The Kremlin said on Thursday that a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Vietnam this week was still under discussion, but that nothing had yet been agreed.

Russian news agencies cited Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov earlier on Thursday as saying that the two leaders would meet on Friday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters that the time, place and format of such a meeting was still being discussed and that a Friday meeting was only a possibility.

&quot;As for the content of the meeting, there is no agreed agenda,&quot; said Peskov.

Given that both Trump and Putin will attend the APEC summit, Peskov said that their paths would cross one way or another.

Russian news agencies cited Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov earlier on Thursday as saying that the two leaders would meet on Friday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Vietnam this week was still under discussion, but that nothing had yet been agreed. Russian news agencies cited Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov earlier on Thursday as saying that the two leaders would meet on Friday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters that the time, place and format of such a meeting was still being discussed and that a Friday meeting was only a possibility. "As for the content of the meeting, there is no agreed agenda," said Peskov. Given that both Trump and Putin will attend the APEC summit, Peskov said that their paths would cross one way or another.

Possible Putin-Trump meeting in Vietnam still under discussion: Kremlin

China today said President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump have reached a consensus on fighting terrorism and upholding peace and stability in South Asia, amid America ramping up pressure on Pakistan to dismantle terror safe havens.

During their talks, Xi and Trump discussed Afghanistan and committed to working toward a peaceful future for the terrorist haven.

&quot;This morning, the two presidents talked and held joint press meeting. I am not aware of the details of the talks. What I know is that the two sides also discussed anti- terrorism issues and upholding peace and stability in South Asia,&quot; Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing.

&quot;They reached consensus in this respect,&quot; she said without elaborating or mentioning whether India&#39;s concerns over terrorism emanating from Pakistan figured in the talks.

To counter terrorism, China and the US as well as other countries share the common interests and the two countries stand ready to work with other parties for stronger anti- terrorism cooperation, she said.

South Asia and Afghanistan figured prominently in today&#39;s talks as both the leaders mentioned it in their briefings.

After the talks, Trump said terrorists are a threat to humanity and that he and Xi will &quot;stop radical Islamic terrorism.&quot;

&quot;In order to create more secure future for all and protect our citizens from extremism and terrorism, President Xi and I also committed to working together for a peaceful future for Afghanistan,&quot; Trump said.

&quot;Terrorists are a threat to all of humanity and we will stop radical Islamic terrorism,&quot; he said.

Trump&#39;s remarks assume significance after he unveiled his new South Asia policy under which the US has warned Pakistan against providing safe harbour to terrorist organisations.

Trump&#39;s South Asia policy giving importance to India and inviting New Delhi to play a bigger role in reconstruction of Afghanistan has also raised eyebrows in Beijing and Islamabad.

Elaborating on the Trump-Xi talks on Afghanistan, Hua said the two sides believe that maintaining the stable and constructive relations between Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries is of great significance to the peace and reconstruction process in Afghanistan.

&quot;They support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconstruction process, call on relevant parties in Afghanistan to achieve extensive and inclusive national reconciliation through political negotiation at an early date and stand ready to play a positive role through such mechanisms as the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US,&quot; Hua said in a written response to news agency PTI.

Ahead of Trump&#39;s visit, China conducted an anti-terrorism trilateral meeting with Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hulai conducted the trilateral meeting on November 7 which was attended by top officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

China has been trying to bring about peace between Islamabad and Kabul amid scathing criticism from Afghanistan leaders over Pakistan&#39;s support to Taliban by sheltering them.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has made separate visits to the two countries recently and met Pakistan and Afghanistan?s officials after the talks.

Pakistan?s Special Secretary Tasnim Aslam and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai who took part in the talks called on Wang.

In the meeting, Wang thanked Pakistan and Afghanistan for their support for China in fighting the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and their contribution to the fight against international counter terrorism especially in South Asian region, Hua said.

ETIM is active in the Muslim Uygur majority province of Xinjiang which shared borders with Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Afghanistan.

Xinjiang had been restive for several years over increasing settlements of majority Hans from other provinces of China.

&quot;China stands ready to work with two parties to strengthen our counter-terrorism cooperation to uphold the regional peace and stability,&quot; she said, adding that Pakistan and Afghanistan stated that they stand ready to strengthen cooperation with China in this regard.

During their talks, Xi and Trump discussed Afghanistan and committed to working toward a peaceful future for the terrorist haven.

China today said President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump have reached a consensus on fighting terrorism and upholding peace and stability in South Asia, amid America ramping up pressure on Pakistan to dismantle terror safe havens. During their talks, Xi and Trump discussed Afghanistan and committed to working toward a peaceful future for the terrorist haven. "This morning, the two presidents talked and held joint press meeting. I am not aware of the details of the talks. What I know is that the two sides also discussed anti- terrorism issues and upholding peace and stability in South Asia," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing. "They reached consensus in this respect," she said without elaborating or mentioning whether India's concerns over terrorism emanating from Pakistan figured in the talks. To counter terrorism, China and the US as well as other countries share the common interests and the two countries stand ready to work with other parties for stronger anti- terrorism cooperation, she said. South Asia and Afghanistan figured prominently in today's talks as both the leaders mentioned it in their briefings. After the talks, Trump said terrorists are a threat to humanity and that he and Xi will "stop radical Islamic terrorism." "In order to create more secure future for all and protect our citizens from extremism and terrorism, President Xi and I also committed to working together for a peaceful future for Afghanistan," Trump said. "Terrorists are a threat to all of humanity and we will stop radical Islamic terrorism," he said. Trump's remarks assume significance after he unveiled his new South Asia policy under which the US has warned Pakistan against providing safe harbour to terrorist organisations. Trump's South Asia policy giving importance to India and inviting New Delhi to play a bigger role in reconstruction of Afghanistan has also raised eyebrows in Beijing and Islamabad. Elaborating on the Trump-Xi talks on Afghanistan, Hua said the two sides believe that maintaining the stable and constructive relations between Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries is of great significance to the peace and reconstruction process in Afghanistan. "They support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconstruction process, call on relevant parties in Afghanistan to achieve extensive and inclusive national reconciliation through political negotiation at an early date and stand ready to play a positive role through such mechanisms as the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US," Hua said in a written response to news agency PTI. Ahead of Trump's visit, China conducted an anti-terrorism trilateral meeting with Pakistan and Afghanistan. Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hulai conducted the trilateral meeting on November 7 which was attended by top officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan. China has been trying to bring about peace between Islamabad and Kabul amid scathing criticism from Afghanistan leaders over Pakistan's support to Taliban by sheltering them. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has made separate visits to the two countries recently and met Pakistan and Afghanistan?s officials after the talks. Pakistan?s Special Secretary Tasnim Aslam and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai who took part in the talks called on Wang. In the meeting, Wang thanked Pakistan and Afghanistan for their support for China in fighting the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and their contribution to the fight against international counter terrorism especially in South Asian region, Hua said. ETIM is active in the Muslim Uygur majority province of Xinjiang which shared borders with Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Afghanistan. Xinjiang had been restive for several years over increasing settlements of majority Hans from other provinces of China. "China stands ready to work with two parties to strengthen our counter-terrorism cooperation to uphold the regional peace and stability," she said, adding that Pakistan and Afghanistan stated that they stand ready to strengthen cooperation with China in this regard.

Trump, Xi reach consensus to curb terrorism in South Asia: China

The US&nbsp;government made it tougher on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cuba-undeterred-amid-trumps-tightening-of-sanctions-16924">Wednesday for Americans to visit Cuba and do business </a>in the country, making good on a pledge by President Donald Trump to roll back his Democratic predecessor&rsquo;s move toward warmer ties with Havana.

The restrictions, which take effect on Thursday, are aimed at preventing the military, intelligence and security arms of Cuba&rsquo;s Communist government from benefiting from American tourists and trade, the White House said.

They fill in the regulatory detail on a Trump policy speech in June, in which the Republican president called for a tightening of restrictions. He said then that the Cuban government continued to oppress its people and former President Barack Obama had made too many concessions in his 2014 diplomatic breakthrough with Washington&rsquo;s former Cold War foe.

The regulations include a ban on Americans doing business with some 180 Cuban government entities, holding companies, and tourism companies. The list includes 83 state-owned hotels, including famous hotels in Old Havana such as Ernest Hemingway&rsquo;s erstwhile favorite haunt the Hotel Ambos Mundos, as well as the city&rsquo;s new luxury shopping mall.

&ldquo;All these measures hurt the Cuban people,&rdquo; said Cuba&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry chief for U.S. Affairs Josefina Vidal. She said that government revenue funds Cuba&rsquo;s free education and healthcare systems.

Speaking to reporters in Havana, she called the list &ldquo;arbitrary&rdquo; and the regulations a further &ldquo;setback&rdquo; in U.S.-Cuban relations.

The new rules were criticized as too lax by Republican leaders who favor a hard line, but as counterproductive by those who agreed with Obama&rsquo;s rationale for the detente: that Washington&rsquo;s many decades of isolating the Caribbean island failed to force change.

The Cuban hotels listed included those run by military-linked chains Gaviota and Habaguanex. Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, a Cuban-American, said the list failed to go far enough because it omitted companies like Gran Caribe Hotel Group and Cubanacan that have ties to the Cuban government.

Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy said the regulations were unfair to Cuba, coming as Trump was being &ldquo;feted in Beijing&rdquo; by a Communist government &ldquo;in a country to which Americans can travel freely.&rdquo;

&ldquo;The hypocrisy of the White House ideologues is glaring,&rdquo; Leahy said in a statement.

The US government made it tougher on Wednesday for Americans to visit Cuba and do business in the country, making good on a pledge by President Donald Trump to roll back his Democratic predecessor?s move toward warmer ties with Havana.

The US government made it tougher on Wednesday for Americans to visit Cuba and do business in the country, making good on a pledge by President Donald Trump to roll back his Democratic predecessor’s move toward warmer ties with Havana. The restrictions, which take effect on Thursday, are aimed at preventing the military, intelligence and security arms of Cuba’s Communist government from benefiting from American tourists and trade, the White House said. They fill in the regulatory detail on a Trump policy speech in June, in which the Republican president called for a tightening of restrictions. He said then that the Cuban government continued to oppress its people and former President Barack Obama had made too many concessions in his 2014 diplomatic breakthrough with Washington’s former Cold War foe. The regulations include a ban on Americans doing business with some 180 Cuban government entities, holding companies, and tourism companies. The list includes 83 state-owned hotels, including famous hotels in Old Havana such as Ernest Hemingway’s erstwhile favorite haunt the Hotel Ambos Mundos, as well as the city’s new luxury shopping mall. “All these measures hurt the Cuban people,” said Cuba’s Foreign Ministry chief for U.S. Affairs Josefina Vidal. She said that government revenue funds Cuba’s free education and healthcare systems. Speaking to reporters in Havana, she called the list “arbitrary” and the regulations a further “setback” in U.S.-Cuban relations. The new rules were criticized as too lax by Republican leaders who favor a hard line, but as counterproductive by those who agreed with Obama’s rationale for the detente: that Washington’s many decades of isolating the Caribbean island failed to force change. The Cuban hotels listed included those run by military-linked chains Gaviota and Habaguanex. Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, a Cuban-American, said the list failed to go far enough because it omitted companies like Gran Caribe Hotel Group and Cubanacan that have ties to the Cuban government. Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy said the regulations were unfair to Cuba, coming as Trump was being “feted in Beijing” by a Communist government “in a country to which Americans can travel freely.” “The hypocrisy of the White House ideologues is glaring,” Leahy said in a statement.

US government restricts travel and trade with Cuba

Taiwan is the most important and sensitive issue in Sino-U.S. ties, Chinese President Xi Jinping told visiting U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, ahead of the one-year anniversary of Trump taking a precedent-breaking call from Taiwan&rsquo;s president.

China considers democratic Taiwan to be a wayward province and integral part of its territory, ineligible for state-to-state relations and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.The United States has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help it defend itself and is the island&rsquo;s main source of arms.

Trump upset China last December by taking a telephone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, shortly after he won the election, the first call between U.S. and Taiwan leaders since President Jimmy Carter switched diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 1979. While there was no public mention of Taiwan in comments Xi and Trump made in front of reporters, the official Chinese foreign ministry statement about their talks did not mince its words.

&ldquo;The Taiwan issue is the most important, most sensitive core issue in China-U.S. relations, and concerns the political basis of the China-U.S. relationship,&rdquo; the ministry paraphrased Xi as telling Trump. China &ldquo;hopes that the U.S. side continues to scrupulously abide by the &lsquo;one China&rsquo; principle, and prevents disturbances to the broader picture of China-U.S. ties&rdquo;, Xi added.

Trump told Xi that the United States government upheld and stuck to the &ldquo;one China&rdquo; policy, China&rsquo;s official Xinhua news agency reported. China suspects Tsai wants to push for the formal independence of Taiwan, a red line for Beijing. Tsai says she wants to maintain peace with China but will defend Taiwan&rsquo;s democracy and security.

China has pressured Taiwan since Tsai took office last year, suspending a regular dialogue mechanism and slowly peeling away its few remaining diplomatic allies. China is deeply suspicious of U.S. intentions towards Taiwan and was upset when the United States recently allowed Tsai to transit through Hawaii and Guam on her way to and from diplomatic allies of Taiwan&rsquo;s in the Pacific.

China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949&nbsp;when Mao Zedong&rsquo;s Communist forces won the Chinese civil war and Chiang Kai-shek&rsquo;s Nationalists fled to the island.

Taiwan is the most important and sensitive issue in Sino-U.S. ties, says Chinese President Xi Jinping

Taiwan is the most important and sensitive issue in Sino-U.S. ties, Chinese President Xi Jinping told visiting U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, ahead of the one-year anniversary of Trump taking a precedent-breaking call from Taiwan’s president. China considers democratic Taiwan to be a wayward province and integral part of its territory, ineligible for state-to-state relations and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.The United States has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help it defend itself and is the island’s main source of arms. Trump upset China last December by taking a telephone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, shortly after he won the election, the first call between U.S. and Taiwan leaders since President Jimmy Carter switched diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 1979. While there was no public mention of Taiwan in comments Xi and Trump made in front of reporters, the official Chinese foreign ministry statement about their talks did not mince its words. “The Taiwan issue is the most important, most sensitive core issue in China-U.S. relations, and concerns the political basis of the China-U.S. relationship,” the ministry paraphrased Xi as telling Trump. China “hopes that the U.S. side continues to scrupulously abide by the ‘one China’ principle, and prevents disturbances to the broader picture of China-U.S. ties”, Xi added. Trump told Xi that the United States government upheld and stuck to the “one China” policy, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported. China suspects Tsai wants to push for the formal independence of Taiwan, a red line for Beijing. Tsai says she wants to maintain peace with China but will defend Taiwan’s democracy and security. China has pressured Taiwan since Tsai took office last year, suspending a regular dialogue mechanism and slowly peeling away its few remaining diplomatic allies. China is deeply suspicious of U.S. intentions towards Taiwan and was upset when the United States recently allowed Tsai to transit through Hawaii and Guam on her way to and from diplomatic allies of Taiwan’s in the Pacific. China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949 when Mao Zedong’s Communist forces won the Chinese civil war and Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fled to the island.

Taiwan is the most important issue in Sino-US ties: Xi to Trump

Facebook is banned in China but the country uses the social networking website outside of its borders, a New York Times report said Thursday, to spread &quot;state-produced propaganda&quot;.

