Professor S Jayakumar is the former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. He has authored a book on governance titled, Governing: A Singapore Perspective. He talks to WION about the challenges of governance in a post-pandemic world. He also discusses the global impact of the U.S-China cold war; and the strong ties between India and Singapore.

Exclusive: Professor S Jayakumar discusses tactics of governance with WION

With lockdown being one of the most discussed topics of the year, it's not surprising to see many upcoming content being centered around it. The latest addition being Amazon Prime Video's 'Unpaused', an anthology of 5 short films showing various experiences people had during these unusual times. These films have been directed by filmmakers Raj &amp; DK, Nikkhil Advani, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Avinash Arun and Nitya Mehra.

In a candid conversation with WION&nbsp;Geetika Vidya Ohlyan and Lillete Dubey, who star in two of the short films in 'Unpaused' speak about their experience of shooting during the pandemic, online promotions, and much more.

How has it been adjusting to the new normal, with promotions for your film being held online?

Geetika Vidya Ohlyan: I am not a native of any of the metropolitans, I have been born and brought up in Haryana and it irked me always that for every little thing, any non-metropolitan person is expected to leave the culture, the family and everything behind and be there. So, it becomes a very huge choice. You either choose this world or that world.

I feel one of the blessings that has come in the form of an alternative because of COVID is that people are getting to be efficient with their energy, with their presence and with their time. I have always seen the promotions of any sort of project on screen, however, to make that possible, people would really dress up, travel and be at a particular place. So, they would invest a disproportionate amount of time and efforts would go into something which is promotions. Today I feel content that I am home, I choose some time and invest my energy.&nbsp;

We can choose what is human contact important for. So, for something like a promotional event I can not imagine how people would move from one studio to another or how they would go from one place to another, to be doing what I am doing sitting home.

Lillete Dubey: For the past 9 months, we have been doing so much stuff online that it is not so strange anymore. If this had happened last year, we would have found it very odd. But one has been doing talks, one has been doing interviews, one has been listening to so much stuff online. So, I think if a technically challenged dinosaur like me has been able to do some of that, I think we have all acclimatized to a new way of communication.

Tell us about more your respective short films and the characters you played?

Geetika Vidya Ohlyan: 'Vishaanu' is a peep into the hearts of individuals who to me are almost de-humanized, the migrant laborers. We as artists have enough resources to pamper and take care our own selves but there is a large section that is so deprived of basic necessities that I feel they are robbed of their humanity. This story looks into the human aspect of that huge mass that we saw suffering.

When I played Seema, there was so much that went inside me, which I tried to convey through my eyes. I am really looking forward to the audience watching this.

Lillete Dubey: My character in the film 'Rat-A-Tat' is someone who is very close to my age. She is very cut off from the world, has no time for anything except her own life. Someone with her own system and way of living, which gets even more exaggerated obviously during the lockdown. Then a small incident with a neighbor, a girl who has come from a very small town of Maharastra has a great significance for this character and how she changes during the film.

It’s just a 20-22 minutes film, but the character's journey was lovely for me. From where she started to where she ultimately reached through this little relationship.

How was the shooting experience in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic?

Geetika Vidya Ohlyan: There was a point in which we understood, that the state in which our nation is in and the place where our country stands as compared to other nations, our number will come very late to get a medicine. And till then we will not be getting money delivered to our homes. So, we will have to step out.

We can not afford to get paranoid. But we also couldn't think that nothing is happening. Yes, something is happening. We had to understand it and then handle the situation. We had to take care of each other and step out.

Lillete Dubey: Though I am in that bracket where everyone was telling me that 'senior citizens' should not go outside and my family and friends were all freaking out. I said look, I can not live in a bubble for the rest of my life. I will be cautious, I will be safe, I will wear the mask. I feel like in this whole thing, we have to be very careful, be cautious but we can not stop living. We simply can’t do that. In fact, I think I was in great spirits and so happy to hit a set, start shooting and performing and being a part of something creative and fulfilling again.

I haven’t been apprehensive after that, I have done recordings, I have shot more and I really haven’t been scared at all. I think you just have to mentally be careful and that’s all.

What is your next venture?

Lillete Dubey: I am going to be doing a play, Shobha De has written a book called 'Lockdown Liaisons', which are 24 shorts stories on the lockdown, including a migrant story. I am choosing 5 out of those and doing them as monologues.

What makes 'Unpaused' unique?

Geetika Vidya Ohlyan: 'Unpaused' is for people to see different experiences that people had, different states of different individuals of different strata. So it will be reassuring, they will find identifiable moments.

Lillete Dubey: I think for me doing the film was very important because it is about a period in our collective human history that will be recorded. People are going to relate to it enormously because every one of us, all around the world will relate to some aspect of it, whether romance went out of their lives, whether they found a new friendship, whether the strangest relationship developed, whatever it may be. But it will touch somewhere.

What is art finally, it is the shared human experience, so that is what the film is about, our shared experience of the lockdown?

'Unpaused' will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video from December 18.&nbsp;

With lockdown being one of the most discussed topics of the year, it's not surprising to see many upcoming content being centered around it. The latest addition being Amazon Prime Video's 'Unpaused', an anthology of 5 short films showing various experiences people had during these unusual times.

With lockdown being one of the most discussed topics of the year, it's not surprising to see many upcoming content being centered around it. The latest addition being Amazon Prime Video's 'Unpaused', an anthology of 5 short films showing various experiences people had during these unusual times. These films have been directed by filmmakers Raj & DK, Nikkhil Advani, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Avinash Arun and Nitya Mehra. In a candid conversation with WION Geetika Vidya Ohlyan and Lillete Dubey, who star in two of the short films in 'Unpaused' speak about their experience of shooting during the pandemic, online promotions, and much more. How has it been adjusting to the new normal, with promotions for your film being held online? Geetika Vidya Ohlyan: I am not a native of any of the metropolitans, I have been born and brought up in Haryana and it irked me always that for every little thing, any non-metropolitan person is expected to leave the culture, the family and everything behind and be there. So, it becomes a very huge choice. You either choose this world or that world. I feel one of the blessings that has come in the form of an alternative because of COVID is that people are getting to be efficient with their energy, with their presence and with their time. I have always seen the promotions of any sort of project on screen, however, to make that possible, people would really dress up, travel and be at a particular place. So, they would invest a disproportionate amount of time and efforts would go into something which is promotions. Today I feel content that I am home, I choose some time and invest my energy. We can choose what is human contact important for. So, for something like a promotional event I can not imagine how people would move from one studio to another or how they would go from one place to another, to be doing what I am doing sitting home. Lillete Dubey: For the past 9 months, we have been doing so much stuff online that it is not so strange anymore. If this had happened last year, we would have found it very odd. But one has been doing talks, one has been doing interviews, one has been listening to so much stuff online. So, I think if a technically challenged dinosaur like me has been able to do some of that, I think we have all acclimatized to a new way of communication. Tell us about more your respective short films and the characters you played? Geetika Vidya Ohlyan: 'Vishaanu' is a peep into the hearts of individuals who to me are almost de-humanized, the migrant laborers. We as artists have enough resources to pamper and take care our own selves but there is a large section that is so deprived of basic necessities that I feel they are robbed of their humanity. This story looks into the human aspect of that huge mass that we saw suffering. When I played Seema, there was so much that went inside me, which I tried to convey through my eyes. I am really looking forward to the audience watching this. Lillete Dubey: My character in the film 'Rat-A-Tat' is someone who is very close to my age. She is very cut off from the world, has no time for anything except her own life. Someone with her own system and way of living, which gets even more exaggerated obviously during the lockdown. Then a small incident with a neighbor, a girl who has come from a very small town of Maharastra has a great significance for this character and how she changes during the film. It’s just a 20-22 minutes film, but the character's journey was lovely for me. From where she started to where she ultimately reached through this little relationship. How was the shooting experience in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic? Geetika Vidya Ohlyan: There was a point in which we understood, that the state in which our nation is in and the place where our country stands as compared to other nations, our number will come very late to get a medicine. And till then we will not be getting money delivered to our homes. So, we will have to step out. We can not afford to get paranoid. But we also couldn't think that nothing is happening. Yes, something is happening. We had to understand it and then handle the situation. We had to take care of each other and step out. Lillete Dubey: Though I am in that bracket where everyone was telling me that 'senior citizens' should not go outside and my family and friends were all freaking out. I said look, I can not live in a bubble for the rest of my life. I will be cautious, I will be safe, I will wear the mask. I feel like in this whole thing, we have to be very careful, be cautious but we can not stop living. We simply can’t do that. In fact, I think I was in great spirits and so happy to hit a set, start shooting and performing and being a part of something creative and fulfilling again. I haven’t been apprehensive after that, I have done recordings, I have shot more and I really haven’t been scared at all. I think you just have to mentally be careful and that’s all. What is your next venture? Lillete Dubey: I am going to be doing a play, Shobha De has written a book called 'Lockdown Liaisons', which are 24 shorts stories on the lockdown, including a migrant story. I am choosing 5 out of those and doing them as monologues. What makes 'Unpaused' unique? Geetika Vidya Ohlyan: 'Unpaused' is for people to see different experiences that people had, different states of different individuals of different strata. So it will be reassuring, they will find identifiable moments. Lillete Dubey: I think for me doing the film was very important because it is about a period in our collective human history that will be recorded. People are going to relate to it enormously because every one of us, all around the world will relate to some aspect of it, whether romance went out of their lives, whether they found a new friendship, whether the strangest relationship developed, whatever it may be. But it will touch somewhere. What is art finally, it is the shared human experience, so that is what the film is about, our shared experience of the lockdown? 'Unpaused' will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video from December 18.

