Former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired by US President Donald Trump last year, will release his highly anticipated memoir on Tuesday. Some US media organizations have already been reporting excerpts from the book.

"A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership", comes almost a year after Comey's dismissal, which raised questions about whether Trump tried to interfere with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's probe into Russia's alleged meddling with the US presidential election.

Russia denies any interference, and Trump has denied collusion with Russia and interfering with the investigation.

In addition to reflections on Comey's interactions with Trump last year, the book will feature anecdotes from his role in leading an investigation into the use of a private email server by Democrat Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign.

Comey's announcement that the FBI was reopening the Clinton email investigation days before the November election led to accusations by some Democrats that he was unfairly influencing the outcome. The FBI eventually closed the probe without taking any action.

Comey said his assumption that Hillary Clinton would win the 2016 presidential election was a factor in opening an inquiry into her emails, according to part of an ABC interview broadcast on Saturday.

The controversy involved Clinton’s use of a private email server for official correspondence when she was secretary of state under then-President Barack Obama, including for messages that were later determined to contain classified information.

Although the FBI ultimately decided not to refer Clinton’s case for prosecution, Democrats said Comey’s announcement damaged her with voters right before the election, and he faced complaints that his moves were politically motivated.

"I don’t remember consciously thinking about that, but it must have been because I was operating in a world where Hillary Clinton was going to beat Donald Trump, and so I’m sure that it was a factor,” Comey said in an excerpt of an interview aired on Saturday.

"I don’t remember spelling it out, but it had to have been, that she’s going to be elected president and if I hide this from the American people, she’ll be illegitimate the moment she’s elected, the moment this comes out," Comey added.

Trump, who criticized Comey repeatedly before and after he fired him, denounced him on Twitter on Friday: "James Comey is a proven LEAKER & LIAR," he said.

"I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His "memos" are self-serving and FAKE!" Trump tweeted.

Trump fired Comey last May, setting off a firestorm, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation was probing possible connections between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia's meddling in the American elections.

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Unbelievably, James Comey states that Polls, where Crooked Hillary was leading, were a factor in the handling (stupidly) of the Clinton Email probe. In other words, he was making decisions based on the fact that he thought she was going to win, and he wanted a job. Slimeball!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/985483513704124416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The big questions in Comey’s badly reviewed book aren’t answered like, how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail), why did the DNC refuse to give Server to the FBI (why didn’t they TAKE it), why the phony memos, McCabe’s $700,000 & more?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/985487209510948864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty. I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His “memos” are self serving and FAKE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/985496023555608576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/985504808646971392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

In addition to reflections on Comey's interactions with Trump last year, the book will feature anecdotes from his role in leading an investigation into the use of a private email server by Democrat Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign

Former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired by US President Donald Trump last year, will release his highly anticipated memoir on Tuesday. Some US media organizations have already been reporting excerpts from the book. "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership", comes almost a year after Comey's dismissal, which raised questions about whether Trump tried to interfere with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's probe into Russia's alleged meddling with the US presidential election. Russia denies any interference, and Trump has denied collusion with Russia and interfering with the investigation. In addition to reflections on Comey's interactions with Trump last year, the book will feature anecdotes from his role in leading an investigation into the use of a private email server by Democrat Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign. Comey's announcement that the FBI was reopening the Clinton email investigation days before the November election led to accusations by some Democrats that he was unfairly influencing the outcome. The FBI eventually closed the probe without taking any action. Comey said his assumption that Hillary Clinton would win the 2016 presidential election was a factor in opening an inquiry into her emails, according to part of an ABC interview broadcast on Saturday. The controversy involved Clinton’s use of a private email server for official correspondence when she was secretary of state under then-President Barack Obama, including for messages that were later determined to contain classified information. Although the FBI ultimately decided not to refer Clinton’s case for prosecution, Democrats said Comey’s announcement damaged her with voters right before the election, and he faced complaints that his moves were politically motivated. "I don’t remember consciously thinking about that, but it must have been because I was operating in a world where Hillary Clinton was going to beat Donald Trump, and so I’m sure that it was a factor,” Comey said in an excerpt of an interview aired on Saturday. "I don’t remember spelling it out, but it had to have been, that she’s going to be elected president and if I hide this from the American people, she’ll be illegitimate the moment she’s elected, the moment this comes out," Comey added. Trump, who criticized Comey repeatedly before and after he fired him, denounced him on Twitter on Friday: "James Comey is a proven LEAKER & LIAR," he said. "I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His "memos" are self-serving and FAKE!" Trump tweeted. Trump fired Comey last May, setting off a firestorm, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation was probing possible connections between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia's meddling in the American elections. Unbelievably, James Comey states that Polls, where Crooked Hillary was leading, were a factor in the handling (stupidly) of the Clinton Email probe. In other words, he was making decisions based on the fact that he thought she was going to win, and he wanted a job. Slimeball! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018 × The big questions in Comey’s badly reviewed book aren’t answered like, how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail), why did the DNC refuse to give Server to the FBI (why didn’t they TAKE it), why the phony memos, McCabe’s $700,000 & more? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018 × I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty. I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His “memos” are self serving and FAKE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018 × Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018 ×

His memos are self-serving and fake: Trump fires James Comey over memoir

The White House insisted Tuesday that Donald Trump has the power to fire special prosecutor Robert Mueller, stoking fears that the president may try to kill an investigation inching ever-closer to the Oval Office.

After months of denying Mueller's removal is under consideration, the change in tone came as Trump reacted furiously to an FBI raid of his private lawyer's offices on Monday.

Special counsel Mueller was appointed in May to investigate Russian efforts to tip the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor.

Over the last year, he has increasingly dug into evidence of alleged money laundering, fraud and obstruction of justice inside Trump's inner circle.

Four Trump aides -- including his 2016 campaign chair Paul Manafort and former national security advisor Michael Flynn -- have already been indicted or pleaded guilty.

Now, Trump's longtime lawyer Michael Cohen -- who holds secrets about many of the president's personal and financial dealings -- is in the crosshairs.

"We have been advised that the president certainly has the power to make that decision," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said of the possibility to remove Mueller.

"I think that the president has been clear that he thinks that this has gone too far."

Trump hunkered down at the White House, canceling a first trip to Latin America that was due to start Friday and stewing on a move that could throw America into a constitutional crisis.

At the same time, Trump faced a momentous decision about whether to carry out military strikes in Syria.

Total witch hunt

Trump has pledged to decide by the end of Tuesday how to respond to a suspected chemical weapons attack in the rebel-held suburbs of Damascus, blamed on the Syrian regime and its allies.

But while much of his national security team debated whether strikes would be effective in deterring future chemical attacks, and how to limit the risk of escalation, Trump met his lawyers Jay Sekulow and Ty Cobb to discuss the Cohen raid.&nbsp

His anger showed no signs of abating.

"A TOTAL WITCH HUNT!!!" the president blasted on Twitter amid news that FBI agents had seized documents pertaining to his dealings with Cohen. "Attorney–client privilege is dead!"

In a phone call with CNN, Cohen admitted the raid was "upsetting to say the least."

Asked if he was worried, Cohen said: "I would be lying to you if I told that I am not. Do I need this in my life? No. Do I want to be involved in this? No."

On Capitol Hill, Republican and Democratic lawmakers urged Trump to allow Mueller to do his work.

Democrats wanted to go one step further and pass legislation protecting the Republican former FBI director.

"If the president is thinking of using this raid to fire Special Counsel Mueller or otherwise interfere with the chain of command in the Russia probe, we Democrats have one simple message for him: don't," top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said.

"The investigation is critical to the health of our democracy, and must be allowed to continue."

Trump's fellow Republicans said that would not be necessary, with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley stating it would be "suicide" for the president to fire Mueller.

The raid on Cohen's offices came amid allegations he paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 shortly before the election to keep a tryst with Trump quiet.

After months of silence, Trump last week offered a flat "no" when asked if he knew about the payment.

Plans dashed

Trump's decision to scrap his trip to Colombia and Peru surprised even some White House staff.

"The president will remain in the United States to oversee the American response to Syria and to monitor developments around the world," Sanders said.

Trump had already cut the visit short -- from five days, to three and, finally, to none.&nbsp

The combative US president had been expected in Peru for the Summit of the Americas, where he was likely to face protests and awkward meetings with leaders who have bristled at his repeated portrayal of Latino immigrants as rapists and thugs.

Vice President Mike Pence will represent the United States in Lima instead, his aide Jarrod Agen said, adding that he would also meet Venezuelan dissidents. &nbsp

Trump is still expected to travel to his Mar-a-Lago holiday home in Florida on Monday, where a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will go ahead.

&nbsp

'We have been advised that the president certainly has the power to make that decision,' White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said of the possibility to remove Mueller

The White House insisted Tuesday that Donald Trump has the power to fire special prosecutor Robert Mueller, stoking fears that the president may try to kill an investigation inching ever-closer to the Oval Office. After months of denying Mueller's removal is under consideration, the change in tone came as Trump reacted furiously to an FBI raid of his private lawyer's offices on Monday. Special counsel Mueller was appointed in May to investigate Russian efforts to tip the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. Over the last year, he has increasingly dug into evidence of alleged money laundering, fraud and obstruction of justice inside Trump's inner circle. Four Trump aides -- including his 2016 campaign chair Paul Manafort and former national security advisor Michael Flynn -- have already been indicted or pleaded guilty. Now, Trump's longtime lawyer Michael Cohen -- who holds secrets about many of the president's personal and financial dealings -- is in the crosshairs. "We have been advised that the president certainly has the power to make that decision," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said of the possibility to remove Mueller. "I think that the president has been clear that he thinks that this has gone too far." Trump hunkered down at the White House, canceling a first trip to Latin America that was due to start Friday and stewing on a move that could throw America into a constitutional crisis. At the same time, Trump faced a momentous decision about whether to carry out military strikes in Syria. Total witch hunt Trump has pledged to decide by the end of Tuesday how to respond to a suspected chemical weapons attack in the rebel-held suburbs of Damascus, blamed on the Syrian regime and its allies. But while much of his national security team debated whether strikes would be effective in deterring future chemical attacks, and how to limit the risk of escalation, Trump met his lawyers Jay Sekulow and Ty Cobb to discuss the Cohen raid. His anger showed no signs of abating. "A TOTAL WITCH HUNT!!!" the president blasted on Twitter amid news that FBI agents had seized documents pertaining to his dealings with Cohen. "Attorney–client privilege is dead!" In a phone call with CNN, Cohen admitted the raid was "upsetting to say the least." Asked if he was worried, Cohen said: "I would be lying to you if I told that I am not. Do I need this in my life? No. Do I want to be involved in this? No." On Capitol Hill, Republican and Democratic lawmakers urged Trump to allow Mueller to do his work. Democrats wanted to go one step further and pass legislation protecting the Republican former FBI director. "If the president is thinking of using this raid to fire Special Counsel Mueller or otherwise interfere with the chain of command in the Russia probe, we Democrats have one simple message for him: don't," top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said. "The investigation is critical to the health of our democracy, and must be allowed to continue." Trump's fellow Republicans said that would not be necessary, with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley stating it would be "suicide" for the president to fire Mueller. The raid on Cohen's offices came amid allegations he paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 shortly before the election to keep a tryst with Trump quiet. After months of silence, Trump last week offered a flat "no" when asked if he knew about the payment. Plans dashed Trump's decision to scrap his trip to Colombia and Peru surprised even some White House staff. "The president will remain in the United States to oversee the American response to Syria and to monitor developments around the world," Sanders said. Trump had already cut the visit short -- from five days, to three and, finally, to none. The combative US president had been expected in Peru for the Summit of the Americas, where he was likely to face protests and awkward meetings with leaders who have bristled at his repeated portrayal of Latino immigrants as rapists and thugs. Vice President Mike Pence will represent the United States in Lima instead, his aide Jarrod Agen said, adding that he would also meet Venezuelan dissidents. Trump is still expected to travel to his Mar-a-Lago holiday home in Florida on Monday, where a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will go ahead.

Trump can fire Russia prosecutor Mueller, says White House

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-raid-on-michael-cohens-office-an-attack-on-our-country-trump-129466">FBI raid on Michael Cohen's office an attack on our country: Trump</a>

The Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) today raided the New York offices of US President Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/himachal-bus-accident-10-year-old-makes-miraculous-escape-pm-modi-anguished-129477">Himachal bus accident: 10-year-old makes </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/himachal-bus-accident-10-year-old-makes-miraculous-escape-pm-modi-anguished-129477">miraculous</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/himachal-bus-accident-10-year-old-makes-miraculous-escape-pm-modi-anguished-129477"> escape PM Modi anguished</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned the bus accident in Himachal Pradesh which led to loss of lives of 30 people including 27 children.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/security-beefed-up-across-nation-following-anti-quota-bandh--129468">SC/ST Act strike: Home ministry issues </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/security-beefed-up-across-nation-following-anti-quota-bandh--129468">advisory</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/security-beefed-up-across-nation-following-anti-quota-bandh--129468">, security forces on alert nationwide</a>

The Home Ministry has directed a nationwide advisory to make sure that sufficient security is deployed to ensure that things don't go out of control during the strike-call today against the policy of caste-based reservation in education and jobs.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/raazi-trailer-alia-bhatts-spy-act-looks-intriguing--129483">Raazi trailer: Alia Bhatt's spy act looks intriguing</a>&nbsp;

Alia Bhatt surely knows how to choose her films. Her last release- Badrinath Ki Dulhania- was a complete commercial film. Her latest, Meghna Gulzar's Raazi presents Alia in a very different role. The actress plays an Indian spy in the thriller which is based on a real-life story.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-rajasthans-roi-on-ben-stokes-against-hyderabad-was-rs-1785714-129472">IPL: Rajasthan's ROI on Ben Stokes against Hyderabad was Rs 1,785,714 per ball</a>

Rajasthan marked a return to the IPL after serving a two-year ban but failed to light up the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League as they lost the opening match against Hyderabad.

