US Vice President Mike Pence, sharpening US criticism of Chinese policies around the globe, will give China a blunt warning on Thursday that the United States will not back down from what Washington sees as Chinese intimidation in the South China Sea.

Pence will deliver an 11 am (1500 GMT) address at the Hudson Institute think tank in Washington likely to increase tensions between the United States and China beyond trade disputes that have dominated President Donald Trump's time in office.

In excerpts of his speech seen by Reuters, Pence will call attention to an incident in which a destroyer, the USS Decatur, travelled within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson Reefs in the Spratly Islands on Sunday.

Pence will say a Chinese naval vessel came within 45 yards (metres) of the USS Decatur "as it conducted freedom-of-navigation operations in the South China Sea, forcing our ship to quickly maneuver to avoid collision."

"Despite such reckless harassment, the United States Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows and our national interests demand. We will not be intimidated. We will not stand down," Pence will say.

The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing’s efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate.

China's Defence Ministry said a Chinese naval ship had been sent to warn the US vessel to leave and that Beijing had irrefutable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the waters around them.

Pence will also accuse the Chinese Communist Party of convincing three Latin American nations to sever ties with Taiwan and recognize China.

"These actions threaten the stability of the Taiwan Strait – and the United States of America condemns them. And while our administration will continue to respect our One China Policy, as reflected in the three joint communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act, let me also say that Taiwan’s embrace of democracy shows a better path for all the Chinese people," Pence will say.

The United States and China are embroiled in a trade war, sparked by Trump’s accusations that China has long sought to steal US intellectual property, limit access to its own market and unfairly subsidize state-owned companies. The two countries have imposed increasingly severe rounds of tariffs on each other's imports.

Despite the tensions, Trump has said Chinese President Xi Jinping is a friend. But at a news conference but last week in New York, he said: “Maybe he’s not anymore, I’ll be honest with you."

In New York, Trump accused China of attempting to meddle in the US congressional elections coming up next month, while offering little in the way of evidence. Beijing rejected the charge.

He cited a Chinese government-run media company’s four-page supplement in the Sunday Des Moines Register of Iowa as an attempt to turn voters in that key state against Trump's trade policies.

'DEBT DIPLOMACY'

Pence will say China uses “debt diplomacy” to expand its influence worldwide.

"Today, that country is offering hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure loans to governments from Asia to Africa to Europe to even Latin America. Yet the terms of those loans are opaque at best, and the benefits flow overwhelmingly to Beijing," he will say.

He will also say that Beijing has extended a lifeline to "the corrupt and incompetent Maduro regime in Venezuela," pledging $5 billion in loans that can be repaid with oil.

Pence will say the US intelligence community has determined that China is targeting US state and local governments and officials to exploit any divisions between federal and local levels on policy.

"It’s using wedge issues, like trade tariffs, to advance Beijing’s political influence," he will say.

The goal, he is to say, is to shift Americans' perception of Chinese policies by mobilizing "covert actors, front groups, and propaganda outlets."

"As a senior career member of our intelligence community recently told me, what the Russians are doing pales in comparison to what China is doing across this country," Pence will say.

Pence will also argue that Chinese officials have tried to influence business leaders to condemn US trade actions, "leveraging their desire to maintain their operations in China."

"In one recent example, they threatened to deny a business license for a major US corporation if it refused to speak out against our administration’s policies," Pence will say.

The corporation is not named in the speech excerpts.

US Vice President Mike Pence, sharpening US criticism of Chinese policies around the globe, will give China a blunt warning on Thursday that the United States will not back down from what Washington sees as Chinese intimidation in the South China Sea.

US Vice President Mike Pence, sharpening US criticism of Chinese policies around the globe, will give China a blunt warning on Thursday that the United States will not back down from what Washington sees as Chinese intimidation in the South China Sea. Pence will deliver an 11 am (1500 GMT) address at the Hudson Institute think tank in Washington likely to increase tensions between the United States and China beyond trade disputes that have dominated President Donald Trump's time in office. In excerpts of his speech seen by Reuters, Pence will call attention to an incident in which a destroyer, the USS Decatur, travelled within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson Reefs in the Spratly Islands on Sunday. Pence will say a Chinese naval vessel came within 45 yards (metres) of the USS Decatur "as it conducted freedom-of-navigation operations in the South China Sea, forcing our ship to quickly maneuver to avoid collision." "Despite such reckless harassment, the United States Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows and our national interests demand. We will not be intimidated. We will not stand down," Pence will say. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing’s efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. China's Defence Ministry said a Chinese naval ship had been sent to warn the US vessel to leave and that Beijing had irrefutable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the waters around them. Pence will also accuse the Chinese Communist Party of convincing three Latin American nations to sever ties with Taiwan and recognize China. "These actions threaten the stability of the Taiwan Strait – and the United States of America condemns them. And while our administration will continue to respect our One China Policy, as reflected in the three joint communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act, let me also say that Taiwan’s embrace of democracy shows a better path for all the Chinese people," Pence will say. The United States and China are embroiled in a trade war, sparked by Trump’s accusations that China has long sought to steal US intellectual property, limit access to its own market and unfairly subsidize state-owned companies. The two countries have imposed increasingly severe rounds of tariffs on each other's imports. Despite the tensions, Trump has said Chinese President Xi Jinping is a friend. But at a news conference but last week in New York, he said: “Maybe he’s not anymore, I’ll be honest with you." In New York, Trump accused China of attempting to meddle in the US congressional elections coming up next month, while offering little in the way of evidence. Beijing rejected the charge. He cited a Chinese government-run media company’s four-page supplement in the Sunday Des Moines Register of Iowa as an attempt to turn voters in that key state against Trump's trade policies. 'DEBT DIPLOMACY' Pence will say China uses “debt diplomacy” to expand its influence worldwide. "Today, that country is offering hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure loans to governments from Asia to Africa to Europe to even Latin America. Yet the terms of those loans are opaque at best, and the benefits flow overwhelmingly to Beijing," he will say. He will also say that Beijing has extended a lifeline to "the corrupt and incompetent Maduro regime in Venezuela," pledging $5 billion in loans that can be repaid with oil. Pence will say the US intelligence community has determined that China is targeting US state and local governments and officials to exploit any divisions between federal and local levels on policy. "It’s using wedge issues, like trade tariffs, to advance Beijing’s political influence," he will say. The goal, he is to say, is to shift Americans' perception of Chinese policies by mobilizing "covert actors, front groups, and propaganda outlets." "As a senior career member of our intelligence community recently told me, what the Russians are doing pales in comparison to what China is doing across this country," Pence will say. Pence will also argue that Chinese officials have tried to influence business leaders to condemn US trade actions, "leveraging their desire to maintain their operations in China." "In one recent example, they threatened to deny a business license for a major US corporation if it refused to speak out against our administration’s policies," Pence will say. The corporation is not named in the speech excerpts.

We will not be intimidated in South China Sea: US VP Pence to tell China

President Donald Trump's announcement in April that he wanted to pull US troops out of Syria left the country's Kurds fearing they would be abandoned by their most important military ally.

Six months later, as the battle against Islamic State draws to a close, Syrian Kurdish leaders see signs of renewed US interest in the oil-rich region they control in northern and eastern Syria.

A spate of visits to Syria by US diplomats in the past two months and a new readiness to discuss the country's future point to a longer-term US commitment, they say.

US forces are seen as a shield against attacks by Turkey from the north and protection against any attempt by President Bashar al-Assad to seize the region's wheat and oil fields.

"We feel (the Americans) are more committed now," Aldar Xelil, a top Kurdish politician, said.

"There's attention, a political file and follow-up beyond the realm of fighting (Islamic State)," he said. "At the very least, before there was no talk of this at all."

After Trump's announcement, Kurdish-led authorities began talks with Damascus. They did so partly out of concern their ally could walk away, though other US officials played down the odds of withdrawing soon.

The talks have come to a standstill, one Kurdish official said.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG militia, control nearly a quarter of Syria. This territory, where they have carved out autonomous rule, is the largest chunk of Syria outside the state's hands.

Assad sees the Americans as "foreign occupiers" and has threatened force to restore the region, where some 2,000 US troops stand alongside the SDF and supply weapons.

Even as Washington helped Kurdish fighters seize territory from Islamic State, it has opposed their autonomy plans and avoided making any political promises.

Conflicting US messages have put the Kurds on guard at times, and they worry Washington may ultimately put its ties with fellow NATO member Turkey first.

"We do get along great with the Kurds. Don't forget, that's their territory," Trump told a news conference at the United Nations general assembly last week. "We have to help them. I want to help them...They fought with us. They died with us."

The US-Kurdish military friendship has infuriated Turkey, which views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), classified as terrorist by Ankara and the United States.

US HAS "ENTERED POLITICAL ARENA"

In line with Ankara's wishes, the main Kurdish parties and their allies have been repeatedly left out of international talks on Syria's conflict since it began in 2011.

Ilham Ahmed, a senior member of the SDF's political wing, the Syrian Democratic Council, said US officials had now "entered the political arena".

She welcomed comments about engaging the Kurds in any future peace settlement and about US forces not leaving before there is progress in defunct United Nations talks on Syria.

"But the results remain the most important to us ... So far we have not seen a clear plan," she said. "Visits alone are not enough. But rather guarantees of protecting the region and including (us) in the political process."

Xelil said the latest shift may stem from ramped-up US efforts to counter Assad's ally Iran. He pointed to remarks by National Security Adviser John Bolton, who said troops would stay in Syria as long as Tehran did.

He said the SDF's attempts to negotiate with Assad, who has clawed back most of the country, could be another factor.

Amjad Othman, an SDC spokesman and founding member, said talks with the Damascus government have reached an impasse since the first meeting in July. The two sides have mostly avoided fighting during the war.

The state "insists on sticking to the current order" and refuses to make changes to the constitution, he said. "There's no use as long as it's not willing to make any concessions."

DAMASCUS ACCUSES US OVER TALKS

Syrian Kurds, whom the state persecuted for years, say they do not seek independence, but hope a political deal will secure their autonomy and minority rights.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem accused Washington of ruining the negotiations.

"The Kurdish citizens...are discussing a set of rights, some of them could be achieved through dialogue," he told Russia's RT channel on Sunday. "But the danger is the American presence...is giving the Kurds hope that they can work outside the legitimate government in Damascus, and this is an illusion."

The United States said in August it had raised $300 million for parts of Syria taken from Islamic State, after Trump demanded that allies help carry the costs of the war.

Jim Jeffrey, a top US diplomat for Syria, told Reuters on Friday that $100 million had come through from Saudi Arabia, so Washington beefed up its teams and "stabilization" work. He said this included "local governance".

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has tasked Jeffrey with overseeing the US political role.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis also underlined the US interest in Syria this week.

"Our diplomats, they are on the ground (and) have been doubled in number," Mattis told a news conference during a visit to Paris. After the fighting ends, he said, troops would work to ensure the jihadists do not return.

"As we see the military operations become less, you'll see the diplomatic effort now able to take (root)."

President Donald Trump's announcement in April that he wanted to pull US troops out of Syria left the country's Kurds fearing they would be abandoned by their most important military ally.

President Donald Trump's announcement in April that he wanted to pull US troops out of Syria left the country's Kurds fearing they would be abandoned by their most important military ally. Six months later, as the battle against Islamic State draws to a close, Syrian Kurdish leaders see signs of renewed US interest in the oil-rich region they control in northern and eastern Syria. A spate of visits to Syria by US diplomats in the past two months and a new readiness to discuss the country's future point to a longer-term US commitment, they say. US forces are seen as a shield against attacks by Turkey from the north and protection against any attempt by President Bashar al-Assad to seize the region's wheat and oil fields. "We feel (the Americans) are more committed now," Aldar Xelil, a top Kurdish politician, said. "There's attention, a political file and follow-up beyond the realm of fighting (Islamic State)," he said. "At the very least, before there was no talk of this at all." After Trump's announcement, Kurdish-led authorities began talks with Damascus. They did so partly out of concern their ally could walk away, though other US officials played down the odds of withdrawing soon. The talks have come to a standstill, one Kurdish official said. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG militia, control nearly a quarter of Syria. This territory, where they have carved out autonomous rule, is the largest chunk of Syria outside the state's hands. Assad sees the Americans as "foreign occupiers" and has threatened force to restore the region, where some 2,000 US troops stand alongside the SDF and supply weapons. Even as Washington helped Kurdish fighters seize territory from Islamic State, it has opposed their autonomy plans and avoided making any political promises. Conflicting US messages have put the Kurds on guard at times, and they worry Washington may ultimately put its ties with fellow NATO member Turkey first. "We do get along great with the Kurds. Don't forget, that's their territory," Trump told a news conference at the United Nations general assembly last week. "We have to help them. I want to help them...They fought with us. They died with us." The US-Kurdish military friendship has infuriated Turkey, which views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), classified as terrorist by Ankara and the United States. US HAS "ENTERED POLITICAL ARENA" In line with Ankara's wishes, the main Kurdish parties and their allies have been repeatedly left out of international talks on Syria's conflict since it began in 2011. Ilham Ahmed, a senior member of the SDF's political wing, the Syrian Democratic Council, said US officials had now "entered the political arena". She welcomed comments about engaging the Kurds in any future peace settlement and about US forces not leaving before there is progress in defunct United Nations talks on Syria. "But the results remain the most important to us ... So far we have not seen a clear plan," she said. "Visits alone are not enough. But rather guarantees of protecting the region and including (us) in the political process." Xelil said the latest shift may stem from ramped-up US efforts to counter Assad's ally Iran. He pointed to remarks by National Security Adviser John Bolton, who said troops would stay in Syria as long as Tehran did. He said the SDF's attempts to negotiate with Assad, who has clawed back most of the country, could be another factor. Amjad Othman, an SDC spokesman and founding member, said talks with the Damascus government have reached an impasse since the first meeting in July. The two sides have mostly avoided fighting during the war. The state "insists on sticking to the current order" and refuses to make changes to the constitution, he said. "There's no use as long as it's not willing to make any concessions." DAMASCUS ACCUSES US OVER TALKS Syrian Kurds, whom the state persecuted for years, say they do not seek independence, but hope a political deal will secure their autonomy and minority rights. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem accused Washington of ruining the negotiations. "The Kurdish citizens...are discussing a set of rights, some of them could be achieved through dialogue," he told Russia's RT channel on Sunday. "But the danger is the American presence...is giving the Kurds hope that they can work outside the legitimate government in Damascus, and this is an illusion." The United States said in August it had raised $300 million for parts of Syria taken from Islamic State, after Trump demanded that allies help carry the costs of the war. Jim Jeffrey, a top US diplomat for Syria, told Reuters on Friday that $100 million had come through from Saudi Arabia, so Washington beefed up its teams and "stabilization" work. He said this included "local governance". Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has tasked Jeffrey with overseeing the US political role. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis also underlined the US interest in Syria this week. "Our diplomats, they are on the ground (and) have been doubled in number," Mattis told a news conference during a visit to Paris. After the fighting ends, he said, troops would work to ensure the jihadists do not return. "As we see the military operations become less, you'll see the diplomatic effort now able to take (root)."

'We have to help them': Syrian Kurdish leaders see new US interest

Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev is retiring from international soccer after leading the national side as captain to this year's World Cup quarter-finals on home soil.

The 32-year-old CSKA Moscow player's acrobatic penalty saves captivated home crowds and helped Russia to their best tournament finish since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

"There is a beginning and an end to every story," Akinfeev was quoted as saying on CSKA's website. "My story with the national team has also reached its logical end."

Akinfeev earned 112 caps for his country since his debut in 2004 as an 18-year-old, according to the Russian Football Union.

The highlight of his international career came at this year's World Cup hosted by Russia.

"It was a great honour for me to lead the Russian team as captain at the World Cup," he said. "Honestly I couldn't have dreamt of it. But it happened and probably was the peak of my career with the national team."

Akinfeev played a key role in helping his team reach the quarter-finals, where they lost 4-3 to Croatia in a penalty shootout.

He saved two penalties, including one with his left leg, to help Russia eliminate 2010 world champions Spain in the round of 16.

After the match, graffiti of the goalkeeper appeared around the country and his kick save became a symbol of Russia's unexpected success at the tournament.

"We didn't win any medals at the World Cup, but all the guys did what they could," he said. "The most important thing is that no one was indifferent among us."

CSKA manager Viktor Goncharenko said Akinfeev's decision would allow him to focus on his club who face Real Madrid in the Champions League in Moscow on Tuesday.

"As a simple fan, I regret that he can't help the national team," Goncharenko told reporters. "As CSKA coach I think this will benefit us because he will be completely concentrated on the club."

Russia had been heavily dependent on Akinfeev, who before the World Cup had had a checkered history in internationals.

At the 2014 World Cup, he fumbled the ball to gift South Korea a goal and a 1-1 draw, a mistake that contributed to Russia's group-stage exit from the tournament.

"I'm leaving with peace of mind," Akinfeev said. "A very good and promising generation has appeared in Russia. Some guys already revealed themselves to be real leaders at this World Cup."

Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev is retiring from international soccer after leading the national side as captain to this year's World Cup quarter-finals on home soil.

Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev is retiring from international soccer after leading the national side as captain to this year's World Cup quarter-finals on home soil. The 32-year-old CSKA Moscow player's acrobatic penalty saves captivated home crowds and helped Russia to their best tournament finish since the collapse of the Soviet Union. "There is a beginning and an end to every story," Akinfeev was quoted as saying on CSKA's website. "My story with the national team has also reached its logical end." Akinfeev earned 112 caps for his country since his debut in 2004 as an 18-year-old, according to the Russian Football Union. The highlight of his international career came at this year's World Cup hosted by Russia. "It was a great honour for me to lead the Russian team as captain at the World Cup," he said. "Honestly I couldn't have dreamt of it. But it happened and probably was the peak of my career with the national team." Akinfeev played a key role in helping his team reach the quarter-finals, where they lost 4-3 to Croatia in a penalty shootout. He saved two penalties, including one with his left leg, to help Russia eliminate 2010 world champions Spain in the round of 16. After the match, graffiti of the goalkeeper appeared around the country and his kick save became a symbol of Russia's unexpected success at the tournament. "We didn't win any medals at the World Cup, but all the guys did what they could," he said. "The most important thing is that no one was indifferent among us." CSKA manager Viktor Goncharenko said Akinfeev's decision would allow him to focus on his club who face Real Madrid in the Champions League in Moscow on Tuesday. "As a simple fan, I regret that he can't help the national team," Goncharenko told reporters. "As CSKA coach I think this will benefit us because he will be completely concentrated on the club." Russia had been heavily dependent on Akinfeev, who before the World Cup had had a checkered history in internationals. At the 2014 World Cup, he fumbled the ball to gift South Korea a goal and a 1-1 draw, a mistake that contributed to Russia's group-stage exit from the tournament. "I'm leaving with peace of mind," Akinfeev said. "A very good and promising generation has appeared in Russia. Some guys already revealed themselves to be real leaders at this World Cup."