The New York Times report said the Chinese government, through its state media agencies, spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each quarter to buy Facebook ads.&nbsp;

The report added that China is Facebook&#39;s biggest advertising market in Asia, even as the service remains proscribed within the country.&nbsp;

Foreign powers&#39; use of Facebook and other social media is in the spotlight in the US with President Donald Trump currently visiting China and with America currently investigating whether Russia had swayed the 2016 presidential election.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-usa-can-solve-world-problems-together-trump-says-23813" target="_blank">Also read: China, USA can solve world problems together, Trump says</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-urges-china-russia-to-act-fast-on-north-korea-23791" target="_blank">Also read: Trump urges China &amp; Russia to act fast on North Korea, warns &#39;time is quickly running out&#39;</a>

Last week, the report said, executives from Facebook, Google and Twitter were grilled in Washington about Russia&#39;s use of technolgoy to sway voters during the 2016 presidential elections.&nbsp;

During the hearing, Facebook was asked if China too had used the social networking website to sway American voters.&nbsp;

Facebook&rsquo;s general counsel replied that, to his knowledge, it had not.&nbsp;

Facebook is just as keen on China as the New York Times report says the country is on the social networking site.&nbsp;

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has spent years courting Facebook.&nbsp;

The Times report said Facebook executives even set up a page to show CCTV, &quot;one of Beijing&rsquo;s chief propaganda outlets&quot;, how to use the platform during President Xi Jinping&rsquo;s 2015 trip to the United States.

The report said &quot;a look at the Facebook pages of China Central Television, the leading state-owned broadcast network better known as CCTV, and Xinhua, China&rsquo;s official news agency, reveals hundreds of English-language posts intended for an English-speaking audience&quot;.

The Times report said China&#39;s use of propaganda on Facebook and other social media is nowhere near as subtle as Russia&#39;s but that their &quot;techniques are nonetheless instructive&quot;.

It said that China does not post divisive advertisements on Facebook, but instead does what it does at home -- &quot;replicate the sort of news propaganda delivered at home: articles stressing China&rsquo;s stability and prosperity mixed with posts highlighting chaos and violence in the rest of the world&quot;.

&quot;A similar blend of stories &mdash; pandas and idyllic Chinese landscapes next to heavy coverage of the mass shooting in Texas &mdash; has proliferated across China&rsquo;s official Facebook channels in the lead-up to Mr. Trump&rsquo;s visit to Beijing, which began on Wednesday,&quot; the Times report said.

&quot;While much of it is unlikely to sway the average American&rsquo;s mind, such posts reach people across the world, many of whom are newer to the internet and may have a less sophisticated understanding of media. China&rsquo;s state media has Facebook channels dedicated to Africa and other regions of the world, and it seems evident that it is offering itself as an alternative to the Western media for a more global audience.&quot; the Times report added.

 
&nbsp;

China is Facebook's biggest advertising market in Asia, even as the service remains proscribed within the country

Facebook is banned in China but the country uses the social networking website outside of its borders, a New York Times report said Thursday, to spread "state-produced propaganda". The New York Times report said the Chinese government, through its state media agencies, spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each quarter to buy Facebook ads. The report added that China is Facebook's biggest advertising market in Asia, even as the service remains proscribed within the country. Foreign powers' use of Facebook and other social media is in the spotlight in the US with President Donald Trump currently visiting China and with America currently investigating whether Russia had swayed the 2016 presidential election. Also read: China, USA can solve world problems together, Trump says Also read: Trump urges China & Russia to act fast on North Korea, warns 'time is quickly running out' Last week, the report said, executives from Facebook, Google and Twitter were grilled in Washington about Russia's use of technolgoy to sway voters during the 2016 presidential elections. During the hearing, Facebook was asked if China too had used the social networking website to sway American voters. Facebook’s general counsel replied that, to his knowledge, it had not. Facebook is just as keen on China as the New York Times report says the country is on the social networking site. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has spent years courting Facebook. The Times report said Facebook executives even set up a page to show CCTV, "one of Beijing’s chief propaganda outlets", how to use the platform during President Xi Jinping’s 2015 trip to the United States. The report said "a look at the Facebook pages of China Central Television, the leading state-owned broadcast network better known as CCTV, and Xinhua, China’s official news agency, reveals hundreds of English-language posts intended for an English-speaking audience". The Times report said China's use of propaganda on Facebook and other social media is nowhere near as subtle as Russia's but that their "techniques are nonetheless instructive". It said that China does not post divisive advertisements on Facebook, but instead does what it does at home -- "replicate the sort of news propaganda delivered at home: articles stressing China’s stability and prosperity mixed with posts highlighting chaos and violence in the rest of the world". "A similar blend of stories — pandas and idyllic Chinese landscapes next to heavy coverage of the mass shooting in Texas — has proliferated across China’s official Facebook channels in the lead-up to Mr. Trump’s visit to Beijing, which began on Wednesday," the Times report said. "While much of it is unlikely to sway the average American’s mind, such posts reach people across the world, many of whom are newer to the internet and may have a less sophisticated understanding of media. China’s state media has Facebook channels dedicated to Africa and other regions of the world, and it seems evident that it is offering itself as an alternative to the Western media for a more global audience." the Times report added.

Facebook banned in China but it uses it elsewhere to spread 'state-produced propaganda': NYT

Three United States aircraft carriers are set to perform rare drills starting Saturday in the Western Pacific, in the midst of the North Korean crisis, and coinciding with the Asia tour of the American president, the US Navy said Thursday.

The nuclear powered USS Ronald Reagan, USS Nimitz and USS Theodore Roosevelt will conduct the drills to show the US Navy&#39;s unique capability to operate multi-carrier strike groups, according to the Seventh Fleet in a statement released from its headquarters on the Japanese base of Yokosuka.

During the drill, the first of its kind in a decade, the warships will carry out air strike and defense simulations, maritime surveillance, sea supply, coordinated fenced maneuvers and other training, added the Navy.

It is the first time that three aircraft carriers are conducting drills together in the western Pacific since the Valiant Shield exercises in 2006 and 2007 off the coast of the island of Guam.

The drills, rare due to the complexity of the ships&#39; action coordination, will last until Nov. 14.

A spokesperson for the South Korean Ministry of Defense told EFE in Seoul that the three US aircraft carriers will also carry out maneuvers with the South Korean Navy, closer to North Korean territory, in the Sea of Japan &ndash; alternatively called the East Sea in the two Koreas.

The spokesperson could only specify that this second drill will be held on future dates, since most of the details of these joint exercises have not yet finalized.&nbsp;

The drills on Saturday will begin during the final leg of Trump&#39;s five-nation Asia tour amid mounting tension with North Korea in the wake of Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear and missile programs development.

The drill is seen as a show of strength in the face of the challenge posed by Pyongyang&#39;s repeated weapons tests.

These weapons tests, along with Trump&#39;s belligerent rhetoric, have escalated tensions to unprecedented levels since the end of the Korean War (1950-1953).

(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.)

During the drill, the first of its kind in a decade, the warships will carry out air strike and defense simulations, maritime surveillance, sea supply, coordinated fenced maneuvers and other training, added the Navy.

Three United States aircraft carriers are set to perform rare drills starting Saturday in the Western Pacific, in the midst of the North Korean crisis, and coinciding with the Asia tour of the American president, the US Navy said Thursday. The nuclear powered USS Ronald Reagan, USS Nimitz and USS Theodore Roosevelt will conduct the drills to show the US Navy's unique capability to operate multi-carrier strike groups, according to the Seventh Fleet in a statement released from its headquarters on the Japanese base of Yokosuka. During the drill, the first of its kind in a decade, the warships will carry out air strike and defense simulations, maritime surveillance, sea supply, coordinated fenced maneuvers and other training, added the Navy. It is the first time that three aircraft carriers are conducting drills together in the western Pacific since the Valiant Shield exercises in 2006 and 2007 off the coast of the island of Guam. The drills, rare due to the complexity of the ships' action coordination, will last until Nov. 14. A spokesperson for the South Korean Ministry of Defense told EFE in Seoul that the three US aircraft carriers will also carry out maneuvers with the South Korean Navy, closer to North Korean territory, in the Sea of Japan – alternatively called the East Sea in the two Koreas. The spokesperson could only specify that this second drill will be held on future dates, since most of the details of these joint exercises have not yet finalized. The drills on Saturday will begin during the final leg of Trump's five-nation Asia tour amid mounting tension with North Korea in the wake of Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs development. The drill is seen as a show of strength in the face of the challenge posed by Pyongyang's repeated weapons tests. These weapons tests, along with Trump's belligerent rhetoric, have escalated tensions to unprecedented levels since the end of the Korean War (1950-1953). (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.)

Three US aircraft carriers to conduct drills in Asia amid North Korean crisis

The President of the United States on Thursday highlighted the importance of the US-China relationship in solving the world&#39;s problems.

&quot;I look forward to many years of success and friendship working together to solve not only our problems, but world problems, and problems of great danger and security,&quot; Donald Trump said between meetings with Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

&quot;I believe we can solve almost all of them, and probably all of them&quot;, he added.

The two leaders expressed their desire to strengthen bilateral cooperation on global issues such as North Korea and disputes over trade.&nbsp;

After the first round of discussions, Trump assured Xi &quot;I do believe there is a solution to (the North Korea crisis), as you do&quot;.

Xi also stressed that &quot;for China and the US, cooperation is the only viable choice&quot; and urged them to &quot;properly manage differences in the spirit of mutual respect&quot;.

Trump referred to his country&#39;s trade deficit with China, calling for a radical change to the relationship.

&quot;The Unites States really has to change its policies, because they have gotten so far behind on trade with China,&quot; he said blaming past administrations while expressing respect for Xi and China.

Trump also praised Xi and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan during a private visit by him and US First Lady Melania Trump Wednesday.

&quot;My feeling towards you, is an incredibly warm one, there is great chemistry. I think we are going to do tremendous thing for both China and the United States,&quot; Trump added.

Xi agreed with his US counterpart in that cooperative relations between Washington and Beijing were important for global peace, stability and prosperity.

He also highlighted the significant progress made this year in bilateral relations, and announced that both presidents had agreed on various mechanisms to further political, economic and civil society exchanges.

(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.)

The President of the United States on Thursday highlighted the importance of the US-China relationship in solving the world's problems.

The President of the United States on Thursday highlighted the importance of the US-China relationship in solving the world's problems. "I look forward to many years of success and friendship working together to solve not only our problems, but world problems, and problems of great danger and security," Donald Trump said between meetings with Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. "I believe we can solve almost all of them, and probably all of them", he added. The two leaders expressed their desire to strengthen bilateral cooperation on global issues such as North Korea and disputes over trade. After the first round of discussions, Trump assured Xi "I do believe there is a solution to (the North Korea crisis), as you do". Xi also stressed that "for China and the US, cooperation is the only viable choice" and urged them to "properly manage differences in the spirit of mutual respect". Trump referred to his country's trade deficit with China, calling for a radical change to the relationship. "The Unites States really has to change its policies, because they have gotten so far behind on trade with China," he said blaming past administrations while expressing respect for Xi and China. Trump also praised Xi and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan during a private visit by him and US First Lady Melania Trump Wednesday. "My feeling towards you, is an incredibly warm one, there is great chemistry. I think we are going to do tremendous thing for both China and the United States," Trump added. Xi agreed with his US counterpart in that cooperative relations between Washington and Beijing were important for global peace, stability and prosperity. He also highlighted the significant progress made this year in bilateral relations, and announced that both presidents had agreed on various mechanisms to further political, economic and civil society exchanges. (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.)

China, USA can solve world problems together, Trump says

With lavish pageantry and an uncharacteristic <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-arrives-in-china-23738">personal flourish, Chinese President Xi Jinping on</a> Wednesday rolled out a red carpet welcome for US President Donald Trump at the Forbidden City, the ancient home of China&rsquo;s emperors.

While North Korea and trade are set <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-a-cruel-dictatorship-says-trump-in-seoul-23705">to dominate the formal part of the visit, which ends</a> on Friday, China has been keen to show the importance it puts on Trump&rsquo;s visit, the first by a foreign leader since the end of a key Communist Party congress last month where Xi cemented his power.

Trump and his wife Melania were whisked from Beijing airport - where they were met by China&rsquo;s top diplomat Yang Jiechi, a key player in the outreach to Trump since he won the election a year ago - straight to the Forbidden City.

Chatting over cups of tea, Trump showed Xi a video of his granddaughter Arabella Kushner singing in Mandarin and reciting classical Chinese poetry, prompting Xi to compliment her performance as worthy of an &ldquo;A+&rdquo;, Chinese state media said.

Xi said he hoped Arabella would visit China soon, noting that she was already a &ldquo;child star&rdquo; in China, the official Xinhua news agency said. A video of Arabella reciting a Chinese poem went viral on Chinese social media shortly after Trump&rsquo;s election last year.

In another break from precedent, Xi himself gave the Trumps a tour of the imperial treasures of the Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage site cleared of tourists for the day, before the two first couples watched Chinese opera and an acrobatic display. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s something!&rdquo; Trump said after the show, as he and Xi walked away. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re having a great time.&rdquo;

China had widely been expected to pull out all the stops for Trump, who has pressed it to do more to control its neighbour North Korea and resolve a yawning trade gap with the United States.

The ceremony on Trump&rsquo;s arrival at Beijing&rsquo;s airport on Wednesday was also more elaborate than usual, with the Trumps met by a marching band and soldiers standing at attention. Smartly dressed children waving miniature Chinese and American flags jumped up and down as Trump&rsquo;s motorcade passed.

In another rare, if not unprecedented step, Trump&rsquo;s official ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday will be broadcast live on national television, state broadcaster CCTV said.While the sprawling palace complex in the centre of Beijing is a regular stop for visiting dignitaries, it is rare for a Chinese leader to provide a personal escort, confirmation of the &ldquo;state visit-plus&rdquo; treatment that China had promised for Trump.

With lavish pageantry and an uncharacteristic personal flourish, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday rolled out a red carpet welcome for U.S President Donald Trump at the Forbidden City, the ancient home of China?s emperors.

With lavish pageantry and an uncharacteristic personal flourish, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday rolled out a red carpet welcome for US President Donald Trump at the Forbidden City, the ancient home of China’s emperors. While North Korea and trade are set to dominate the formal part of the visit, which ends on Friday, China has been keen to show the importance it puts on Trump’s visit, the first by a foreign leader since the end of a key Communist Party congress last month where Xi cemented his power. Trump and his wife Melania were whisked from Beijing airport - where they were met by China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi, a key player in the outreach to Trump since he won the election a year ago - straight to the Forbidden City. Chatting over cups of tea, Trump showed Xi a video of his granddaughter Arabella Kushner singing in Mandarin and reciting classical Chinese poetry, prompting Xi to compliment her performance as worthy of an “A+”, Chinese state media said. Xi said he hoped Arabella would visit China soon, noting that she was already a “child star” in China, the official Xinhua news agency said. A video of Arabella reciting a Chinese poem went viral on Chinese social media shortly after Trump’s election last year. In another break from precedent, Xi himself gave the Trumps a tour of the imperial treasures of the Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage site cleared of tourists for the day, before the two first couples watched Chinese opera and an acrobatic display. “That’s something!” Trump said after the show, as he and Xi walked away. “We’re having a great time.” China had widely been expected to pull out all the stops for Trump, who has pressed it to do more to control its neighbour North Korea and resolve a yawning trade gap with the United States. The ceremony on Trump’s arrival at Beijing’s airport on Wednesday was also more elaborate than usual, with the Trumps met by a marching band and soldiers standing at attention. Smartly dressed children waving miniature Chinese and American flags jumped up and down as Trump’s motorcade passed. In another rare, if not unprecedented step, Trump’s official ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday will be broadcast live on national television, state broadcaster CCTV said.While the sprawling palace complex in the centre of Beijing is a regular stop for visiting dignitaries, it is rare for a Chinese leader to provide a personal escort, confirmation of the “state visit-plus” treatment that China had promised for Trump.

Watch: Trump, Xi watch Chinese opera in Beijing

Human rights organizations and activists on Wednesday expressed fears that the United States president would not address alleged human rights abuses and restriction of freedom of expression in China during his visit to the country.

Donald Trump arrived in China on Wednesday for a two-day visit as part of his tour of Asia.

&quot;I have low expectations for Trump&#39;s visit, and this is a view shared by many activists. But generally, Chinese activists continue to hope that the US would lead others in pressing China on human rights,&quot;&nbsp;Human Rights Watch researcher Maya Wang told EFE.

