. The Prime Minister of our country should be using any influence she and her government claim to have with the President and his administration to ask him to delete these tweets and to apologise to the British people, Khan concluded his statement. The Lond Mayor also tweeted the statement on his official Twitter handle.

London Mayor asks Trump to delete far-right retweets and apologise to British people

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-warns-north-korean-leadership-will-be-utterly-destroyed-in-case-of-war-25470" target="_blank">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-warns-north-korean-leadership-will-be-utterly-destroyed-in-case-of-war-25470" target="_blank"> warns North Korean leadership will be &#39;utterly destroyed&#39; if war breaks out</a></p>

<p>The United States warned the North Korean leadership that it would be &quot;utterly destroyed&quot; if war were to break out, after Pyongyang test-fired its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, putting the US mainland within range.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/now-assams-brahmaputra-river-also-turns-black-report-25476" target="_blank">Now, Assam&#39;s Brahmaputra river also turns black: Report</a></p>

<p>After reports that the colour of the water of the river Siang in Arunachal Pradesh turned black, comes a report that the water downstream of the river Brahmaputra in Assam has changed to black as well.</p>

<p><br />
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-attacks-british-pm-may-after-she-criticises-his-retweeting-of-anti-islam-videos-25473" target="_blank">Trump attacks British PM May after she criticises his retweeting of anti-Islam videos</a></p>

<p>Donald Trump hit back publicly at British Prime Minister Theresa May after she criticised his retweeting of anti-Islam videos.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/bosnian-croat-war-crimes-convict-dies-after-taking-poison-in-court-report-25472" target="_blank">Bosnian-Croat war crimes convict dies after taking &#39;poison&#39; in court: Report</a></p>

<p>A Bosnian Croat wartime commander died after swallowing what he said was poison in a UN war crimes courtroom on Wednesday after losing an appeal against a 20-year prison sentence, Croatian state TV said.</p>

<p><br />
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/epl-league-leaders-manchester-city-win-chasers-keep-chasing-25474" target="_blank">EPL: League leaders Manchester City win, chasers keep chasing</a></p>

<p>With Manchester United having cut the gap with league leaders Manchester City to five points and Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool winning, any City stutter would have been cause for celebration. But Pep Guardiola&#39;s side thundered on with a club record 12th successive league victory.</p>


US warns North Korean leadership will be 'utterly destroyed' if war breaks out The United States warned the North Korean leadership that it would be "utterly destroyed" if war were to break out, after Pyongyang test-fired its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, putting the US mainland within range. Now, Assam's Brahmaputra river also turns black: Report After reports that the colour of the water of the river Siang in Arunachal Pradesh turned black, comes a report that the water downstream of the river Brahmaputra in Assam has changed to black as well. Trump attacks British PM May after she criticises his retweeting of anti-Islam videos Donald Trump hit back publicly at British Prime Minister Theresa May after she criticised his retweeting of anti-Islam videos. Bosnian-Croat war crimes convict dies after taking 'poison' in court: Report A Bosnian Croat wartime commander died after swallowing what he said was poison in a UN war crimes courtroom on Wednesday after losing an appeal against a 20-year prison sentence, Croatian state TV said. EPL: League leaders Manchester City win, chasers keep chasing With Manchester United having cut the gap with league leaders Manchester City to five points and Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool winning, any City stutter would have been cause for celebration. But Pep Guardiola's side thundered on with a club record 12th successive league victory.

WION morning news brief, November 30, 2017

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/arunachal-pradeshs-siang-river-turns-black-flows-as-the-blackened-brahmaputra-in-assam-25522">Watch: Locals enraged as Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh turns black</a></p>

<p><br />
Arunachal Pradesh was recently in the headlines when Siang river in Pasighat was reported to have turned black. WION has gathered that Ninong Ering, Congress MP from the east Constituency has already written to PM Modi seeking his intervention on the issue.</p>

<p><br />
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/cyclone-ockhi-approaches-lakshadweep-south-india-on-alert-580">Cyclone Ockhi approaches Lakshadweep, south India on alert</a></p>

<p>A depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclone on Thursday. The Indian weather department has warned cyclone Ockhi is approaching Lakshadeep. There have reports of heavy rainfall in most of the isolated places of south Tamil Nadu &amp; south Kerala, which will likely to continue for the next 24 hours.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/london-mayor-asks-trump-to-delete-far-right-retweets-and-apologise-to-british-people-25527">London Mayor asks Trump to delete far-right retweets and </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/london-mayor-asks-trump-to-delete-far-right-retweets-and-apologise-to-british-people-25527">apologise</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/london-mayor-asks-trump-to-delete-far-right-retweets-and-apologise-to-british-people-25527"> to British people</a></p>

<p>London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Thursday accused the United States president Donald Trump of using Twitter to promote a &#39;&#39;vile and extremist group&#39;&#39; after latter retweeted three inflammatory videos posted online by a British far-right group. &nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmavati-row-the-questions-a-parliamentary-panel-is-expected-to-ask-bhansali-prasoon-joshi-today-25509">Padmavati row: The questions a Parliamentary panel is expected to ask Bhansali, Prasoon Joshi today</a></p>

<p>Padmavati director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi are expected to meet a Parliamentary panel today. There have been strong protests against Bhansali&#39;s movie Padmavati, which Rajput and Hindu groups say disrespects Rajput history.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pervez-musharraf-im-lashkars-biggest-supporter-they-like-me-too-25405">I am Lashkar&#39;s biggest supporter, I know they like me: Pervez Musharraf</a></p>

<p><br />
Pervez Musharraf has said that he is banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba&#39;s (LeT) &quot;biggest supporter&quot; and that he is aware that they &quot;like&quot; him too. In an interview with Pakistan&#39;s ARY News, Musharraf said that he is similarly appreciative of LeT co-founder and the man thought to be the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks Hafiz Saeed.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Watch: Locals enraged as Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh turns black Arunachal Pradesh was recently in the headlines when Siang river in Pasighat was reported to have turned black. WION has gathered that Ninong Ering, Congress MP from the east Constituency has already written to PM Modi seeking his intervention on the issue. Cyclone Ockhi approaches Lakshadweep, south India on alert A depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclone on Thursday. The Indian weather department has warned cyclone Ockhi is approaching Lakshadeep. There have reports of heavy rainfall in most of the isolated places of south Tamil Nadu & south Kerala, which will likely to continue for the next 24 hours. London Mayor asks Trump to delete far-right retweets and apologise to British people London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Thursday accused the United States president Donald Trump of using Twitter to promote a ''vile and extremist group'' after latter retweeted three inflammatory videos posted online by a British far-right group. Padmavati row: The questions a Parliamentary panel is expected to ask Bhansali, Prasoon Joshi today Padmavati director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi are expected to meet a Parliamentary panel today. There have been strong protests against Bhansali's movie Padmavati, which Rajput and Hindu groups say disrespects Rajput history. I am Lashkar's biggest supporter, I know they like me: Pervez Musharraf Pervez Musharraf has said that he is banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) "biggest supporter" and that he is aware that they "like" him too. In an interview with Pakistan's ARY News, Musharraf said that he is similarly appreciative of LeT co-founder and the man thought to be the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks Hafiz Saeed.

WION Evening News Brief

<p>Saudi Arabia&#39;s crowned prince Mohammad bin Salman is leading with 19% votes for the TIME magazines &quot;Person of the year&quot;&nbsp;title.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He has left behind a number of influential people like Carmen Yulin Cruz, Hilary Clinton, and the social media campaign #MeToo.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>TIME magazines Person of the year poll. (Others)</p>
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<p>The poll began last week, which included 33 contenders in the running.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-arresting-top-leaders-saudi-arabia-threatens-iran-seals-border-with-yemen-23619" target="_blank"> After arresting top leaders, Saudi Arabia threatens Iran &amp; seals border with Yemen</a></p>

<p>Although the title is &quot;Person of the Year&quot;, the criteria are actually quite broad. A person, a group, an idea or even an object can be selected as the winner by TIME&#39;s editors.</p>

<p>Saudi Arabia&#39;s Crown Prince&nbsp;Salman has become popular around the world for his rapid dominance to the top of Saudi Arabia&#39;s power format, for his aspiring reform plan and a shocking corruption purge of top officials and fellow princes.</p>

<p>Also Read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-pursue-terrorists-until-they-are-wiped-out-declares-saudi-arabias-crown-prince-salman-25283">Will pursue terrorists until they are wiped out, declares Saudi Arabia&#39;s crown prince Salman</a></p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-returning-to-what-we-were-a-country-of-moderate-islam-saudi-crown-prince-22844">We are returning to what we were -- a country of moderate Islam: Saudi crown prince</a></p>

<p>Voting in the poll ends on December 4th and the results will be revealed on December 6th.&nbsp;</p>


He has left behind a number of influential people like Carmen Yulin Cruz, Hilary Clinton and the social media campaign #MeToo

Saudi Arabia's crowned prince Mohammad bin Salman is leading with 19% votes for the TIME magazines "Person of the year" title. He has left behind a number of influential people like Carmen Yulin Cruz, Hilary Clinton, and the social media campaign #MeToo. TIME magazines Person of the year poll. (Others) × The poll began last week, which included 33 contenders in the running. Also read: After arresting top leaders, Saudi Arabia threatens Iran & seals border with Yemen Although the title is "Person of the Year", the criteria are actually quite broad. A person, a group, an idea or even an object can be selected as the winner by TIME's editors. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Salman has become popular around the world for his rapid dominance to the top of Saudi Arabia's power format, for his aspiring reform plan and a shocking corruption purge of top officials and fellow princes. Also Read: Will pursue terrorists until they are wiped out, declares Saudi Arabia's crown prince Salman Also read: We are returning to what we were -- a country of moderate Islam: Saudi crown prince Voting in the poll ends on December 4th and the results will be revealed on December 6th.