US-Mexico-Canada deal most important trade pact ever: Trump

President Donald Trump has made it clear to Pakistan that the US expects Islamabad to take steps to end the role of "non-state actors", a senior State Department official said.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asia Region Alice Wells, briefing reporters on Friday on US priorities in the South and Central Asia Region, cited Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's statement that in his country non-state actors and extremist groups have no role.

Responding to a question on India-Pakistan ties, Wells said there are issues between them that affect regional stability.

"We acknowledge that, and we continue to support any dialogue efforts between the governments that can lead to greater stability and reducing of tensions but at the same time President Trump has made it clear that we do expect and we do have high aspirations for Pakistan to take steps to end the role of non-state actors," she said.

When asked if the US will play a role in bringing New Delhi and Islamabad together for a dialogue to resolve their differences, Wells said it is for the countries to decide.

"America is always willing to play a role that's asked of us by the countries of the region. We have two strategies focused on the region, the South Asia strategy as well as the Indo-Pacific strategy. And both involve strong and close bilateral and regional partnerships," she said.

When told that Pakistan has concerns about security threat to it due to the US-India strategic alliance, Wells said, "I don't accept the premise of the question because I don't see a strong US-India strategic partnership being at the expense of or as a threat to Pakistan."

She said the US-India strategic partnership is a global one, "a great deal of the focus has been how to build out a relationship towards the East, again dealing with the necessity of ensuring that the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open."

She underscored that US and Indian efforts to provide regional stability and to enhance economic growth are a "net-plus for everyone in the region including Pakistan," adding that Washington's relationship with Islamabad stands on its own.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump has made it clear to Pakistan that the US expects Islamabad to take steps to end the role of "non-state actors", a senior State Department official said.

President Donald Trump has made it clear to Pakistan that the US expects Islamabad to take steps to end the role of "non-state actors", a senior State Department official said. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asia Region Alice Wells, briefing reporters on Friday on US priorities in the South and Central Asia Region, cited Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's statement that in his country non-state actors and extremist groups have no role. Responding to a question on India-Pakistan ties, Wells said there are issues between them that affect regional stability. "We acknowledge that, and we continue to support any dialogue efforts between the governments that can lead to greater stability and reducing of tensions but at the same time President Trump has made it clear that we do expect and we do have high aspirations for Pakistan to take steps to end the role of non-state actors," she said. When asked if the US will play a role in bringing New Delhi and Islamabad together for a dialogue to resolve their differences, Wells said it is for the countries to decide. "America is always willing to play a role that's asked of us by the countries of the region. We have two strategies focused on the region, the South Asia strategy as well as the Indo-Pacific strategy. And both involve strong and close bilateral and regional partnerships," she said. When told that Pakistan has concerns about security threat to it due to the US-India strategic alliance, Wells said, "I don't accept the premise of the question because I don't see a strong US-India strategic partnership being at the expense of or as a threat to Pakistan." She said the US-India strategic partnership is a global one, "a great deal of the focus has been how to build out a relationship towards the East, again dealing with the necessity of ensuring that the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open." She underscored that US and Indian efforts to provide regional stability and to enhance economic growth are a "net-plus for everyone in the region including Pakistan," adding that Washington's relationship with Islamabad stands on its own.

US expects Pakistan to take action against 'non-state actors': Official

As the US Senate prepares to vote on whether to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court, all eyes are on three Republican senators who could make or break the nomination.

The Republican lawmakers considered potential opponents of President Donald Trump's pick for the nation's highest court are Jeff Flake of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

Republicans enjoy a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate and Kavanaugh, a staunch conservative, is unlikely to draw any support from the Democratic side of the aisle, although the possibility cannot be ruled out entirely.

A defection by just two Republicans would torpedo the hopes of Kavanaugh, a 53-year-old appeals court judge whose nomination has been clouded by allegations he committed a sexual assault decades ago while a teenager.

Flake, 55, has been a vocal critic of Trump, and Collins, 65, and Murkowski, 61, have crossed swords with the Republican president on several occasions.

In July of last year, Collins and Murkowski earned Trump's ire when they voted against his attempt to repeal former President Barack Obama's health care legislation.

"Senator Lisa Murkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday," Trump tweeted. "Too bad!"

Unlike most other Republicans, Collins and Murkowski back a women's right to an abortion and concerns have been raised that Kavanaugh could support attempts to overturn the 1973 Supreme Court ruling on the subject.

All three senators have been bombarded with questions from reporters and constituents all week about how they plan to vote and the pressure clearly caught up to Flake on Friday.

'Don't look away from me!'&nbsp;

Just minutes after issuing a statement saying he would vote "yes" on Kavanaugh, Flake was confronted in a Senate elevator by several irate women who said they were victims of sexual assault.

"Don't look away from me! Look at me and tell me that it doesn't matter what happened to me, that you'll let people like that go to the highest court on the land," one weeping woman told a visibly uncomfortable Flake.

After extricating himself, the Arizona senator sprang the 11th-hour surprise as the Senate Judiciary Committee was preparing to vote on Kavanaugh's nomination.

Amid confusion in the hearing room, Flake called for the full Senate vote to be delayed for up to a week to allow the FBI to investigate the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh.

Flake joined the 10 other Republicans on the panel in sending Kavanaugh's nomination to the Senate floor but he said later the results of the FBI probe could lead him to change his mind.

Murkowski and Collins both welcomed the delay and the FBI probe into the allegations by university professor Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982.

"It was a good step today," Murkowski said.

Flake is retiring from the Senate but Collins, who will be up for re-election in 2020, is under pressure in her home state of Maine.

Hillary Clinton defeated Trump in Maine by 48 per cent to 45 per cent in the 2016 presidential election and the northeast state has been leaning increasingly Democratic.

Hundreds of women showed up on Friday outside Collins' office in Portland, Maine, to voice their opposition to Kavanaugh's nomination.

"A Sexual Predator Does Not Belong on the Supreme Court," read a sign carried by one of the protestors.

Murkowski is on safer ground in Alaska.

She comes from a storied Alaska political family -- her father was governor and a senator before her -- and she doesn't face the voters again until 2022.

Asked Friday if he has a message for Murkowski and Collins, Trump said he did not have one.

"They have to do what they think is right," the president said. "They have to be comfortable with themselves."

As the US Senate prepares to vote on whether to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court, all eyes are on three Republican senators who could make or break the nomination.

As the US Senate prepares to vote on whether to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court, all eyes are on three Republican senators who could make or break the nomination. The Republican lawmakers considered potential opponents of President Donald Trump's pick for the nation's highest court are Jeff Flake of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Republicans enjoy a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate and Kavanaugh, a staunch conservative, is unlikely to draw any support from the Democratic side of the aisle, although the possibility cannot be ruled out entirely. A defection by just two Republicans would torpedo the hopes of Kavanaugh, a 53-year-old appeals court judge whose nomination has been clouded by allegations he committed a sexual assault decades ago while a teenager. Flake, 55, has been a vocal critic of Trump, and Collins, 65, and Murkowski, 61, have crossed swords with the Republican president on several occasions. In July of last year, Collins and Murkowski earned Trump's ire when they voted against his attempt to repeal former President Barack Obama's health care legislation. "Senator Lisa Murkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday," Trump tweeted. "Too bad!" Unlike most other Republicans, Collins and Murkowski back a women's right to an abortion and concerns have been raised that Kavanaugh could support attempts to overturn the 1973 Supreme Court ruling on the subject. All three senators have been bombarded with questions from reporters and constituents all week about how they plan to vote and the pressure clearly caught up to Flake on Friday. 'Don't look away from me!' Just minutes after issuing a statement saying he would vote "yes" on Kavanaugh, Flake was confronted in a Senate elevator by several irate women who said they were victims of sexual assault. "Don't look away from me! Look at me and tell me that it doesn't matter what happened to me, that you'll let people like that go to the highest court on the land," one weeping woman told a visibly uncomfortable Flake. After extricating himself, the Arizona senator sprang the 11th-hour surprise as the Senate Judiciary Committee was preparing to vote on Kavanaugh's nomination. Amid confusion in the hearing room, Flake called for the full Senate vote to be delayed for up to a week to allow the FBI to investigate the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh. Flake joined the 10 other Republicans on the panel in sending Kavanaugh's nomination to the Senate floor but he said later the results of the FBI probe could lead him to change his mind. Murkowski and Collins both welcomed the delay and the FBI probe into the allegations by university professor Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982. "It was a good step today," Murkowski said. Flake is retiring from the Senate but Collins, who will be up for re-election in 2020, is under pressure in her home state of Maine. Hillary Clinton defeated Trump in Maine by 48 per cent to 45 per cent in the 2016 presidential election and the northeast state has been leaning increasingly Democratic. Hundreds of women showed up on Friday outside Collins' office in Portland, Maine, to voice their opposition to Kavanaugh's nomination. "A Sexual Predator Does Not Belong on the Supreme Court," read a sign carried by one of the protestors. Murkowski is on safer ground in Alaska. She comes from a storied Alaska political family -- her father was governor and a senator before her -- and she doesn't face the voters again until 2022. Asked Friday if he has a message for Murkowski and Collins, Trump said he did not have one. "They have to do what they think is right," the president said. "They have to be comfortable with themselves."

Spotlight on three US senators as Supreme Court vote looms

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump is a possible contender for this year's Nobel Peace Prize after holding a historical meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12, 2018 which ambitiously aimed to pave the way for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Trump's journey to peace talks with North Korea began with name calling. But more recently the US&nbsp;president has described Kim as "open" and "honourable," in sharp contrast to deriding the Korean leader in the past -- labelling him "rocket man."

In June, Trump became the first serving US&nbsp;president to meet a North Korean leader in hopes of resolving a crisis over Pyongyang's development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States.

The tests and escalating rhetoric between Trump and Kim raised fears of war before the North Korean leader called, in a New Year speech, for lower military tensions and improved ties with South Korea.

Much of the change in tone from confrontation to engagement has been driven by the two Korean leaders, however, starting with Kim's New Year's address, in which he said he was open to reducing tensions with South Korea and was willing to send a delegation to the Winter Olympics.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday he had a "very positive" meeting with North Korea Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho on Wednesday and he would travel to Pyongyang again in October to prepare for the second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in Oslo on Friday, October 5, at 1100 am (local time).

US President Donald Trump is a possible contender for this year's Nobel Peace Prize after holding a historical meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12, 2018 which ambitiously aimed to pave the way for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

US President Donald Trump is a possible contender for this year's Nobel Peace Prize after holding a historical meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12, 2018 which ambitiously aimed to pave the way for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. Trump's journey to peace talks with North Korea began with name calling. But more recently the US president has described Kim as "open" and "honourable," in sharp contrast to deriding the Korean leader in the past -- labelling him "rocket man." In June, Trump became the first serving US president to meet a North Korean leader in hopes of resolving a crisis over Pyongyang's development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States. The tests and escalating rhetoric between Trump and Kim raised fears of war before the North Korean leader called, in a New Year speech, for lower military tensions and improved ties with South Korea. Much of the change in tone from confrontation to engagement has been driven by the two Korean leaders, however, starting with Kim's New Year's address, in which he said he was open to reducing tensions with South Korea and was willing to send a delegation to the Winter Olympics. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday he had a "very positive" meeting with North Korea Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho on Wednesday and he would travel to Pyongyang again in October to prepare for the second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in Oslo on Friday, October 5, at 1100 am (local time).

US President Donald Trump possible contender for 2018 Nobel Peace Prize?

The US&nbsp;military is increasing spending on a secret research effort to use artificial intelligence to help anticipate the launch of a nuclear-capable missile, as well as track and target mobile launchers in North Korea and elsewhere.

The effort has gone largely unreported, and the few publicly available details about it are buried under a layer of near impenetrable jargon in the latest Pentagon budget. But US&nbsp;officials familiar with the research told Reuters there are multiple classified programs now under way to explore how to develop AI-driven systems to better protect the United States against a potential nuclear missile strike.

If the research is successful, such computer systems would be able to think for themselves, scouring huge amounts of data, including satellite imagery, with a speed and accuracy beyond the capability of humans, to look for signs of preparations for a missile launch, according to more than half a dozen sources. The sources included US&nbsp;officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the research is classified.

Forewarned, the US&nbsp;government would be able to pursue diplomatic options or, in the case of an imminent attack, the military would have more time to try to destroy the missiles before they were launched, or try to intercept them.

"We should be doing everything in our power to find that missile before they launch it and make it increasingly harder to get it off (the ground)," one of the officials said.

The Trump administration has proposed more than tripling funding in next year's budget to $83 million for just one of the AI-driven missile programs, according to several US&nbsp;officials and budget documents. The boost in funding has not been previously reported.

While the amount is still relatively small, it is one indicator of the growing importance of the research on AI-powered anti-missile systems at a time when the United States faces a more militarily assertive Russia and a significant nuclear weapons threat from long-time foe North Korea.

"What AI and machine learning allows you to do is find the needle in the haystack," said Bob Work, a champion of AI technology who was deputy defense secretary until last July, without referring to any individual projects.

One person familiar with the programs said it includes a pilot project focused on North Korea. Washington is increasingly concerned about Pyongyang's development of mobile missiles that can be hidden in tunnels, forests and caves. The existence of a North Korea-focused project has not been previously reported.

While that project has been kept secret, the military has been clear about its interest in AI. The Pentagon, for example, has disclosed it is using AI to identify objects from video gathered in its drone program, as part of a publicly touted effort launched last year called "Project Maven."

Still, some US&nbsp;officials say AI spending overall on military programs remains woefully inadequate.

The Pentagon is in a race against China and Russia to infuse more AI into its war machine, to create more sophisticated autonomous systems that are able to learn by themselves to carry out specific tasks. The Pentagon research on using AI to identify potential missile threats and track mobile launchers is in its infancy and is just one part of that overall effort.

There are scant details on the AI missile research, but one US&nbsp;official told Reuters that an early prototype of a system to track mobile missile launchers was already being tested within the US&nbsp;military.

This project involves military and private researchers in the Washington DC&nbsp;area. It is pivoting off technological advances developed by commercial firms financed by In-Q-Tel, the intelligence community's venture capital fund, officials said.

In order to carry out the research, the project is tapping into the intelligence community's commercial cloud service, searching for patterns and anomalies in data, including from sophisticated radar that can see through storms and penetrate foliage.

Budget documents reviewed by Reuters noted plans to expand the focus of the mobile missile launcher program to "the remainder of the (Pentagon) 4+1 problem sets." The Pentagon typically uses the 4+1 terminology to refer to China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and terrorist groups.

Both supporters and critics of using AI to hunt missiles agree that it carries major risks. It could accelerate decision-making in a nuclear crisis. It could increase the chances of computer-generated errors. It might also provoke an AI arms race with Russia and China that could upset the global nuclear balance.

US&nbsp;Air Force General John Hyten, the top commander of US&nbsp;nuclear forces, said once AI-driven systems become fully operational, the Pentagon will need to think about creating safeguards to ensure humans - not machines - control the pace of nuclear decision-making, the "escalation ladder" in Pentagon speak.

"(Artificial intelligence) could force you onto that ladder if you don't put the safeguards in," Hyten, head of the US&nbsp;Strategic Command, said in an interview. "Once you're on it, then everything starts moving."

Experts at the Rand Corporation, a public policy research body, and elsewhere say there is a high probability that countries like China and Russia could try to trick an AI missile-hunting system, learning to hide their missiles from identification.

There is some evidence to suggest they could be successful.

An experiment by M.I.T. students showed how easy it was to dupe an advanced Google image classifier, in which a computer identifies objects. In that case, students fooled the system into concluding a plastic turtle was actually a rifle.

Dr&nbsp;Steven Walker, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a pioneer in AI that initially funded what became the Internet, said the Pentagon still needs humans to review AI systems’ conclusions.

"Because these systems can be fooled," Walker said in an interview.&nbsp; &nbsp;

DARPA is working on a project to make AI-driven systems capable of better explaining themselves to human analysts, something the agency believes will be critical for high stakes national security programs

Among those working to improve the effectiveness of AI is William "Buzz" Roberts, director for automation, AI and augmentation at the National Geospatial Agency. Roberts works on the front lines of the US&nbsp;government's efforts to develop AI to help analyze satellite imagery, a crucial source of data for missile hunters.

Last year, NGA said it used AI to scan and analyze 12 million images. So far, Roberts said, NGA researchers have made progress in getting AI to help identify the presence or absence of a target of interest, although he declined to discuss individual programs.

In trying to assess potential national security threats, the NGA researchers work under a different kind of pressure from their counterparts in the private sector.

"We can't be wrong ... A lot of the commercial advancements in AI, machine learning, computer vision - If they're half right, they're good," said Roberts.

Although some officials believe elements of the AI missile program could become viable in the early 2020s, others in the US government and the US&nbsp;Congress fear research efforts are too limited.

"The Russians and the Chinese are definitely pursuing these sorts of things," Representative Mac Thornberry, the House Armed Services Committee's chairman, told Reuters. "Probably with greater effort in some ways than we have."