Human rights defenders had hoped that the death of dissident Liu Xiaobo - who was not released from jail despite suffering from terminal cancer - on July 13 would help put the issue of the deterioration of human rights in China on Trump&#39;s agenda.

&quot;There is a long list of political prisoners in a dire situation in China - Liu Xia, poet and widow of late Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, for example - but it is unlikely that Trump will mention their names,&quot; Wang added.

The program released by the White House suggests that Trump will focus on the North Korean crisis and economic matters in his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

&quot;Given President Trump&#39;s hostility towards human rights in general, and the fact that he consistently praises President Xi Jinping despite the latter&#39;s escalating crackdown on human rights in the past years, we have very low expectations about his visit to China,&quot; Wang explained.

Domestic and international human rights organizations have alleged on various occasions that since Xi&#39;s arrival to power, the suppression of critics and dissidents has intensified.

(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.)

Donald Trump arrived in China on Wednesday for a two-day visit as part of his tour of Asia.

Human rights organizations and activists on Wednesday expressed fears that the United States president would not address alleged human rights abuses and restriction of freedom of expression in China during his visit to the country. Donald Trump arrived in China on Wednesday for a two-day visit as part of his tour of Asia. "I have low expectations for Trump's visit, and this is a view shared by many activists. But generally, Chinese activists continue to hope that the US would lead others in pressing China on human rights," Human Rights Watch researcher Maya Wang told EFE. Human rights defenders had hoped that the death of dissident Liu Xiaobo - who was not released from jail despite suffering from terminal cancer - on July 13 would help put the issue of the deterioration of human rights in China on Trump's agenda. "There is a long list of political prisoners in a dire situation in China - Liu Xia, poet and widow of late Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, for example - but it is unlikely that Trump will mention their names," Wang added. The program released by the White House suggests that Trump will focus on the North Korean crisis and economic matters in his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Given President Trump's hostility towards human rights in general, and the fact that he consistently praises President Xi Jinping despite the latter's escalating crackdown on human rights in the past years, we have very low expectations about his visit to China," Wang explained. Domestic and international human rights organizations have alleged on various occasions that since Xi's arrival to power, the suppression of critics and dissidents has intensified. (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.)

NGOs, activists fear Trump will not address human rights abuses in China

&nbsp;

US President Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;toured the Forbidden City with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday as he began the crucial leg of an Asian tour intended to build a global front against North Korea&#39;s nuclear threats.

After warning North Korea&#39;s &quot;cruel dictatorship&quot; against testing the United States during a speech in Seoul,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;and First Lady Melania&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;were met by Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan for tea at the former imperial palace.

But the genial gathering will be followed on Thursday by a full day of thorny talks, with&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;looking to prod Xi into doing more to squeeze North Korea economically and to address China&#39;s massive trade surplus with the United States.

The&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;administration sees Beijing as the key to controlling Pyongyang, which depends on China for its economic survival and for 90 percent of its trade.

Earlier,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;congratulated Xi on his reappointment as China&#39;s Communist Party chief, tweeting: &quot;I very much look forward to meeting with President Xi who is just off his great political victory.&quot;

Trump&#39;s use of the term &quot;political victory&quot; for the outcome of last month&#39;s Communist Party congress was seen by analysts as an attempt to conciliate Xi before tough talks on trade and North Korea.

&quot;He&#39;s laying it on thick to put Xi in a good mood because he will have unpleasant things to tell him,&quot; said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, China politics specialist at Hong Kong Baptist University.

Xi has prepared an extravagant &quot;state visit-plus&quot; for&nbsp;Trump, with opera and a lavish banquet, and the US leader has brought a business delegation along for the ride. Deals are expected to be signed, though they may not be enough to allay US concerns about China&#39;s massive trade surplus, which narrowed in October but remained high at a monthly $26.6 billion.

US President Donald?Trump?toured the Forbidden City with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday as he began the crucial leg of an Asian tour intended to build a global front against North Korea's nuclear threats.

US President Donald Trump toured the Forbidden City with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday as he began the crucial leg of an Asian tour intended to build a global front against North Korea's nuclear threats. After warning North Korea's "cruel dictatorship" against testing the United States during a speech in Seoul, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were met by Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan for tea at the former imperial palace. But the genial gathering will be followed on Thursday by a full day of thorny talks, with Trump looking to prod Xi into doing more to squeeze North Korea economically and to address China's massive trade surplus with the United States. The Trump administration sees Beijing as the key to controlling Pyongyang, which depends on China for its economic survival and for 90 percent of its trade. Earlier, Trump congratulated Xi on his reappointment as China's Communist Party chief, tweeting: "I very much look forward to meeting with President Xi who is just off his great political victory." Trump's use of the term "political victory" for the outcome of last month's Communist Party congress was seen by analysts as an attempt to conciliate Xi before tough talks on trade and North Korea. "He's laying it on thick to put Xi in a good mood because he will have unpleasant things to tell him," said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, China politics specialist at Hong Kong Baptist University. Xi has prepared an extravagant "state visit-plus" for Trump, with opera and a lavish banquet, and the US leader has brought a business delegation along for the ride. Deals are expected to be signed, though they may not be enough to allay US concerns about China's massive trade surplus, which narrowed in October but remained high at a monthly $26.6 billion.

Watch: Trump arrives in China amid North Korea tensions

Donald Trump slammed North Korea&#39;s &quot;cruel dictatorship&quot; and the severe political oppression inflicted on its people in a speech to Seoul&#39;s parliament on Wednesday.

South Korean lawmakers applauded as the US president, whose tour of Asia has been dominated by fears over the nuclear-armed North, vowed not to be intimidated and warned Pyongyang that it should not test American resolve.

He called for global solidarity against the isolated nation, but he also offered leader Kim Jong-Un a possible &quot;path towards a much better future&quot;.

&quot;Far from valuing its people as equal citizens, this cruel dictatorship measures them, scores them, and ranks them based on the most arbitrary indication of their allegiance to the state,&quot; Trump said in the address.&nbsp;

The North, which this year carried out its sixth nuclear test, generating by far the largest yield to date, has also fired dozens of missiles in recent months.

Two have overflown key US ally Japan, and the regime has claimed that it now has the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile that can travel as far as the US mainland.

Trump, who previously vowed a North Korean Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capability would &quot;never happen&quot;, again warned Pyongyang not to consider an attack.

We will not &quot;allow American cities to be threatened with destruction,&quot; he said in Seoul.

&quot;America does not seek conflict or confrontation, but we will never run from it.

&quot;We will not permit America or our allies to be blackmailed or attacked,&quot; he added.

The mercurial US president, who earlier Wednesday aborted a visit to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas, heads later in the day to China, Pyongyang&#39;s sole major diplomatic ally and protector.

Ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said the world had to unite to counter the threat from North Korea.

&quot;All responsible nations must join forces to isolate the brutal regime of North Korea,&quot; he said.

&quot;You cannot support, you cannot supply, you cannot accept,&quot; he said, singling out China and Russia.

&#39;A much better future&#39;&nbsp;

While the speech was heavy on Trump&#39;s usual anti-North Korean bombast, he also offered an olive branch, in what he said was a direct message to the country&#39;s young leader.

&quot;The weapons you are acquiring are not making you safer,&quot; he said. &quot;They are putting your regime in great danger.&nbsp;

&quot;Yet despite every crime, you have committed against God and man, we will offer a path towards a much better future.&quot;

The US leader&#39;s tone in Seoul, just an hour from the DMZ and a city whose 10 million inhabitants would find themselves on the frontline of any conflict, has been in marked contrast to his previous warnings of &quot;fire and fury&quot;.

&quot;Ultimately, it will all work out,&quot; he said on Tuesday. &quot;It always works out. It has to work out.&quot;

Even so, the North&#39;s Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers&#39; Party, condemned his visit Wednesday.

In an article published before his parliamentary address, the paper called the trip &quot;a deliberate scheme aimed at strengthening military threats against us and to light the fuse of nuclear war&quot;.

&quot;War maniac Trump is pushing tensions to the extreme by spewing threats of war against us,&quot; it said in an editorial.

Donald Trump slammed North Korea's 'cruel dictatorship' and the severe political oppression inflicted on its people in a speech to Seoul's parliament on Wednesday

Donald Trump slammed North Korea's "cruel dictatorship" and the severe political oppression inflicted on its people in a speech to Seoul's parliament on Wednesday. South Korean lawmakers applauded as the US president, whose tour of Asia has been dominated by fears over the nuclear-armed North, vowed not to be intimidated and warned Pyongyang that it should not test American resolve. He called for global solidarity against the isolated nation, but he also offered leader Kim Jong-Un a possible "path towards a much better future". "Far from valuing its people as equal citizens, this cruel dictatorship measures them, scores them, and ranks them based on the most arbitrary indication of their allegiance to the state," Trump said in the address. The North, which this year carried out its sixth nuclear test, generating by far the largest yield to date, has also fired dozens of missiles in recent months. Two have overflown key US ally Japan, and the regime has claimed that it now has the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile that can travel as far as the US mainland. Trump, who previously vowed a North Korean Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capability would "never happen", again warned Pyongyang not to consider an attack. We will not "allow American cities to be threatened with destruction," he said in Seoul. "America does not seek conflict or confrontation, but we will never run from it. "We will not permit America or our allies to be blackmailed or attacked," he added. The mercurial US president, who earlier Wednesday aborted a visit to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas, heads later in the day to China, Pyongyang's sole major diplomatic ally and protector. Ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said the world had to unite to counter the threat from North Korea. "All responsible nations must join forces to isolate the brutal regime of North Korea," he said. "You cannot support, you cannot supply, you cannot accept," he said, singling out China and Russia. 'A much better future' While the speech was heavy on Trump's usual anti-North Korean bombast, he also offered an olive branch, in what he said was a direct message to the country's young leader. "The weapons you are acquiring are not making you safer," he said. "They are putting your regime in great danger. "Yet despite every crime, you have committed against God and man, we will offer a path towards a much better future." The US leader's tone in Seoul, just an hour from the DMZ and a city whose 10 million inhabitants would find themselves on the frontline of any conflict, has been in marked contrast to his previous warnings of "fire and fury". "Ultimately, it will all work out," he said on Tuesday. "It always works out. It has to work out." Even so, the North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party, condemned his visit Wednesday. In an article published before his parliamentary address, the paper called the trip "a deliberate scheme aimed at strengthening military threats against us and to light the fuse of nuclear war". "War maniac Trump is pushing tensions to the extreme by spewing threats of war against us," it said in an editorial.

North Korea a 'cruel dictatorship' says Trump in Seoul

US President Donald Trump slammed North Korea&#39;s &quot;cruel dictatorship&quot; and the severe political oppression inflicted by the regime in his speech to Seoul&#39;s parliament on Wednesday.

&quot;Far from valuing its people as equal citizens, this cruel dictatorship measures them, scores them, and ranks them based on the most arbitrary indication of their allegiance to the state,&quot; Trump said in the address.&nbsp;

&quot; Won&#39;t allow American cities to be threatened with destruction&quot; Trump said further.

US President Donald Trump slammed North Korea's 'cruel dictatorship' and the severe political oppression inflicted by the regime in his speech to Seoul's parliament on Wednesday

US President Donald Trump slammed North Korea's "cruel dictatorship" and the severe political oppression inflicted by the regime in his speech to Seoul's parliament on Wednesday. "Far from valuing its people as equal citizens, this cruel dictatorship measures them, scores them, and ranks them based on the most arbitrary indication of their allegiance to the state," Trump said in the address. " Won't allow American cities to be threatened with destruction" Trump said further.

Trump denounces 'cruel dictatorship' of North Korea

US President Donald Trump was forced to abandon a surprise visit to the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas on Wednesday due to bad weather, leaving him &quot;pretty frustrated&quot; according to the White House.

South Korean leader Moon Jae-In, who had flown earlier before the weather closed in, was left waiting at the border which bristles with electric fences, minefields and anti-tank barriers.

The US chief executive, who the White House had previously said would not go to the symbolic spot, took off from the Yongsan military base in Seoul, but his helicopter then had to turn back due to fog.

Moon had flown to the border earlier, before the weather closed in, the South&#39;s presidential office said according to reports, and was left waiting for Trump at a guard post on the frontline.

Visiting US presidents have regularly gone to the DMZ, where soldiers from North and South Korea face off along a border marked by concrete blocks between emblematic blue huts.&nbsp;

Administration officials had said before Trump&#39;s Asia tour that he would not make the trip, saying it was &quot;becoming a little bit of a cliche, frankly&quot; after visits by Vice-President Mike Pence and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

But reporters accompanying Trump were summoned earlier than scheduled Wednesday and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told them: &quot;This is where we&#39;re going,&quot; holding up a piece of notepaper on which the letters &quot;DMZ&quot; were scrawled.

Trump&#39;s helicopter Marine One took off from Yongsan, but was forced to turn back. The group waited nearly an hour for conditions to improve, but the weather worsened instead and the trip was abandoned.&nbsp;

&quot;He&#39;s actually pretty frustrated,&quot; said Sanders.

Moon suggested the joint visit to Trump during their summit on Tuesday, the South&#39;s Yonhap news agency cited a Seoul presidential office official as saying.

Sanders said she believed it would have been a &quot;historic moment&quot; as the first time US and South Korean presidents had visited together.

The plan showed the strength &quot;and importance of the alliance between the two countries,&quot; she added.

&quot;We are going to have an exciting day tomorrow for many reasons that people will find out,&quot; Trump said at a state dinner Tuesday, without elaborating.

&#39;Make a deal&#39;&nbsp;

Trump was due to address South Korea&#39;s national assembly later before heading to China on an Asia tour that has largely been dominated by the North&#39;s nuclear programme.

Standing alongside Moon on Tuesday, he reiterated that he was prepared to use the full range of American military might to halt Pyongyang&#39;s march towards becoming a full-fledged nuclear power.

Pyongyang has launched missiles apparently capable of reaching much of the US mainland, and in September carried out by far its most powerful nuclear test to date.

But Trump&#39;s tone in Seoul, just an hour from the DMZ and a city whose 10 million inhabitants would find themselves on the front line of any conflict, was in marked contrast to his previous threats of &quot;fire and fury&quot;.

&quot;Ultimately, it will all work out,&quot; he said. &quot;It always works out. It has to work out.&quot;

He left room for dialogue with the North, saying: &quot;It makes sense for North Korea to come to the table to make a deal that is good for the people of North Korea and the people of the world.&quot;

South Korean media were relieved Wednesday that the summit with the notoriously impulsive US leader went smoothly without any surprises.

&quot;We are extremely glad that the first day of President Trump&#39;s visit passed successfully,&quot; said the JoongAng Ilbo in an editorial.

But it pointed out: &quot;President Trump can pressure us at anytime at anywhere with a card we&#39;d never thought of.&quot;

In his 20-minute parliamentary address, Trump is expected to touch on key issues including North Korea&#39;s nuclear threats as well as the trade imbalances between the US and South Korea.

His administration has caused consternation in Seoul by demanding the renegotiation of the five-year-old US-Korea free trade agreement, which Trump called Tuesday &quot;quite unsuccessful and not very good for the United States&quot;.

Some observers have fretted that a gaffe by a president given to off-the-cuff remarks during his parliamentary address could send tensions rising on the peninsula.