Saudi Arabia's Prince Mohammed bin Salman leads in Time 'Person of the Year' poll

<p>United States President Donald Trump&#39;s pick for the Federal Reserve Chair (Fed), Jerome Powell, Tuesday at the Senate will promise to continue with the strategy of current Fed Chair Janet Yellen as part of the gradual monetary adjustment.</p>

<p>Powell will appear Tuesday in the Senate confirmation hearing and the Fed already forwarded the speech he is expected to make.</p>

<p>&quot;If confirmed, I would strive, along with my colleagues, to support the economy&#39;s continued progress toward full recovery,&quot; Powell said in the speech forwarded by the Fed.</p>

<p>&quot;Our aim is to sustain a strong jobs market with inflation moving gradually up toward our target,&quot; he said.<br />
Although he admitted that the financial system is certainly stronger and tougher than a decade ago, Powell is open to considering &quot;appropriate ways to ease regulatory burdens while preserving core reforms.&quot;</p>

<p>Powell, 64, has been a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System since 2012 at the proposal of former President Barack Obama.</p>

<p>If voted, he will inherit an enviable economic situation, with the unemployment rate at 4.1 percent, levels unseen from 2001 and near full employment, along with an annual growth rate of more than 3 percent in the last two quarters.</p>

<p>The only shadow is persistent and low inflation which remains below the annual target of 2 percent marked by the Fed and does not rebound despite the good health of the world&#39;s leading economy.</p>

<p>In June, the Fed increased interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point in the range of between 1 and 1.25 percent for the fourth time since the financial crisis.</p>

<p>The Fed is expected to raise the price of money again during a meeting in Washington on December&nbsp;12 and 13.</p>

<p>Powell will also inherit a Fed that initiates a process to gradually reduce the bulky balance of assets acquired to stimulate the economy after the financial crisis, which went from a trillion dollars in 2008 to $4.5 trillion at present.</p>

<p><em>(All the rights of the contents (text, photo, video, multimedia products and others) included in the services supplied to the user in this test are EFE-EPA property and shall be reproduced under EFE-EPA @copyright. Contents shall be reproduced only in the terms agreed with EFE and by no mean can those be redistributed, transferred or traded. User shall be held responsible for the alteration or misuse of the contents and products included in EFE-EPA services. User is compelled to follow the national law and will be the only responsible for the use or misuse of the contents provided by EFE-EPA.)</em></p>


Powell will appear on Tuesday in the Senate confirmation hearing and the Fed already forwarded the speech he is expected to make.

United States President Donald Trump's pick for the Federal Reserve Chair (Fed), Jerome Powell, Tuesday at the Senate will promise to continue with the strategy of current Fed Chair Janet Yellen as part of the gradual monetary adjustment. Powell will appear Tuesday in the Senate confirmation hearing and the Fed already forwarded the speech he is expected to make. "If confirmed, I would strive, along with my colleagues, to support the economy's continued progress toward full recovery," Powell said in the speech forwarded by the Fed. "Our aim is to sustain a strong jobs market with inflation moving gradually up toward our target," he said. Although he admitted that the financial system is certainly stronger and tougher than a decade ago, Powell is open to considering "appropriate ways to ease regulatory burdens while preserving core reforms." Powell, 64, has been a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System since 2012 at the proposal of former President Barack Obama. If voted, he will inherit an enviable economic situation, with the unemployment rate at 4.1 percent, levels unseen from 2001 and near full employment, along with an annual growth rate of more than 3 percent in the last two quarters. The only shadow is persistent and low inflation which remains below the annual target of 2 percent marked by the Fed and does not rebound despite the good health of the world's leading economy. In June, the Fed increased interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point in the range of between 1 and 1.25 percent for the fourth time since the financial crisis. The Fed is expected to raise the price of money again during a meeting in Washington on December 12 and 13. Powell will also inherit a Fed that initiates a process to gradually reduce the bulky balance of assets acquired to stimulate the economy after the financial crisis, which went from a trillion dollars in 2008 to $4.5 trillion at present. (All the rights of the contents (text, photo, video, multimedia products and others) included in the services supplied to the user in this test are EFE-EPA property and shall be reproduced under EFE-EPA @copyright. Contents shall be reproduced only in the terms agreed with EFE and by no mean can those be redistributed, transferred or traded. User shall be held responsible for the alteration or misuse of the contents and products included in EFE-EPA services. User is compelled to follow the national law and will be the only responsible for the use or misuse of the contents provided by EFE-EPA.)

Jerome Powell, Trump's pick for Federal Reserve Chair, promises continuity

<p>President Donald Trump&rsquo;s &nbsp;first official trip to Asia covering Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines concluded on a note that sent mixed messages to his allies and partners. During the trip, he participated in several meetings including the APEC, ASEAN &ndash; US summit and the East Asia Summit.</p>

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<h5>In his summit meeting with the ASEAN countries, there was a great expectation that he would make a categorical commitment to his allies and partners against China&rsquo;s constructing and militarising artificial islands in the disputed region.</h5>
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<p>Carefully avoiding to touch on controversial issues, like Senkaku Islands and the&nbsp;South China Sea, Trump reiterated American preference for bilateralism and made a public declaration on his &lsquo;America first&rsquo; policies as against globalisation. His first so-called vision statement on Asia did not adequately reassure the Asian allies and partners on Washington&rsquo;s commitment to the security of the region. It fell far short of their expectations.</p>

<p>For instance, in his summit meeting with the ASEAN countries, there was a great expectation that he would make a categorical commitment to his allies and partners against China&rsquo;s constructing and militarising artificial islands in the disputed region. As widely reported in the media, in his summit meeting with the ASEAN countries, there was no specific reference either to the UN arbitral court&rsquo;s verdict or to China&rsquo;s illegal construction of artificial islands. During his visit to Vietnam, Trump&rsquo;s offer to &ldquo;mediate&rdquo; in the South China Sea dispute deeply disappointed the Vietnamese hosts.</p>

<p>The ASEAN-China summit held in Manila also witnessed a similar scene. China is reported to have dominated the discussions which were centered on the drawing up of a code of conduct in the disputed waters. Though there was a provisional agreement to start the negotiations sometime during early 2018, participants could not come to an agreement on whether to make the code of conduct binding legally as claimed by countries like Vietnam.</p>

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<h5>China&rsquo;s increasing economic clout due to its bulging trade and its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has sharply divided the ASEAN and brought about a basic change in the attitudes of countries like the Philippines.</h5>
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<p>On the other hand, the Philippines and Malaysia were inclined to pursue a more pro-China stance. China&rsquo;s increasing economic clout due to its bulging trade and its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has sharply divided the ASEAN and brought about a basic change in the attitudes of countries like the Philippines. The Philippines, the present ASEAN chair, took a soft position on the South China Sea issue and thereby weakened the ASEAN cause. President Rodrigo Duterte showed great inclination to build &ldquo;friendship&rdquo; with China and &ldquo;toned down&rdquo; the South China Sea issue.</p>

<p>It is against this backdrop, one has to examine the meeting that took place between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the top two Chinese leaders in quick succession. The meeting between Abe and Chinese President Xi Jing pin on the sidelines of the APEC conference surprisingly generated a great deal of hope for better relations between the two.</p>

<p>Similar such meetings on the sidelines of international gatherings in the past were marked by a lack of warmth on the part of President Xi. But this time, the bilateral dynamics had somewhat changed. Both Abe and Xi had emerged stronger politically in their respective countries - the former having won the lower house election with a massive majority and the latter having emerged more powerful following the 19th Party Congress. When Xi expressed a desire to make &ldquo; a new start&rdquo; in the bilateral relations, it came as a pleasant surprise to Abe.</p>

<p>Abe&rsquo;s next meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Manila on 13 November, within a couple of days after the Abe-Xi meeting, reinforced the optimism for improved relations. Li told Abe that both countries &ldquo;must work together to make the momentum of improvement of bilateral relations into something solid.&rdquo; Both Li and Abe agreed to make arrangements for holding a trilateral summit with South Korean President in Tokyo soon. Since the advent of Abe as prime minister, neither Li nor Xi has made an official visit to Japan. In 2018 both countries are set to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the bilateral peace treaty, and Abe would look forward to Xi &lsquo;s visit to Japan on the occasion.</p>