The US military is increasing spending on a secret research effort to use artificial intelligence to help anticipate the launch of a nuclear-capable missile, as well as track and target mobile launchers in North Korea and elsewhere

The US military is increasing spending on a secret research effort to use artificial intelligence to help anticipate the launch of a nuclear-capable missile, as well as track and target mobile launchers in North Korea and elsewhere. The effort has gone largely unreported, and the few publicly available details about it are buried under a layer of near impenetrable jargon in the latest Pentagon budget. But US officials familiar with the research told Reuters there are multiple classified programs now under way to explore how to develop AI-driven systems to better protect the United States against a potential nuclear missile strike. If the research is successful, such computer systems would be able to think for themselves, scouring huge amounts of data, including satellite imagery, with a speed and accuracy beyond the capability of humans, to look for signs of preparations for a missile launch, according to more than half a dozen sources. The sources included US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the research is classified. Forewarned, the US government would be able to pursue diplomatic options or, in the case of an imminent attack, the military would have more time to try to destroy the missiles before they were launched, or try to intercept them. "We should be doing everything in our power to find that missile before they launch it and make it increasingly harder to get it off (the ground)," one of the officials said. The Trump administration has proposed more than tripling funding in next year's budget to $83 million for just one of the AI-driven missile programs, according to several US officials and budget documents. The boost in funding has not been previously reported. While the amount is still relatively small, it is one indicator of the growing importance of the research on AI-powered anti-missile systems at a time when the United States faces a more militarily assertive Russia and a significant nuclear weapons threat from long-time foe North Korea. "What AI and machine learning allows you to do is find the needle in the haystack," said Bob Work, a champion of AI technology who was deputy defense secretary until last July, without referring to any individual projects. One person familiar with the programs said it includes a pilot project focused on North Korea. Washington is increasingly concerned about Pyongyang's development of mobile missiles that can be hidden in tunnels, forests and caves. The existence of a North Korea-focused project has not been previously reported. While that project has been kept secret, the military has been clear about its interest in AI. The Pentagon, for example, has disclosed it is using AI to identify objects from video gathered in its drone program, as part of a publicly touted effort launched last year called "Project Maven." Still, some US officials say AI spending overall on military programs remains woefully inadequate. The Pentagon is in a race against China and Russia to infuse more AI into its war machine, to create more sophisticated autonomous systems that are able to learn by themselves to carry out specific tasks. The Pentagon research on using AI to identify potential missile threats and track mobile launchers is in its infancy and is just one part of that overall effort. There are scant details on the AI missile research, but one US official told Reuters that an early prototype of a system to track mobile missile launchers was already being tested within the US military. This project involves military and private researchers in the Washington DC area. It is pivoting off technological advances developed by commercial firms financed by In-Q-Tel, the intelligence community's venture capital fund, officials said. In order to carry out the research, the project is tapping into the intelligence community's commercial cloud service, searching for patterns and anomalies in data, including from sophisticated radar that can see through storms and penetrate foliage. Budget documents reviewed by Reuters noted plans to expand the focus of the mobile missile launcher program to "the remainder of the (Pentagon) 4+1 problem sets." The Pentagon typically uses the 4+1 terminology to refer to China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and terrorist groups. Both supporters and critics of using AI to hunt missiles agree that it carries major risks. It could accelerate decision-making in a nuclear crisis. It could increase the chances of computer-generated errors. It might also provoke an AI arms race with Russia and China that could upset the global nuclear balance. US Air Force General John Hyten, the top commander of US nuclear forces, said once AI-driven systems become fully operational, the Pentagon will need to think about creating safeguards to ensure humans - not machines - control the pace of nuclear decision-making, the "escalation ladder" in Pentagon speak. "(Artificial intelligence) could force you onto that ladder if you don't put the safeguards in," Hyten, head of the US Strategic Command, said in an interview. "Once you're on it, then everything starts moving." Experts at the Rand Corporation, a public policy research body, and elsewhere say there is a high probability that countries like China and Russia could try to trick an AI missile-hunting system, learning to hide their missiles from identification. There is some evidence to suggest they could be successful. An experiment by M.I.T. students showed how easy it was to dupe an advanced Google image classifier, in which a computer identifies objects. In that case, students fooled the system into concluding a plastic turtle was actually a rifle. Dr Steven Walker, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a pioneer in AI that initially funded what became the Internet, said the Pentagon still needs humans to review AI systems’ conclusions. "Because these systems can be fooled," Walker said in an interview. DARPA is working on a project to make AI-driven systems capable of better explaining themselves to human analysts, something the agency believes will be critical for high stakes national security programs Among those working to improve the effectiveness of AI is William "Buzz" Roberts, director for automation, AI and augmentation at the National Geospatial Agency. Roberts works on the front lines of the US government's efforts to develop AI to help analyze satellite imagery, a crucial source of data for missile hunters. Last year, NGA said it used AI to scan and analyze 12 million images. So far, Roberts said, NGA researchers have made progress in getting AI to help identify the presence or absence of a target of interest, although he declined to discuss individual programs. In trying to assess potential national security threats, the NGA researchers work under a different kind of pressure from their counterparts in the private sector. "We can't be wrong ... A lot of the commercial advancements in AI, machine learning, computer vision - If they're half right, they're good," said Roberts. Although some officials believe elements of the AI missile program could become viable in the early 2020s, others in the US government and the US Congress fear research efforts are too limited. "The Russians and the Chinese are definitely pursuing these sorts of things," Representative Mac Thornberry, the House Armed Services Committee's chairman, told Reuters. "Probably with greater effort in some ways than we have."

How will the US stop a nuclear strike? AI

US&nbspDefence Secretary Jim Mattis said on Sunday North Korea will receive relief only after it takes clear and irreversible steps to end its nuclear programme, adding it would be a bumpy road to a summit between US&nbspand North Korean leaders.

The comments sought to address concern the United States may be rushing to strike a breakthrough in the unprecedented summit between the two leaders after US&nbspPresident Donald Trump put the meeting back on track for June 12 in Singapore.

"We can anticipate, at best, a bumpy road to the (negotiations)," Mattis said at the start of a meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on the sidelines of Shangri-la dialogue in Singapore.

"We will continue to implement all U.N Security Council resolutions on North Korea. North Korea will receive relief only when it demonstrates verifiable and irreversible steps to denuclearisation," Mattis added.

Trump said on Friday he would hold the meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 in a dramatic turn of course in the high stakes diplomacy aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme.

Eight days after cancelling the summit citing Pyongyang's "hostility", Trump announced the decision to go ahead with the meeting after hosting Kim's envoy in the White House, saying he expected "very positive result" with North Korea.

North Korea's nuclear weapons programme has been a source of major security tensions that persisted despite a series of U.N. and U.S. sanctions and it has also demonstrated advances in ballistic missile technology that experts believe now threatens the US&nbspmainland.

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said that while the solution to the North Korean nuclear crisis must be diplomatic, the defence cooperation among the United States and its Asian allies was key to bringing it about.

"Japan, Korea and the US&nbspcontinue to agree that pressure is needed to be applied on North Korea," Onodera told reporters after his meeting with Mattis and South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo on the sidelines of the Shangri-la Dialogue.

Despite a long-standing security alliance between the United States and Japan, some people in Japan worry that the United States may cut a deal to protect its cities from nuclear attack by the North, while leaving Japan vulnerable.

North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests starting in 2006 but has declared it would no longer need such tests. In May, it invited foreign journalists to witness what it said was the demolition of its nuclear test site.

The Trump administration wants the North to "denuclearise", meaning to get rid of its nuclear arsenal, in return for relief from economic sanctions.

But North Korea's leadership is believed to regard nuclear weapons as crucial to its survival and has rejected unilaterally disarming.

Trump said one thing that could come out of the summit is an agreement formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War, which was concluded only with a truce, not a peace treaty.

The comments were made by US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis who added that it would be a bumpy road to a summit between US and North Korean leaders

US&nbspDefence Secretary Jim Mattis said on Sunday North Korea will receive relief only after it takes clear and irreversible steps to end its nuclear programme, adding it would be a bumpy road to a summit between US&nbspand North Korean leaders. The comments sought to address concern the United States may be rushing to strike a breakthrough in the unprecedented summit between the two leaders after US&nbspPresident Donald Trump put the meeting back on track for June 12 in Singapore. "We can anticipate, at best, a bumpy road to the (negotiations)," Mattis said at the start of a meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on the sidelines of Shangri-la dialogue in Singapore. "We will continue to implement all U.N Security Council resolutions on North Korea. North Korea will receive relief only when it demonstrates verifiable and irreversible steps to denuclearisation," Mattis added. Trump said on Friday he would hold the meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 in a dramatic turn of course in the high stakes diplomacy aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme. Eight days after cancelling the summit citing Pyongyang's "hostility", Trump announced the decision to go ahead with the meeting after hosting Kim's envoy in the White House, saying he expected "very positive result" with North Korea. North Korea's nuclear weapons programme has been a source of major security tensions that persisted despite a series of U.N. and U.S. sanctions and it has also demonstrated advances in ballistic missile technology that experts believe now threatens the US&nbspmainland. Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said that while the solution to the North Korean nuclear crisis must be diplomatic, the defence cooperation among the United States and its Asian allies was key to bringing it about. "Japan, Korea and the US&nbspcontinue to agree that pressure is needed to be applied on North Korea," Onodera told reporters after his meeting with Mattis and South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo on the sidelines of the Shangri-la Dialogue. Despite a long-standing security alliance between the United States and Japan, some people in Japan worry that the United States may cut a deal to protect its cities from nuclear attack by the North, while leaving Japan vulnerable. North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests starting in 2006 but has declared it would no longer need such tests. In May, it invited foreign journalists to witness what it said was the demolition of its nuclear test site. The Trump administration wants the North to "denuclearise", meaning to get rid of its nuclear arsenal, in return for relief from economic sanctions. But North Korea's leadership is believed to regard nuclear weapons as crucial to its survival and has rejected unilaterally disarming. Trump said one thing that could come out of the summit is an agreement formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War, which was concluded only with a truce, not a peace treaty.

North Korea will get relief only after clear, irreversible steps to denuclearisation: US

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Washington's chief diplomat Mike Pompeo is on his way to North Korea to prepare for a landmark nuclear summit.&nbsp; &nbsp;

"At this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un," Trump said, in a White House address.

Pompeo, who met Kim in Pyongyang last month while he was still director of the CIA, will arrive in the North in "virtually an hour," Trump said.

In addition to planning the summit, due later this month or early in June, Pompeo has been pressing the regime to release three detained US citizens.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had secretly met Kim Jong-Un in Pyongyang last month

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Washington's chief diplomat Mike Pompeo is on his way to North Korea to prepare for a landmark nuclear summit. "At this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un," Trump said, in a White House address. Pompeo, who met Kim in Pyongyang last month while he was still director of the CIA, will arrive in the North in "virtually an hour," Trump said. In addition to planning the summit, due later this month or early in June, Pompeo has been pressing the regime to release three detained US citizens.

Pompeo heading to North Korea to prepare summit with Kim Jong-Un, says Trump

President Donald Trump's nominee for the post of CIA director Gina Haspel said Wednesday that a day after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, she had a gut feeling that the terror assault had been masterminded by then al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Haspel, who was a mid-level CIA official at the time, stated this during her confirmation hearing before lawmakers.

"For me, I had just returned to Washington from an overseas posting and I reported for duty on the morning of 9/11. I knew in my gut when I saw the video of the first plane hitting the tower in Manhattan that it was bin Laden," Haspel, 62, told members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

"I got up from my desk and, like many others, walked over to the Counterterrorism Centre and volunteered to help. I didn't leave for three years. We worked seven days a week, and I even had friends who postponed weddings and having babies. The men and women of CIA were driven to prevent another attack," she said sharing her personal experience of working at the CIA with the lawmakers.

"The first boots on the ground in Afghanistan were my colleagues. The first US casualty in Afghanistan was a CIA officer and it was the CIA who identified and captured the mastermind of 9/11 in a brilliant operation. I am proud of our work during that time. The hard lessons we learned from that experience inform my leadership of CIA today," she said.

The 9/11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in the world's worst terrorist assault.

Haspel faced a volley of questions on her role as a counter-terrorism official and her views on enhanced torture techniques.

"In light of my counterterrorism experience, I understand that what many people around the country want to know about are my views on CIA's former detention and interrogation programme. I have views on this issue, and I want to be clear. Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership the CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation programme," she told the lawmakers.

She said the CIA has learned some tough lessons, especially when asked to tackle missions that fall outside its expertise.

"For me, there is no better example of implementing lessons learned than what the agency took away from the detention and interrogation programme. In retrospect it is clear that the CIA was not prepared to conduct a detention and interrogation programme," she noted.

Today the US government has a clear legal and policy framework that governs detentions and interrogations, she said.

"Specifically, the law provides that no individual in US custody may be subjected to any interrogation technique or approach that is not authorised by and listed in the Army Field Manual," she said.

"I fully support the standards for detainee treatment required by law, and just as importantly, I will keep the CIA focused on our collection and analysis missions that can best leverage the expertise found at the agency," Haspel said.

She said the CIA's strategy starts with strengthening its core business: collecting intelligence to help policymakers protect the country and advance American interests around the globe.

"It includes raising our investment against the most difficult intelligence gaps, putting more officers in the foreign field where our adversaries are, and emphasising foreign language excellence. And, finally, it involves investing in our partnerships both within the US government and around the globe," she said.

"We must do everything we can to follow through on these investments and to make the CIA as effective as it can possibly be because the American people deserve no less than the CIA's best efforts," she added.

Haspel, who was a mid-level CIA official at the time, stated this during her confirmation hearing before lawmakers

President Donald Trump's nominee for the post of CIA director Gina Haspel said Wednesday that a day after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, she had a gut feeling that the terror assault had been masterminded by then al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Haspel, who was a mid-level CIA official at the time, stated this during her confirmation hearing before lawmakers. "For me, I had just returned to Washington from an overseas posting and I reported for duty on the morning of 9/11. I knew in my gut when I saw the video of the first plane hitting the tower in Manhattan that it was bin Laden," Haspel, 62, told members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. "I got up from my desk and, like many others, walked over to the Counterterrorism Centre and volunteered to help. I didn't leave for three years. We worked seven days a week, and I even had friends who postponed weddings and having babies. The men and women of CIA were driven to prevent another attack," she said sharing her personal experience of working at the CIA with the lawmakers. "The first boots on the ground in Afghanistan were my colleagues. The first US casualty in Afghanistan was a CIA officer and it was the CIA who identified and captured the mastermind of 9/11 in a brilliant operation. I am proud of our work during that time. The hard lessons we learned from that experience inform my leadership of CIA today," she said. The 9/11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in the world's worst terrorist assault. Haspel faced a volley of questions on her role as a counter-terrorism official and her views on enhanced torture techniques. "In light of my counterterrorism experience, I understand that what many people around the country want to know about are my views on CIA's former detention and interrogation programme. I have views on this issue, and I want to be clear. Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership the CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation programme," she told the lawmakers. She said the CIA has learned some tough lessons, especially when asked to tackle missions that fall outside its expertise. "For me, there is no better example of implementing lessons learned than what the agency took away from the detention and interrogation programme. In retrospect it is clear that the CIA was not prepared to conduct a detention and interrogation programme," she noted. Today the US government has a clear legal and policy framework that governs detentions and interrogations, she said. "Specifically, the law provides that no individual in US custody may be subjected to any interrogation technique or approach that is not authorised by and listed in the Army Field Manual," she said. "I fully support the standards for detainee treatment required by law, and just as importantly, I will keep the CIA focused on our collection and analysis missions that can best leverage the expertise found at the agency," Haspel said. She said the CIA's strategy starts with strengthening its core business: collecting intelligence to help policymakers protect the country and advance American interests around the globe. "It includes raising our investment against the most difficult intelligence gaps, putting more officers in the foreign field where our adversaries are, and emphasising foreign language excellence. And, finally, it involves investing in our partnerships both within the US government and around the globe," she said. "We must do everything we can to follow through on these investments and to make the CIA as effective as it can possibly be because the American people deserve no less than the CIA's best efforts," she added.

Had gut feeling that bin Laden was behind 9/11: Haspel tells senators

President Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen said on Wednesday he would assert his right under the U.S. Constitution to avoid self-incrimination in a lawsuit filed by adult-film star Stormy Daniels, who says she had an affair with Trump.

In a filing in Los Angeles federal court, Cohen said he decided to assert his constitutional right after the FBI raided his home, office and hotel room two weeks ago.

"Based on the advice of counsel, I will assert my 5th Amendment rights in connection with all proceedings in this case due to the ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York," Cohen wrote in the filing.

The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that no individual can be "compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself."

By asserting that right, Cohen can avoid revealing information in Daniels' civil lawsuit that could aid federal investigators in the criminal probe of his business dealings.

Last month, Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, sued Trump and Cohen to invalidate a non-disclosure agreement related to a $130,000 payment she received from Cohen before the 2016 election to keep quiet about her alleged one-night stand with Trump a decade earlier.

The probe of Cohen's business dealings, and the FBI's search of his office that uncovered information related to the $130,000 payment, started with a referral from Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.

Russia denies meddling in the election and Trump has denied any collusion.

Lawyers for Cohen and Trump have asked for the Daniels case to be put on hold for 90 days. At a hearing last week, U.S. District Judge James Otero said he needed more time to review the request for a stay.

Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels or any knowledge of the $130,000 payment.

In a filing in Los Angeles federal court, Cohen said he decided to assert his constitutional right after the FBI raided his home, office and hotel room two weeks ago.

President Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen said on Wednesday he would assert his right under the U.S. Constitution to avoid self-incrimination in a lawsuit filed by adult-film star Stormy Daniels, who says she had an affair with Trump. In a filing in Los Angeles federal court, Cohen said he decided to assert his constitutional right after the FBI raided his home, office and hotel room two weeks ago. "Based on the advice of counsel, I will assert my 5th Amendment rights in connection with all proceedings in this case due to the ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York," Cohen wrote in the filing. The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that no individual can be "compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself." By asserting that right, Cohen can avoid revealing information in Daniels' civil lawsuit that could aid federal investigators in the criminal probe of his business dealings. Last month, Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, sued Trump and Cohen to invalidate a non-disclosure agreement related to a $130,000 payment she received from Cohen before the 2016 election to keep quiet about her alleged one-night stand with Trump a decade earlier. The probe of Cohen's business dealings, and the FBI's search of his office that uncovered information related to the $130,000 payment, started with a referral from Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign. Russia denies meddling in the election and Trump has denied any collusion. Lawyers for Cohen and Trump have asked for the Daniels case to be put on hold for 90 days. At a hearing last week, U.S. District Judge James Otero said he needed more time to review the request for a stay. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels or any knowledge of the $130,000 payment.

To avoid self-incrimination, Trump lawyer Cohen will invoke 5th Amendment in Stormy Daniels case

Top seven Indian IT companies experienced a whopping 43 per cent drop in their H-1B visa approvals between 2015 and 2017, a US think-tank has said.

The National Foundation for American Policy in a report said that the 8,468 new H-1B visas for Indian-based companies in the finanacial year 2017 equalled only 0.006 per cent of the 160 million in the US labour force.

The top seven Indian-based companies received only 8,468 approved H-1B petitions for initial employment in FY 2017, a decline of 43 per cent for these companies since FY 2015, when it received 14,792 H-1B visas.

Given that 199,000 applications were filed in FY 2017 for the FY 2018 cap year ? 105,000 in excess of the FY 2018 H-1B annual limit&nbspeven if none of these companies received new H-1B visas the annual limit still would have been reached on the first day of the April filing period, it said.

"The data indicate the problem is not which companies are receiving H-1B visas, which some contend, but that the 85,000-annual limit is too low for an economy the size of the United States," it argued.

Based on the H-1B visa data obtained from the US Citizenship and immigration Services (USCIS), the foundation said that the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) received 2,312 H-1B visas in 2017 as against 4,674 in 2015, registering a drop of 51 per cent.&nbsp

Infosys, during the same period saw a whooping drop of 57 per cent from 2,830 in 2015 to 1,218 in 2017. Wipro received 1,210 H-1B visas in 2017 as against 3,079 in 2015. Among the seven Indian-based companies the H-

1B approval of Tech Mahindra went up from 1,576 in 2015 to 2233 in 2017.&nbsp

In its analysis, the National Foundation for American Policy said that the drop in H-1B visas for Indian-based companies is due to industry trends toward digital services such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence, which require fewer workers, and a choice by companies to rely less on visas and to build up their domestic workforces in the United States.

In most cases, companies require fewer people per project, it argued.

Also, like all companies, including US companies, restrictions on visas may result in more work being performed outside the US, which is the unintended consequence of many immigration restrictions in a global economy.

Indian-based companies, of course, must compete for the same relatively limited pool of tech talent in the US as other companies, it said.

The foundation said, corporate clients of both the US and Indian-based IT services companies are requesting digital engineering and more sophisticated services, including better data analysis, that require fewer workers and more advanced technology, and this is reflected in the H-1B visa numbers.

While Cognizant, an IT services company headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey, had the most H-1B petitions approved for new employment in FY 2017, with 3,194, that represented a decline of 800 approved petitions, or 25 per cent from FY 2016.