Geetika Vidya Ohlyan: We understood that money won't be delivered to us during pandemic, so decided to step out

A recent democracy report by the Swedish V-Dem Institute -- which deplores and regrets the decline in democracy globally -- has primarily warned that India “is on the verge of losing its status as a democracy". One of the factors reponsible for this decline -- and not collapse, the report mentions, is severe shrinking of civil society."

Some intellectual trespassing between political philosophy and the social sciences have, to this end, helped entrepreneur and author Atul Khanna decipher the singlemost reason behind this -- the old form bureaucracy, which stands to break the backbone of Indian polity.

In an exclusive conversation with wionews.com, Atul Khanna spoke about how he fostered the idea of a new India in his book 'Between You and Me: Flight to Societal Moksha | 600 million bright and young; free and trapped', and his passion for rebuilding the country.

"We are being governed with unsharpened, old tools. The direction of change in the 21st century is uniquely programmed in a way that we should be champions, and not victims. These tools are making the 600 million odd people hungry, under-performing, and victims. We are giving premiums to 60-year-old people who are more interested in getting their pensions and playing safe. We have to get the rid of the 'ambassador car' (read: an old-fashioned model of car). India is a leadership-obsessed country, and we have to realise that we are just changing the driver of the car from time to time but the car will keep functioning the way it has always," Khanna told wionews.com.

The author of the book further said, "My book is about all this. It is about the governance of the country, and not about the political system. My book also has solutions in its later half. It gives structural solutions to India's problems.

"'Between Me and You' is in three parts -- 'what needs to change' makes the first part. The second is about assuming the change howsoever dramatic and revolutionary it may seem. 'What this changes would mean' makes for the third part."

The title 'Between Me and You' sounds somewhat a fictional account, but Khanna begs to differ.

He told wionews.com: "Rather than writing a boring civic lesson on how a system should function, I wanted to draw a larger audience. So the style of the book became its title."

So what are the tools that India needs to get rid of or adopt in order to pave its way back to development?

Khanna said, "First and foremost... We have to have a transferable vote. We also need a mixed model of voting where the elected leader comes via a transferable vote -- so that there are no political cartels. And the leader is elected by the people directly.

"In India, parties, unlike in other nations, are not governed by the Constitution. So nobody comes to know who get the ticket and why."

Notably, with the Single Transferable Vote, the strength of the parties matches the strength of their support in the country, and representatives have a strong local link.

Under the system, areas elect a small team of representatives, such as four or five. These representatives reflect the diversity of opinions in the area.

On election day, voters number a list of candidates. Their favourite as number one, their second favourite number two, and so on. Voters can put numbers next to as many or as few candidates as they like. Parties will often stand more than one candidate in each area.

The numbers tell the people counting to move your vote if your favourite candidate has enough votes already or stands no chance of winning.

To get elected, a candidate needs a set amount of votes, known as the quota. The people counting the votes work out the quota based on the number of vacancies and the number of votes cast.

Each voter has one vote. Once the counting has finished, any candidate who has more number ones than the quota is elected. But, rather than ignore extra votes a candidate received after the amount they need to win, these votes move to each voter’s second favourite candidate.

If no one reaches the quota, then the people counting the vote remove the least popular candidate. People who voted for them have their votes moved to their second favourite candidate. This process continues until every vacancy is filled.

With the implementation of such system in India, the cartelisation of district votes, Khanna said, would go away. This would also kill dynasty politics, he added.

Khanna, however, said he is not against the son or the daughter succeeding the parent in politics. But, he said, "it should not happen in a system which is loaded in their favour."

In his book, Atul Khanna has also mentioned about the vice of rote learning. He told wionews.com: "You cannot decide if or not a person is eligible for a profession based on a two-hour long exam. Their should be an aptitude test as well. These exams thrive on scarcity -- of skills and talent.

"People often say to me I am a dreamer. Because these things sound so dreamy and far-fetched. But these ought to be done anyway."

They do. In all honesty. But the author has an interesting take on this.

Khanna said, "Would you rather have seed that take a long time to grow into a tree? Or a soil without any seeds?

"There is a complete lack of societal ideas in the society, particularly in India. And I am striving to bring them on through my book. I don't know if I'll be able to see it in my lifetime. But I'll strive so that somebody sees in their lifetime."

BUREAUCRACY -- THE BIGGEST HURDLE

Khanna further summarised his entire book in one simple sentence -- "it's the bureaucracy that is standing in the way of people getting jobs, not any government."

"Look at the larger picture, the government has to fight elections every five years. What do these bureaucrats do? Bureaucracy is blocking the growth of the nation," he added.

The author then went ahead to explain in detail the 'better' half of the title of his book 'Flight to Societal Moksha'. He said, "Personal 'moksha' (read: salvation) has made people too selfish. The point I have stressed in my book is what we need to do to achieve 'societal moksha'; what we need to do to make the society better.

"Mediocrity finishes you. The larger vision of the society has changed to security. People want life-long incomes, life-long security. But nobody thinks about entrepreneurship. Social equity and rewards for entrepreneurship are totally missing from India."

"We have to work doubly, triply hard now so that we survive as a democracy. Being called a developing nation is a self-certificate. We have to save ourselves from being the laughing stock. We have to work, and entrepreneurship, and better opportunities to create it, is the only way," Atul Khanna added.

So what is so different about his book 'Between You and Me: Flight to Societal Moksha'?

"In my book, not only have I written about the problems, but also solutions. I have clearly said that the politicians are not bad; it's the political system that makes them that is the culprit. I have also written about the structural changes that need to be made for the 'societal moksha'. My books mentions what needs to be done; why and how. And also, who needs to do it," the author said.

Printed in black and white pages, the 300-page 'Between You and Me: Flight to Societal Moksha' was published in 2018 by Bloomsbury Publishing. It serves as a detailed analytical account of the Constitution. Author Atul Khanna also provides a set of suggestions to improve and upgrade the Constitution.

'Between You and Me: Flight to Societal Moksha | 600 million bright and young; free and trapped' is available on amazon.in.

A recent democracy report by the Swedish V-Dem Institute -- which deplores and regrets the decline in democracy globally -- has primarily warned that India “is on the verge of losing its status as a democracy".