FBI raid on Michael Cohen's office an attack on our country: Trump The Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) today raided the New York offices of US President Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen. Himachal bus accident: 10-year-old makes miraculous escape PM Modi anguished Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned the bus accident in Himachal Pradesh which led to loss of lives of 30 people including 27 children. SC/ST Act strike: Home ministry issues advisory, security forces on alert nationwide The Home Ministry has directed a nationwide advisory to make sure that sufficient security is deployed to ensure that things don't go out of control during the strike-call today against the policy of caste-based reservation in education and jobs. Raazi trailer: Alia Bhatt's spy act looks intriguing Alia Bhatt surely knows how to choose her films. Her last release- Badrinath Ki Dulhania- was a complete commercial film. Her latest, Meghna Gulzar's Raazi presents Alia in a very different role. The actress plays an Indian spy in the thriller which is based on a real-life story. IPL: Rajasthan's ROI on Ben Stokes against Hyderabad was Rs 1,785,714 per ball Rajasthan marked a return to the IPL after serving a two-year ban but failed to light up the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League as they lost the opening match against Hyderabad.

WION Morning news brief, April 10, 2018

A furious Donald Trump blasted the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller as a "disgrace" and a "witch hunt" Monday after FBI agents raided the New York offices of the president`s longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen.

Agents seized files relating to Cohen's work, which included making a $130,000 payment before the 2016 election to an adult film actress who says she had a tryst with the Trump.&nbsp

Cohen's own attorney Stephen Ryan said agents were working in part on the request of Mueller, the independent prosecutor investigating links between Russia and the Trump campaign.

At the White House, Trump angrily denounced the raid on Cohen, whom he called "a good man."

"It's a disgraceful situation. It's a total witch-hunt, I have been saying it for a long time," he told reporters.

"It's an attack on our country in a true sense. It's an attack on what we all stand for," he said.

The raid came as Mueller's probe intensifies its focus on Trump's inner circle. Mueller's team is examining possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Moscow, allegations of corrupt behavior by Trump campaign lieutenants, and of White House efforts to obstruct the investigation.

So far 19 people have been indicted, including the chairman of Trump's campaign and his former national security advisor.

Trump accused Mueller Monday of overseeing a biased investigation staffed by Democrats, "a pure and simple witch-hunt." After having turned over what he called a million pages of documents, Trump said the investigation is "now getting ridiculous. They found no collusion whatsoever with Russia."&nbsp

"This is the most biased group of people, these people have the biggest conflicts of interest I've ever seen. Democrats all, or just about all."

Asked if he wants to fire Mueller, Trump replied: "Many people have said you should fire him. Again they found nothing and in finding nothing that`s a big statement," he said. "So we'll see what happens."

The veteran prosecutor, a former FBI director, is seeking to interview Trump, but has not said the president is a target in the investigation.

The raid on Cohen though takes the probe close to the Oval Office. Cohen has been Trump's personal lawyer and confidant for years, helping him on real estate and personal matters, as well as informally advising him since he became president.

He is also known as a rough-and-tumble "fixer" for Trump, dedicated to protecting his boss's interests. US media said documents seized in the raid related to the surreptitious payment Cohen made to porn actress Stormy Daniels that, according to Daniels, aimed to keep her quiet about her earlier relationship with Trump.

The Washington Post reported that Cohen is under examination for possible bank fraud and campaign finance violations.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is one of several women who claim to have had affairs with Trump in the past and were pressured or paid to keep quiet about them.

Last month Daniels told 21 million TV watchers that she had unprotected sex with Trump after meeting with him at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, California in July 2006. That was shortly after Trump`s wife Melania gave birth to their son.

Trump has skirted questions about the relationship, and last week denied any knowledge of Cohen's $130,000 payment, which was made to secure Daniels's signature in October 2016 on a secret agreement to not talk about the affair.&nbsp

But since then media reports have made it public, and last month she sued in a California court to have the hush deal annulled. Cohen countersued, demanding some $20 million in penalties for her violating the non-disclosure pact.

Cohen has said that neither the Trump Organization, the president`s real estate group, nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Daniels.

"Neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly," Cohen said.

After the raid Monday, Cohen`s attorney Ryan accused prosecutors of seizing privileged communications between Cohen and his clients.

"The decision by the US attorney`s office in New York to conduct their investigation using search warrants is completely inappropriate and unnecessary," Ryan said.

"It resulted in the unnecessary seizure of protected attorney-client communications between a lawyer and his clients."

A furious Donald Trump blasted the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller as a 'disgrace' and a 'witch hunt' Monday after FBI agents raided the New York offices of the president`s longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen

A furious Donald Trump blasted the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller as a "disgrace" and a "witch hunt" Monday after FBI agents raided the New York offices of the president`s longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen. Agents seized files relating to Cohen's work, which included making a $130,000 payment before the 2016 election to an adult film actress who says she had a tryst with the Trump. Cohen's own attorney Stephen Ryan said agents were working in part on the request of Mueller, the independent prosecutor investigating links between Russia and the Trump campaign. At the White House, Trump angrily denounced the raid on Cohen, whom he called "a good man." "It's a disgraceful situation. It's a total witch-hunt, I have been saying it for a long time," he told reporters. "It's an attack on our country in a true sense. It's an attack on what we all stand for," he said. The raid came as Mueller's probe intensifies its focus on Trump's inner circle. Mueller's team is examining possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Moscow, allegations of corrupt behavior by Trump campaign lieutenants, and of White House efforts to obstruct the investigation. So far 19 people have been indicted, including the chairman of Trump's campaign and his former national security advisor. Trump accused Mueller Monday of overseeing a biased investigation staffed by Democrats, "a pure and simple witch-hunt." After having turned over what he called a million pages of documents, Trump said the investigation is "now getting ridiculous. They found no collusion whatsoever with Russia." "This is the most biased group of people, these people have the biggest conflicts of interest I've ever seen. Democrats all, or just about all." Asked if he wants to fire Mueller, Trump replied: "Many people have said you should fire him. Again they found nothing and in finding nothing that`s a big statement," he said. "So we'll see what happens." The veteran prosecutor, a former FBI director, is seeking to interview Trump, but has not said the president is a target in the investigation. The raid on Cohen though takes the probe close to the Oval Office. Cohen has been Trump's personal lawyer and confidant for years, helping him on real estate and personal matters, as well as informally advising him since he became president. He is also known as a rough-and-tumble "fixer" for Trump, dedicated to protecting his boss's interests. US media said documents seized in the raid related to the surreptitious payment Cohen made to porn actress Stormy Daniels that, according to Daniels, aimed to keep her quiet about her earlier relationship with Trump. The Washington Post reported that Cohen is under examination for possible bank fraud and campaign finance violations. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is one of several women who claim to have had affairs with Trump in the past and were pressured or paid to keep quiet about them. Last month Daniels told 21 million TV watchers that she had unprotected sex with Trump after meeting with him at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, California in July 2006. That was shortly after Trump`s wife Melania gave birth to their son. Trump has skirted questions about the relationship, and last week denied any knowledge of Cohen's $130,000 payment, which was made to secure Daniels's signature in October 2016 on a secret agreement to not talk about the affair. But since then media reports have made it public, and last month she sued in a California court to have the hush deal annulled. Cohen countersued, demanding some $20 million in penalties for her violating the non-disclosure pact. Cohen has said that neither the Trump Organization, the president`s real estate group, nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Daniels. "Neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly," Cohen said. After the raid Monday, Cohen`s attorney Ryan accused prosecutors of seizing privileged communications between Cohen and his clients. "The decision by the US attorney`s office in New York to conduct their investigation using search warrants is completely inappropriate and unnecessary," Ryan said. "It resulted in the unnecessary seizure of protected attorney-client communications between a lawyer and his clients."

FBI raids offices of Trump's personal lawyer

A package exploded early Tuesday at a FedEx distribution facility in Texas, news reports said, two days after the latest in a series of blasts in Austin attributed to a serial bomber.

This time the explosion rocked a facility in the town of Schertz, in the San Antonio area. Reports said one employee was injured.

The Washington Post, quoting the FBI, reported that the package had been bound for Austin, the state capital.

Hundreds of police officers and FBI agents are searching for a mysterious &quot;serial bomber&quot; after Sunday`s blast in Austin - the fourth this month - left two young men seriously injured and the city on edge.

Police said the explosion was connected to three previous bombings in Austin and the bomber used a tripwire in the latest attack, showing a higher level of skill.

&quot;We`re clearly dealing with what we expect to be a serial bomber at this point,&quot; Austin police chief Brian Manley told reporters.

But Manley said police have been unable to determine a motive for the bombings that have killed two people in the city of nearly one million people and injured another four.

&quot;Is this terrorism? Is it hate-related?&quot; Manley asked. &quot;As we said from the very beginning, we were not willing to classify this as terrorism, as hate, because we just don`t know enough.&quot;

In the earlier bombings, two African American men were killed by packages left on their doorsteps, raising the possibility of a racially motivated crime. A 75-year-old Hispanic woman was also injured in a blast.

But Manley said the bombing Sunday seriously wounded two white men aged 22 and 23 as they walked along a sidewalk or on the road in a quiet residential neighbourhood.

He said it appeared random and was triggered by a tripwire.

Manley said the use of a tripwire also means police are dealing with someone who &quot;shows a higher level of sophistication, a higher level of skill&quot; than initially believed.

Manley appealed to the bomber to contact the authorities and to the public to report anything suspicious.

&quot;I will reach out to the suspect or suspects and ask that you contact us, ask that you reach out to us, communicate with us so that we can put this to an end,&quot; Manley said. &quot;There are innocent people getting hurt in this community and it needs to come to a stop.&quot;

The authorities said they were increasing the reward offered for information leading to an arrest, bringing the total city and state bounty money to $115,000.

An exploding package killed 39-year-old Anthony House on March 2. A 17-year-old African American teenager, Draylen Mason, was killed on March 12 and the Hispanic woman was critically injured the same day.

All of the cardboard packages were hand-delivered, not sent through the mail, and the bombs were built with household items available at hardware stores.

A task force of hundreds of members of law enforcement are working the case, including criminal profilers and experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).

The Washington Post, quoting the FBI, reported that the package had been bound for Austin

A package exploded early Tuesday at a FedEx distribution facility in Texas, news reports said, two days after the latest in a series of blasts in Austin attributed to a serial bomber. This time the explosion rocked a facility in the town of Schertz, in the San Antonio area. Reports said one employee was injured. The Washington Post, quoting the FBI, reported that the package had been bound for Austin, the state capital. Hundreds of police officers and FBI agents are searching for a mysterious "serial bomber" after Sunday`s blast in Austin - the fourth this month - left two young men seriously injured and the city on edge. Police said the explosion was connected to three previous bombings in Austin and the bomber used a tripwire in the latest attack, showing a higher level of skill. "We`re clearly dealing with what we expect to be a serial bomber at this point," Austin police chief Brian Manley told reporters. But Manley said police have been unable to determine a motive for the bombings that have killed two people in the city of nearly one million people and injured another four. "Is this terrorism? Is it hate-related?" Manley asked. "As we said from the very beginning, we were not willing to classify this as terrorism, as hate, because we just don`t know enough." In the earlier bombings, two African American men were killed by packages left on their doorsteps, raising the possibility of a racially motivated crime. A 75-year-old Hispanic woman was also injured in a blast. But Manley said the bombing Sunday seriously wounded two white men aged 22 and 23 as they walked along a sidewalk or on the road in a quiet residential neighbourhood. He said it appeared random and was triggered by a tripwire. Manley said the use of a tripwire also means police are dealing with someone who "shows a higher level of sophistication, a higher level of skill" than initially believed. Manley appealed to the bomber to contact the authorities and to the public to report anything suspicious. "I will reach out to the suspect or suspects and ask that you contact us, ask that you reach out to us, communicate with us so that we can put this to an end," Manley said. "There are innocent people getting hurt in this community and it needs to come to a stop." The authorities said they were increasing the reward offered for information leading to an arrest, bringing the total city and state bounty money to $115,000. An exploding package killed 39-year-old Anthony House on March 2. A 17-year-old African American teenager, Draylen Mason, was killed on March 12 and the Hispanic woman was critically injured the same day. All of the cardboard packages were hand-delivered, not sent through the mail, and the bombs were built with household items available at hardware stores. A task force of hundreds of members of law enforcement are working the case, including criminal profilers and experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).

Another parcel blast reported in Texas

Democratic lawmakers released a partially-redacted rebuttal Saturday of a controversial Republican memo alleging bias and abuse of power in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The Democratic document -- which President Donald Trump dubbed a &quot;political and legal BUST&quot; -- is the latest salvo in a partisan fight over the Russia investigation, which was launched in 2016 and has come under repeated fire from Trump and other Republicans.

The Republican memo, which was released earlier this month over the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice`s objections, said that unsubstantiated Democrat-funded research was used to obtain a warrant to surveil Carter Page, a former Trump campaign aide.

&quot;FBI and DOJ officials did not &#39;abuse&#39;&nbsp;the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) process, omit material information, or subvert this vital tool to spy on the Trump campaign,&quot; the Democrats` text said, referring to the process under which secret surveillance warrants are obtained.

&quot;In fact, DOJ and the FBI would have been remiss in their duty to protect the country had they not sought a FISA warrant and repeated renewals to conduct temporary surveillance of Carter Page, someone the FBI assessed to be an agent of the Russian government.

&quot;DOJ cited multiple sources to support the case for surveilling Page,&quot; and &quot;the warrant request was based on compelling evidence and probable cause,&quot; said the document.

The White House initially blocked the release of the Democratic memo, citing its inclusion of sensitive information, and Trump took aim at the now-redacted text.

&quot;The Democrat memo response on government surveillance abuses is a total political and legal BUST. Just confirms all of the terrible things that were done. SO ILLEGAL!&quot; he wrote on Twitter.

White House spokesman Raj Shah termed it a &quot;political-driven document&quot; that is &quot;loaded with uncorroborated allegations&quot; and &quot;fails to answer serious concerns raised&quot; in the Republican memo.

Representative Devin Nunes, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee and the architect of the Republican text, also criticized the Democratic rebuttal.

&quot;What you`re not gonna see is anything that actually rejects what was in our memo,&quot; which aimed to show &quot;that FISA abuse had occurred,&quot; Nunes said at an annual Republican conference.

Democrats &quot;are advocating that it`s OK for the FBI and DOJ to use political dirt paid for by one campaign and use it against the other campaign,&quot; he said, referring to information compiled by former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele.

The Democratic document said the Russia meddling investigation was &quot;based on troubling law enforcement and intelligence information unrelated to the `dossier,`&quot; and that Page had officially left the Trump campaign before the application to surveil him was filed.