Further, five of the seven top Indian-based companies saw declines in FY 2017 from FY 2016 ? Infosys, Wipro, HCL America, Larsen & Toubro and Mindtree.&nbsp

Only TCS, with an increase of 13 per cent, and Tech Mahindra, which increased by 42 per cent, had more H-1B petitions for initial employment approved in FY 2017 than in FY 2016, it said.&nbsp

The claim was made by the US think tank National Foundation for American Policy

Top seven Indian IT companies experienced a whopping 43 per cent drop in their H-1B visa approvals between 2015 and 2017, a US think-tank has said. The National Foundation for American Policy in a report said that the 8,468 new H-1B visas for Indian-based companies in the finanacial year 2017 equalled only 0.006 per cent of the 160 million in the US labour force. The top seven Indian-based companies received only 8,468 approved H-1B petitions for initial employment in FY 2017, a decline of 43 per cent for these companies since FY 2015, when it received 14,792 H-1B visas. Given that 199,000 applications were filed in FY 2017 for the FY 2018 cap year ? 105,000 in excess of the FY 2018 H-1B annual limit&nbspeven if none of these companies received new H-1B visas the annual limit still would have been reached on the first day of the April filing period, it said. "The data indicate the problem is not which companies are receiving H-1B visas, which some contend, but that the 85,000-annual limit is too low for an economy the size of the United States," it argued. Based on the H-1B visa data obtained from the US Citizenship and immigration Services (USCIS), the foundation said that the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) received 2,312 H-1B visas in 2017 as against 4,674 in 2015, registering a drop of 51 per cent. Infosys, during the same period saw a whooping drop of 57 per cent from 2,830 in 2015 to 1,218 in 2017. Wipro received 1,210 H-1B visas in 2017 as against 3,079 in 2015. Among the seven Indian-based companies the H- 1B approval of Tech Mahindra went up from 1,576 in 2015 to 2233 in 2017. In its analysis, the National Foundation for American Policy said that the drop in H-1B visas for Indian-based companies is due to industry trends toward digital services such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence, which require fewer workers, and a choice by companies to rely less on visas and to build up their domestic workforces in the United States. In most cases, companies require fewer people per project, it argued. Also, like all companies, including US companies, restrictions on visas may result in more work being performed outside the US, which is the unintended consequence of many immigration restrictions in a global economy. Indian-based companies, of course, must compete for the same relatively limited pool of tech talent in the US as other companies, it said. The foundation said, corporate clients of both the US and Indian-based IT services companies are requesting digital engineering and more sophisticated services, including better data analysis, that require fewer workers and more advanced technology, and this is reflected in the H-1B visa numbers. While Cognizant, an IT services company headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey, had the most H-1B petitions approved for new employment in FY 2017, with 3,194, that represented a decline of 800 approved petitions, or 25 per cent from FY 2016. Further, five of the seven top Indian-based companies saw declines in FY 2017 from FY 2016 ? Infosys, Wipro, HCL America, Larsen & Toubro and Mindtree. Only TCS, with an increase of 13 per cent, and Tech Mahindra, which increased by 42 per cent, had more H-1B petitions for initial employment approved in FY 2017 than in FY 2016, it said.

H1-B approvals for Indian IT companies dropped by 43% between 2015-17: Report

Dozens of Central American migrants from about 600 travelling in a "caravan" through Mexico arrived at the border city of Tijuana late on Tuesday despite warnings it would be futile to try to cross to claim asylum in the United States.

By evening, two busloads of men, women and children arrived in Tijuana, a city that grazes southern California.

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump has ordered officials to repel them.

The arrivals spilled into the streets and gazed toward San Diego, visible at spots through a rusty barrier or across a pedestrian bridge, exhausted after their trek that began a month ago near Mexico's southern border with Guatemala.

Another four busloads were making their way north from Hermosillo, a city 432 miles south of the border, where the migrants had been stalled for days.

Many who fled their homes in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras because of what they described as lethal threats or political persecution have clung to the hope of receiving asylum in the United States. But their prospects dimmed after U.S. authorities released statements on Monday saying they would driven back.

Rodrigo Abeja, a coordinator from immigrant rights group Pueblo Sin Fronteras that has been organising similar caravans for several years, said the caravan planned to regroup before making any decisions.

"They will wait for all those seeking asylum to be together," Abeja said.

A third group, resigned to staying in Mexico, awaited processing for year-long visas by immigration authorities in Hermosillo.

Travelling as a group for safety, their numbers were down from a peak of about 1,500 people, dwindling under the twin pressures of waiting for transportation and attacks by Trump, who began lashing out at the caravan on Twitter in early April.

After Trump's comments, Mexican authorities stalled the caravan in a southern town and began handing out temporary visas that gave them legal status to travel to the border.

US President Donald Trump has ordered officials to repel them

Dozens of Central American migrants from about 600 travelling in a "caravan" through Mexico arrived at the border city of Tijuana late on Tuesday despite warnings it would be futile to try to cross to claim asylum in the United States. By evening, two busloads of men, women and children arrived in Tijuana, a city that grazes southern California. US&nbspPresident Donald Trump has ordered officials to repel them. The arrivals spilled into the streets and gazed toward San Diego, visible at spots through a rusty barrier or across a pedestrian bridge, exhausted after their trek that began a month ago near Mexico's southern border with Guatemala. Another four busloads were making their way north from Hermosillo, a city 432 miles south of the border, where the migrants had been stalled for days. Many who fled their homes in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras because of what they described as lethal threats or political persecution have clung to the hope of receiving asylum in the United States. But their prospects dimmed after U.S. authorities released statements on Monday saying they would driven back. Rodrigo Abeja, a coordinator from immigrant rights group Pueblo Sin Fronteras that has been organising similar caravans for several years, said the caravan planned to regroup before making any decisions. "They will wait for all those seeking asylum to be together," Abeja said. A third group, resigned to staying in Mexico, awaited processing for year-long visas by immigration authorities in Hermosillo. Travelling as a group for safety, their numbers were down from a peak of about 1,500 people, dwindling under the twin pressures of waiting for transportation and attacks by Trump, who began lashing out at the caravan on Twitter in early April. After Trump's comments, Mexican authorities stalled the caravan in a southern town and began handing out temporary visas that gave them legal status to travel to the border.

Busloads of migrants from 'caravan' arrive at US-Mexico border

Mark Zuckerberg- led Facebook has been slammed on various occasions in the past for failing to maintain user privacy, but this time social media giant finds itself amid a scandal of much bigger proportion.

The company has come under fire over revelations that UK-based data analysis firm Cambridge Analytica&nbsp;harvested and misused data of 50 million users to help US President Donald Trump win the 2016 election.&nbsp;

According to reports, US, UK regulators and authorities have initiated a probe into the case; a judgment is likely to be out once the investigation is done.&nbsp;

Not just this, the controversy underlines grave concerns and consequences for users. The controversy has brought to light the fact that Facebook does collect a large amount of data from its users.&nbsp;

It must be kept in mind that any data analytics firm can use that data to create personality profiles to determine users&rsquo; preferences and behaviour, and change audience behaviour.

Also, Facebook has been failing to handle user data. The company expects users to trust that the data is not misused and is protected with utmost care, but Facebook has been failing to gain that confidence, time and again. Case in point, the access of user data by Cambridge Analytica underscores how easy it is for third-parties to harvest facebook user data.

Facebook talks of tightening control on such practices since it discovered the allegations by Cambridge Analytica in 2015, but the fact of the matter is that it lost control over data and wasn&#39;t adequately monitoring third-party activities. And, this is not the first incident; Facebook has been failing to maintain user privacy for a long time.

The trouble for Facebook doesn&#39;t end here; there is another side to the company&rsquo;s problems that will be more evident after the European Union privacy rules come into effect in May.

Complying with the rules would require Facebook to allow the European users to opt out of the highly targeted online advertisements that have made Facebook a money-minting machine.&nbsp;

Plus, in the wake of any violations, the company could be slapped with up to 4 per cent of its annual revenues.

The company has been facing mounting pressure from lawmakers on both sides on the Atlantic. Is it beginning of gloomy days for facebook?&nbsp;

The company has come under fire over revelations that UK-based data analysis firm Cambridge Analytica harvested and misused data of 50 million users to help US President Donald Trump win the 2016 election

Mark Zuckerberg- led Facebook has been slammed on various occasions in the past for failing to maintain user privacy, but this time social media giant finds itself amid a scandal of much bigger proportion. The company has come under fire over revelations that UK-based data analysis firm Cambridge Analytica harvested and misused data of 50 million users to help US President Donald Trump win the 2016 election. According to reports, US, UK regulators and authorities have initiated a probe into the case; a judgment is likely to be out once the investigation is done. Not just this, the controversy underlines grave concerns and consequences for users. The controversy has brought to light the fact that Facebook does collect a large amount of data from its users. It must be kept in mind that any data analytics firm can use that data to create personality profiles to determine users’ preferences and behaviour, and change audience behaviour. Also, Facebook has been failing to handle user data. The company expects users to trust that the data is not misused and is protected with utmost care, but Facebook has been failing to gain that confidence, time and again. Case in point, the access of user data by Cambridge Analytica underscores how easy it is for third-parties to harvest facebook user data. Facebook talks of tightening control on such practices since it discovered the allegations by Cambridge Analytica in 2015, but the fact of the matter is that it lost control over data and wasn't adequately monitoring third-party activities. And, this is not the first incident; Facebook has been failing to maintain user privacy for a long time. The trouble for Facebook doesn't end here; there is another side to the company’s problems that will be more evident after the European Union privacy rules come into effect in May. Complying with the rules would require Facebook to allow the European users to opt out of the highly targeted online advertisements that have made Facebook a money-minting machine. Plus, in the wake of any violations, the company could be slapped with up to 4 per cent of its annual revenues. The company has been facing mounting pressure from lawmakers on both sides on the Atlantic. Is it beginning of gloomy days for facebook?

Beginning of gloom? Why Facebook is in huge mess

US President Donald Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania to bolster support for state Representative Rick Saccone who will contest in Tuesday&#39;s special congressional election to secure a House seat, the media reported.

&quot;This guy should win easily... I hate to put pressure on you, Rick,&quot; Trump said on Saturday night at the rally in Moon Township, the heart of America`s steel industry where he beat Hillary Clinton by 20 percentage points in 2016.

Trump opened his 75-minute whirlwind of a speech by touting his administration&#39;s new trade tariffs &mdash; 25 per cent on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium imports &mdash; before wading into the Olympics, previewing his 2020 campaign slogan and again called for enacting the death penalty for drug dealers, reports CNN.

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Republican congressional candidate Rick Saccone speaks during a Make America Great Again rally in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. (Reuters)
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President Donald Trump attacked his critics, promoted his steel and aluminium tariffs and tossed out an idea to have drug dealers face the death penalty, addressing the rally.

But while he heartily endorsed Saccone as a &quot;really good person,&quot; Trump spent a lot of time talking about his own fortunes in a &quot;Make America Great Again&quot; rally in an airport hangar at the Pittsburgh International Airport.

He said it was crucial for Republicans to muster forces to turn back a strong Democratic drive to win one or both houses of the US Congress in November midterm elections.

&quot;We need Republicans. We need the vote,&quot; Trump said, saying Democrats would take away, among other things, &quot;your Second Amendment rights&quot; to bear firearms.

Continuing his battle against the mainstream news media, Trump insulted NBC News&#39; &quot;Meet the Press&quot; host Chuck Todd and Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

He called NBC host Chuck Todd &mdash; who he&rsquo;s nicknamed &ldquo;sleepy eyes&rdquo; &mdash; a &ldquo;sleeping son of a b***h&rdquo; and described Democratic Rep 
representative Maxine Waters as a &ldquo;very low IQ individual,&rdquo;&nbsp;reports CNN.

Under pressure over a scandal involving a porn star named Stormy Daniels, Trump singled out his wife, Melania, for praise.

&quot;You think her life is so easy folks? Not so easy,&quot; he said.

Saccone is trying to win an election on Tuesday in Pennsylvania&#39;s 18th District to replace Republican Tim Murphy, who resigned last fall while enmeshed in a sex scandal.

Polls show Saccone is in a close race against Democrat Conor Lamb. A Saccone loss would be the first loss of a Republican seat in the House of Representatives since Trump took office in January 2017, although Republicans would still control of the chamber.

The race could signal how much help Trump can provide Republican congressional candidates trying to keep control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in midterm elections next November.

Typically the party that controls the White House loses seats in the US Congress in the first election after a new president takes office. Trump hopes a strong economy and tax cuts enacted in December will help him beat the odds.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Trump attacked his critics, promoted his steel and aluminium tariffs and tossed out an idea to have drug dealers face the death penalty, addressing the rally

US President Donald Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania to bolster support for state Representative Rick Saccone who will contest in Tuesday's special congressional election to secure a House seat, the media reported. "This guy should win easily... I hate to put pressure on you, Rick," Trump said on Saturday night at the rally in Moon Township, the heart of America`s steel industry where he beat Hillary Clinton by 20 percentage points in 2016. Trump opened his 75-minute whirlwind of a speech by touting his administration's new trade tariffs — 25 per cent on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium imports — before wading into the Olympics, previewing his 2020 campaign slogan and again called for enacting the death penalty for drug dealers, reports CNN. Republican congressional candidate Rick Saccone speaks during a Make America Great Again rally in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. (Reuters) × President Donald Trump attacked his critics, promoted his steel and aluminium tariffs and tossed out an idea to have drug dealers face the death penalty, addressing the rally. But while he heartily endorsed Saccone as a "really good person," Trump spent a lot of time talking about his own fortunes in a "Make America Great Again" rally in an airport hangar at the Pittsburgh International Airport. He said it was crucial for Republicans to muster forces to turn back a strong Democratic drive to win one or both houses of the US Congress in November midterm elections. "We need Republicans. We need the vote," Trump said, saying Democrats would take away, among other things, "your Second Amendment rights" to bear firearms. Continuing his battle against the mainstream news media, Trump insulted NBC News' "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd and Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters. He called NBC host Chuck Todd — who he’s nicknamed “sleepy eyes” — a “sleeping son of a b***h” and described Democratic Rep representative Maxine Waters as a “very low IQ individual,” reports CNN. Under pressure over a scandal involving a porn star named Stormy Daniels, Trump singled out his wife, Melania, for praise. "You think her life is so easy folks? Not so easy," he said. Saccone is trying to win an election on Tuesday in Pennsylvania's 18th District to replace Republican Tim Murphy, who resigned last fall while enmeshed in a sex scandal. Polls show Saccone is in a close race against Democrat Conor Lamb. A Saccone loss would be the first loss of a Republican seat in the House of Representatives since Trump took office in January 2017, although Republicans would still control of the chamber. The race could signal how much help Trump can provide Republican congressional candidates trying to keep control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in midterm elections next November. Typically the party that controls the White House loses seats in the US Congress in the first election after a new president takes office. Trump hopes a strong economy and tax cuts enacted in December will help him beat the odds. (With inputs from Agencies)

Trump holds rally in Pennsylvania for Republican candidate, calls NBC anchor 'a sleeping son of a b***h'

President Donald Trump says he thinks it&#39;s great that China&#39;s president now holds that office for life and muses that maybe the US will do the same someday.

&quot;He&#39;s now president for life. President for life. No, he&#39;s great,&quot; Trump said. &quot;And look, he was able to do that. I think it&#39;s great. Maybe we&#39;ll have to give that a shot some day.&quot;

Trump&#39;s remarks came during a luncheon for Republican donors today at his South Florida estate. CNN reported the remarks based on a recording it obtained.

Trump criticized his Democratic presidential opponent Hillary Clinton, repeated his view about &quot;a rigged system,&quot; and called the invasion of Iraq &quot;the single worst decision ever made.&quot; He referred to former President George W. Bush as &quot;another real genius.&quot;

Trump has repeatedly said that his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, should carry out investigations into Clinton, and has often&nbsp;voiced&nbsp;on to Twitter for not taking what he views as appropriate steps to probe Clinton&#39;s actions involving her private email server.

Xi&#39;s push to abolish term limits means he will likely remain the most influential leader of the emerging superpower for life and have more time to dedicate to his quest to rejuvenate China&#39;s influence at the expense of the US.

It&nbsp;raises questions about America&#39;s long-term approach to China, and the possibility that an emboldened Xi will view himself as having even more leeway to aggressively assert territorial claims in the South China Sea and Chinese political and economic influence in Asia and beyond.

Trump's remarks came during a luncheon for Republican donors today at his South Florida estate

President Donald Trump says he thinks it's great that China's president now holds that office for life and muses that maybe the US will do the same someday. "He's now president for life. President for life. No, he's great," Trump said. "And look, he was able to do that. I think it's great. Maybe we'll have to give that a shot some day." Trump's remarks came during a luncheon for Republican donors today at his South Florida estate. CNN reported the remarks based on a recording it obtained. Trump criticized his Democratic presidential opponent Hillary Clinton, repeated his view about "a rigged system," and called the invasion of Iraq "the single worst decision ever made." He referred to former President George W. Bush as "another real genius." Trump has repeatedly said that his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, should carry out investigations into Clinton, and has often voiced on to Twitter for not taking what he views as appropriate steps to probe Clinton's actions involving her private email server. Xi's push to abolish term limits means he will likely remain the most influential leader of the emerging superpower for life and have more time to dedicate to his quest to rejuvenate China's influence at the expense of the US. It raises questions about America's long-term approach to China, and the possibility that an emboldened Xi will view himself as having even more leeway to aggressively assert territorial claims in the South China Sea and Chinese political and economic influence in Asia and beyond.

'Maybe we'll have to give that a shot someday,' Trump after Xi's move to consolidate power

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Friday that he was confident that the US&nbsp;will open its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem in May, a move from Tel Aviv that reverses decades of US&nbsp;policy and is bound to trouble US&nbsp;allies who have already objected.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump announced last December that the United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, infuriating even Washington&#39;s Arab allies and dismaying Palestinians who want the eastern part of the city as their capital.

No other country has recognized Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and Trump&#39;s decision has sown discord between the United States and the European Union over Middle East peace efforts.

US President Donald Trump announced last December that the United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, infuriating even Washington's Arab allies

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Friday that he was confident that the US will open its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem in May, a move from Tel Aviv that reverses decades of US policy and is bound to trouble US allies who have already objected. US President Donald Trump announced last December that the United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, infuriating even Washington's Arab allies and dismaying Palestinians who want the eastern part of the city as their capital. No other country has recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and Trump's decision has sown discord between the United States and the European Union over Middle East peace efforts.

Tillerson 'fairly' confident US embassy in Jerusalem will open in May

The United States&rsquo;s work on a new Middle East peace plan is &ldquo;fairly well advanced&rdquo;, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday, though he provided no details on an initiative which comes amid deep Palestinian scepticism about U.S. intentions.&nbsp;

Tillerson, who was speaking during a visit to Jordan to sign a five-year $6.4 billion aid package that extends U.S. support to a key Arab ally, said President Donald Trump would decide when to announce the peace plan.

