India hosted the BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs' Meeting in New Delhi, with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval chairing discussions involving security leaders from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The meeting focused on strengthening regional cooperation in maritime security, counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, cybersecurity, and supply chain resilience amid rising geopolitical tensions. NSA Doval emphasized India's Neighbourhood First Policy, Act East Policy, and MAHASAGAR vision while calling for greater collaboration to tackle common security challenges across the Bay of Bengal region. Bilateral meetings with several member nations also explored mechanisms to enhance intelligence cooperation and regional stability.

BIMSTEC Security chiefs meet in New Delhi | Ajit Doval leads talks on terrorism & maritime security 

India is strengthening regional security cooperation ahead of the Fifth BIMSTEC National Security Advisers' Meeting in New Delhi. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval held a series of high-level bilateral meetings with senior officials from Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh to discuss key regional security issues. The discussions focused on maritime security, intelligence sharing, counterterrorism cooperation, law enforcement coordination, and regional stability. Ajit Doval also reviewed bilateral security cooperation with Myanmar and explored deeper collaboration with Thailand on intelligence sharing and security coordination. During his meeting with Bangladesh's Defence Adviser, the two sides discussed emerging security challenges facing the Bay of Bengal region, including cross-border crime, terrorism, insurgency, narcotics trafficking, and climate-related security risks.

Ajit Doval meets BIMSTEC security chiefs to boost regional security and counterterrorism cooperation

In a key decision, the Union government on Sunday appointed Anish Dayal Singh, former Director General of the CRPF and ITBP, having extensive experience in security and intelligence matters, as the Deputy National Security Adviser. Singh will join NSA Ajit Doval’s team comprising one additional NSA and two deputy NSAs. The appointment is an important step to strengthen NSA Ajit Doval’s core team.&nbsp;&nbsp;Singh’s experience will boost the national security intelligence apparatus, as reports suggest he will be responsible for handling India’s internal security matters. In his new role, 60-year-old Singh will report directly to NSA Ajit Doval. Singh has an illustrious career behind him and is highly respected for his contributions to the country’s national security framework.&nbsp;Watch: Ex-CRPF Chief Anish Dayal Singh Named India’s Deputy National Security Adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/breaking-ex-crpf-chief-anish-dayal-singh-named-india-s-deputy-national-security-adviser-1756025967055/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/breaking-ex-crpf-chief-anish-dayal-singh-named-india-s-deputy-national-security-adviser-1756025967055/embed</a>&nbsp;<h2>Intelligence veteran with vast experience</h2>&nbsp;Born in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, in 1964, Singh is a 1988-batch IPS officer from the Manipur cadre who retired in December 2024.&nbsp;He served in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for nearly three decades and rose to the position of Special Director. His expertise in intelligence and counter-terrorism will bolster India’s internal security strategies.&nbsp;Singh also headed the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and oversaw counter-insurgency operations.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>New responsibility: Bolstering internal security</h2>&nbsp;As Deputy NSA, Singh will oversee Jammu and Kashmir, Naxal insurgency, and militancy in the Northeast and provide key inputs on terrorism, cybersecurity, and internal threats to NSA Ajit Doval.&nbsp;&nbsp;Former RAW chief Rajinder Khanna is the Additional NSA, while retired IPS officer TV Ravichandran and former IFS officer Pawan Kapoor are the two serving deputy NSAs.&nbsp;In his role as CRPF chief, Singh oversaw the general elections in Jammu and Kashmir last year and the first assembly election held in the union territory since the abrogation of Article 370.&nbsp;Singh also implemented a comprehensive restructuring and realignment of over 130 CRPF battalions to improve operational efficiency and provide troops with more “family time” and bring down the average distance between units and their parent centres from 1,200 km to 500 km. In his leadership, the security forces made significant strides in the campaign to combat Naxalism.&nbsp;Singh’s appointment to boost NSA’s team comes at a significant time, a few months after India launched precision strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.

Anish Dayal Singh served in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for nearly three decades and rose to the position of Special Director. His expertise in intelligence and counter-terrorism will bolster India’s internal security strategies.

In a key decision, the Union government on Sunday appointed Anish Dayal Singh, former Director General of the CRPF and ITBP, having extensive experience in security and intelligence matters, as the Deputy National Security Adviser. Singh will join NSA Ajit Doval’s team comprising one additional NSA and two deputy NSAs. The appointment is an important step to strengthen NSA Ajit Doval’s core team. Singh’s experience will boost the national security intelligence apparatus, as reports suggest he will be responsible for handling India’s internal security matters. In his new role, 60-year-old Singh will report directly to NSA Ajit Doval. Singh has an illustrious career behind him and is highly respected for his contributions to the country’s national security framework. Watch: Ex-CRPF Chief Anish Dayal Singh Named India’s Deputy National Security Adviser https://www.wionews.com/videos/breaking-ex-crpf-chief-anish-dayal-singh-named-india-s-deputy-national-security-adviser-1756025967055/embed Intelligence veteran with vast experience Born in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, in 1964, Singh is a 1988-batch IPS officer from the Manipur cadre who retired in December 2024. He served in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for nearly three decades and rose to the position of Special Director. His expertise in intelligence and counter-terrorism will bolster India’s internal security strategies. Singh also headed the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and oversaw counter-insurgency operations. New responsibility: Bolstering internal security As Deputy NSA, Singh will oversee Jammu and Kashmir, Naxal insurgency, and militancy in the Northeast and provide key inputs on terrorism, cybersecurity, and internal threats to NSA Ajit Doval. Former RAW chief Rajinder Khanna is the Additional NSA, while retired IPS officer TV Ravichandran and former IFS officer Pawan Kapoor are the two serving deputy NSAs. In his role as CRPF chief, Singh oversaw the general elections in Jammu and Kashmir last year and the first assembly election held in the union territory since the abrogation of Article 370. Singh also implemented a comprehensive restructuring and realignment of over 130 CRPF battalions to improve operational efficiency and provide troops with more “family time” and bring down the average distance between units and their parent centres from 1,200 km to 500 km. In his leadership, the security forces made significant strides in the campaign to combat Naxalism. Singh’s appointment to boost NSA’s team comes at a significant time, a few months after India launched precision strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.

Anish Dayal Singh served in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for nearly three decades and rose to the position of Special Director. His expertise in intelligence and counter-terrorism will bolster India’s internal security strategies.

Who is Anish Dayal Singh? Intel, security veteran to work under Ajit Doval as deputy NSA

Britain on Friday named Jonathan Powell, who was chief of staff to former prime minister Tony Blair, as its national security adviser, a role that will involve responding to global threats and building ties with Donald Trump's new US&nbsp;administration.

Powell, who also served as a diplomat in Britain's Foreign Office for 10 years, played a major role in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 which largely ended three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Powell's experience working on some of the world's most complex conflicts meant he was "uniquely qualified" to advise on dealing with security challenges and building ties with foreign governments.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/man-rants-about-gen-z-colleague-for-taking-a-week-off-to-deal-with-breakup-gets-slammed-by-netizens-774601">Man rants about Gen Z colleague for taking a week off to deal with breakup, gets slammed by netizens</a>

Powell said he was honoured to accept the role. "National security is at the heart of this country’s response to the many challenges we face and having an integrated response will be crucial to our success," he said.

The 68-year-old currently leads Inter Mediate, a charity working on resolving international conflicts. He was recently appointed as the government's special envoy for negotiations that led to the return of the Chagos Islands, a chain of islands in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius.

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak announced in April that Gwyn Jenkins, one of the country's top generals, would be the next national security adviser, but that decision was overturned by Starmer, who won a landslide election victory in July.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/three-year-old-girl-files-petition-against-pakistan-government-as-air-quality-becomes-hazardous-774641">Three-year-old girl files petition against Pakistan government as air quality becomes&nbsp;hazardous</a>

Powell will succeed Tim Barrow, who has served in the role since September 2022.

Starmer and foreign minister David Lammy — who has criticised Trump in the past — are now seeking to build ties with the U.S. president-elect's team.

There are a number of areas where the British government could clash with the incoming Trump administration, from Ukraine to China.

Britain has been one of Ukraine's staunchest allies in its conflict against Russia and Trump's victory raises questions over future U.S. support to Kyiv, while Starmer's decision to reset ties with China could be challenged by Trump, who pressured Britain to take a much tougher approach in his first term.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Britain on Friday named Jonathan Powell, who was chief of staff to former prime minister Tony Blair, as its national security adviser, a role that will involve responding to global threats and building ties with Donald Trump's new US administration.