&quot;If Trump says anything that can provoke North Korea, it could send military tensions soaring again,&quot; said professor Koo Kab-Woo from the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

US President Donald Trump was forced to abandon a surprise visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)? that divides the two Koreas on Wednesday due to bad weather, leaving him 'pretty frustrated' according to the White House

US President Donald Trump was forced to abandon a surprise visit to the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas on Wednesday due to bad weather, leaving him "pretty frustrated" according to the White House. South Korean leader Moon Jae-In, who had flown earlier before the weather closed in, was left waiting at the border which bristles with electric fences, minefields and anti-tank barriers. The US chief executive, who the White House had previously said would not go to the symbolic spot, took off from the Yongsan military base in Seoul, but his helicopter then had to turn back due to fog. Moon had flown to the border earlier, before the weather closed in, the South's presidential office said according to reports, and was left waiting for Trump at a guard post on the frontline. Visiting US presidents have regularly gone to the DMZ, where soldiers from North and South Korea face off along a border marked by concrete blocks between emblematic blue huts. Administration officials had said before Trump's Asia tour that he would not make the trip, saying it was "becoming a little bit of a cliche, frankly" after visits by Vice-President Mike Pence and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. But reporters accompanying Trump were summoned earlier than scheduled Wednesday and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told them: "This is where we're going," holding up a piece of notepaper on which the letters "DMZ" were scrawled. Trump's helicopter Marine One took off from Yongsan, but was forced to turn back. The group waited nearly an hour for conditions to improve, but the weather worsened instead and the trip was abandoned. "He's actually pretty frustrated," said Sanders. Moon suggested the joint visit to Trump during their summit on Tuesday, the South's Yonhap news agency cited a Seoul presidential office official as saying. Sanders said she believed it would have been a "historic moment" as the first time US and South Korean presidents had visited together. The plan showed the strength "and importance of the alliance between the two countries," she added. "We are going to have an exciting day tomorrow for many reasons that people will find out," Trump said at a state dinner Tuesday, without elaborating. 'Make a deal' Trump was due to address South Korea's national assembly later before heading to China on an Asia tour that has largely been dominated by the North's nuclear programme. Standing alongside Moon on Tuesday, he reiterated that he was prepared to use the full range of American military might to halt Pyongyang's march towards becoming a full-fledged nuclear power. Pyongyang has launched missiles apparently capable of reaching much of the US mainland, and in September carried out by far its most powerful nuclear test to date. But Trump's tone in Seoul, just an hour from the DMZ and a city whose 10 million inhabitants would find themselves on the front line of any conflict, was in marked contrast to his previous threats of "fire and fury". "Ultimately, it will all work out," he said. "It always works out. It has to work out." He left room for dialogue with the North, saying: "It makes sense for North Korea to come to the table to make a deal that is good for the people of North Korea and the people of the world." South Korean media were relieved Wednesday that the summit with the notoriously impulsive US leader went smoothly without any surprises. "We are extremely glad that the first day of President Trump's visit passed successfully," said the JoongAng Ilbo in an editorial. But it pointed out: "President Trump can pressure us at anytime at anywhere with a card we'd never thought of." In his 20-minute parliamentary address, Trump is expected to touch on key issues including North Korea's nuclear threats as well as the trade imbalances between the US and South Korea. His administration has caused consternation in Seoul by demanding the renegotiation of the five-year-old US-Korea free trade agreement, which Trump called Tuesday "quite unsuccessful and not very good for the United States". Some observers have fretted that a gaffe by a president given to off-the-cuff remarks during his parliamentary address could send tensions rising on the peninsula. "If Trump says anything that can provoke North Korea, it could send military tensions soaring again," said professor Koo Kab-Woo from the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

Trump aborts surprise visit to Korean Demilitarized Zone

President Donald Trump warned North Korea on Tuesday the United States was prepared to use the full range of its military power if needed to defend itself and its allies during a visit to South Korea that took him to heart of the nuclear standoff with Pyongyang.

Speaking at a joint news conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Trump said that while he hopes to use all tools short of military force, he was prepared to do whatever was necessary &quot;to prevent the North Korean dictator from threatening lives ... so needlessly.&quot;

&quot;We cannot allow North Korea to threaten all that we have built,&quot; Trump said on the first day of a two-day visit to South Korea.

But at times taking a less strident tone, Trump also urged North Korea to &ldquo;do the right thing&rdquo; and said: &ldquo;I do see some movement&rdquo; &ndash; though he declined to elaborate.

&quot;We hope to God we don&rsquo;t have to use&rdquo; the United States&rsquo; full military capabilities, he said.

Landing earlier at Osan Air Base outside Seoul, the president and First Lady Melania Trump stepped down from Air Force One onto a red carpet as he began a visit that could aggravate tensions with North Korea.

He then flew by helicopter to Camp Humphreys, the largest US&nbsp;military base in the country, and met US&nbsp;and South Korean troops, along with Moon.

The White House says Trump&#39;s trip is intended to demonstrate US&nbsp;resolve over his hardline approach to the North Korean nuclear and missile threats, but many in the region fear further bellicose presidential rhetoric could increase the potential for a devastating military conflict on the Korean peninsula.

Meeting with military commanders about the North Korea issue, Trump told reporters: &quot;Ultimately it will all work out, it always works out, it has to work out.&rdquo; He did not elaborate.

Trump praised president Moon, hailing him for &quot;great cooperation&quot; despite differences over how to confront North Korea and over a trade pact between the United States and South Korea.

When the two leaders later held formal talks after an elaborate welcoming ceremony outside the presidential Blue House in Seoul, Moon told Trump he hoped his visit would relieve some of South Koreans&#39; anxiety over North Korea and serve as a &quot;turning point in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue&quot;.

Pyongyang&rsquo;s recent nuclear and missile tests in defiance of UN&nbsp;resolutions and an exchange of insults between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have raised the stakes in the most critical international challenge of Trump&rsquo;s presidency.

Three US&nbsp;aircraft carrier strike groups will exercise together in the Western Pacific in the coming days in a show of force rarely seen in the region, US officials said.

On the second leg of his five-nation trip, Trump toured the sprawling Camp Humphreys garrison, which lies about 100 km (60 miles) from the border with reclusive North Korea.

Trump was greeted with applause and a few cheers as he and Moon entered the mess hall at lunch hour.

Trump is seeking to ratchet up pressure on Pyongyang following his visit to Tokyo, where he declared that Japan would shoot North Korean missiles &ldquo;out of the sky&rdquo; if it bought the U.S. weaponry needed to do so, suggesting the Japanese government take a stance it has avoided until now.

Donald Trump warned North Korea on Tuesday the United States was prepared to use the full range of its military power if needed to defend itself and its allies during a visit to South Korea that took him to the heart of the nuclear standoff with Pyongyang.

President Donald Trump warned North Korea on Tuesday the United States was prepared to use the full range of its military power if needed to defend itself and its allies during a visit to South Korea that took him to heart of the nuclear standoff with Pyongyang. Speaking at a joint news conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Trump said that while he hopes to use all tools short of military force, he was prepared to do whatever was necessary "to prevent the North Korean dictator from threatening lives ... so needlessly." "We cannot allow North Korea to threaten all that we have built," Trump said on the first day of a two-day visit to South Korea. But at times taking a less strident tone, Trump also urged North Korea to “do the right thing” and said: “I do see some movement” – though he declined to elaborate. "We hope to God we don’t have to use” the United States’ full military capabilities, he said. Landing earlier at Osan Air Base outside Seoul, the president and First Lady Melania Trump stepped down from Air Force One onto a red carpet as he began a visit that could aggravate tensions with North Korea. He then flew by helicopter to Camp Humphreys, the largest US military base in the country, and met US and South Korean troops, along with Moon. The White House says Trump's trip is intended to demonstrate US resolve over his hardline approach to the North Korean nuclear and missile threats, but many in the region fear further bellicose presidential rhetoric could increase the potential for a devastating military conflict on the Korean peninsula. Meeting with military commanders about the North Korea issue, Trump told reporters: "Ultimately it will all work out, it always works out, it has to work out.” He did not elaborate. Trump praised president Moon, hailing him for "great cooperation" despite differences over how to confront North Korea and over a trade pact between the United States and South Korea. When the two leaders later held formal talks after an elaborate welcoming ceremony outside the presidential Blue House in Seoul, Moon told Trump he hoped his visit would relieve some of South Koreans' anxiety over North Korea and serve as a "turning point in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue". Pyongyang’s recent nuclear and missile tests in defiance of UN resolutions and an exchange of insults between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have raised the stakes in the most critical international challenge of Trump’s presidency. Three US aircraft carrier strike groups will exercise together in the Western Pacific in the coming days in a show of force rarely seen in the region, US officials said. On the second leg of his five-nation trip, Trump toured the sprawling Camp Humphreys garrison, which lies about 100 km (60 miles) from the border with reclusive North Korea. Trump was greeted with applause and a few cheers as he and Moon entered the mess hall at lunch hour. Trump is seeking to ratchet up pressure on Pyongyang following his visit to Tokyo, where he declared that Japan would shoot North Korean missiles “out of the sky” if it bought the U.S. weaponry needed to do so, suggesting the Japanese government take a stance it has avoided until now.

Hope to God we don't have to use US military capability against North Korea, says Trump in South Korea

A second foreign policy advisor to Donald Trump&#39;s presidential campaign has admitted to contacts with Russian officials during last year&#39;s election and to having proposed that Trump travel&nbsp;to Russia during the campaign.

Former investment banker and Russia expert Carter Page told the House Intelligence Committee last week that he had &quot;brief&quot; contact with a Russian deputy prime minister, Arkady Dvorkovich, during a &quot;private&quot; trip to Moscow in July 2016, according to a transcript of his testimony released late Monday.

Page also said that he had proposed in May 2016 that Donald Trump travel to Russia to meet officials and make a speech.

That was the same month that another foreign policy advisor, George Papadopoulos, also suggested a Trump Moscow visit, according to court documents last week.

The Page testimony added to the mounting ?evidence of numerous contacts between Trump&#39;s presidential campaign and Russia in 2016 just at the time Moscow was mounting a hacking and disinformation operation aimed and boosting Trump&#39;s chances to win the White House.

The House committee and its Senate counterpart, along with a justice department special prosecutor, are investigating whether the campaign colluded with the Russians in any way to help defeat then-front-runner Hillary Clinton.

&nbsp;Parallels to Papadopoulos&nbsp;

Page told the committee in a closed-door hearing last Thursday that he was an unpaid volunteer on Trump&#39;s initial foreign policy advisory team, never met or spoke directly to Trump, and had no inappropriate contacts in Russia.

But in questioning he admitted contacts with Dvorkovich, other officials, businessmen and senior academics while in the country on trips in July and December.

He said he had told Jeff Sessions, now US attorney general but at the time in 2016 the leader of the foreign policy team, that he was planning the Moscow trip to lecture at a university which invited him.

Upon returning, he suggested to senior campaign officials in an email that he had done more than that.

&quot;I&#39;ll send you guys a readout soon regarding some incredible insights and outreach I received from a few Russian legislators and senior members of the presidential administration here,&quot; he wrote.

Page&#39;s Russia contacts paralleled those of Papadopoulos, who, according to the FBI, wrote a number of emails to senior Trump campaign officials between March and September last year about his own Russian contacts and proposed Trump travel to Moscow.

Nothing came of either proposal, and White House officials say both Page and Papadopoulos were insignificant aides on the campaign with few responsibilities or input.

Last week Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators about his Russia contacts during 2016.&nbsp;

In his testimony, Page strongly downplayed his role on the campaign. He told the committee that he never &quot;met&quot; Trump, and had never spoken to him &quot;directly&quot;.

But he also said he had &quot;been in a lot of meetings with him (Trump), and I&#39;ve learned a lot from him.&quot;

Trump&#39;s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges including conspiracy to launder money, linked to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into allegations that the campaign colluded with Russia.

Former investment banker and Russia expert Carter Page told the House Intelligence Committee last week that he had 'brief' contact with a Russian deputy prime minister, Arkady Dvorkovich

A second foreign policy advisor to Donald Trump's presidential campaign has admitted to contacts with Russian officials during last year's election and to having proposed that Trump travel to Russia during the campaign. Former investment banker and Russia expert Carter Page told the House Intelligence Committee last week that he had "brief" contact with a Russian deputy prime minister, Arkady Dvorkovich, during a "private" trip to Moscow in July 2016, according to a transcript of his testimony released late Monday. Page also said that he had proposed in May 2016 that Donald Trump travel to Russia to meet officials and make a speech. That was the same month that another foreign policy advisor, George Papadopoulos, also suggested a Trump Moscow visit, according to court documents last week. The Page testimony added to the mounting ?evidence of numerous contacts between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia in 2016 just at the time Moscow was mounting a hacking and disinformation operation aimed and boosting Trump's chances to win the White House. The House committee and its Senate counterpart, along with a justice department special prosecutor, are investigating whether the campaign colluded with the Russians in any way to help defeat then-front-runner Hillary Clinton. Parallels to Papadopoulos Page told the committee in a closed-door hearing last Thursday that he was an unpaid volunteer on Trump's initial foreign policy advisory team, never met or spoke directly to Trump, and had no inappropriate contacts in Russia. But in questioning he admitted contacts with Dvorkovich, other officials, businessmen and senior academics while in the country on trips in July and December. He said he had told Jeff Sessions, now US attorney general but at the time in 2016 the leader of the foreign policy team, that he was planning the Moscow trip to lecture at a university which invited him. Upon returning, he suggested to senior campaign officials in an email that he had done more than that. "I'll send you guys a readout soon regarding some incredible insights and outreach I received from a few Russian legislators and senior members of the presidential administration here," he wrote. Page's Russia contacts paralleled those of Papadopoulos, who, according to the FBI, wrote a number of emails to senior Trump campaign officials between March and September last year about his own Russian contacts and proposed Trump travel to Moscow. Nothing came of either proposal, and White House officials say both Page and Papadopoulos were insignificant aides on the campaign with few responsibilities or input. Last week Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators about his Russia contacts during 2016. In his testimony, Page strongly downplayed his role on the campaign. He told the committee that he never "met" Trump, and had never spoken to him "directly". But he also said he had "been in a lot of meetings with him (Trump), and I've learned a lot from him." Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges including conspiracy to launder money, linked to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into allegations that the campaign colluded with Russia.

Second Trump campaign advisor admits to Russia contacts

Juli Briskman didn`t think twice when she gave President Donald Trump the finger as his motorcade passed her while she was cycling on a road near his golf club.

&quot;He was passing by and my blood just started to boil,&quot; the Democrat mother of two, 50, told HuffPost.

&quot;I`m thinking, he`s at the damn golf course again.&quot;

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<h5>Juli Briskman is a single mother</h5>
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But the obscene gesture, captured on October 28 by AFP White House photographer Brendan Smialowski, who was riding in Trump`s convoy, quickly went viral. And it has now cost the single mom her job.

The president had gone to his Trump National Golf Club on the banks of the Potomac River, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of the White House.

Briskman lives nearby and was out for a Saturday bike ride when the convoy of black SUVs drove past.

Smialowski, a veteran of White House motorcades, said he always keeps his camera ready to shoot.

&quot;You never know what you might see. You never know what might happen,&quot; he said. Gestures from bystanders, thumbs up or middle fingers, are common.

In this case, he said, Briskman &quot;seemed to know exactly who was inside those vehicles.&quot;

After the first time the convoy passed her, she caught up again when it stopped at a red light.

&quot;What made this particular cyclist unique was her tenacity&nbsp;once the motorcade passed her, she managed to catch back up and share her feelings again,&quot; he said.

The photo only showed Briskman from the back, unidentifiable, her left arm out and middle finger up.

&nbsp;It didn`t take her long to realize that she was the person in the photo soon all over the internet and television. She proudly posted it as her profile picture on her Facebook and Twitter pages.

It isn`t known whether Trump saw the gesture. But it didn`t please Briskman`s bosses at Akima LLC, a builder that does work for the US government and military.

Three days later they told Briskman, a marketing officer, she had to go.

&quot;They said, `We`re separating from you,`&quot; Briskman told HuffPost.

&quot;Basically, you cannot have `lewd` or `obscene` things in your social media. So they were calling flipping him off `obscene.`&quot;

Briskman and Akima could not be contacted early Monday for comment.

But the photograph remained at the top of her social media pages.