The United States infuriated even its Arab allies in December when Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and initiated the move of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he would not cooperate with the United States in its efforts as a mediator.

&ldquo;I have seen the (administration&rsquo;s peace) plan... It&rsquo;s been under development for a number of months. I have consulted with them on the plan, identified areas that we feel need further work. I will say it&rsquo;s fairly well advanced...&rdquo; Tillerson said.

There has been little detail on the plan so far. Officials told Reuters in December it would deal with all major issues, including Jerusalem, borders, security, the future of Jewish settlements on occupied land and the fate of Palestinian refugees, and would also urge Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to provide significant financial support to the Palestinians.

The plan is being crafted by a team led by Jared Kushner, Trump&rsquo;s son-in-law and senior adviser, and U.S. Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, both of whom have traveled to key regional capitals since the Trump administration came to office.

Palestinians have grown increasingly concerned that any plan Trump unveils will shortchange them, a fear exacerbated by his move on Jerusalem, which upended decades of U.S. policy that the status of the ancient city must be decided in negotiations.

Jerusalem is home to sites holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians.&nbsp;

JORDANIAN CONCERNS

Jordanian King Abdullah&rsquo;s Hashemite dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites, making Amman particularly sensitive to any changes of status there. The king has warned that Trump&rsquo;s decision could undermine stability and fuel radicalism.

Jordanian foreign minister Ayman al-Safadi reiterated on Wednesday that a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the &ldquo;only solution we believe can work&rdquo;.&nbsp;

 
The Trump administration has said it would back a two-state solution if the parties agreed to it.

Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that backed a U.N. resolution calling for Washington to reverse its Jerusalem decision. Jordan backed the resolution.

But the Trump administration has courted King Abdullah, a moderate pro-Western Arab leader whose kingdom has long upheld U.S. interests in a turbulent region.

On Wednesday Tillerson met the king at his personal residence where the two emphasized strong U.S.-Jordanian ties.

Commenting on the memorandum of understanding signed for $6.375 billion in aid on Wednesday, the U.S. State Department said: &ldquo;(It) highlights the pivotal role Jordan plays in helping foster and safeguard regional stability and supports U.S. objectives such as the global campaign to defeat ISIS, counter-terrorism cooperation, and economic development.&rdquo;

ISIS is an acronym for the militant Islamic State group.

Conflicts in neighbouring Syria and Iraq have damaged Jordan&rsquo;s economy, forcing it to borrow heavily from external and domestic sources. Jordan has been an important part of the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.&nbsp;

TURKEY TIES

Tillerson is also expected this week to visit Turkey, with which U.S. ties have become badly strained over Washington&rsquo;s support for the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria, regarded by Ankara as a terrorist group.

Tillerson said Washington had to &ldquo;find a way to continue to work in the same direction&rdquo;.

He also expressed concern over Saturday&rsquo;s confrontation between Israel and &ldquo;Iranian assets&rdquo; in Syria. Syrian air defenses shot down an Israeli F-16 jet after it bombed a site used by Iran-backed forces in Syria.

Tillerson said Iran should withdraw its forces and militias from Syria, where Tehran backs President Bashar al-Assad.

Responding to the comments, a senior Iranian official, Ali Akbar Velayati, said Iran&rsquo;s military presence in Syria was legitimate and based on an invitation from Damascus. He called on U.S. forces to leave Syria.&nbsp;

Tillerson, who was speaking during a visit to Jordan to sign a five-year $6.4 billion aid package that extends US support to a key Arab ally, said President Donald Trump would decide when to announce the peace plan.

The United States’s work on a new Middle East peace plan is “fairly well advanced”, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday, though he provided no details on an initiative which comes amid deep Palestinian scepticism about U.S. intentions. Tillerson, who was speaking during a visit to Jordan to sign a five-year $6.4 billion aid package that extends U.S. support to a key Arab ally, said President Donald Trump would decide when to announce the peace plan. The United States infuriated even its Arab allies in December when Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and initiated the move of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he would not cooperate with the United States in its efforts as a mediator. “I have seen the (administration’s peace) plan... It’s been under development for a number of months. I have consulted with them on the plan, identified areas that we feel need further work. I will say it’s fairly well advanced...” Tillerson said. There has been little detail on the plan so far. Officials told Reuters in December it would deal with all major issues, including Jerusalem, borders, security, the future of Jewish settlements on occupied land and the fate of Palestinian refugees, and would also urge Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to provide significant financial support to the Palestinians. The plan is being crafted by a team led by Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, and U.S. Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, both of whom have traveled to key regional capitals since the Trump administration came to office. Palestinians have grown increasingly concerned that any plan Trump unveils will shortchange them, a fear exacerbated by his move on Jerusalem, which upended decades of U.S. policy that the status of the ancient city must be decided in negotiations. Jerusalem is home to sites holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians. JORDANIAN CONCERNS Jordanian King Abdullah’s Hashemite dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites, making Amman particularly sensitive to any changes of status there. The king has warned that Trump’s decision could undermine stability and fuel radicalism. Jordanian foreign minister Ayman al-Safadi reiterated on Wednesday that a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the “only solution we believe can work”. The Trump administration has said it would back a two-state solution if the parties agreed to it. Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that backed a U.N. resolution calling for Washington to reverse its Jerusalem decision. Jordan backed the resolution. But the Trump administration has courted King Abdullah, a moderate pro-Western Arab leader whose kingdom has long upheld U.S. interests in a turbulent region. On Wednesday Tillerson met the king at his personal residence where the two emphasized strong U.S.-Jordanian ties. Commenting on the memorandum of understanding signed for $6.375 billion in aid on Wednesday, the U.S. State Department said: “(It) highlights the pivotal role Jordan plays in helping foster and safeguard regional stability and supports U.S. objectives such as the global campaign to defeat ISIS, counter-terrorism cooperation, and economic development.” ISIS is an acronym for the militant Islamic State group. Conflicts in neighbouring Syria and Iraq have damaged Jordan’s economy, forcing it to borrow heavily from external and domestic sources. Jordan has been an important part of the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. TURKEY TIES Tillerson is also expected this week to visit Turkey, with which U.S. ties have become badly strained over Washington’s support for the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria, regarded by Ankara as a terrorist group. Tillerson said Washington had to “find a way to continue to work in the same direction”. He also expressed concern over Saturday’s confrontation between Israel and “Iranian assets” in Syria. Syrian air defenses shot down an Israeli F-16 jet after it bombed a site used by Iran-backed forces in Syria. Tillerson said Iran should withdraw its forces and militias from Syria, where Tehran backs President Bashar al-Assad. Responding to the comments, a senior Iranian official, Ali Akbar Velayati, said Iran’s military presence in Syria was legitimate and based on an invitation from Damascus. He called on U.S. forces to leave Syria.

Tillerson says US Mideast peace plan 'fairly well advanced'

President Donald Trump declared Tuesday in his State of the Union address to Congress that what he calls America&#39;s &quot;open borders&quot; had allowed drug gangs to pour into US communities.

Pointing out a guest &mdash; a mother who lost two daughters to murder &mdash; Trump urged Congress to come together to &quot;close the loopholes&quot; that he said allow in groups like El Salvador&#39;s MS-13.

&quot;Many of these gang members took advantage of glaring loopholes and our laws to enter the country as illegal, unaccompanied, alien minors,&quot; Trump claimed, laying out his immigration plan.

If the president wins congressional backing for his immigration plans they will include four pillars tightening what he and his populist supporters see as weak links in current law.

The first pillar, and one that might not find immediate support with the most vocal members of Trump&#39;s anti-immigrant base, is a &quot;path to citizenship&quot; for undocumented migrants who arrived at a young age.

The second pillar, Trump said, &quot;fully secures the border&quot; by building a huge wall on the Mexican frontier and hiring more immigration agents.

The third pillar would end America&#39;s Green Card lottery, and replace it with a so-called merit-based system for migrants with skills needed by US businesses.

And the fourth pillar &mdash; an idea that drew protests from Democrat lawmakers during the speech, would end &quot;chain migration&quot; policies that allow migrants to bring in family members.

Trump urged Congress to come together to "close the loopholes" that he said allow in groups like El Salvador's MS-13

President Donald Trump declared Tuesday in his State of the Union address to Congress that what he calls America's "open borders" had allowed drug gangs to pour into US communities. Pointing out a guest — a mother who lost two daughters to murder — Trump urged Congress to come together to "close the loopholes" that he said allow in groups like El Salvador's MS-13. "Many of these gang members took advantage of glaring loopholes and our laws to enter the country as illegal, unaccompanied, alien minors," Trump claimed, laying out his immigration plan. If the president wins congressional backing for his immigration plans they will include four pillars tightening what he and his populist supporters see as weak links in current law. The first pillar, and one that might not find immediate support with the most vocal members of Trump's anti-immigrant base, is a "path to citizenship" for undocumented migrants who arrived at a young age. The second pillar, Trump said, "fully secures the border" by building a huge wall on the Mexican frontier and hiring more immigration agents. The third pillar would end America's Green Card lottery, and replace it with a so-called merit-based system for migrants with skills needed by US businesses. And the fourth pillar — an idea that drew protests from Democrat lawmakers during the speech, would end "chain migration" policies that allow migrants to bring in family members.

'Open borders' promote guns, gangs and cost lives: Donald Trump

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump is set to give his first State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, with a broad audience - including stock investors - expected to tune in to the widely televised speech.

Historically, stock market reaction has been mixed following presidents&#39;&nbsp;new year messages. On average, the broad S&amp;P 500 declined just 0.05 percent the day after, since 1965 when Lyndon Johnson gave the first televised evening State of the Union address.

The S&amp;P 500 jumped 1.4 percent the day after Trump&#39;s speech last February, as his unexpectedly measured tone boosted investor optimism that he could deliver on pro-business campaign promises, but investors doubt a repeat of such a move would come this time.

Stocks linked to any specific theme in Trump&#39;s speech could turn volatile. Here are some to watch, based on potential topics he may address:

Infrastructure

Trump is expected to detail his long-awaited plan to help rebuild the nation&#39;s infrastructure. The president said on Wednesday his plan would result in about $1.7 trillion in overall investment over the next 10 years, more than he had previously announced.

Trump&#39;s comments could shine a spotlight on construction and engineering stocks such as Granite Construction Inc, AECOM and Fluor Corp, building materials stocks such as Vulcan Materials Co, Martin Marietta Materials Inc and Eagle Materials Inc and machinery stocks such as Caterpillar Inc.

Infrastructure-linked shares could start to fluctuate if the speech kicks off a bumpy legislative path for a spending bill. Some investors and analysts see a favourable climate for such stocks regardless of any federal package.

Trade&nbsp;

In the wake of delivering his &quot;America First&quot; agenda at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Trump could continue to promote his position on trade on Tuesday.

Trump last week told the business summit in Davos that the United States would &quot;no longer turn a blind eye&quot; to what he described as unfair trade practices.

Such a focus could affect shares of steel companies such as Nucor Corp and U.S. Steel Corp, which have vacillated since Trump&#39;s election on prospects for protectionist measures.

Last week, Trump imposed steep tariffs on washing machines and solar panels, boosting shares of appliance maker Whirlpool Corp and some solar companies such as Sunrun Inc and Vivint Solar Inc.

Trump also could address the North American Free Trade Agreement on the heels of the latest negotiations involving the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Railroad Kansas City Southern and beer, wine and spirits maker Constellation Brands Inc are among several stocks that could sway on NAFTA comments. 
 
Prescription drug prices&nbsp;

Trump has occasionally sounded off on high drug prices since his election, and some analysts are bracing for similar talk on Tuesday. &quot;On U.S. drug pricing, we understand Trump may (again) disparage drug companies on Tuesday`s State of the Union address,&quot; Bernstein analyst Tim Anderson said in a recent analyst note.

The biotech and pharmaceutical industries could come under pressure, including the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF and the SPDR S&amp;P Biotech ETF.&nbsp;

Comments about high drug prices could put a spotlight on companies in therapeutic areas that have come under scrutiny in the past, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, according to Mizuho Securities analyst Salim Syed. Biogen and Amgen Inc are among the companies selling such treatments.

National security and immigration&nbsp;

National defence and a strong military have been consistent themes under Trump. Defense stocks such as Northrop Grumman and Raytheon could come into focus, although many industry shares are around all-time highs already.

Immigration reform is another consistent topic for Trump and one he could address on Tuesday. For example, Trump has called for changes to the H-1B work visa program widely used to employ foreign tech workers in the United States. Mention of that program could signal plans to take more steps, and could affect Indian IT outsourcing companies including Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd.

Any hardline comments on illegal immigration or crime also could put private prison operators Geo Group Inc and CoreCivic Inc in focus.

Trump is expected to detail his long-awaited plan to help rebuild the nation's infrastructure

US President Donald Trump is set to give his first State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, with a broad audience - including stock investors - expected to tune in to the widely televised speech. Historically, stock market reaction has been mixed following presidents' new year messages. On average, the broad S&P 500 declined just 0.05 percent the day after, since 1965 when Lyndon Johnson gave the first televised evening State of the Union address. The S&P 500 jumped 1.4 percent the day after Trump's speech last February, as his unexpectedly measured tone boosted investor optimism that he could deliver on pro-business campaign promises, but investors doubt a repeat of such a move would come this time. Stocks linked to any specific theme in Trump's speech could turn volatile. Here are some to watch, based on potential topics he may address: Infrastructure Trump is expected to detail his long-awaited plan to help rebuild the nation's infrastructure. The president said on Wednesday his plan would result in about $1.7 trillion in overall investment over the next 10 years, more than he had previously announced. Trump's comments could shine a spotlight on construction and engineering stocks such as Granite Construction Inc, AECOM and Fluor Corp, building materials stocks such as Vulcan Materials Co, Martin Marietta Materials Inc and Eagle Materials Inc and machinery stocks such as Caterpillar Inc. Infrastructure-linked shares could start to fluctuate if the speech kicks off a bumpy legislative path for a spending bill. Some investors and analysts see a favourable climate for such stocks regardless of any federal package. Trade In the wake of delivering his "America First" agenda at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Trump could continue to promote his position on trade on Tuesday. Trump last week told the business summit in Davos that the United States would "no longer turn a blind eye" to what he described as unfair trade practices. Such a focus could affect shares of steel companies such as Nucor Corp and U.S. Steel Corp, which have vacillated since Trump's election on prospects for protectionist measures. Last week, Trump imposed steep tariffs on washing machines and solar panels, boosting shares of appliance maker Whirlpool Corp and some solar companies such as Sunrun Inc and Vivint Solar Inc. Trump also could address the North American Free Trade Agreement on the heels of the latest negotiations involving the United States, Canada and Mexico. Railroad Kansas City Southern and beer, wine and spirits maker Constellation Brands Inc are among several stocks that could sway on NAFTA comments. Prescription drug prices Trump has occasionally sounded off on high drug prices since his election, and some analysts are bracing for similar talk on Tuesday. "On U.S. drug pricing, we understand Trump may (again) disparage drug companies on Tuesday`s State of the Union address," Bernstein analyst Tim Anderson said in a recent analyst note. The biotech and pharmaceutical industries could come under pressure, including the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF and the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF. Comments about high drug prices could put a spotlight on companies in therapeutic areas that have come under scrutiny in the past, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, according to Mizuho Securities analyst Salim Syed. Biogen and Amgen Inc are among the companies selling such treatments. National security and immigration National defence and a strong military have been consistent themes under Trump. Defense stocks such as Northrop Grumman and Raytheon could come into focus, although many industry shares are around all-time highs already. Immigration reform is another consistent topic for Trump and one he could address on Tuesday. For example, Trump has called for changes to the H-1B work visa program widely used to employ foreign tech workers in the United States. Mention of that program could signal plans to take more steps, and could affect Indian IT outsourcing companies including Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd. Any hardline comments on illegal immigration or crime also could put private prison operators Geo Group Inc and CoreCivic Inc in focus.

Factbox: US President Donald Trump's first State of the Union address

The Trump administration is nearing completion of a new &quot;Buy American&quot; plan that calls for US military attaches and diplomats to help drum up billions of dollars more in business overseas for the American weapons industry, going beyond the assistance they currently provide, US officials said.

President Donald Trump as early as February is expected to announce a &quot;whole of government&quot; effort to ease export rules on purchases by foreign countries of US-made military equipment, from fighter jets and drones to warships and artillery, according to people familiar with the plan.

Trump is seeking to fulfil a 2016 election campaign promise to create jobs in the United States by selling more goods and services abroad to bring down the US trade deficit from a six-year high of $50 billion.

The administration is also under pressure from US defence contractors facing growing competition from foreign rivals such as China and Russia. But any loosening of the restrictions on weapons sales would be in defiance of human rights and arms control advocates who said there was too great a risk of fueling violence in regions such as the Middle East and South Asia or arms being diverted to be used in terrorist attacks.

Besides the greater use of a network of military and commercial attaches already stationed at US embassies in foreign capitals, senior officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said another thrust of the plan will be to set in motion a realignment of the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR). It is a central policy governing arms exports since 1976 and has not been fully revamped in more than three decades.

This expanded government effort on behalf of American arms makers, together with looser restrictions on weapons exports and more favourable treatment of sales to non-NATO allies and partners, could bring additional billions of dollars in deals and more jobs, a senior US official said, without providing specifics.

The strategy of having the Pentagon and the US State Department take a more active role in securing foreign arms deals could especially benefit major defence contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co.

&quot;We want to see those guys, the commercial and military attach, unfettered to be salesmen for this stuff, to be promoters,&quot; said the senior administration official, who is close to the internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.

A State Department official asked to confirm details of the coming new policy, said the revamped approach &quot;gives our partners a greater capacity to help share the burden of international security, benefits the defence industrial base and will provide more good jobs for American workers.&quot; 
The White House and Pentagon declined official comment.

Defense industry officials and lobbyists have privately welcomed what they expect will be a more sales-friendly approach. 
It is unclear how deeply the diplomats and military officers overseas will delve into dealmaking and what guidelines will be established, said officials in the administration.

Trump, a Republican, has the legal authority to direct government embassy &quot;security assistance officers,&quot; both military personnel and civilians, to do more to help drive arms sales.

Administration officials see this group, which already has duties such as managing military aid overseas and providing information to foreign governments for buying US arms, as underutilized by previous presidents.

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The Trump administration plans to cut regulations in order to boost arms sales overseas. (Reuters)
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&#39;Back seat&#39; for human rights?

One national security analyst said that easing export restrictions to allow defence contractors to reap greater profits internationally would increase the danger of top-of-the-line US weapons going to governments with poor human rights records or being used by militants.

&quot;This administration has demonstrated from the very beginning that human rights have taken a back seat to economic concerns,&quot; said Rachel Stohl, director of the conventional defense program at the Stimson Center in Washington. &quot;And the short-sightedness of a new arms export policy could have serious long-term implications.&quot;

The administration officials said human rights considerations would remain part of the formula for arms sales decisions. But they said such reviews would now afford greater weight than before to whether a deal would be good for the US economy and strengthen America&#39;s defence industrial base, in which case red tape would be cut accordingly.