But information from Steele was used in the surveillance warrant application, according to the memo, which said that &quot;multiple independent sources&quot; -- which were redacted from the document -- confirmed his reporting, and contradicted testimony by Page.

Representative Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the intelligence panel, criticized the White House for delaying the release of the memo.

The document &quot;should put to rest any concerns that the American people might have as to the conduct of the FBI, the Justice Department and the FISC,&quot; Schiff said in a statement, referring to the

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which hears applications for FISA warrants.

&quot;It is time for our committee to return to the core investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign, the role US persons played in that interference and what we need to do to protect the country going forward.&quot;

America`s leading intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directed a broad intelligence effort to influence the 2016 presidential election to undermine the campaign of Democrat Hillary Clinton and boost Trump&#39;s chances, but the president has repeatedly denied colluding with Moscow.

The Democratic document is the latest salvo in a partisan fight over the Russia investigation

Democratic lawmakers released a partially-redacted rebuttal Saturday of a controversial Republican memo alleging bias and abuse of power in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The Democratic document -- which President Donald Trump dubbed a "political and legal BUST" -- is the latest salvo in a partisan fight over the Russia investigation, which was launched in 2016 and has come under repeated fire from Trump and other Republicans. The Republican memo, which was released earlier this month over the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice`s objections, said that unsubstantiated Democrat-funded research was used to obtain a warrant to surveil Carter Page, a former Trump campaign aide. "FBI and DOJ officials did not 'abuse' the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) process, omit material information, or subvert this vital tool to spy on the Trump campaign," the Democrats` text said, referring to the process under which secret surveillance warrants are obtained. "In fact, DOJ and the FBI would have been remiss in their duty to protect the country had they not sought a FISA warrant and repeated renewals to conduct temporary surveillance of Carter Page, someone the FBI assessed to be an agent of the Russian government. "DOJ cited multiple sources to support the case for surveilling Page," and "the warrant request was based on compelling evidence and probable cause," said the document. The White House initially blocked the release of the Democratic memo, citing its inclusion of sensitive information, and Trump took aim at the now-redacted text. "The Democrat memo response on government surveillance abuses is a total political and legal BUST. Just confirms all of the terrible things that were done. SO ILLEGAL!" he wrote on Twitter. White House spokesman Raj Shah termed it a "political-driven document" that is "loaded with uncorroborated allegations" and "fails to answer serious concerns raised" in the Republican memo. Representative Devin Nunes, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee and the architect of the Republican text, also criticized the Democratic rebuttal. "What you`re not gonna see is anything that actually rejects what was in our memo," which aimed to show "that FISA abuse had occurred," Nunes said at an annual Republican conference. Democrats "are advocating that it`s OK for the FBI and DOJ to use political dirt paid for by one campaign and use it against the other campaign," he said, referring to information compiled by former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele. The Democratic document said the Russia meddling investigation was "based on troubling law enforcement and intelligence information unrelated to the `dossier,`" and that Page had officially left the Trump campaign before the application to surveil him was filed. But information from Steele was used in the surveillance warrant application, according to the memo, which said that "multiple independent sources" -- which were redacted from the document -- confirmed his reporting, and contradicted testimony by Page. Representative Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the intelligence panel, criticized the White House for delaying the release of the memo. The document "should put to rest any concerns that the American people might have as to the conduct of the FBI, the Justice Department and the FISC," Schiff said in a statement, referring to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which hears applications for FISA warrants. "It is time for our committee to return to the core investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign, the role US persons played in that interference and what we need to do to protect the country going forward." America`s leading intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directed a broad intelligence effort to influence the 2016 presidential election to undermine the campaign of Democrat Hillary Clinton and boost Trump's chances, but the president has repeatedly denied colluding with Moscow.

Democrats release counter-memo over Russia probe

The Democratic minority on the US&nbsp;House of Representatives Intelligence Committee on Saturday released a response to Republican charges that the FBI and Justice Department have abused the law in their investigation of possible ties between Russia and Donald Trump&#39;s 2016 presidential campaign.

The Democrats&#39; 10-page memo, released on Saturday in partially-redacted form, calls an earlier Republican version &quot;a transparent effort to undermine&quot; the FBI, the Justice Department, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and congressional probes into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

The Republican memo, the Democrats allege, &quot;also risks public exposure of sensitive sources and methods for no legitimate purpose.&quot;

The Democratic memo and a Republican counterattack that included a point-by-point refutation of the minority Democrats&#39; conclusions are an escalation of the partisan feuding that Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, and other members of his party have said is sabotaging the House committee&#39;s investigation.

The latest duel on Capitol Hill comes as Mueller&#39;s investigation gathers steam, including a guilty plea on Friday from Richard Gates, Trump&#39;s deputy campaign manager.

Trump, calling into the Fox News program &quot;Justice with Judge Jeanine&quot; on Saturday evening, said the Democrats&#39; memo was &quot;a nothing.&quot;

&quot;A lot of bad things happened on the other side,&quot; Trump told host Jeanine Pirro. &quot;Somebody should look into it because what they did is really fraudulent.&quot;

The Republican memo, the Democrats allege, "also risks public exposure of sensitive sources and methods for no legitimate purpose."

The Democratic minority on the US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee on Saturday released a response to Republican charges that the FBI and Justice Department have abused the law in their investigation of possible ties between Russia and Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. The Democrats' 10-page memo, released on Saturday in partially-redacted form, calls an earlier Republican version "a transparent effort to undermine" the FBI, the Justice Department, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and congressional probes into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. The Republican memo, the Democrats allege, "also risks public exposure of sensitive sources and methods for no legitimate purpose." The Democratic memo and a Republican counterattack that included a point-by-point refutation of the minority Democrats' conclusions are an escalation of the partisan feuding that Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, and other members of his party have said is sabotaging the House committee's investigation. The latest duel on Capitol Hill comes as Mueller's investigation gathers steam, including a guilty plea on Friday from Richard Gates, Trump's deputy campaign manager. Trump, calling into the Fox News program "Justice with Judge Jeanine" on Saturday evening, said the Democrats' memo was "a nothing." "A lot of bad things happened on the other side," Trump told host Jeanine Pirro. "Somebody should look into it because what they did is really fraudulent."

Trump calls Democrats' memo 'a nothing'

Indian-American Ravinder Bhalla, who became the first Sikh mayor of New Jersey&#39;s Hoboken city, has publicly acknowledged that death threats were made against him and his family recently.

In a statement issued on Friday following a security breach at City Hall, Bhalla said the city is working with the FBI&#39;s Joint Terrorism Task Force to improve security at City Hall.

&quot;This incident, along with death threats to me and my family, is an unfortunate reminder that we need to take security seriously,&quot; Bhalla said, without elaborating on the threats.

According to city spokesman Juan Melli, a man entered City Hall and told security he needed to use the restroom after going through the metal detectors. While Bhalla was not in his office at the time, his deputy chief of staff, Jason

Freeman, observed the man throw a bag with an object in it towards the administrative assistant&#39;s desk before running out of the office, Melli said. Bhalla became the first ever Sikh to hold office in New Jersey after a stiff competition that turned ugly when he was labelled a terrorist in slanderous flyers.

'This incident, along with death threats to me and my family, is an unfortunate reminder that we need to take security seriously,' Bhalla said, without elaborating on the threats

Indian-American Ravinder Bhalla, who became the first Sikh mayor of New Jersey's Hoboken city, has publicly acknowledged that death threats were made against him and his family recently. In a statement issued on Friday following a security breach at City Hall, Bhalla said the city is working with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force to improve security at City Hall. "This incident, along with death threats to me and my family, is an unfortunate reminder that we need to take security seriously," Bhalla said, without elaborating on the threats. According to city spokesman Juan Melli, a man entered City Hall and told security he needed to use the restroom after going through the metal detectors. While Bhalla was not in his office at the time, his deputy chief of staff, Jason Freeman, observed the man throw a bag with an object in it towards the administrative assistant's desk before running out of the office, Melli said. Bhalla became the first ever Sikh to hold office in New Jersey after a stiff competition that turned ugly when he was labelled a terrorist in slanderous flyers.

Death threats made against me, family: US Sikh mayor

The couple who had taken Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz into their family said in an interview published Sunday they had no inkling of violent tendencies from the young man whom they described as quirky and naive.

Cruz, 19, moved in with James and Kimberly Snead of Parkland, Florida in late November after the death of his mother earlier that month from complications of pneumonia, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. He was a friend of their son.

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&quot;I told him there`d be rules and he followed every rule to the T,&quot; James Snead, 48, an army veteran and military intelligence analyst, told the paper.

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/florida-school-shooter-was-on-police-radar-in-2016-report-33221">&nbsp;Florida school shooter was on police radar in 2016: Report</a>

&quot;We had this monster living under our roof and we didn`t know,&quot; said Kimberly Snead, 49, a nurse. &quot;We didn`t see this side of him.&quot;

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Cruz killed 17 people at his former high school last Wednesday using an AR-15 rifle that he had legally purchased. It was the country`s worst school massacre since the horror at Sandy Hook six years ago that left 26 dead.

A profile has emerged of a troubled young man who was expelled from the school last year for &quot;disciplinary reasons.&quot;

The FBI admitted it received a detailed warning last month about Cruz`s gun ownership, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting. The agency took no action, despite the tip-off.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-visits-florida-shooting-survivors-fbi-admits-it-missed-tip-33123">Trump visits Florida shooting survivors, FBI admits it missed tip</a>

The Sneads described a 19-year-old who had grown up apparently without ever having to perform common chores -- he couldn`t cook, do laundry, pick up after himself or even use a microwave.

&quot;He was very naive. He wasn`t dumb, just naive,&quot; James Snead told the Sun Sentinel.

Cruz had odd habits, like putting a chocolate chip cookie on a sneak and cheese sandwich, and going to bed at 8 pm.

He seemed lonely and badly wanted a girlfriend, and also was depressed about the death of his mother, the couple said. Kimberly Snead had taken Cruz to the office of a therapist just five days before the shooting, and he had said he was open to therapy and took a business card.

Cruz told the Sneads he would inherit at least $800,000 from his parents, with most of the funds becoming available when he turned 22.

The couple last saw Cruz, who has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder, at the Broward County Sheriff`s office. Dressed in a hospital gown, he was handcuffed and surrounded by deputies.

&quot;He said he was sorry. He apologized. He looked lost, absolutely lost,&quot; said James Snead. &quot;And that was the last time we saw him.&quot;

Nikolas Cruz, 19, moved in with James and Kimberly Snead of Parkland, Florida in late November after the death of his mother earlier that month from complications of pneumonia

The couple who had taken Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz into their family said in an interview published Sunday they had no inkling of violent tendencies from the young man whom they described as quirky and naive. Cruz, 19, moved in with James and Kimberly Snead of Parkland, Florida in late November after the death of his mother earlier that month from complications of pneumonia, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. He was a friend of their son. Also read: Florida school shooting survivors to march on Washington, call for gun reform "I told him there`d be rules and he followed every rule to the T," James Snead, 48, an army veteran and military intelligence analyst, told the paper. Also read: Florida school shooter was on police radar in 2016: Report "We had this monster living under our roof and we didn`t know," said Kimberly Snead, 49, a nurse. "We didn`t see this side of him." Also read: 'Shame on you!' Florida school shooting survivor tells Trump at anti-gun rally Cruz killed 17 people at his former high school last Wednesday using an AR-15 rifle that he had legally purchased. It was the country`s worst school massacre since the horror at Sandy Hook six years ago that left 26 dead. A profile has emerged of a troubled young man who was expelled from the school last year for "disciplinary reasons." The FBI admitted it received a detailed warning last month about Cruz`s gun ownership, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting. The agency took no action, despite the tip-off. Also read: Trump visits Florida shooting survivors, FBI admits it missed tip The Sneads described a 19-year-old who had grown up apparently without ever having to perform common chores -- he couldn`t cook, do laundry, pick up after himself or even use a microwave. "He was very naive. He wasn`t dumb, just naive," James Snead told the Sun Sentinel. Cruz had odd habits, like putting a chocolate chip cookie on a sneak and cheese sandwich, and going to bed at 8 pm. He seemed lonely and badly wanted a girlfriend, and also was depressed about the death of his mother, the couple said. Kimberly Snead had taken Cruz to the office of a therapist just five days before the shooting, and he had said he was open to therapy and took a business card. Cruz told the Sneads he would inherit at least $800,000 from his parents, with most of the funds becoming available when he turned 22. The couple last saw Cruz, who has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder, at the Broward County Sheriff`s office. Dressed in a hospital gown, he was handcuffed and surrounded by deputies. "He said he was sorry. He apologized. He looked lost, absolutely lost," said James Snead. "And that was the last time we saw him."

Couple who took in Florida gunman say he was quirky, naive

US President Donald Trump slammed the FBI Saturday for failing to heed signs that could have prevented the Florida school shooting, charging the agency was too preoccupied with probing his campaign team over Russian election meddling.

Allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential race and collusion with the Trump campaign are being investigated by several congressional committees and by special prosecutor Robert Mueller, who took charge of the federal government&#39;s probe from the FBI last year following the sacking of its former chief James Comey.

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&quot;Very sad that the FBI missed all of the many signals sent out by the Florida school shooter. This is not acceptable,&quot; he wrote on Twitter.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/shame-on-you-florida-school-shooting-survivor-tells-trump-at-anti-gun-rally-33213" target="_blank">&#39;Shame on you!&#39; Florida school shooting survivor tells Trump at anti-gun rally</a>

&quot;They are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign - there is no collusion. Get back to the basics and make us all proud!&quot;

Troubled teen Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people with an assault rifle at his former high school in Parkland, Florida on Wednesday.

It was the 18th school shooting of the year and sparked renewed calls for gun control.

US authorities have come under mounting scrutiny for failing to act on a series of warning signs.

The FBI admitted Friday it received a chilling warning in January from a tipster who said &nbsp;Cruz could be planning a mass shooting, but that agents failed to follow up.

Cruz was also known to local police after his mother repeatedly reported him for violent outbursts, while records obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel show authorities investigated him in 2016 after he cut his arms on messaging app Snapchat and threatened to buy a gun.

Mueller&#39;s investigation has so far swept up four members of Trump&#39;s campaign, with two agreeing to work for the probe under a plea deal.