Britain on Friday named Jonathan Powell, who was chief of staff to former prime minister Tony Blair, as its national security adviser, a role that will involve responding to global threats and building ties with Donald Trump's new US administration. Powell, who also served as a diplomat in Britain's Foreign Office for 10 years, played a major role in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 which largely ended three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Powell's experience working on some of the world's most complex conflicts meant he was "uniquely qualified" to advise on dealing with security challenges and building ties with foreign governments. Also Read | Man rants about Gen Z colleague for taking a week off to deal with breakup, gets slammed by netizens Powell said he was honoured to accept the role. "National security is at the heart of this country’s response to the many challenges we face and having an integrated response will be crucial to our success," he said. The 68-year-old currently leads Inter Mediate, a charity working on resolving international conflicts. He was recently appointed as the government's special envoy for negotiations that led to the return of the Chagos Islands, a chain of islands in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius. Former prime minister Rishi Sunak announced in April that Gwyn Jenkins, one of the country's top generals, would be the next national security adviser, but that decision was overturned by Starmer, who won a landslide election victory in July. Also Read | Three-year-old girl files petition against Pakistan government as air quality becomes hazardous Powell will succeed Tim Barrow, who has served in the role since September 2022. Starmer and foreign minister David Lammy — who has criticised Trump in the past — are now seeking to build ties with the U.S. president-elect's team. There are a number of areas where the British government could clash with the incoming Trump administration, from Ukraine to China. Britain has been one of Ukraine's staunchest allies in its conflict against Russia and Trump's victory raises questions over future U.S. support to Kyiv, while Starmer's decision to reset ties with China could be challenged by Trump, who pressured Britain to take a much tougher approach in his first term. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

UK appoints 'uniquely qualified' Jonathan Powell as national security adviser

An American aid worker held hostage by terrorists in Niger for the last six years has been freed, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday.

“I’m gratified &amp; relieved to see the release of US&nbsp;hostage Jeff Woodke after over 6 years in captivity. The US&nbsp;thanks Niger for its help in bringing him home to all who miss &amp; love him. I thank so many across our government who’ve worked tirelessly toward securing his freedom,” tweeted Sullivan.&nbsp;

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I’m gratified &amp; relieved to see the release of U.S. hostage Jeff Woodke after over 6 years in captivity. The U.S. thanks Niger for its help in bringing him home to all who miss &amp; love him. I thank so many across our government who’ve worked tirelessly toward securing his freedom.
— Jake Sullivan (@JakeSullivan46) <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeSullivan46/status/1637815029272571906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Transport facility&nbsp;and the required support are now being given to Jeffery Woodke.&nbsp;

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“We are working closely with partners in the region and beyond to ensure safe transport and immediate access to the best medical and psychiatric support we can offer,” said a senior administration official while speaking to reporters on Monday. “Where exactly Jeff chooses to go will be a bit up to him," he added.&nbsp;

Secretary of State Antony Blinken had visited Niger earlier this month.

“We have certainly been in touch with them about what a priority it is for us to secure the release of Americans like Jeff Woodke, and that’s something that the Secretary confirmed when he was out there,” said the official, adding that more details about the citizen's release will be shared by Niger.

The government of Niger was thanked by the official for its efforts in freeing the US citizen and the official confirmed that no ransom was paid by the US officials to the terrorists.

WATCH | President Joe Biden visits US-Mexico border town

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“There was no direct negotiation here between the US government and the terrorist organisations, it is worth making that clear. Certainly, we did not pay a ransom a concession to a terrorist organisation here,” said the official.

“Emerging as our best line of effort among many that we have tried over the years was working to see what a very good and capable and thankfully willing partner in Niger was able to deliver in their own engagement,” he added.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, French journalist Olivier Dubois was also released along with Woodke. Dubois was kidnapped by militants in Mali in 2021.&nbsp;

In a press conference, Dubois said, "It's huge for me to be here today. I wasn't expecting it at all. I feel tired but I'm well."

(With inputs from agencies)

You can&nbsp;now write for wionews.com&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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An American aid worker held hostage by terrorists in Niger for the last six years has been freed, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday.

An American aid worker held hostage by terrorists in Niger for the last six years has been freed, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday. “I’m gratified & relieved to see the release of US hostage Jeff Woodke after over 6 years in captivity. The US thanks Niger for its help in bringing him home to all who miss & love him. I thank so many across our government who’ve worked tirelessly toward securing his freedom,” tweeted Sullivan. I’m gratified & relieved to see the release of U.S. hostage Jeff Woodke after over 6 years in captivity. The U.S. thanks Niger for its help in bringing him home to all who miss & love him. I thank so many across our government who’ve worked tirelessly toward securing his freedom. — Jake Sullivan (@JakeSullivan46) March 20, 2023 × Transport facility and the required support are now being given to Jeffery Woodke. ALSO READ | Two US citizens killed, two return alive in Mexico kidnapping case “We are working closely with partners in the region and beyond to ensure safe transport and immediate access to the best medical and psychiatric support we can offer,” said a senior administration official while speaking to reporters on Monday. “Where exactly Jeff chooses to go will be a bit up to him," he added. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had visited Niger earlier this month. “We have certainly been in touch with them about what a priority it is for us to secure the release of Americans like Jeff Woodke, and that’s something that the Secretary confirmed when he was out there,” said the official, adding that more details about the citizen's release will be shared by Niger. The government of Niger was thanked by the official for its efforts in freeing the US citizen and the official confirmed that no ransom was paid by the US officials to the terrorists. WATCH | President Joe Biden visits US-Mexico border town “There was no direct negotiation here between the US government and the terrorist organisations, it is worth making that clear. Certainly, we did not pay a ransom a concession to a terrorist organisation here,” said the official. “Emerging as our best line of effort among many that we have tried over the years was working to see what a very good and capable and thankfully willing partner in Niger was able to deliver in their own engagement,” he added. Meanwhile, French journalist Olivier Dubois was also released along with Woodke. Dubois was kidnapped by militants in Mali in 2021. In a press conference, Dubois said, "It's huge for me to be here today. I wasn't expecting it at all. I feel tired but I'm well." (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US citizen freed from West Africa after six years, says President Biden’s national security adviser

US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien passed scathing remarks on China. He said that China has been the reason behind five plagues in the past 20 years and it has to stop now. He holds China responsible for coronavirus pandemic that has killed over 250,000 people globally.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-approval-rating-dips-currently-trails-behind-biden-polls-298359" hreflang="en">Donald Trump's approval rating dips, currently trails behind Biden: Polls</a>

During the press meet at the White House, O'Brien told the&nbsp;reporters that people will rise globally to ask the Chinese government that they can no longer have these plagues coming out of China, whether it be lab or wet markets.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-vaccine-might-take-some-time-top-health-expert-anthony-fauci-298327" hreflang="en">Coronavirus vaccine might take some time: Top health expert Anthony Fauci</a>

"We know it came from Wuhan and I think there's circumstantial evidence that it could have come from the lab or the wet market. But, again, if you're China, neither one's a good answer," O'Brien said.

"We've had five plagues from China in the last 20 years. We've had SARS, avian flu, swine flu, COVID-19 now and how long can the world put up with this terrible public health situation that you've got in the People's Republic of China that is being unleashed on the world," US National Security Advisor said.&nbsp;

He even urged the Chinese government to allow health officials from the US to help them, but they refused. He said: "I mean, this is -- at some point, it's got to stop. We offered to send in health professionals to help the Chinese. They rejected that."

O'Brien was asked about the investigation related to the origin of the virus, he denied giving any timeframe on it.&nbsp;

He said: "I can't give you a timeframe on that. That's something that we're continuing to review and it is obviously a very serious concern.

"Look, China's got to figure out how to deal with its public health because we cannot have another one of these virus outbreaks and plagues come from China. This was a terrible thing that happened to the entire world, not just to the United States," he added.&nbsp;

The United States has been the worst-hit nation in terms of coronavirus, with over 80,000 deaths and over 1.3 million cases.&nbsp;

"The world economy shut down, and this isn't the first time it's happened. This is the fifth time it's happened in 20 years, and it's got to stop. China needs help.

"They need help from the rest of the world. And we're prepared to help China deal with the public health crises so we don't face this issue again," O'Brien added.

US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien passed scathing remarks on China. He said that China has been the reason behind five plagues in the past 20 years and it has to stop now.

US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien passed scathing remarks on China. He said that China has been the reason behind five plagues in the past 20 years and it has to stop now. He holds China responsible for coronavirus pandemic that has killed over 250,000 people globally. Also read: Donald Trump's approval rating dips, currently trails behind Biden: Polls During the press meet at the White House, O'Brien told the reporters that people will rise globally to ask the Chinese government that they can no longer have these plagues coming out of China, whether it be lab or wet markets. Also read: Coronavirus vaccine might take some time: Top health expert Anthony Fauci "We know it came from Wuhan and I think there's circumstantial evidence that it could have come from the lab or the wet market. But, again, if you're China, neither one's a good answer," O'Brien said. "We've had five plagues from China in the last 20 years. We've had SARS, avian flu, swine flu, COVID-19 now and how long can the world put up with this terrible public health situation that you've got in the People's Republic of China that is being unleashed on the world," US National Security Advisor said. He even urged the Chinese government to allow health officials from the US to help them, but they refused. He said: "I mean, this is -- at some point, it's got to stop. We offered to send in health professionals to help the Chinese. They rejected that." O'Brien was asked about the investigation related to the origin of the virus, he denied giving any timeframe on it. He said: "I can't give you a timeframe on that. That's something that we're continuing to review and it is obviously a very serious concern. "Look, China's got to figure out how to deal with its public health because we cannot have another one of these virus outbreaks and plagues come from China. This was a terrible thing that happened to the entire world, not just to the United States," he added. The United States has been the worst-hit nation in terms of coronavirus, with over 80,000 deaths and over 1.3 million cases. "The world economy shut down, and this isn't the first time it's happened. This is the fifth time it's happened in 20 years, and it's got to stop. China needs help. "They need help from the rest of the world. And we're prepared to help China deal with the public health crises so we don't face this issue again," O'Brien added.