A recent democracy report by the Swedish V-Dem Institute -- which deplores and regrets the decline in democracy globally -- has primarily warned that India “is on the verge of losing its status as a democracy". One of the factors reponsible for this decline -- and not collapse, the report mentions, is severe shrinking of civil society." Some intellectual trespassing between political philosophy and the social sciences have, to this end, helped entrepreneur and author Atul Khanna decipher the singlemost reason behind this -- the old form bureaucracy, which stands to break the backbone of Indian polity. In an exclusive conversation with wionews.com, Atul Khanna spoke about how he fostered the idea of a new India in his book 'Between You and Me: Flight to Societal Moksha | 600 million bright and young; free and trapped', and his passion for rebuilding the country. "We are being governed with unsharpened, old tools. The direction of change in the 21st century is uniquely programmed in a way that we should be champions, and not victims. These tools are making the 600 million odd people hungry, under-performing, and victims. We are giving premiums to 60-year-old people who are more interested in getting their pensions and playing safe. We have to get the rid of the 'ambassador car' (read: an old-fashioned model of car). India is a leadership-obsessed country, and we have to realise that we are just changing the driver of the car from time to time but the car will keep functioning the way it has always," Khanna told wionews.com. The author of the book further said, "My book is about all this. It is about the governance of the country, and not about the political system. My book also has solutions in its later half. It gives structural solutions to India's problems. "'Between Me and You' is in three parts -- 'what needs to change' makes the first part. The second is about assuming the change howsoever dramatic and revolutionary it may seem. 'What this changes would mean' makes for the third part." The title 'Between Me and You' sounds somewhat a fictional account, but Khanna begs to differ. He told wionews.com: "Rather than writing a boring civic lesson on how a system should function, I wanted to draw a larger audience. So the style of the book became its title." So what are the tools that India needs to get rid of or adopt in order to pave its way back to development? Khanna said, "First and foremost... We have to have a transferable vote. We also need a mixed model of voting where the elected leader comes via a transferable vote -- so that there are no political cartels. And the leader is elected by the people directly. "In India, parties, unlike in other nations, are not governed by the Constitution. So nobody comes to know who get the ticket and why." Notably, with the Single Transferable Vote, the strength of the parties matches the strength of their support in the country, and representatives have a strong local link. Under the system, areas elect a small team of representatives, such as four or five. These representatives reflect the diversity of opinions in the area. On election day, voters number a list of candidates. Their favourite as number one, their second favourite number two, and so on. Voters can put numbers next to as many or as few candidates as they like. Parties will often stand more than one candidate in each area. The numbers tell the people counting to move your vote if your favourite candidate has enough votes already or stands no chance of winning. To get elected, a candidate needs a set amount of votes, known as the quota. The people counting the votes work out the quota based on the number of vacancies and the number of votes cast. Each voter has one vote. Once the counting has finished, any candidate who has more number ones than the quota is elected. But, rather than ignore extra votes a candidate received after the amount they need to win, these votes move to each voter’s second favourite candidate. If no one reaches the quota, then the people counting the vote remove the least popular candidate. People who voted for them have their votes moved to their second favourite candidate. This process continues until every vacancy is filled. With the implementation of such system in India, the cartelisation of district votes, Khanna said, would go away. This would also kill dynasty politics, he added. Khanna, however, said he is not against the son or the daughter succeeding the parent in politics. But, he said, "it should not happen in a system which is loaded in their favour." In his book, Atul Khanna has also mentioned about the vice of rote learning. He told wionews.com: "You cannot decide if or not a person is eligible for a profession based on a two-hour long exam. Their should be an aptitude test as well. These exams thrive on scarcity -- of skills and talent. "People often say to me I am a dreamer. Because these things sound so dreamy and far-fetched. But these ought to be done anyway." They do. In all honesty. But the author has an interesting take on this. Khanna said, "Would you rather have seed that take a long time to grow into a tree? Or a soil without any seeds? "There is a complete lack of societal ideas in the society, particularly in India. And I am striving to bring them on through my book. I don't know if I'll be able to see it in my lifetime. But I'll strive so that somebody sees in their lifetime." BUREAUCRACY -- THE BIGGEST HURDLE Khanna further summarised his entire book in one simple sentence -- "it's the bureaucracy that is standing in the way of people getting jobs, not any government." "Look at the larger picture, the government has to fight elections every five years. What do these bureaucrats do? Bureaucracy is blocking the growth of the nation," he added. The author then went ahead to explain in detail the 'better' half of the title of his book 'Flight to Societal Moksha'. He said, "Personal 'moksha' (read: salvation) has made people too selfish. The point I have stressed in my book is what we need to do to achieve 'societal moksha'; what we need to do to make the society better. "Mediocrity finishes you. The larger vision of the society has changed to security. People want life-long incomes, life-long security. But nobody thinks about entrepreneurship. Social equity and rewards for entrepreneurship are totally missing from India." "We have to work doubly, triply hard now so that we survive as a democracy. Being called a developing nation is a self-certificate. We have to save ourselves from being the laughing stock. We have to work, and entrepreneurship, and better opportunities to create it, is the only way," Atul Khanna added. So what is so different about his book 'Between You and Me: Flight to Societal Moksha'? "In my book, not only have I written about the problems, but also solutions. I have clearly said that the politicians are not bad; it's the political system that makes them that is the culprit. I have also written about the structural changes that need to be made for the 'societal moksha'. My books mentions what needs to be done; why and how. And also, who needs to do it," the author said. Printed in black and white pages, the 300-page 'Between You and Me: Flight to Societal Moksha' was published in 2018 by Bloomsbury Publishing. It serves as a detailed analytical account of the Constitution. Author Atul Khanna also provides a set of suggestions to improve and upgrade the Constitution. 'Between You and Me: Flight to Societal Moksha | 600 million bright and young; free and trapped' is available on amazon.in.

'Between You and Me' author Atul Khanna speaks about bureaucracy in India, 'societal moksha'

Taiwan's pandemic playbook is the envy of the world. But, how is Taiwan busting China's fake news factory? Digital Minister Audrey Tang tells Palki Sharma Upadhyay how aggression is being fought with humour by Taiwan.

Gravitas: Taiwan's Digital Minister on WION

In this episode of The Interview, WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay spoke to Taiwan's first transgender Digital Minister Audrey Tang.

The Interview: In conversation with Taiwan's Digital Minister Audrey Tang

The Coronavirus Pandemic forced the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Games by exactly a year and India's shooters bore the brunt of that move. The Indian shooting team famously drew a blank at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and the National Rifle Association of India, NRAI, was pinning its hopes on redemption at Tokyo.