Juli Briskman was cycling when Trump's motorcade passed her

Juli Briskman didn`t think twice when she gave President Donald Trump the finger as his motorcade passed her while she was cycling on a road near his golf club. "He was passing by and my blood just started to boil," the Democrat mother of two, 50, told HuffPost. "I`m thinking, he`s at the damn golf course again." Juli Briskman is a single mother × But the obscene gesture, captured on October 28 by AFP White House photographer Brendan Smialowski, who was riding in Trump`s convoy, quickly went viral. And it has now cost the single mom her job. The president had gone to his Trump National Golf Club on the banks of the Potomac River, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of the White House. Briskman lives nearby and was out for a Saturday bike ride when the convoy of black SUVs drove past. Smialowski, a veteran of White House motorcades, said he always keeps his camera ready to shoot. "You never know what you might see. You never know what might happen," he said. Gestures from bystanders, thumbs up or middle fingers, are common. In this case, he said, Briskman "seemed to know exactly who was inside those vehicles." After the first time the convoy passed her, she caught up again when it stopped at a red light. "What made this particular cyclist unique was her tenacity once the motorcade passed her, she managed to catch back up and share her feelings again," he said. The photo only showed Briskman from the back, unidentifiable, her left arm out and middle finger up. It didn`t take her long to realize that she was the person in the photo soon all over the internet and television. She proudly posted it as her profile picture on her Facebook and Twitter pages. It isn`t known whether Trump saw the gesture. But it didn`t please Briskman`s bosses at Akima LLC, a builder that does work for the US government and military. Three days later they told Briskman, a marketing officer, she had to go. "They said, `We`re separating from you,`" Briskman told HuffPost. "Basically, you cannot have `lewd` or `obscene` things in your social media. So they were calling flipping him off `obscene.`" Briskman and Akima could not be contacted early Monday for comment. But the photograph remained at the top of her social media pages.

Woman shows Trump the finger, loses her job

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-due-in-south-korea-amid-north-korea-tensions-23627" target="_blank">Trump promises to &#39;figure it all out&#39; -- meaning North Korea -- with South Korean President</a>

US President Donald Trump headed to Seoul Tuesday vowing to &quot;figure it all out&quot; with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-In, despite the two allies&#39; differences on how to deal with the nuclear-armed North.

&quot;Getting ready to leave for South Korea and meetings with President Moon, a fine gentleman,&quot; Trump tweeted early Tuesday from Japan, the first stop of his Asian tour, adding: &quot;We will figure it all out!&quot;

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/enclosed-sonia-gandhis-letter-to-show-truth-behind-claims-against-me-jaya-jaitly-on-her-book-23628" target="_blank">Jaya Jaitly says Sonia Gandhi facilitated framing of corruption charges against her</a>

Former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitly has said the then UPA government and especially Congress President Sonia Gandhi had facilitated the framing of corruption charges against her.&nbsp;

Jaitly is accused of accepting a Rs two-lakh bribe in 2001.&nbsp;

She has made her accusations in her memoir &#39;Life Among the Scorpions: Memoirs of an Indian Woman in Public Life&#39;, due to be released today.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/texas-church-shooting-witness-he-wouldnt-stop-23629" target="_blank">Texas church shooting witness: &#39;He wouldn&#39;t stop&#39;</a>

Witnesses have described the horror that unfolded after 26-year-old gunman Devin Patrick Kelley started shooting at a Sunday church service congregation.&nbsp;

&quot;He wouldn&#39;t stop,&quot; said one.&nbsp;She described the one image seared into her mind: the gunman&#39;s body convulsions as he emptied his assault rifle.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nitish-bats-for-reservation-in-private-sector-23617" target="_blank">Bihar Chief Minister Nitish says time for reservation in private sector</a>

&quot;It`s my opinion that there must be reservation in the private sector too. There must be a debate on this at the national level,&quot; Nitish said.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/now-mamata-calls-gst-great-selfish-tax-23591" target="_blank">Mamata calls GST &#39;Great Selfish Tax&#39;</a>

Rahul Gandhi started by calling it the &quot;Gabbar Singh Tax&quot;. Taking her cue from him, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has now called it the &quot;Great Selfish Tax&quot;.

 
&nbsp;

Trump promises to 'figure it all out' -- meaning North Korea -- with South Korean President US President Donald Trump headed to Seoul Tuesday vowing to "figure it all out" with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-In, despite the two allies' differences on how to deal with the nuclear-armed North. "Getting ready to leave for South Korea and meetings with President Moon, a fine gentleman," Trump tweeted early Tuesday from Japan, the first stop of his Asian tour, adding: "We will figure it all out!" Jaya Jaitly says Sonia Gandhi facilitated framing of corruption charges against her Former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitly has said the then UPA government and especially Congress President Sonia Gandhi had facilitated the framing of corruption charges against her. Jaitly is accused of accepting a Rs two-lakh bribe in 2001. She has made her accusations in her memoir 'Life Among the Scorpions: Memoirs of an Indian Woman in Public Life', due to be released today. Texas church shooting witness: 'He wouldn't stop' Witnesses have described the horror that unfolded after 26-year-old gunman Devin Patrick Kelley started shooting at a Sunday church service congregation. "He wouldn't stop," said one. She described the one image seared into her mind: the gunman's body convulsions as he emptied his assault rifle. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish says time for reservation in private sector "It`s my opinion that there must be reservation in the private sector too. There must be a debate on this at the national level," Nitish said. Mamata calls GST 'Great Selfish Tax' Rahul Gandhi started by calling it the "Gabbar Singh Tax". Taking her cue from him, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has now called it the "Great Selfish Tax".

WION morning news brief, November 7, 2017

US President Donald Trump headed to Seoul Tuesday vowing to &quot;figure it all out&quot; with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-In, despite the two allies&#39; differences on how to deal with the nuclear-armed North.

As tensions over Pyongyang&#39;s weapons programme have soared, the US president has traded personal insults and threats of war with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, but the South&#39;s capital and its 10 million inhabitants would be on the front line of any conflict.

&quot;Getting ready to leave for South Korea and meetings with President Moon, a fine gentleman,&quot; Trump tweeted early Tuesday from Japan, the first stop of his Asian tour, adding: &quot;We will figure it all out!&quot;

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Getting ready to leave for South Korea and meetings with President Moon, a fine gentleman. We will figure it all out!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/927648870796070912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The tone was in marked contrast to a previous Trump tweet in which he accused Moon -- who has backed engagement with the North to bring it to the negotiating table -- of &quot;appeasement&quot;.&nbsp;

Trump flies in from Japan after securing Tokyo&#39;s full support for Washington&#39;s stance that &quot;all options are on the table&quot; regarding Pyongyang, and declaring its nuclear ambitions &quot;a threat to the civilised world and international peace and stability&quot;.

He enjoyed three days of near-bromance with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, calling him &quot;wonderful&quot; after a round of golf and describing US-Japan ties as &quot;really extraordinary&quot;.

Trump&#39;s relationship with Moon, a former human rights lawyer, is noticeably cooler, stoking concerns about the decades-old alliance and fears in Seoul that it could be sidelined by the US in favour of Tokyo.

South Korea will roll out the red carpet for Trump as it seeks messages of assurance about the alliance and US resolve.

At the same time, while Trump has threatened Pyongyang with &quot;fire and fury&quot;, Moon is mindful that much of Seoul is within range of the North&#39;s artillery and in an address to parliament last week demanded: &quot;There should be no military action on the peninsula without our prior consent.&quot;

In an editorial Tuesday ahead of Trump&#39;s arrival, the Korea Times said of the US president: &quot;His &#39;rhetorical bombs&#39; say it all.&quot;

It added: &quot;However calm Koreans are reported to be about the Trump-Kim war of words, we cherish our lives as much as Americans do theirs and feel scared by the outlook of war.&quot;

Kim Hyun-Wook, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, told AFP that the two allies have &quot;subtle differences in their positions&quot; and underlying suspicions about each other.

&#39;Reckless remarks&#39; 
Citizens views are mixed, with both &quot;No Trump&quot; and &quot;Welcome President Trump&quot; demonstrations taking place in downtown Seoul since the weekend, sometimes only a few blocks apart.

North Korea -- which carried out by far its most powerful nuclear test to date in September -- itself welcomed Trump to the region with a rhetorical volley via the ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, warning a &quot;spiritually instable&quot; president against making &quot;reckless remarks&quot;.

Another issue will be trade between the two nations, with Trump expected to bring up the renegotiation of the five-year-old US-Korea free trade agreement which he has called a &quot;horrible deal&quot; and a &quot;job killer&quot;.

His first stop in the South will be Camp Humphreys, where US forces stationed in the country have moved their headquarters from downtown Seoul.

Later he will have a summit with Moon at the Blue House, followed by a lavish dinner with live concerts by both Korean traditional musicians and K-pop artists.

On Wednesday, Trump will speak to South Korean MPs but his visit will not include a trip to the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean peninsula, with the administration downplaying the destination as &quot;a little bit of a cliche&quot;.

Some observers have fretted that a gaffe by a president given to off-the-cuff remarks could send tensions rising on the peninsula.

&quot;If Trump says anything that can provoke North Korea, it could send military tensions soaring again,&quot; said professor Koo Kab-Woo from the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

'Getting ready to leave for South Korea and meetings with President Moon, a fine gentleman. We will figure it all out!' Trump tweeted

US President Donald Trump headed to Seoul Tuesday vowing to "figure it all out" with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-In, despite the two allies' differences on how to deal with the nuclear-armed North. As tensions over Pyongyang's weapons programme have soared, the US president has traded personal insults and threats of war with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, but the South's capital and its 10 million inhabitants would be on the front line of any conflict. "Getting ready to leave for South Korea and meetings with President Moon, a fine gentleman," Trump tweeted early Tuesday from Japan, the first stop of his Asian tour, adding: "We will figure it all out!" Getting ready to leave for South Korea and meetings with President Moon, a fine gentleman. We will figure it all out! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2017 × The tone was in marked contrast to a previous Trump tweet in which he accused Moon -- who has backed engagement with the North to bring it to the negotiating table -- of "appeasement". Trump flies in from Japan after securing Tokyo's full support for Washington's stance that "all options are on the table" regarding Pyongyang, and declaring its nuclear ambitions "a threat to the civilised world and international peace and stability". He enjoyed three days of near-bromance with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, calling him "wonderful" after a round of golf and describing US-Japan ties as "really extraordinary". Trump's relationship with Moon, a former human rights lawyer, is noticeably cooler, stoking concerns about the decades-old alliance and fears in Seoul that it could be sidelined by the US in favour of Tokyo. South Korea will roll out the red carpet for Trump as it seeks messages of assurance about the alliance and US resolve. At the same time, while Trump has threatened Pyongyang with "fire and fury", Moon is mindful that much of Seoul is within range of the North's artillery and in an address to parliament last week demanded: "There should be no military action on the peninsula without our prior consent." In an editorial Tuesday ahead of Trump's arrival, the Korea Times said of the US president: "His 'rhetorical bombs' say it all." It added: "However calm Koreans are reported to be about the Trump-Kim war of words, we cherish our lives as much as Americans do theirs and feel scared by the outlook of war." Kim Hyun-Wook, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, told AFP that the two allies have "subtle differences in their positions" and underlying suspicions about each other. 'Reckless remarks' Citizens views are mixed, with both "No Trump" and "Welcome President Trump" demonstrations taking place in downtown Seoul since the weekend, sometimes only a few blocks apart. North Korea -- which carried out by far its most powerful nuclear test to date in September -- itself welcomed Trump to the region with a rhetorical volley via the ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, warning a "spiritually instable" president against making "reckless remarks". Another issue will be trade between the two nations, with Trump expected to bring up the renegotiation of the five-year-old US-Korea free trade agreement which he has called a "horrible deal" and a "job killer". His first stop in the South will be Camp Humphreys, where US forces stationed in the country have moved their headquarters from downtown Seoul. Later he will have a summit with Moon at the Blue House, followed by a lavish dinner with live concerts by both Korean traditional musicians and K-pop artists. On Wednesday, Trump will speak to South Korean MPs but his visit will not include a trip to the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean peninsula, with the administration downplaying the destination as "a little bit of a cliche". Some observers have fretted that a gaffe by a president given to off-the-cuff remarks could send tensions rising on the peninsula. "If Trump says anything that can provoke North Korea, it could send military tensions soaring again," said professor Koo Kab-Woo from the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

Trump promises to 'figure it all out' -- meaning North Korea -- with South Korean President

US President Donald Trump, who pulled his country out of the 2015 Paris climate change deal, is &quot;for the time being&quot; not invited to a climate change summit due to be held in the French capital in December, an official in President Emmanuel Macron&#39;s office said.

Over a hundred countries, as well as non-governmental organisations, have been invited for the December 12 summit.

&quot;The United States has a bit of a special status for that summit,&quot; the official said, adding that guests there will be committed to implementing the 2015 deal.

The United States would still be invited to the summit but at a lower level than the president, added the official.

Over a hundred countries, as well as non governmental organisations, have been invited for the December 12 summit.

US President Donald Trump, who pulled his country out of the 2015 Paris climate change deal, is "for the time being" not invited to a climate change summit due to be held in the French capital in December, an official in President Emmanuel Macron's office said. Over a hundred countries, as well as non-governmental organisations, have been invited for the December 12 summit. "The United States has a bit of a special status for that summit," the official said, adding that guests there will be committed to implementing the 2015 deal. The United States would still be invited to the summit but at a lower level than the president, added the official.

Trump not invited to Paris December climate change summit for now, says France

Donald Trump currently <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/japan-takes-golfer-matsuyama-and-pikotaro-on-board-to-entertain-trump-during-japan-visit-23151">on a&nbsp;trip to Japan sparked controversy on Twitter as he was </a>feeding Koi fish&nbsp;with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the US president&nbsp;lost patience and dumped an entire box of fish food into the pond.&nbsp;

The koi carp is a venerated fish species which the Japanese believe brings good luck.

Having apparently lost patience with tempting the fish to the edge with delicately spooning food, Trump simply upended his wooden container and dumped the&nbsp;contents into the water.

&nbsp;Twitterati was naturally outraged over President Trump&#39;s latest gaffe with several wasting no time in panning the US president.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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&quot;While his host, prime minister Shinzo Abe, sprinkles small spoonfuls, Trump dumps entire box of fish food into precious Japanese koi pond.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/4FfBLvxwBw">pic.twitter.com/4FfBLvxwBw</a>
&mdash; Ryan Adams (@filmystic) <a href="https://twitter.com/filmystic/status/927440566169763843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Our only hope is that Donald Trump exercises greater control over our nuclear arsenal than he does a box of fish food.
&mdash; John Iadarola (@johniadarola) <a href="https://twitter.com/johniadarola/status/927412252793122816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Trump feeding koi fish <a href="https://t.co/k6VQaC0so7">pic.twitter.com/k6VQaC0so7</a>
&mdash; Belinda Barnet (@manjusrii) <a href="https://twitter.com/manjusrii/status/927435277525590016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Dotard Trump can&#39;t even get feeding fish right<a href="https://t.co/fKIcQX7YUG">pic.twitter.com/fKIcQX7YUG</a>
&mdash; Orrite Then (@OrRite_Then) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrRite_Then/status/927419500235964419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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*Feeding Koi fish* 
Trump:I&rsquo;m bored.... <a href="https://t.co/2SEQWNo2aP">pic.twitter.com/2SEQWNo2aP</a>
&mdash; St Peter (@stpeteyontweety) <a href="https://twitter.com/stpeteyontweety/status/927418308751654912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Donald Trump sparked an outrage on Twitter as he was seen dumping a box of fish food into a pond of koi carp during his trip to Japan.