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<h5>Trump&#39;s insistence that Tokyo purchases &ldquo;massive amounts of military equipment&rdquo; from the US to reduce its trade surplus dismayed the Japanese leaders.</h5>
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<p>As many analysts point out, the unpredictable style of President Trump has also created some new space for possible cooperation between Japan and China. The need to keep North Korea under control is a strong binding factor between the US, China and Japan. In his talks with Abe, Trump did not seriously discuss Japan&rsquo;s post-election constitutional and defence policies. His insistence that Tokyo purchases &ldquo;massive amounts of military equipment&rdquo; from the US to reduce its trade surplus dismayed the Japanese leaders.</p>

<p>From the Japanese side, it was pointed out that Japan was already spending a great deal on purchasing US weapons and equipment. But what disappointed Tokyo most was that at a time when Abe is trying to create a favourable climate for constitutional amendments, it was hardly the time for Trump even to appear to be forcing huge military expenditures on Japan.</p>

<p>Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;toned down&rdquo; stance on the South China Sea issue, his emphasis on &ldquo;America first&rdquo; policy and his soft attitude towards China have made many Japanese leaders suspect that the US is retreating from Asia. They are also worried that given the warmth that Trump showed to Xi during his visit, both the US and China could develop a stronger rapport to the exclusion of Japan. From the Chinese viewpoint, if the US retreats, it would be an advantage for Beijing to exert its influence with Japan as less of the hostile power.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).</em></p>


Japanese leaders are worried because of the warmth that Trump showed to Xi during his visit. It is suspected that US and China could develop a stronger bond that may harm Japan

President Donald Trump’s first official trip to Asia covering Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines concluded on a note that sent mixed messages to his allies and partners. During the trip, he participated in several meetings including the APEC, ASEAN – US summit and the East Asia Summit. In his summit meeting with the ASEAN countries, there was a great expectation that he would make a categorical commitment to his allies and partners against China’s constructing and militarising artificial islands in the disputed region. × Carefully avoiding to touch on controversial issues, like Senkaku Islands and the South China Sea, Trump reiterated American preference for bilateralism and made a public declaration on his ‘America first’ policies as against globalisation. His first so-called vision statement on Asia did not adequately reassure the Asian allies and partners on Washington’s commitment to the security of the region. It fell far short of their expectations. For instance, in his summit meeting with the ASEAN countries, there was a great expectation that he would make a categorical commitment to his allies and partners against China’s constructing and militarising artificial islands in the disputed region. As widely reported in the media, in his summit meeting with the ASEAN countries, there was no specific reference either to the UN arbitral court’s verdict or to China’s illegal construction of artificial islands. During his visit to Vietnam, Trump’s offer to “mediate” in the South China Sea dispute deeply disappointed the Vietnamese hosts. The ASEAN-China summit held in Manila also witnessed a similar scene. China is reported to have dominated the discussions which were centered on the drawing up of a code of conduct in the disputed waters. Though there was a provisional agreement to start the negotiations sometime during early 2018, participants could not come to an agreement on whether to make the code of conduct binding legally as claimed by countries like Vietnam. China’s increasing economic clout due to its bulging trade and its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has sharply divided the ASEAN and brought about a basic change in the attitudes of countries like the Philippines. × On the other hand, the Philippines and Malaysia were inclined to pursue a more pro-China stance. China’s increasing economic clout due to its bulging trade and its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has sharply divided the ASEAN and brought about a basic change in the attitudes of countries like the Philippines. The Philippines, the present ASEAN chair, took a soft position on the South China Sea issue and thereby weakened the ASEAN cause. President Rodrigo Duterte showed great inclination to build “friendship” with China and “toned down” the South China Sea issue. It is against this backdrop, one has to examine the meeting that took place between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the top two Chinese leaders in quick succession. The meeting between Abe and Chinese President Xi Jing pin on the sidelines of the APEC conference surprisingly generated a great deal of hope for better relations between the two. Similar such meetings on the sidelines of international gatherings in the past were marked by a lack of warmth on the part of President Xi. But this time, the bilateral dynamics had somewhat changed. Both Abe and Xi had emerged stronger politically in their respective countries - the former having won the lower house election with a massive majority and the latter having emerged more powerful following the 19th Party Congress. When Xi expressed a desire to make “ a new start” in the bilateral relations, it came as a pleasant surprise to Abe. Abe’s next meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Manila on 13 November, within a couple of days after the Abe-Xi meeting, reinforced the optimism for improved relations. Li told Abe that both countries “must work together to make the momentum of improvement of bilateral relations into something solid.” Both Li and Abe agreed to make arrangements for holding a trilateral summit with South Korean President in Tokyo soon. Since the advent of Abe as prime minister, neither Li nor Xi has made an official visit to Japan. In 2018 both countries are set to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the bilateral peace treaty, and Abe would look forward to Xi ‘s visit to Japan on the occasion. Trump's insistence that Tokyo purchases “massive amounts of military equipment” from the US to reduce its trade surplus dismayed the Japanese leaders. × As many analysts point out, the unpredictable style of President Trump has also created some new space for possible cooperation between Japan and China. The need to keep North Korea under control is a strong binding factor between the US, China and Japan. In his talks with Abe, Trump did not seriously discuss Japan’s post-election constitutional and defence policies. His insistence that Tokyo purchases “massive amounts of military equipment” from the US to reduce its trade surplus dismayed the Japanese leaders. From the Japanese side, it was pointed out that Japan was already spending a great deal on purchasing US weapons and equipment. But what disappointed Tokyo most was that at a time when Abe is trying to create a favourable climate for constitutional amendments, it was hardly the time for Trump even to appear to be forcing huge military expenditures on Japan. Trump’s “toned down” stance on the South China Sea issue, his emphasis on “America first” policy and his soft attitude towards China have made many Japanese leaders suspect that the US is retreating from Asia. They are also worried that given the warmth that Trump showed to Xi during his visit, both the US and China could develop a stronger rapport to the exclusion of Japan. From the Chinese viewpoint, if the US retreats, it would be an advantage for Beijing to exert its influence with Japan as less of the hostile power. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Is the US retreating from Asia, giving way to China?

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/hafiz-saeed-files-petition-in-un-to-remove-terrorist-tag-25302"><strong>Hafiz Saeed files petition in UN to drop terrorist tag</strong></a></p>

<p>Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) co-founder and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed has filed a petition in the United Nations to remove him from the list of designated terrorist, news reports said Tuesday.&nbsp;Saeed was put on the UN terror list on&nbsp;December 10, 2008, a few days after the November 26 attacks on Mumbai which claimed 166 lives.</p>

<p><strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ivanka-trump-arrives-in-hyderabad-to-addressing-the-global-entrepreneurship-summit-ges-25300">Ivanka arrives in India, will inaugurate Global Entrepreneurship Summit with PM Modi today</a></strong></p>

<p>The United States President Donald Trump&#39;s daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump arrived at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad early Tuesday morning.<br />
Ivanka will be inaugurating and addressing the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad today.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-cracks-pocahontas-joke-while-hosting-native-americans-25296"><strong>Trump cracks Pocahontas &#39;joke&#39; while hosting Native Americans</strong></a></p>

<p>Trump called a Democratic rival &quot;Pocahantas&quot; while hosting Native Americans veterans at the White House Monday. The Native Americans had been &quot;wind talkers&quot; -- Navajo Indians who helped keep Allied operations secret during World War II.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesian-authorities-extend-bali-airport-closure-over-volcanic-ash-25298"><strong>Bali airport closed for </strong></a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesian-authorities-extend-bali-airport-closure-over-volcanic-ash-25298"><strong>second</strong></a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesian-authorities-extend-bali-airport-closure-over-volcanic-ash-25298"><strong> day over fears of volcano eruption</strong></a></p>

<p>Indonesian authorities on Tuesday extended the closure of the international airport on the resort island of Bali for a second day over fears of a volcanic eruption. Bali&#39;s Ngurah Rai airport will remain closed until at least Wednesday morning local time.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/gst-collections-fall-over-9-in-october-25303"><strong>GST collections fall over 9% in October</strong></a></p>

<p>Data put out by the government said GST collections fell to Rs 83,346 crore in October from over Rs 90,000 crore in each of the first three months since the tax was rolled out on July 1. &nbsp;</p>


Hafiz Saeed files petition in UN to drop terrorist tag Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) co-founder and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed has filed a petition in the United Nations to remove him from the list of designated terrorist, news reports said Tuesday. Saeed was put on the UN terror list on December 10, 2008, a few days after the November 26 attacks on Mumbai which claimed 166 lives. Ivanka arrives in India, will inaugurate Global Entrepreneurship Summit with PM Modi today The United States President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump arrived at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad early Tuesday morning. Ivanka will be inaugurating and addressing the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad today. Trump cracks Pocahontas 'joke' while hosting Native Americans Trump called a Democratic rival "Pocahantas" while hosting Native Americans veterans at the White House Monday. The Native Americans had been "wind talkers" -- Navajo Indians who helped keep Allied operations secret during World War II. Bali airport closed for second day over fears of volcano eruption Indonesian authorities on Tuesday extended the closure of the international airport on the resort island of Bali for a second day over fears of a volcanic eruption. Bali's Ngurah Rai airport will remain closed until at least Wednesday morning local time. GST collections fall over 9% in October Data put out by the government said GST collections fell to Rs 83,346 crore in October from over Rs 90,000 crore in each of the first three months since the tax was rolled out on July 1.