China has been the reason behind five plagues in past 20 years and they should stop it: US NSA

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Thursday ruled out asking Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to take on a dual role as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-boltons-departure-will-not-push-tehran-to-talks-with-us-249008">national security adviser</a> and said he has about 15 candidates for the post last held by John Bolton.

There had been some discussion among White House officials about giving Pompeo the national security job while he remained secretary of state, but Trump told reporters he did not plan to take that step.

Trump said he spoke to Pompeo about the idea and the secretary of state "liked the idea of having somebody in there with him."

Trump said he now has 15 candidates for the job, a day after saying he had a short list of five. He said he would probably have a decision on who gets the post next week.

"Everybody wants it very badly, as you can imagine," he said. "A lot of people want the job. It's a great job."

Trump's list of people being considered for the job is largely made up of reliable conservatives with solid ties to key Trump administration stalwarts, according to several sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Mike Pence's national security adviser, retired Army General Keith Kellogg, is part of a group that also includes the State Department's Iran envoy, Brian Hook, former deputy White House national security adviser Rick Waddell, and US&nbsp;ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, among others, the sources said.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday ruled out asking Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to take on a dual role as national security adviser and said he has about 15 candidates for the post last held by John Bolton.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday ruled out asking Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to take on a dual role as national security adviser and said he has about 15 candidates for the post last held by John Bolton. There had been some discussion among White House officials about giving Pompeo the national security job while he remained secretary of state, but Trump told reporters he did not plan to take that step. Trump said he spoke to Pompeo about the idea and the secretary of state "liked the idea of having somebody in there with him." Trump said he now has 15 candidates for the job, a day after saying he had a short list of five. He said he would probably have a decision on who gets the post next week. "Everybody wants it very badly, as you can imagine," he said. "A lot of people want the job. It's a great job." Trump's list of people being considered for the job is largely made up of reliable conservatives with solid ties to key Trump administration stalwarts, according to several sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. Mike Pence's national security adviser, retired Army General Keith Kellogg, is part of a group that also includes the State Department's Iran envoy, Brian Hook, former deputy White House national security adviser Rick Waddell, and US ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, among others, the sources said.

Trump will not pick Pompeo as national security adviser, has 15 candidates

National Security Adviser Takes Stock Of The Situation At The Ground In Kashmir

Gravitas: Ajit Doval reviews security situation in Kashmir

Afghanistan's National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib has slammed Pakistan for providing support to terror and for not abiding by its United Nations Security Council commitments by allowing free rein to terrorists on its territory.

Speaking at the Asia Society in New York, Mohib said, "Until we see willingness to take action we are not going to buy any more words from Pakistan on what they are and willing to say. They are always very nice. They speak about brotherhood, historical linkages, then all we see is terrorist coming our way and no brotherhood"

He said that the Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) which was agreed by the governments of the two countries for peace has not been implemented by the current administration in Islamabad. The plan in Pakistan was agreed under the leadership of former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Mohib who was earlier Afghan envoy to Washington said, "There hasn't been action from Pakistan and there hasn't been any interest from Pakistan to implement. There is no cooperation with Afghanistan in any aspect."

He also highlighted how Pakistan blocked landlocked Afghanistan's trade routes due to which Kabul diversified its routes --in the north via Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and via Chabahar in Iran connecting to India.

Lauding India Afghanistan air corridor launched in 2017, the NSA said, "it has opened opportunities for Afghanistan not only to increase our trade but &nbsp;also to give us more options to import"

On Monday the corridor was expanded to Herat.

Earlier speaking at United Nation Security Council, Mohib without taking Pakistan's name said, "Strict enforcement of Security Council sanctions measures contained in its resolutions 1988 and 1267 should no longer be compromised. Any failure in this regard translates to a failure of the Security Council’s response to combating terrorist and extremist groups effectively, and also renders these groups capable of continuing their destructive activities."

Pressure has been growing over Islamabad by Kabul, Delhi and Tehran to rein in terror groups on its territory. Over the weekend, in a phone conversation between Iran's president Dr Hassan Rouhani and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Rouhani called on Islamabad to act on terrorists on its territory.&nbsp;

Dr Hassan Rouhani said, “We are witnessing many terrorist attacks by terrorists who are unfortunately located on the Pakistani soil, and in dealing with these terrorists, whose existence are not in favour of us, you and the region, we are fully ready to cooperate with the Pakistani army and government".

According to Iranian authorities, 27 Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) were killed in a terror attack in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan Province which was done by Pakistan based terrorist group. 
&nbsp;

Afghanistan's National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib has slammed Pakistan for providing support to terror and for not abiding by its United Nations Security Council commitments by allowing free rein to terrorists on its territory.

Afghanistan's National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib has slammed Pakistan for providing support to terror and for not abiding by its United Nations Security Council commitments by allowing free rein to terrorists on its territory. Speaking at the Asia Society in New York, Mohib said, "Until we see willingness to take action we are not going to buy any more words from Pakistan on what they are and willing to say. They are always very nice. They speak about brotherhood, historical linkages, then all we see is terrorist coming our way and no brotherhood" He said that the Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) which was agreed by the governments of the two countries for peace has not been implemented by the current administration in Islamabad. The plan in Pakistan was agreed under the leadership of former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Mohib who was earlier Afghan envoy to Washington said, "There hasn't been action from Pakistan and there hasn't been any interest from Pakistan to implement. There is no cooperation with Afghanistan in any aspect." He also highlighted how Pakistan blocked landlocked Afghanistan's trade routes due to which Kabul diversified its routes --in the north via Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and via Chabahar in Iran connecting to India. Lauding India Afghanistan air corridor launched in 2017, the NSA said, "it has opened opportunities for Afghanistan not only to increase our trade but also to give us more options to import" On Monday the corridor was expanded to Herat. Earlier speaking at United Nation Security Council, Mohib without taking Pakistan's name said, "Strict enforcement of Security Council sanctions measures contained in its resolutions 1988 and 1267 should no longer be compromised. Any failure in this regard translates to a failure of the Security Council’s response to combating terrorist and extremist groups effectively, and also renders these groups capable of continuing their destructive activities." Pressure has been growing over Islamabad by Kabul, Delhi and Tehran to rein in terror groups on its territory. Over the weekend, in a phone conversation between Iran's president Dr Hassan Rouhani and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Rouhani called on Islamabad to act on terrorists on its territory. Dr Hassan Rouhani said, “We are witnessing many terrorist attacks by terrorists who are unfortunately located on the Pakistani soil, and in dealing with these terrorists, whose existence are not in favour of us, you and the region, we are fully ready to cooperate with the Pakistani army and government". According to Iranian authorities, 27 Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) were killed in a terror attack in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan Province which was done by Pakistan based terrorist group.

Pakistan taking no action on terror; talks of brotherhood but sends terrorist: Afghan NSA

US national security adviser John Bolton has vowed to further intensify the Trump administration's tough approach to China, saying Beijing's "behaviour needs to be adjusted in the trade area, in the international, military and political areas."

Speaking in a radio interview on the Hugh Hewitt Show recorded on Thursday and aired on Friday, Bolton said President Donald Trump believed China had taken advantage of the international order for far too long and not enough Americans had stood up to it.

"Now's the time to do it" he said.

Bolton said Trump's tough approach towards China, a country the administration saw as the "major issue this century," had left Beijing "confused."

"They've never seen an American president this tough before. I think their behaviour needs to be adjusted in the trade area, in the international, military and political areas, in a whole range of areas," he said.

"Perhaps we'll see at the G20 meeting in Argentina next month Xi Jinping willing to come to talk turkey on some of these issues," he added.

Bolton's remarks came amid a series of administration broadsides against China that goes beyond a trade war. These have included accusing Beijing of trying to undermine Trump ahead of next month's congressional elections and of taking reckless military actions in the South China Sea.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Friday Trump would go through with plans to meet Xi at the G20 summit if it looked possible to chart "a positive direction." But he said re-launching trade talks with China would require Beijing to commit to taking action on structural reforms to its economy.

Bolton called recent Chinese behaviour in the South China Sea, where a US warship had a near collision with a Chinese vessel last month, "dangerous" and said the United States was determined to keep international sea lanes open.

"This is something the Chinese need to understand," he said, adding that allies including Britain and Australia were also sailing through the South China Sea to make this point.

"We're going to do a lot more on that," he said.

"I think we could see more exploitation of mineral resources in the South China Sea with or without Chinese cooperation. They need to know they have not achieved a fait accompli here. This is not a Chinese province and will not be."

Bolton did not elaborate on his remark about mineral exploitation in the strategic waterway, which China claims almost in its entirety in spite of several rival claimants.

Bolton said China's violation of international norms in trade and business had allowed it to gain substantial economic and military strength.

"If they're put back in the proper place they would be if they weren't allowed to steal our technology, their military capabilities would be substantially reduced. And a lot of the tensions we see caused by China would be reduced," Bolton said.