The Coronavirus Pandemic forced the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Games by exactly a year and India's shooters bore the brunt of that move. The Indian shooting team famously drew a blank at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and the National Rifle Association of India, NRAI, was pinning its hopes on redemption at Tokyo. India's shooters dominated the international shooting calendar in 2019 and the expectations were high from a youthful team. With the pandemic still raging in India, national camps are still not being held and international competitions have been written off. NRAI President Raninder Singh spoke to WION Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo on the way forward for his team and the rocky road to Tokyo 2021. Digvijay Singh Deo: Raninder thank you for joining us, you have been up in the mountains since march and while that is definitely a safe place a busy man like you must be finding it difficult to sit at one place. Raninder Singh: I have been keeping busy, we have been helping the Punjab government in the fight against the coronavirus. We have helped publish two research papers on how to counter the spread and hopefully, it will aid the Punjab government in controlling the disease. This period has been a great learning experience for me. DSD: I have been told that you are in touch with your coaches and players on a regular basis so straight up Raninder when can camps begin again? Raninder Singh: Given today's circumstances, I don't know when that will be possible. Anyone who says otherwise would be irresponsible in making such a statement. It is very unfortunate that the Olympics have been postponed because I believe that our shooters were prepared to surpass all expectations at the 2020 Tokyo games. Nonetheless, nothing is lost, a year's delay shouldn't make that much of a difference. The talent is still there and we must ensure that they remain fit. In terms of shooting this year in India, as things stand, it is very unlikely that domestic competitions will take place. The executive board of the NRAI will hold a meeting later this month and further discuss the possibility of holding national camps. Fortunately, we have plenty of time before the Olympics. Shooting is not a power sport where you need intense muscular training. Our shooters are very professional and they are working with their coaches and physios. Fortunately, most of our athletes have some shooting facility at home. We are looking to begin a camp for the Olympic squad and the plan should be finalised on July 15. The Olympic squad has been announced and we want to put them in the best position to excel at next year's games. I don't think we will see full-fledged international competitions this year because of various constraints that have been imposed by the IOC and governing bodies. However, the NRAI has proposed the holding of bilateral series to keep our shooters in touch with the sport in the lead up to the Olympics, this will depend on the rules that the government of India has in place. All federations and athletes will have to adapt to the new normal now, there is no other choice. I can assure you, if the Olympic games are held next year, our athletes will be in the best possible physical and mental shape to compete. DSD: You have made it clear that you do not want your shooters to train abroad but surely things change post this pandemic. If training is happening in Europe or Australia why not have a quarantine camp there to ensure your shooters are in the thick of it. There are costs obviously but considering no travel has happened this year isn't that something that can be looked at. Raninder Singh: It does make sense theoretically to send the shooters abroad, but it is not feasible. I cannot put the health of our shooters at risk while they are representing India. One cannot afford to take the coronavirus lightly. What the NRAI is trying to organise is a highly controlled and quarantined camp for the shooters. It is not practical to send our shooters abroad because there is no competition happening in other countries as well. We have to make the best of the situation and we will come up with something that involves domestic competition. Our Olympic athletes have plenty of time to prepare and they have enough talent and experience to overcome this period. But our younger generation could suffer because of the lack of action and it might hurt us a few years down the line. We have some of the best young shooting talents in the world here in India and their development might be hit, but we will try to make up for this period in the future. DSD: As president of the shooting federation you have a larger responsibility but is it time to take some tough calls and prioritise just the Olympic squad for the time being. That might mean that the younger shooters who are in the pipeline for the 2024 Olympics will have to suffer. Raninder Singh: I think by the time the next Olympic cycle begins for the 2024 games, we will be well on our way towards recovery. At the moment, there are at least 4,000 different clinical trials that are ongoing for a vaccine or a treatment for the coronavirus. I think we can safely say that even if a vaccine isn't developed, effective treatment to the coronavirus will be found in two years. There is a possibility that the spread of the virus will decrease substantially in the near future. I certainly believe that the world's scientific community will find a solution for the COVID-19 virus. However, all of us have to be on our toes because this virus has long-term effects on the body. DSD: Have you thought of maybe having three different venues for camps, rifle at one place, pistol at one place and shotgun at one place to minimise the risk when you begin the camps? Raninder Singh: At the moment, I don't think it will be possible to hold different camps for different disciplines because that will only increase the risk of transmission, given the current state of affairs. If the situation does improve and the curve flattens, then we can think of holding multiple national camps. Currently, the risk of holding multiple camps is too high and we as a governing body have a responsibility to protect our athletes. If and when a national camp takes place, I will personally be present at the location to oversee that all relevant health and safety protocols are followed. DSD: The fact remains you have an extremely young team. I have spoken to a few of them and they have been shooting at home. But you know there is no substitute for the competition so how do you keep them sharp. Raninder Singh: The only way we can ensure that there is high-level competition for our shooters is by holding bilateral international events. The pressure that one feels at a full-fledged competition cannot be replicated in a trial or in an online shootout. Hopefully, we will be able to invite a nation that is of a similar international standard to India and hold an event. Once the government of India gives the go-ahead, then we will further draw up the plans and start shortlisting the nations who can be invited. Unfortunately, there will no elaborate process for the selection of the Indian team for the bilateral event and we will have to stick with the team we have. I realise it is unfair on the other athletes but we do not have any other option. DSD: Abhinav Bindra and Manavjit Sandhu, two of your most decorated shooters told me that it is the wiser and more experienced shooters who will negotiate this stoppage better. A majority of your Olympic probables are between 16-24, so how do you keep them focussed? Raninder Singh: Abhinav Bindra and Manavjit Sandhu are two legends of Indian shooting and I have the utmost respect for them. However, I believe that youngsters are more adaptable than the old guard. The young ones have more hunger in them, therefore they are more willing to adapt. The more experienced shooters are there to guide their younger colleagues and hopefully, they will be able to overcome this period of strife together. The lack of competition will hurt the young shooters and that is why we are looking to organise bilateral events so that they can get back in the groove ahead of the Tokyo Olympics next year. DSD: You also are a pretty senior member of the international body ISSF. What are the plans to resume sport internationally and can it only happen when every participating country is able to send shooters without any quarantine norms to follow? Raninder Singh: If an international event takes place, then athletes will have to follow the quarantine protocols that are present in the concerned nation to participate, there is no other option. I am not authorised to speak on behalf of the ISSF, but in my opinion, since the IOC has said that all nations must get an equal opportunity, it means that no events that are connected to Olympic qualification will be held. However, that doesn't mean that other international events cannot take place. So it just a case of getting all concerned parties on board and ensuring the health and safety of all involved. DSD: is this an opportunity for shooting to move away from established tradition. We are seeing how formula one has adapted with back to back races. Europe has overcome the worst of the pandemic and can host events. Why not design a calendar that follows a similar model of chartered flights, bio bubbles or is it not possible financially? Raninder Singh: any kind of modification that is made to the format or event, has to be sanctioned by the international federation first. I am not against any change in format that will make holding events easier during or after the coronavirus period, but these decisions cannot be taken unilaterally. ISSF is actually one of the most flexible and adaptive bodies in world sport. Having said that, athletes can't be sitting at home and this matter will be discussed within the ISSF in the near future. With regard to online competitions, I have no problem with it, but we cannot take a decision unilaterally. The NRAI must be authorised to do so by the ISSF. An Olympic event itself cannot be changed drastically and that will lead to problems. Otherwise, any decision that leads to the growth of the sport will be supported by us. DSD: How do you ensure that the young athletes are not mentally scarred by this shutdown? Raninder Singh: I come back again to the same point, that bilateral arrangements are the only way forward, not just for India but for every federation in the world. DSD: There is another factor that cannot be ignored. We still don’t know if the Olympics will happen. You were the first Indian administrator to call for the postponement of the Tokyo games and what do you think will be the factors that see the Olympics going ahead next year. Raninder Singh: There has to be a qualitative treatment available that essentially makes the coronavirus far less dangerous and contagious than it is right now. A treatment that allows doctors to treat a patient effectively in a short span of time, which also doesn't adversely affect the long term health of the individual. At the moment, we do not have such treatment available to us. DSD: Is this the biggest challenge for you as a sports administrator, to get the sport back on track amid the coronavirus pandemic and turn shooting into a television sport? Raninder Singh: I think this is the biggest opportunity we have because this situation has compelled everyone in the shooting fraternity to turn to the television, therefore we have an audience available to us. The international federation now has to guide us on how to take advantage of this situation.

WION Exclusive| Raninder Singh: Hosting bilateral events only option to keep Olympic team sharp

Indian army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane speaks exclusively to WION on India-China face off.

Indian army chief General MM Naravane speaks to WION on India, China face off

A global icon, the youngest Nobel Prize laureate and a champion for children’s right to education, Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai dons these many hats and more.&nbsp;

A strong female voice and an undeterred young woman who took on Taliban militants in the wake of an imminent threat to life, her story is now coming to the big screen in the form of an Indian film ‘Gul Makai’, a biographical drama. Helmed by Amjad Khan, the film is set to release in the theatres on January 31, 2020.&nbsp;

In&nbsp;conversation with WION, Amjad Khan opened up on why he thinks activist Malala Yousafzai is not a Pakistani, ‘Gul Makai’ not having a Pakistani identity and why he thinks it won’t release there.

‘Gul Makai’ essentially means corn plant flower.&nbsp;It’s the pseudonym Malala used when she wrote blogs for BBC. The filmmaker used the same name for his film, as an ode to her brave spirit as she continues to inspire a million girls around the world.&nbsp;

“I believe Malala is not from Pakistan because if she was from there, then after she was given a Nobel Peace Prize, Pakistan would have invited her. Even after she was given the title of a Peace Ambassador, Pakistan has not invited her officially. She does not stay there. Last time she went to her hometown in Pakistan, barring a few media channels who spoke with her, she is not welcome in&nbsp;the country. I don’t think that she is a Pakistani. She was born there but I think she is a citizen of the world,” said Amjad as he spoke of his film not having a Pakistani identity.&nbsp;

He added, “She is a world icon, woman advocate who is currently working on education and environment issues.”

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CPKcHGCNeDU" width="1280"></iframe>

On how he thinks the&nbsp;Indian audience will perceive the film, Amjad said, “I don’t think there will be any problem in India. India is a generous country, it accepts everybody.”

While Amjad believes that Malala Yousafzai might be born a Pakistani but she is a world citizen, there is still a divide within the Indian audiences that would purview the film from that lens. On this, he&nbsp;said, “There’s been some tension between India and Pakistan since Pulwama attacks, but have we stopped listening to ghazals?”

The filmmaker wants the world to see what happened in Malala’s life that courted the world’s interest but sadly the film won’t release in Pakistan. Amjad confirmed our doubts and said, “No, it’s difficult” and explained, I know this because when I organised a film screening in London for dignitaries and diplomats of the UN including those from Pakistan, they told me so. There were 8 diplomats from Pakistan including Sanam Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto’s sister. The others were scholars and reporters from Pakistan. There were people from India too.”

He continued, “When I met them (Pakistani dignitaries) over dinner the same day post-screening, they told me that while the film is good, we won't let it release in Pakistan. They said, ‘You have shown a lot of truth in the film. That truth will come in front of the people.’ When I said that everybody already knows what happened, they countered saying&nbsp;‘only a few know what actually happened -- people from a certain section of the society like the intellectuals and politically active people but films reach masses’.”&nbsp;

Watch Amjad Khan speak to WION here:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gul-makai-indian-biopic-on-malala-faces-complete-ban-in-pakistan-277549/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The news of ‘Gul Makai’ not up for release in Pakistan even though it features a prominent name from their country is saddening but would hardly surprise people as recently another controversial film’s release has been put on hold -- ‘Zindagi Tamasha’. Responding to this, Amjad said, “From 2012 to 2014, Pakistan banned YouTube in the entire country. We, here in India get troubled, if for two months the internet is suspended in Kashmir. In Pakistan on the other hand, it remains shut for years. Pakistan is a country where there are fundamentalists, diplomats and people with different sets of ideologies. To comment&nbsp;on that country is to waste one’s time.”&nbsp;

However, Amjad feels passionately towards Malala's&nbsp;story and promises to have made ‘Gul Makai’ without any gimmicks. “I have shown everything that happened in Malala’s life. There are portions in the film where you can hear chants of ‘Pakistani Army Zindabad’ and there are also portions where they are shown losing a fight with Taliban militants -- a reel-life portrayal of Raah-e-Rast in which the army lost against the militants."&nbsp;(In legalese, it was called The Second Battle of Swat also known as Operation Rah-e-Rast that began in May 2009 and involved the Pakistani Army and Taliban militants in a fight for control of the Swat district of Pakistan)

The filmmaker and his team took close to four years to research and finish the scripting of the film. However, in the due course of scripting, they could not connect with Malala Yousafzai. “This was the biggest challenge. As we could not connect with her, we had to work really hard on finding her life’s truth. But after completing the film, we showed it to her and her parents. They all think that the film is a true depiction of the tragedy she has braved.”