WION morning news brief, November 28, 2017

<p>In a true hero style, rapper Jay-Z stopped his own concert&nbsp;midway to give an inspirational message to a young girl in the audience.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was performing on his&nbsp;&ldquo;4:44 Tour&rdquo; at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday when he&nbsp;said to an unidentified 9-year-old that she could be&nbsp;&ldquo;anything that you want to be in the world.&rdquo;</p>

<p>He went on to say:&nbsp;&ldquo;At this very moment, America is way more sexist than they are racist,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But you, young lady, you got the potential to be the next president of the United States. You believe that.&rdquo;</p>

<p>This is not the first time when&nbsp;Jay-Z has given a positive message to his fans.</p>

<p>Earlier, while performing at Nashville&rsquo;s Bridgestone Arena, he said &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot going on in the world right now.&nbsp;But I just wanna say one thing, love will always trump hate.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


He said: 'You, young lady, you got the potential to be the next president of the United States'

In a true hero style, rapper Jay-Z stopped his own concert midway to give an inspirational message to a young girl in the audience. He was performing on his “4:44 Tour” at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday when he said to an unidentified 9-year-old that she could be “anything that you want to be in the world.” He went on to say: “At this very moment, America is way more sexist than they are racist,” he said. “But you, young lady, you got the potential to be the next president of the United States. You believe that.” This is not the first time when Jay-Z has given a positive message to his fans. Earlier, while performing at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, he said “There’s a lot going on in the world right now. But I just wanna say one thing, love will always trump hate.”

Jay-Z stops concert midway to give an important message to a 9-year-old

<p>US&nbsp;President Donald Trump will not campaign for Roy Moore, the Alabama Republican Senate nominee who is facing allegations of sexual misconduct, a White House official said on Monday.</p>

<p>Last Tuesday, when asked if he would campaign for Moore ahead of Alabama&#39;s Dec. 12 special election, Trump had told reporters, &quot;I&#39;ll be letting you know next week.&quot; Trump has repeatedly slammed Moore&#39;s Democratic opponent, Doug Jones.</p>


US?President Donald Trump will not campaign for Roy Moore, the Alabama Republican Senate nominee who is facing allegations of sexual misconduct, a White House official said on Monday.

US President Donald Trump will not campaign for Roy Moore, the Alabama Republican Senate nominee who is facing allegations of sexual misconduct, a White House official said on Monday. Last Tuesday, when asked if he would campaign for Moore ahead of Alabama's Dec. 12 special election, Trump had told reporters, "I'll be letting you know next week." Trump has repeatedly slammed Moore's Democratic opponent, Doug Jones.

Trump not to campaign for Republican Senate candidate Moore

<p>United States president on Sunday boasted about his 10-month administration, citing progress in the economy, reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trump tweeted on Sunday, in light of investigations into ties between his campaign and Russia meddling in the&nbsp;2016 US elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phony Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia, Russia. Despite this I have the economy booming and have possibly done more than any 10 months President. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&quot; Trump tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phony Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia,Russia. Despite this I have the economy booming and have possibly done more than any 10 month President. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/934896989539586054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Trump has spent the weekend golfing and tweeting, with a number of them being of the self-congratulatory nature.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The president has proposed an idea of campaigning for Roy Moore, who faces off against Democrat Jones in the December 12 Alabama special election to fill the seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, media reports said. The president said he will make a decision about it sometime this week. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Trump will also be visiting Capitol Hill on Tuesday, ahead of a possible vote on tax reform this week.&nbsp;</p>


Donald Trump also said he had 'the economy booming'

United States president on Sunday boasted about his 10-month administration, citing progress in the economy, reports said. Trump tweeted on Sunday, in light of investigations into ties between his campaign and Russia meddling in the 2016 US elections. "Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phony Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia, Russia. Despite this I have the economy booming and have possibly done more than any 10 months President. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump tweeted. Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phony Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia,Russia. Despite this I have the economy booming and have possibly done more than any 10 month President. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2017 × Trump has spent the weekend golfing and tweeting, with a number of them being of the self-congratulatory nature. The president has proposed an idea of campaigning for Roy Moore, who faces off against Democrat Jones in the December 12 Alabama special election to fill the seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, media reports said. The president said he will make a decision about it sometime this week. Trump will also be visiting Capitol Hill on Tuesday, ahead of a possible vote on tax reform this week.

Possibly done more than any 10-month President: Trump

<p>Unites States has strongly condemned the release of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed from house arrest and called for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution. &nbsp;</p>

<p>India earlier said that decision to release Saeed means&nbsp;Pakistan is not serious about taking strict action against the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba leader.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A White House statement stated: &nbsp;&quot;The United States strongly condemns the release of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) leader Haft Saeed from house arrest in Pakistan and calls for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution.&quot;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-justifies-hafiz-saeeds-release-25127" target="_blank">Also read: Pakistan justifies Hafiz Saeed&#39;s release</a></p>

<p>&quot;A clear international consensus exists regarding Saeed&#39;s culpability. He was designated by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. The Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the United States, since 2012, has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice,&quot; it reads.</p>

<p>Soon after his release, Saeed gave a speech in Lahore in which he resumed&nbsp;anti-India rhetoric and promised to mobilise people for the &#39;cause of Kashmir.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/hafiz-saeeds-release-an-attempt-by-pakistan-to-mainstream-un-proscribed-terrorists-india-24962">Hafiz Saeed&#39;s release an attempt by Pakistan to &#39;mainstream&#39; UN-proscribed terrorists, says India</a></strong></p>

<p>Pakistan&#39;s denial to punish the terrorists has been one of the major concerns.&nbsp;&quot;If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and charge him for&nbsp;his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions for bilateral relations and for Pakistan&#39;s global reputation,&quot; it said.</p>

<p>Donald Trump&#39;s South Asia policy clearly states that the US seeks to build deeper relations with Pakistan but also expects sound decisions against militant and terrorist groups on Pakistani land that can pose a threat to the world. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">As Pres Trump&#39;s South Asia policy makes clear, US seeks a constructive relationship with Pakistan but expects decisive action against militant&amp; terrorist groups on Pak soil that are a threat to the region.The release of Hafiz Saeed is a step in the wrong direction:The White House</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/934471618952179717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Saeed&#39;s terror organisation, Lashkar-e-Taiba, is behind the death of hundreds of civilians, including American citizens who were killed in the Mumbai attack.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hafiz-saeed-a-terrorist-trump-should-work-with-modi-to-kill-him-us-media-25080">Hafiz Saeed a terrorist, Trump should work with Modi to kill him: US media</a></strong></p>

<p>The US&nbsp;on Thursday<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/hafiz-saeed-designated-global-terrorist-us-reminds-pakistan-24887">reminded Pakistan that Hafiz Saeed is a &quot;designated global terrorist&quot; </a>by the United Nations, just hours after a Pakistan Judicial Review Board in Punjab refused to extend the detention of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief.</p>

<p>Pakistan&nbsp;on Saturday&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-justifies-hafiz-saeeds-release-25127">justified the release of Mumbai terror attack mastermind</a> and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, claiming that Islamabad was committed to the implementation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions regime on terrorists.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Saeed, accused of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, was released on November 24 after a Pakistan judicial body ordered his release from house arrest, rejecting a request from the government of Punjab to extend his detention by three months.</p>


Soon after his release, Saeed gave a speech in Lahore in which he resumed?anti-India rhetoric and promised to mobilise people for the 'cause of Kashmir.?