Rules to make it easier to sell US-made military drones overseas and compete against fast-growing Chinese and Israeli rivals are also expected to be in the Trump plan, officials said.

Trump&#39;s Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, also sought to make it easier to sell to America&#39;s most trusted allies but in a more cautious approach that his administration billed as a way to boost American business while keeping strict controls against more dangerous arms proliferation. Foreign weapons sales soared during his tenure, with the United States retaining its position as the world&#39;s top arms supplier.

Shares of the five biggest US defence contractors, including Lockheed, Boeing, Raytheon Co, General Dynamics Corp and Northrop Grumman have more than tripled over the last five years and currently trade at or near all-time highs.

Foreign military sales in fiscal 2017, comprising much of Trump&#39;s first year in office and the final months of Obama&#39;s term, climbed to $42 billion, compared to $31 billion in the prior year, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

The Trump administration is under pressure from US defence contractors facing growing competition from foreign rivals such as China and Russia.

The Trump administration is nearing completion of a new "Buy American" plan that calls for US military attaches and diplomats to help drum up billions of dollars more in business overseas for the American weapons industry, going beyond the assistance they currently provide, US officials said. President Donald Trump as early as February is expected to announce a "whole of government" effort to ease export rules on purchases by foreign countries of US-made military equipment, from fighter jets and drones to warships and artillery, according to people familiar with the plan. Trump is seeking to fulfil a 2016 election campaign promise to create jobs in the United States by selling more goods and services abroad to bring down the US trade deficit from a six-year high of $50 billion. The administration is also under pressure from US defence contractors facing growing competition from foreign rivals such as China and Russia. But any loosening of the restrictions on weapons sales would be in defiance of human rights and arms control advocates who said there was too great a risk of fueling violence in regions such as the Middle East and South Asia or arms being diverted to be used in terrorist attacks. Besides the greater use of a network of military and commercial attaches already stationed at US embassies in foreign capitals, senior officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said another thrust of the plan will be to set in motion a realignment of the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR). It is a central policy governing arms exports since 1976 and has not been fully revamped in more than three decades. This expanded government effort on behalf of American arms makers, together with looser restrictions on weapons exports and more favourable treatment of sales to non-NATO allies and partners, could bring additional billions of dollars in deals and more jobs, a senior US official said, without providing specifics. The strategy of having the Pentagon and the US State Department take a more active role in securing foreign arms deals could especially benefit major defence contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co. "We want to see those guys, the commercial and military attach, unfettered to be salesmen for this stuff, to be promoters," said the senior administration official, who is close to the internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. A State Department official asked to confirm details of the coming new policy, said the revamped approach "gives our partners a greater capacity to help share the burden of international security, benefits the defence industrial base and will provide more good jobs for American workers." The White House and Pentagon declined official comment. Defense industry officials and lobbyists have privately welcomed what they expect will be a more sales-friendly approach. It is unclear how deeply the diplomats and military officers overseas will delve into dealmaking and what guidelines will be established, said officials in the administration. Trump, a Republican, has the legal authority to direct government embassy "security assistance officers," both military personnel and civilians, to do more to help drive arms sales. Administration officials see this group, which already has duties such as managing military aid overseas and providing information to foreign governments for buying US arms, as underutilized by previous presidents. The Trump administration plans to cut regulations in order to boost arms sales overseas. (Reuters) × 'Back seat' for human rights? One national security analyst said that easing export restrictions to allow defence contractors to reap greater profits internationally would increase the danger of top-of-the-line US weapons going to governments with poor human rights records or being used by militants. "This administration has demonstrated from the very beginning that human rights have taken a back seat to economic concerns," said Rachel Stohl, director of the conventional defense program at the Stimson Center in Washington. "And the short-sightedness of a new arms export policy could have serious long-term implications." The administration officials said human rights considerations would remain part of the formula for arms sales decisions. But they said such reviews would now afford greater weight than before to whether a deal would be good for the US economy and strengthen America's defence industrial base, in which case red tape would be cut accordingly. Rules to make it easier to sell US-made military drones overseas and compete against fast-growing Chinese and Israeli rivals are also expected to be in the Trump plan, officials said. Trump's Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, also sought to make it easier to sell to America's most trusted allies but in a more cautious approach that his administration billed as a way to boost American business while keeping strict controls against more dangerous arms proliferation. Foreign weapons sales soared during his tenure, with the United States retaining its position as the world's top arms supplier. Shares of the five biggest US defence contractors, including Lockheed, Boeing, Raytheon Co, General Dynamics Corp and Northrop Grumman have more than tripled over the last five years and currently trade at or near all-time highs. Foreign military sales in fiscal 2017, comprising much of Trump's first year in office and the final months of Obama's term, climbed to $42 billion, compared to $31 billion in the prior year, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Donald Trump to call on Pentagon, diplomats to play bigger role in arms sales: Sources

The United States today stood isolated in the powerful UN Security Council as the member nations cornered it on the decision of President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

Even its closest allies and partners like Britain and France came out openly lambasting it for the decision.

US envoy to the UN, Nikki Haley, was the sole voice supporting Trump&#39;s decision on Jerusalem during an emergency meeting held by the 15-membered powerful body of the UN this afternoon.

&quot;We disagree with the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to begin preparation to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.&quot;It is not in line with Security Council resolutions and is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region,&quot; said Permanent Representatives of Britain, France, Italy, Germany, and Sweden in a joint statement.

The status of Jerusalem, they said, must be determined through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians leading to a final status agreement.

It is a constant position of EU members that, within this framework, Jerusalem should ultimately be the capital of both Israeli and Palestinian states. Until then, we recognise no sovereignty over Jerusalem, the five members of the UN Security Council said.

Britain and France are the permanent members of the Security Council.

The emergency meeting was presided over by the Ambassador of Japan, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for December.

Strongly defending Trump&#39;s decision, Haley told the UN Security Council that the US took the step in &quot;full knowledge that it will raise questions and concerns&quot;.

&quot;Our actions are intended to help advance the cause of peace. We must recognise that peace is advanced, not set back, when all parties are honest with each other. Our actions reflected an honest assessment of reality,&quot; she said.

&quot;The US recognises the obvious&nbsp;that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Trump has instructed the State Department to begin the process of relocating the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. That is what the President has done,&quot; Haley said.

She said the US has not taken a position on borders, and the sovereignty issue should be decided by Israelis and Palestinians through negotiations.

&quot;And this is what he has not done: The United States has not taken a position on boundaries or borders. The specific dimensions of sovereignty over Jerusalem are still to be decided by the Israelis and the Palestinians in negotiations, the US envoy said.

&quot;The US has not advocated changing any of the arrangements at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif. The President specifically called for maintaining the status quo at the holy sites,&quot; she added.

But her argument could not convince the rest of the 14 members of the Security Council, making it one of the rarest of the rare occasion when the United States stood isolated in the world body.

British Ambassador to the UN, Matthew Rycroft said the status of Jerusalem is clear and long-standing -- it should be determined through a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states.

In line with Security Council Resolutions, Britain regards East Jerusalem as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, he said.

&quot;We, therefore, disagree with the US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and unilaterally recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel before a final status agreement,&quot; Rucroft said.

He said decisions like these are &quot;unhelpful&quot; to the prospects for peace in the region which is an aim that all of us in this Council remain committed to.

The British Embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv and we have no plans to move it, Rycroft said.

In his remarks Dr Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, said the &quot;extremely regrettable&quot; announcement, on 6 December, by Trump, in direct contravention of Security Council resolutions and the longstanding international consensus on Jerusalem, has heightened tensions and risks complete destabilisation of this volatile situation, with far-reaching consequences.

The Security Council, he said, must reaffirm its clear position on the status of Jerusalem and affirm its rejection of all violations of that status by &quot;whomever and whenever&quot;.

Security Council resolutions remain fully valid and must be implemented; these resolutions are the key to peace, Mansour said.

&quot;The Council must act to restore the Palestinian people&#39;s belief in international law as the most viable path the realisation of our rights and freedom, to restore our belief that peace is possible, and to ensure that not another generation will suffer this grave injustice,&quot; the Palestinian Ambassador said.

Israel&#39;s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, in his address, thanked Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Haley, saying that &quot;we are grateful to the United States for its courageous decision&quot;. 
Israel and Palestine are not members of the Security Council.

Addressing to the Council members, Danon held up a replica of a first-century coin.

&quot;I have here a replica of an ancient coin found on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It is dated from the year 67 AD during the time of the second Jewish Temple. The words &#39;Jerusalem the Holy&#39; are written on it. Only three years later, in the year 70 AD, would our holy temple be destroyed and the Jewish people sent into exile for 2,000 years&quot;.&nbsp;

The United States today stood isolated in the powerful UN Security Council as the member nations cornered it on the decision of President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital

The United States today stood isolated in the powerful UN Security Council as the member nations cornered it on the decision of President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Even its closest allies and partners like Britain and France came out openly lambasting it for the decision. US envoy to the UN, Nikki Haley, was the sole voice supporting Trump's decision on Jerusalem during an emergency meeting held by the 15-membered powerful body of the UN this afternoon. "We disagree with the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to begin preparation to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem."It is not in line with Security Council resolutions and is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region," said Permanent Representatives of Britain, France, Italy, Germany, and Sweden in a joint statement. The status of Jerusalem, they said, must be determined through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians leading to a final status agreement. It is a constant position of EU members that, within this framework, Jerusalem should ultimately be the capital of both Israeli and Palestinian states. Until then, we recognise no sovereignty over Jerusalem, the five members of the UN Security Council said. Britain and France are the permanent members of the Security Council. The emergency meeting was presided over by the Ambassador of Japan, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for December. Strongly defending Trump's decision, Haley told the UN Security Council that the US took the step in "full knowledge that it will raise questions and concerns". "Our actions are intended to help advance the cause of peace. We must recognise that peace is advanced, not set back, when all parties are honest with each other. Our actions reflected an honest assessment of reality," she said. "The US recognises the obvious that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Trump has instructed the State Department to begin the process of relocating the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. That is what the President has done," Haley said. She said the US has not taken a position on borders, and the sovereignty issue should be decided by Israelis and Palestinians through negotiations. "And this is what he has not done: The United States has not taken a position on boundaries or borders. The specific dimensions of sovereignty over Jerusalem are still to be decided by the Israelis and the Palestinians in negotiations, the US envoy said. "The US has not advocated changing any of the arrangements at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif. The President specifically called for maintaining the status quo at the holy sites," she added. But her argument could not convince the rest of the 14 members of the Security Council, making it one of the rarest of the rare occasion when the United States stood isolated in the world body. British Ambassador to the UN, Matthew Rycroft said the status of Jerusalem is clear and long-standing -- it should be determined through a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states. In line with Security Council Resolutions, Britain regards East Jerusalem as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, he said. "We, therefore, disagree with the US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and unilaterally recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel before a final status agreement," Rucroft said. He said decisions like these are "unhelpful" to the prospects for peace in the region which is an aim that all of us in this Council remain committed to. The British Embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv and we have no plans to move it, Rycroft said. In his remarks Dr Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, said the "extremely regrettable" announcement, on 6 December, by Trump, in direct contravention of Security Council resolutions and the longstanding international consensus on Jerusalem, has heightened tensions and risks complete destabilisation of this volatile situation, with far-reaching consequences. The Security Council, he said, must reaffirm its clear position on the status of Jerusalem and affirm its rejection of all violations of that status by "whomever and whenever". Security Council resolutions remain fully valid and must be implemented; these resolutions are the key to peace, Mansour said. "The Council must act to restore the Palestinian people's belief in international law as the most viable path the realisation of our rights and freedom, to restore our belief that peace is possible, and to ensure that not another generation will suffer this grave injustice," the Palestinian Ambassador said. Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, in his address, thanked Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Haley, saying that "we are grateful to the United States for its courageous decision". Israel and Palestine are not members of the Security Council. Addressing to the Council members, Danon held up a replica of a first-century coin. "I have here a replica of an ancient coin found on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It is dated from the year 67 AD during the time of the second Jewish Temple. The words 'Jerusalem the Holy' are written on it. Only three years later, in the year 70 AD, would our holy temple be destroyed and the Jewish people sent into exile for 2,000 years".

US cornered on Jerusalem move in United Nation

Democratic US&nbsp;Senator Al Franken announced his resignation from office on Thursday, bowing to pressure from party colleagues after a series of sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Franken, 66, a former comedian who had been seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, said he would be leaving in a few weeks. Even as he did so, he denied some of the allegations against him and questioned others.

&quot;I know in my heart that nothing I&#39;ve done as a senator - nothing - has brought dishonor on this institution,&quot; Franken said. &quot;Nevertheless, today I am announcing that in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate.&quot;

Franken, whose Senate seat will initially be filled by a Democrat appointed by Minnesota&#39;s Democratic governor, is one of several prominent American men in politics, media, and entertainment to be accused in recent months of sexual harassment and misconduct.

Allegations that he had groped and tried to kiss women without their consent began to surface three weeks ago.

After the initial accusations, Franken said he was embarrassed and ashamed by his behaviour but would not resign. Rather, he said, he would cooperate with a Senate ethics probe and work to regain the trust of the people of Minnesota.

However on Wednesday, calls for him to resign came from the majority of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate, including Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and almost all of the Democratic women in the chamber. That pressure came as a new allegation, denied by Franken, hit the news.

&quot;Some of the allegations against me are simply not true. Others I remember very differently,&quot; Franken said on Thursday.

Striking a tone of defiance, he also sought to contrast himself with two Republicans - President Donald Trump and Senate candidate Roy Moore.

&quot;I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate, with the full support of his party,&quot; he said.

Trump was heard bragging about kissing and touching women in a 2005 videotape that surfaced last year as he was running for the White House. He apologised for the remarks, but called them private &quot;locker-room talk&quot; and said he had not done the things he talked about. Trump also denied allegations at that time by at least 12 women of sexual advances and groping in the past.

Reuters has not independently verified the accusations.

Moore, who is running for the Senate in Alabama in a special election on Tuesday, has been accused by several women of sexual assault or misconduct when they were teenagers and Moore was in his early 30s. Moore, 70, has denied the accusations, which Reuters has not independently verified.

Trump has backed Moore, but Senate Republicans have been cooler toward his candidacy.

In pressing Franken to step aside, Democrats have tried to capture the moral high ground and draw a distinction between their party and Republicans.

&quot;As he and I discussed yesterday, this is the right decision ... In every workplace in America, including the US&nbsp;Senate, we must confront the challenges of harassment and misconduct,&quot; said Amy Klobuchar, Franken&#39;s fellow Democratic senator from Minnesota.

Democrat John Conyers, the longest serving member of the US&nbsp;House of Representatives, stepped down on Tuesday after multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, the first member of Congress to leave his seat during the wave of high-profile harassment allegations. Conyers has denied the allegations against him.

Senate balance of power

For the moment, the Republicans&#39; slim majority in the Senate will not be affected as Minnesota&#39;s Democratic governor, Mark Dayton, will appoint someone to take his place, ensuring Democrats hold the seat for now.

Dayton said in a statement he would make his decision in the next couple of days.

In the longer term, Franken&#39;s departure may complicate the party&#39;s efforts to hold or build on the 46 Senate seats they currently hold. Two independent senators also vote with the Democrats.

While Republicans are defending eight seats in the midterm election in November 2018, Democrats must preserve 26, if Minnesota holds a special election for Franken&#39;s chair.

The election to fill Franken&#39;s seat could be close. When he ran in 2008, the race was decided after an extensive recount, with Minnesota&#39;s Supreme Court weighing in. In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton won the state by less than two points.

In the latest accusation against Franken, Politico reported on Wednesday that a congressional aide said Franken had tried to forcibly kiss her in 2006, before he was elected to the Senate. Franken denied the allegation, Politico reported.

Reuters has not independently verified the accusations against him.

Despite the party&#39;s calls for him to leave, several of Franken&#39;s Democratic colleagues dabbed tears from their eyes during his speech on Thursday. His family watched from the balcony.

Afterward, his Democratic colleagues lined up to embrace him, including many of the women who had called for his resignation.

Franken, 66, a former comedian who had been seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, said he would be leaving in a few weeks. Even as he did so, he denied some of the allegations against him and questioned others

Democratic US Senator Al Franken announced his resignation from office on Thursday, bowing to pressure from party colleagues after a series of sexual misconduct allegations against him. Franken, 66, a former comedian who had been seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, said he would be leaving in a few weeks. Even as he did so, he denied some of the allegations against him and questioned others. "I know in my heart that nothing I've done as a senator - nothing - has brought dishonor on this institution," Franken said. "Nevertheless, today I am announcing that in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate." Franken, whose Senate seat will initially be filled by a Democrat appointed by Minnesota's Democratic governor, is one of several prominent American men in politics, media, and entertainment to be accused in recent months of sexual harassment and misconduct. Allegations that he had groped and tried to kiss women without their consent began to surface three weeks ago. After the initial accusations, Franken said he was embarrassed and ashamed by his behaviour but would not resign. Rather, he said, he would cooperate with a Senate ethics probe and work to regain the trust of the people of Minnesota. However on Wednesday, calls for him to resign came from the majority of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate, including Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and almost all of the Democratic women in the chamber. That pressure came as a new allegation, denied by Franken, hit the news. "Some of the allegations against me are simply not true. Others I remember very differently," Franken said on Thursday. Striking a tone of defiance, he also sought to contrast himself with two Republicans - President Donald Trump and Senate candidate Roy Moore. "I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate, with the full support of his party," he said. Trump was heard bragging about kissing and touching women in a 2005 videotape that surfaced last year as he was running for the White House. He apologised for the remarks, but called them private "locker-room talk" and said he had not done the things he talked about. Trump also denied allegations at that time by at least 12 women of sexual advances and groping in the past. Reuters has not independently verified the accusations. Moore, who is running for the Senate in Alabama in a special election on Tuesday, has been accused by several women of sexual assault or misconduct when they were teenagers and Moore was in his early 30s. Moore, 70, has denied the accusations, which Reuters has not independently verified. Trump has backed Moore, but Senate Republicans have been cooler toward his candidacy. In pressing Franken to step aside, Democrats have tried to capture the moral high ground and draw a distinction between their party and Republicans. "As he and I discussed yesterday, this is the right decision ... In every workplace in America, including the US Senate, we must confront the challenges of harassment and misconduct," said Amy Klobuchar, Franken's fellow Democratic senator from Minnesota. Democrat John Conyers, the longest serving member of the US House of Representatives, stepped down on Tuesday after multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, the first member of Congress to leave his seat during the wave of high-profile harassment allegations. Conyers has denied the allegations against him. Senate balance of power For the moment, the Republicans' slim majority in the Senate will not be affected as Minnesota's Democratic governor, Mark Dayton, will appoint someone to take his place, ensuring Democrats hold the seat for now. Dayton said in a statement he would make his decision in the next couple of days. In the longer term, Franken's departure may complicate the party's efforts to hold or build on the 46 Senate seats they currently hold. Two independent senators also vote with the Democrats. While Republicans are defending eight seats in the midterm election in November 2018, Democrats must preserve 26, if Minnesota holds a special election for Franken's chair. The election to fill Franken's seat could be close. When he ran in 2008, the race was decided after an extensive recount, with Minnesota's Supreme Court weighing in. In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton won the state by less than two points. In the latest accusation against Franken, Politico reported on Wednesday that a congressional aide said Franken had tried to forcibly kiss her in 2006, before he was elected to the Senate. Franken denied the allegation, Politico reported. Reuters has not independently verified the accusations against him. Despite the party's calls for him to leave, several of Franken's Democratic colleagues dabbed tears from their eyes during his speech on Thursday. His family watched from the balcony. Afterward, his Democratic colleagues lined up to embrace him, including many of the women who had called for his resignation.