Donald Trump currently on a trip to Japan sparked controversy on Twitter as he was feeding Koi fish with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the US president lost patience and dumped an entire box of fish food into the pond. The koi carp is a venerated fish species which the Japanese believe brings good luck. Having apparently lost patience with tempting the fish to the edge with delicately spooning food, Trump simply upended his wooden container and dumped the contents into the water. Twitterati was naturally outraged over President Trump's latest gaffe with several wasting no time in panning the US president. "While his host, prime minister Shinzo Abe, sprinkles small spoonfuls, Trump dumps entire box of fish food into precious Japanese koi pond." pic.twitter.com/4FfBLvxwBw — Ryan Adams (@filmystic) November 6, 2017 × Our only hope is that Donald Trump exercises greater control over our nuclear arsenal than he does a box of fish food. — John Iadarola (@johniadarola) November 6, 2017 × Trump feeding koi fish pic.twitter.com/k6VQaC0so7 — Belinda Barnet (@manjusrii) November 6, 2017 × Dotard Trump can't even get feeding fish rightpic.twitter.com/fKIcQX7YUG — Orrite Then (@OrRite_Then) November 6, 2017 × *Feeding Koi fish* Trump:I’m bored.... pic.twitter.com/2SEQWNo2aP — St Peter (@stpeteyontweety) November 6, 2017 ×

Trump throws entire fish food box into koi carp pond in Japan

The United States was in mourning Monday after a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/texas-shooting-leaves-at-least-26-dead-officials-23554" target="_blank">gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire with an assault rifle on the congregation of a small-town Texas church</a>, killing 26 people and wounding 20 more in the nation&#39;s latest shooting massacre.

President Donald Trump said the nation was living through &quot;dark times&quot; but guns were not to blame for Sunday&#39;s carnage, which came just five weeks after the worst mass shooting in modern US history.

&quot;I think that mental health is your problem here,&quot; said the US president, speaking in Tokyo as part of his&nbsp;Asia tour. &quot;This was a very, based on preliminary reports,a very deranged individual.&quot;

&quot;This isn&#39;t a guns situation,&quot; Trump insisted, calling it &quot;a mental health problem at the highest level.&quot;

The victims, who ranged in age from five to 72, were gunned down at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a rural community of some 400 people 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of San Antonio.

The gunman, widely identified as Devin Kelley, 26, was described by authorities as a young white male who was found dead in his vehicle after being confronted by a local resident.

The Air Force said Kelley served at a base in New Mexico starting in 2010 before being court-martialed in 2012 for allegedly assaulting his wife and child.

He was sentenced to 12 months in confinement and received a &quot;bad conduct&quot; discharge, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told AFP. He was discharged in 2014

Dressed all in black, Kelley fired outside the church before entering the building and continuing to spray bullets, said Freeman Martin, regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

&quot;As he exited the church, a local resident grabbed his rifle and engaged that suspect. The suspect dropped his rifle, which was a Ruger AR assault-type rifle, and fled from the church. Our local citizen pursued the suspect at that time,&quot; Martin said.

Law enforcement later found Kelley dead in his car, which had crashed on the Wilson-Guadalupe county line. It was not clear if he had killed himself or was shot by the resident who had confronted him.

Multiple weapons

Multiple weapons were found in the car, which was processed by bomb technicians.

&quot;We have multiple, multiple crime scenes. We have the church, outside the church. We have where the suspect&#39;s vehicle was located,&quot; said Martin.

&quot;We have been following up on the suspect and where he&#39;s from. We have Texas Rangers at all the hospitals locating those and interviewing those who were injured.&quot;

&quot;There&#39;s so many families who have lost family members. Fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters,&quot; Governor Greg Abbott said, warning the toll could rise.

&quot;The tragedy, of course, is worsened by the fact that it occurred in a church, a place of worship, where these people were innocently gunned down. We mourn their loss, but we support their family members.&quot;

The wounded had been transported to various hospitals with &quot;injuries that vary from minor to very severe,&quot; Martin said.&nbsp; 
The dead included the 14-year-old daughter of pastor Frank Pomeroy, the church leader told ABC News.

Annabelle Renee Pomeroy &quot;was one very beautiful, special child,&quot; her father said.

Frank Pomeroy had been in the neighboring state of Oklahoma at the time of the shooting, and was driving back to Texas after the tragedy.

Other victims, some of whom were evacuated by helicopter, included a six-year-old boy named Rylan who was in surgery after being shot four times, his uncle told CBS News. A two-year-old was also shot and wounded, The Dallas Morning News reported.

A spokeswoman for Connally Memorial Medical Center in nearby Floresville said the hospital received eight patients with gunshot wounds. Four were transferred to San Antonio.

Trump vows &#39;full support&#39;

Police formed a perimeter around the area while tearful relatives and neighbors stood outside, nervously awaiting news from inside the traditional white-frame church.

Agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were headed to Sutherland Springs, the agencies said.

Trump called the &quot;horrific shooting&quot; an &quot;act of evil,&quot; ordering flags be flown half-staff at the White House and federal buildings.

&quot;Our hearts are broken but in dark times -- and these are dark times -- such as these, Americans do what they do best: we pull together,&quot; he said.

Though he said &quot;it&#39;s a little bit soon to go into it&quot; regarding renewed calls for gun control, the president promised his administration&#39;s &quot;full support&quot; for the investigation. 
As with many other previous shootings, Democrats pointed to the latest tragedy to highlight the need for gun control, a hot-button issue in a country that holds the right to bear arms as almost sacred.

In denouncing the &quot;act of hatred,&quot; Trump&#39;s predecessor Barack Obama said: &quot;May God also grant all of us the wisdom to ask what concrete steps we can take to reduce the violence and weaponry in our midst.&quot;

The shooting comes just over a month after a gunman in Las Vegas fired down from a hotel room on to an outdoor concert, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

A little more than two years ago, white supremacist Dylann Roof entered a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina, and shot nine people to death.

President Donald Trump said the nation was living through 'dark times' but guns were not to blame for Sunday's carnage, which came just five weeks after the worst mass shooting in modern US history

The United States was in mourning Monday after a gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire with an assault rifle on the congregation of a small-town Texas church, killing 26 people and wounding 20 more in the nation's latest shooting massacre. President Donald Trump said the nation was living through "dark times" but guns were not to blame for Sunday's carnage, which came just five weeks after the worst mass shooting in modern US history. "I think that mental health is your problem here," said the US president, speaking in Tokyo as part of his Asia tour. "This was a very, based on preliminary reports,a very deranged individual." "This isn't a guns situation," Trump insisted, calling it "a mental health problem at the highest level." The victims, who ranged in age from five to 72, were gunned down at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a rural community of some 400 people 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of San Antonio. The gunman, widely identified as Devin Kelley, 26, was described by authorities as a young white male who was found dead in his vehicle after being confronted by a local resident. The Air Force said Kelley served at a base in New Mexico starting in 2010 before being court-martialed in 2012 for allegedly assaulting his wife and child. He was sentenced to 12 months in confinement and received a "bad conduct" discharge, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told AFP. He was discharged in 2014 Dressed all in black, Kelley fired outside the church before entering the building and continuing to spray bullets, said Freeman Martin, regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. "As he exited the church, a local resident grabbed his rifle and engaged that suspect. The suspect dropped his rifle, which was a Ruger AR assault-type rifle, and fled from the church. Our local citizen pursued the suspect at that time," Martin said. Law enforcement later found Kelley dead in his car, which had crashed on the Wilson-Guadalupe county line. It was not clear if he had killed himself or was shot by the resident who had confronted him. Multiple weapons Multiple weapons were found in the car, which was processed by bomb technicians. "We have multiple, multiple crime scenes. We have the church, outside the church. We have where the suspect's vehicle was located," said Martin. "We have been following up on the suspect and where he's from. We have Texas Rangers at all the hospitals locating those and interviewing those who were injured." "There's so many families who have lost family members. Fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters," Governor Greg Abbott said, warning the toll could rise. "The tragedy, of course, is worsened by the fact that it occurred in a church, a place of worship, where these people were innocently gunned down. We mourn their loss, but we support their family members." The wounded had been transported to various hospitals with "injuries that vary from minor to very severe," Martin said. The dead included the 14-year-old daughter of pastor Frank Pomeroy, the church leader told ABC News. Annabelle Renee Pomeroy "was one very beautiful, special child," her father said. Frank Pomeroy had been in the neighboring state of Oklahoma at the time of the shooting, and was driving back to Texas after the tragedy. Other victims, some of whom were evacuated by helicopter, included a six-year-old boy named Rylan who was in surgery after being shot four times, his uncle told CBS News. A two-year-old was also shot and wounded, The Dallas Morning News reported. A spokeswoman for Connally Memorial Medical Center in nearby Floresville said the hospital received eight patients with gunshot wounds. Four were transferred to San Antonio. Trump vows 'full support' Police formed a perimeter around the area while tearful relatives and neighbors stood outside, nervously awaiting news from inside the traditional white-frame church. Agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were headed to Sutherland Springs, the agencies said. Trump called the "horrific shooting" an "act of evil," ordering flags be flown half-staff at the White House and federal buildings. "Our hearts are broken but in dark times -- and these are dark times -- such as these, Americans do what they do best: we pull together," he said. Though he said "it's a little bit soon to go into it" regarding renewed calls for gun control, the president promised his administration's "full support" for the investigation. As with many other previous shootings, Democrats pointed to the latest tragedy to highlight the need for gun control, a hot-button issue in a country that holds the right to bear arms as almost sacred. In denouncing the "act of hatred," Trump's predecessor Barack Obama said: "May God also grant all of us the wisdom to ask what concrete steps we can take to reduce the violence and weaponry in our midst." The shooting comes just over a month after a gunman in Las Vegas fired down from a hotel room on to an outdoor concert, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. A little more than two years ago, white supremacist Dylann Roof entered a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina, and shot nine people to death.

Texas mass shooting leaves US mourning, Trump says guns not to blame

At least 27 people have died and nearly two dozen are missing after Typhoon Damrey barrelled into Vietnam, authorities said Sunday, damaging tens of thousands of homes and submerging highways days before the country welcomes world leaders to the APEC summit.&nbsp;

The storm, which made landfall on Saturday, is the worst in decades to strike the country&#39;s southern coastal region, an area normally spared the typhoons that usually hit further north.

More than 40,000 homes were damaged as heavy rains and 130 kph (80 mph) winds tore through the area, leaving 27 dead and 22 reported missing, according to the disaster management office.

Coastal Khanh Hoa province, home to the popular white sand Nha Trang beach, was hardest hit with 16 dead and 10 injured, the government said.

More than 30,000 people, including foreign tourists, were evacuated from the area ahead of the storm.&nbsp;

Photos showed residents wading through knee-deep floodwater, as toppled electricity poles and trees blocked roads.

Some 300 ships were wrecked, according to the government, while local authorities said Phu Yen Province&#39;s Tuy Hoa city had never suffered such devastation before.

There were also reports of minor damage around 500 kilometers north in Danang, the coastal city which will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit next weekend.

A local resident told that strong winds and rain had torn down signs promoting the APEC gathering, which will bring together leaders including US President Donald Trump and China&#39;s Xi Jinping.

It will be Trump&#39;s first visit as president to the Southeast Asian nation.&nbsp;

&quot;Now city people are joining hands with authorities to clean up the mess to make the city look nicer for the APEC week,&quot; said Tran Huy, as dark clouds loomed above.

An hour&#39;s drive south in Hoi An, an atmospheric port city and a popular stop on Vietnam&#39;s tourist circuit, a local resident said floodwater was up to 1.5 metres in some parts of town.

&quot;Water has started to rise in the Old Quarter,&quot; resident Dinh Thi Xuan Hoa told the state-run VNExpress, referring to a section of the city recognised as a World Heritage site for its architecture.

&quot;Foreign tourists were transferred by boats to hotels in the higher area,&quot; she added.&nbsp;

The spouses of some APEC leaders are scheduled to pay a visit to Hoi An next week, according to the culture ministry.&nbsp;

Vietnam has been pummelled by a dozen major storms since the start of 2017, with at least 240 people reported dead or missing in floods and landslides.

Some 80 were killed in the weeks after Typhoon Doksuri battered central provinces in September, destroying thousands of homes and triggering severe floods.&nbsp;

The World Bank said natural disasters have killed more than 13,000 people and caused more than $6.4 billion in property damage to Vietnam over the past two decades.

At least 27 people have died and nearly two dozen are missing after Typhoon Damrey barrelled into Vietnam, authorities said Sunday, damaging tens of thousands of homes and submerging highways days before the country welcomes world leaders to the APEC summit.?

At least 27 people have died and nearly two dozen are missing after Typhoon Damrey barrelled into Vietnam, authorities said Sunday, damaging tens of thousands of homes and submerging highways days before the country welcomes world leaders to the APEC summit. The storm, which made landfall on Saturday, is the worst in decades to strike the country's southern coastal region, an area normally spared the typhoons that usually hit further north. More than 40,000 homes were damaged as heavy rains and 130 kph (80 mph) winds tore through the area, leaving 27 dead and 22 reported missing, according to the disaster management office. Coastal Khanh Hoa province, home to the popular white sand Nha Trang beach, was hardest hit with 16 dead and 10 injured, the government said. More than 30,000 people, including foreign tourists, were evacuated from the area ahead of the storm. Photos showed residents wading through knee-deep floodwater, as toppled electricity poles and trees blocked roads. Some 300 ships were wrecked, according to the government, while local authorities said Phu Yen Province's Tuy Hoa city had never suffered such devastation before. There were also reports of minor damage around 500 kilometers north in Danang, the coastal city which will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit next weekend. A local resident told that strong winds and rain had torn down signs promoting the APEC gathering, which will bring together leaders including US President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping. It will be Trump's first visit as president to the Southeast Asian nation. "Now city people are joining hands with authorities to clean up the mess to make the city look nicer for the APEC week," said Tran Huy, as dark clouds loomed above. An hour's drive south in Hoi An, an atmospheric port city and a popular stop on Vietnam's tourist circuit, a local resident said floodwater was up to 1.5 metres in some parts of town. "Water has started to rise in the Old Quarter," resident Dinh Thi Xuan Hoa told the state-run VNExpress, referring to a section of the city recognised as a World Heritage site for its architecture. "Foreign tourists were transferred by boats to hotels in the higher area," she added. The spouses of some APEC leaders are scheduled to pay a visit to Hoi An next week, according to the culture ministry. Vietnam has been pummelled by a dozen major storms since the start of 2017, with at least 240 people reported dead or missing in floods and landslides. Some 80 were killed in the weeks after Typhoon Doksuri battered central provinces in September, destroying thousands of homes and triggering severe floods. The World Bank said natural disasters have killed more than 13,000 people and caused more than $6.4 billion in property damage to Vietnam over the past two decades.

27 dead as Typhoon Damrey batters Vietnam

US President Donald Trump would &quot;certainly be open&quot; to meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, he said in an interview broadcast Sunday as he began an extended Asian tour.

Asked by journalist Sharyl Attkisson, host of the &quot;Full Measure&quot; TV show, whether he would ever consider sitting down with &quot;the dictator,&quot; Trump said he was holding meetings with numerous Asian leaders.

&quot;I would sit down with anybody,&quot; he said. &quot;I don&#39;t think it&#39;s strength or weakness, I think sitting down with people is not a bad thing.

&quot;So I would certainly be open to doing that but we&#39;ll see where it goes, I think we&#39;re far too early.&quot;

Trump&#39;s conciliatory-sounding comment came after months of fiery rhetorical exchanges between the two leaders, prompted by a series of internationally condemned nuclear and missile tests by the North.

The North has denounced Trump as a &quot;mentally deranged US dotard,&quot; or senile old man, and the country&#39;s ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun referred to him Sunday as &quot;instable.&quot;

Trump, for his part, has mocked Kim as &quot;Little Rocket Man&quot; and has vowed to rain &quot;fire and fury&quot; down on the North if it threatens the US or its allies.

Trump&#39;s latest comment appeared to be something of a reversal from a Twitter message he sent just over a month ago, in which he said that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was &quot;wasting his time&quot; trying to negotiate with the North Korean leader.

The war of words has been deeply unsettling for US allies in the region, including Japan, where Trump met Sunday with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and South Korea, where he is to meet Tuesday with President Moon Jae-In.

Trump then travels to China on Wednesday, Vietnam on Friday and the Philippines on Sunday.