Unites States has strongly condemned the release of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed from house arrest and called for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution. India earlier said that decision to release Saeed means Pakistan is not serious about taking strict action against the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba leader. A White House statement stated: "The United States strongly condemns the release of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) leader Haft Saeed from house arrest in Pakistan and calls for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution." Also read: Pakistan justifies Hafiz Saeed's release "A clear international consensus exists regarding Saeed's culpability. He was designated by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. The Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the United States, since 2012, has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice," it reads. Soon after his release, Saeed gave a speech in Lahore in which he resumed anti-India rhetoric and promised to mobilise people for the 'cause of Kashmir. Also read: Hafiz Saeed's release an attempt by Pakistan to 'mainstream' UN-proscribed terrorists, says India Pakistan's denial to punish the terrorists has been one of the major concerns. "If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and charge him for his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions for bilateral relations and for Pakistan's global reputation," it said. Donald Trump's South Asia policy clearly states that the US seeks to build deeper relations with Pakistan but also expects sound decisions against militant and terrorist groups on Pakistani land that can pose a threat to the world. As Pres Trump's South Asia policy makes clear, US seeks a constructive relationship with Pakistan but expects decisive action against militant& terrorist groups on Pak soil that are a threat to the region.The release of Hafiz Saeed is a step in the wrong direction:The White House — ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2017 × US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Saeed's terror organisation, Lashkar-e-Taiba, is behind the death of hundreds of civilians, including American citizens who were killed in the Mumbai attack. Also read: Hafiz Saeed a terrorist, Trump should work with Modi to kill him: US media The US on Thursdayreminded Pakistan that Hafiz Saeed is a "designated global terrorist" by the United Nations, just hours after a Pakistan Judicial Review Board in Punjab refused to extend the detention of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief. Pakistan on Saturday justified the release of Mumbai terror attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, claiming that Islamabad was committed to the implementation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions regime on terrorists. Saeed, accused of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, was released on November 24 after a Pakistan judicial body ordered his release from house arrest, rejecting a request from the government of Punjab to extend his detention by three months.

US condemns release of Hafiz Saeed, calls for immediate re-arrest

<p>United States President Donald Trump has decided to turn down the TIME&#39;s &#39;Person of the year&#39; title after being told he would &#39;probably&#39; be selected this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named &quot;Man (Person) of the Year&quot; like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot,&quot; Trump tweeted from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!&quot; he further tweeted.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named &ldquo;Man (Person) of the Year,&rdquo; like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/934189999045693441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>However, Time magazine has rebuffed President&#39;s claims. The official Twitter handle of the Time said the president was incorrect about how it chooses Person of the Year.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The President is incorrect about how we choose Person of the Year. TIME does not comment on our choice until publication, which is December 6.</p>
&mdash; TIME (@TIME) <a href="https://twitter.com/TIME/status/934231984099995649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Trump has always expressed his obsession towards being on the cover of TIME and similar magazines, so much so that he had created fake covers of it to hang at his residence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2015, Trump had lashed out at TIME after it failed to name him&nbsp;&#39;person of the year&#39;.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I told you <a href="https://twitter.com/TIME?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TIME</a> Magazine would never pick me as person of the year despite being the big favorite They picked person who is ruining Germany</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/674587800835092480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<p>Trump had been named TIME&#39;s 2016 &quot;Person of the Year&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trump&#39;s Twitter fury was the outcome of an online readers&#39; poll that stated Trump being taken over by singer Taylor Swift and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz this year.</p>

<p>This year&#39;s winner will be announced on December 6.</p>


Trump has always expressed his obsession towards being on the cover of TIME and similar magazines, so much so that he had created fake covers of it to hang at his residence.

United States President Donald Trump has decided to turn down the TIME's 'Person of the year' title after being told he would 'probably' be selected this year. "Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named "Man (Person) of the Year" like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot," Trump tweeted from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach. "I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!" he further tweeted. Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named “Man (Person) of the Year,” like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2017 × However, Time magazine has rebuffed President's claims. The official Twitter handle of the Time said the president was incorrect about how it chooses Person of the Year. The President is incorrect about how we choose Person of the Year. TIME does not comment on our choice until publication, which is December 6. — TIME (@TIME) November 25, 2017 × Trump has always expressed his obsession towards being on the cover of TIME and similar magazines, so much so that he had created fake covers of it to hang at his residence. In 2015, Trump had lashed out at TIME after it failed to name him 'person of the year'. I told you @TIME Magazine would never pick me as person of the year despite being the big favorite They picked person who is ruining Germany — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 9, 2015 × Trump had been named TIME's 2016 "Person of the Year". Trump's Twitter fury was the outcome of an online readers' poll that stated Trump being taken over by singer Taylor Swift and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz this year. This year's winner will be announced on December 6.

Time rebuffs Trump's claim he declined Time's 'Person of the Year'

<p>President Donald Trump on Sunday redoubled his support for embattled Senate candidate Roy Moore, ignoring the allegations of sexual harassment plaguing Moore&#39;s Alabama campaign and branding his opponent as weak on crime, the military and immigration.</p>

<p>In an early-morning tweet, Trump added that for Alabamians to elect Moore&#39;s Democratic rival, Doug Jones, in a special election next month &quot;would be a disaster!&quot;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY. Jones would be a disaster!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/934781939088629761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p><br />
Many members of Trump&#39;s Republican Party have withdrawn support for Moore, who is now 70, following recent allegations by several women that while in his 30s he molested or harassed teenage girls as young as 14.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some Republicans have suggested that if elected to the US Senate, Moore should be removed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, has called for Moore to drop out, saying, &quot;I believe the women.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Losing proposition</strong><br />
<br />
McConnell reportedly has pleaded with Trump to stay out of the Alabama race, lest Moore&#39;s election sully the party&#39;s name ahead of next year&#39;s midterm elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One Republican senator and sometime Trump critic, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said Sunday that having Moore on the ballot was a lose-lose proposition for the party.</p>

<p>&quot;If he wins ... it becomes a story every day about whether or not you believe the women or Roy Moore. If you lose, you give the Senate seat&quot; to a Democrat, he said on CNN.</p>

<p>But Trump -- himself the object of allegations of sexual misconduct by several women during his presidential campaign -- on Sunday shrugged off such appeals.</p>

<p>He tweeted:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I endorsed Luther Strange in the Alabama Primary. He shot way up in the polls but it wasn&rsquo;t enough. Can&rsquo;t let Schumer/Pelosi win this race. Liberal Jones would be BAD!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/934792302341521408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Despite the multiple allegations against Moore -- he reportedly was even banned from an Alabama mall for repeatedly bothering teen girls -- Trump has defended him.</p>

<p>&quot;Forty years is a long time,&quot; the president told reporters Tuesday on the White House lawn. &quot;He says it didn&#39;t happen. You have to listen to him, also.&quot;</p>

<p>Moore has denied any wrongdoing and insisted he will contest the December special election.</p>


President Donald Trump on Sunday redoubled his support for embattled Senate candidate Roy Moore, ignoring the allegations of sexual harassment plaguing Moore's Alabama campaign

President Donald Trump on Sunday redoubled his support for embattled Senate candidate Roy Moore, ignoring the allegations of sexual harassment plaguing Moore's Alabama campaign and branding his opponent as weak on crime, the military and immigration. In an early-morning tweet, Trump added that for Alabamians to elect Moore's Democratic rival, Doug Jones, in a special election next month "would be a disaster!" The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY. Jones would be a disaster! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2017 × Many members of Trump's Republican Party have withdrawn support for Moore, who is now 70, following recent allegations by several women that while in his 30s he molested or harassed teenage girls as young as 14. Some Republicans have suggested that if elected to the US Senate, Moore should be removed. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, has called for Moore to drop out, saying, "I believe the women." Losing proposition McConnell reportedly has pleaded with Trump to stay out of the Alabama race, lest Moore's election sully the party's name ahead of next year's midterm elections. One Republican senator and sometime Trump critic, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said Sunday that having Moore on the ballot was a lose-lose proposition for the party. "If he wins ... it becomes a story every day about whether or not you believe the women or Roy Moore. If you lose, you give the Senate seat" to a Democrat, he said on CNN. But Trump -- himself the object of allegations of sexual misconduct by several women during his presidential campaign -- on Sunday shrugged off such appeals. He tweeted: I endorsed Luther Strange in the Alabama Primary. He shot way up in the polls but it wasn’t enough. Can’t let Schumer/Pelosi win this race. Liberal Jones would be BAD! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2017 × Despite the multiple allegations against Moore -- he reportedly was even banned from an Alabama mall for repeatedly bothering teen girls -- Trump has defended him. "Forty years is a long time," the president told reporters Tuesday on the White House lawn. "He says it didn't happen. You have to listen to him, also." Moore has denied any wrongdoing and insisted he will contest the December special election.

Trump renews support for embattled Senate candidate

<p><br />
Former president Barak Obama&#39;s daughter&nbsp;Malia Obama has become the target of numerous tabloids and internet trolls&nbsp;after a video of her smoking cigarettes and blowing smoke rings surfaced on the internet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A&nbsp;video of Malia, who is the first-year student at Harvard University, kissing her boyfriend&nbsp;also surfaced online last Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several people criticised her &quot;inappropriate&quot; behaviour. However, others have come to her defence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The president&#39;s daughter Ivanka tweeted on Friday: &quot;Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school-aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits.</p>
&mdash; Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/934108754731307009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Soon after, Chelsea Clinton tweeted: &ldquo;Malia Obama&rsquo;s private life, as a young woman, a college student, a private citizen, should not be your clickbait. Be better.&rdquo;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Malia Obama&rsquo;s private life, as a young woman, a college student, a private citizen, should not be your clickbait. Be better.</p>
&mdash; Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaClinton/status/934118380835082242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Malia, who is a?first-year student at Harvard University, has been attacked by many people as a video of her smoking cigarettes and blowing smoke rings surfaced around the internet.?