The Democratic US Senator Franken says he will resign over sexual misconduct allegations

Arabs and Muslims across the Middle East on Wednesday condemned the US&nbsp;recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital as an incendiary move in a volatile region and Palestinians said Washington was abandoning its leading role as a peace mediator.

The European Union and United Nations also voiced alarm at US&nbsp;President Donald Trump&#39;s decision to move the US&nbsp;Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and its repercussions for any chances of reviving Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.

Major US&nbsp;allies came out against Trump&#39;s reversal of decades of US&nbsp;and broad international policy on Jerusalem.

France rejected the &quot;unilateral&quot; decision while appealing for calm in the region. Britain said the move would not help peace efforts and Jerusalem should ultimately be shared by Israel and a future Palestinian state. Germany said Jerusalem&#39;s status could only be resolved on the basis of a two-state solution.

Israel, by contrast, applauded Trump&#39;s move. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded video message that it was &quot;an important step towards peace&quot; and it was &quot;our goal from Israel&#39;s first day&quot;.

He added that any peace accord with the Palestinians would have to include Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and he urged other countries to follow Trump&#39;s example.

Trump upended decades of US&nbsp;policy in defiance of warnings from around the world that the gesture risks aggravating conflict in the tinderbox Middle East.

The status of Jerusalem is home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths. Its eastern sector was captured by Israel in a 1967 war and annexed in a move not recognized internationally. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem for the capital of an independent state they seek.

Israel deems Jerusalem its eternal and indivisible capital dating to antiquity, and its status is one of the thorniest barriers to a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a pre-recorded speech, said Jerusalem was the &quot;eternal capital of the State of Palestine&quot; and that Trump&#39;s move was &quot;tantamount to the United States abdicating its role as a peace mediator.&quot;

The last round of US-brokered talks foundered in 2014 over issues including Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and Israeli accusations of Palestinian incitement to violence and refusal to recognise it as a Jewish state.

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which has dominated Gaza since soon after Israel ended a 38-year occupation in 2005, said Trump had committed a &quot;flagrant aggression against the Palestinian people&quot;. Hamas urged Arabs and Muslims to &quot;undermine US&nbsp;interests in the region&quot; and to &quot;shun Israel&quot;.

Protests broke out in parts of Jordan&#39;s capital Amman inhabited by Palestinian refugees, with youths chanting anti-American slogans. In the Baqaa refugee camp on Amman&#39;s outskirts, hundreds roamed the streets denouncing Trump and urging Jordan to scrap its 1994 peace treaty with Israel. &quot;Down with America...America is the mother of terror,&quot; they chanted.

Angry Palestinians switched off Christmas lights at Jesus&#39; traditional birthplace in the West Bank town of Bethlehem and in Ramallah. A tree adorned with lights outside Bethlehem&#39;s Church of the Nativity, where Christians believe Jesus was born, and another in Ramallah, next to the grave of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, were plunged into darkness.

All Palestinian factions called for a general strike and protest rallies at midday on Thursday.

&nbsp;

&quot;Legally Null&quot; Decision

The Saudi Royal Court issued a statement saying that the kingdom followed &quot;with deep sorrow&quot; Trump&#39;s decision and warned of &quot;dangerous consequences of moving the US&nbsp;Embassy to Jerusalem&quot;.

The statement described the move as &quot;a big step back in efforts to advance the peace process&quot;, and urged the US&nbsp;administration to reverse its decision and adhere to international will.

Egypt, which forged the first Arab peace deal with Israel in 1979, brushed off Trump&#39;s decision and said it did not change Jerusalem&#39;s disputed legal status.

Jordan said Trump&#39;s action was &quot;legally null&quot; because it consolidated Israel&#39;s occupation of East Jerusalem.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said Trump&#39;s Jerusalem decision was dangerous and threatened the credibility of the United States as a broker of Middle East peace. He said the move would put back the peace process by decades and threatened regional stability and perhaps global stability.

Qatar&#39;s foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, said Trump&#39;s undertaking was a &quot;death sentence for all who seek peace&quot; and called it &quot;a dangerous escalation&quot;.

Turkey said Trump&#39;s move was &quot;irresponsible&quot;.

&quot;We call upon the US&nbsp;Administration to reconsider this faulty decision which may result in highly negative outcomes and to avoid uncalculated steps that will harm the multicultural identity and historical status of Jerusalem,&quot; the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement.

A few hundred protesters gathered outside the US&nbsp;consulate in Istanbul, a Reuters cameraman at the scene said. The protest was largely peaceful, though some of the demonstrators threw coins and other objects at the consulate.

Iran &quot;seriously condemns&quot; Trump&#39;s move as it violates UN&nbsp;resolutions on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, state media reported. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said earlier in the day that the United States was trying to destabilize the region and start a war to protect Israel&#39;s security.

In Southeast Asia, the leaders of Muslim-majority Indonesia and Malaysia denounced Trump&#39;s action.

&quot;This can rock global security and stability,&quot; Indonesian President Joko Widodo, leader of the world&#39;s largest Muslim-majority nation, told a news conference in which he called for the United States to reconsider its decision.

British Prime Minister Theresa May disagreed with Trump&#39;s embrace of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital before a final-status agreement as this was unlikely to help nurture peace in the region, her spokesman said.

However, May&#39;s spokesman welcomed Trump&#39;s stated wish to end the conflict and his acknowledgement that the final status of Jerusalem, including boundaries within the city, must be subject to negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he did not support Trump&#39;s &quot;unilateral&quot; move.

&quot;The status of Jerusalem is a question of international security that concerns the entire international community. The status of Jerusalem must be determined by Israelis and Palestinians in the framework of negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations,&quot; Macron told reporters in Algiers.

&quot;France and Europe are attached to a two-state solution - Israel and Palestine - living side by side in peace and security within recognised international borders with Jerusalem the capital of both states,&quot; he said.

&quot;For now, I urge for calm and for everyone to be responsible. We must avoid at all costs avoid violence and foster dialogue,&quot; he said.

UN&nbsp;Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there was no alternative to a two-state solution and Jerusalem was a final-status matter only to be settled through direct talks.

&quot;I have consistently spoken out against any unilateral measures that would jeopardize the prospect of peace for Israelis and Palestinians,&quot; Guterres said. &quot;I will do everything in my power to support the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to return to meaningful negotiations.&quot;

Arabs and Muslims across the Middle East on Wednesday condemned the US?recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital as an incendiary move in a volatile region and Palestinians said Washington was abandoning its leading role as a peace mediator

Arabs and Muslims across the Middle East on Wednesday condemned the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital as an incendiary move in a volatile region and Palestinians said Washington was abandoning its leading role as a peace mediator. The European Union and United Nations also voiced alarm at US President Donald Trump's decision to move the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and its repercussions for any chances of reviving Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. Major US allies came out against Trump's reversal of decades of US and broad international policy on Jerusalem. France rejected the "unilateral" decision while appealing for calm in the region. Britain said the move would not help peace efforts and Jerusalem should ultimately be shared by Israel and a future Palestinian state. Germany said Jerusalem's status could only be resolved on the basis of a two-state solution. Israel, by contrast, applauded Trump's move. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded video message that it was "an important step towards peace" and it was "our goal from Israel's first day". He added that any peace accord with the Palestinians would have to include Jerusalem as Israel's capital and he urged other countries to follow Trump's example. Trump upended decades of US policy in defiance of warnings from around the world that the gesture risks aggravating conflict in the tinderbox Middle East. The status of Jerusalem is home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths. Its eastern sector was captured by Israel in a 1967 war and annexed in a move not recognized internationally. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem for the capital of an independent state they seek. Israel deems Jerusalem its eternal and indivisible capital dating to antiquity, and its status is one of the thorniest barriers to a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a pre-recorded speech, said Jerusalem was the "eternal capital of the State of Palestine" and that Trump's move was "tantamount to the United States abdicating its role as a peace mediator." The last round of US-brokered talks foundered in 2014 over issues including Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and Israeli accusations of Palestinian incitement to violence and refusal to recognise it as a Jewish state. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which has dominated Gaza since soon after Israel ended a 38-year occupation in 2005, said Trump had committed a "flagrant aggression against the Palestinian people". Hamas urged Arabs and Muslims to "undermine US interests in the region" and to "shun Israel". Protests broke out in parts of Jordan's capital Amman inhabited by Palestinian refugees, with youths chanting anti-American slogans. In the Baqaa refugee camp on Amman's outskirts, hundreds roamed the streets denouncing Trump and urging Jordan to scrap its 1994 peace treaty with Israel. "Down with America...America is the mother of terror," they chanted. Angry Palestinians switched off Christmas lights at Jesus' traditional birthplace in the West Bank town of Bethlehem and in Ramallah. A tree adorned with lights outside Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, where Christians believe Jesus was born, and another in Ramallah, next to the grave of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, were plunged into darkness. All Palestinian factions called for a general strike and protest rallies at midday on Thursday. "Legally Null" Decision The Saudi Royal Court issued a statement saying that the kingdom followed "with deep sorrow" Trump's decision and warned of "dangerous consequences of moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem". The statement described the move as "a big step back in efforts to advance the peace process", and urged the US administration to reverse its decision and adhere to international will. Egypt, which forged the first Arab peace deal with Israel in 1979, brushed off Trump's decision and said it did not change Jerusalem's disputed legal status. Jordan said Trump's action was "legally null" because it consolidated Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem. Lebanese President Michel Aoun said Trump's Jerusalem decision was dangerous and threatened the credibility of the United States as a broker of Middle East peace. He said the move would put back the peace process by decades and threatened regional stability and perhaps global stability. Qatar's foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, said Trump's undertaking was a "death sentence for all who seek peace" and called it "a dangerous escalation". Turkey said Trump's move was "irresponsible". "We call upon the US Administration to reconsider this faulty decision which may result in highly negative outcomes and to avoid uncalculated steps that will harm the multicultural identity and historical status of Jerusalem," the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement. A few hundred protesters gathered outside the US consulate in Istanbul, a Reuters cameraman at the scene said. The protest was largely peaceful, though some of the demonstrators threw coins and other objects at the consulate. Iran "seriously condemns" Trump's move as it violates UN resolutions on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, state media reported. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said earlier in the day that the United States was trying to destabilize the region and start a war to protect Israel's security. In Southeast Asia, the leaders of Muslim-majority Indonesia and Malaysia denounced Trump's action. "This can rock global security and stability," Indonesian President Joko Widodo, leader of the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, told a news conference in which he called for the United States to reconsider its decision. British Prime Minister Theresa May disagreed with Trump's embrace of Jerusalem as Israel's capital before a final-status agreement as this was unlikely to help nurture peace in the region, her spokesman said. However, May's spokesman welcomed Trump's stated wish to end the conflict and his acknowledgement that the final status of Jerusalem, including boundaries within the city, must be subject to negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. French President Emmanuel Macron said he did not support Trump's "unilateral" move. "The status of Jerusalem is a question of international security that concerns the entire international community. The status of Jerusalem must be determined by Israelis and Palestinians in the framework of negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations," Macron told reporters in Algiers. "France and Europe are attached to a two-state solution - Israel and Palestine - living side by side in peace and security within recognised international borders with Jerusalem the capital of both states," he said. "For now, I urge for calm and for everyone to be responsible. We must avoid at all costs avoid violence and foster dialogue," he said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there was no alternative to a two-state solution and Jerusalem was a final-status matter only to be settled through direct talks. "I have consistently spoken out against any unilateral measures that would jeopardize the prospect of peace for Israelis and Palestinians," Guterres said. "I will do everything in my power to support the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to return to meaningful negotiations."

Arabs, Europe, UN reject Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-council-to-meet-on-north-korea-rights-abuses-nuclear-programme-in-december-25674">North Korea</a> Sunday blasted the United States and South Korea as &quot;warmongers&quot; on the eve of their largest-ever joint air exercise, saying it could trigger a nuclear war.

The comments came as White House National Security Advisor H.R McMaster warned of the &quot;increasing&quot; possibility of war with the impoverished but nuclear-armed North.&nbsp;

The five-day Vigilant Ace drill -- involving some 230 aircraft including F-22 Raptor stealth jet fighters -- begins Monday, five days after the&nbsp; North test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile believed capable of hitting the US mainland in a fresh challenge to&nbsp; President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

The North&#39;s ruling party Rodong newspaper slammed the upcoming drill.

&quot;It is an open, all-out provocation against the DPRK, which may lead to a nuclear war any moment,&quot; it said in an editorial Sunday, using the North&#39;s official name.&nbsp;

&quot;The US and South Korean puppet warmongers would be well advised to bear in mind that their DPRK-targeted military drill will be as foolish as an act precipitating their self-destruction,&quot; it said.&nbsp;

The commentary was published a day after Pyongyang&#39;s foreign ministry&nbsp; accused the Trump administration of &quot;begging for nuclear war&quot; by staging what it called the reckless air drills.

McMaster said the possibility of war with the North was &quot;increasing every day&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;I think it&#39;s increasing every day, which means that...we are in a race to be able to solve this problem,&quot; he said at a forum on Saturday.&nbsp;

&quot;There are ways to address this problem short of armed conflict, but it is a race because he&#39;s getting closer and closer, and there&#39;s not much time left,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-images-suggest-missile-capable-of-hitting-all-america-us-experts-25573">The North says the Hwasong-15 missile fired Wednesday</a> can be tipped with a &quot;super-large heavy warhead&quot; capable of striking the whole US mainland.&nbsp;

But analysts remain unconvinced that it has mastered the advanced technology to allow the rocket to survive re-entry to the Earth&#39;s atmosphere.&nbsp;

The months-long nuclear standoff between Kim and Trump has fuelled concerns of another conflict, after the 1950-53 Korean War left much of the peninsula in ruin.&nbsp;

But even some Trump advisers say US military options are limited when Pyongyang could launch an artillery barrage on the South Korean capital Seoul -- only around 50 kilometres from the border and home to 10 million people.

The comments came as White House National Security Advisor H.R McMaster warned of the "increasing" possibility of war with the impoverished but nuclear-armed North

North Korea Sunday blasted the United States and South Korea as "warmongers" on the eve of their largest-ever joint air exercise, saying it could trigger a nuclear war. The comments came as White House National Security Advisor H.R McMaster warned of the "increasing" possibility of war with the impoverished but nuclear-armed North. The five-day Vigilant Ace drill -- involving some 230 aircraft including F-22 Raptor stealth jet fighters -- begins Monday, five days after the North test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile believed capable of hitting the US mainland in a fresh challenge to President Donald Trump. The North's ruling party Rodong newspaper slammed the upcoming drill. "It is an open, all-out provocation against the DPRK, which may lead to a nuclear war any moment," it said in an editorial Sunday, using the North's official name. "The US and South Korean puppet warmongers would be well advised to bear in mind that their DPRK-targeted military drill will be as foolish as an act precipitating their self-destruction," it said. The commentary was published a day after Pyongyang's foreign ministry accused the Trump administration of "begging for nuclear war" by staging what it called the reckless air drills. McMaster said the possibility of war with the North was "increasing every day". "I think it's increasing every day, which means that...we are in a race to be able to solve this problem," he said at a forum on Saturday. "There are ways to address this problem short of armed conflict, but it is a race because he's getting closer and closer, and there's not much time left," he said. The North says the Hwasong-15 missile fired Wednesday can be tipped with a "super-large heavy warhead" capable of striking the whole US mainland. But analysts remain unconvinced that it has mastered the advanced technology to allow the rocket to survive re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere. The months-long nuclear standoff between Kim and Trump has fuelled concerns of another conflict, after the 1950-53 Korean War left much of the peninsula in ruin. But even some Trump advisers say US military options are limited when Pyongyang could launch an artillery barrage on the South Korean capital Seoul -- only around 50 kilometres from the border and home to 10 million people.

North Korea today blasted US and South Korea as 'warmongers'

The US is not satisfied with Pakistan&#39;s cooperation in the war against terror as it has not done &quot;anything significant&quot; to rein-in the Taliban and the Haqqani network and destroy their sanctuary on its territory as part of its promise, a senior White House official has said.

He also termed the release of Mumbai-terror attack accused Hafiz Saeed as &quot;a step backward&quot; in that direction.

The official said that the release of the Coleman family, held captive for five years by the Haqqani network, from inside Pakistan was &quot;not an indication&quot; of Islamabad&#39;s cooperation with the US in the war against terrorism.

Based on the intelligence shared by the US, in October, the Pakistan Army rescued Caitlan Coleman, her husband Joshua Boyle and their three children after five years of their abduction by terrorists having ties to the Afghan Taliban from the mountainous Kurram Valley region, bordering Afghanistan.

&quot;Our diplomatic pressure, as well as our own intelligence agencies diligent work led to the release of the Coleman family. So, I am not sure if that qualifies as step forward (by Pakistan as part of the South Asia Strategy announced by President Donald Trump in August),&quot; the official told PTI.

&quot;We are happy that the Colemans are free and that they have been released. But we are still waiting to see Pakistan take steps to rein in the Taliban and the Haqqani network. We are not satisfied that they have done anything significant on this front,&quot; he said.

The US, the official said, has now a different approach to Pakistan. &quot;We expect, Pakistan to take steps against terror sanctuary on its territory&quot;.

Acknowledging that Pakistan has not taken steps it promised after the announcement of the South Asia Strategy, the senior administration official said that the White House is still hopeful that Pakistan sees that it is in its interest to co-operate on the US strategy in Afghanistan.

&quot;But we have not yet seen any significant changes. We still remain hopeful. And we recognise that some of these changes take a bit of time and wouldn&#39;t necessarily occur overnight.

&quot;But we will expect to see these changes within a certain time-frame. Our patience is not unlimited when it comes to the steps that we expect them to take,&quot; he said.

The Trump Administration has been very specific with Pakistan on the steps that it needs to take, we have laid out very specific steps that they need to take to degrade these groups activities and to facilitate a genuine dialogue, the official said.

&quot;But, I don&#39;t think we have seen any significant steps in that direction. So, we are still waiting and watching and monitoring (Pakistan) very closely. And we&#39;re still hopeful that we will see Pakistan take some of those steps to crack down on the Taliban, the Haqqani network, and ensure that there are no safe havens, for these groups to continue operating inside Pakistan,&quot; he added.

The US, the official said, would be looking for very specific action from Pakistan within coming weeks and months.

He said that by spring, the Trump Administration would hope to see some real efforts on &quot;genuine&quot; peace process, as it is not interested in talks for talk&#39;s sake.