He indicated that Washington was prepared to take more action to restrict sensitive high-tech exports to China.

"We did this and continue to do it in terms of dual-use technology that could affect nuclear, chemical or biological weapons or ballistic-missile development.

"I think in cyberspace, we're entitled to do the same thing ... We want to do it in ways that protect our open economy, but deny others the ability to take advantage of it."

Bolton said he expected a second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "sometime in the next couple of months," but said it remained to be seen if the diplomatic effort to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons would be successful.

"The president has held the door open for North Korea," he said. "They need to denuclearize completely and irreversibly. And if they do that and walk through the door, the future could be very different for the North Korean people.

"The future remains uncertain on the president's diplomacy. He's optimistic. He presses hard. He does not have stars in his eyes about this. Neither does Mike Pompeo, neither does Jim Mattis, neither do I," Bolton said, referring to the U.S. secretaries of defence and state.

US national security adviser John Bolton has vowed to further intensify the Trump administration's tough approach to China, saying Beijing's "behaviour needs to be adjusted in the trade area, in the international, military and political areas.

US national security adviser John Bolton has vowed to further intensify the Trump administration's tough approach to China, saying Beijing's "behaviour needs to be adjusted in the trade area, in the international, military and political areas." Speaking in a radio interview on the Hugh Hewitt Show recorded on Thursday and aired on Friday, Bolton said President Donald Trump believed China had taken advantage of the international order for far too long and not enough Americans had stood up to it. "Now's the time to do it" he said. Bolton said Trump's tough approach towards China, a country the administration saw as the "major issue this century," had left Beijing "confused." "They've never seen an American president this tough before. I think their behaviour needs to be adjusted in the trade area, in the international, military and political areas, in a whole range of areas," he said. "Perhaps we'll see at the G20 meeting in Argentina next month Xi Jinping willing to come to talk turkey on some of these issues," he added. Bolton's remarks came amid a series of administration broadsides against China that goes beyond a trade war. These have included accusing Beijing of trying to undermine Trump ahead of next month's congressional elections and of taking reckless military actions in the South China Sea. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Friday Trump would go through with plans to meet Xi at the G20 summit if it looked possible to chart "a positive direction." But he said re-launching trade talks with China would require Beijing to commit to taking action on structural reforms to its economy. Bolton called recent Chinese behaviour in the South China Sea, where a US warship had a near collision with a Chinese vessel last month, "dangerous" and said the United States was determined to keep international sea lanes open. "This is something the Chinese need to understand," he said, adding that allies including Britain and Australia were also sailing through the South China Sea to make this point. "We're going to do a lot more on that," he said. "I think we could see more exploitation of mineral resources in the South China Sea with or without Chinese cooperation. They need to know they have not achieved a fait accompli here. This is not a Chinese province and will not be." Bolton did not elaborate on his remark about mineral exploitation in the strategic waterway, which China claims almost in its entirety in spite of several rival claimants. Bolton said China's violation of international norms in trade and business had allowed it to gain substantial economic and military strength. "If they're put back in the proper place they would be if they weren't allowed to steal our technology, their military capabilities would be substantially reduced. And a lot of the tensions we see caused by China would be reduced," Bolton said. He indicated that Washington was prepared to take more action to restrict sensitive high-tech exports to China. "We did this and continue to do it in terms of dual-use technology that could affect nuclear, chemical or biological weapons or ballistic-missile development. "I think in cyberspace, we're entitled to do the same thing ... We want to do it in ways that protect our open economy, but deny others the ability to take advantage of it." Bolton said he expected a second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "sometime in the next couple of months," but said it remained to be seen if the diplomatic effort to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons would be successful. "The president has held the door open for North Korea," he said. "They need to denuclearize completely and irreversibly. And if they do that and walk through the door, the future could be very different for the North Korean people. "The future remains uncertain on the president's diplomacy. He's optimistic. He presses hard. He does not have stars in his eyes about this. Neither does Mike Pompeo, neither does Jim Mattis, neither do I," Bolton said, referring to the U.S. secretaries of defence and state.

US vows to get even tougher on China, says Beijing's 'behaviour needs to be adjusted'

The government has set up a panel headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to help the National Security Council, which advises the Prime Minister on matters of national security and strategic interests, officials said Monday.

The Strategic Policy Group or SPG will assist the National Security Council and undertake among other tasks, a long-term strategic review of country's security affairs.

It will be the principal mechanism for inter-ministerial coordination and integration of relevant inputs in the formulation of national security policies, a top Home Ministry official said.

The SPG will be chaired by&nbsp;Doval and its members include the NITI Aayog vice chairman, cabinet secretary, the chiefs of the three defence services, the RBI governor, the foreign secretary, the home secretary, the finance secretary and the defence secretary.

The secretary of the Department of Defence Production and Supplies, the scientific adviser to the defence minister and the secretary, cabinet secretariat will also be members of the panel.

The other members are secretary, department of revenue; secretary, department of atomic energy; secretary, department of space; director, Intelligence Bureau, and secretary, National Security Council Secretariat.

Representatives of other ministries and departments will be invited to the meetings of the group as and when necessary, another official said.

The NSA will convene the meetings of the SPG and the cabinet secretary will coordinate implementation of the group's decisions by union ministries and departments, and state governments.

The government has set up a panel headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to help the National Security Council, which advises the Prime Minister on matters of national security and strategic interests, officials said Monday.

The government has set up a panel headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to help the National Security Council, which advises the Prime Minister on matters of national security and strategic interests, officials said Monday. The Strategic Policy Group or SPG will assist the National Security Council and undertake among other tasks, a long-term strategic review of country's security affairs. It will be the principal mechanism for inter-ministerial coordination and integration of relevant inputs in the formulation of national security policies, a top Home Ministry official said. The SPG will be chaired by Doval and its members include the NITI Aayog vice chairman, cabinet secretary, the chiefs of the three defence services, the RBI governor, the foreign secretary, the home secretary, the finance secretary and the defence secretary. The secretary of the Department of Defence Production and Supplies, the scientific adviser to the defence minister and the secretary, cabinet secretariat will also be members of the panel. The other members are secretary, department of revenue; secretary, department of atomic energy; secretary, department of space; director, Intelligence Bureau, and secretary, National Security Council Secretariat. Representatives of other ministries and departments will be invited to the meetings of the group as and when necessary, another official said. The NSA will convene the meetings of the SPG and the cabinet secretary will coordinate implementation of the group's decisions by union ministries and departments, and state governments.

National security advisor to lead group for planning strategic moves

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met his US counterpart, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on Tuesday in Washington.

The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and the regional situation.

The meeting followed Pompeo visit to Pakistan last month when he invited Qureshi to Washington.

Qureshi arrived in the US on Sunday for bilateral talks with the officials after his trip to New York for the United Nation's General Assembly session.

Before meeting Pompeo, Qureshi&nbsp;also held talks with&nbsp;National Security Advisor John Bolton at the White House and other senators.

During the meeting with NSA Bolton, Qureshi discussed Pakistan-US bilateral relations and regional situation in South Asia; Pakistan embassy in DC said on Twitter.

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During the meeting, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and US National Security Adviser Mr. John Bolton discussed Pakistan-US bilateral relations and regional situation in South Asia.
— Pakistan Embassy, DC (@PakEmbassyDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakEmbassyDC/status/1047150518592839682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Qureshi also met Senator Lindsey Graham and discussed bilateral relations and Afghanistan.

The Senator said he had personally seen the progress Pakistan had made in the erstwhile tribal areas during his last visit to the region &amp; looked forward to leading a delegation to Pakistan soon.

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FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi met Sen.Lindsey Graham(R-SC).Discussed bilateral relations &amp; Afghanistan.The Senator said he had personally seen the progress Pak had made in the erstwhile tribal areas during his last visit to the region &amp; looked forward to leading a delegation 2 Pak soon <a href="https://t.co/JhTmYFWlhf">pic.twitter.com/JhTmYFWlhf</a>
— Pakistan Embassy, DC (@PakEmbassyDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakEmbassyDC/status/1047162304406740995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Pompeo and Qureshi first met in Islamabad in September when the US approached the new Pakistani government to discuss key issues that have strained decades-old ties between the two countries.

&nbsp;

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met his US counterpart, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on Tuesday in Washington. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and the regional situation.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met his US counterpart, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on Tuesday in Washington. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and the regional situation. The meeting followed Pompeo visit to Pakistan last month when he invited Qureshi to Washington. Qureshi arrived in the US on Sunday for bilateral talks with the officials after his trip to New York for the United Nation's General Assembly session. Before meeting Pompeo, Qureshi also held talks with National Security Advisor John Bolton at the White House and other senators. During the meeting with NSA Bolton, Qureshi discussed Pakistan-US bilateral relations and regional situation in South Asia; Pakistan embassy in DC said on Twitter. During the meeting, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and US National Security Adviser Mr. John Bolton discussed Pakistan-US bilateral relations and regional situation in South Asia. — Pakistan Embassy, DC (@PakEmbassyDC) October 2, 2018 × Qureshi also met Senator Lindsey Graham and discussed bilateral relations and Afghanistan. The Senator said he had personally seen the progress Pakistan had made in the erstwhile tribal areas during his last visit to the region & looked forward to leading a delegation to Pakistan soon. FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi met Sen.Lindsey Graham(R-SC).Discussed bilateral relations & Afghanistan.The Senator said he had personally seen the progress Pak had made in the erstwhile tribal areas during his last visit to the region & looked forward to leading a delegation 2 Pak soon pic.twitter.com/JhTmYFWlhf — Pakistan Embassy, DC (@PakEmbassyDC) October 2, 2018 × Pompeo and Qureshi first met in Islamabad in September when the US approached the new Pakistani government to discuss key issues that have strained decades-old ties between the two countries.