On Thursday Mueller indicted 13 Russians for allegedly running a secret campaign to tilt the vote, but did not accuse any Americans of knowingly participating in that effort.

Allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential race and collusion with the Trump campaign are being investigated by several congressional committees and by special prosecutor Robert Mueller

US President Donald Trump slammed the FBI Saturday for failing to heed signs that could have prevented the Florida school shooting, charging the agency was too preoccupied with probing his campaign team over Russian election meddling. Allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential race and collusion with the Trump campaign are being investigated by several congressional committees and by special prosecutor Robert Mueller, who took charge of the federal government's probe from the FBI last year following the sacking of its former chief James Comey. Also read: Florida school shooter was on police radar in 2016 says report "Very sad that the FBI missed all of the many signals sent out by the Florida school shooter. This is not acceptable," he wrote on Twitter. Also read: 'Shame on you!' Florida school shooting survivor tells Trump at anti-gun rally "They are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign - there is no collusion. Get back to the basics and make us all proud!" Troubled teen Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people with an assault rifle at his former high school in Parkland, Florida on Wednesday. It was the 18th school shooting of the year and sparked renewed calls for gun control. US authorities have come under mounting scrutiny for failing to act on a series of warning signs. The FBI admitted Friday it received a chilling warning in January from a tipster who said Cruz could be planning a mass shooting, but that agents failed to follow up. Cruz was also known to local police after his mother repeatedly reported him for violent outbursts, while records obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel show authorities investigated him in 2016 after he cut his arms on messaging app Snapchat and threatened to buy a gun. Mueller's investigation has so far swept up four members of Trump's campaign, with two agreeing to work for the probe under a plea deal. On Thursday Mueller indicted 13 Russians for allegedly running a secret campaign to tilt the vote, but did not accuse any Americans of knowingly participating in that effort.

Trump slams FBI over school shooting, blames preoccupation with Russia probe

US President Donald Trump on Friday visited a Florida hospital to offer comfort to those wounded in a mass school shooting after the FBI admitted it mishandled a tip about the troubled teen behind the massacre that left 17 dead.

The arrival of Trump and his wife Melania came at the end of a difficult day for the families of those killed in Wednesday&#39;s rampage at a high school in Parkland, Florida, who learned that the carnage could perhaps have been averted.

The FBI, the top US law enforcement agency, admitted it had received a chilling warning in January from a tipster who said the 19-year-old gunman, Nikolas Cruz, could be planning a mass shooting, but that agents failed to follow up.

At Broward Health North Hospital, where Trump met with survivors of the shooting, the president thanked the doctors, nurses and first responders for their &quot;incredible&quot; work, and described the carnage as &quot;very sad.&quot;&nbsp;

He and his wife were also expected to visit the Broward County sheriff&#39;s office &quot;to meet with the law enforcement officials whose bravery helped save lives,&quot; a White House official said.

The president&#39;s visit to Parkland -- an area about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami -- came amid growing anger among parents and students in the south Florida city over America&#39;s seeming unwillingness to toughen gun control laws.

&quot;My princess wasn&#39;t safe in that school,&quot; said Andrew Pollack, speaking at the funeral of his 18-year-old daughter Meadow. &quot;Please pray that this horrific tragedy never happens to another family.&quot;

Lori Alhadeff, whose 14-year-old daughter Alyssa was killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, made an emotional appeal to Trump on camera with tears rolling down her face.

&quot;We need action! Action! Action!&quot; Alhadeff urged in an interview with CNN, addressing Trump as the father of an 11-year-old son of his own.

&quot;Let&#39;s protect Barron, and let&#39;s also protect all these other kids here in Parkland, in Florida, and everyone everywhere else,&quot; she said.

Admitting error &#39;isn&#39;t going to cut it

The FBI made a stunning admission earlier in the day, saying a &quot;person close to Nikolas Cruz&quot; made a call to the agency&#39;s public tipline on January 5 to &quot;report concerns about him.&quot;

&quot;The caller provided information about Cruz&#39;s gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting,&quot; the FBI said in a statement.

The information from the caller &quot;should have been assessed as a potential threat to life&quot; and forwarded to the agency&#39;s Miami field office, it said.

Instead, &quot;no further investigation was conducted.&quot;

&quot;We have spoken with victims and families, and deeply regret the additional pain this causes all those affected by this horrific tragedy,&quot; said Federal Bureau of Investigation director Christopher Wray, who took up his post in August.

Wray said he was &quot;committed to getting to the bottom of what happened,&quot; and Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered an immediate review to ensure &quot;effective response to indications of potential violence.&quot;

But Florida Governor Rick Scott nevertheless called for the FBI chief to step down, saying the failure to act was &quot;unacceptable.&quot;

&quot;Seventeen innocent people are dead and acknowledging a mistake isn&#39;t going to cut it,&quot; Scott said.

The January warning to the FBI was not the first it had received about Cruz, who used an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle that he legally purchased a year ago to spray classrooms with bullets.

In September, the FBI was alerted to a message posted on YouTube, in which a user named Nikolas Cruz vowed: &quot;I&#39;m going to be a professional school shooter.&quot;

The FBI said it had looked into it at the time but was unable to identify the person who made the post.

Illogical

Trump&#39;s visit to the Parkland area -- not far from his Mar-a-Lago resort, where he was spending the long President&#39;s Day weekend -- was not announced in advance, perhaps because he risked being greeted with angry demands for action on laws that allowed Cruz to amass an arsenal.

&quot;It&#39;s illogical that the law says a minor can&#39;t have a drink, but can buy a gun,&quot; said 47-year-old Mavy Rubiano, whose child survived the shooting.

In Washington, the political response so far makes it clear that the powerful pro-gun National Rifle Association -- which spent $30 million to support Trump&#39;s election in 2016 -- remains formidable.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Trump&#39;s nationally televised address made no mention of guns, or of previous mass shootings.

The president focused instead on offering sympathy to the families of the victims and the need to provide better mental health care.

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said it was not a time for arguing over gun control, while Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio said new gun laws alone would not stop shootings.&nbsp;

As with previous mass shootings, the focus of gun control advocates was the easy availability of the AR-15, a civilian version of the US military&#39;s M16.&nbsp;

Millions have been sold around the United States, and AR-15-style rifles were used in the mass shootings in Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs, Texas and Newtown, Connecticut.

The disclosure sparked angry disbelief from members of the Miami suburb of Parkland still reeling from Wednesday's massacre and led Florida's governor to call for the FBI chief to resign

US President Donald Trump on Friday visited a Florida hospital to offer comfort to those wounded in a mass school shooting after the FBI admitted it mishandled a tip about the troubled teen behind the massacre that left 17 dead. The arrival of Trump and his wife Melania came at the end of a difficult day for the families of those killed in Wednesday's rampage at a high school in Parkland, Florida, who learned that the carnage could perhaps have been averted. The FBI, the top US law enforcement agency, admitted it had received a chilling warning in January from a tipster who said the 19-year-old gunman, Nikolas Cruz, could be planning a mass shooting, but that agents failed to follow up. At Broward Health North Hospital, where Trump met with survivors of the shooting, the president thanked the doctors, nurses and first responders for their "incredible" work, and described the carnage as "very sad." He and his wife were also expected to visit the Broward County sheriff's office "to meet with the law enforcement officials whose bravery helped save lives," a White House official said. The president's visit to Parkland -- an area about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami -- came amid growing anger among parents and students in the south Florida city over America's seeming unwillingness to toughen gun control laws. "My princess wasn't safe in that school," said Andrew Pollack, speaking at the funeral of his 18-year-old daughter Meadow. "Please pray that this horrific tragedy never happens to another family." Lori Alhadeff, whose 14-year-old daughter Alyssa was killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, made an emotional appeal to Trump on camera with tears rolling down her face. "We need action! Action! Action!" Alhadeff urged in an interview with CNN, addressing Trump as the father of an 11-year-old son of his own. "Let's protect Barron, and let's also protect all these other kids here in Parkland, in Florida, and everyone everywhere else," she said. Admitting error 'isn't going to cut it The FBI made a stunning admission earlier in the day, saying a "person close to Nikolas Cruz" made a call to the agency's public tipline on January 5 to "report concerns about him." "The caller provided information about Cruz's gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting," the FBI said in a statement. The information from the caller "should have been assessed as a potential threat to life" and forwarded to the agency's Miami field office, it said. Instead, "no further investigation was conducted." "We have spoken with victims and families, and deeply regret the additional pain this causes all those affected by this horrific tragedy," said Federal Bureau of Investigation director Christopher Wray, who took up his post in August. Wray said he was "committed to getting to the bottom of what happened," and Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered an immediate review to ensure "effective response to indications of potential violence." But Florida Governor Rick Scott nevertheless called for the FBI chief to step down, saying the failure to act was "unacceptable." "Seventeen innocent people are dead and acknowledging a mistake isn't going to cut it," Scott said. The January warning to the FBI was not the first it had received about Cruz, who used an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle that he legally purchased a year ago to spray classrooms with bullets. In September, the FBI was alerted to a message posted on YouTube, in which a user named Nikolas Cruz vowed: "I'm going to be a professional school shooter." The FBI said it had looked into it at the time but was unable to identify the person who made the post. Illogical Trump's visit to the Parkland area -- not far from his Mar-a-Lago resort, where he was spending the long President's Day weekend -- was not announced in advance, perhaps because he risked being greeted with angry demands for action on laws that allowed Cruz to amass an arsenal. "It's illogical that the law says a minor can't have a drink, but can buy a gun," said 47-year-old Mavy Rubiano, whose child survived the shooting. In Washington, the political response so far makes it clear that the powerful pro-gun National Rifle Association -- which spent $30 million to support Trump's election in 2016 -- remains formidable. On Thursday, Trump's nationally televised address made no mention of guns, or of previous mass shootings. The president focused instead on offering sympathy to the families of the victims and the need to provide better mental health care. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said it was not a time for arguing over gun control, while Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio said new gun laws alone would not stop shootings. As with previous mass shootings, the focus of gun control advocates was the easy availability of the AR-15, a civilian version of the US military's M16. Millions have been sold around the United States, and AR-15-style rifles were used in the mass shootings in Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs, Texas and Newtown, Connecticut.

Trump visits Florida shooting survivors, FBI admits it missed tip

Three people have <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/maryland-at-least-1-wounded-after-shooting-near-nsa-headquarters-in-us-32879">been arrested after a car crashed </a>through the entrance of National Security Agency(NSA) building in Washinton.

The FBI said there is no terror link in the case.

&quot;There is no indication that this has a nexus to terrorism,&quot; FBI Special Agent in Charge Gordon Johnson.

&quot;We believe that this was an isolated incident,&quot; Johnson added.

Three people were injured in the crash including the driver as security personnel opened fire. The injured didn&#39;t have any gunshots wounds, FBI said.

FBI is still investigating the incident with the three men who were in the vehicle being taken into custody.

Three people were injured in the crash including the driver as security personnel opened fire.

Three people have been arrested after a car crashed through the entrance of National Security Agency(NSA) building in Washinton. The FBI said there is no terror link in the case. "There is no indication that this has a nexus to terrorism," FBI Special Agent in Charge Gordon Johnson. "We believe that this was an isolated incident," Johnson added. Three people were injured in the crash including the driver as security personnel opened fire. The injured didn't have any gunshots wounds, FBI said. FBI is still investigating the incident with the three men who were in the vehicle being taken into custody.

No terror link in car crash in NSA building: FBI

Contradicting the White House, the FBI has said it gave the Trump administration information on multiple occasions last year about a top aide accused of domestic abuse by his two ex-wives, and the investigation wrapped up in January.

That account by FBI Director Christopher Wray challenged the White House assertion that Rob Porter&#39;s background &quot;investigation was ongoing&quot; and officials first learned the extent of accusations against him only last week, just before he abruptly resigned.

Wray&#39;s testimony marked the latest development in a scandal that has called into question the judgement of senior members of the White House staff, put new stress on the administration&#39;s already strained credibility with the public, and drawn accusations of tone-deaf handling of abuse allegations.

The week-long fallout from the allegations against Porter, President Donald Trump&#39;s staff secretary, has thrown the West Wing into chaos not seen since the earliest months of the administration and has sparked new rounds of recriminations inside the White House.

Privately, officials acknowledge that the public timeline offered last week -- that the administration first learned of the ex-wives&#39; charges against Porter last Tuesday -- was flawed at best.

Several senior officials, including chief of staff John Kelly and White House counsel Don McGahn, were aware of the broad allegations against Porter for months, officials said.

Kelly found out after requesting an update on the large number of senior staffers operating without full security clearances, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions.

McGahn told Kelly last fall there was concern about information in the background investigation involving Porter&#39;s ex-wives, the official said, and Kelly expressed surprise that Porter had previously been married.

Despite that, Porter took on an increasingly central role in the West Wing and was under consideration to serve as Trump&#39;s deputy chief of staff, two officials said.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters on Monday, &quot;The White House had not received any specific papers regarding the completion of that background check.&quot; Yet Wray testified that the FBI sent the White House its preliminary report in March 2017 and its completed investigation in late July.

Soon after that, the agency received a request for a follow-up inquiry, and it provided that information in November. Porter was interviewed about the allegations in September, an official said.&nbsp;

FBI said it gave the Trump administration information on multiple occasions

Contradicting the White House, the FBI has said it gave the Trump administration information on multiple occasions last year about a top aide accused of domestic abuse by his two ex-wives, and the investigation wrapped up in January. That account by FBI Director Christopher Wray challenged the White House assertion that Rob Porter's background "investigation was ongoing" and officials first learned the extent of accusations against him only last week, just before he abruptly resigned. Wray's testimony marked the latest development in a scandal that has called into question the judgement of senior members of the White House staff, put new stress on the administration's already strained credibility with the public, and drawn accusations of tone-deaf handling of abuse allegations. The week-long fallout from the allegations against Porter, President Donald Trump's staff secretary, has thrown the West Wing into chaos not seen since the earliest months of the administration and has sparked new rounds of recriminations inside the White House. Privately, officials acknowledge that the public timeline offered last week -- that the administration first learned of the ex-wives' charges against Porter last Tuesday -- was flawed at best. Several senior officials, including chief of staff John Kelly and White House counsel Don McGahn, were aware of the broad allegations against Porter for months, officials said. Kelly found out after requesting an update on the large number of senior staffers operating without full security clearances, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions. McGahn told Kelly last fall there was concern about information in the background investigation involving Porter's ex-wives, the official said, and Kelly expressed surprise that Porter had previously been married. Despite that, Porter took on an increasingly central role in the West Wing and was under consideration to serve as Trump's deputy chief of staff, two officials said. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters on Monday, "The White House had not received any specific papers regarding the completion of that background check." Yet Wray testified that the FBI sent the White House its preliminary report in March 2017 and its completed investigation in late July. Soon after that, the agency received a request for a follow-up inquiry, and it provided that information in November. Porter was interviewed about the allegations in September, an official said.