"The one thing that sticks with me after she saw the film was when she said 'I feel bad looking at it as it makes me recall the tragedy'"&nbsp;said Amjad on an ending note.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A global icon, the youngest Nobel Prize laureate and a champion for children’s right to education, Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai dons these many hats and more. A strong female voice and an undeterred young woman who took on Taliban militants in the wake of an imminent threat to life, her story is now coming to the big screen in the form of an Indian film ‘Gul Makai’, a biographical drama.

A global icon, the youngest Nobel Prize laureate and a champion for children’s right to education, Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai dons these many hats and more. A strong female voice and an undeterred young woman who took on Taliban militants in the wake of an imminent threat to life, her story is now coming to the big screen in the form of an Indian film ‘Gul Makai’, a biographical drama. Helmed by Amjad Khan, the film is set to release in the theatres on January 31, 2020. In conversation with WION, Amjad Khan opened up on why he thinks activist Malala Yousafzai is not a Pakistani, ‘Gul Makai’ not having a Pakistani identity and why he thinks it won’t release there. ‘Gul Makai’ essentially means corn plant flower. It’s the pseudonym Malala used when she wrote blogs for BBC. The filmmaker used the same name for his film, as an ode to her brave spirit as she continues to inspire a million girls around the world. “I believe Malala is not from Pakistan because if she was from there, then after she was given a Nobel Peace Prize, Pakistan would have invited her. Even after she was given the title of a Peace Ambassador, Pakistan has not invited her officially. She does not stay there. Last time she went to her hometown in Pakistan, barring a few media channels who spoke with her, she is not welcome in the country. I don’t think that she is a Pakistani. She was born there but I think she is a citizen of the world,” said Amjad as he spoke of his film not having a Pakistani identity. He added, “She is a world icon, woman advocate who is currently working on education and environment issues.” On how he thinks the Indian audience will perceive the film, Amjad said, “I don’t think there will be any problem in India. India is a generous country, it accepts everybody.” While Amjad believes that Malala Yousafzai might be born a Pakistani but she is a world citizen, there is still a divide within the Indian audiences that would purview the film from that lens. On this, he said, “There’s been some tension between India and Pakistan since Pulwama attacks, but have we stopped listening to ghazals?” The filmmaker wants the world to see what happened in Malala’s life that courted the world’s interest but sadly the film won’t release in Pakistan. Amjad confirmed our doubts and said, “No, it’s difficult” and explained, I know this because when I organised a film screening in London for dignitaries and diplomats of the UN including those from Pakistan, they told me so. There were 8 diplomats from Pakistan including Sanam Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto’s sister. The others were scholars and reporters from Pakistan. There were people from India too.” He continued, “When I met them (Pakistani dignitaries) over dinner the same day post-screening, they told me that while the film is good, we won't let it release in Pakistan. They said, ‘You have shown a lot of truth in the film. That truth will come in front of the people.’ When I said that everybody already knows what happened, they countered saying ‘only a few know what actually happened -- people from a certain section of the society like the intellectuals and politically active people but films reach masses’.” Watch Amjad Khan speak to WION here: The news of ‘Gul Makai’ not up for release in Pakistan even though it features a prominent name from their country is saddening but would hardly surprise people as recently another controversial film’s release has been put on hold -- ‘Zindagi Tamasha’. Responding to this, Amjad said, “From 2012 to 2014, Pakistan banned YouTube in the entire country. We, here in India get troubled, if for two months the internet is suspended in Kashmir. In Pakistan on the other hand, it remains shut for years. Pakistan is a country where there are fundamentalists, diplomats and people with different sets of ideologies. To comment on that country is to waste one’s time.” However, Amjad feels passionately towards Malala's story and promises to have made ‘Gul Makai’ without any gimmicks. “I have shown everything that happened in Malala’s life. There are portions in the film where you can hear chants of ‘Pakistani Army Zindabad’ and there are also portions where they are shown losing a fight with Taliban militants -- a reel-life portrayal of Raah-e-Rast in which the army lost against the militants." (In legalese, it was called The Second Battle of Swat also known as Operation Rah-e-Rast that began in May 2009 and involved the Pakistani Army and Taliban militants in a fight for control of the Swat district of Pakistan) The filmmaker and his team took close to four years to research and finish the scripting of the film. However, in the due course of scripting, they could not connect with Malala Yousafzai. “This was the biggest challenge. As we could not connect with her, we had to work really hard on finding her life’s truth. But after completing the film, we showed it to her and her parents. They all think that the film is a true depiction of the tragedy she has braved.” "The one thing that sticks with me after she saw the film was when she said 'I feel bad looking at it as it makes me recall the tragedy'" said Amjad on an ending note.

'Gul Makai' director Amjad Khan: I don’t think Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani

Turkey's ambassador to India, Sakir Ozkan Torunlar speaks to WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay on a host of issues including Turkey's military offensive in Syria, the U.S. threat, global condemnation to Turkey's action and bilateral ties with India.

The Interview: Turkey's ambassador to India speaks to WION

In this segment, WION is in conversation with Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Kailash Satyarthi. Watch this video to know.

WION speaks to Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi

Former Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai has finally broken his silence on the 2G spectrum case. In an exclusive interview to WION, Vinod Rai spoke about Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh policy paralysis and much more. Vinod Rai is a former Indian IAS officer who served as the 11th Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Former CAG Vinod Rai on EX-PM Manmohan Singh | WION Exclusive

Freedom and rights of minorities is always being debated upon in India, to understand the political atmosphere in this extremely charged context. WION's Executive Editor, Palki Sharma Upadhyay spoke to the Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

WION speaks to India's Union Minister of Minority Affairs

India Election Watch: Exclusive interview with Rajnath Singh

WION Exclusive: In conversation with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

WION Exclusive: Interview with Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh

Exclusive: In conversation with Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar

Ashok Tanwar is the PCC chief of Haryana, a&nbsp;state where the ruling BJP faces anti-incumbency.

The state&nbsp;however has seen the emergence of a BSP-INLD coalition to take on both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress.

WION's Political Editor Kartikeya Sharma speaks with Tanwar about the BSP-INLD coalition and taking on the BJP in the assembly and general elections. Here are excerpts from the interview:&nbsp;

&nbsp; 
Kartikeya Sharma: Your state has neither had&nbsp;an AICC-in-charge nor have district and local-level committees been formed...

Ashok Tanwar: The committees will be formed in due time. There are many reasons for it and I do not want to go into them. Beyond the committees, the organisation has done well for itself. 
&nbsp; 
KS: Congress was talking about a&nbsp;mahagathbandhan&nbsp;against the BJP, and now there is a gathbandhan against the Congress in Haryana...

AT: It is an ineffective coalition. Chautala’s party refused to wear the headgear given by the BSP. Two non-compatible constituencies have come together. It will not succeed. On the other hand, BJP also does not want to face the electorate and it is for this reason by-elections have not taken place in Haryana. BJP has lost goodwill in the state. 
&nbsp; 
KS: There is no unity in your state. You have more leaders than workers...

AT: &nbsp;We have more workers than leaders. We have run a very good anti-government campaign. Our campaign has been door-to-door. Congress in Haryana has regained very quickly, which is unlike many other states. 
&nbsp; 
KS: Are you friends with Randeep Surjewala&nbsp;and Bhupinder Singh Hooda?

AT: I have a great equation with both of them. I do not have any personal fight with any of the leaders in the state. I expect good support from them. Our rallies have also done well. 
&nbsp; 
KS: What is the challenge before the Congress in the state?

AT:&nbsp;Most of the challenges have been met. We are preparing for elections as we feel that Haryana assembly elections can be held simultaneously with Lol Sabha elections in 2019. The organisational challenge&nbsp;has been met through intense campaigning against the incumbent government. 
&nbsp;

Ashok Tanwar is the PCC chief of Haryana, a state where the ruling BJP faces anti-incumbency. The state however has seen the emergence of a BSP-INLD coalition to take on both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress.