Former president Barak Obama's daughter Malia Obama has become the target of numerous tabloids and internet trolls after a video of her smoking cigarettes and blowing smoke rings surfaced on the internet. A video of Malia, who is the first-year student at Harvard University, kissing her boyfriend also surfaced online last Saturday. Several people criticised her "inappropriate" behaviour. However, others have come to her defence. The president's daughter Ivanka tweeted on Friday: "Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school-aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits." Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits. — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) November 24, 2017 × Soon after, Chelsea Clinton tweeted: “Malia Obama’s private life, as a young woman, a college student, a private citizen, should not be your clickbait. Be better.” Malia Obama’s private life, as a young woman, a college student, a private citizen, should not be your clickbait. Be better. — Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) November 24, 2017 ×

Ivanka Trump, Chelsea Clinton defend Malia Obama over smoking video

<p>The United State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert has&nbsp;condemned the Egypt mosque attack and stated it as an &#39;act of evil.&#39;</p>

<p>The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/several-injured-in-mosque-attack-in-egypt-25033">attack took place</a> near the provincial capital of El-Arish during weekly prayers on Thursday.</p>

<p>US has also expressed its condolences to the families and friends of the victims and wished everyone a speedy recovery.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong>Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-gravitas-images-of-mosque-in-egypts-sinai-province-6954">Images of mosque in Egypt&#39;s Sinai province</a></strong></em></p>

<p>&nbsp;Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also condemned the attack via Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Government of Indian strongly condemns the heinous act of terrorism that has claimed innocent lives in Bir-al-Abed, North Sinai in Egypt today. In this hour of tragedy, the government and the people of India stand by the government and the people of Egypt,&quot; Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Government of Indian strongly condemns the heinous act of<br />
terrorism that has claimed innocent lives in Bir-al-Abed, North Sinai in Egypt today. In this hour of tragedy, the goverment and the people of India stand by the government and the people of Egypt./1</p>
&mdash; Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/934097179123130369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those affected in this attack.<br />
This incident is another stark reminder of the need to develop a global strategy to fight this menace of terrorism./2</p>
&mdash; Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/934098536135770112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;This terror attack on those at prayer is an unconscionable act of evil. We will continue to stand with Egypt and the Egyptian people as they face the scourge of terrorism,&quot; State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.</p>

<p>Trump had further tweeted that he will be contacting the President of Egypt soon to talk about the attack and has claimed to become &#39;TOUGHER AND SMARTED THAN EVER.&#39;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Will be calling the President of Egypt in a short while to discuss the tragic terrorist attack, with so much loss of life. We have to get TOUGHER AND SMARTER than ever before, and we will. Need the WALL, need the BAN! God bless the people of Egypt.</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/934131805409697792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;There can be no tolerance for barbaric groups that claim to act in the name of a faith but attack houses of worship and murder the innocent and defenceless while at prayer,&quot; White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that followed Trump&#39;s tweet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The death toll in the mosque attack in Egpyt&#39;s northern Sinai province rose to 235 with over 125 injured, state TV reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to reports, assailants had surrounded the mosque with &quot;all-terrain vehicles&quot; then planted a bomb outside.</p>

<p>No organization has claimed responsibility for the attack&nbsp;yet.&nbsp;</p>


Expressing deepest condolences to the families and friends of those affected in this attack, India stated that this incident is another stark reminder of the need to develop a global strategy to fight this menace of terrorism.

The United State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert has condemned the Egypt mosque attack and stated it as an 'act of evil.' The attack took place near the provincial capital of El-Arish during weekly prayers on Thursday. US has also expressed its condolences to the families and friends of the victims and wished everyone a speedy recovery. Also Watch: Images of mosque in Egypt's Sinai province Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also condemned the attack via Twitter. "Government of Indian strongly condemns the heinous act of terrorism that has claimed innocent lives in Bir-al-Abed, North Sinai in Egypt today. In this hour of tragedy, the government and the people of India stand by the government and the people of Egypt," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. Government of Indian strongly condemns the heinous act of terrorism that has claimed innocent lives in Bir-al-Abed, North Sinai in Egypt today. In this hour of tragedy, the goverment and the people of India stand by the government and the people of Egypt./1 — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) November 24, 2017 × We offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those affected in this attack. This incident is another stark reminder of the need to develop a global strategy to fight this menace of terrorism./2 — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) November 24, 2017 × "This terror attack on those at prayer is an unconscionable act of evil. We will continue to stand with Egypt and the Egyptian people as they face the scourge of terrorism," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. Trump had further tweeted that he will be contacting the President of Egypt soon to talk about the attack and has claimed to become 'TOUGHER AND SMARTED THAN EVER.' Will be calling the President of Egypt in a short while to discuss the tragic terrorist attack, with so much loss of life. We have to get TOUGHER AND SMARTER than ever before, and we will. Need the WALL, need the BAN! God bless the people of Egypt. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2017 × "There can be no tolerance for barbaric groups that claim to act in the name of a faith but attack houses of worship and murder the innocent and defenceless while at prayer," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that followed Trump's tweet. The death toll in the mosque attack in Egpyt's northern Sinai province rose to 235 with over 125 injured, state TV reported. According to reports, assailants had surrounded the mosque with "all-terrain vehicles" then planted a bomb outside. No organization has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Egypt mosque attack as an 'act of evil': US

<p>Hollywood actor Billy Baldwin responded to&nbsp;Donald Trump Jr.&#39;s sexual assault&nbsp;allegations against&nbsp;Senator Al Franken on Thursday with the Tweet targetting senior Trump.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Talk amongst yourselves: Two more women accuse Sen Al Franken of inappropriate touching <a href="https://t.co/rM17xQdbz6">https://t.co/rM17xQdbz6</a> # via <a href="https://twitter.com/HuffPostPol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HuffPostPol</a></p>
&mdash; Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/933492047738052609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The actor took to Twitter to respond to the president&#39;s son allegations against&nbsp;Al Franken,&nbsp;by calling&nbsp;the President Donald Trump&nbsp;a&nbsp;&#39;5th-degree black belt in sexual impropriety allegations&#39; and added that his wife had then &#39;shown his fat ass&#39; to out of the party.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Your Dad is a 5th degree black belt when it comes to sexual impropriety allegations.<br />
In fact&hellip; I once had a party at the Plaza Hotel&hellip; your father showed up uninvited &amp; hit on my wife&hellip; invited her on his helicopter to Atlantic City.<br />
<br />
She showed his fat ass the door.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpRussia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TrumpRussia</a> <a href="https://t.co/A8BInetbbZ">https://t.co/A8BInetbbZ</a></p>
&mdash; Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillyBaldwin/status/933577244273811456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Trump had previously been accused of sexually harassing around 12 women, forcing himself on them without their consent.</p>

<p>However, the United States president had denied these allegations and&nbsp;threatened to sue the women.&nbsp;</p>


Billy Baldwin has accused Trump of sexually harassing his wife two decades ago.

Hollywood actor Billy Baldwin responded to Donald Trump Jr.'s sexual assault allegations against Senator Al Franken on Thursday with the Tweet targetting senior Trump. Talk amongst yourselves: Two more women accuse Sen Al Franken of inappropriate touching https://t.co/rM17xQdbz6 # via @HuffPostPol — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 23, 2017 × The actor took to Twitter to respond to the president's son allegations against Al Franken, by calling the President Donald Trump a '5th-degree black belt in sexual impropriety allegations' and added that his wife had then 'shown his fat ass' to out of the party. Your Dad is a 5th degree black belt when it comes to sexual impropriety allegations. In fact… I once had a party at the Plaza Hotel… your father showed up uninvited & hit on my wife… invited her on his helicopter to Atlantic City. She showed his fat ass the door.#TrumpRussia https://t.co/A8BInetbbZ — Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) November 23, 2017 × Trump had previously been accused of sexually harassing around 12 women, forcing himself on them without their consent. However, the United States president had denied these allegations and threatened to sue the women.