Pak Foreign Minister meets US's Pompeo, discusses regional situation

The White House on Thursday faced fresh speculation about the future of National Security Advisor HR McMaster, with officials sending mixed messages about his possible departure.

Amid a stream of staff leaving Donald Trump&#39;s White House, NBC reported that the three-star general tasked with running White House security policy will, within months, be headed for the exit as well.

&quot;We frequently face rumor and innuendo about senior administration officials,&quot; White House spokesman Raj Shah said in response. &quot;There are no personnel announcements at this time.&quot;

That non-denial only fanned the flames -- it was followed up by a more categorical statement from McMaster&#39;s spokesman Michael Anton.

&quot;I was just with President Trump and HR McMaster in the Oval Office. President Trump said that the NBC News story is &#39;fake news,&#39; and told McMaster that he is doing a great job.&quot;

NBC reported that a senior executive at US automaker Ford, Stephen Biegun, was a possible replacement.

Biegun previously worked as national security advisor to former Senate majority leader Bill Frist and worked in the George. W. Bush White House.

Trump and McMaster have had an uneasy relationship.

When the army general recently said there was &quot;incontrovertible&quot; evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, he was publicly upbraided by Trump.

&quot;General McMaster forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians,&quot; Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

McMaster joined the administration in February last year, replacing Michael Flynn, who has since been indicted by Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia&#39;s role in Trump&#39;s election -- and possible collusion between Team Trump and Moscow.

Last week, CNN reported that the Pentagon was looking at moving McMaster back into the military, a move that could net him a fourth star.&nbsp;

'We frequently face rumour and innuendo about senior administration officials,' White House spokesman Raj Shah said in response. 'There are no personnel announcements at this time'

The White House on Thursday faced fresh speculation about the future of National Security Advisor HR McMaster, with officials sending mixed messages about his possible departure. Amid a stream of staff leaving Donald Trump's White House, NBC reported that the three-star general tasked with running White House security policy will, within months, be headed for the exit as well. "We frequently face rumor and innuendo about senior administration officials," White House spokesman Raj Shah said in response. "There are no personnel announcements at this time." That non-denial only fanned the flames -- it was followed up by a more categorical statement from McMaster's spokesman Michael Anton. "I was just with President Trump and HR McMaster in the Oval Office. President Trump said that the NBC News story is 'fake news,' and told McMaster that he is doing a great job." NBC reported that a senior executive at US automaker Ford, Stephen Biegun, was a possible replacement. Biegun previously worked as national security advisor to former Senate majority leader Bill Frist and worked in the George. W. Bush White House. Trump and McMaster have had an uneasy relationship. When the army general recently said there was "incontrovertible" evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, he was publicly upbraided by Trump. "General McMaster forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians," Trump tweeted. McMaster joined the administration in February last year, replacing Michael Flynn, who has since been indicted by Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in Trump's election -- and possible collusion between Team Trump and Moscow. Last week, CNN reported that the Pentagon was looking at moving McMaster back into the military, a move that could net him a fourth star.

US National Security Adviser HR McMaster may be leaving White House: Reports

President Trump&#39;s former national security adviser(NSA) Michael Flynn today pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI on his links with Russia.

Flynn told the judge he has &quot;not been coerced to plead guilty or been promised a specific sentence.&quot;

In court on Friday morning, Flynn&#39;s only comments were to answer yes and no to questions from the judge.

Flynn resigned in February after being under fire for weeks over his links to the Russian government. He was reported to have discussed the possibility of lifting US sanctions on Russia before Trump took office.

Flynn had promised former US vice-president Pence that he had not discussed US sanctions with the Russians, but transcripts of intercepted communications by US officials later showed that the subject had come up in conversations between him and the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak.

Such contacts are potentially in violation of a law banning US private citizens from engaging in foreign policy, known as the Logan Act.

A court document showed Flynn was charged for lying about his private discussions with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, regarding US sanctions being imposed on Moscow by the government former president Barack Obama.

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ex-trump-aide-flynn-pleads-guilty-to-lying-about-russia-links-25647"> Ex-Trump aide Flynn pleads guilty to lying about Russia links</a>

Flynn also released a statement about his guilty plea. He called his actions &quot;wrong&quot; and said he accepts &quot;full responsibility&quot; for his actions. He also said he was cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Flynn&#39;s&nbsp;full statement:

&quot;After over 33 years of military service to our country, including nearly five years in combat away from my family, and then my decision to continue to serve the United States, it has been extraordinarily painful to endure these many months of false accusations of &quot;treason&quot; and other outrageous acts. Such false accusations are contrary to everything I have ever done and stood for. But I recognize that the actions I acknowledged in court today were wrong, and, through my faith in God, I am working to set things right. My guilty plea and agreement to cooperate with the Special Counsel&#39;s Office reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country. I accept full responsibility for my actions.&quot;

White House statement

Meanwhile, Ty Cobb, special counsel for the White House, issued this statement regarding Michael Flynn:

&quot;Today, Michael Flynn, a former National Security Advisor at the White House for 25 days during the Trump Administration, and a former Obama administration official entered a guilty plea to a single count of making a false statement to the FBI.

The false statements involved mirror the false statements to White House officials which resulted in his resignation in February of this year. Nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn. The conclusion of this phase of the Special Counsel&#39;s work demonstrates again that the Special Counsel is moving with all deliberate speed and clears the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion.&quot;

In court Friday morning, Flynn's only comments were to answer yes and no to questions from the judge.

President Trump's former national security adviser(NSA) Michael Flynn today pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI on his links with Russia. Flynn told the judge he has "not been coerced to plead guilty or been promised a specific sentence." In court on Friday morning, Flynn's only comments were to answer yes and no to questions from the judge. Flynn resigned in February after being under fire for weeks over his links to the Russian government. He was reported to have discussed the possibility of lifting US sanctions on Russia before Trump took office. Flynn had promised former US vice-president Pence that he had not discussed US sanctions with the Russians, but transcripts of intercepted communications by US officials later showed that the subject had come up in conversations between him and the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak. Such contacts are potentially in violation of a law banning US private citizens from engaging in foreign policy, known as the Logan Act. A court document showed Flynn was charged for lying about his private discussions with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, regarding US sanctions being imposed on Moscow by the government former president Barack Obama. Also read: Ex-Trump aide Flynn pleads guilty to lying about Russia links Flynn also released a statement about his guilty plea. He called his actions "wrong" and said he accepts "full responsibility" for his actions. He also said he was cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Flynn's full statement: "After over 33 years of military service to our country, including nearly five years in combat away from my family, and then my decision to continue to serve the United States, it has been extraordinarily painful to endure these many months of false accusations of "treason" and other outrageous acts. Such false accusations are contrary to everything I have ever done and stood for. But I recognize that the actions I acknowledged in court today were wrong, and, through my faith in God, I am working to set things right. My guilty plea and agreement to cooperate with the Special Counsel's Office reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country. I accept full responsibility for my actions." White House statement Meanwhile, Ty Cobb, special counsel for the White House, issued this statement regarding Michael Flynn: "Today, Michael Flynn, a former National Security Advisor at the White House for 25 days during the Trump Administration, and a former Obama administration official entered a guilty plea to a single count of making a false statement to the FBI. The false statements involved mirror the false statements to White House officials which resulted in his resignation in February of this year. Nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn. The conclusion of this phase of the Special Counsel's work demonstrates again that the Special Counsel is moving with all deliberate speed and clears the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion."

Trump's ex-NSA Michael Flynn 'pleads guilty' to lying about Russia links

Former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn declined on Monday to comply with a subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee as it investigates possible Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

Flynn invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination, according to a letter to the Senate committee from his attorney, which was obtained by Reuters.

The retired lieutenant general is a key witness in the Russia probe.

Flynn`s attorneys did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Senators Richard Burr and Mark Warner, the top Republican and Democrat on the panel, said in a statement they were disappointed by Flynn`s decision, but would &quot;vigorously pursue&quot; his testimony.

The committee is conducting one of the main congressional probes into US intelligence agency reports of Russian meddling in the election and whether there was any collusion between President Donald Trump&rsquo;s campaign and Russia. Moscow has repeatedly denied the allegations and Trump denies any collusion between his campaign and Russian officials.

Flynn apparently misled Pentagon investigators about his foreign connections when he sought to renew his security clearance in early 2016, according to a document obtained by congressional Democrats and released in part on Monday.