Ashok Tanwar is the PCC chief of Haryana, a state where the ruling BJP faces anti-incumbency. The state however has seen the emergence of a BSP-INLD coalition to take on both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress. WION's Political Editor Kartikeya Sharma speaks with Tanwar about the BSP-INLD coalition and taking on the BJP in the assembly and general elections. Here are excerpts from the interview: Kartikeya Sharma: Your state has neither had an AICC-in-charge nor have district and local-level committees been formed... Ashok Tanwar: The committees will be formed in due time. There are many reasons for it and I do not want to go into them. Beyond the committees, the organisation has done well for itself. KS: Congress was talking about a mahagathbandhan against the BJP, and now there is a gathbandhan against the Congress in Haryana... AT: It is an ineffective coalition. Chautala’s party refused to wear the headgear given by the BSP. Two non-compatible constituencies have come together. It will not succeed. On the other hand, BJP also does not want to face the electorate and it is for this reason by-elections have not taken place in Haryana. BJP has lost goodwill in the state. KS: There is no unity in your state. You have more leaders than workers... AT: We have more workers than leaders. We have run a very good anti-government campaign. Our campaign has been door-to-door. Congress in Haryana has regained very quickly, which is unlike many other states. KS: Are you friends with Randeep Surjewala and Bhupinder Singh Hooda? AT: I have a great equation with both of them. I do not have any personal fight with any of the leaders in the state. I expect good support from them. Our rallies have also done well. KS: What is the challenge before the Congress in the state? AT: Most of the challenges have been met. We are preparing for elections as we feel that Haryana assembly elections can be held simultaneously with Lol Sabha elections in 2019. The organisational challenge has been met through intense campaigning against the incumbent government.

INLD-BSP coalition will not work in Haryana: State Congress chief Ashok Tanwar to WION

Former FBI director James Comey said in an ABC News interview on Sunday that US&nbsp;President Donald Trump is a dangerous, "morally unfit" leader doing "tremendous damage" to institutional norms.

Comey, fired by Trump in May last year, was worried the president may be open to blackmail by Russia given claims he was present when prostitutes urinated on each other during a 2013 Moscow visit.

Comey's firing came as the Federal Bureau of Investigation was probing possible connections between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia's meddling in the American elections.

Russia has denied interfering in the election and Trump has denied any collusion or improper activity.

Comey said in the exclusive interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, which aired at 10 p.m. on Sunday (0200 GMT on Monday), that it is "possible, but I don't know" whether Russia has evidence to back up the allegations about Trump's Moscow trip.

"A person ... who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person's not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds. And that's not a policy statement," Comey said.

"He is morally unfit to be president," he added.

Comey has a tell-all book, "Higher Loyalty," due out on Tuesday.

The book's imminent release - and the slated ABC News interview - prompted Trump to hurl a new set of insults at Comey earlier on Sunday, challenging accusations made in the book, and insisting that he never pressed Comey to be loyal to him.

"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!" Trump wrote early on Sunday in one of five Twitter posts aimed directly at Comey.

Reuters and other news outlets have obtained copies of Comey's book before its formal release. In it, Comey wrote that Trump, in a private meeting, pressed the then-FBI director for his loyalty.

Comey told ABC News that the title of the book came from a "bizarre conversation" he had with Trump at the White House in January 2017 shortly after his inauguration.

"He asked for my loyalty personally as the FBI. director. My loyalty's supposed to be to the American people and to the institution," Comey said in the interview.

The FBI has long tried to operate as an independent law enforcement agency.

"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!" Trump said on Twitter.

US&nbsp;House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, interviewed on NBC's "Meet the Press," expressed qualified support for Comey. Asked whether Comey was a man of integrity, the Republican speaker said: "As far as I know," but added that he did not know him well.

Asked about Trump's use last week of the words "slime ball" to describe Comey, Ryan said: "I don't use words like that."

Comey, fired by Trump in May last year, was worried the president may be open to blackmail by Russia given claims he was present when prostitutes urinated on each other during a 2013 Moscow visit

Former FBI director James Comey said in an ABC News interview on Sunday that US President Donald Trump is a dangerous, "morally unfit" leader doing "tremendous damage" to institutional norms. Comey, fired by Trump in May last year, was worried the president may be open to blackmail by Russia given claims he was present when prostitutes urinated on each other during a 2013 Moscow visit. Comey's firing came as the Federal Bureau of Investigation was probing possible connections between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia's meddling in the American elections. Russia has denied interfering in the election and Trump has denied any collusion or improper activity. Comey said in the exclusive interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, which aired at 10 p.m. on Sunday (0200 GMT on Monday), that it is "possible, but I don't know" whether Russia has evidence to back up the allegations about Trump's Moscow trip. "A person ... who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person's not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds. And that's not a policy statement," Comey said. "He is morally unfit to be president," he added. Comey has a tell-all book, "Higher Loyalty," due out on Tuesday. The book's imminent release - and the slated ABC News interview - prompted Trump to hurl a new set of insults at Comey earlier on Sunday, challenging accusations made in the book, and insisting that he never pressed Comey to be loyal to him. "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!" Trump wrote early on Sunday in one of five Twitter posts aimed directly at Comey. Reuters and other news outlets have obtained copies of Comey's book before its formal release. In it, Comey wrote that Trump, in a private meeting, pressed the then-FBI director for his loyalty. Comey told ABC News that the title of the book came from a "bizarre conversation" he had with Trump at the White House in January 2017 shortly after his inauguration. "He asked for my loyalty personally as the FBI. director. My loyalty's supposed to be to the American people and to the institution," Comey said in the interview. The FBI has long tried to operate as an independent law enforcement agency. "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!" Trump said on Twitter. US House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, interviewed on NBC's "Meet the Press," expressed qualified support for Comey. Asked whether Comey was a man of integrity, the Republican speaker said: "As far as I know," but added that he did not know him well. Asked about Trump's use last week of the words "slime ball" to describe Comey, Ryan said: "I don't use words like that."

Trump 'morally unfit', doing 'tremendous damage', fired FBI director Comey says in much-awaited interview

Quincy Jones, American record producer and actor now claims to know who killed late US President John F. Kennedy and also to have once dated Ivanka Trump.&nbsp;

In an explosive interview with Vulture, the legendary record producer bared his heart and let out all the secrets. Quincy, who is famous for having worked with legendary pop artist Micheal Jackson, did not mince words and gave many controversial statements about musicians and the current music industry scene.&nbsp;

To start with, he called The Beatles&nbsp;&ldquo;the worst musicians in the world&rdquo; and that U2 &quot;are not writing good songs anymore&quot;.

He also alleged that Richard Pryor once had sex with Marlon Brando.

Coming to one of the most debatable explosives he let out, when asked&nbsp;&ldquo;what&rsquo;s something you wish you didn&rsquo;t know,&rdquo; he replied: &ldquo;Who killed Kennedy&rdquo;.

Quincy claimed that&nbsp;Sam Giancana was behind the late US President&rsquo;s murder. He said, &ldquo;The connection was there between Sinatra and the Mafia and Kennedy. Joe Kennedy &mdash; he was a bad man &mdash; he came to Frank to have him talk to Giancana about getting votes&quot; and quickly added, &quot;We shouldn&rsquo;t talk about this publicly.&rdquo;

He moved to the topic of Ivanka Trump when he was prodded to speak about the current&nbsp;US President&nbsp;Donald Trump. He said, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s Trump and uneducated rednecks. Trump is just telling them what they want to hear. I used to hang out with him. He&rsquo;s a crazy motherfucker. Limited mentally &mdash; a megalomaniac, narcissistic. I can&rsquo;t stand him.&rdquo;

&ldquo;I used to date Ivanka, you know,&rdquo; he added, elaborating: &ldquo;Twelve years ago. Tommy Hilfiger, who was working with my daughter Kidada said, &lsquo;Ivanka wants to have dinner with you.&rsquo; I said, &lsquo;No problem. She&rsquo;s a fine motherfucker.&rsquo; She had the most beautiful legs I ever saw in my life. Wrong father, though.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In an explosive interview with Vulture, the American entertainer spills beans on Trumps and some other 'secrets'

Quincy Jones, American record producer and actor now claims to know who killed late US President John F. Kennedy and also to have once dated Ivanka Trump. In an explosive interview with Vulture, the legendary record producer bared his heart and let out all the secrets. Quincy, who is famous for having worked with legendary pop artist Micheal Jackson, did not mince words and gave many controversial statements about musicians and the current music industry scene. To start with, he called The Beatles “the worst musicians in the world” and that U2 "are not writing good songs anymore". He also alleged that Richard Pryor once had sex with Marlon Brando. Coming to one of the most debatable explosives he let out, when asked “what’s something you wish you didn’t know,” he replied: “Who killed Kennedy”. Quincy claimed that Sam Giancana was behind the late US President’s murder. He said, “The connection was there between Sinatra and the Mafia and Kennedy. Joe Kennedy — he was a bad man — he came to Frank to have him talk to Giancana about getting votes" and quickly added, "We shouldn’t talk about this publicly.” He moved to the topic of Ivanka Trump when he was prodded to speak about the current US President Donald Trump. He said, “It’s Trump and uneducated rednecks. Trump is just telling them what they want to hear. I used to hang out with him. He’s a crazy motherfucker. Limited mentally — a megalomaniac, narcissistic. I can’t stand him.” “I used to date Ivanka, you know,” he added, elaborating: “Twelve years ago. Tommy Hilfiger, who was working with my daughter Kidada said, ‘Ivanka wants to have dinner with you.’ I said, ‘No problem. She’s a fine motherfucker.’ She had the most beautiful legs I ever saw in my life. Wrong father, though.”