&quot;We would like to see a genuine peace dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban. We know that the Taliban has made gains for the last several years. So until they are convinced that they are not going to have sanctuary in Pakistan, we don&#39;t believe they&#39;ll be ready for talks.

&quot;They will continue to believe that they can advance on the battlefield rather than on the negotiating table,&quot; he said, adding &quot;so, we need to see Pakistan ensures that they don&#39;t have a sanctuary within Pakistan. And only at that time we assess that they&#39;ll really be ready for genuine negotiations with the Afghan government&quot;.

The White House official, however, refused to give any timeline for actions on Pakistan, saying he thinks that it would not be helpful.

&quot;But I just want to assure you that that we are thinking in terms of timelines and we are monitoring the progress and we do expect meaningful actions in a certain time-frame and we are prepared to implement new policies and take different steps if we don&#39;t see some progress,&quot; he said.

The US is not satisfied with Pakistan's cooperation in the war against terror as it has not done "anything significant" to rein-in the Taliban and the Haqqani network and destroy their sanctuary on its territory as part of its promise, a senior White House official has said

The US is not satisfied with Pakistan's cooperation in the war against terror as it has not done "anything significant" to rein-in the Taliban and the Haqqani network and destroy their sanctuary on its territory as part of its promise, a senior White House official has said. He also termed the release of Mumbai-terror attack accused Hafiz Saeed as "a step backward" in that direction. The official said that the release of the Coleman family, held captive for five years by the Haqqani network, from inside Pakistan was "not an indication" of Islamabad's cooperation with the US in the war against terrorism. Based on the intelligence shared by the US, in October, the Pakistan Army rescued Caitlan Coleman, her husband Joshua Boyle and their three children after five years of their abduction by terrorists having ties to the Afghan Taliban from the mountainous Kurram Valley region, bordering Afghanistan. "Our diplomatic pressure, as well as our own intelligence agencies diligent work led to the release of the Coleman family. So, I am not sure if that qualifies as step forward (by Pakistan as part of the South Asia Strategy announced by President Donald Trump in August)," the official told PTI. "We are happy that the Colemans are free and that they have been released. But we are still waiting to see Pakistan take steps to rein in the Taliban and the Haqqani network. We are not satisfied that they have done anything significant on this front," he said. The US, the official said, has now a different approach to Pakistan. "We expect, Pakistan to take steps against terror sanctuary on its territory". Acknowledging that Pakistan has not taken steps it promised after the announcement of the South Asia Strategy, the senior administration official said that the White House is still hopeful that Pakistan sees that it is in its interest to co-operate on the US strategy in Afghanistan. "But we have not yet seen any significant changes. We still remain hopeful. And we recognise that some of these changes take a bit of time and wouldn't necessarily occur overnight. "But we will expect to see these changes within a certain time-frame. Our patience is not unlimited when it comes to the steps that we expect them to take," he said. The Trump Administration has been very specific with Pakistan on the steps that it needs to take, we have laid out very specific steps that they need to take to degrade these groups activities and to facilitate a genuine dialogue, the official said. "But, I don't think we have seen any significant steps in that direction. So, we are still waiting and watching and monitoring (Pakistan) very closely. And we're still hopeful that we will see Pakistan take some of those steps to crack down on the Taliban, the Haqqani network, and ensure that there are no safe havens, for these groups to continue operating inside Pakistan," he added. The US, the official said, would be looking for very specific action from Pakistan within coming weeks and months. He said that by spring, the Trump Administration would hope to see some real efforts on "genuine" peace process, as it is not interested in talks for talk's sake. "We would like to see a genuine peace dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban. We know that the Taliban has made gains for the last several years. So until they are convinced that they are not going to have sanctuary in Pakistan, we don't believe they'll be ready for talks. "They will continue to believe that they can advance on the battlefield rather than on the negotiating table," he said, adding "so, we need to see Pakistan ensures that they don't have a sanctuary within Pakistan. And only at that time we assess that they'll really be ready for genuine negotiations with the Afghan government". The White House official, however, refused to give any timeline for actions on Pakistan, saying he thinks that it would not be helpful. "But I just want to assure you that that we are thinking in terms of timelines and we are monitoring the progress and we do expect meaningful actions in a certain time-frame and we are prepared to implement new policies and take different steps if we don't see some progress," he said.

Pakistan hasn't done anything significant in war against terror: US

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

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

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

FBI official removed from probe for anti-Trump remarks

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

Congress vice-president fired yet another salvo on&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning when he sarcastically tweeted &#39;hugplomacy fail&#39;. More hugs urgently need.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot; Narendrabhai, it&#39;s not working, Terror mastermind is free. President Trump just delinked Pak military funding from LeT. Hugdiplomacy fail. More hugs urgently needed,&quot; tweeted the official Twitter handle of office of Rahul Gandhi.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Narendrabhai, ??? ???? ???. Terror mastermind is free. President Trump just delinked Pak military funding from LeT. Hugplomacy fail. More hugs urgently needed.<a href="https://t.co/U8Bg2vlZqw">https://t.co/U8Bg2vlZqw</a>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/934270304980889600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Earlier on November 24, Saeed was released from house arrest in Lahore.

Police guards were removed from his residence where a large number of supporters gathered to celebrate the end of his house arrest.

In his first address after being released, Saeed blames India and the U.S. for detention and raked up Kashmir.

Saeed is said to be the head of the U.S.-designated terror outfit, Lashkar-e-Taiba and had been under house arrest since January 31 this year.

The decision to put Saeed under house arrest in January was seen as a response to actions by US President Donald Trump&#39;s White House against nations deemed linked to terrorism.

He has been declared a global terrorist by the United Nations and the US for his role in the Mumbai attack which claimed the lives of 166 people and maimed over 300 others.

He has a USD 10 million bounty on his head.&nbsp;

(With agency inputs)&nbsp;

" Narendrabhai, it's not working, Terror mastermind is free. President Trump just delinked Pak military funding from LeT. Hugdiplomacy fail. More hugs urgently needed," Rahul tweeted

Congress vice-president fired yet another salvo on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning when he sarcastically tweeted 'hugplomacy fail'. More hugs urgently need. " Narendrabhai, it's not working, Terror mastermind is free. President Trump just delinked Pak military funding from LeT. Hugdiplomacy fail. More hugs urgently needed," tweeted the official Twitter handle of office of Rahul Gandhi. Narendrabhai, ??? ???? ???. Terror mastermind is free. President Trump just delinked Pak military funding from LeT. Hugplomacy fail. More hugs urgently needed.https://t.co/U8Bg2vlZqw — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) November 25, 2017 × Earlier on November 24, Saeed was released from house arrest in Lahore. Police guards were removed from his residence where a large number of supporters gathered to celebrate the end of his house arrest. In his first address after being released, Saeed blames India and the U.S. for detention and raked up Kashmir. Saeed is said to be the head of the U.S.-designated terror outfit, Lashkar-e-Taiba and had been under house arrest since January 31 this year. The decision to put Saeed under house arrest in January was seen as a response to actions by US President Donald Trump's White House against nations deemed linked to terrorism. He has been declared a global terrorist by the United Nations and the US for his role in the Mumbai attack which claimed the lives of 166 people and maimed over 300 others. He has a USD 10 million bounty on his head. (With agency inputs)

'Hugplomacy fail': Rahul's latest jibe at Modi over Hafiz Saeed's release

An ultra-violent Latino street gang that President Donald Trump has vowed to wipe out beheaded a man and cut out his heart before burying him in a park near the US capital, reports said Wednesday.

The victim, who has not yet been identified, was stabbed more than 100 times in the attack in Wheaton, Maryland just outside Washington DC, according to a statement by the Montgomery County Police Department.

Authorities have so far arrested Miguel Angel Lopez-Abrego, 19 and an alleged member of the MS-13 gang, on first-degree murder charges. Other suspects are being sought.

Charging documents obtained by Montgomery Community Media and WBALTV11 added the victim was decapitated and had his heart removed from his chest, in an attack planned for weeks and involving up to 10 people.

Detectives began investigating in September thanks to a tip from an informant who said he knew of a murder committed in the spring in a Wheaton park, the Washington Post reported, quoting court records. The informant led police to the gravesite deep side the park.

The grave was prepared before the attack, the paper said. It added that gang members lured the victim to the park and spoke to each other on walkie-talkies as he arrived, the paper added.

The charging documents do not cite a motive for the slaying, which investigators believe the attackers had been preparing for about two weeks, the Post said.

Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, is estimated to have 10,000 members in the United States.

The gang works as an umbrella grouping of units known in Spanish as &quot;clicks,&quot; some of which are larger and more violent than others.

It has become a focus of Trump&#39;s crackdown on crime, which he claims has surged as a result of borders easily crossed by gang members.

Most members trace their heritage to El Salvador, Honduras or Guatemala, and among the members, there are as many immigrants as there are US citizens. Many were born in the United States.

Authorities last week announced they had netted 214 members of the gang in a month-long nationwide sweep.

More than half of those picked up in the action which was led by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency were arrested on immigration violations. But 93 were dealt federal criminal charges including murder, robbery, drugs, and racketeering.

The victim, who has not yet been identified, was stabbed more than 100 times in the attack in Wheaton, Maryland just outside Washington DC, said the Montgomery County Police Department

An ultra-violent Latino street gang that President Donald Trump has vowed to wipe out beheaded a man and cut out his heart before burying him in a park near the US capital, reports said Wednesday. The victim, who has not yet been identified, was stabbed more than 100 times in the attack in Wheaton, Maryland just outside Washington DC, according to a statement by the Montgomery County Police Department. Authorities have so far arrested Miguel Angel Lopez-Abrego, 19 and an alleged member of the MS-13 gang, on first-degree murder charges. Other suspects are being sought. Charging documents obtained by Montgomery Community Media and WBALTV11 added the victim was decapitated and had his heart removed from his chest, in an attack planned for weeks and involving up to 10 people. Detectives began investigating in September thanks to a tip from an informant who said he knew of a murder committed in the spring in a Wheaton park, the Washington Post reported, quoting court records. The informant led police to the gravesite deep side the park. The grave was prepared before the attack, the paper said. It added that gang members lured the victim to the park and spoke to each other on walkie-talkies as he arrived, the paper added. The charging documents do not cite a motive for the slaying, which investigators believe the attackers had been preparing for about two weeks, the Post said. Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, is estimated to have 10,000 members in the United States. The gang works as an umbrella grouping of units known in Spanish as "clicks," some of which are larger and more violent than others. It has become a focus of Trump's crackdown on crime, which he claims has surged as a result of borders easily crossed by gang members. Most members trace their heritage to El Salvador, Honduras or Guatemala, and among the members, there are as many immigrants as there are US citizens. Many were born in the United States. Authorities last week announced they had netted 214 members of the gang in a month-long nationwide sweep. More than half of those picked up in the action which was led by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency were arrested on immigration violations. But 93 were dealt federal criminal charges including murder, robbery, drugs, and racketeering.

Notorious gang 'behead man' near Washington

China called Tuesday for extra efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis through talks after<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-declares-north-korea-state-sponsor-of-terror-24690"> US President Donald Trump re-branded Pyongyang as a state sponsor of terrorism.</a>

Beijing has repeatedly pushed for negotiations to end the standoff. Some analysts warned that the terror designation could further inflame tensions.

&quot;We still hope all relevant parties can contribute to easing tensions, that the relevant parties can resume talks and (adopt) the correct track to resolving the Korean peninsula issue through dialogue and consultation,&quot; said foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang.

&quot;More should be done in that regard.&quot;

China has pushed for a &quot;dual-track approach&quot; which would require the United States to freeze its military drills in South Korea while North Korea would halt its weapons programmes, but the proposal has not gained traction.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gap-in-india-us-ties-will-likely-suck-new-delhi-into-us-orbit-china-daily-24702">Trump on Monday promised </a>a rapid escalation of US Treasury sanctions against the North after adding its name to a terror blacklist previously led by Iran and Syria.

&quot;Should have happened a long time ago. Should have happened years ago,&quot; Trump said.

He cited the death of a US student who had been held in a North Korean jail and the assassination by nerve agent of Kim&#39;s elder half-brother on foreign soil as reasons for the move.

However, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said sanctions and diplomacy could still pressure North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un into talks on nuclear disarmament.

&quot;We still hope for diplomacy,&quot; he said, adding that punitive measures were already having a significant impact on Pyongyang&#39;s economy.

There was no immediate reaction from North Korea, but an editorial in the ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun before the announcement described Trump as a &quot;mentally deranged money-grabber&quot; who was leading the US down an &quot;irretrievable road to hell&quot;.

The White House has said it will not tolerate the North&#39;s testing or deployment of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to US cities.

Experts believe Pyongyang is within months of such a threshold, having carried out six nuclear tests since 2006 and test-fired several types of missiles, including multi-stage rockets.

Japan said it &quot;welcomes and supports&quot; Trump&#39;s announcement. But there was a more restrained response from South Korea.

Seoul&#39;s foreign ministry said the US measure was &quot;part of the international community&#39;s common efforts to bring North Korea to the path of denuclearization through strong sanctions and pressure&quot;.

Some analysts warned of a possible backlash.

&quot;North Korea will consider it as a thing next to a declaration of war,&quot; Professor Yang Moo-Jin of the University for North Korean Studies in Seoul told AFP.

&quot;There is a possibility that it may retaliate by test-launching an ICBM in the near future.&quot;

&#39;Maximum pressure&#39;&nbsp;

Both Trump and Kim have previously raised fears of open conflict erupting over the North&#39;s banned nuclear missile programme, as they exchanged insults and threats of a devastating military response.

But US officials say their main hope is that Pyongyang will back down, in the face of what Tillerson described as an inexorable increase in Chinese-backed economic and diplomatic pressure.

&quot;We know that there are current shortages of fuel based upon what we can gather anecdotally and also from certain intelligence sources,&quot; Tillerson said.

&quot;We know that their revenues are down,&quot; he said. &quot;So I think it is having an effect. Is this the reason we haven&#39;t had a provocative act in 60 days?&quot;

North Korea is already under a crushing sanctions regime, and Monday&#39;s terror designation will not have much immediate economic impact.

But Trump said his declaration was the prelude to a two-week period of announcements -- starting with a &quot;very large&quot; US Treasury sanctions measure -- that would amount to a &quot;maximum pressure campaign&quot;.

US officials see the designation -- which was removed by then-president George W. Bush in 2008 -- as a way of intensifying pressure on other nations and foreign banks which may be failing to fully enforce the sanctions.

Tortured in custody?&nbsp;

&quot;In addition to threatening the world by nuclear devastation, North Korea repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism including assassinations on foreign soil,&quot; Trump said.

Trump invoked Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old who died this year after being repatriated from detention in North Korea in a coma. US officials allege he was tortured in custody.

In February Kim&#39;s potential rival and elder half-brother, Kim Jong-Nam died after he was sprayed with a nerve agent in Kuala Lumpur airport, in an assassination blamed on Pyongyang.

US officials would not say what new sanctions might be announced but an expert predicted secondary measures against Chinese banks, and an Asian diplomat said there could be action against individual North Korean traders working in China.

The diplomat said Washington would like to impose a total oil embargo on the North but China was not yet ready to accept a move that could cause Kim&#39;s regime to topple and unleash chaos on its border.

China called Tuesday for extra efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis through talks after US President Donald Trump re-branded Pyongyang as a state sponsor of terrorism

China called Tuesday for extra efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis through talks after US President Donald Trump re-branded Pyongyang as a state sponsor of terrorism. Beijing has repeatedly pushed for negotiations to end the standoff. Some analysts warned that the terror designation could further inflame tensions. "We still hope all relevant parties can contribute to easing tensions, that the relevant parties can resume talks and (adopt) the correct track to resolving the Korean peninsula issue through dialogue and consultation," said foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang. "More should be done in that regard." China has pushed for a "dual-track approach" which would require the United States to freeze its military drills in South Korea while North Korea would halt its weapons programmes, but the proposal has not gained traction. Trump on Monday promised a rapid escalation of US Treasury sanctions against the North after adding its name to a terror blacklist previously led by Iran and Syria. "Should have happened a long time ago. Should have happened years ago," Trump said. He cited the death of a US student who had been held in a North Korean jail and the assassination by nerve agent of Kim's elder half-brother on foreign soil as reasons for the move. However, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said sanctions and diplomacy could still pressure North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un into talks on nuclear disarmament. "We still hope for diplomacy," he said, adding that punitive measures were already having a significant impact on Pyongyang's economy. There was no immediate reaction from North Korea, but an editorial in the ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun before the announcement described Trump as a "mentally deranged money-grabber" who was leading the US down an "irretrievable road to hell". The White House has said it will not tolerate the North's testing or deployment of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to US cities. Experts believe Pyongyang is within months of such a threshold, having carried out six nuclear tests since 2006 and test-fired several types of missiles, including multi-stage rockets. Japan said it "welcomes and supports" Trump's announcement. But there was a more restrained response from South Korea. Seoul's foreign ministry said the US measure was "part of the international community's common efforts to bring North Korea to the path of denuclearization through strong sanctions and pressure". Some analysts warned of a possible backlash. "North Korea will consider it as a thing next to a declaration of war," Professor Yang Moo-Jin of the University for North Korean Studies in Seoul told AFP. "There is a possibility that it may retaliate by test-launching an ICBM in the near future." 'Maximum pressure' Both Trump and Kim have previously raised fears of open conflict erupting over the North's banned nuclear missile programme, as they exchanged insults and threats of a devastating military response. But US officials say their main hope is that Pyongyang will back down, in the face of what Tillerson described as an inexorable increase in Chinese-backed economic and diplomatic pressure. "We know that there are current shortages of fuel based upon what we can gather anecdotally and also from certain intelligence sources," Tillerson said. "We know that their revenues are down," he said. "So I think it is having an effect. Is this the reason we haven't had a provocative act in 60 days?" North Korea is already under a crushing sanctions regime, and Monday's terror designation will not have much immediate economic impact. But Trump said his declaration was the prelude to a two-week period of announcements -- starting with a "very large" US Treasury sanctions measure -- that would amount to a "maximum pressure campaign". US officials see the designation -- which was removed by then-president George W. Bush in 2008 -- as a way of intensifying pressure on other nations and foreign banks which may be failing to fully enforce the sanctions. Tortured in custody? "In addition to threatening the world by nuclear devastation, North Korea repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism including assassinations on foreign soil," Trump said. Trump invoked Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old who died this year after being repatriated from detention in North Korea in a coma. US officials allege he was tortured in custody. In February Kim's potential rival and elder half-brother, Kim Jong-Nam died after he was sprayed with a nerve agent in Kuala Lumpur airport, in an assassination blamed on Pyongyang. US officials would not say what new sanctions might be announced but an expert predicted secondary measures against Chinese banks, and an Asian diplomat said there could be action against individual North Korean traders working in China. The diplomat said Washington would like to impose a total oil embargo on the North but China was not yet ready to accept a move that could cause Kim's regime to topple and unleash chaos on its border.

China urges talks after US brands North Korea a terror sponsor