Flynn, interviewed as part of the clearance renewal process, said that all of his foreign trips as a private citizen &quot;were funded by U.S. companies,&quot; according to excerpts of a March 14, 2016 report compiled by security clearance investigators.

In fact, a trip Flynn made to Moscow in December 2015, where he attended a gala dinner and sat next to Russian President Vladimir Putin, was paid for by Russia Today, which U.S. officials consider a state-run propaganda arm, according to documents previously released by the House Oversight Committee.

The document is the latest to shed light on how Flynn received a security clearance and was subsequently hired as Trump`s national security advisor. He was forced to resign from the job in February after less than a month for failing to disclose the content of his talks with Sergei Kislyak, Russia`s ambassador to the United States, and then misleading Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.

Excerpts were released by Rep. Elijah Cummings, ranking Democrat on the House committee.

Flynn`s decision to decline to comply with the Senate Intelligence Committee subpoena was first reported by the Associated Press.

The Senate committee first requested documents from Flynn in an April 28 letter, but he declined to cooperate with the request. Then it issued a subpoena.

In response, his attorney wrote to the committee that &quot;the context in which the Committee has called for General Flynn&rsquo;s testimonial production of documents makes clear that he has more than a reasonable apprehension that any testimony he provides could be used against him.&quot;

Flynn&rsquo;s legal team said that he was rejecting the subpoena because the committee spurned his offer, made by the retired Army general in a May 8 letter, &quot;to give a full account of the facts and to answer the committee&rsquo;s questions, should the circumstances permit, including assurances against unfair prosecution. We stated that, absent such assurances, General Flynn would respectfully decline your request for an interview and for production of documents.&quot;

It was not clear what the committee would do if Flynn decided not to comply.

On Monday, Senator James Lankford, a Republican member of the intelligence panel, said on Twitter that Flynn was within his rights to invoke the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

&ldquo;We will get to the truth one way or another,&rdquo; Lankford said on Twitter. &ldquo;We need facts, not speculation &amp; anonymous sources.&rdquo; 
Congress has the constitutional authority to enforce a subpoena.

A Congressional Research Service report outlined three main options: seeking criminal prosecution through the executive branch, asking the courts for a civil judgement and using a dormant power of &quot;inherent contempt&quot; to detain and imprison an individual.

The latter option has not been used in 75 years, the report said, with Congress more often relying on the criminal contempt statute recently.

US intelligence agencies concluded in January that Moscow tried to sway the November vote in Trump`s favour. Russia has denied involvement, and Trump denies any collusion between his campaign and Russia.

Reuters reported on Thursday that Flynn and other advisers to Trump&rsquo;s campaign were in contact with Russian officials and others with Kremlin ties in at least 18 calls and emails during the last seven months of the US presidential race.

Two other former Trump associates - one-time campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Republican operative Roger Stone - have turned over documents the Senate panel had requested, while a third - campaign adviser Carter Page - had not yet complied, NBC News reported, citing a congressional source.

Flynn has acknowledged being a paid consultant to the Turkish government during the campaign.

(Reuters)

Flynn apparently misled Pentagon investigators about his foreign connections when he sought to renew his security clearance in early 2016, according to a document obtained by congressional Democrats and released in part on Monday.

Former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn declined on Monday to comply with a subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee as it investigates possible Russian interference in the 2016 US election. Flynn invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination, according to a letter to the Senate committee from his attorney, which was obtained by Reuters. The retired lieutenant general is a key witness in the Russia probe. Flynn`s attorneys did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Senators Richard Burr and Mark Warner, the top Republican and Democrat on the panel, said in a statement they were disappointed by Flynn`s decision, but would "vigorously pursue" his testimony. The committee is conducting one of the main congressional probes into US intelligence agency reports of Russian meddling in the election and whether there was any collusion between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia. Moscow has repeatedly denied the allegations and Trump denies any collusion between his campaign and Russian officials. Flynn apparently misled Pentagon investigators about his foreign connections when he sought to renew his security clearance in early 2016, according to a document obtained by congressional Democrats and released in part on Monday. Flynn, interviewed as part of the clearance renewal process, said that all of his foreign trips as a private citizen "were funded by U.S. companies," according to excerpts of a March 14, 2016 report compiled by security clearance investigators. In fact, a trip Flynn made to Moscow in December 2015, where he attended a gala dinner and sat next to Russian President Vladimir Putin, was paid for by Russia Today, which U.S. officials consider a state-run propaganda arm, according to documents previously released by the House Oversight Committee. The document is the latest to shed light on how Flynn received a security clearance and was subsequently hired as Trump`s national security advisor. He was forced to resign from the job in February after less than a month for failing to disclose the content of his talks with Sergei Kislyak, Russia`s ambassador to the United States, and then misleading Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations. Excerpts were released by Rep. Elijah Cummings, ranking Democrat on the House committee. Flynn`s decision to decline to comply with the Senate Intelligence Committee subpoena was first reported by the Associated Press. The Senate committee first requested documents from Flynn in an April 28 letter, but he declined to cooperate with the request. Then it issued a subpoena. In response, his attorney wrote to the committee that "the context in which the Committee has called for General Flynn’s testimonial production of documents makes clear that he has more than a reasonable apprehension that any testimony he provides could be used against him." Flynn’s legal team said that he was rejecting the subpoena because the committee spurned his offer, made by the retired Army general in a May 8 letter, "to give a full account of the facts and to answer the committee’s questions, should the circumstances permit, including assurances against unfair prosecution. We stated that, absent such assurances, General Flynn would respectfully decline your request for an interview and for production of documents." It was not clear what the committee would do if Flynn decided not to comply. On Monday, Senator James Lankford, a Republican member of the intelligence panel, said on Twitter that Flynn was within his rights to invoke the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. “We will get to the truth one way or another,” Lankford said on Twitter. “We need facts, not speculation & anonymous sources.” Congress has the constitutional authority to enforce a subpoena. A Congressional Research Service report outlined three main options: seeking criminal prosecution through the executive branch, asking the courts for a civil judgement and using a dormant power of "inherent contempt" to detain and imprison an individual. The latter option has not been used in 75 years, the report said, with Congress more often relying on the criminal contempt statute recently. US intelligence agencies concluded in January that Moscow tried to sway the November vote in Trump`s favour. Russia has denied involvement, and Trump denies any collusion between his campaign and Russia. Reuters reported on Thursday that Flynn and other advisers to Trump’s campaign were in contact with Russian officials and others with Kremlin ties in at least 18 calls and emails during the last seven months of the US presidential race. Two other former Trump associates - one-time campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Republican operative Roger Stone - have turned over documents the Senate panel had requested, while a third - campaign adviser Carter Page - had not yet complied, NBC News reported, citing a congressional source. Flynn has acknowledged being a paid consultant to the Turkish government during the campaign. (Reuters)

Ex-US NSA Flynn refuses to comply with subpoena from Senate Intelligence Committee

Former US &nbsp;President Barack Obama warned then-President-elect Donald Trump not to give the post of national security adviser in his administration to Michael Flynn who was eventually fired in a controversy about ties to Russia, a former Obama aide said.&nbsp;

Obama gave the warning in a one-hour Oval Office meeting with Trump two days after the Republican&#39;s surprise Nov. 8 election win.

The warning, first reported by NBC News, came up during a discussion of White House personnel.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer, responding to the reports, told a news briefing: &quot;It&#39;s true that the president, President Obama, made it known that he wasn&#39;t exactly a fan of General Flynn&#39;s which frankly shouldn&#39;t come as a surprise to anyone, given that General Flynn had worked for President Obama, was an outspoken critic of President Obama&#39;s shortcomings, specifically as it related to his lack of strategy confronting ISIS and other threats.&quot;

An Obama spokesman initially declined to comment.&nbsp;

Flynn has emerged as a central figure in probes into allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election and possible collusion between Trump&#39;s campaign and Moscow.

Russia has repeatedly denied any such meddling.&nbsp;

He had been pushed out by Obama in 2014 from his job as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, or DIA, during the Democratic president&#39;s term in office.

Trump dismissed Flynn after less than a month as his national security adviser.

A former US &nbsp;deputy attorney general, Sally Yates, was appearing at a hearing of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Monday.

She was expected to tell the panel that she had warned the White House counsel after Trump took office that Flynn had not told the truth about conversations he had held with Russia&#39;s ambassador to Washington.

James Clapper, Obama&#39;s former Director of National Intelligence, was testifying to the panel before Yates.

Senator Lindsey Graham, the subcommittee&rsquo;s Republican chairman, said in opening the hearing on Monday that the issue of interference in the election should not be partisan.

&quot;When a foreign party interferes in our election, it doesn&#39;t matter who they targeted. We&#39;re all in the same boat,&quot; Graham told the panel.

Trump fired Yates in late January after she defied the White House and refused to defend travel restrictions targeting seven Muslim-majority countries, a policy that Trump has said would help protect Americans from ISIS, the Islamic State group that has claimed responsibility for attacks in several countries.

Trump fired Flynn, a retired general, in February for failing to disclose talks with Ambassador Sergei Kislyak about US &nbsp;sanctions on Moscow and then misleading Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.&nbsp;

Congressional committees began investigating after US &nbsp;intelligence agencies concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered hacking of Democratic political groups to try to sway the election toward Trump.