Quincy Jones: 'Used to date Ivanka' and know 'Who killed Kennedy'

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

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

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

Trump denies saying he probably had good relationship with Kim

In a video making rounds on the internet, Prince Harry of Wales can be seen interviewing former US President Barack Obama.&nbsp;

Prince Harry interviewed Obama for a BBC Radio 4 show as part of a guest editor gig for the station.&nbsp;According to Kensington Palace, the interview&nbsp;focuses on Obama&rsquo;s final day in office and his post-presidential plans, which include his initiatives through the Obama Foundation.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/prince-harry-and-meghan-markles-wedding-date-has-been-officially-announced-26857" target="_blank">Prince Harry and Meghan Markle&#39;s wedding date has been officially announced</a>

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Prince Harry&#39;s guest editorship of <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCRadio4?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBCRadio4</a> Today programme on the 27th December will feature an interview with former US President <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BarackObama</a>. The interview focuses on their shared interest in building platforms for the next generation of young leaders. <a href="https://t.co/HaBaW0F5pM">pic.twitter.com/HaBaW0F5pM</a>
&mdash; Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/942349496725499904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Kensington Palace posted a preview of the interaction on its official Twitter page while the full interview will air on BBC Radio 4 on December 27.

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Here is a sneak preview of when <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BarackObama</a> met Prince Harry for the interview. Listen to the full interview on 27th December on <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCr4today?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBCr4today</a>. <a href="https://t.co/p5I1dUdyhx">pic.twitter.com/p5I1dUdyhx</a>
&mdash; Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/942353717101318144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The interview was conducted when the two&nbsp;were at the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/prince-harry-with-actress-girlfriend-meghan-markle-launch-the-third-invictus-games-20572" target="_blank"> Invictus Games</a> in Toronto in September.

The duo&#39;s friendship dates to the month of May when Obama visited Prince Harry at Kensington Palace, where they discussed &ldquo;a range of shared interests,&rdquo; including empowering young people and the goals of their foundations, according to the palace.

Obama had even congratulated Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-barack-obama-congratulates-prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-on-their-engagement-25297" target="_blank">Twitter</a> after the couple announced their engagement last month.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It is said that the interview happened when the two met during Invictus Games in September

In a video making rounds on the internet, Prince Harry of Wales can be seen interviewing former US President Barack Obama. Prince Harry interviewed Obama for a BBC Radio 4 show as part of a guest editor gig for the station. According to Kensington Palace, the interview focuses on Obama’s final day in office and his post-presidential plans, which include his initiatives through the Obama Foundation. Also Read: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding date has been officially announced Prince Harry's guest editorship of @BBCRadio4 Today programme on the 27th December will feature an interview with former US President @BarackObama. The interview focuses on their shared interest in building platforms for the next generation of young leaders. pic.twitter.com/HaBaW0F5pM — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 17, 2017 × Kensington Palace posted a preview of the interaction on its official Twitter page while the full interview will air on BBC Radio 4 on December 27. Here is a sneak preview of when @BarackObama met Prince Harry for the interview. Listen to the full interview on 27th December on @BBCr4today. pic.twitter.com/p5I1dUdyhx — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 17, 2017 × The interview was conducted when the two were at the Invictus Games in Toronto in September. The duo's friendship dates to the month of May when Obama visited Prince Harry at Kensington Palace, where they discussed “a range of shared interests,” including empowering young people and the goals of their foundations, according to the palace. Obama had even congratulated Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Twitter after the couple announced their engagement last month.

Watch: Prince Harry interviews Barack Obama for radio show

Donald Trump gave an interview with The New York Times Wednesday night, the same evening he received the Republican nomination for President of the United States. The Times&nbsp;didn&#39;t publish a full transcript of the 45 minute discussion, but summarised the thrust of Trump&#39;s responses, supplemented when necessary with quotations. 
 
The interview covers a range of topics. 
 
Moral standing 
 
Trump said he would not condemn authoritarian allies like Turkey, who critics fear is in the midst of a widespread purge of the regime&#39;s domestic enemies. President Erdogan has reportedly arrested or fired 50,000 people, from high-ranking figures in the military, justice system and police to university professors. In a move that rings of anything but democracy, he is currently trying to reinstate the death penalty. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think we have a right to lecture,&quot; Trump said. &quot;How are we going to lecture people when people are shooting policemen in cold blood?&quot; He was responding to the two recent fatal attacks against policemen by two ex-military African-American men, who appeared to be responding, in an appalling and unforgivable way, to numerous incidents of police brutality against African-Americans happening in cities across America. 
 
It failed to dawn on Trump that he&#39;s comparing a rogue military faction and a sitting President&#39;s authoritarian response to the actions of two non-state actors. About the preponderance of videos emerging showing American policemen shooting unarmed civilians Trump was quiet, but that would have made his comparison closer to sensible. 
 
Ironically, corroborating Trump&#39;s claim that the US shouldn&#39;t preach is Trump&#39;s own behaviour, as he has incited violence at his rallies. Unsurprisingly he has failed to criticize himself for this. 
 
Foreign policy 
 
Trump sees the world, and every single thing in it, through a money lens.&nbsp; 
 
When asked if under his presidency he would defend the 28 members of Nato,&nbsp;he laid a new condition; he would, but only after assessing their contributions to the alliance. Allies would receive protection if their relationship was economically advantageous, or would leave them to the wolves if they proved a net loss. 
 
Many before have criticised the military-industrial complex, but the notion of the American military being nothing more than a money-making enterprise has never been laid out so nakely by someone so close to the White House.&nbsp;More, this response presupposes that signed international treaties&nbsp;are in no way legally binding, undermining not just Nato but the very idea of entering into agreements with other countries. 
 
In terms of international trade he urged to put &quot;America first&quot;, as if any other American politician has ever campaigned on &quot;America second&quot;. He is by definition above rules, laws and agreements.&nbsp;&quot;He was prepared to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement if he could not negotiate radically better terms.&quot; 
 
The Coup 
 
&quot;I give credit to him for being able to turn that around&quot;, Trump said, as if talking about a dramatic come-from-behind victory in game 7. It doesn&#39;t take much reverence for morals or law to be concerned over the tens of thousands people imprisoned since the failed military coup, who can&#39;t all be guilty. Many world leaders urged Erdogan to be lawful in the wake of &nbsp;the failed coup.&nbsp;This is as basic as it is important, so it&#39;s worth quoting the&nbsp;Times&nbsp;piece here in full: 
 
&quot;Asked if Mr Erdogan was exploiting the coup attempt to purge his political enemies, Mr Trump did not call for the Turkish leader to observe the rule of law, or Western standards of justice. &#39;When the world sees how bad the United States is and we start talking about civil liberties, I don&#39;t think we are a very good messenger,&#39; he said.&quot; 
 
The article points out that this places him in the same camp as Russia, North Korea and China, &quot;and other autocratic nations (who) frequently cite violence and disorder on American streets to justify their own practises, and to make the case that the United States has no standing to criticise them&quot;. 
 
But this obscures an important point: those countries have in mind footage of American police killing citizens, mostly poor or African-American ones, something Trump has never denounced and if anything supports. When he talks about the apparent erosion of civil liberties,&nbsp;it&#39;s unclear what he means. If he has in mind the two men who recently killed police officers, he&#39;s making a categorical mistake: by definition only agents of the state, not private citizens, can take away civil liberties.&nbsp; 
 
Islamic State 
 
Obama&#39;s administration is in a bind: both its ally Turkey and the Kurds are fighting IS effectively, but Turkey is also fighting the Kurds out of fear they will break away and form their own state. Trump claims he will break this impasse by...hosting meetings. Knowing no middle ground, the way to defeat IS is either to &quot;bomb the shit out of them&quot; or to converse.&nbsp; 
 
Regarding the leader of Syria Trump was uncharacteristically perspicacious, saying, &quot;Assad is a bad man&quot;. Trump claimed to have been briefed by two former Republican secretaries of state, who gave him &quot;a lot of knowledge&quot;, but shed no light on this knowledge. 
 
Nuclear weapons 
 
The Obama administration has begun the process of modernising its nuclear arsenal, but the next president will decide whether or not to launch the reboot in earnest, with all the purchasing of submarines and bombers that entails, for an estimated cost&nbsp;of $500-billion. &quot;He talked of funding a major military buildup, starting with a modernisation of America&#39;s nuclear arsenal,&quot; the article says.&nbsp; 
 
To put it lightly, nothing in the Times&nbsp;interview, or anything he has ever said bolsters confidence that Trump can be trusted around nuclear weapons. &quot;We have a lot of obsolete weapons. We have nuclear that we don&#39;t even know if it works.&quot; 
 
Just how he plans to learn whether or not these nuclear weapons work should be a terriyfing thought to everybody. 
 