Billy Baldwin claims Donald Trump hit on his wife

<p>Argentine Navy confirmed on Thursday that there was a &quot;violent and non-nuclear event&quot; consistent with an explosion occurred around the area where the ARA San Juan was lost along with 44 members.</p>

<p>According to Enrique Balbi, a spokesman for the Argentine Navy (ARA), the US and nuclear testing organization in Austria confirmed the incident.</p>

<p>&quot;Specifically, we received information about an abnormal, unusual, short, violent and non-nuclear event, possibly an explosion,&quot; said Balbi.</p>

<p>Balbi added that their reason for the explosion remains unknown and is still under observation by the officials&nbsp;</p>

<p>Moreover, no evidence suggests that it was caused by an external attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Three Argentine vessels on Wednesday followed by six more on Thursday have started searching the explosion-hit area. The spokesperson confirms that the search will continue till the submarine and its crew member are found&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We will continue our search and rescue operation until we can gather more evidence on where the ARA San Juan and its 44 crew members are at. We will continue this work before drawing any final conclusion with full certainty,&quot; said Balbi.</p>

<p>The submarine had been sailing from Ushuaia to Mar del Plata when it was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-sign-of-submarine-5-days-later-44-people-missing-24710">declared missing</a> last Wednesday with 44 crew members on board, reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reports also said that the crew would have run out of oxygen as it was supposed to last for just seven days, leaving international rescue mission to conduct search operations at a faster pace in order to spot any signals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US President Donald Trump has <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-assures-aid-to-argentina-over-missing-submarine-24885">assured Argentina of all support</a> and cooperation in finding the ARA San Juan submarine on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>


Reports say that there was a "violent and non-nuclear event" consistent with an explosion occurred around the area where the ARA San Juan

Argentine Navy confirmed on Thursday that there was a "violent and non-nuclear event" consistent with an explosion occurred around the area where the ARA San Juan was lost along with 44 members. According to Enrique Balbi, a spokesman for the Argentine Navy (ARA), the US and nuclear testing organization in Austria confirmed the incident. "Specifically, we received information about an abnormal, unusual, short, violent and non-nuclear event, possibly an explosion," said Balbi. Balbi added that their reason for the explosion remains unknown and is still under observation by the officials Moreover, no evidence suggests that it was caused by an external attack. Three Argentine vessels on Wednesday followed by six more on Thursday have started searching the explosion-hit area. The spokesperson confirms that the search will continue till the submarine and its crew member are found "We will continue our search and rescue operation until we can gather more evidence on where the ARA San Juan and its 44 crew members are at. We will continue this work before drawing any final conclusion with full certainty," said Balbi. The submarine had been sailing from Ushuaia to Mar del Plata when it was declared missing last Wednesday with 44 crew members on board, reports said. Reports also said that the crew would have run out of oxygen as it was supposed to last for just seven days, leaving international rescue mission to conduct search operations at a faster pace in order to spot any signals. US President Donald Trump has assured Argentina of all support and cooperation in finding the ARA San Juan submarine on Thursday.

Argentine navy confirms sound detection in area of missing submarine

<p>United States president Donald Trump promised to repeal and replace &#39;ObamaCare&#39; after the Republican tax cut bill is signed into law.</p>

<p>Claiming that the healthcare is a &#39;disaster, Trump took to Twitter and said: &ldquo;ObamaCare premiums are going up, up, up, just as I have been predicting for two years. ObamaCare is OWNED by the Democrats, and it is a disaster,&rdquo;</p>

<p>He further added that &#39;even though the Democrats were not for the&nbsp;repeal and replacement of ObamaCare, he planned to do so right after tax cuts.&#39;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">ObamaCare premiums are going up, up, up, just as I have been predicting for two years. ObamaCare is OWNED by the Democrats, and it is a disaster. But do not worry. Even though the Dems want to Obstruct, we will Repeal &amp; Replace right after Tax Cuts!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/933837062293291008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Trump&#39;s yet another attempt to repeal ObamaCare comes in the backdrop of an unexpected surge in the enrollment in the health-care law.</p>

<p>Almost 2.3 million people signed up for coverage through ObamaCare exchanges in the initial 18 days of the enrollment period &mdash; increasing the number of enrollments which took place in the same period under Obama&#39;s presidency, reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to reports, Trump also declared earlier this week that welfare reform would be the next topic on the list of agendas and not ObamaCare.</p>

<p>&quot;We&rsquo;re looking at welfare reform very strongly, and that&rsquo;ll all take place just after taxes, very soon, very shortly after taxes,&quot; Trump said at the White House.</p>

<p>Reports say that&nbsp;Republicans are now considering repealing the ObamaCare individual mandate in tax reform.</p>


Republicans are trying to take a nibble out of Obamacare as part of the tax bill

United States president Donald Trump promised to repeal and replace 'ObamaCare' after the Republican tax cut bill is signed into law. Claiming that the healthcare is a 'disaster, Trump took to Twitter and said: “ObamaCare premiums are going up, up, up, just as I have been predicting for two years. ObamaCare is OWNED by the Democrats, and it is a disaster,” He further added that 'even though the Democrats were not for the repeal and replacement of ObamaCare, he planned to do so right after tax cuts.' ObamaCare premiums are going up, up, up, just as I have been predicting for two years. ObamaCare is OWNED by the Democrats, and it is a disaster. But do not worry. Even though the Dems want to Obstruct, we will Repeal & Replace right after Tax Cuts! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2017 × Trump's yet another attempt to repeal ObamaCare comes in the backdrop of an unexpected surge in the enrollment in the health-care law. Almost 2.3 million people signed up for coverage through ObamaCare exchanges in the initial 18 days of the enrollment period — increasing the number of enrollments which took place in the same period under Obama's presidency, reports said. According to reports, Trump also declared earlier this week that welfare reform would be the next topic on the list of agendas and not ObamaCare. "We’re looking at welfare reform very strongly, and that’ll all take place just after taxes, very soon, very shortly after taxes," Trump said at the White House. Reports say that Republicans are now considering repealing the ObamaCare individual mandate in tax reform.

Trump vows to repeal and replace ObamaCare

<p>Russia said Thursday that the US decision to add North Korea to its terror blacklist was a &quot;PR move&quot; that could allow the situation on the peninsula to escalate into a global &quot;catastrophe&quot;.</p>

<p>Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called US President Donald Trump&#39;s move to place North Korea on the list of state sponsors of terrorism &quot;another scaremongering act and PR move&quot; that would not reduce tensions on the ground. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;The answer to the question whether such actions help in lessening the tensions is clear: no, they do not.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;These sorts of actions push the situation (around North Korea) to the extreme, this can end with a big catastrophe not only of a regional but also of global scale,&quot; Zakharova told journalists in Moscow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia&#39;s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the North Korea crisis with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono during his visit to Russia on Friday, Zakharova said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;They will concentrate on bilateral relations but the international situation will be discussed, including the situation in the Korean peninsula as well as the Syrian question,&quot; Zakharova said.&nbsp;</p>


Russia said the US decision to add North Korea to its terror blacklist was a 'PR move'

Russia said Thursday that the US decision to add North Korea to its terror blacklist was a "PR move" that could allow the situation on the peninsula to escalate into a global "catastrophe". Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called US President Donald Trump's move to place North Korea on the list of state sponsors of terrorism "another scaremongering act and PR move" that would not reduce tensions on the ground. "The answer to the question whether such actions help in lessening the tensions is clear: no, they do not." "These sorts of actions push the situation (around North Korea) to the extreme, this can end with a big catastrophe not only of a regional but also of global scale," Zakharova told journalists in Moscow. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the North Korea crisis with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono during his visit to Russia on Friday, Zakharova said. "They will concentrate on bilateral relations but the international situation will be discussed, including the situation in the Korean peninsula as well as the Syrian question," Zakharova said.

Russia says US terror listing of North Korea could lead to 'catastrophe'

<p>Amid&nbsp;reports of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-sign-of-submarine-5-days-later-44-people-missing-24710">missing Argentine submarine</a>, US&nbsp;President Donald Trump has assured Argentina of all support and cooperation in finding the ARA San Juan submarine&nbsp;on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I have long given the order to help Argentina with the search and rescue mission of their missing submarine. 45 people aboard and not much time left. May God be with them and the people of Argentina,&quot; Trump tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have long given the order to help Argentina with the Search and Rescue mission of their missing submarine. 45 people aboard and not much time left. May God be with them and the people of Argentina!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/933448074348900354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/argentina-submarine-missing-for-5-days-reported-problem-in-final-call-navy-24683"> submarine</a> had been sailing from Ushuaia to Mar del Plata when it was declared missing last Wednesday with 44 crew members on board, reports said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Argentina&#39;s Navy destroyer sails off for the search of missing submarine ARA San Juan, from the north breakwater of Argentina&#39;s Navy base in Mar del Plata, on the Atlantic coast south of Buenos Aires (AFP)</p>
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<p>Also watch:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/argentine-received-distress-calls-from-missing-submarine-6811">&nbsp;Argentine received distress calls from missing submarine</a></p>

<p>Reports also said that the crew would have run&nbsp;out of oxygen as it was supposed to last for just seven days, leaving international rescue mission to conduct search operations at a faster pace in order to spot any signals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Many friends and families have been waiting outside Mar del Plata to hear any news about the missing submarine.</p>

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<p>People put up signs in support of the 44 crew members of the ARA San Juan submarine missing at sea. (Reuters)</p>
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<p>Families wait outside the Naval base in Mar del Plata to hear of news of the missing submarine. (AFP)</p>
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<p>US, UK&nbsp;and Chile have offered satellites and ships to aid in the search operations.</p>


The submarine had been sailing from Ushuaia to Mar del Plata when it was declared missing last Wednesday with 44 crew members on board.