The interview was broadcast as a letter by the US Defense Department emerged that said the only way to locate and secure all of North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons sites would be via ground invasion.

A spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed to AFP that Rear Admiral Michael Dumont sent a letter to several members of Congress in response to a request for details about the plan for military action against North Korea.

Ted Lieu, a Democratic member of Congress whom the letter was addressed to, posted a copy of the two-page correspondence on his website.

&quot;The only way to &#39;locate and destroy -- with complete certainty -- all components of North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons programs&#39; is through a ground invasion&quot; it said.

It added &quot;a classified briefing is the best venue for a detailed discussion&quot; of such a plan.

'I would sit down with anybody,' Trump said. 'I don't think it's strength or weakness, I think sitting down with people is not a bad thing'

US President Donald Trump would "certainly be open" to meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, he said in an interview broadcast Sunday as he began an extended Asian tour. Asked by journalist Sharyl Attkisson, host of the "Full Measure" TV show, whether he would ever consider sitting down with "the dictator," Trump said he was holding meetings with numerous Asian leaders. "I would sit down with anybody," he said. "I don't think it's strength or weakness, I think sitting down with people is not a bad thing. "So I would certainly be open to doing that but we'll see where it goes, I think we're far too early." Trump's conciliatory-sounding comment came after months of fiery rhetorical exchanges between the two leaders, prompted by a series of internationally condemned nuclear and missile tests by the North. The North has denounced Trump as a "mentally deranged US dotard," or senile old man, and the country's ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun referred to him Sunday as "instable." Trump, for his part, has mocked Kim as "Little Rocket Man" and has vowed to rain "fire and fury" down on the North if it threatens the US or its allies. Trump's latest comment appeared to be something of a reversal from a Twitter message he sent just over a month ago, in which he said that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with the North Korean leader. The war of words has been deeply unsettling for US allies in the region, including Japan, where Trump met Sunday with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and South Korea, where he is to meet Tuesday with President Moon Jae-In. Trump then travels to China on Wednesday, Vietnam on Friday and the Philippines on Sunday. The interview was broadcast as a letter by the US Defense Department emerged that said the only way to locate and secure all of North Korea's nuclear weapons sites would be via ground invasion. A spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed to AFP that Rear Admiral Michael Dumont sent a letter to several members of Congress in response to a request for details about the plan for military action against North Korea. Ted Lieu, a Democratic member of Congress whom the letter was addressed to, posted a copy of the two-page correspondence on his website. "The only way to 'locate and destroy -- with complete certainty -- all components of North Korea's nuclear weapons programs' is through a ground invasion" it said. It added "a classified briefing is the best venue for a detailed discussion" of such a plan.

In U-turn, Trump says he's 'open' to meeting Kim Jong-Un

US President Donald Trump on Monday condemned what he described as a &quot;horrific shooting&quot; after 26 people were killed in a rampage at a Texas church.

&quot;This act of evil occurred as the victims and their families were in their place of worship. Our hearts are broken,&quot; Trump said on a visit to Japan.

&quot;We pull together, we join arms through the tears and the sadness we stand strong,&quot; added the president, addressing business leaders on day two of his Asian trip.

A gunman stormed into a Baptist church during Sunday morning services and killed at least 26 people.

The shooter, whose motives were not immediately clear, was dressed all in black and wearing a ballistic vest, authorities said.

Though officials did not identify the gunman, multiple media outlets named him as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, adding that he had been dishonorably discharged from the Air Force.

He also died in the assault.

Trump&#39;s host, Japanese Prime Minister &nbsp;Shinzo Abe, tweeted his &quot;deepest condolances&quot;, saying: &quot;I wish to express heartfelt solidarity with the people of the United States during this difficult time.&quot;

He added: &quot;My thoughts are with those who suffered injuries in the incident.&quot; &nbsp;

'This act of evil occurred as the victims and their families were in their place of worship. Our hearts are broken,' Trump said

US President Donald Trump on Monday condemned what he described as a "horrific shooting" after 26 people were killed in a rampage at a Texas church. "This act of evil occurred as the victims and their families were in their place of worship. Our hearts are broken," Trump said on a visit to Japan. "We pull together, we join arms through the tears and the sadness we stand strong," added the president, addressing business leaders on day two of his Asian trip. A gunman stormed into a Baptist church during Sunday morning services and killed at least 26 people. The shooter, whose motives were not immediately clear, was dressed all in black and wearing a ballistic vest, authorities said. Though officials did not identify the gunman, multiple media outlets named him as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, adding that he had been dishonorably discharged from the Air Force. He also died in the assault. Trump's host, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, tweeted his "deepest condolances", saying: "I wish to express heartfelt solidarity with the people of the United States during this difficult time." He added: "My thoughts are with those who suffered injuries in the incident."

Trump condemns 'horrific shooting', says 'our hearts are broken'

Thousands of South Koreans protested Sunday against an upcoming visit by Donald Trump and called for peace as the US President begins an Asian tour dominated by North Korea&#39;s nuclear programme.&nbsp;

Trump, who arrived in Tokyo on Sunday, is set to visit the South from Tuesday to Wednesday as part of his first Asian trip as head of state that also includes Vietnam, China, and the Philippines. &nbsp;

He is scheduled to hold a summit with President Moon Jae-In and visit a US military base, with all eyes on his message to the North and its leader Kim Jong-Un. &nbsp;

Tensions flared after Pyongyang staged a sixth atomic test in September and test-launched multiple missiles capable of reaching the US mainland, while Trump and Kim have traded colourful personal attacks.

South Korea is a key US ally and hosts 28,500 US troops but many of Trump&#39;s critics in the South see him as a warmonger whose recent war of words with Kim has heightened tensions on the flashpoint peninsula.

&quot;We oppose war! Negotiate peace!&quot; the protesters chanted in central Seoul, waving banners and balloons emblazoned &quot;Peace, not war&quot; and &quot;We want peace&quot;.&nbsp;

Many slammed both Trump and Kim for heightening the risk of conflict.

&quot;Trump and Kim... are using the current military standoff for their own political gain, while we South Koreans are trembling with fear of war!&quot; one activist said on stage.&nbsp;

One mother whose son is serving the South&#39;s mandatory two-year army conscription accused the US leader of putting her son&#39;s life at risk.

&quot;My heart stirs at every single word Trump says about North Korea,&quot; she said.

Organisers estimated the number of protesters at around 5,000.&nbsp;

Separately on Sunday a group of conservative activists held a rally to welcome Trump, urging Washington to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in the South to guard against threats from the North.&nbsp;

The latest standoff between Trump and Kim has raised concern among South Koreans, who have over decades grown indifferent to regular threats of attack from Pyongyang.&nbsp;

But some Trump advisers say US military options are limited because any armed conflict on the peninsula would be expected to cause huge casualties.&nbsp;

Seoul is home to 10 million people and only about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the heavily-fortified border, within range of Pyongyang&#39;s artillery.&nbsp;

Thousands of South Koreans protested Sunday against an upcoming visit by Donald Trump and called for peace as the US President begins an Asian tour dominated by North Korea's nuclear programme.?

Thousands of South Koreans protested Sunday against an upcoming visit by Donald Trump and called for peace as the US President begins an Asian tour dominated by North Korea's nuclear programme. Trump, who arrived in Tokyo on Sunday, is set to visit the South from Tuesday to Wednesday as part of his first Asian trip as head of state that also includes Vietnam, China, and the Philippines. He is scheduled to hold a summit with President Moon Jae-In and visit a US military base, with all eyes on his message to the North and its leader Kim Jong-Un. Tensions flared after Pyongyang staged a sixth atomic test in September and test-launched multiple missiles capable of reaching the US mainland, while Trump and Kim have traded colourful personal attacks. South Korea is a key US ally and hosts 28,500 US troops but many of Trump's critics in the South see him as a warmonger whose recent war of words with Kim has heightened tensions on the flashpoint peninsula. "We oppose war! Negotiate peace!" the protesters chanted in central Seoul, waving banners and balloons emblazoned "Peace, not war" and "We want peace". Many slammed both Trump and Kim for heightening the risk of conflict. "Trump and Kim... are using the current military standoff for their own political gain, while we South Koreans are trembling with fear of war!" one activist said on stage. One mother whose son is serving the South's mandatory two-year army conscription accused the US leader of putting her son's life at risk. "My heart stirs at every single word Trump says about North Korea," she said. Organisers estimated the number of protesters at around 5,000. Separately on Sunday a group of conservative activists held a rally to welcome Trump, urging Washington to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in the South to guard against threats from the North. The latest standoff between Trump and Kim has raised concern among South Koreans, who have over decades grown indifferent to regular threats of attack from Pyongyang. But some Trump advisers say US military options are limited because any armed conflict on the peninsula would be expected to cause huge casualties. Seoul is home to 10 million people and only about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the heavily-fortified border, within range of Pyongyang's artillery.

Thousands urge peace in anti-Trump protest in South Korea

George H.W. Bush and his son George W. Bush did not vote for fellow Republican Donald Trump last year, says the author of a new book on the 41st and 43rd US&nbsp;presidents in which they open up about their disapproval of the man now occupying the White House.

The elder Bush voted for Hillary Clinton, while his son voted for neither Trump nor his Democratic challenger, or &quot;none of the above,&quot; said Mark K. Updegrove, who wrote &quot;The Last Republicans&rdquo; with the cooperation of the two Bushes. HarperCollins will publish the book on Nov. 14.

In an interview with the New York Times, Updegrove said the elder Bush, 93, who served as president from 1989 to 1993, had an instinctive dislike of Trump though he did not know him personally.

In an interview during the 2016 presidential campaign, George H.W. Bush told the author that Trump was a &quot;blowhard,&quot; driven by &quot;a certain ego&quot; and lacking a commitment to public service.

The younger Bush, 71, who served in the White House from 2001 to 2009, believed candidate Trump lacked both humility and a necessary understanding of the presidency, Updegrove said in previewing the book about the relationship between the Bushes, written with the cooperation of the father and son.

During the campaign, George W. Bush told the author that he feared he would turn out to be the last Republican elected president.

&ldquo;At the time, I think he was concerned that Hillary Clinton would win,&rdquo; Updegrove told the Times.

&ldquo;But if you look at his values and those shared by his father and Ronald Reagan, they are very much in contrast to the values of the Republican Party today, in particular the platform that Donald Trump ran on, which is essentially protectionism and a certain xenophobia,&rdquo; said Updegrove, a historian who has written several books about the presidency.

Updegrove could not be reached for further comment.

&quot;The American people voted to elect an outsider who is capable of implementing real, positive, and needed change - instead of a lifelong politician beholden to special interests,&quot; White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

&quot;If they were interested in continuing decades of costly mistakes, another establishment politician more concerned with putting politics over people would have won.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Like many Americans, George W. Bush was surprised that Trump fared so well in last year&#39;s Republican state primaries, where his brother Jeb, a former Florida governor, emerged as one of Trump&#39;s most frequent targets.

During the campaign, the billionaire real estate developer, a political novice, promised to &quot;drain the swamp&quot; in Washington, a vow that extended to the Republican establishment, which the Bush family epitomized.

The book follows a rare speech by the younger Bush in which he delivered a sweeping yet thinly veiled critique of the Trump administration&#39;s policies and the president&#39;s blunt style.

The 43rd president decried &ldquo;bullying and prejudice&rdquo; in public life while defending open immigration and trade, two of the pillars of previous Republican administrations that have come under sustained attack by the new president.

In an interview during the 2016 presidential campaign, George H.W. Bush told the author that Trump was a "blowhard," driven by "a certain ego" and lacking a commitment to public service.

George H.W. Bush and his son George W. Bush did not vote for fellow Republican Donald Trump last year, says the author of a new book on the 41st and 43rd US presidents in which they open up about their disapproval of the man now occupying the White House. The elder Bush voted for Hillary Clinton, while his son voted for neither Trump nor his Democratic challenger, or "none of the above," said Mark K. Updegrove, who wrote "The Last Republicans” with the cooperation of the two Bushes. HarperCollins will publish the book on Nov. 14. In an interview with the New York Times, Updegrove said the elder Bush, 93, who served as president from 1989 to 1993, had an instinctive dislike of Trump though he did not know him personally. In an interview during the 2016 presidential campaign, George H.W. Bush told the author that Trump was a "blowhard," driven by "a certain ego" and lacking a commitment to public service. The younger Bush, 71, who served in the White House from 2001 to 2009, believed candidate Trump lacked both humility and a necessary understanding of the presidency, Updegrove said in previewing the book about the relationship between the Bushes, written with the cooperation of the father and son. During the campaign, George W. Bush told the author that he feared he would turn out to be the last Republican elected president. “At the time, I think he was concerned that Hillary Clinton would win,” Updegrove told the Times. “But if you look at his values and those shared by his father and Ronald Reagan, they are very much in contrast to the values of the Republican Party today, in particular the platform that Donald Trump ran on, which is essentially protectionism and a certain xenophobia,” said Updegrove, a historian who has written several books about the presidency. Updegrove could not be reached for further comment. "The American people voted to elect an outsider who is capable of implementing real, positive, and needed change - instead of a lifelong politician beholden to special interests," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement. "If they were interested in continuing decades of costly mistakes, another establishment politician more concerned with putting politics over people would have won.” Like many Americans, George W. Bush was surprised that Trump fared so well in last year's Republican state primaries, where his brother Jeb, a former Florida governor, emerged as one of Trump's most frequent targets. During the campaign, the billionaire real estate developer, a political novice, promised to "drain the swamp" in Washington, a vow that extended to the Republican establishment, which the Bush family epitomized. The book follows a rare speech by the younger Bush in which he delivered a sweeping yet thinly veiled critique of the Trump administration's policies and the president's blunt style. The 43rd president decried “bullying and prejudice” in public life while defending open immigration and trade, two of the pillars of previous Republican administrations that have come under sustained attack by the new president.

George Bush Sr calls Trump a 'blowhard' and voted for Clinton

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-extend-asia-trip-attend-east-asia-summit-white-house-23477" target="_blank">US President Donald Trump</a> paid a somber visit to Pearl Harbor ahead of his first official trip to Asia, also meeting with military officials overseeing US operations in the Pacific region.

Trump and his wife Melania tossed white pikake flower petals into the waters at the USS Arizona Memorial, where hundreds of US service members died when Japan launched a surprise attack in 1941, triggering the US entry into World War II.

The Trumps also took part in a wreath-laying ceremony during the stopover on Friday, watching as two sailors placed the flower arrangement before a white marble wall bearing the names of the fallen.

Before his some 20-minute visit to the shrine, Trump met with leaders of the US Pacific Command, amid growing concerns over security in the region.&nbsp;

In brief comments to reporters, Trump said it was &quot;very special being in Hawaii.&quot;

He voiced enthusiasm over his trip to Pearl Harbor, &quot;which I&#39;ve read about, spoken about, heard about, studied, but I haven&#39;t seen.

&quot;And that is going to be very exciting for me.&quot;

Trump stopped in Hawaii ahead of a tour of Asia lasting nearly <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-heads-to-japan-with-north-korea-on-his-mind-23489" target="_blank">two weeks which will include visits to Japan</a>, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-leaves-for-asia-with-heavy-domestic-baggage-23482" target="_blank">He left Washington with heavy domestic baggage</a>, including new developments in the high-stakes <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/two-former-trump-aides-charged-in-russia-probe-third-pleads-guilty-23166" target="_blank">probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election</a>, that risks dogging efforts at top-level diplomacy.

The trip itself poses its own set of challenges, with efforts to contain or roll back North Korea&#39;s ballistic and nuclear missile programs topping the diplomatic agenda.