FBI contradicts White House on probe of former aide Rob Porter

President Donald Trump`s administration on Monday revived its support for construction of a new FBI headquarters, saying it planned to ask Congress in 2018 for the remaining $2.175 billion needed to help pay for it.

The funding request, tucked inside the president`s larger $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan, would help cover the cost to tear down and rebuild the Federal Bureau of Investigation`s aging 1970s-era headquarters building in downtown Washington, which has nets rigged to catch falling stones.

The move marks a reversal from July, when the administration cancelled a years-long search to find a new home for the crime-fighting agency.&nbsp;

The FBI had previously searched for possible new spots in either Maryland or Virginia.

The total estimated cost for a new FBI headquarters is $3.3 billion, Assistant Attorney General Lee Lofthus told reporters in a briefing on Monday at the Justice Department.&nbsp;

The FBI has already set aside $1.125 billion toward the construction project.

&quot;The idea is to build a modern and secure headquarters building across the street on the side of the (J. Edgar) Hoover building,&quot; Lofthus said.&nbsp;

&quot;This is an important part of the president`s infrastructure program.&quot;

Lofthus added that the projected $3.3 billion would also cover the cost of &quot;swing space,&quot; or space that FBI employees will use on a temporary basis during construction.

The agency endorsed the plan, saying in a statement: &quot;The FBI believes this proposed consolidation strategy enhances mission resiliency, continuity of operations, and will provide the Bureau with the agility necessary to meet future needs.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Also on Monday, the Trump administration unveiled its proposal for the fiscal 2019 budget.

That plan asks for a Justice Department budget of $28 billion, a slight decrease of 1.2 percent from the 2017 enacted level.

Most of the Justice Department`s components would see a funding boost under the plan, with increases proposed for the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as for U.S. attorneys and the office that oversees immigration courts.

The decrease would be achieved by consolidating the COPS grants program into the Office of Justice Programs, and closing two regional Bureau of Prisons offices.

The plan also calls for stripping the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of its powers to police cigarette and alcohol smuggling and transferring them to a tax and trade unit inside the Treasury Department.

After that, the ATF would focus solely on efforts to combat violent crimes such as arson, illegal firearms trafficking and bombings.

FBI had previously searched for possible new spots in either Maryland or Virginia.

President Donald Trump`s administration on Monday revived its support for construction of a new FBI headquarters, saying it planned to ask Congress in 2018 for the remaining $2.175 billion needed to help pay for it. The funding request, tucked inside the president`s larger $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan, would help cover the cost to tear down and rebuild the Federal Bureau of Investigation`s aging 1970s-era headquarters building in downtown Washington, which has nets rigged to catch falling stones. The move marks a reversal from July, when the administration cancelled a years-long search to find a new home for the crime-fighting agency. The FBI had previously searched for possible new spots in either Maryland or Virginia. The total estimated cost for a new FBI headquarters is $3.3 billion, Assistant Attorney General Lee Lofthus told reporters in a briefing on Monday at the Justice Department. The FBI has already set aside $1.125 billion toward the construction project. "The idea is to build a modern and secure headquarters building across the street on the side of the (J. Edgar) Hoover building," Lofthus said. "This is an important part of the president`s infrastructure program." Lofthus added that the projected $3.3 billion would also cover the cost of "swing space," or space that FBI employees will use on a temporary basis during construction. The agency endorsed the plan, saying in a statement: "The FBI believes this proposed consolidation strategy enhances mission resiliency, continuity of operations, and will provide the Bureau with the agility necessary to meet future needs.” Also on Monday, the Trump administration unveiled its proposal for the fiscal 2019 budget. That plan asks for a Justice Department budget of $28 billion, a slight decrease of 1.2 percent from the 2017 enacted level. Most of the Justice Department`s components would see a funding boost under the plan, with increases proposed for the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as for U.S. attorneys and the office that oversees immigration courts. The decrease would be achieved by consolidating the COPS grants program into the Office of Justice Programs, and closing two regional Bureau of Prisons offices. The plan also calls for stripping the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of its powers to police cigarette and alcohol smuggling and transferring them to a tax and trade unit inside the Treasury Department. After that, the ATF would focus solely on efforts to combat violent crimes such as arson, illegal firearms trafficking and bombings.

Donald Trump administration revives support for new FBI headquarters

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

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

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

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

President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress on Friday escalated a campaign against US law enforcement agencies over their probe of Trump&#39;s ties to Russia, releasing a disputed memo that the FBI warned was misleading and inaccurate.

The previously classified document, written by Republicans on the House of Representatives intelligence committee, alleges that the federal probe of potential collusion between Trump&#39;s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia was a product of political bias against Trump at the FBI and Justice Department.

Ignoring a plea from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Trump approved the release of the memo without redactions, deepening an extraordinary breach between the president and senior law enforcement officials over a probe that has dogged him during his first year in office.

Democrats said the four-page memo mischaracterises highly sensitive classified information and was intended to undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller&#39;s criminal probe into the Russia matter launched in May 2017 that grew out of an earlier FBI investigation. They warned Trump against using it as a pretext to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who hired Mueller and oversees the investigation, or Mueller himself.

Asked by reporters whether the memo made him more likely to fire Rosenstein or whether he had confidence in him, Trump replied, &quot;You figure that one out.&quot; Dismissing Rosenstein would likely ignite a political firestorm, much as his firing of FBI chief James Comey did last year.

Hours after Trump spoke, a White House official said there have been no discussions or considerations about firing Rosenstein.

Mueller also is examining whether Trump has committed obstruction of justice in trying to thwart the Russia probe.

The memo alleges that the FBI concealed the Democratic ties of a source the agency used to justify surveillance on a former Trump campaign advisor with ties to Russia. The memo listed a string of senior Justice Department officials including Rosenstein who it said signed off on this.

&quot;I think it&#39;s a disgrace what&#39;s happening in our country,&quot; Trump told reporters when asked about the memo, adding that &quot;a lot of people should be ashamed of themselves.&quot;

Some lawmakers accused Trump of playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin after, as Republican Senator John McCain put it, Russia &quot;engaged in an elaborate plot to interfere in an American election and undermine our democracy.&quot;

&quot;If we continue to undermine our own rule of law, we are doing Putin&#39;s job for him,&quot; McCain, who is being treated for brain cancer, said in a statement.

Mueller&#39;s probe has led to guilty pleas by two of his foreign policy advisers to charges of lying to the FBI, and indictments of former campaign manager Paul Manafort and Manafort&#39;s business partner Rick Gates.

Trump has called the investigation a &quot;witch hunt,&quot; denying any collusion with Russia or obstruction of justice. Moscow has denied any election meddling.

&#39;Sacred investigative process&#39;

In a swipe at US law enforcement leaders on Twitter hours before the memo&#39;s release, Trump said, &quot;The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favour of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago.&quot;

It was his latest attack on top law enforcement officials. Trump fired Comey last May as the FBI pursued the Russia probe, leading to Mueller&#39;s appointment by Rosenstein.

The FBI on Wednesday had expressed &quot;grave concerns about material omissions of fact&quot; in the document and urged that it not be made public. Writing on Twitter, Comey branded the memo &quot;dishonest and misleading.&quot;

FBI Director Christopher Wray sent a message to bureau employees apparently aimed at boosting morale after the memo&#39;s release. &quot;I stand by our shared determination to do our work independently and by the book,&quot; Wray said in the message, excerpts of which were seen by Reuters.

The memo was commissioned by the Republican chairman of the House intelligence panel, Devin Nunes. It focused on court-approved surveillance of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page and said the FBI used a source who was strongly biased against Trump - former British spy Christopher Steele - to justify the action.

It alleged that a dossier of alleged Trump-Russia contacts compiled by Steele, and funded in part by US&nbsp;Democrats, formed an &quot;essential part&quot; of requests to a special court to be allowed to conduct electronic surveillance on Page that began in October 2016.

It said the initial application and subsequent renewal applications, signed off on by various senior Justice Department officials, did not mention the link between Steele and the Democrats. It also portrayed Steele as &quot;passionate&quot; about Trump not becoming president.

Despite the memo&#39;s charges, neither the focus on Page nor the FBI&#39;s investigation of Trump-Russia ties began with the Steele dossier.

Page appeared on the FBI&#39;s radar screen as early as 2013, when he met in New York with Russians who were officers of the Kremlin&#39;s foreign intelligence service, sources have said.

The memo acknowledges that the FBI counterintelligence investigation began in July 2016 - three months before the request for electronic surveillance on Page - as a result of the activities of another Trump campaign aide, George Papadopoulos.

Papadopoulos told an Australian diplomat in May 2016 that Russia had political dirt on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, information Australian officials passed to the US government, the New York Times reported in December.

The entire file that the Justice Department used to apply for permission to eavesdrop on Page remains highly classified, making it hard to evaluate the memo&#39;s contents.

&quot;The selective release and politicization of classified information sets a terrible precedent and will do long-term damage to the Intelligence Community and our law enforcement agencies,&quot; House intelligence committee Democrats said in a statement.

They said they hoped the panel would vote on Monday to release their own memo responding to the allegations.

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has recused himself from the Russia investigation, indicated he planned to refer the memo&#39;s allegations to the Justice Department&#39;s inspector general for investigation.

A White House official said Trump had always been inclined to release the Republican memo, despite the FBI&#39;s urging that he not do so, and he relied heavily on Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Counsel Don McGahn in approving the release.

The FBI had asked Trump not to release the memo

President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress on Friday escalated a campaign against US law enforcement agencies over their probe of Trump's ties to Russia, releasing a disputed memo that the FBI warned was misleading and inaccurate. The previously classified document, written by Republicans on the House of Representatives intelligence committee, alleges that the federal probe of potential collusion between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia was a product of political bias against Trump at the FBI and Justice Department. Ignoring a plea from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Trump approved the release of the memo without redactions, deepening an extraordinary breach between the president and senior law enforcement officials over a probe that has dogged him during his first year in office. Democrats said the four-page memo mischaracterises highly sensitive classified information and was intended to undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller's criminal probe into the Russia matter launched in May 2017 that grew out of an earlier FBI investigation. They warned Trump against using it as a pretext to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who hired Mueller and oversees the investigation, or Mueller himself. Asked by reporters whether the memo made him more likely to fire Rosenstein or whether he had confidence in him, Trump replied, "You figure that one out." Dismissing Rosenstein would likely ignite a political firestorm, much as his firing of FBI chief James Comey did last year. Hours after Trump spoke, a White House official said there have been no discussions or considerations about firing Rosenstein. Mueller also is examining whether Trump has committed obstruction of justice in trying to thwart the Russia probe. The memo alleges that the FBI concealed the Democratic ties of a source the agency used to justify surveillance on a former Trump campaign advisor with ties to Russia. The memo listed a string of senior Justice Department officials including Rosenstein who it said signed off on this. "I think it's a disgrace what's happening in our country," Trump told reporters when asked about the memo, adding that "a lot of people should be ashamed of themselves." Some lawmakers accused Trump of playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin after, as Republican Senator John McCain put it, Russia "engaged in an elaborate plot to interfere in an American election and undermine our democracy." "If we continue to undermine our own rule of law, we are doing Putin's job for him," McCain, who is being treated for brain cancer, said in a statement. Mueller's probe has led to guilty pleas by two of his foreign policy advisers to charges of lying to the FBI, and indictments of former campaign manager Paul Manafort and Manafort's business partner Rick Gates. Trump has called the investigation a "witch hunt," denying any collusion with Russia or obstruction of justice. Moscow has denied any election meddling. 'Sacred investigative process' In a swipe at US law enforcement leaders on Twitter hours before the memo's release, Trump said, "The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favour of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago." It was his latest attack on top law enforcement officials. Trump fired Comey last May as the FBI pursued the Russia probe, leading to Mueller's appointment by Rosenstein. The FBI on Wednesday had expressed "grave concerns about material omissions of fact" in the document and urged that it not be made public. Writing on Twitter, Comey branded the memo "dishonest and misleading." FBI Director Christopher Wray sent a message to bureau employees apparently aimed at boosting morale after the memo's release. "I stand by our shared determination to do our work independently and by the book," Wray said in the message, excerpts of which were seen by Reuters. The memo was commissioned by the Republican chairman of the House intelligence panel, Devin Nunes. It focused on court-approved surveillance of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page and said the FBI used a source who was strongly biased against Trump - former British spy Christopher Steele - to justify the action. It alleged that a dossier of alleged Trump-Russia contacts compiled by Steele, and funded in part by US Democrats, formed an "essential part" of requests to a special court to be allowed to conduct electronic surveillance on Page that began in October 2016. It said the initial application and subsequent renewal applications, signed off on by various senior Justice Department officials, did not mention the link between Steele and the Democrats. It also portrayed Steele as "passionate" about Trump not becoming president. Despite the memo's charges, neither the focus on Page nor the FBI's investigation of Trump-Russia ties began with the Steele dossier. Page appeared on the FBI's radar screen as early as 2013, when he met in New York with Russians who were officers of the Kremlin's foreign intelligence service, sources have said. The memo acknowledges that the FBI counterintelligence investigation began in July 2016 - three months before the request for electronic surveillance on Page - as a result of the activities of another Trump campaign aide, George Papadopoulos. Papadopoulos told an Australian diplomat in May 2016 that Russia had political dirt on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, information Australian officials passed to the US government, the New York Times reported in December. The entire file that the Justice Department used to apply for permission to eavesdrop on Page remains highly classified, making it hard to evaluate the memo's contents. "The selective release and politicization of classified information sets a terrible precedent and will do long-term damage to the Intelligence Community and our law enforcement agencies," House intelligence committee Democrats said in a statement. They said they hoped the panel would vote on Monday to release their own memo responding to the allegations. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has recused himself from the Russia investigation, indicated he planned to refer the memo's allegations to the Justice Department's inspector general for investigation. A White House official said Trump had always been inclined to release the Republican memo, despite the FBI's urging that he not do so, and he relied heavily on Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Counsel Don McGahn in approving the release.