The agencies said Russia was behind &quot;fake news&quot; reports that were disseminated on social media.

Trump has also dismissed the allegations, suggesting instead that Obama might have wiretapped Trump Tower in New York or that China may have been behind the cyber attacks.

Trump has provided no evidence and neither scenario has been supported by intelligence agencies.

Hours before Monday&#39;As Senate hearing,Trump insinuated that Yates, an Obama administration appointment, had leaked information on Flynn to the media.

&quot;Ask Sally Yates, under oath, if she knows how classified information got into the newspapers soon after she explained it to W H Council,&quot; Trump wrote on Twitter, apparently mis-spelling the word counsel.

In another Twitter post, Trump noted that Flynn had been granted top security clearance while working in the Obama administration.&nbsp;

Flynn was fired from the DIA in 2014 for what officials familiar with the issue said was a disruptive management style that included instructing analysts to find intelligence substantiating improbable theories that some subordinates came to call &quot;Flynn facts.&quot;

He also advocated an overhaul of the DIA that ignited resistance from veteran intelligence officials, the officials said.&nbsp;

The Senate Judiciary subcommittee probe is one of three main congressional investigations of Russia and the 2016 US &nbsp;election. The FBI and US &nbsp; intelligence agencies are conducting separate probes.

(Reuters)

Obama gave the warning in a one-hour Oval Office meeting with Trump two days after the Republican's surprise Nov 8 election win

Former US President Barack Obama warned then-President-elect Donald Trump not to give the post of national security adviser in his administration to Michael Flynn who was eventually fired in a controversy about ties to Russia, a former Obama aide said. Obama gave the warning in a one-hour Oval Office meeting with Trump two days after the Republican's surprise Nov. 8 election win. The warning, first reported by NBC News, came up during a discussion of White House personnel. White House spokesman Sean Spicer, responding to the reports, told a news briefing: "It's true that the president, President Obama, made it known that he wasn't exactly a fan of General Flynn's which frankly shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, given that General Flynn had worked for President Obama, was an outspoken critic of President Obama's shortcomings, specifically as it related to his lack of strategy confronting ISIS and other threats." An Obama spokesman initially declined to comment. Flynn has emerged as a central figure in probes into allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election and possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Moscow. Russia has repeatedly denied any such meddling. He had been pushed out by Obama in 2014 from his job as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, or DIA, during the Democratic president's term in office. Trump dismissed Flynn after less than a month as his national security adviser. A former US deputy attorney general, Sally Yates, was appearing at a hearing of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Monday. She was expected to tell the panel that she had warned the White House counsel after Trump took office that Flynn had not told the truth about conversations he had held with Russia's ambassador to Washington. James Clapper, Obama's former Director of National Intelligence, was testifying to the panel before Yates. Senator Lindsey Graham, the subcommittee’s Republican chairman, said in opening the hearing on Monday that the issue of interference in the election should not be partisan. "When a foreign party interferes in our election, it doesn't matter who they targeted. We're all in the same boat," Graham told the panel. Trump fired Yates in late January after she defied the White House and refused to defend travel restrictions targeting seven Muslim-majority countries, a policy that Trump has said would help protect Americans from ISIS, the Islamic State group that has claimed responsibility for attacks in several countries. Trump fired Flynn, a retired general, in February for failing to disclose talks with Ambassador Sergei Kislyak about US sanctions on Moscow and then misleading Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations. Congressional committees began investigating after US intelligence agencies concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered hacking of Democratic political groups to try to sway the election toward Trump. The agencies said Russia was behind "fake news" reports that were disseminated on social media. Trump has also dismissed the allegations, suggesting instead that Obama might have wiretapped Trump Tower in New York or that China may have been behind the cyber attacks. Trump has provided no evidence and neither scenario has been supported by intelligence agencies. Hours before Monday'As Senate hearing,Trump insinuated that Yates, an Obama administration appointment, had leaked information on Flynn to the media. "Ask Sally Yates, under oath, if she knows how classified information got into the newspapers soon after she explained it to W H Council," Trump wrote on Twitter, apparently mis-spelling the word counsel. In another Twitter post, Trump noted that Flynn had been granted top security clearance while working in the Obama administration. Flynn was fired from the DIA in 2014 for what officials familiar with the issue said was a disruptive management style that included instructing analysts to find intelligence substantiating improbable theories that some subordinates came to call "Flynn facts." He also advocated an overhaul of the DIA that ignited resistance from veteran intelligence officials, the officials said. The Senate Judiciary subcommittee probe is one of three main congressional investigations of Russia and the 2016 US election. The FBI and US intelligence agencies are conducting separate probes. (Reuters)

Obama warned Trump about Flynn: Ex-Obama aide

US President Donald Trump on Monday appointed lieutenant general Herbert Raymond McMaster as his new national security adviser, once again turning to the US military to play a central role on his foreign policy team.

&quot;He is highly respected by everybody in the military and we&#39;re very honoured to have him,&quot; Trump said, Reuters reported.

Trump also picked Keith Kellogg, a retired US Army general, who&nbsp;was till now serving as the acting national security adviser, as chief of staff to the National Security Council.

Calling Kellogg a &ldquo;terrific man&rdquo; Trump said that McMaster and Kellogg are a &quot;very, very special&quot; combination.

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<h5>Trump spent the weekend considering his options for replacing Flynn&nbsp;after his first choice,&nbsp;retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the job last week</h5>
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McMaster is known to be a highly regarded military tactician and strategic thinker.

But Trump&rsquo;s pick has come as a surprise to some who wondered how McMaster, who is known for questioning authority, would deal with a White House that has not been open to criticism so far.

McMaster replaced Michael Flynn who was fired as national security adviser on February 13 after reports surfaced that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about speaking to Russia&#39;s ambassador about US sanctions before Trump&#39;s inauguration.

The early ouster came as&nbsp;a setback for a White House that has been hit by miscues, including the controversial rollout of the travel ban.

Trump spent the weekend considering his options for replacing Flynn&nbsp;after his first choice,&nbsp;retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the job last week.

54-year-old McMaster&nbsp;is a West Point graduate with a PhD in US history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He was in&nbsp;Time magazine&#39;s list of 100 most influential people in 2014, partly because of his willingness to buck the system.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

&nbsp;

He replaces Michael Flynn who was fired just 24 days into the job

US President Donald Trump on Monday appointed lieutenant general Herbert Raymond McMaster as his new national security adviser, once again turning to the US military to play a central role on his foreign policy team. "He is highly respected by everybody in the military and we're very honoured to have him," Trump said, Reuters reported. Trump also picked Keith Kellogg, a retired US Army general, who was till now serving as the acting national security adviser, as chief of staff to the National Security Council. Calling Kellogg a “terrific man” Trump said that McMaster and Kellogg are a "very, very special" combination. Trump spent the weekend considering his options for replacing Flynn after his first choice, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the job last week × McMaster is known to be a highly regarded military tactician and strategic thinker. But Trump’s pick has come as a surprise to some who wondered how McMaster, who is known for questioning authority, would deal with a White House that has not been open to criticism so far. McMaster replaced Michael Flynn who was fired as national security adviser on February 13 after reports surfaced that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about speaking to Russia's ambassador about US sanctions before Trump's inauguration. The early ouster came as a setback for a White House that has been hit by miscues, including the controversial rollout of the travel ban. Trump spent the weekend considering his options for replacing Flynn after his first choice, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the job last week. 54-year-old McMaster is a West Point graduate with a PhD in US history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was in Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people in 2014, partly because of his willingness to buck the system. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Trump names HR McMaster as new national security adviser

President Donald Trump&#39;s next pick for national security adviser will have autonomy over staffing and key decisions, the White House said on Sunday as it scrambles to fill the post following the turbulent departure of Michael Flynn.

Trump fired Flynn, a retired US&nbsp;Army general, on Monday after it was revealed that he discussed US&nbsp;sanctions against Russia with the Russian ambassador in Washington ahead of Trump&#39;s inauguration and later misled vice president Mike Pence about the conversations.

His first choice to fill the job, Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned it down citing family and financial reasons. Another potential choice, David Petraeus, a retired general and former CIA chief who resigned in 2012 over an extramarital affair, is also no longer on the president&#39;s short list.

Sources familiar with the candidates&#39;&nbsp;thinking said they both wanted control over staffing of their team, and Trump was reluctant to grant that authority.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus denied the reports that Harward and Petraeus wanted more control than Trump was prepared to give, and said in an interview on `Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace` that the new adviser &quot;can do whatever he or she wants to do with the staffing&quot;.

He said the issue never came up in discussions with Harward and they &quot;hadn&#39;t really gone down the road&quot; with Petraeus.

The national security adviser is an independent aide to the president and does not require confirmation by the US&nbsp;Senate. The role has varied from administration to administration but the adviser attends National Security Council meetings along with the heads of the State Department, the Department of Defense and key security agencies.&nbsp;

Trump has added Steve Bannon, his chief White House strategist, as a regular attendee of NSC meetings. Political strategists have not typically been among NSC participants and Bannon`s addition has drawn sharp criticism due his previous role heading right-wing website Breitbart News.