Trump stopped in Hawaii ahead of a tour of Asia lasting nearly two weeks which will include visits to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines

US President Donald Trump paid a somber visit to Pearl Harbor ahead of his first official trip to Asia, also meeting with military officials overseeing US operations in the Pacific region. Trump and his wife Melania tossed white pikake flower petals into the waters at the USS Arizona Memorial, where hundreds of US service members died when Japan launched a surprise attack in 1941, triggering the US entry into World War II. The Trumps also took part in a wreath-laying ceremony during the stopover on Friday, watching as two sailors placed the flower arrangement before a white marble wall bearing the names of the fallen. Before his some 20-minute visit to the shrine, Trump met with leaders of the US Pacific Command, amid growing concerns over security in the region. In brief comments to reporters, Trump said it was "very special being in Hawaii." He voiced enthusiasm over his trip to Pearl Harbor, "which I've read about, spoken about, heard about, studied, but I haven't seen. "And that is going to be very exciting for me." Trump stopped in Hawaii ahead of a tour of Asia lasting nearly two weeks which will include visits to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. He left Washington with heavy domestic baggage, including new developments in the high-stakes probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, that risks dogging efforts at top-level diplomacy. The trip itself poses its own set of challenges, with efforts to contain or roll back North Korea's ballistic and nuclear missile programs topping the diplomatic agenda.

Trump makes Pearl Harbour stop en route to Asia

A new batch of files, mostly secret CIA records, related to the November 1963 assassination of US president John F&nbsp;Kennedy was released by the National Archives on Friday.

Nearly 680 records were made public including 553 never-before-seen files from the Central Intelligence Agency, which had objected to their release previously on national security grounds.

Among the CIA files released were detailed records, for example, of efforts to recruit Soviet diplomats serving in foreign missions, complete with transcripts of wiretaps.&nbsp;

The National Archives said the other documents published online were from the Justice Department, the Defense Department and a House committee which conducted an inquiry into Kennedy&#39;s November 22, 1963 assassination in Dallas, Texas.

The official Warren Commission which investigated the slaying of the charismatic 46-year-old president determined that it was carried out by a former Marine Corps sharpshooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone.

The commission&#39;s formal conclusion that Oswald killed Kennedy has done little, however, to quell speculation that a more sinister plot was behind the murder of the 35th US president.

Hundreds of books and movies such as the 1991 Oliver Stone film &quot;JFK&quot; have fed the conspiracy industry, pointing the finger at Cold War rivals the Soviet Union or Cuba, the Mafia and even Kennedy&#39;s vice president, Lyndon Johnson.

Kennedy scholars have said the new documents are unlikely to contain any bombshell revelations or put to rest the rampant conspiracy theories.

Friday&#39;s document release by the National Archives is the third this year and in compliance with a 1992 act of Congress that mandated that all Kennedy documents be released within 25 years.

President Donald Trump has given the FBI and CIA six months&nbsp;until April 26, 2018 &nbsp;to make their case for why remaining documents should not be made public.

The National Archives released 2,891 assassination documents on October 26 and 3,810 records on July 24.

Oswald defected to the Soviet Union in 1959 but returned to the United States in 1962.

He was shot to death two days after killing Kennedy by a nightclub owner, Jack Ruby, as he was being transferred from the city jail.

Nearly 680 records were made public including 553 never-before-seen files from the Central Intelligence Agency, which had objected to their release previously on national security grounds

A new batch of files, mostly secret CIA records, related to the November 1963 assassination of US president John F Kennedy was released by the National Archives on Friday. Nearly 680 records were made public including 553 never-before-seen files from the Central Intelligence Agency, which had objected to their release previously on national security grounds. Among the CIA files released were detailed records, for example, of efforts to recruit Soviet diplomats serving in foreign missions, complete with transcripts of wiretaps. The National Archives said the other documents published online were from the Justice Department, the Defense Department and a House committee which conducted an inquiry into Kennedy's November 22, 1963 assassination in Dallas, Texas. The official Warren Commission which investigated the slaying of the charismatic 46-year-old president determined that it was carried out by a former Marine Corps sharpshooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone. The commission's formal conclusion that Oswald killed Kennedy has done little, however, to quell speculation that a more sinister plot was behind the murder of the 35th US president. Hundreds of books and movies such as the 1991 Oliver Stone film "JFK" have fed the conspiracy industry, pointing the finger at Cold War rivals the Soviet Union or Cuba, the Mafia and even Kennedy's vice president, Lyndon Johnson. Kennedy scholars have said the new documents are unlikely to contain any bombshell revelations or put to rest the rampant conspiracy theories. Friday's document release by the National Archives is the third this year and in compliance with a 1992 act of Congress that mandated that all Kennedy documents be released within 25 years. President Donald Trump has given the FBI and CIA six months until April 26, 2018 to make their case for why remaining documents should not be made public. The National Archives released 2,891 assassination documents on October 26 and 3,810 records on July 24. Oswald defected to the Soviet Union in 1959 but returned to the United States in 1962. He was shot to death two days after killing Kennedy by a nightclub owner, Jack Ruby, as he was being transferred from the city jail.

CIA releases more than 500 secret Kennedy assassination files

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-leaves-for-asia-with-heavy-domestic-baggage-23482">Trump leaves for Asia with heavy domestic baggage</a>

President Donald Trump departed Washington for an almost two week trip to Asia on Friday, during which he&nbsp;will meet China&rsquo;s Xi Jinping, Japan&rsquo;s Shinzo Abe and other Asian leaders.&nbsp;It is the longest presidential tour of Asia since George HW Bush visited in late 1991 and early 1992.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/all-inter-faith-marriages-arent-love-jihad-mukhtar-abbas-naqvi-to-wion-23473">All inter-faith marriages aren&rsquo;t love jihad, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to WION</a>

Speaking exclusively to WION, the Union minister says that the nationalism debate around Vande Mataram and Jan Gan Man are irrelevant.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/former-tmc-leader-mukul-roy-joins-bjp-23470">Former Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy joins BJP</a>

Trinamool Congress had&nbsp;suspended Mukul Roy for six years after he&nbsp;announced his decision to quit the party amid reports that he was planning to join the BJP.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kamal-haasan-booked-for-remarks-on-hindu-terror-23471">Defamation case against Kamal Haasan for &#39;Hindu terror&#39; remark</a>

The Tamil icon had made the&nbsp;remark in his column in Ananda Vikatan, a Tamil weekly. The BJP and the RSS have sharply criticised the actor for saying&nbsp;&quot;The right wing cannot challenge talk of Hindu terrorists because terror has spread into their camp as well.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ozone-hole-shrinks-to-lowest-since-1998-report-23441">Ozone hole shrinks to lowest since 1998</a>

Scientists say that the global efforts since the mid-1980s to ban the emission of ozone-depleting chemicals are the main reason for the ozone hole shrinking, a report in the Washington Post said.

Trump leaves for Asia with heavy domestic baggage President Donald Trump departed Washington for an almost two week trip to Asia on Friday, during which he will meet China’s Xi Jinping, Japan’s Shinzo Abe and other Asian leaders. It is the longest presidential tour of Asia since George HW Bush visited in late 1991 and early 1992. All inter-faith marriages aren’t love jihad, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to WION Speaking exclusively to WION, the Union minister says that the nationalism debate around Vande Mataram and Jan Gan Man are irrelevant. Former Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy joins BJP Trinamool Congress had suspended Mukul Roy for six years after he announced his decision to quit the party amid reports that he was planning to join the BJP. Defamation case against Kamal Haasan for 'Hindu terror' remark The Tamil icon had made the remark in his column in Ananda Vikatan, a Tamil weekly. The BJP and the RSS have sharply criticised the actor for saying "The right wing cannot challenge talk of Hindu terrorists because terror has spread into their camp as well." Ozone hole shrinks to lowest since 1998 Scientists say that the global efforts since the mid-1980s to ban the emission of ozone-depleting chemicals are the main reason for the ozone hole shrinking, a report in the Washington Post said.

WION Morning News Brief November 4, 2017

US President Donald Trump departed Washington for an almost two week trip to Asia Friday, leaving a trail of invective and scandal that risks overshadowing efforts at top-level diplomacy.

Trump left Joint Base Andrews bound for Hawaii - where he will receive a briefing from United States Pacific Command - before travelling on to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

But before climbing the steps of Air Force One, Trump unleashed a Twitter barrage, pillorying his own Justice Department and calling for his former political opponents to be prosecuted.

&quot;A lot of people are disappointed in the Justice Department, including me,&quot; Trump later said, complaining they were probing his campaign&#39;s ties to Russia but not adequately investigating his former Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

&quot;There was no collusion, there was no nothing. It&#39;s a disgrace, frankly, that they continue.&quot;

His comments dealt a fresh blow to the traditional barriers between the executive and the judicial system, breaking the taboo over presidential interference with investigations.

Trump will meet China&rsquo;s Xi Jinping, Japan&#39;s Shinzo Abe and other Asian leaders with his standing at home dramatically weakened by series of indictments against former campaign aides.

His week started with special counsel Robert Mueller - who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election - indicting Trump&rsquo;s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort on money laundering charges.

Mueller also revealed that a Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos had lied to the FBI about his contacts with Kremlin-connected officials, but then turned informant.&nbsp;

Trump said he did not recall a campaign encounter with Papadopoulos, during which the young aide proposed a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

&quot;I don&rsquo;t remember much about that meeting, it was a very unimportant meeting. Don`t remember much about it,&quot; Trump said.The president, who was elected one year ago, may be leaving Washington, but news from the US capital is likely to trail him.&nbsp;

New indictments are rumoured to be on the way, perhaps within days.

While he is away Republican lawmakers will also be working furiously to pass tax cuts that are make-or-break for his legislative agenda.

And there will also be gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey seen - in part - as a gauge of his popularity.&nbsp;

Trump tried to seize on Democratic infighting ahead of those votes, fired up by explosive revelations from a top Democratic operative that the 2016 presidential primaries were tipped in Clinton`s favor.

&quot;Crooked Hillary Clinton, rigged the Primaries! Lets go FBI &amp; Justice Dept,&quot; he tweeted.

Trump&rsquo;s trip itself had already promised to be anything but easy.

The main foreign policy item on the agenda will be efforts to contain or roll back North Korea&#39;s ballistic and nuclear missile programs.

It is the longest presidential tour of Asia since George HW Bush visited in late 1991 and early 1992.

That culminated in the 41st president fainting and vomiting at a banquet in Japan.

Trump used his departure to announce that the already marathon trip will be extended to include an East Asia Summit in the Philippines, which he had been slated to miss.

Trump will meet China?s Xi Jinping, Japan?s Shinzo Abe and other Asian leaders with his standing at home dramatically weakened by series of indictments against former campaign aides.

US President Donald Trump departed Washington for an almost two week trip to Asia Friday, leaving a trail of invective and scandal that risks overshadowing efforts at top-level diplomacy. Trump left Joint Base Andrews bound for Hawaii - where he will receive a briefing from United States Pacific Command - before travelling on to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. But before climbing the steps of Air Force One, Trump unleashed a Twitter barrage, pillorying his own Justice Department and calling for his former political opponents to be prosecuted. "A lot of people are disappointed in the Justice Department, including me," Trump later said, complaining they were probing his campaign's ties to Russia but not adequately investigating his former Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. "There was no collusion, there was no nothing. It's a disgrace, frankly, that they continue." His comments dealt a fresh blow to the traditional barriers between the executive and the judicial system, breaking the taboo over presidential interference with investigations. Trump will meet China’s Xi Jinping, Japan's Shinzo Abe and other Asian leaders with his standing at home dramatically weakened by series of indictments against former campaign aides. His week started with special counsel Robert Mueller - who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election - indicting Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort on money laundering charges. Mueller also revealed that a Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos had lied to the FBI about his contacts with Kremlin-connected officials, but then turned informant. Trump said he did not recall a campaign encounter with Papadopoulos, during which the young aide proposed a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I don’t remember much about that meeting, it was a very unimportant meeting. Don`t remember much about it," Trump said.The president, who was elected one year ago, may be leaving Washington, but news from the US capital is likely to trail him. New indictments are rumoured to be on the way, perhaps within days. While he is away Republican lawmakers will also be working furiously to pass tax cuts that are make-or-break for his legislative agenda. And there will also be gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey seen - in part - as a gauge of his popularity. Trump tried to seize on Democratic infighting ahead of those votes, fired up by explosive revelations from a top Democratic operative that the 2016 presidential primaries were tipped in Clinton`s favor. "Crooked Hillary Clinton, rigged the Primaries! Lets go FBI & Justice Dept," he tweeted. Trump’s trip itself had already promised to be anything but easy. The main foreign policy item on the agenda will be efforts to contain or roll back North Korea's ballistic and nuclear missile programs. It is the longest presidential tour of Asia since George HW Bush visited in late 1991 and early 1992. That culminated in the 41st president fainting and vomiting at a banquet in Japan. Trump used his departure to announce that the already marathon trip will be extended to include an East Asia Summit in the Philippines, which he had been slated to miss.

US President Donald Trump leaves for Asia with heavy domestic baggage

The rapid pace of global climate change is almost certainly driven by human activity, like burning fossil fuels, according to a US government report that contradicts assertions by President Donald Trump and members of his administration.

&quot;For the warming over the last century, there is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the extent of the observational evidence,&quot; said the report by a group of more than 50 US&nbsp;government scientists released on Friday.

The report, which is required by Congress every four years, was written by scientists from government bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

It reinforces the conclusions drawn by an overwhelming majority of scientists around the world in recent years that emissions from burning fossil fuels are the primary driver of global warming, leading to sea level rise, flooding, droughts, and more frequent powerful storms.

Trump has repeatedly called climate change a hoax, and in June announced that he would withdraw the United States from a global pact to combat it - calling the deal&#39;s demands for emissions cuts too costly for the US&nbsp;economy.

War-torn Syria is the only other country outside the pact.

The US&nbsp;withdrawal from the Paris Climate Deal was part of a broader White House effort to roll back what it sees as unneeded environmental protections to boost domestic oil and gas drilling and coal mining.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has also expressed doubts about the causes of climate change, at one point saying he did not believe carbon dioxide from human activity was the primary driver, and calling for further debate on the issue.

In an emailed statement, White House spokesman Raj Shah said: &quot;The Administration supports rigorous scientific analysis and debate and encourages public comment on the draft documents being released today.&quot;

Officials at the EPA declined to comment.

According to the report, global temperatures have increased by about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius) over the last 115 years, while global average sea levels have risen about 7 inches (17.78 cm) over the same period.

Sea levels are expected to rise &quot;at least several inches in the next 15 years&quot; due to rising temperatures, it added.

The rapid pace of global climate change is almost certainly driven by human activity, like burning fossil fuels, according to? US government report that contradicts assertions by President Donald Trump and members of his administration.

The rapid pace of global climate change is almost certainly driven by human activity, like burning fossil fuels, according to a US government report that contradicts assertions by President Donald Trump and members of his administration. "For the warming over the last century, there is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the extent of the observational evidence," said the report by a group of more than 50 US government scientists released on Friday. The report, which is required by Congress every four years, was written by scientists from government bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It reinforces the conclusions drawn by an overwhelming majority of scientists around the world in recent years that emissions from burning fossil fuels are the primary driver of global warming, leading to sea level rise, flooding, droughts, and more frequent powerful storms. Trump has repeatedly called climate change a hoax, and in June announced that he would withdraw the United States from a global pact to combat it - calling the deal's demands for emissions cuts too costly for the US economy. War-torn Syria is the only other country outside the pact. The US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Deal was part of a broader White House effort to roll back what it sees as unneeded environmental protections to boost domestic oil and gas drilling and coal mining. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has also expressed doubts about the causes of climate change, at one point saying he did not believe carbon dioxide from human activity was the primary driver, and calling for further debate on the issue. In an emailed statement, White House spokesman Raj Shah said: "The Administration supports rigorous scientific analysis and debate and encourages public comment on the draft documents being released today." Officials at the EPA declined to comment. According to the report, global temperatures have increased by about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius) over the last 115 years, while global average sea levels have risen about 7 inches (17.78 cm) over the same period. Sea levels are expected to rise "at least several inches in the next 15 years" due to rising temperatures, it added.

In a clash with Trump, US report says humans cause climate change

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