Trump releases disputed memo, escalates fight with FBI

President Trump today attacked the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-likely-to-approve-release-of-secret-surveillance-memo-31549">FBI and US Justice Department </a>for showing pro-Democrats bias, and working against Republicans.

In a tweet, the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/andrew-mccabe-fbi-deputy-director-blasted-by-donald-trump-steps-down-31141">President said: &quot;The top leadership</a> and investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago.&quot;

&quot;Rank &amp; File are great people!, he added sarcastically in his tweet.

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The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago. Rank &amp; File are great people!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/959389424806191104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In another tweet soon after the US president said,&quot;You(FBI) had Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party try to hide the fact that they gave money to GPS Fusion to create a Dossier which was used by their allies in the Obama Administration to convince a Court misleadingly.&quot;

&quot;By all accounts, to spy on the Trump Team. Tom Fitton, JW,&quot; Trump added.

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&ldquo;You had Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party try to hide the fact that they gave money to GPS Fusion to create a Dossier which was used by their allies in the Obama Administration to convince a Court misleadingly, by all accounts, to spy on the Trump Team.&rdquo; Tom Fitton, JW
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/959393270144086016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Trump&#39;s latest Twitter attack comes ahead of his expected decision to approve the release of a confidential Republican-drafted memo alleging abuse of authority in the FBI&#39;s probe of the US election campaign.

CNN had earlier reported that FBI Director Christopher Wray who was handpicked by Trump could resign if &nbsp;Trump goes ahead and approves the release of the secret memo.

The four-page memo reportedly reveals abuse at the FBI and Justice Department in connection with surveillance of a member of Trump&#39;s 2016 presidential campaign who had ties to Russia.

The four-page memo reportedly reveals abuse at the FBI and Justice Department

President Trump today attacked the FBI and US Justice Department for showing pro-Democrats bias, and working against Republicans. In a tweet, the President said: "The top leadership and investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago." "Rank & File are great people!, he added sarcastically in his tweet. The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago. Rank & File are great people! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2018 × In another tweet soon after the US president said,"You(FBI) had Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party try to hide the fact that they gave money to GPS Fusion to create a Dossier which was used by their allies in the Obama Administration to convince a Court misleadingly." "By all accounts, to spy on the Trump Team. Tom Fitton, JW," Trump added. “You had Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party try to hide the fact that they gave money to GPS Fusion to create a Dossier which was used by their allies in the Obama Administration to convince a Court misleadingly, by all accounts, to spy on the Trump Team.” Tom Fitton, JW — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2018 × Trump's latest Twitter attack comes ahead of his expected decision to approve the release of a confidential Republican-drafted memo alleging abuse of authority in the FBI's probe of the US election campaign. CNN had earlier reported that FBI Director Christopher Wray who was handpicked by Trump could resign if Trump goes ahead and approves the release of the secret memo. The four-page memo reportedly reveals abuse at the FBI and Justice Department in connection with surveillance of a member of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign who had ties to Russia.

Now, Trump attacks FBI, US Justice Department for 'favouring' Democrats

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

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

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

Trump likely to approve release of secret surveillance memo

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-imposes-new-sanctions-against-north-korea-trump-hails-decision-27503">UN imposes new sanctions against North Korea, Trump hails decision</a>

The UN Security Council today imposed new sanctions on North Korea seeking to ban refined petroleum product export after its ICBM missile test last month.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-threats-against-pakistan-can-negatively-affect-relations-ispr-chief-major-general-ghafoor-27505">US threats against Pakistan can &#39;negatively&#39; affect relations: ISPR chief Major General Ghafoor</a>

Ghafoor&#39;s statement comes after US vice president Mike Pence on a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Friday said President Trump had put Pakistan on notice.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/man-held-over-christmas-attack-plot-in-san-francisco-fbi-27499">Man held over Christmas attack plot in San Francisco: FBI</a>

US Federal agents arrested a former US Marine on Friday for allegedly plotting a Christmas attack in San Francisco inspired by the Islamic State jihadist group.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-spacex-successfully-deploys-10-satellites-into-low-earth-orbit-27507">Watch: SpaceX successfully deploys 10 satellites into low-earth orbit</a>

EIon&nbsp;Musk-led SpaceX broke new ground in space with the launch of rocket Falcon 9 which successfully deployed 10 satellites into earth&#39;s orbit.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/34-trains-late-15-cancelled-due-to-low-visibility-in-delhi-27506">34 trains late, 15 cancelled due to low visibility in Delhi</a>

According to reports, most trains running on Amritsar/Ludhiana to New Delhi route were running late or had to be rescheduled.

According to reports, most trains running on Amritsar/Ludhiana to New Delhi route were running late or had to be rescheduled.

UN imposes new sanctions against North Korea, Trump hails decision The UN Security Council today imposed new sanctions on North Korea seeking to ban refined petroleum product export after its ICBM missile test last month. US threats against Pakistan can 'negatively' affect relations: ISPR chief Major General Ghafoor Ghafoor's statement comes after US vice president Mike Pence on a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Friday said President Trump had put Pakistan on notice. Man held over Christmas attack plot in San Francisco: FBI US Federal agents arrested a former US Marine on Friday for allegedly plotting a Christmas attack in San Francisco inspired by the Islamic State jihadist group. Watch: SpaceX successfully deploys 10 satellites into low-earth orbit EIon Musk-led SpaceX broke new ground in space with the launch of rocket Falcon 9 which successfully deployed 10 satellites into earth's orbit. 34 trains late, 15 cancelled due to low visibility in Delhi According to reports, most trains running on Amritsar/Ludhiana to New Delhi route were running late or had to be rescheduled.

WION morning news brief, December 23, 2017

Federal agents arrested a former US Marine on Friday for allegedly plotting a Christmas attack in San Francisco inspired by the Islamic State jihadist group, according to court documents.

Tow truck driver Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, was planning to target the city&#39;s busy Pier 39 tourist spot, according to an affidavit submitted by FBI Special Agent Christopher McKinney.

The suspect outlined to undercover agents how he wanted to use explosives to target crowds at the pier between December 18 and 25 because &quot;Christmas was the perfect day to commit the attack.&quot;

Jameson professed not to need an escape plan as he was &quot;ready to die,&quot; according to the document.&nbsp;

The suspect&#39;s home in Modesto, California, was raided by FBI agents on Wednesday, where they allegedly found his last will and testament along with several weapons and ammunition.

Jameson attended basic training with the Marine Corps in 2009 and graduated with a &quot;sharpshooter&quot; rifle qualification, according to the FBI, but was discharged after failing to disclose a history of asthma.

According to McKinney, Jameson selected Pier 39 because &quot;he had been there before and knew it was a heavily crowded area.&quot;

&quot;Jameson explained that he also desired to use explosives and described a plan in which explosives could &#39;tunnel&#39; or &#39;funnel&#39; people into a location where Jameson could inflict casualties,&quot; McKinney stated.

The suspect inadvertently revealed his plans to an undercover FBI agent he believed to be a senior leader of the Islamic State group, according to the court document.

Jameson said the US needed &quot;another attack like New York or San Bernardino,&quot; adding that he wanted to use vehicles and firearms to carry out an attack.

&quot;Today, our incredible law enforcement officers have once again helped thwart an alleged plot to kill Americans,&quot; Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. &nbsp;

&quot;The threat from radical Islamic terrorism is real -- and it is serious -- but the American people can be assured that the Department of Justice remains vigilant in protecting our homeland,&quot; he added.

According to the criminal complaint, Jameson &quot;has espoused radical jihadi beliefs, including authoring social media posts that are supportive of terrorism.&quot;

He had voiced support for the October 31 attack in New York in which a jihadist drove a pick-up truck into a crowded bike path, killing eight people, said the FBI, and was active on Facebook, &quot;liking&quot; pro-IS posts.

He &quot;loved&quot; a post on November 29 of a terror propaganda image of Santa Claus standing in New York with a box of dynamite.

He was charged in the Eastern District Court of California with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

&quot;He was under surveillance by law enforcement, and the public was never in imminent danger,&quot; the FBI said in a statement.

Tow truck driver Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, was planning to target the city's busy Pier 39 tourist spot, according to an affidavit submitted by FBI Special Agent Christopher McKinney

Federal agents arrested a former US Marine on Friday for allegedly plotting a Christmas attack in San Francisco inspired by the Islamic State jihadist group, according to court documents. Tow truck driver Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, was planning to target the city's busy Pier 39 tourist spot, according to an affidavit submitted by FBI Special Agent Christopher McKinney. The suspect outlined to undercover agents how he wanted to use explosives to target crowds at the pier between December 18 and 25 because "Christmas was the perfect day to commit the attack." Jameson professed not to need an escape plan as he was "ready to die," according to the document. The suspect's home in Modesto, California, was raided by FBI agents on Wednesday, where they allegedly found his last will and testament along with several weapons and ammunition. Jameson attended basic training with the Marine Corps in 2009 and graduated with a "sharpshooter" rifle qualification, according to the FBI, but was discharged after failing to disclose a history of asthma. According to McKinney, Jameson selected Pier 39 because "he had been there before and knew it was a heavily crowded area." "Jameson explained that he also desired to use explosives and described a plan in which explosives could 'tunnel' or 'funnel' people into a location where Jameson could inflict casualties," McKinney stated. The suspect inadvertently revealed his plans to an undercover FBI agent he believed to be a senior leader of the Islamic State group, according to the court document. Jameson said the US needed "another attack like New York or San Bernardino," adding that he wanted to use vehicles and firearms to carry out an attack. "Today, our incredible law enforcement officers have once again helped thwart an alleged plot to kill Americans," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. "The threat from radical Islamic terrorism is real -- and it is serious -- but the American people can be assured that the Department of Justice remains vigilant in protecting our homeland," he added. According to the criminal complaint, Jameson "has espoused radical jihadi beliefs, including authoring social media posts that are supportive of terrorism." He had voiced support for the October 31 attack in New York in which a jihadist drove a pick-up truck into a crowded bike path, killing eight people, said the FBI, and was active on Facebook, "liking" pro-IS posts. He "loved" a post on November 29 of a terror propaganda image of Santa Claus standing in New York with a box of dynamite. He was charged in the Eastern District Court of California with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. "He was under surveillance by law enforcement, and the public was never in imminent danger," the FBI said in a statement.

Man held over Christmas attack plot in San Francisco: FBI

US President Donald Trump attacked the FBI in a series of tweets on Sunday, calling it the &quot;worst in history&quot; and saying that its reputation was &quot;in tatters&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness,&quot; he tweeted.&nbsp;

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Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI &ldquo;agent&rsquo;s role in Clinton probe under review.&rdquo; Led Clinton Email probe. <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@foxandfriends</a> Clinton money going to wife of another FBI agent in charge.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/937301085156503552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/937305615218696193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Report: &ldquo;ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE&rdquo; Now it all starts to make sense!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/937314665176207360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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On Friday, former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn admitted to the FBI that he had lied about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition.&nbsp;

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is currently investigating whether Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice for firing former FBI director James Comey.&nbsp;

Comey had said Trump had asked him to drop the Flynn probe.&nbsp;

'After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History!' Trump tweeted

US President Donald Trump attacked the FBI in a series of tweets on Sunday, calling it the "worst in history" and saying that its reputation was "in tatters". "After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness," he tweeted. Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI “agent’s role in Clinton probe under review.” Led Clinton Email probe. @foxandfriends Clinton money going to wife of another FBI agent in charge. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017 × After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017 × Report: “ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE” Now it all starts to make sense! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017 × On Friday, former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn admitted to the FBI that he had lied about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is currently investigating whether Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice for firing former FBI director James Comey. Comey had said Trump had asked him to drop the Flynn probe.

Trump says FBI 'worst in history, reputation in tatters'

A senior FBI official was removed from the Russia election meddling probe for sending text messages critical of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/breaking-news-us-president-trump-praises-indian-pm-modi-for-ges-2017-7131">President Donald Trump</a>, the Washington Post reported Saturday.

Peter Strzok, deputy head of counter-intelligence at the FBI, was a key player in special prosecutor Robert Mueller&#39;s probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives trying to tilt the election in Trump&#39;s favour, the Post said. It quoted people familiar with the issue.

Strzok also worked on the probe into Hillary Clinton&#39;s use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state.

During the Clinton investigation, Strzok was having an affair with a senior FBI lawyer named Lisa Page, the Post said.

Strzok and his lover traded text messages during the Clinton probe and the campaign in which they expressed anti-Trump feelings and other remarks apparently in support of Clinton, the Post said.

Strzok was removed from the Russia probe over the summer, the Post and the New York Times said.

&quot;Immediately upon learning of the allegations, the special counsel&rsquo;s office removed Peter Strzok from the investigation,&quot; said a spokesman for the special counsel&#39;s office, Peter Carr.

Peter Strzok was reportedly a key player in special prosecutor Robert Mueller's probe into possible collusion between the Trump presidential campaign and Russian operatives

A senior FBI official was removed from the Russia election meddling probe for sending text messages critical of President Donald Trump, the Washington Post reported Saturday. Peter Strzok, deputy head of counter-intelligence at the FBI, was a key player in special prosecutor Robert Mueller's probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives trying to tilt the election in Trump's favour, the Post said. It quoted people familiar with the issue. Strzok also worked on the probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state. During the Clinton investigation, Strzok was having an affair with a senior FBI lawyer named Lisa Page, the Post said. Strzok and his lover traded text messages during the Clinton probe and the campaign in which they expressed anti-Trump feelings and other remarks apparently in support of Clinton, the Post said. Strzok was removed from the Russia probe over the summer, the Post and the New York Times said. "Immediately upon learning of the allegations, the special counsel’s office removed Peter Strzok from the investigation," said a spokesman for the special counsel's office, Peter Carr.

FBI official removed from probe for anti-Trump remarks

US President Donald Trump denied Sunday having asked then FBI director James Comey to stop investigating ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn, who has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about discussions with Russia.