Amid reports of the missing Argentine submarine, US President Donald Trump has assured Argentina of all support and cooperation in finding the ARA San Juan submarine on Thursday. "I have long given the order to help Argentina with the search and rescue mission of their missing submarine. 45 people aboard and not much time left. May God be with them and the people of Argentina," Trump tweeted. I have long given the order to help Argentina with the Search and Rescue mission of their missing submarine. 45 people aboard and not much time left. May God be with them and the people of Argentina! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2017 × The submarine had been sailing from Ushuaia to Mar del Plata when it was declared missing last Wednesday with 44 crew members on board, reports said. Argentina's Navy destroyer sails off for the search of missing submarine ARA San Juan, from the north breakwater of Argentina's Navy base in Mar del Plata, on the Atlantic coast south of Buenos Aires (AFP) × Also watch: Argentine received distress calls from missing submarine Reports also said that the crew would have run out of oxygen as it was supposed to last for just seven days, leaving international rescue mission to conduct search operations at a faster pace in order to spot any signals. Many friends and families have been waiting outside Mar del Plata to hear any news about the missing submarine. People put up signs in support of the 44 crew members of the ARA San Juan submarine missing at sea. (Reuters) × Families wait outside the Naval base in Mar del Plata to hear of news of the missing submarine. (AFP) × US, UK and Chile have offered satellites and ships to aid in the search operations.

Trump assures aid to Argentina over missing submarine

<p>China on Wednesday rejected new United States sanctions targeting Chinese traders doing business with North Korea as &quot;wrong&quot;, stressing that it has enforced UN sanctions over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear provocations.</p>

<p>The Chinese companies were hit by punitive measures along with North Korean shipping interests after US President Donald Trump put Pyongyang back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism.</p>

<p>Trump warned this week that the sanctions announcement would be the first in a series of moves over the next two weeks that would reinforce his &quot;maximum pressure campaign&quot; against Kim Jong-Un&#39;s regime.</p>

<p>As had been expected, the US Treasury Department&#39;s measures unveiled on Tuesday make use of existing US directives against North Korean trade but expand their scope to take in more companies and individuals.</p>

<p>Most importantly, they expand the list of Chinese firms accused of doing business with the North despite promises from Beijing that it will honour UN-backed punitive measures.</p>

<p>&quot;We consistently oppose any country adopting unilateral sanctions based on its own domestic laws and regulations and the wrong method of exercising long-arm jurisdiction,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing.</p>

<p>Trump met China&#39;s President Xi Jinping earlier this month and is bullish about the US-China relationship, but concerns remain that Beijing is not ready to take tough measures against Kim.</p>

<p>&quot;China has been comprehensively respecting and strictly implementing (UN) Security Council resolutions and our efforts in this regard are witnessed by all,&quot; Lu said.</p>

<p>The spokesman called on Washington to provide &quot;any solid evidence&quot; that Chinese companies have violated the UN sanctions.</p>

<p>He said that if any companies or individuals have violated domestic laws, &quot;we will severely deal with that in accordance with our laws and regulations&quot;.</p>

<p><strong>&nbsp;&#39;More should be done&#39;</strong></p>

<p>While China has backed the UN measures, it has been reluctant to take the more drastic step of cutting off oil supplies through a pipeline to North Korea&#39;s lone refinery, fearing that regime collapse could lead to chaos on their common border.</p>

<p>And, according to US officials, some Chinese-based banks and trading firms continue to do business with the North in defiance of UN sanctions and US threats of unilateral measures.</p>

<p>China has pressed for dialogue, saying this week that &quot;more should be done&quot; to hold talks to resolve the crisis.</p>

<p>A Chinese special envoy also wrapped up a four-day trip to the North on Monday, during which the two sides discussed regional concerns but made no direct statements about the nuclear standoff.</p>

<p>Beijing has pushed for a &quot;dual-track approach&quot; which would see the United States freeze its military drills in South Korea while North Korea would halt its weapons programs.</p>

<p>Washington has rejected that approach.</p>

<p>US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the sanctions would not only increase Pyongyang&#39;s isolation but also expose &quot;its evasive tactics.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;These designations include companies that have engaged in trade with North Korea cumulatively worth hundreds of millions of dollars,&quot; Mnuchin said.</p>

<p>&quot;We are also sanctioning the shipping and transportation companies, and their vessels, that facilitate North Korea&#39;s trade and its deceptive manoeuvres.&quot;</p>

<p>In all, the new measures add one individual, 13 trading entities and 20 ships to US sanctions lists.</p>

<p>Any property or assets of the firms involved found to be in areas under US jurisdiction are to be frozen, and Americans are banned from trading with them.</p>

<p>Three Chinese firms -&nbsp;Dandong Kehua Economy and Trade, Dandong Xianghe Trading Company and Dandong Hongda Trade -&nbsp;are said to have sold computers, minerals and ore to North Korea.</p>

<p>Chinese businessman Sun Sidong and his company Dandong Dongyuan Industrial are accused of exporting vehicles, machinery, radio navigation and &quot;items associated with nuclear reactors.&quot;</p>

<p><strong>&nbsp;&#39;We suspended trading&#39;&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>A woman who answered the phone at the company said it was not doing business with North Korea and suggested that the firm had halted its operations.</p>

<p>&quot;We are not operating,&quot; she said.</p>

<p>Another woman at Dandong Kehua Economy and Trade denied knowing about the sanctions.</p>

<p>&quot;We have temporarily suspended (trading),&quot; she said.</p>


The Chinese companies were hit by punitive measures along with North Korean shipping interests after US President Donald Trump put Pyongyang back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism

China on Wednesday rejected new United States sanctions targeting Chinese traders doing business with North Korea as "wrong", stressing that it has enforced UN sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear provocations. The Chinese companies were hit by punitive measures along with North Korean shipping interests after US President Donald Trump put Pyongyang back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism. Trump warned this week that the sanctions announcement would be the first in a series of moves over the next two weeks that would reinforce his "maximum pressure campaign" against Kim Jong-Un's regime. As had been expected, the US Treasury Department's measures unveiled on Tuesday make use of existing US directives against North Korean trade but expand their scope to take in more companies and individuals. Most importantly, they expand the list of Chinese firms accused of doing business with the North despite promises from Beijing that it will honour UN-backed punitive measures. "We consistently oppose any country adopting unilateral sanctions based on its own domestic laws and regulations and the wrong method of exercising long-arm jurisdiction," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing. Trump met China's President Xi Jinping earlier this month and is bullish about the US-China relationship, but concerns remain that Beijing is not ready to take tough measures against Kim. "China has been comprehensively respecting and strictly implementing (UN) Security Council resolutions and our efforts in this regard are witnessed by all," Lu said. The spokesman called on Washington to provide "any solid evidence" that Chinese companies have violated the UN sanctions. He said that if any companies or individuals have violated domestic laws, "we will severely deal with that in accordance with our laws and regulations". 'More should be done' While China has backed the UN measures, it has been reluctant to take the more drastic step of cutting off oil supplies through a pipeline to North Korea's lone refinery, fearing that regime collapse could lead to chaos on their common border. And, according to US officials, some Chinese-based banks and trading firms continue to do business with the North in defiance of UN sanctions and US threats of unilateral measures. China has pressed for dialogue, saying this week that "more should be done" to hold talks to resolve the crisis. A Chinese special envoy also wrapped up a four-day trip to the North on Monday, during which the two sides discussed regional concerns but made no direct statements about the nuclear standoff. Beijing has pushed for a "dual-track approach" which would see the United States freeze its military drills in South Korea while North Korea would halt its weapons programs. Washington has rejected that approach. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the sanctions would not only increase Pyongyang's isolation but also expose "its evasive tactics." "These designations include companies that have engaged in trade with North Korea cumulatively worth hundreds of millions of dollars," Mnuchin said. "We are also sanctioning the shipping and transportation companies, and their vessels, that facilitate North Korea's trade and its deceptive manoeuvres." In all, the new measures add one individual, 13 trading entities and 20 ships to US sanctions lists. Any property or assets of the firms involved found to be in areas under US jurisdiction are to be frozen, and Americans are banned from trading with them. Three Chinese firms - Dandong Kehua Economy and Trade, Dandong Xianghe Trading Company and Dandong Hongda Trade - are said to have sold computers, minerals and ore to North Korea. Chinese businessman Sun Sidong and his company Dandong Dongyuan Industrial are accused of exporting vehicles, machinery, radio navigation and "items associated with nuclear reactors." 'We suspended trading' A woman who answered the phone at the company said it was not doing business with North Korea and suggested that the firm had halted its operations. "We are not operating," she said. Another woman at Dandong Kehua Economy and Trade denied knowing about the sanctions. "We have temporarily suspended (trading)," she said.

China slams 'wrong' US sanctions on North Korea-tied Chinese firms

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