(WION) 
&nbsp;

Wide-ranging media interview comes as close as possible to revealing what may be called his thoughts

Donald Trump gave an interview with The New York Times Wednesday night, the same evening he received the Republican nomination for President of the United States. The Times didn't publish a full transcript of the 45 minute discussion, but summarised the thrust of Trump's responses, supplemented when necessary with quotations. The interview covers a range of topics. Moral standing Trump said he would not condemn authoritarian allies like Turkey, who critics fear is in the midst of a widespread purge of the regime's domestic enemies. President Erdogan has reportedly arrested or fired 50,000 people, from high-ranking figures in the military, justice system and police to university professors. In a move that rings of anything but democracy, he is currently trying to reinstate the death penalty. "I don't think we have a right to lecture," Trump said. "How are we going to lecture people when people are shooting policemen in cold blood?" He was responding to the two recent fatal attacks against policemen by two ex-military African-American men, who appeared to be responding, in an appalling and unforgivable way, to numerous incidents of police brutality against African-Americans happening in cities across America. It failed to dawn on Trump that he's comparing a rogue military faction and a sitting President's authoritarian response to the actions of two non-state actors. About the preponderance of videos emerging showing American policemen shooting unarmed civilians Trump was quiet, but that would have made his comparison closer to sensible. Ironically, corroborating Trump's claim that the US shouldn't preach is Trump's own behaviour, as he has incited violence at his rallies. Unsurprisingly he has failed to criticize himself for this. Foreign policy Trump sees the world, and every single thing in it, through a money lens. When asked if under his presidency he would defend the 28 members of Nato, he laid a new condition; he would, but only after assessing their contributions to the alliance. Allies would receive protection if their relationship was economically advantageous, or would leave them to the wolves if they proved a net loss. Many before have criticised the military-industrial complex, but the notion of the American military being nothing more than a money-making enterprise has never been laid out so nakely by someone so close to the White House. More, this response presupposes that signed international treaties are in no way legally binding, undermining not just Nato but the very idea of entering into agreements with other countries. In terms of international trade he urged to put "America first", as if any other American politician has ever campaigned on "America second". He is by definition above rules, laws and agreements. "He was prepared to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement if he could not negotiate radically better terms." The Coup "I give credit to him for being able to turn that around", Trump said, as if talking about a dramatic come-from-behind victory in game 7. It doesn't take much reverence for morals or law to be concerned over the tens of thousands people imprisoned since the failed military coup, who can't all be guilty. Many world leaders urged Erdogan to be lawful in the wake of the failed coup. This is as basic as it is important, so it's worth quoting the Times piece here in full: "Asked if Mr Erdogan was exploiting the coup attempt to purge his political enemies, Mr Trump did not call for the Turkish leader to observe the rule of law, or Western standards of justice. 'When the world sees how bad the United States is and we start talking about civil liberties, I don't think we are a very good messenger,' he said." The article points out that this places him in the same camp as Russia, North Korea and China, "and other autocratic nations (who) frequently cite violence and disorder on American streets to justify their own practises, and to make the case that the United States has no standing to criticise them". But this obscures an important point: those countries have in mind footage of American police killing citizens, mostly poor or African-American ones, something Trump has never denounced and if anything supports. When he talks about the apparent erosion of civil liberties, it's unclear what he means. If he has in mind the two men who recently killed police officers, he's making a categorical mistake: by definition only agents of the state, not private citizens, can take away civil liberties. Islamic State Obama's administration is in a bind: both its ally Turkey and the Kurds are fighting IS effectively, but Turkey is also fighting the Kurds out of fear they will break away and form their own state. Trump claims he will break this impasse by...hosting meetings. Knowing no middle ground, the way to defeat IS is either to "bomb the shit out of them" or to converse. Regarding the leader of Syria Trump was uncharacteristically perspicacious, saying, "Assad is a bad man". Trump claimed to have been briefed by two former Republican secretaries of state, who gave him "a lot of knowledge", but shed no light on this knowledge. Nuclear weapons The Obama administration has begun the process of modernising its nuclear arsenal, but the next president will decide whether or not to launch the reboot in earnest, with all the purchasing of submarines and bombers that entails, for an estimated cost of $500-billion. "He talked of funding a major military buildup, starting with a modernisation of America's nuclear arsenal," the article says. To put it lightly, nothing in the Times interview, or anything he has ever said bolsters confidence that Trump can be trusted around nuclear weapons. "We have a lot of obsolete weapons. We have nuclear that we don't even know if it works." Just how he plans to learn whether or not these nuclear weapons work should be a terriyfing thought to everybody. (WION)

Trump joins China and Russia in denouncing US civil liberties, without pointing to an example

Star American swimmer Ryan&nbsp;Lochte&nbsp;on Saturday said he took &quot;full responsibility&quot; for vandalising a gas station bathroom and then inventing a story about it to police during the Rio Olympics. 
 
The episode, which has embarrassed the US sporting superpower, saw&nbsp;Lochte&nbsp;and three other gold medal winning US swimmers embroiled in a controversy after he gave a shocking,&nbsp;and false,&nbsp;account of how they had been robbed at gunpoint. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s why I&#39;m taking full responsibility for it, is because I overexaggerated that story and if I had never done that, we wouldn&#39;t be in this mess,&quot;&nbsp;Lochte&nbsp;said in an interview broadcast in part late Saturday. The full interview will be aired later by NBC television. 
 
Lochte&nbsp;had already apologised on Friday for setting off a storm of controversy after he said the swimmers were mugged by robbers pretending to be police while on their way back from an all-night party. 
 
It was only after police declared the story bogus,&nbsp;saying that the four had only been detained by security and made to pay compensation for drunken vandalisation of a gas station bathroom,&nbsp;that Lochte&nbsp;finally came clean. 
 
&quot;I left details out... I left certain things out, and I overexaggerated some parts of the story,&quot;&nbsp;Lochte said in the interview. 
 
On Wednesday, a Rio judge ordered the athletes&#39; passports confiscated so that they could not leave the country. 
 
Although&nbsp;Lochte&nbsp;had already left, the other three, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen, &nbsp;underwent questioning in Rio police stations. 
 
Asked how he felt being home while his teammates were detained,&nbsp;Lochte&nbsp;said: &quot;I let my team down. And, you know, I wanted to be there, like, I don&#39;t want them to think that I left, and left them dry because they were my teammates.&quot; 
 
&quot;I just wanted to make sure that they were at home safe before I came out and talked,&quot; he added. 
 
On Thursday, police released closed-circuit TV footage and other evidence about the events at the gas station. 
 
The athletes, who appeared intoxicated, stopped in a taxi at the gas station to use the bathroom during the early hours of the morning. 
 
Lochte&nbsp;and the others then vandalised the area near the bathroom and, according to the manager, urinated on the walls. 
 
In the United States,&nbsp;Lochte&nbsp;has come under serious scorn, with media and internet comments almost universally scathing. 
 
(AFP)

'I overexaggerated that story,' said the American swimmer who told police that he and his teammates were mugged at gunpoint

Star American swimmer Ryan Lochte on Saturday said he took "full responsibility" for vandalising a gas station bathroom and then inventing a story about it to police during the Rio Olympics. The episode, which has embarrassed the US sporting superpower, saw Lochte and three other gold medal winning US swimmers embroiled in a controversy after he gave a shocking, and false, account of how they had been robbed at gunpoint. "That's why I'm taking full responsibility for it, is because I overexaggerated that story and if I had never done that, we wouldn't be in this mess," Lochte said in an interview broadcast in part late Saturday. The full interview will be aired later by NBC television. Lochte had already apologised on Friday for setting off a storm of controversy after he said the swimmers were mugged by robbers pretending to be police while on their way back from an all-night party. It was only after police declared the story bogus, saying that the four had only been detained by security and made to pay compensation for drunken vandalisation of a gas station bathroom, that Lochte finally came clean. "I left details out... I left certain things out, and I overexaggerated some parts of the story," Lochte said in the interview. On Wednesday, a Rio judge ordered the athletes' passports confiscated so that they could not leave the country. Although Lochte had already left, the other three, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen, underwent questioning in Rio police stations. Asked how he felt being home while his teammates were detained, Lochte said: "I let my team down. And, you know, I wanted to be there, like, I don't want them to think that I left, and left them dry because they were my teammates." "I just wanted to make sure that they were at home safe before I came out and talked," he added. On Thursday, police released closed-circuit TV footage and other evidence about the events at the gas station. The athletes, who appeared intoxicated, stopped in a taxi at the gas station to use the bathroom during the early hours of the morning. Lochte and the others then vandalised the area near the bathroom and, according to the manager, urinated on the walls. In the United States, Lochte has come under serious scorn, with media and internet comments almost universally scathing. (AFP)

Lochte takes 'full responsibility' for vandalising gas station, lying about it

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