Trump also insisted he and his campaign had not colluded with Moscow in last year&#39;s election, and shifted blame on the Justice Department and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

&quot;I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!&quot; Trump said in a tweet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/flynns-actions-during-the-transition-were-lawful-president-trump-25710" target="_blank">Flynn&#39;s actions during the transition &#39;were lawful&#39;, says Trump</a>

But his position was complicated by another Twitter post in which he indicated he had fired Flynn because the national security chief had been untruthful not just to Vice President Mike Pence but to the FBI as well.

That comment appeared to indicate Trump was acknowledging he knew at the time of Flynn&#39;s firing in February that he had lied to the bureau&#39;s agents.

&quot;If that is true, Mr. President, why did you wait so long to fire Flynn?&quot; asked Representative Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

&quot;Why did you fail to act until his lies were publicly exposed? And why did you pressure Director Comey to &#39;let this go?&#39;&quot;

White House officials, however, told The New York Times that Trump was only referencing Flynn&#39;s guilty plea for lying to the FBI about his conversations with then Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak over sanctions president Barack Obama slapped on Russia for election meddling.

And two people briefed on the matter said the Twitter post was in fact written by Trump&#39;s personal lawyer John Dowd, who apologized to the White House for the tactless language.

What the president knew, and when 
After he was fired himself in May, Comey testified under oath before a Senate panel that, a day after Flynn&#39;s firing, Trump asked him to drop an investigation into the former national security advisor.

A lingering part of the drama has been that after the White House learned through the Justice Department that Flynn lied to the White House about discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador, Trump still waited 18 days to fire him.

Trump said he had the Russia probe in mind when he fired Comey. The move backfired and led the Justice Department to appoint Robert Mueller as special counsel.

Mueller&#39;s focus goes beyond possible collusion with Russia to business dealings and whether Trump himself tried to thwart the investigation.

US media reported that senior FBI counterintelligence official Peter Strzok was removed from the investigation over the summer for sending text messages critical of Trump.

Trump retweeted a post from conservative commentator Paul Sperry about the news that highlighted the fact that Strzok had also worked on the probe into Hillary Clinton&#39;s use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state.

Trump also retweeted another damaging Sperry post critical of Strzok&#39;s boss, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

Earlier, Trump renewed focus on the Justice Department&#39;s handling of the Clinton probe.

&quot;So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday &#39;interrogation&#39; with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times...and nothing happens to her? Rigged system, or just a double standard?&quot; he wrote.

&quot;Many people in our Country are asking what the &#39;Justice&#39; Department is going to do about the fact that totally Crooked Hillary, AFTER receiving a subpoena from the United States Congress, deleted and &#39;acid washed&#39; 33,000 Emails? No justice!&quot;

As he left for a day trip to New York on Saturday, Trump again insisted his team had not plotted with Moscow to sway the election in his favor over Clinton, who won the popular vote but lost the all-important electoral college count.

&quot;What has been shown is no collusion. There&#39;s been absolutely no collusion. So we&#39;re very happy,&quot; Trump said.

Comey himself seemed to be addressing the latest developments in an Instagram message: &quot;To paraphrase the Buddha -- Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun; the moon; and the truth.&quot;

- Tax win overshadowed - 
The explosive new developments in the Russia probe have overshadowed a major legislative win for Trump: the Senate&#39;s passage of the most significant US tax overhaul in 31 years.

Both the Senate and House versions lower the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent, and include more modest tax cuts aimed at individuals across all income levels.

Democrats argue that the plan is too expensive and will accommodate only the rich, and that it could ultimately impact cherished US entitlement programs like Medicare.

The Senate bill was, just 24 hours earlier, on the brink of collapse when a handful of Republican deficit hawks balked at the plan&#39;s $1.5 trillion price tag for 10 years.

Trump hopes to sign a final bill before Christmas. That would be a much-needed victory for the president, who has delivered on hardly any of his major campaign promises, including repealing the health care law known as Obamacare.

'I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!' Trump said in a tweet.

US President Donald Trump denied Sunday having asked then FBI director James Comey to stop investigating ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn, who has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about discussions with Russia. Trump also insisted he and his campaign had not colluded with Moscow in last year's election, and shifted blame on the Justice Department and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. "I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!" Trump said in a tweet. Also read: Flynn's actions during the transition 'were lawful', says Trump But his position was complicated by another Twitter post in which he indicated he had fired Flynn because the national security chief had been untruthful not just to Vice President Mike Pence but to the FBI as well. That comment appeared to indicate Trump was acknowledging he knew at the time of Flynn's firing in February that he had lied to the bureau's agents. "If that is true, Mr. President, why did you wait so long to fire Flynn?" asked Representative Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. "Why did you fail to act until his lies were publicly exposed? And why did you pressure Director Comey to 'let this go?'" White House officials, however, told The New York Times that Trump was only referencing Flynn's guilty plea for lying to the FBI about his conversations with then Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak over sanctions president Barack Obama slapped on Russia for election meddling. And two people briefed on the matter said the Twitter post was in fact written by Trump's personal lawyer John Dowd, who apologized to the White House for the tactless language. What the president knew, and when After he was fired himself in May, Comey testified under oath before a Senate panel that, a day after Flynn's firing, Trump asked him to drop an investigation into the former national security advisor. A lingering part of the drama has been that after the White House learned through the Justice Department that Flynn lied to the White House about discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador, Trump still waited 18 days to fire him. Trump said he had the Russia probe in mind when he fired Comey. The move backfired and led the Justice Department to appoint Robert Mueller as special counsel. Mueller's focus goes beyond possible collusion with Russia to business dealings and whether Trump himself tried to thwart the investigation. US media reported that senior FBI counterintelligence official Peter Strzok was removed from the investigation over the summer for sending text messages critical of Trump. Trump retweeted a post from conservative commentator Paul Sperry about the news that highlighted the fact that Strzok had also worked on the probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state. Trump also retweeted another damaging Sperry post critical of Strzok's boss, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Earlier, Trump renewed focus on the Justice Department's handling of the Clinton probe. "So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday 'interrogation' with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times...and nothing happens to her? Rigged system, or just a double standard?" he wrote. "Many people in our Country are asking what the 'Justice' Department is going to do about the fact that totally Crooked Hillary, AFTER receiving a subpoena from the United States Congress, deleted and 'acid washed' 33,000 Emails? No justice!" As he left for a day trip to New York on Saturday, Trump again insisted his team had not plotted with Moscow to sway the election in his favor over Clinton, who won the popular vote but lost the all-important electoral college count. "What has been shown is no collusion. There's been absolutely no collusion. So we're very happy," Trump said. Comey himself seemed to be addressing the latest developments in an Instagram message: "To paraphrase the Buddha -- Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun; the moon; and the truth." - Tax win overshadowed - The explosive new developments in the Russia probe have overshadowed a major legislative win for Trump: the Senate's passage of the most significant US tax overhaul in 31 years. Both the Senate and House versions lower the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent, and include more modest tax cuts aimed at individuals across all income levels. Democrats argue that the plan is too expensive and will accommodate only the rich, and that it could ultimately impact cherished US entitlement programs like Medicare. The Senate bill was, just 24 hours earlier, on the brink of collapse when a handful of Republican deficit hawks balked at the plan's $1.5 trillion price tag for 10 years. Trump hopes to sign a final bill before Christmas. That would be a much-needed victory for the president, who has delivered on hardly any of his major campaign promises, including repealing the health care law known as Obamacare.

Trump denies asking FBI to drop Flynn probe

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

America&#39;s Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) has charged President Trump&#39;s ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn with &quot;lying&quot; over his contacts with Russia.

Flynn resigned in February after being under fire for weeks over his links to the Russian government. He was reported to have discussed the possibility of lifting US sanctions on Russia before Trump took office.

Flynn had promised former US vice-president Pence that he had not discussed US sanctions with the Russians, but transcripts of intercepted communications by US officials later showed that the subject had come up in conversations between him and the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak.

Such contacts are potentially in violation of a law banning US private citizens from engaging in foreign policy, known as the Logan Act.

The FBI charged Flynn with one count of lying.&nbsp;

A court document showed Flynn was charged for lying about his private discussions with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, regarding US sanctions being imposed on Moscow by the government former president Barack Obama.

The former US national security advisor is scheduled to appear in court today on hearing related to making &quot;false, fictitious and fraudulent representations&quot; to the FBI.

Flynn had promised former US vice-president Pence that he had not discussed US sanctions with the Russians

America's Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) has charged President Trump's ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn with "lying" over his contacts with Russia. Flynn resigned in February after being under fire for weeks over his links to the Russian government. He was reported to have discussed the possibility of lifting US sanctions on Russia before Trump took office. Flynn had promised former US vice-president Pence that he had not discussed US sanctions with the Russians, but transcripts of intercepted communications by US officials later showed that the subject had come up in conversations between him and the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak. Such contacts are potentially in violation of a law banning US private citizens from engaging in foreign policy, known as the Logan Act. The FBI charged Flynn with one count of lying. A court document showed Flynn was charged for lying about his private discussions with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, regarding US sanctions being imposed on Moscow by the government former president Barack Obama. The former US national security advisor is scheduled to appear in court today on hearing related to making "false, fictitious and fraudulent representations" to the FBI.

Trump's ex-NSA Michael Flynn charged for lying about Russia links

A second Uzbek man wanted for questioning in the investigation of Tuesday&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/timeline-unwinding-the-the-new-york-city-terror-attack-23295">fatal truck attack in New York City</a> has been located, an FBI official said on Wednesday, though no details were provided on where the man was found or why he was wanted.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/truck-kills-8-on-new-york-bike-path-in-us-deadliest-attack-since-911-23265">Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday issued a wanted poster on Mukhammadzoir Kadirov</a>, a 32-year-old native of Uzbekistan.

Sayfullo Saipov, a 29-year-old Uzbekistan immigrant who has been living in New Jersey, was charged on Wednesday with committing the attack in the name of the Islamic State militant group.

U.S. law enforcement officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, separately on Wednesday said Saipov had been in contact with Kadirov and one other person. The officials, who asked not to be identified because the investigation is ongoing, did not provide further details.

Kadirov was located after the wanted poster went out, William Sweeney, assistant director-in-charge of the New York FBI office, told a news conference. He declined to disclose any details.

&quot;Earlier as we came in this evening, we were seeking information about an individual,&quot; Sweeney said. &quot;Many of you in this room received that alert.

&quot;We are no longer seeking that individual,&quot; he said.

The New York FBI office on Twitter said it was still seeking any information the public might have on Kadirov.

Tuesday&#39;s attack on a bike path in Manhattan killed eight people.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday issued a wanted poster on Mukhammadzoir Kadirov, a 32-year-old native of Uzbekistan.

A second Uzbek man wanted for questioning in the investigation of Tuesday's fatal truck attack in New York City has been located, an FBI official said on Wednesday, though no details were provided on where the man was found or why he was wanted. The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday issued a wanted poster on Mukhammadzoir Kadirov, a 32-year-old native of Uzbekistan. Sayfullo Saipov, a 29-year-old Uzbekistan immigrant who has been living in New Jersey, was charged on Wednesday with committing the attack in the name of the Islamic State militant group. U.S. law enforcement officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, separately on Wednesday said Saipov had been in contact with Kadirov and one other person. The officials, who asked not to be identified because the investigation is ongoing, did not provide further details. Kadirov was located after the wanted poster went out, William Sweeney, assistant director-in-charge of the New York FBI office, told a news conference. He declined to disclose any details. "Earlier as we came in this evening, we were seeking information about an individual," Sweeney said. "Many of you in this room received that alert. "We are no longer seeking that individual," he said. The New York FBI office on Twitter said it was still seeking any information the public might have on Kadirov. Tuesday's attack on a bike path in Manhattan killed eight people.

FBI locates second Uzbek man sought for questioning in New York attack probe

More than half a century after US&nbsp;President John F. Kennedy was struck down by an assassin&#39;s bullet in Dallas, Texas, the United States is due on Thursday to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/president-trump-to-allow-release-of-jfk-files-6167.">release the final&nbsp;files</a> on the investigation into the killing that rattled a nation.

Academics who have studied Kennedy&#39;s slaying on Nov. 22, 1963, said they expected the&nbsp;final batch of files to&nbsp;offer&nbsp;no major&nbsp;new&nbsp;details&nbsp;on why Lee Harvey Oswald gunned down the first and only Irish-American Roman Catholic to hold the office.

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<h5>Donald Trump on Saturday confirmed that he would allow the&nbsp;documents&nbsp;to be made public</h5>
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They also feared that the&nbsp;final&nbsp;batch of more than 5 million total pages on the Kennedy assassination&nbsp;held in the National Archives will do little to quell long-held conspiracy theories that the 46-year-old president&#39;s killing was organized by the Mafia, by Cuba or a cabal of rogue agents.

Thousands of books, articles, TV shows and films have explored the idea that Kennedy assassination&nbsp;was the result of an elaborate conspiracy. None have produced conclusive proof that Oswald, who was shot dead a day after killing Kennedy, worked with anyone else, though they retain a powerful cultural currency.

&quot;My students are really sceptical that Oswald was the lone assassin,&quot; said Patrick Maney, a professor of history at Boston College. &quot;It&#39;s hard to get our minds around this, that someone like a loner, a loser, could on his own have murdered Kennedy and changed the course of world history. But that&#39;s where the evidence is.&quot;

In 1992, Congress ordered that all records relating to the investigation into Kennedy&#39;s death should be open to the public, and set a&nbsp;final&nbsp;deadline of Oct. 26, 2017, for the entire set to be made public.

President Donald Trump on Saturday confirmed that he would allow the&nbsp;documents&nbsp;to be made public.

The&nbsp;documents&nbsp;to be released on Thursday will likely focus on efforts by the Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine what contact Oswald had with spies from Cuba and the former Soviet Union on a trip to Mexico City in September 1963, experts said.

&quot;There was a real concern that Oswald was maybe in league with the Soviet Union,&quot; Maney said.

Kennedy&#39;s&nbsp;assassination&nbsp;was the first in a string of politically motivated killings, including those of his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., that stunned the United States during the turbulent 1960s. He remains one of the most admired US&nbsp;presidents.