Trump is set to interview four national security adviser candidates on Sunday from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Acting adviser Keith Kellogg, former US&nbsp;ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, Lieutenant General HR&nbsp;McMaster and Lieutenant General Robert Caslen are currently on the president`s list.

McMaster holds a senior post with the US&nbsp;Army Training and Doctrine Command. Caslen is superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

&quot;I&#39;ll make a decision over the next couple of days,&quot; Trump told reporters Saturday on Air Force One.

&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Trump is set to interview four national security adviser candidates on Sunday from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida

President Donald Trump's next pick for national security adviser will have autonomy over staffing and key decisions, the White House said on Sunday as it scrambles to fill the post following the turbulent departure of Michael Flynn. Trump fired Flynn, a retired US Army general, on Monday after it was revealed that he discussed US sanctions against Russia with the Russian ambassador in Washington ahead of Trump's inauguration and later misled vice president Mike Pence about the conversations. His first choice to fill the job, Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned it down citing family and financial reasons. Another potential choice, David Petraeus, a retired general and former CIA chief who resigned in 2012 over an extramarital affair, is also no longer on the president's short list. Sources familiar with the candidates' thinking said they both wanted control over staffing of their team, and Trump was reluctant to grant that authority. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus denied the reports that Harward and Petraeus wanted more control than Trump was prepared to give, and said in an interview on `Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace` that the new adviser "can do whatever he or she wants to do with the staffing". He said the issue never came up in discussions with Harward and they "hadn't really gone down the road" with Petraeus. The national security adviser is an independent aide to the president and does not require confirmation by the US Senate. The role has varied from administration to administration but the adviser attends National Security Council meetings along with the heads of the State Department, the Department of Defense and key security agencies. Trump has added Steve Bannon, his chief White House strategist, as a regular attendee of NSC meetings. Political strategists have not typically been among NSC participants and Bannon`s addition has drawn sharp criticism due his previous role heading right-wing website Breitbart News. Trump is set to interview four national security adviser candidates on Sunday from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Acting adviser Keith Kellogg, former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, Lieutenant General HR McMaster and Lieutenant General Robert Caslen are currently on the president`s list. McMaster holds a senior post with the US Army Training and Doctrine Command. Caslen is superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. "I'll make a decision over the next couple of days," Trump told reporters Saturday on Air Force One. (Reuters)

Trump's national security candidates promised autonomy as hunt continues

US President Donald Trump&#39;s pick for the position of National Security Adviser, Retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, has&nbsp;refused the offer, according to a report in the Financial Times.

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President Donald Trump&#39;s choice for national security adviser, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, has turned down the offer, a senior White House official said on Thursday. (WION)
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The report said that Harward was concerned whether Trump&#39;s advisers will let him install his own team at the National Security Council. Robert Harward served as deputy commander of the US Central Command under the current secretary of defence, James Mattis. &nbsp;

Harward was offered the job after Michael Flynn was fired as the National Security Adviser by Trump after he misled the Vice-President, Mike Pence, about his conversation with the Russian envoy to the US.

Following a more than 30-year military career, Harward became chief executive of defense giant Lockheed Martin&#39;s United Arab Emirates division.

After spending more than 30 years in the military, Howard became Lockheed Martin&#39;s United Arab Emirates&#39; chief executive.

<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2017/02/16/politics/harward-says-no-to-national-security-adviser-role/index.html?sr=twCNN021717harward-says-no-to-national-security-adviser-role0101AMStoryLink&amp;linkId=34594085" target="_blank">CNN </a>reported that a friend of Harward claimed that the retired vice admiral&nbsp;was reluctant to accept&nbsp;the offer because the White House &quot;seemed so chaotic&quot;, and that he called Trump&#39;s offer a &quot;shit sandwich&quot;.

But Republican senator&nbsp;James Lankford&nbsp;rejected the suggestion that supposed White House chaos caused Harward to reject the offer, calling it &quot;hearsay&quot;.&nbsp;

(WION)

The report said that Harward was concerned whether Trump's advisers will let him install his own team at the National Security Council

US President Donald Trump's pick for the position of National Security Adviser, Retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, has refused the offer, according to a report in the Financial Times. President Donald Trump's choice for national security adviser, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, has turned down the offer, a senior White House official said on Thursday. (WION) × The report said that Harward was concerned whether Trump's advisers will let him install his own team at the National Security Council. Robert Harward served as deputy commander of the US Central Command under the current secretary of defence, James Mattis. Harward was offered the job after Michael Flynn was fired as the National Security Adviser by Trump after he misled the Vice-President, Mike Pence, about his conversation with the Russian envoy to the US. Following a more than 30-year military career, Harward became chief executive of defense giant Lockheed Martin's United Arab Emirates division. After spending more than 30 years in the military, Howard became Lockheed Martin's United Arab Emirates' chief executive. CNN reported that a friend of Harward claimed that the retired vice admiral was reluctant to accept the offer because the White House "seemed so chaotic", and that he called Trump's offer a "shit sandwich". But Republican senator James Lankford rejected the suggestion that supposed White House chaos caused Harward to reject the offer, calling it "hearsay". (WION)

Trump's pick for National Security Adviser refuses offer: Financial Times

Addressing a press conference discussing issues that have plagued the first few weeks of his presidency, Trump tried to defend his administration from recent controversies about links with Russian intelligence.

Calling the reports of alleged links between his aides and Russia a &#39;ruse&#39; and a &#39;scam&#39; perpetrated by media, Trump sought to distance his campaign last year from any Russian help.

&quot;The leaks are absolutely real. The news is fake,&quot; Trump told a news conference about reports that his campaign team was in contact with the Russian intelligence.

Trump also denied that he ordered Michael Flynn to have a conversation with Moscow&#39;s envoy to the US about the Russian sanctions.

Michael Flynn, a close aide of President Trump, was fired by him as the US National Security Adviser for misleading Vice-President Mike Pence about his conversation with the Russian envoy to the US on Russian sanction, before Trump&#39;s inauguration on January 20.

But, in the same breath, he tried to defend Flynn by saying there was nothing wrong if he was calling up other countries and talking to them as it was his job.

&quot;What he did wasn`t wrong,&quot; Trump said.&nbsp;

&quot;Mike was doing his job. He was calling countries and his counterparts. So, it certainly would have been OK with me if he did it. ... I didn`t direct him, but I would have directed him because that`s his job,&quot; he added.

Trump said that he has&nbsp;asked the Justice Department to look into the leaks of &quot;classified information that was given illegally&quot; to journalists regarding the relationship between his aides and Russia.&nbsp;

Obama had imposed fresh sanctions on Russia on December 29 after US intelligence reports that Russia had interfered with the election process.

Speaking at the press conference, Trump also said that he &quot;inherited a mess&quot;.

&quot;To be honest, I inherited a mess. It&#39;s a mess. At home and abroad. A mess. Low pay, low wages. Mass instability overseas no matter where you look. The Middle East a disaster. North Korea. We`ll take care of it, folks. We&#39;re going to take care of it all,&quot; he said.

He also intoduced Alexander Acosta, a former federal prosecutor from Florida, as his nominee to lead the Department of Labour.

His first nominee, Andrew Puzder, withdrew under pressure over his business record.

(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Trump also denied that he ordered Flynn to have a conversation with Moscow's envoy to the US

Addressing a press conference discussing issues that have plagued the first few weeks of his presidency, Trump tried to defend his administration from recent controversies about links with Russian intelligence. Calling the reports of alleged links between his aides and Russia a 'ruse' and a 'scam' perpetrated by media, Trump sought to distance his campaign last year from any Russian help. "The leaks are absolutely real. The news is fake," Trump told a news conference about reports that his campaign team was in contact with the Russian intelligence. Trump also denied that he ordered Michael Flynn to have a conversation with Moscow's envoy to the US about the Russian sanctions. Michael Flynn, a close aide of President Trump, was fired by him as the US National Security Adviser for misleading Vice-President Mike Pence about his conversation with the Russian envoy to the US on Russian sanction, before Trump's inauguration on January 20. But, in the same breath, he tried to defend Flynn by saying there was nothing wrong if he was calling up other countries and talking to them as it was his job. "What he did wasn`t wrong," Trump said. "Mike was doing his job. He was calling countries and his counterparts. So, it certainly would have been OK with me if he did it. ... I didn`t direct him, but I would have directed him because that`s his job," he added. Trump said that he has asked the Justice Department to look into the leaks of "classified information that was given illegally" to journalists regarding the relationship between his aides and Russia. Obama had imposed fresh sanctions on Russia on December 29 after US intelligence reports that Russia had interfered with the election process. Speaking at the press conference, Trump also said that he "inherited a mess". "To be honest, I inherited a mess. It's a mess. At home and abroad. A mess. Low pay, low wages. Mass instability overseas no matter where you look. The Middle East a disaster. North Korea. We`ll take care of it, folks. We're going to take care of it all," he said. He also intoduced Alexander Acosta, a former federal prosecutor from Florida, as his nominee to lead the Department of Labour. His first nominee, Andrew Puzder, withdrew under pressure over his business record. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Trump defends his administration on reports of links with Russia