Academics who have studied Kennedy's killing on Nov 22, 1963 said they expected the?final batch of files to?offer?no major?new?details?on why Lee Harvey Oswald gunned Kennedy down

More than half a century after US President John F. Kennedy was struck down by an assassin's bullet in Dallas, Texas, the United States is due on Thursday to release the final files on the investigation into the killing that rattled a nation. Academics who have studied Kennedy's slaying on Nov. 22, 1963, said they expected the final batch of files to offer no major new details on why Lee Harvey Oswald gunned down the first and only Irish-American Roman Catholic to hold the office. Donald Trump on Saturday confirmed that he would allow the documents to be made public × They also feared that the final batch of more than 5 million total pages on the Kennedy assassination held in the National Archives will do little to quell long-held conspiracy theories that the 46-year-old president's killing was organized by the Mafia, by Cuba or a cabal of rogue agents. Thousands of books, articles, TV shows and films have explored the idea that Kennedy assassination was the result of an elaborate conspiracy. None have produced conclusive proof that Oswald, who was shot dead a day after killing Kennedy, worked with anyone else, though they retain a powerful cultural currency. "My students are really sceptical that Oswald was the lone assassin," said Patrick Maney, a professor of history at Boston College. "It's hard to get our minds around this, that someone like a loner, a loser, could on his own have murdered Kennedy and changed the course of world history. But that's where the evidence is." In 1992, Congress ordered that all records relating to the investigation into Kennedy's death should be open to the public, and set a final deadline of Oct. 26, 2017, for the entire set to be made public. President Donald Trump on Saturday confirmed that he would allow the documents to be made public. The documents to be released on Thursday will likely focus on efforts by the Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine what contact Oswald had with spies from Cuba and the former Soviet Union on a trip to Mexico City in September 1963, experts said. "There was a real concern that Oswald was maybe in league with the Soviet Union," Maney said. Kennedy's assassination was the first in a string of politically motivated killings, including those of his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., that stunned the United States during the turbulent 1960s. He remains one of the most admired US presidents.

John F Kennedy assassination: Final files on investigation to be released

The United Arab Emirates arranged for Qatari government social media and news sites to be hacked in late May in order to post fiery but false quotes linked to Qatar&#39;s emir, prompting a diplomatic crisis, the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/uae-hacked-qatari-government-sites-sparking-regional-upheaval-according-to-us-intelligence-officials/2017/07/16/00c46e54-698f-11e7-8eb5-cbccc2e7bfbf_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_usqatar-640pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&amp;utm_term=.8eb6d0263976" target="_blank">Washington Post</a> reported on Sunday, citing US&nbsp;intelligence officials, Reuters reports.

The emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, had been quoted in May as praising Hamas and saying that Iran was an &quot;Islamic power,&quot; the Post reported. In response, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

Qatar said in late May that hackers had posted fake remarks by the emir, an explanation rejected by Gulf states.

<h3 style="font-style: italic;">&nbsp;</h3>

<h3 style="font-style: italic;">Related:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/website-says-report-of-plot-to-strip-qatar-of-world-cup-was-fake-17986" target="_blank">Website says report of plot to strip Qatar of World Cup was &#39;fake&#39;</a></h3>

&nbsp;

The Post reported that US intelligence officials learned last week of newly analyzed information that showed that top UAE government officials discussed the planned hacks on May 23, the day before they occurred.

The officials said it was unclear if the UAE hacked the websites or paid for them to be carried out, the newspaper reported. The Post did not identify the intelligence officials it spoke to for the report.

The hacks and posting took place on May 24, shortly after President Trump completed a lengthy counterterrorism meeting with Persian Gulf leaders in neighbouring Saudi Arabia and declared them unified, the Washington Post reports.

UAE Ambassador Yousef al-Otaiba denied the report in a statement, saying it was &quot;false,&quot; the Post said.

&quot;What is true is Qatar&rsquo;s behavior. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Qadafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbors,&quot; the statement said.

The US&nbsp;State Department declined comment in response to a Reuters query. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was previously known to be working with Qatar to probe the hacking.

US intelligence says United Arab Emirates arranged for Qatar's site to be hacked and orchestrated fake quotes, which launched the whole crisis

The United Arab Emirates arranged for Qatari government social media and news sites to be hacked in late May in order to post fiery but false quotes linked to Qatar's emir, prompting a diplomatic crisis, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing US intelligence officials, Reuters reports. The emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, had been quoted in May as praising Hamas and saying that Iran was an "Islamic power," the Post reported. In response, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar said in late May that hackers had posted fake remarks by the emir, an explanation rejected by Gulf states. Related: Website says report of plot to strip Qatar of World Cup was 'fake' The Post reported that US intelligence officials learned last week of newly analyzed information that showed that top UAE government officials discussed the planned hacks on May 23, the day before they occurred. The officials said it was unclear if the UAE hacked the websites or paid for them to be carried out, the newspaper reported. The Post did not identify the intelligence officials it spoke to for the report. The hacks and posting took place on May 24, shortly after President Trump completed a lengthy counterterrorism meeting with Persian Gulf leaders in neighbouring Saudi Arabia and declared them unified, the Washington Post reports. UAE Ambassador Yousef al-Otaiba denied the report in a statement, saying it was "false," the Post said. "What is true is Qatar’s behavior. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Qadafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbors," the statement said. The US State Department declined comment in response to a Reuters query. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was previously known to be working with Qatar to probe the hacking.

UAE arranged hacking of Qatar gov sites, causing diplomatic row: Washington Post

President Donald Trump&#39;s pick to head the&nbsp;FBI, Christopher Wray, on Wednesday said he would refuse to pledge loyalty to Trump, rejected his description of the probe into Russian election meddling as a &quot;witch hunt,&quot; and vowed to quit if asked by the president to do something unlawful.

Wray, nominated by Trump on June 7 to replace the fired James Comey as Federal Bureau of Investigation director, sought to stake out independence from the president and protect the agency from partisan political influence. Wray even said it would be &quot;highly unlikely&quot; he would agree to meet Trump in a one-on-one situation, as Comey reluctantly did.

Wray, who seemed headed for US Senate approval to fill the 10-year post, testified during a 4 1/2-hour hour Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing amid an uproar in Washington over 2016 emails released on Tuesday involving the president&#39;s son, Donald Trump Jr.

The emails showed the Republican president&#39;s son agreeing last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic White House rival Hillary Clinton as part of Moscow&#39;s official support for his father.

Wray deflected specific questions from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham about the president&#39;s son&#39;s emails, saying he had not read them. But Wray said, &quot;Any threats or effort to interfere with our election from any nation-state or any non-state actor is the kind of thing the&nbsp;FBI&nbsp;would want to know.&quot;

Trump&#39;s son did not notify the&nbsp;FBI&nbsp;and wrote &quot;I love it&quot; about the Russian&#39;s offer of information on Clinton.

Trump fired Comey on May 9, igniting a political firestorm, and later cited the &quot;Russia thing&quot; as his reason. The Justice Department eight days later named Robert Mueller to serve as special counsel to investigate alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential race to help Trump win and potential collusion between Moscow and Trump associates.

The Russia matter has dogged Trump&#39;s first six months in office. Wray said he had no reason to doubt the US intelligence community&#39;s conclusion that Russia interfered in part by hacking and releasing emails damaging to Clinton, a claim Moscow denies.

Wray worked at the Justice Department under Republican former President George W. Bush when Comey was deputy attorney general and Mueller was&nbsp;FBI&nbsp;director. Wray also represented New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in a political scandal.

Trump has called the Russia probe a &quot;witch hunt.&quot;

&quot;I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt,&quot; Wray told Graham.

Wray said he was &quot;very committed&quot; to supporting Mueller&#39;s investigation, calling him a &quot;consummate straight shooter and somebody I have enormous respect for.&quot;

Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein asked Wray to inform the committee &quot;if you learn about any machinations to tamper with&quot; Mueller&#39;s probe.

&quot;Understood,&quot; Wray responded.

No loyalty oath

Wray said no one at the White House had asked that he pledge loyalty to Trump, as Comey said the president demanded of him on Jan. 26. Wray said he would not give such an assurance if asked.

&quot;My loyalty is to the Constitution, to the rule of law and to the mission of the&nbsp;FBI. And no one asked me for any kind of loyalty oath at any point during this process, and I sure as heck didn&#39;t offer one,&quot; Wray said.

Comey previously told the same committee Trump pressed him in a one-on-one session to drop the&nbsp;FBI&nbsp;investigation into former national security advisor Michael Flynn&#39;s ties to Russia. Comey said he felt he was fired in a bid by Trump to undercut the Russia probe.

Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy asked Wray, &quot;If the president asks you to do something unlawful or unethical, what do you say?&quot;

&quot;First, I would try to talk him out of it. And if that failed, I would resign,&quot; Wray replied.

The allegation involving Trump pressing Comey on February 14 over the Flynn probe raised questions about whether Trump&#39;s behaviour amounted to obstruction of justice, a potential issue in any potential future effort in Congress to impeach the president and remove him from office.

Wray sought to differentiate himself from Comey. Wray was asked about Comey&#39;s July 2016 news conference announcing that no criminal charges were planned against Clinton over her use of a private email server to handle classified information but faulting her conduct.

&quot;I can&#39;t imagine a situation where as&nbsp;FBI&nbsp;director I would be giving a press conference on an uncharged individual, much less talk in detail about it,&quot; Wray testified.

Graham questioned Wray about a January report by the US&nbsp;news organisation Politico that a Ukrainian-American operative who was consulting for the Democratic National Committee had met with Ukrainian embassy officials in Washington in a bid to help Clinton and expose links between Trump, top campaign aide Paul Manafort and Russia.

Wray said it would be wrong for Ukraine to meddle in the election and &quot;I&#39;d be happy to dig into it.&quot;

Christopher Wray said no one at the White House had asked that he pledge loyalty to Trump, as Comey said the president demanded of him on Jan. 26. Wray said he would not give such an assurance if asked

President Donald Trump's pick to head the FBI, Christopher Wray, on Wednesday said he would refuse to pledge loyalty to Trump, rejected his description of the probe into Russian election meddling as a "witch hunt," and vowed to quit if asked by the president to do something unlawful. Wray, nominated by Trump on June 7 to replace the fired James Comey as Federal Bureau of Investigation director, sought to stake out independence from the president and protect the agency from partisan political influence. Wray even said it would be "highly unlikely" he would agree to meet Trump in a one-on-one situation, as Comey reluctantly did. Wray, who seemed headed for US Senate approval to fill the 10-year post, testified during a 4 1/2-hour hour Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing amid an uproar in Washington over 2016 emails released on Tuesday involving the president's son, Donald Trump Jr. The emails showed the Republican president's son agreeing last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic White House rival Hillary Clinton as part of Moscow's official support for his father. Wray deflected specific questions from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham about the president's son's emails, saying he had not read them. But Wray said, "Any threats or effort to interfere with our election from any nation-state or any non-state actor is the kind of thing the FBI would want to know." Trump's son did not notify the FBI and wrote "I love it" about the Russian's offer of information on Clinton. Trump fired Comey on May 9, igniting a political firestorm, and later cited the "Russia thing" as his reason. The Justice Department eight days later named Robert Mueller to serve as special counsel to investigate alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential race to help Trump win and potential collusion between Moscow and Trump associates. The Russia matter has dogged Trump's first six months in office. Wray said he had no reason to doubt the US intelligence community's conclusion that Russia interfered in part by hacking and releasing emails damaging to Clinton, a claim Moscow denies. Wray worked at the Justice Department under Republican former President George W. Bush when Comey was deputy attorney general and Mueller was FBI director. Wray also represented New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in a political scandal. Trump has called the Russia probe a "witch hunt." "I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt," Wray told Graham. Wray said he was "very committed" to supporting Mueller's investigation, calling him a "consummate straight shooter and somebody I have enormous respect for." Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein asked Wray to inform the committee "if you learn about any machinations to tamper with" Mueller's probe. "Understood," Wray responded. No loyalty oath Wray said no one at the White House had asked that he pledge loyalty to Trump, as Comey said the president demanded of him on Jan. 26. Wray said he would not give such an assurance if asked. "My loyalty is to the Constitution, to the rule of law and to the mission of the FBI. And no one asked me for any kind of loyalty oath at any point during this process, and I sure as heck didn't offer one," Wray said. Comey previously told the same committee Trump pressed him in a one-on-one session to drop the FBI investigation into former national security advisor Michael Flynn's ties to Russia. Comey said he felt he was fired in a bid by Trump to undercut the Russia probe. Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy asked Wray, "If the president asks you to do something unlawful or unethical, what do you say?" "First, I would try to talk him out of it. And if that failed, I would resign," Wray replied. The allegation involving Trump pressing Comey on February 14 over the Flynn probe raised questions about whether Trump's behaviour amounted to obstruction of justice, a potential issue in any potential future effort in Congress to impeach the president and remove him from office. Wray sought to differentiate himself from Comey. Wray was asked about Comey's July 2016 news conference announcing that no criminal charges were planned against Clinton over her use of a private email server to handle classified information but faulting her conduct. "I can't imagine a situation where as FBI director I would be giving a press conference on an uncharged individual, much less talk in detail about it," Wray testified. Graham questioned Wray about a January report by the US news organisation Politico that a Ukrainian-American operative who was consulting for the Democratic National Committee had met with Ukrainian embassy officials in Washington in a bid to help Clinton and expose links between Trump, top campaign aide Paul Manafort and Russia. Wray said it would be wrong for Ukraine to meddle in the election and "I'd be happy to dig into it."

Russia probe not witch hunt: Trump FBI pick

A Delta Air Lines flight bound for Beijing had to return to Seattle after an unruly passenger assaulted a flight attendant onboard.

The passenger was then subdued by others on the flight, a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport spokesman said.

Two people were sent to the hospital and the passenger has been arrested by the police, &nbsp;airport spokesman Perry Cooper said.

The flight took off at 5.30 pm from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport but had to return after 45 minutes after a man assaulted a flight attendant in the first-class cabin.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also assisting the police in the case. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Two people were sent to the hospital and the passenger has been arrested by the police

A Delta Air Lines flight bound for Beijing had to return to Seattle after an unruly passenger assaulted a flight attendant onboard. The passenger was then subdued by others on the flight, a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport spokesman said. Two people were sent to the hospital and the passenger has been arrested by the police, airport spokesman Perry Cooper said. The flight took off at 5.30 pm from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport but had to return after 45 minutes after a man assaulted a flight attendant in the first-class cabin. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also assisting the police in the case.

China-bound Delta flight returns to Seattle after passenger assaults crew member onboard

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